The daily union., 1852-01-16


convicted. The Great Saviour OF humanity himself un.
derwent punishment which was inflicted during his
day only upon the woIsto criminals, and his suenngs
salvation This idea hen that any particular
punishment works degradation, conceive TO be untena
Bile IN all cases. and especially Il regards the question
under consideration
Sir will ask the Senate 10 hesitate long before they
adopt any such false philanthropy as this Are We TO
take the seaman who says that whipping 10 lawful and
proper and 'he only appropriate mannsg 81 hesrng up
discipline IN the navy, and tell him. You arc wrong
whipping YOU aud you must JOIN your voice in
asserting il /" This with all due Difference, must say,
10 mol the part OF wise legislation This Is indeed age
of progress; but this would be step backward; il
would be running ahead OF the age. In the southern
country, in many OF The States this mode OF punishment
yet In existence; and The very fact that offenders
speedily punished shows that the morals Of the
hgh-toned
In a community where all Pen are sheep. sealers
sheep stealing would TO be offence. This
matter OF degradation and disgrace is worked by the
Judgment OF mans peers, and not by particular punish
menis An individual finds himself dsgraced not by the
misfortune Of having been punished unless il has also
been accompanied with guilt and crime. An officer of the
navy, officer OF the army, Is put IN Coventy by his
fellow officers he is not spoken 10 he is not approach
ed he Is not attended 10 regarded any is he
molested; and his submission TO such conduct works
disgrace. But he has suffered punishment; and the
degradation consists in a moral conviction of having
done wrong The idea that should legislate for the
navy by convincing seamen that punishment OF this
kind is degrading, when they themselves do consider
degrading is contrary TO the spirit OF The age In the
South hank Heaven) stealing negroes Is considered TO
be about the meanest offence upon Gods earth The
who descends il sinks 10 depth OF degradation from
whence the hand OF resurrection could hardly drag him
yet In certain parts OF country this theft is regarded
as the highest evidence OF good morals We preach
ing TO them, and they are preaching 10 US They are
preaching TO us that our institutions degrading
are preaching to them that when they steal property
they violate the law OF God and the law of man. hat
chance is there OF our convincing each other None
whatever. Stil you would assimlaie your Legislation
for the navy that state OF things and convince the
that what he does not consider degrading degra
dng-that when heis iogged he becomes Infamous and
degraded.
deny most expressly, and defy the contrary 10 he
shown by iacs that the seamen OF our navy It's off,
have regarded this punishment during its exist
ence degradation, and | assert that il is consistent
with the highest reach OF naval organization, discipline,
and good morals, aud with the highest degree OF et
cheney and Every battle that has been for
country upon the has been achieved during the
existence OF this punishment; and, if il has not supern
duced this high state OF naval organization, has been
perfectly consistent with IT, With what popriey, then,
is asserted that continuance of this SYSTEM thus con
sisen with the naval goes OF thousand years, must
break down the navy now1 From The very character Of
the law under consideration. must be that il the
views advanced by It's supporters correct and il the
seaman was in fact degraded in his own estimation by
being logged the beneficial effects OF the law prohibiting
II would have been seen at glance Relieved from an
incubus which had weighed upon his soul long, his
character would have at once assumed moral elevation
previously unknown; and prompt obedience to lawful
authority, controlled alone by moral suasion" would
have proved 10 the legislator the correctness Of his the
ory But il the philosophy OF the law wrong if the
reason of the law does pertain what would be the
result Why, exactly the reverse And when the idle
and the vicious that they longer restrained
by force, they would Immediately evnce greater degree
OF ideness and ylciousness and the good who had
heretofore beenfos,ered and protected the navy who
had hereore relied on this system of punishment TO
Atran and correct vice and dleness, would become dis
gused with the service and abandon it, be compelled
TO suffer the insoence and perform the duties of the vi
cious skuks And such have been precisely the results
OF this law. | ask gentlemen 10 look at them, and say il
they ascrbe them TO any other than that which
have given
Let call the attention OF the Senate 10 the man
in which this act was passed the 2sh of Septem
Der, 1850 Ii tackled TO the end oil appropra
ton bill. venture TO say that had the measure been
introduced into the Senate BILL and referred
mlee and gone through the regular of procedure
il could have passed il could have found
enlightened majority to destroy at fell swoop the
tire government of the navy II passed by the smallest
possible majority and al the very end OF the session II
passed the 2sh OF September and the session closed
the 30th ask senators If that was the appropriate
method OF meeting grave question OF this kind? u this
question does in fact involve the consequences which
have suggesied-f the naval organization has been
thrown into the utmost confusion by this hasty and
precedented legisatonle retrieve the at
Here Appropriation made for the expenditures OF
the navy, and conditioned That should not
be fogged Does the prohibition exist any longer than
the appropriation the disbursement OF the money under
it.
Mr. HALE Let some captain in the navy try it, and
" Mr. n MALLORY. a When gentlemen are manufacturing
public opinion for the navy, and naval officers far
from the OF the nufacture they will abide pub
lie opinion, whatever form IL may take They are bat
the executors Of the laws OF the land and in no way
responsible for the evils they may entail To relieve my
ltile will ask the Secretary TO read letter from
Commodore Stewart, written before the law abolishing
this punishment went into operation.
THE Secretary accordingly read The letter, which will
be published in the " Union" Tomorrow
Mr. HUNTER II the senator will give way, the
usual hour OF adjournment has arrived will move that
the Senate adjoun.
MIR. MALLORY assented.
The motion agreed to- and the Senate adjourned