New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-06-06
THE CONDI7YON or SEAMEN.

To N. Editor IF The n y Tribune
SIR: have noticed of late many paragraphs upon
the abuse Of salOrs in your valuable paper. am
happy to see that steps have been taken in the only
place where it viii be e(ectual to benefit the seaman
Our Chamber of Commerce have adopted resolutions
which, if acted up to, will do more to regenerate the
,ailor than ANYTHING else that can be done.
The seaman will then become his master while
on shore-he can get a.s,uaton without the necessity
of getting some boarding house keeper TO stand his
security 1.-THE objection Is made that he cannot go 10
10 sea without advance for want OF clothes, Is al
once done away with by the resolution tnat al snPs
shall have a suit for every man 1T c0st prices. In
this way the seaman will on board cOnhdent hat
he will not want for clothes and that he II no" IN
situation 10 receive the pay for his labor instead OF
having il 20 10 enrich landlords clearinghouse Keep
ers and shipping men. lie will look forward to the
termination OF the voyage with pleasure confident
that he will receive the full amount of his earnings
His leisure time will be spent IN planning FOR future
prosecs aud happiness. Ii viii al least De Ills on"
fault if he docs not hereafter lay up his money form
licensing associations with thOse who will try to bcne'
fit instead of deInoralize him. as those do who now
rule his every action on shore.
It's mistaken notion that the owners or masters
Of ships are in fault. There perhaps few excep
ops but as general thing the masters OF our packet
ships are q humane, kind-hearted class OF men, not
only perfect gentlemen shore, while tossing their
babies md kissing their wives but on their own quar-
fer decks at sea- At the age Of thirteen went to sea
as boy on board Of ship. Since then have filled
every situation from boy 10 MASTER and can say with
a clear conscience that never was abused, nor dd
ever see q man inhunanly treated, except IN few
cases by cowaTdly bules snall officers unknown To
the master and in most 10 the hrst officer. Ship
Minister'S have much to try their patience; their crews
are picked up and put board In any and every place
where they can be made drunk or drugged, without
regard to seananship. They 60 not know how they
came there OF III what ship they are gong. The
sbipowncr or master has advanced thirty or forty dol
lar which he will lose if he allows the nun 20 leave
The slip. Jack perhaps, has received five or ten
dollars Of the advance, has dungeree SUIT ana u
hottie Of rum to 90 To- sea in the dead of Winter. He
fuds himself shiuped off, has received money for
the voyage, nor does he expect 10 do 30. lie has
nothing 10 stimulate him 10 work, and at once forms
the IT solution that he will DO no work II he can help
IT, The officers come To- The master, saying the men
have refused duty. The snip IS piowihg along WIN az
sail set the weather looks bad; something must be
done and that quickly. lie has the hives OF several
hundred peOple resting upon him. Let those who CEN
sure our shpmasters so much, calling them brutes,
homicdes aud everything else but gentlemen reflect
q little before they make any more sucn IeIhaiAs'
Put them in the same situation and see what course
thew would take get sail reduced to save their snip
and the lives of their passengers.
hope this will call the attention OF those better
qualified to write than myself to the true eIil ana rem
edy. Do not let what our merchants nave uohe ue
ont but LET every commercial city in the States adopt
the same resolutions and make those resolutions law.
Of our country and you will see the sailor take Ms
stand as man capable Of making his Own agreements
with ship masters doing his work like man, ana re-
Chewing fis hire when his voyage II up. In THIS way
IN. sremans interest will be for the ship, and ship
masters will look upon them friends who study his
interest and treat them accordingly Cohlldesee WIN
becet confidence, and there VIII be no more aouSe oil
seainen 10 disgrace our Merchant Service ana no one
will hail the reformation with more joy than the New
York packe-rhp masters. l. A. H.
Nee York May Is, 1851