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

4 Mr. IN, Mr.. PRESIDENT, TO whom, III time 01
peace ntrusted the lives of the thousands who ira
the ocean? Whose energy and Skill and hardy self
denying TOLL carry the products of your soil through the
world and bring back the rich return 1t is the Amer
sailor BY his superior qualities he has
abled you rival in the boasted mistress of the
ocean, Where is the coast harbor in the wide world
accessible to human enterprise to which he has
ried your flag His berth is sinecure His service is
easy service He is necessarily isolated being; he
knows comforts of home and wife, and children He
reaps golden rewards for thencrease of treasure which
he brings to you When shore he is among strangers
and frendess. When out ne is scarcely provided
for. Making many rich he lives and dies poor carrying
the arts of civilization and the blessings Of the gospel
through the world, he is treated oucast from the
mercies Of both But look your historythat part Of
it which the world knows by heart-and you VIII find
it's brightest page the glorious achievements OF the Amer
sailor Whatever his country has done to disgrace
him and break his spirit he has never disgraeed her
he has always been ready to her; he always has
served her faithfully and eecrually He has often been
weighed in the balance, and found wanting The
only fault found with him s that he sometimes fights
ahead OF his orders. The world has match for him.
man for man and he asks Odds and he for
odds, when the of humanity the glory of his
country calls him 70 fight Who, in the darkest days o.
revolution. carried your flag into the very cops of the
British channel bearded the hon In his den and woke the
echoes Of old Abons hills by the thunder OF his
and the shouts of triumph? 1t the American sailor
And the of John Paul Jones and the Bon Honm
Richard will go down the annals of time forever Who
struck the nst blow that humbed the Barbary flag which
for hundred years had been the of Chrisedom
infamous tribute it had been accustomed to extort 1t
the American sailor And the of Decatur and
his gallant companions will be lasting monumental
brass.
covered by disaser-when Winchester had been defeated
when the army of the Northwest had surrendered and
when the gloom of dependency hung like cloud the
land, who first re the fires of national glory and made
the welkn ring with the shouts of victory? 1t the
American sailor And the of Hull and the Consti-
tuition will be remembered long have left any
thing worth remembering. That small event. The
wand of Mexican prowess broken the Rio Grande
The wand of British inyncbility was broken when the
flag of the Tuerriere down That event
worth the republic than all the money which has
been expended for the navy Since the navy
has had stain upon its ecutcheon has been cherish
ed your pride and glory And the American sailor has
established reputation throughout the wordin peace
and in war; in storm and in battleor unsurpassed hero
ism and prowess
Mr.. President, painter draw with
tistca skill the would have you look upon. But
it requires artist Picture it to yourself sir See the
gallant bold sailor who has served his apprenticeship
with Hull in the Constitution who helped to drag
the guns the San Gabriel stripped and ashed
than dog Can you stand it. sir? Yet your laws have
authorized it be donet probably has been done And
it is proposed to give authority to do it again. Will
the American people stand it Win this than Ro
man Senate long debate whether American citizen
he is-the sailor-shal be entitled to all his rights
American citizen not-whether, freeman he is he
shall be scourged like slave? Cceros cmacteric, in
his speech against Verres is that though Roman ctizen
be scourgedg Forbid iGod of humanity forbid it.
For my part, would rather see the navy abolished
and the stars and STRIPES buried with their glory in the
depths of the ocean, than that those who its gorie
should be subjected punishment so ignominous and
brutalzing Sir if had the power vouchsafed TO others
TO impress my feelings upon the hearts of those who
hear me- would rouse in the minds Of Senators such
of national pride and human sympathy that they
seeks to rob the Asess Dr h s s rights as an As
rican freeman should be thrown under your table and
trampled beneath your feet.
Mr. President the object of all our legislation for our
seamen should be- to elevate them as a class and to
degrade them In proportion you do this, and teach
the sailor TO respect himself, you will bring him to tee
performance of his duty with cheerulness and aacrty
You best appeal to his patriotism by showing him thath
is honored and respected by his country You best apped
to his sentiment OF native pride by presenting motives to
his emulation. You do infinitely with him by
rewardng him for his faithfuness than by aogging him
for his deinquences Whatever the pecuartes Of the
sailor may be, he is still man, with all the impulses,
wishes, and hopes Of And if there is one trait
peculiar to him than another, is the sentiment of
gratitude. lie forgets kindness, and would take
his heart out of his bosom friend Let him only
that he is honored and respected by his country and
her honor and interest viii always be safe in his hands
believe that many Of the officers Of the navy have
fallen into the of supposng that sailors are more
influenced by their fears than by their affections. Thgy
do rightly appreciate his character. If they would
take pains to think for him TO keep him out of
temptation attend to his wants to that he
fairly and justly dealt by and properly consider the
fair allowance which ought to be made for him, they
would find il much less difficult enforce discipline to
gain his confidence and find him much ractable II
is by the severity Of discipline much il is by
firm just and generous government that he is to be
trolled II is among every where. 1t is rather
by humane and udcious laws than by the severity Of
penal enactmcns that good government Is established and
maintained Again. in the training and governing those
who to fight your battles and face every danger
with courage, their fear should seldom be appealed TO.
You ought not 10 cultivate the emotions which make men
towards, and teach them habualy to shrink from the
fear of personal suffering You ought rather TO teach
them to despsc honorable suffering True heroism is
an intellectual quality. 1t is moral ntrepdity that makes
| the of true and reliable courage. And this can
only coexist with proper Of personal honor and
self-respect Degrade by an infamous punish
ment which destroys his personal honor and serespect
and you DO all that human ingenuity can to make him
| cowardly.
But tits said that the navy be governed without
the lash As general proposition express my utter
dissent to It, admit that among sailors, among other
classes there will always be found some who are vicious
and troublesome. That is the in the army well
in the navy. and tboy have eboliphed tho lash in uic
army It Is as easy to get other and less offensive pun
ishments for the navy for the army and if those pun
ishments will not answer the refractory person had bet
ter be driven disgrace from the navy He Is not fit to
be trusted in the hour of per he is unworthy to have
the honor of the flag confded to him. Sufficient induce
ments should be offered the better classes to enter the
navy and part Of those inducements should always be
good treatment free of the lashnay, its proba-
bic use its permission by lawhas always been an obec-
ton urged by the better classes TO entering the navy
They the merchant service where they at least
select their commander while in the navy they know
not into whose hands they fall Thus you see that