Daily American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1852, 1852-01-20
Communicated
Flogging In the Navy.

To the Editor Of the Ameiean 7slegraph:
DEAR SIR: Permit me, through your paper to
say that greatly admired the generous conduct
df Commodore Stockton while he was com
mandant in our navy; and make my most pro-
found Acknowledgements to him for his noble de-
fence of the rights Of American seamen recently
made in the Senate of the United States de-
clare, in all sincerity, that owe him great
debt, and l wish to say so before all my country
men.
Tyranny is always execrable; but tyranny in
the public service of great and free people is
gratuitous and outrageous kind of wiokedness,
deserving the loudest reprobaton. 1t is intolera-
| BILE that, in the nineteenth century, freemen of
America, who on shore vote for our Chief Magis-
trate, should on shipboard be subjected to the
passions of one man, and, without offence proven
before a competent tribunal, or without even the
form of trial. be tied up, lashed and lacerated,
until the recital of the scene makes the heart of
n humane man bleed
Respecting Mr.. Stockton's position in the Sen
ate, if l should borrow the language of personal
address, / would say to him, as Mordecai to
Queen Esther "Who knoweth but thou hast come
to the kingdom for such a time as this?" am
glad that he is not the man to be fattered ntimi-
dated, or driven to despair in a righteous cause.
l trust-yea, l know-that he will hold on and
yield nothing. The country will honor the man
that win do his duty towards the poor sailor
love sailor. L never asked sailor to do
me favor that he did not do it. / have even
heard of his giving q part of his hard earnings
to pay the bills and cover the dishonor of the
very officer who had ut sea maltreated him. But
whether he is generous or selfish, it is an outrage
not to be endured to deliver him over TO the tor
mentors without witness, judge, jury, counsel, or
defence
Though am clergyman l am an American
citizen, and the son of parents who taught me to
put God first in my affections, and my country
second / love this land. | love it all. l honor
the great men of America; but do not despise
her poor; nay, honor the poorest man in this
nation. Poor men have as nice sensibiites as
rich men and bless God that there is one man
in the Senate who has shown that he SO believes
He can well afford to say what he has said In
exposing himself to obloquy and false accusation
he has shown that he docs not despise the cause
of the poor | trust many Senators think as be
thinks. l am free to say that, with my present
views, never will vote for any man for any Of
fee if know that he favors the lashing of free
born American citizens Mt the will Of one man.
whether that man be an officer in the army or
navy.
Mr.. Editor, | felt constrained to say thus
much. l wish, before Heaven and earth, to bid
God-speed to the man who has shown an un-,
finching purpose to hold steady the egis Of the
law between the whip and the muscles and nerves
of American sailors. am but one man, and
very obscure one, too; but know something OF
public sentiment in this country. have uttered
in this letter, firmly believe, the sentiments OF
millions.
never spoke a word to Captain Stockton in
my life l should not know him, nor he me, If
we were to meet But l rejoice that he will
never sit silent and sec laws passed which de-
grade his countrymen below the brute
Very respectfully, yours,
VIM. s. PLUMER.
BALTIMORE, January II, 1852.