Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1852-01-13
Speech of Commodore Stockton,
Against FlogRing in the U. S. Navy;
DELIVERED IN THE SENATE,
L. In 1890

jan Z, 1852.
There is as much difference between American
sailors in our whaling and coasling service and sail
ors oil other nations, there is between the raw
European emigrant and the sturdy son o one OF our
frontier pioneers. The emgran will almost starve,
while the pioneer IS building his log house. enclosing
his curnted, aud making himself AN independent
and useful 'man. am Of opinion that the nation
whose service is supplied with the best common
sailors, will excel 10 naval warfare, well in all
maIatlme pursuits. am further Of opinion, that, in
sensibhty, education, courage, and industry,
sailors in the whaling and c1astng service, excel
those OF all other nations. | am, furthermore, of
opinion that the superiority of the Amei lean sailors
has decided the battle IN our favor in many bloody
conflict, when, without that superiority, it might
have been otherwise. desire 10 and pre-
serve that superiority; and for the promotion Of
that end, and for humanity sake, am utterly and
irreconciably opposed 10 the use Of the lash in the
navy, or anywhere else. The longest and most
ardnous voyages are made in the merchant service,
without the use Of the lash. In the polar seas,
among the icebergs Of the Arctic and Antarctic
oceans, the intrepid New Engander pursues his
gigantic game, and hurls his harpoon; and after a
three years voyage, reutns with the oily spoils OF
his adventurous navigation; but he owes none Of his
success. his patient endurance his exemplary disci-
pine, and interchangeable industry, to the guardian
mnistration OF the lash To say that men who can
make such voyages and endure such hardshps cheer
fully and cenentedly, cannot navigate their
national ships without the infliclion Of the infamous
lash. is libel Is their nature changed the moment
they step on the deck of national yessel Are
they less men--iess Americans--;s soon as the Gus
tody Of the American flag or the national honor, is
entrusted 10 their keeping. No SIR! it is libel.
do not mean TO use the word in offensive sense;
II is one Of those inconsderate thoughtIess opinions
which mankind seem 10 think they have perfect
right Ito express m regard to sailors Il IS not long
since had a CONVEX sation this subject with
gentleman who had io several years commanded fine
ships IN the merchant service, but who is now AN
honorable aud active man Of business in one of our
large cities, and TO whose integrity, generosity aud
humanity would entrust anybody bu sailor after
he had heard my views, he Instantly replied tWhy,
you seem 10 treat them like human beings" The
theory that the navy cannot be governed, and that
our national ships cannot be navigated without the
use OF the lash be founded on The false idea
that sailors are not men-not American citizens
have not the common feelings, synpathies and hon
cradle impulses OF our Anglo American race. | do
not wonder, when look raesSn the past history OF
the sailor, at the prevalence of this idea His life
has been life OF naonaI will not say of SYSTEM
atlc degradation. The officers who command him
the oldest, brayest, and best-have been accustomed
IRON their boyhood. to see the sailor dashed about
the ships deck like brute. He, who, BY the laws
OF the service Ia which he is engaged is treated or
Is liable 10 be treated like brute, soon comes to be
thought OF, as at least but little better than brute
Who, in social life, respects a man whose back has
been scored at whipping post? Into what depth Of
contempt does such punishment sink its victim!
And here OF the worst evils Of The system il
destroys those feelings OF respect aud kindness
which officers should entertain or the sailors under
their command Blu. this is only one of the worst
evils OF the system, Ii destroys the feelings of
regard and respect which sailors should entertain
Tor their officers. The truth is, there are no rela-
tIons Of affection and regard between them The
one Is the oppressor, the other the oppressed, who
may lear hate but he neither loves or respects his
tyrant.
The worst government upon earth is that Of fear;
the best, that Of love and Affection These senti-
ments, by the law oil nature, be mutual SEN
tIments. Bonaparte the idol Of the soldier, be-
cause the soldier his idol; they loved him be-
cause they supposed he loved them. There is moth
Ing that gallant men will do or suffer for COM
mander whom they love. Difficulties aud dangers,
and death, have terrors for such men. In great
battles, where the contest has been doubtful, those
s~lA;vrs have always fought most desperately whose
devotion to their commander was the greatest. 1t
mas always been considered as an extensive element
IN the character of such successful commanders that
tey possess the cohnoeHce and affection of the men
under their command; but whae confidence or regard
can be expected under the government orthr hash?
But, more than this, the punishment destroys the
sailors own sell-respect. What has honor, pride,
or satisfaction to do with man who NAV be- at The
caprice oil another, subjected TO infamous punishment
worse, IN some cases, thousand times than death!
Can nobieness Of sentiment, or honorable pride Of
character dwell with one whose every muscle has
been made to culver under the asha Can he lone
continue to love his country, whose laws degrade
hm 10 the level OF the brute2 This Infamous tor.
lure now only remains as leaf the page Of Anglo
Saxon history. The whipping post, where the
worst Migrants used to expiate their offences, has
been discarded from society," The worst offences in
our State prisons longer punished by the lash
Why all this! Why those punishments now
condemned as shameful relics of barbarous age?-
II Is because the hight of better day has dawned.
IL Is because the recepts Of the Gospel OF Chris
tanity, have aneliorated our laws. IL is because
society has made The discovery that if man is fit
to live al all, he ought TO be Invested Of a II quail
ties, and MAZE to die infamous with mutilations Of
his body What is he answer given BY all those
who seek to restore this relic Of barbarsm TO the ma
Wy! Why, they ellus, we intend only 10 apply this
system OF punishment TO seamen. We intend only to
hog sailors That Is quite true. 1t is only sailors
who are 10 be treated like 5rutes. No man who
hears me, would permit his dog to be thus treated
There is no spot on the habitabe globe, known to
me, where a man would be permitted to seize IN a
dog and beat him until he cut the flesh from his ribs
and the blood should be made to run down from his
back bone to his heels. But it is only the sailor Tor
whom this punishment is reserved. When oh
Senators, Is the American, sailor that he is to be
treated worse than dogl He has bren M com
panon Tor more than quarter Of century; through
cans aud storms, ptvations, suf1erngs, aud hunger
IN peace and in war. have lived with him, Side
by side, by sea and land. I have seen him on the
western ocean, when there was no night to veil his
deeds. have seen him on the coast Of Africa, sus-
rounded by presidential disease. have seen him
among the West India Islands, in chase Of pirates,
with his parched tongue hanging almost out Of his
mouth have encamped with him on thsACaIifor.
MA mounlans-l have seen the rays Of tie morn.
ing play on his carbine and boardng-pike have
seen him march one hundred and fifty miles through
the enemy's country, on mountains and through riv-
ers' have seen him with no shoes on but those of
canvass, made by his own hands, and with no pro-
visions but what he took from the enemy / have
seen MIN 90 INTO the Rio San Gabriel aud drau ~.