The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-20

sHits AYE ~ouuuututni WEuec bofViCeo tHnJ w
required at any time In defending them against
the weather or the enemy. A sailor in chains is
only an element of weakness, for he requires
sentinel for his guard; but if punished with
stripes he may be placed on duty Immediately
afterwards. Ii corporeal punishnents are SO
common in the navy as is asserted, and impris-
onment should be substituted in their stead
there must be at all times no uncomfortable por-
hors de combat, incapacitated for duty, and inca
bable Of assisting in storm or in battle Nor
will it be rarely, Will they are thus fettered,
that they will be worse than useless, but this
imbecility will continue for more or less time in
consequence of close imprisonment, and cur
tailment of rations.
And what will be gained by this new system
on the score of humanity! will venture to
say-and | have had some experience in these
matters-that in nine cases out of ten, sailor
would rather be logged than chained or i'm
prisoned, or deprived Of his grog. It's not for
others to say how they themselves would feel,
but how the sailor feels these occasions; and ii
we attempt to rescue him from any real or ina
ginary suffering, it should not be by infictng
what he considers more severe. In these cases
men should be permitted to judge for them
selves. AS to the proposition for abolishing
capital punishments in the navy, what will be
substituted in their place? Imprisonment for
life, or an indefinite imprisonment? Well
where is he to be imprisoned! Ga board ship,
or in the State prison on land! In one case
there must be a State prison in every ship of
war; in tn, other, the culprit must be tried by
civic tribunal, presume, and the officers and
seamen who are the witnesses, detained from
duty, perhaps for months, dancing attendance
on the courts. The military and civic codes
will also come in conflict with each other, and
the criminal escape between the two antagonist
Jurisdictions. Besides all this, ii may be asked,
what is to be substituted in place of capital
punishment, when the ship in which the crime
may be committed, is thousands Of miles distant
from home, and it may be two or three years
before she returns! Corporal punishment of
any kind being prohibited, there is nothing left
but Imprisonment and chains. He must be con-
fined on board ship, and, as before stated, our
public vessels be converted into State prisons
| | could adduce many other practical conse-
quences which must necessarily arise from this
new outburst of philanthropy, but for the ap-
prehension of being tedious. 1t is sufficient to
express my opinion that the axe has been laid
to the root of our naval supremacy; and that
if the law now before Congress becomes perma
nently incorporated with our naval code, its
effects will be seen in the whitening Of that
wreath of laurels so nobly won in the last war
with England. five cast our eyes abroad we
shall see England, France, and Russia steadily
employed in increasing their navies, and foster
ing by every means their discipline and efIicien-
cy, at the moment we are undermining BOTH
Are we looking forward to the period when
the dreams of the peace Societies shall be rea-
LIKED, and the disputes of the great powers Of
the world adjusted by an arcopagus of nations,
that we are thus sedulously occupied in emascu
iatIuS Jul ueoe 1eaho VI ucleuCe, ny ietlliS
loose our sheet anchor-discipline If this
maukish sensibility continues to operate on
legislation, it needs no prophet to predict that
the time is rot far distant when all pity for
suffering virtue will be absorbed in sympathy
for triumphant guilt.
Iwould most respectfully ask, what can The
majority of members Of Congress know about
the navy? BY what process can they have be.
come better judges of what il essential TO its
vigor and discipline, than the old veteran CON-
modores who, will venture to say, are almost
unanimous in their disapproval Of this interfer.
ence with what properly belongs 10 others! !
am aware there is one gallant commodore smit
| ten with tinge of philanthropy, and devout
gallant officer is no longer a hero-he is only
a politician There is, however, no sufficient
reason why, having struck his own flag, he
should lend hand in putting down that of his
country. have most profound respect for
the wisdom Of Congress, though once heard Of
an unfortunate gentleman who lost his wits in
looking for IL, as some have done in searching
for the philosophers stone. But still, ] doubt
whether men, who never saw salt water or heard
the roaring Of the ocean, are eminently qualified
TO govern those who scarcely ever saw or heard
anything else.