Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-04-24

Committee on Commerce, has reported bill to
repeal them. regret this, and think the Sen.
ator has not fully considered the purpose Of thes
bounties. II is easy to raise cry against ,boun-
ties but if this matter was fairly understood by
the South they would not feel hostile to the fish.
ing vessels They are the nurseries Of our seamen,
and are so called.
The South take great interest in our Navy, and
furnish very large proportion of its officers, and
have evinced commendable zeal here in guard
ing their interests this winter, in which have
aided. But, sir, we cannot expect 10 win naval
victories with epauets. II takes different kind
of men to gain the victories at sea. The officers
get the honors but we must have sailors to do
most of the work and the fighting l do not
mean TO disparage the officers who get the glory,
but insist that we must cot forget the sailors
whom they command. These fishermen embark
in small vessels, and cruise in the bosterous re-
gions of the north Atlantic to catch Goldfish, and
then embark in larger vessels after whales When
you have trained up boy to catch Goldfish, where
the sea runs mountain high, and then learn him
to go in an open boat and strike and kill whale,
you need not be afraid Of his ever being caught or
frightened by anything. Sir, there is no class of
men that wind or storm ever blew or beat upon
who are go utterly without fear as sailors, who
have been thus trained. One will sleep upon the
cross-trees, high up on the "gddy mast, where
you and / would tremble to see him sit awake
He is not made drowsy, as you are now, by the
WEAKNESS of single sense, by the sound of my
voice necessarily tatooing the drum-head Of your
a.. 49, L.. T. 4: Ill L., Al 4 T..
perious surges" Of the sea.
Mr. Jefferson has told fine story of Logan,
who said he " never felt fear, and would not turn
on his heel to save his lfe." Logan had the idea
that, when fighting, it would disgrace him to turn
on his heel; and he would not do 1t to save his
life. But this sailor wants no incentive to cour-
age; he would not lose his nap to save his life.
The Senator from South Carolina likes the re-
nown of our naval victories but he cannot
achieve them with ,landsmen or smooth water sail
ors. II you want to take another Frol;c in gale
of wind, you must have sailors who can walk the
deck in rough weather landsmen cannot do it !;
they may be as brave, but they must have the
right training Victories are not expected to be
won by what are called educated men. For your
Navy you want that inbred courage and endurance
which are only to be fonnd in the occupations
have described.
If, therefore, you want to raise such sailors,
take care of the nurseries-the fishing vessels
I ask the chairman of the committee who pro-
poses to repeal the fishing bounties, the classic SEN
ator from Alabama, to reflect, that if the infant
had been straDglcd in the cradle, the labors
would not have been performed that gave immor-
tally 10 Hercules.
hope these suggestions may save the bounties
to the fishermen; they will not be great burden
on your Treasury.
AS to the navigation laws, which the Senator
classes among those which plumber the South, as
We now let all participate in our foreign trade on
equality with US, he must mean to let them do so
with the coastng trade. The English have the
most profitable of our foreign carrying trade. By
the aid of their government their mail steamers
have supplanted ours. They take the passengers
and the most valuable freight, and do not know
that there would be danger in letting them do our
carrying upon all our rivers and in all our har-
bors-our inland as well as our foreign mails-it
may be best to mix with everybody and have a
common purse, and Of course common destiny.
l am not afraid of England; but never knew a
treaty or trade made with her by the United States,
in which We came off equal-scarcely second best.
Close intercourse was what Philip preached when
he wanted to control the other States of Greece;
his gold was no doubt profitable, and those out Of
his city no danger in it's free circulation among
them; and believe even Demostheness was not
able to stand against it.
/ would rather have a. few things which we
could call our own, and single pursuit that al
mankind did not mingle IN; SO as to preserve our
identity as people, and not 60 back to colonial
dependence in everything. We should recollect
that we cannot hire others to love our country as
our people love tor to fight our battles as ours
have fought, and will fight them; these are things
you cannot hire or buy, and so are public spirit
friendship, and courage We should leave some
room, and some motive for our own people To
cultivate these.
The Senator from South Carolina Gays that labor
only needs to be doce, obedient and faithful
a pack-horse kind of labor. Would such labor
elevate a country, and give il fame in the world!
No, sir; mere planting and farming never did ele
vate country; and yet they are the basis Of al
other pursuits, and the most useful and honora
BILE, and the main pillars of national strength
But to make a nation independent prosperous
and happy, you must diversity your labor, and
that will elevate it, and the country with 1t. We
only need to cultivate proper spirit, and settle
this Kansas question fairly. Let us not under.
take to throw this Lecompton fraud across the
track of this people, and make IL the occasion Of
sectional strife and alienation. Il is too small
matter to be allowed to do so great an injury.