United States v. Peterson

27 F. Cas. 515
CourtU.S. Circuit Court for the District of Massachusetts
DecidedMay 15, 1846
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 27 F. Cas. 515 (United States v. Peterson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Peterson, 27 F. Cas. 515 (circtdma 1846).

Opinion

WOODBURY, Circuit Justice,

charged the jury, and, in relation to the law applicable to "the subject, informed them that he did not feel justified in stating it to be as the counsel for the prisoners desired. He must decline giving it to them in charge, as requested, on any of the points, without important limitations and - qualifications. However revolts may have been defined at common law, or under the act of congress of April 30, 1790, c. 9 [1 Stat. 112], they were now to be considered and punished only as provided by the act of the 3d of March, 1S35, c. 40 (4 Stat. 775). That act, instead of punishing as a revolt only one kind of violence on shipboard, such as to usurp the command of the master; or another kind, [517]*517such as to transfer bis command to a different person, or another still, to deprive him of his command, without either usurping or transferring it, made each of them an offence; and also made it an offence to “resist or prevent him in the free and lawful exercise of his authority and command.” Conceding that all the cases cited, as to decisions under other acts of congress and at common law, were correct, as the laws then existed for a guide, but on which he expressed no opinion (U. S. v. Sharp [Case No. 16,204]; U. S. v. Bladen [Id. 14,606]: U. S. v. Cassedy [Id. 14.745]; U. S. v. Smith [Id. 16,344]; U. S. v. Hemmer [Id. 15.345]; U. S. v. Savage [Id. 16,225]; TJ. S. v. Kelly, 11 Wheat. [24 U. S.] 417), the law now in force made the mere resistance to the master’s lawful authority punishable, and for that and that alone the prisoners were indicted, and were to be tried under the first count. To make them guilty of this offence, it was not neees-sary that they should either deprive the master of his command, or usurp it themselves, or transfer it to another; but it was enough, if he issued lawful orders which they disobeyed, and with violence resisted their enforcement.

So as to the second count, it was framed in order to reach another and milder offence, under the second section of this same act of congress, which consisted in behavior likely to excite to, or end in, revolt or mutiny, although no actual revolt should be believed by the jury to have occurred. Under the first section an actual revolt was liable to be punished with great severity, even to ten years hard labor and $2,000 fine, if of an aggravated and flagrant character. On the contrary, if of a mild character, the court was wisely vested with a discretion to inflict any small portion of the above fine and imprisonment, according to the nature and aggravation of the offence, and thus make it in a proper case, not so severe, as some bad attempts at mutiny under the second section. where the punishment may range as high as $1.000 fine and five years' imprisonment. The offence, under this last section, may be committed. likewise as under the first one, in various modes. One is, by endeavoring to make a revolt or mutiny on shipboard in any way; another is, by contriving with any person to do it; another, by soliciting or stirring up any of the crew to disobey or resist the lawful orders of the master, or to refuse or neglect their duty, or to make a riot on board, or unlawfully to confine the master; or, as in the second count in this indictment, “to assemble with others on board in a tumultuous and mutinous manner.” You are instructed, that to convict of this last kind of outrage, it is not necessary to prove guilt of any of the other kinds described, either in the second or first section. But it is sufficient, in a tumultuous and mutinous manner, to collect together; that is, in a noisy and insubordinate state, endangering the police of the vessel, and likely to terminate in actual disobedience of orders, and actual resistance to the master’s lawful authority.

In respect, also, to the general instruction, which the prisoners’ counsel asks as to the right of the crew to disarm the captain, when about to attack any of them with a deadly weapon, it is clear that, if the master, without any disobedience of orders or resistance, is about to attack any of the crew, he might be disarmed, if done, repelling great violence, which is threatened and impending without any justifiable cause. But if the crew are disobedient, and resort to personal violence and seditiously resist the master in enforcing his lawful orders, he can then rightfully arm himself; and, if only intending to use his weapons, so far as is necessary to produce obedience and put down mutiny, he cannot be properly opposed or disarmed by his crew. The judge stated, that the safety of the lives of the crew as well as of the officers, and of the vast property afloat in our commercial marine, depended much upon the strict discipline and careful police enforced by commanders of vessels. And while the law exacted obedience to all lawful commands of the captain, as the wisest course to secure those important objects, judging from the experience of all ages, and justified also by his superior skill and intelligence, and the contract itself of the crew to obey him, it, on the other hand, carefully protected them from any abuse and oppression under such enlarged powers.

The very same acts of congress, which inflict heavy punishment on the crew for dangerous resistance to the master, inflict heavy penalties on him for unjustifiable blows, or unusual punishments, or insufficient or unwholesome food; and a seaman, when wronged abroad, can always rely with safety on ample redress at his return home, through the laws and the juries and judges of his country. It behooves him, then, with patience and order, as well as fidelity, to continue to discharge his own duties to the laws and flag of the Union, convinced as he should be unfalteringly, that none will be allowed to violate them with impunity'. It is not sufficient to have no intention to assume the command of the vessel, or to destroy her, or carry her off like pirates, but there must be no insubordination, no disobedience, no violence, towards those who, by law as well as contract, are to.rule and not be ruled on board the ship. However uneducated or inexperienced, seamen cannot but know, that they and the master on the deck of the vessel are not acting together in tiie same capacity, and like equals or citizens, adopting or opposing measures, by each one’s taste, or by the popular vote, as at a town-meeting: bid acting together for a time, one with large powers, for the benefit of all. [518]*518and the others without those powers, for the same benefit of ah. and by the previous agreement of all. And thus while this relation between them requires nothing from sailors but what they can perform—implicit obedience to lawful commands—it protects them from any illegal exactions, ’ and punishes sternly all wanton abuse of their dependent condition.

It was objected, also, on the evidence, that the prisoners were born abroad, and have not been shown to be naturalized, and hence were not liable to be punished at all under the acts of congress, for mutiny or revolt. But the court give it to you in charge, that it is sufficient to render them liable, if the Charles Carroll was an American vessel, and they were on board engaged to serve as a part of her crew. This imposed a duty towards them, on the one hand, as in an American ship, whose deck for this purpose, while on the high seas, is as a part of our territory, and all within it—all under our flag—are entitled to protection. and are receiving the benefit of our laws in defence of their persons and property from outrage. On the other hand, it rendered them subject and responsible, -while their service continued within our jurisdiction. to obedience to law and the lawful commands of the master.

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Bluebook (online)
27 F. Cas. 515, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-peterson-circtdma-1846.