The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-04-08
DISCIPLINE IN THE NAVY.

NY h"ce Niohooy Wech ~ "aS tahOh "P
from the Speakers table in the House, and a
strong effort was made to force it through with
out discussion or examination A majority
OF the members, unwilling to legislate upon so
important a measure in the dark, put their
veto upon it and on the question Shall the bill
pass the vote stood, yeas rs, nays 81. A mo-
ton to reconsider opened the way for general
discussion of the subject; by general consent
the bill was ordered to be printed, and the mo-
ton to reconsider went over
Weare glad that good sense prevailed against
rash cOunsels. A system of discipline, involy-
ing the rights of our sailors and the efficiency
of our navy, ought not to be passed upon has
tily The great mistake our Legislators are apt
to make, is, in overlooking the fact that sailors
are men, and assuming that the character OF
our naval officers is a sufficient guaranty that
the arbitrary power with which they may be
invested will not be abused. Hence the
disposition manifested by so many of them to
place the sailor at the absolute discretion of the
officer.
Within a few years the attention of the
American People has been drawn to the de-
graded condition of their sailors and the result
has been, an earnest demand for reform. They
are aware that great power must be lodged in
the hands of the commander of a vessel; but
! for that reason he should be held TO n strict
responsibility for its use, and every possible
safeguard should be provided against its abuse.
They know that discipline on shipboard must
be such as to secure subordnation and good
conduct but degradation is not subordination,
nor can brutal punishment make good sailors,
any more than it makes good citizens
Under the influence of these views, the de-
testable punishment of fiogging was prohibited
in the navy-a reform which no man in Con-
gress did so much to bring about as JOHN p.
HALE.
Unfortunately owing to the nature of free
bodies, great reforms generally
can be carried forward only in parts. Long
standing abuses do not give place at once to a
complete system of remedial measures. De-
struction and Construction do not often go
hand in hand. We may succeed in prohibit
ing the wrong thing, but fail to enact the right.
Flogging in the navy was forbidden, but no
substitute was provided; so that to maintain
discipline became rather hard task But we
have yet TO learn that even in the absence of n
proper code, any fatal consequences have fol-
lowed the abolition of the lash The declama-
tons of certain members of Congress, whose
faces are always to the Past, might lead one to
suppose that the whole navy was in disorgan-
zed conditon-but for their omission to produce
any sufficient evidence on this point No au-
thontic facts have been submitted, which can
1t all justify or excuse hasty legislation. The
subject lis too important for crude, ill-digested
Better not legisate at all, than
egislate unwisely, and thereby interposc OBJ
tacIes to an efficient judicious system of nava!
discipline
The bill from the Senate is open to serious
objections as will be seen by u glance at its
provisions:
"Be IL enacted by the Senate and House of Rep-
of the United States, IN Congress as
embed, That the commander of any vessel in
he navy, or of any shore station. shall have
authority to punish offences committed by pet
y officers and persons of inferior ratings, by
my one or more of the following punishments
10 wit:
lst. By diminishing their ratons by restrict
ing their diet to bread and water by imposing
extra police and other duties and in cases Of
theft in addition to any of the foregoing pun
by making good from the wages of
the offender to the owner the value of the ar
tce or articles stolen, and obliging the offender
to wear, for any time not exceeding ten days,
badge with the word thief" thereon
ID Discharge from the service with bad |
conduct discharge,
3D. Solitary confinement in irons single or
double on bread and water: Prouided, No such |
confinement shall exceed thirty days.
4th. Solitary confinement in irons single or
double, not exceeding thirty days.
5th. Solitary confinement not exceeding
thirty days.
9Th. Confinement, not exceeding two months.
9TH. Reduction to next inferior rating
8th. Ball and chain, but not to be worn at
sea
9th. Deprivation of liberty on shore
And loss of pay, not to exceed three months,
may be aMed to any of the aforementioned
punishments: And prorided That no sentence
to solitary confinement shall be directed to be
carried into execution until the surgeon or SEN
Tor medical officer on board at the time has |
examined the prisoner, and certified that it can |
be done without serious injury to his health
and it shall be the duty of the commander to
remit the whole Or any part Of any sentence,
the execution of which would in the opinion of
the said surgeon or senior medical officer pro-
duce such injury.
Sec. 2. And be ii further enacted That the |
commander of every ship or vessel in the navy |
shall cause conductbOok to lie kept, embra- |
eng every petty officer and person of inferior
rating under his command, in which shall be |
noted every instance of meritorious or bad con-
duct of each man and whenever a man is dis
charged, either at or before the expiration of
his term OF service, he shall take care that his |
general character be noted on his discharge |
giving to those who merit them good-conduct
discharges, and to those who deserve them bad
conduct discharges; and to those whose con-
duct shall merit no particular note, discharges
in the usual form Propided That the charac-
ter to be given on discharge shall be ascer
tanned and established under such rules Us
shall be prescribed by the Navy Department
SEC 3. lind be IL further enacted That any
petty Oihcer, or person OF inferior rating who
shall be discharged with good-conduct dis
charge, after II service Of not less than two
years shall have II preference on re.cntering
the service, and in advance to higher ratings
over persons of similar qualifications, but who
have not 40 served and whenever petty Off
Ger, or person of inferior rating shall be trans
fcrred from one ship or station to another, his
character shall be noted on the transfer roll
SEC. 1. Ind be ii further enacted That every
petty officer, or person of inferior rating who
shall receive II good-conduct discharge, after
continuous service of not less than two years
shall, if he re-cnters within three months after
his discharge, be entitled to credit ON the
books OF the ship to which he may be first or