The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-02-13

sions with ourselves but it will be no more abused
by them than by US. Why should II be- They are
men Of as high principles, OF as good feelings OF as
honorable character. and very large proportion OF them
OF as high intelligence possess Why. then. should
we suppose that this power in their hands will be oftene
abused than power in the hands of any other class OF
people' Sir, there is to suppose it, and the
senator knows that the argument that this power must be
abolished, be annlhiated because il is subject to
occasional abuse equally valid and forcble for the
abolition Of all power But society cannot exist without
the possession Of power in control others for
the general wslfare and we obliged TO submit. in
these cases. to occasional abuse of power order
AVOID errors, or universal anarchy.
rut MIR President was very sorry to hear the homer
able senator from New Hampshire make one statement
hope he will TO qualify or retract it. hope
he will retaci it, The senator has said that the posses
sion OF this power is calculated to produce mulny, and
that ought to produce mutiny lie has given his sena-
sailors OF the navy to mutny against their officers
and when hereafter, upon distant cruise, shall
be found necessary to exercise this power for the
misguided men shall bs led into mutinous re.
sisisnce Of that authority. and shall be called to pay
the forfeiture h Of Their Lives for it. as They certainly
motely and obquely. though undesignedly, this very
speech Of mis- may have been participant in the blood OF
these men and they will be able say before the rbu
nal at which they are placed did but re ss the author
it which, in the Senate Of the United States, upon the
high authority OF distinguished member of that body,
speaking his place and before the country, was told
ought 10 resist; and shall be condemned to death
Ignorant as am--unenghtened us to my rights incapa-
bic Of defining for myself the extent TO which the power
cept what l have been told by honorable senator
upon the floor Of the Senate had right to do, and
fhope Mr. President. that the honorable senator from
New Hampshire is sincerely anxious TO preserve the
character OF our glorious navy, and to keep it useful
portion Of the great apparatus by which the government
full than by being obeden From the highest officer to
the lowest that service. absolute obedience is
which here urged by the honorable senator. the
inferior officers may be called upon muny; for what it
might be said, degrading than that should
another man better than hmse' II is degrading it
sell the absolute control of the lieutenant in service
But IS il So sr' Is i ieli to be 50 by those high and
honorable minds which have been trained up that ser
vice No. sir they realize the great truth have stated
can be deg rading citizen of their country, and there
fore willingly and cheeruy do they submit Sir know
they submit with readiness and prompness They are all
subordinate to what they consider just authority and far
from considering themselves dshonored by it, they would
feel it stain upon their escucheon if brother officer
lawful authority" And. sir when that dsobedience
ours, and they meet with the punishment, permit me to
te the honorable senator that the punishment nlics
pain upon the heart OF officer whose service is his pro-
fesson and whose character his life inicng pang
upon his heart compared with which the corporal punish
ment Of the idle the vicious or the brutal sailor (and
be regarded than the idle wind.
Sir, there must be this subordnation the service for
than half century this punishment has existed and
during that time. sir wherever has there been in any
ton the world navy free from rebellOus oppos
ton, whose character and conduct have been generally
and almost universally marked by cheerful and ready
obedience; navy whose efforts in the service a the
country have been crowned with such glory the navy
of the United Sates' Now, cir, for ausht know it
may be true that this punishment ought to be abolished
but the senator from New Hampshire has not stated
single for which he says the punishment is de-
grading Be it1o LII necessary to nillet punishment
ut degradation They deserve punishment who will
fully violate the laws and the nature and character of the
punishment, must always carry degradation with it. when
the violation itself degrading; and after all that has
been consideredthoush doubt this power like every
other. has been abused-as general rule the honorable
senator will find that sailor who has once served as
opportunity OF re- enlsting, in 90 cases out OF 100
shows decided preference over the merchant service
deep wrongs and it, as body, they so suffer be
placed in such condition Of feeling that they ought to
mptny. they would have voluntarily Quilted the service
when their term of service had expired
think it would have been found, if the matter had
been brought before us by regular investigation and in
qury it's importance demands that there are but few
the naval service, in comparison with the large
number that belong it, who fall under the nflc-
ton of this punishment and that the sympathy which
is awakened is not for the good and faithful, who are
suffering gnominy. but for the vicious, the unruy, the
bad men who are found board ships, whose punish
ments absolutely necessary for the government OF the
ship, and to mark the distinction between them and
those worthy and valiant ars who faithfully and hon
estly submit TO the hardshps of their duties and dis
charge the duties which they to the country in
whose service they have voluntarily entered.
Mr. HALE will not tresass the attention OF the
Senate long. The honorable from North Caro-
lna with that ability with which he always undertakes
any discussion has undertaken to WELD the weapon OF
rdicule against my argument because said had no
reverence for anything human. The remark made
in reply to what thought undue demand for us
TO regard this custOm-because il is old That the
whole of it, But sir, might make the assertion alb
lutte. might assert that have reverence for any
thing human, and should touch the honorable
aors position, because humanity cannot be connected
about it, His favorte CATO mine tails would be left
scalhed. So much for that.
| think the senator has done injustice to the remark
which made relative to the commanding officers OF the
United States. | spoke, sir from report which had
from the Secretary of the Navy; and repeat the
the discipline of the navy, there is stream of living
blood marking the backs Of American seamen from the
LIST of January the last day of December ask the at
tenon of the Senate to it, It appears that board
ship, the OF three months there were nine hun
dred lashes This makes about ten lashes day. do
not know exactly how many ships OF war we have, but
will suppose the number thirty. aad let this rearn be
the average for each of them That would make three
hundred ashes for every day the upon the backs
of American seamen. | think that will make stream
large enough to illustrate my argument in blood.
Now. this just have stalled in the report; II that
report not true, am not responsible for IT, II does
not present fair average, am not responsible, But
on the backs of American seamen-and how much hui
mainly is there in that' The senator says have not
brought any facts, but idle defamation, some other
kind OF defamation
r Mr.. DAYTON. Rhetorical defamation.
MI. HALE, (resuming) Rhetorical defamation, Well,
b. ll,r~x L-ll 4 Is--