Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-01-17

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have lived we will find that there has been any
such in it, whether human divine, for
single instant of time. When that primeval pair from
whom have all sprung placed, in perfect and
happy innocence in Paradise with their affections all
tuned harmonious disposition love- to reverence,
and 10 their great Creator they left without
the influence of that principle Of fear Not at all In
the day that ye eat thereof ye shall surely die And
however agreeable and pleasing be 10 as TO imagine
state of society in which all shall do exactly every
thing that is right and nothing that is wrong merely be-
of spontaneous disposition to do So II Is very
certain that such government has existed
can exist until there is total renovation OF human char
acter All goyernments-that is all wise and just gov
ernments-act by the double influence of hope and fear
by the application time of rewards at another OF
punishmens Is not that the rule Mr. President IN the
domestic circle beg pardon for referring to you, Mr.
President, upon such subject Laughter. We en-
courage and lead children where but when
encouragement and leading will not do we punish them
We endeavor TO have them do right from love to and
when succeed in that il affords the highest degree
of qualification But surely, if do not succeed by
of that high and noble feeling, if faithful TO
ourselves and TO Them do not leave them without the
necessary coercve The end is to be accomplish
ed-that is obedience and submission to what is right.
If bring that about by encouragement and the
persuasion of love- then much the better but if not,
bring about by fear; for the end IL too yaua
BILE to be sacrificed
Now believe greatly in the tribute the honorable Sc
nator has paid TO the character of the American sailor
But permit to say that the honorable Senator does not
exactly the question presented by this petition He
says that the American Senator is noble specimen of
man. Laughter.
SENATOR The American sailor.
Mr.. BADGER. ! mean the American sailor But l
hope apply it to both sailor and senator Laugh
ter 1t is merely slipping from truth into another
What the Senator says is He says also that such
ought not to be degraded. | admit it. But is it
proposed to degrade him. Does this petition ask that
Congress shall pass law compelling the officers who are
in charge of the vessels of the country whip all the
under their command those who behave well and those who
do not! Does it want to require them to act bike onr
old friend Caleb Quotem the schoomaster III the rce
who, when he obliged his scholars to go TO
review went first to the schoolhouse and whipped the boys
all round because he said he knew they would deserve 1t
in the course of the day Laughter The petition con
tains no proposition of that kind 1t asks simply to
restore feature the discipline of navy by which
man who ofends-a who by his conduct sullies the
character which generally belongs to American sailors
shall be made suffer punishment for it, such will
restrain him from future or at least serve as warn
ing TO others to fall into like error
Now the honorable Senator says that it is very clear
thing upon looking into the report that have here in
regard the number of whpngs and the nature OF the
offences that this punishment is perfectly useless because
the offences not diminished Is that satisfactory
concluson-one justly drawn Can it stand the test of
examination Suppose were to come forward and
call upon society to abolish al punshments and trust to
the gentle influence of moral suason prevent those
have disposition for putting their fingers into their
neghbors pockets from stealing their pocketbooks those
who desire steal horses from getting their neigh
bors hedges those who boodthrsty from cutting
their neighbors throats il to that the
gumen might be used in that the honorable Sena
tor has offered in this. He could take up your criminal
calendar which shows the number those who have been
punished for stealing how many have been punished for
murder, &C., and say, Behold all your punishments
have been Of avail they have done good and there
fore no punishment should be inflicted" Why sir, no
man supposed for that any institution of
society could prevent the recurrence of crime But
must ascertain, before coming the conclusion of the
honorable Senator what would have been the condition of
things in the navy and what the condition of things in
cety in the have supposed all legal restraints
removed Why sir the spirit Of evil would rise refresh
ed like the giant refreshed with wine and forth to the
ruin and destruction Of society The Senator'S argument
proves this proves any thing that the system of pun
ishment under consideration it was not
more than adequate 70 the preservation of toleraby
sound and healthy condition in the naval service and in
my opinion, 1t proves nothing more.
should be extremely glad to such condition of
things that our officers could conduct ships over the
wide surface OF the and the service be always car
ned on always and under all circumstances by free and
willing minds, and that under the and stripes there
never should be any necessity for resorng to any
ishment We would all rejoice at that. should be ex
uemely glad to believe that the particular punishment
alluded TO could be dispensed with but II does not help
the matter 4aE teoHtg 81 sdHfe eG rfe mind that is
shockng-terrible Now, the honorable Senator would
not object at all to putting sailor in irons in
double irons, punishment for his misbehavior
should be extremely glad to know how man can have
the appearance Of slave than when he has his
hands and legs manacled with double irons and he him
self locked up in the prisonroom on board ship Yet will
gentlemen say that whenever put in irons we
treat him like a slave? Why in of the word,
whenever seize offender and deprive him of the
ing him like slave but il is because he has shown him
self worthy of such treatment it is because he has out
ragged the laws Of his country the necessity of preserving
which is paramount to all considerations Of advantage
to him
Doubtless there have been men in the command Of an
armed force who have been happily constituted be
able 70 lead about their troops il by charm TO
whom punishment unnecessary The poet has told us
of the gallant General Wolfe, that
" His example had a magnets force,
And all were swift 20 follow whom all loved"
But the general who commands the army has not that
attractive magnetic power to his TO fol-
low him from love- then the interest only Of the officer
but Of the country requires that they should be made
follow him through fear The poet tells that the herds
voluntarily followed Orpheus when he went through the
fields with his pipes but the ordinary herdsmen Of that
day. nevertheless had 10 carry goads and thongs drive
before them their reluctant hocks We argue from
these particular instances; must adapt laws the
general condition and character Of mankind and think
IT would be as unwise for speculate upon the capa
city OF the commanding officers Of the navy supersede
the necessity Of punishment attracting the love of their
sailors towards them it would be for any individual
herdsman TO throw away his goad and thong and take his
flute fiddle out into the fields and endeayor bv mining
upon them induce his sheep and kline 10 follow him
home from their pastures.
Now, upon the subject Of this petition win saw this
although myself entirely opposed to the change
made by Congress-made, all know, in q manner
irregular and according what practices
and usages Of sound legislation by thrustng n-as an
amendment upon general appropriation BILL the civil
and diplomatic bill, If not mistaken this proyso
abolish the punishment by Jogging in the navy and