The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-01-09
CONGRESSIONAL.
DEFERRED DEBATE.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7. 1852.


,Ss senator from Pennsyvana mr. BRoDHrAD re.
i,ng 10 aoggng IN the navy which has been laid upon
bs ,sbe NAV be taken up Its consder due,
"a matter OF courtesy, to the honorable senator from
Nav Jersey, [Mr STOCKTON
The moIon agreed TO-
MIR BERRIEN. Let the petition be read.
The CLERK read II as follows:
n N, honorable the Senate of The Unifed States of nieriea
The memorial Of the subscriber citizens of the United
States beg ~ave respectfully 70 represent TO your honorable
States an change made in The regulations by
which the discipline o. the navy and OF the commercial ma
opinion your memorslists, II IL be not modified
pealed will lead the disastrous results that great
arm of the national defence and welfare.
Your memoralists refer 10 the law by which command.
ers vessels permed for the commission of petty
offences against the regulation OF their ship and the laws
of naval discipline TO inlet prompt and ready punish
upon offenders for the commission OF such offences
Your memoralsts most respectfully represent, that on
the high seas where ready access legal civil tribunals
against the laws Of the naval ard marine service and
where it is neither possible TO discharge such offenders
from the service to obtain others occupy their places
and perform their duties is of the highest importance
that power should be conferred upon commanders to
compel the service OF their by and punish
ments which, under other circumstances, would not be
quired.
going proposition that they have been informed and
eve that considerable numbers Of the of ships,
approaching the coast OF America in the winter
have retired from their duty knowing that the mand-
e haa na NO noon % oy
such vessels have been most weather.
great danger from such abandonment OF duty the
Of this portion of their
Your memoaists would further state that the de-
serion of duty before referred in all had been
the part Of the portion crews of those ships
and that thus upon the better portion of them
utmost need and whilst deserers duty
are enjoying themselves in their hammocks protected from
the fury the their exhaustion may lead
Of the ship, aud the destruction the lives of all board
Of her Good men, who do their duty, punishment,
service il is believed desire repeal Of the late law il
imposes upon them the duty of bad men, who shelter
under it from the performance OF their duty is
not, in the opinion of your memoriass punishment
whether be of the lash, the dungeon, the swordhat
digacss is the offence which merits such pun
ishnent that disgraces him Lafayette di raced
by incarceration in the dungeon Of onuz, Agernou sgd
ney by the of the second Charles the Apostle
the Gentes by the repeated infection his person OF
the Mosaic law OF forty stripes save one"
II sailor be lost OF duty, feeling and honor,
desert his post or 70 commit cme there is le dan
ger be apPrehended OF his feeling dsgaced by the nfc-
lion OF punishment by The lash the chain ball. the tread
mill.
power OF moderate aud prompt punishment for
petty offences committed board ship has BEEN and still
upon commanders o American vessels until the last
sion Of the Congress of the United Saies and will only
ssie Of discipline and eoiency ataiaed by these great
maritime powers vindica'ion of that practice, and
And your memorialiss as in duty bound. win ever
Mr.. STOCKTON. Mr. President, the subject of this
memorial in my judgment, IS equal in importance 10 any
which is likely occnpy the attention of Congress. Ii
was therefore, sir that asked the Senate on It's first
presentation, to permit il TO lie the table for few
days. that might have opportunity 10 examine il Al
up that would express my views in relation 10 it. II is
my purpose now TO redeem that promise
The memorial upon the table presents for the consd-
Grafton OF the Senate nothing less than the whole ounda
ton OF our naval sructuethe human material by which
your ships are worked and fought your guns evelled
and their thunders pointed al your foes. Good ships,
well built, well rgged and fully equipped magn-
cent and perfect specimens OF human science and
But unless they manned by good they will sail
only 10 become prizes TO your enemies II you do not
desire TO build ships for your enemies you must give
them worthy TO defend them Sir, the difference
between sailors is great the difference between
other classes OF different nations. There is much
difference between the American sailor in whaling
and coasng service and the sailors OF other nations
there is between the European emgrant and the
sturdy OF one OF our frontier pioneers The emigrant
will, in cases, almost starve while the pioneer is
building his log house, enclosing his cornfeld, and
king himself an independent and useful man.
am OF opinion that the nation whose service is sup
piled with the best common sailors will excel in naval
warfare well as in all maritime pursuits am further
OF opinion that in versatility, education courage and
industry sailors in the whaling and coasing service
excel those OF all other nations ! am furthermore OF
opinion that the superiority OF the American sailor has
decided the battle in favor in many bloody conflict,
when without that superiority, II might have been other.
wise desire to and preserve that superiority.
To that end and for humanitys sake, am utterly and
Ueconcaby opposed TO the use OF the lash IN the navy
oranywhere else. The longest, the most arduous voy.
ages made in the merchant service without the OF
the lash In the Polar seas-among the cebergs OF the
Archie and Antarctic oceans-the intrepid New Englander
pufsnes his gigantic game and hurs his harpoon, and
after three years voyage returns with the oily spoils
Oi his adventurous navigation But he owes of his
success his patient endurance, his exemplary discipline
and his ndeatigabe industry TO the guardian mnisra.
lions of the lash To say that men who make such
voyages and endure such hardshps cheerully and
tentedly, navigate their national ships with
out the infection OF the infamous lash libel Is theft
nature changed the moment they step the deck OF
national vessell Are they less men-less Americans
as soon as The custody Of the American flag The
sir: 1, is a libel | do not mean TO the WORD
IN an offensive sense, nor shall | to-day any
word in that IL - one OF those inconsderate
thoughtless opinions, which mankind seem TO think
they have perfect right to express in regard 10 sailors
II was not long since, sir, that lad conversation on
this subject with gentleman who had for several years
commanded fine ship in the merchant service but who
is honorable, active, and efficient man oi bust.
in one OF large cites and TO whose nieg ry,
generosity and humanity, would intus anybody but
saor After he had heard my views on this subject, he
instantly replied, why, you mean to treat them like
human beings" The theory that the navy cannot be
governed and that national ships cannot be navlga.
led without the use OF the LASH TO to be found
cd in that false idea that sailors not menno Amer
ican czens-have not the feelings, sympathes,
and honorable impulses OF our Anglo-Amencan race.
do not wonder, when look back the past history
OF the sailor, at the prevalence OF this idea His life has
beeG life OF habua will not say OF systematic deg.
radalioa The officers who command himthe oldest, the
bavest and the best-hare been accumtomed from their
boyhood 10 sse the sailor lashed about the ships deck
like brute He who by the laws OF the service in which
he engaged is treated or liable TO be treated like
brute soon comes TO bs thought OF as AT least but little
better than brute Who ia social lie, respects man
whose back has been scared at the whippingpost
Into what depth Of contempt does such punishment snk