The daily union., 1852-01-16

abolition ol fogging "'' '"'Ns 'A'
a. Allqslon has been made TO our whalemen Why do
our whalemen, we asked manage their shiDs with
oal alhoggng In the FIRST place. here is an ass,lmuiioo
oil what is not admitted in this question Ii l. tsLen for
eoniade,ioo s 40 nos pg say WIN the hazard Of
strict dlsclplnarlans earth than the masters of our
whaling ships They are fogging 10 this very
hour, and are evadng the law. Why do they do III
Because their fortunes are al stake and ask whale
men, and they will tell you that the fact is So Whale
ships are generally managed. to extent, by per
sons who have JOINT ownership of them, and they
are owned as general rule in thirty second or more
divisions, from the captain down the third boat
ihe parties directing the ship have an interest either
IN the ship or IN the success OF the voyage They
see that II is necessary 10 fog TO preserve discipline and
they do A. is necessary to keep those portions Of their
crews which the whalemen pick up from transient yes
sells IN the Pacific the Sandwich Islands, and elsewhere
IN strict discipline and they subjected TO the discipline
which has existed in the merchant marine in defiance
OF the law because they say to obey the law would be
rulnous TO their fortunes.
so much for our American seamen--so much for Amer
lean citizenship. But sir if these were all born
natives OF the soil. this idea OF carrying the rights of
American citizens on the broad ocean under the hag 10
unenable. II will not stand examination for single
moment What are the rights OF American citizen
on shore Their broad landmarks are, freedom of per
son and papers from unlawful seizure and search free
dom from arrest withoa, warrant the right to see the
warrant the right OF hdbeas corpus for their release il
wrongully committed, the trial by jury, the exercise OF
the elective franchise and thousand other rights which
| shield and encirce the citizen land But the mo-
ment he steps on the ocean, are these rights, exis
! ing Are they sustained for moments Is the
government OF the ship republican in its character
Do the rights OF American citizen follow the sailor
upon the forecaste The principle of government is
opinion. The principle OF naval government is obedi-
ence-pompt, ready, cheerful, and willing obedience II
perfectly useless TO talk old sailor about republic
rights and the duties OF American citizens and
say this under full conviction OF the hardhood Of differ
ing with the honorable senator from New Jersey. Ii
sailor were here to-day, and you were to talk TO him
about the rights OF the American the forecas
tie, he would tell you at that his familiar motto Is to
obey ORDERS if he breaks owners" and to yield obed
ence without questioning authority The American ci.
shore knows his rights; and all attempts at
have you 10 demand this Is this rghtl Is il lawful
Show your authority. But the government of the
navy demands for the orders OF superior authority
prompt ready, and unhesalng obedience and there 10
but shade OF distinction between hesitation and abso
lutte disobedience. Every man who knows anything
about the navigation OF the seas and the hardsnIps to
Ter OF prompt and ready obedience the very essence OF
the existence OF the merchant marine and the navy Dis
with il for single moment and lncucate the doc
lrine that the sailor question auhoritya he ID 10
carry the rights OF citizen board shipyou may bid
adieu 10 everything like efficient navy mercantile
marine forever and the time may come when naval evo-
lutons may be submitted 10 vote OF all hands, and be
decided by the voice OF the majority Obedience should
sequences and the slightest inaltentior may frequently
involve results the most fatal directed to steer
certain course may steer half point off and lose ship.
cargo, and lives Yet this is dsobedience. II would
be simply neglect OF duty. There thousands and
thousands of offences land which classed under the
H Because others s
at hand and you can get others to perform their work
But al this matter OF prompt obedience becomes VITAL
and strict attention TO duty OF hourly and vital conse.
quence 1t may be shown here, perhaps, that ships
the navy and out of have navgated without using the
cat and that that punishment has been dispensed with
But ask gentlemen TO look at this thing it exists In
all cases OF this kind The seamen knew that might be
resoted 10 at any time, and the result obedisnce
have doubt that the honorable from New Jer.
sey has himself made voyages without using and that
other humane and honorable members OF the navy have
done They have locked the cat up in their store.
hptth Enatu fhatth ssnA~
their control, and that the but sleeping II may
speak and that might come forth at any hour, and
may exhibit the logs OF officers to show that they have
made voyages without using this punishment but 90 long
they might have esorted TO it, Il furnishes argument
in point
shpmaser who has told his men. "For no offence that
you possibly commit this vessel you be hog
senator .es opI from New sssey ssd hi. sub
ject If the seaman himself regarded the punish
ment degrading. do not know that this point was
exactly made, but the impression is made upon my mind
that he treated the subject and hence he inferred that
our has second rate class of men, In this
totally disagree with him. and deny that your ssamsn
CARDS, the skuks and the useless trash that you find 10
the navy among "landsmen and that you have some Of
of the navy, where you will find the words penten-
tary BIRDS used II is found impossible to exclude men
OF great vices from the decks oil your ships These men
may come here and preach that it is degradation; they
may get up petitions and that their souls degraded,
and that they cannot tight for flag because they
" scouWed." But show the petition oil any OF
the bone and sinew of the nayy-the old tars who
sustained the honor OF our flag in the last war; and who
ready to sustain agan-ln which they say that they
consider hoggng degrading But am told-and the ar
gument will no doubt be made-tha this makes no differ
ence for that although the may consider this
discipline proper and appropriate, and may not regard
deg sdng yet bound to consider It So and must
legisae for il accordingly This doctrine hold TO be
perfectly unienable II would, indeed, be stride OF
progress going far ahead OF anything OF which have yet
heard in this progressive for US 70 undertake
10 teach them that their treatment Degrading against
their convictions No, sir, we must treat this mat
ter find Il.
The very momenthe sailor ensis in the service he does
il with his eyes ope he does under the rules and regu
laons and articles OF and the existing laws o the
navy, and he knows what the punishmens Tor
derecton OF duty and he knows that the commander OF
the ship has the discretion 10 punish him in this way
Does a seaman voluntarily assume degradation Does
he receive pay for degrading himself, and speculate
upon his own disgracel When he receives his three
months pay in advance does he take II under the
conviction that he has purchased chance for infamy
No, sir II you could but seaman when be has en-
listed "csck ship, you would perceive a. glance
that such no, his view OF the subject lnere - an
elevation OF sentiment and Joyous hopeful hilaI'ty IN
all that he then says and does which the strongest eiu
aton OF the charge that he considers his enment de
grading And now, sir, permit me 70 say MAJ un9es no
circumstances is the punishment whcn produces oe{a
daon; and that from the earliest oaya OF oparu wnen
the Iaeedemonan YOUTH concealng stolen fox beneath
his robe suffered i 10 rend his vals before he would
submit To Detection this moment, II is the conviction.
and not be punishment which has worked the disgrsce.
Thus does the law treat il, and thus does every