The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-09-03

calculated. 10 draw attention TO the probable caus.
or origin of them. We have s,ated .oae that nave
be- sup gcsted; and they prob biy have cia,ms 70
cohs'de ,avon But we ann0t suppose they reach
the bot Ao0 Of the difficulty. There are eau aes rha5
seem % more potent tnan these. Tney Gstvo-
the I'D treatment Of seamep, and the low rate OF
their wages
or treatment The maritime laws of the nations
are lmitt to be ,ee6ingy despotic, in regard u
the lights snd the liabilities u seanen. Thsy make
MI 6iny punishable with dealt, OF almost the slight,
es resisting M ton OF seamsn on shi pboad wolfe
" ky give re officers Of the ship almost unlimited
. yer over him, amounting, often, to the infection
II purirhnents ending 10 death. Even no z, while
this very complaint Of want of seamen ia st its
height, there are numerous cases Of the abuse Of
sailors befO Q the ccur =, and numerous others
narrated of the most shocking barbarty, for which
il Is not even pretended that any redress b. at
tempted. We shall be told tn the fact of these
being before tue for redress Is PROOF that
the mariti@e LAYS have not sanctioned the cruelties
complained Of. Tn It objection If technically valit
is no, acti ally so; for those laws forbid the sea
man "a protect himself at the time he Is assaulted
and bssteD by ofe ing resistance; for that Is mu-
tiny. II ne survives tue ASSAULT, tue starvation
other indict0Ls and reaches port with life, he may
then pr secute. But OF what av III is this resort
to o1e whose life is 10 the hands of his tyr ant Of
captain--if that Al chance u be One--durlng the
entire 70 age? che pnvieg. is cettiiay very
small one in It's practical results, whatever may be
the letter of the law ia the case. Here, upon our
lakes tvepd 'dthe disposition exist to Jranize there
/ could be but little indulyene of tuls kind. Oar
voyages are 81 short, anC vessels Sd often re,
turn 70 loit, that all DAGGER in that direction is
ceraiBlj slight; hut upon the great celns tnl evil
II, and ever hes been, most or, log one. Toe de-
OF the laws Is that they are necessary to pre-
! serve vessels ana carg es t. the owners This may
or ma not be so; but il 1t is, It does not lesseu
the evils conplainsd of, or tend, In the least. to
| reconcile men to cruelt ea'ment, bruises, ami death
| The question Of wages lemans. Che co nDeasa
fion Of seamen, aoDg WITH tue shocking tire .,mels
II ey receive has been the most unTe ,soa able
and tie least pr0porsoned to tue services nderea
| OF any Known department OF labor, requiring vt
least fair share of mental and the utmost perfe,.
ton OF ohys ability FIR ears AMI yea 8 the
poy Of uhtse ven has ranged 10 the neighbo ID of
ION twelve 10 fifteen dollars month. Aud for this
tseJ must brave al ~eahsIs. al chm ,tes, ali dan.
gers; al be every momsn; OF botn night and q az
at The arbitrary Kidding Of aoother. Nov, wat n
piftul rom Deosaton j. this. for capacities aud Sc.
Vices like those we have p nted out! AID yet for
year past we have heard constant complaints
from those who pay tina, the wages of sailors had
risen TO he rulnous rate of trents tive dollars
month! Only think Of IL; a perfectly ab e-bod,ed
NAB, engaged ~ the hardest and most ne ious pur-
suit kn, w. gets rec huodred dollars for years
toll if h. ia engaged III TIE time ant as many beat
iDgs as bis captain or mates chose to bestow upon
him! And tins is complained of as exorbitaas
wages