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

prescribed in the best prison government prescribed
the scoohouse, and prescribed in the best government
on EARTH that of parental domestic affection Yei sir
expelled from the social circle from the schoohous the
prison-house, and the army it finds defenders and am-
pons nowhere but in the navy To say that lawn can
be devised for the government of the navy which do not
tolerate the lash, is an acknowledgment of mbesity
which this Senate will never make
The difficulty in regard to this has been TINT in
framing articles for the government of the navy three
things have been overlooked which ought never to
sight Of First that American sailor is an American
citizen and freeman though in the service his cpun-
try Second, that he has yielded no legal right not in
consistent with his obligations of duty Third TINT
naval officers are not nable and require as stringent
regulations for their government other citize invested
with authority. t
And now Mr. President come to the dise ssion az q
part OF this subject far from being agreeable Why It
that naval officers and seamen as am told
desire to have the lash restored to the nayvg Is
symptom of unfavorable augury M an indication that
the moral standard by which the navy estimated is low
and degraded Ii argues preference the exercise
arbitrary power rather than appeal to those feelings
respect ana sentiments OF honor which should influence
the conduct of honorable towards each other In the
service of their country.
The great Montesquieu has said that while virtue was
the principie OF rcPahe honor that of axnpnngc
Now, the actaal government in peace on wnn ii your
military and naval service is necessarily degree
monarchicai Within the limits of his command and in
reference to those Immediately him. the captain
the colonel, the general the commander of ship Of
war, Is sovereign-a monarch; and hold that honor
is the principle which the government of his s,bord
mates should be founded. Tell me not that sailors
heart is insensble to the dictates of honor know bet
ter is there 1t may indeed suInber and remain pas
sve and be almost extngushed by suen revenge Bit
ter hatred yet there il is real and perfect exist
ence, in your breast mine BY proper appeasto it
by generous treatment, by manly and discriminating
cement, it kindes into activity and becomes the SUI
preme arbter of the sailors life and conduct Sir If the
officers would only believe in the existence this senti-
ment of honor, and appeal to il for the
preservation OF discipline we should not be asked to
store the lash requison for the lash proceeds the
supposltion that there is honor in sailor.
Now, so far from that dogma having any foundation in
fact must be known to all who appreciate the chaac
ter OF trueheared sailor that honor is almost the only
principle by which nine-tenths of them are governed
When an unsuccessful appeal is made to the honor Of
sailor 1t is not because he is destitute of the principle
but because the appeal has not been properly made
In the view take of the subject then the argument
derived from low and degraded estimate of the navy
unfounded in any Of the characteristics belonging the
common sailor. Has it any foundation in the ncapacty
of the officers excite and cultivate those feelings of
henor in sailor which make him obeden and traetable?
hope not Ii there be any such they should not be
trusted with any command They destitute the
suty Of commanding They have the necessary aua
caton They not safe depositaries for such absolute
power for the security of our public ships How can
they the sailors Of honorn time of battle who
have proved themselves incapable of believing in its exist
ence at all other times apprehend if the restoration
of the lash be made to hinge upon the question whether
the sailor is destitute of honor the officers Of capacity
successfully appeal to that honor, that should
be troubled with many mporunae demands for its resto
ration If the desire TO restore the lash to the navy il
evidence that the standard wnlcn the
low and degraded is also evidence my mind that the
navy has not kept pace with the neral improvement
the age If be the general opinion in the navy that the
lash necessary and indispensable for the preservation
discipline, then, say, just where public
tment stood in 1860 during the infamous reign of Charles
H. Then the thumb-screw and the rack in vogue
too And if go back TO the lash, do Sc,
why should not retrogade likewise the boot the rack
and the torture. What would be thoughtof the who
should propose to inroduce lta qn-sffl ffdf ty6eqr
What would be thought of the civilized community who
would approve such proposition, and reenac punish
ments vogue three hundred years ago? Yet the propo
ston restore the lash Of similar character Ii takes
for granted that the sailor has remained stationary
since the rack the thumbscrew and the boot abo
ished part of the criminal law Of civilized nations il
takes for granted that of all the light which has rradated
the human mind during the progress of the world of
it has been poured the understanding Of the sailor
that he alone has remained staonar that he alone has
remained ignorant and incapable of improvement that he
alone is doomed to remain the victim of injustice and
city Look sir, through the various pursuits Of human
e and wherever your eyes rest you find that improve
ment has advanced with giant strides You find that it
has elevated and enlightened the poughman in his field
the mechanic in his workshop, the merchant the profess
sonal the daily laborer all have felt the benign in
huence Of improved civilization If the sailor has felt
it in equal degree with other classes il is because you
have degraded and abused him. by treatment from which
other classes have compelled you relieve them HIS
been heard like that Of other classes in the halls
of legislation He has representative in such places.
He wields no political influence He has residence
his domc is on the ship II the interests the sailor
had received 1.-THE of the attention bestowed by egsa
the interests of other classes should
be discussing the question whether he should be
manded TO the tender mcrcies of these penal atrocities
from which the progress of modern improvement has
eved all other denominations Of men we would not now
be discussing the question whether he should be treated
like brute
Mr.. President, word two more and am done We
hear great deal Of the delinquences Of sailors There
are delinquencies Of officers well of sailors There
are officers in the navy well sailors who ought
to be there If you desire prepare the navy for the
exgencies Of war; if you desire preserve your ancient
renown as naval power you must in my judgment,
abolish the lash, and adopt system Of rewards and pun
you alter the whole system Of the recruiting
in word you must purge the navy of all its foul stuff
in high places well low places; and you must lay
broad and deep the foundation of your naval greatness in
the character Of the The bone and new
Of every navy is the common sailor You require the
commanding intellect Of scientific officers direct him.
and you require good ships But, afor all, the
sailor is the working power which enables the captain and
the ship to gain laures Ts the sailor who works and
sails and fights the ship and in proportion he is supe
or inferior win be the Of the captain and the
ship Sir in a the best traits Of character which dis
tnguish Sailors nation exces the United States The
American sailor is bold intelligent, hardy and enterprs-
ing and in nautical skill unsurpassed He shrnks from
no danger, he breads foe, and yields TO superior
No shoals too dangerous too boisterous,
climate too rigorous for him. The burning sun Of the
tropics make him eeminate can the eternal
winter Of the polar paralyze his energies Foster
cherish develop these characteristics by generous and
paternal government Excite his emulation and stimulate