The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-04 00:00:00

etOld !-21t11".

L )NDON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1849.

Flogging is one of those brutal and degrading
punishments against which we have on different oc-
casions animadverted. It cannot be forgotten by
those who are familiar with our principles, in what
language we commented some time back upon the
notorious case at Hounslow—language which we
endeavoured to render expressive at once of our pro-
found disgust and unutterable indignation. More
recently, within the last few months, we have had
lamentable reason to execrate the revival of this atro-
cious custom by the savage Government of Austria,
through its ruthless and ruffianly emissaries. Our
abhorrence has been responded to by the shudder of
loathing, with which the name of the infamous
HATNAu has been reeeived throughout the United
Kingdom. Men have sickened at the recital of the
barbarities inflicted upon venerable dames, upon
young virgins, and upon gentle matrons by order of
that most execrable Monster. It has been with a
brow blushing for humanity, and with'a heart swelling
from its emotions of dismay, that we have perused the
account of the dastardly cruelties perpetrated by the
German Hangman towards the defenceless women of
Hungary. We have felt bumbled at this general
abasement of our nature consequent on the criminal
proceedings of men now wreaking their vengeance
upon The unfortunate Magyars. We have been
ready to weep at the narrative of those sufferings and
humiliations which have fallen upon the wives,
mothers, sisters, and daughters of the Hungarians, in
the midst of the ruin of their country, the conflagra-
tion of their homes, and the slaughter of their best
beloved! Yet, a hile branding the evil reputation
of HAYNAU with our abhorrence, the thought has
scarcely recurred to us that at our elbow there are
brothers in spirit of that dete table ruler—individuals
not ashamed to applaud the employment of the
lash upon the backs of females ! Cheek by-
jowl with this indignation against the sanguinary
Au3trian, there is, nevertheless, existing not a latent
but an open and flagrant admiration of his atrocities.
It will scarcely be credited that such dispositions as
these can be nurtured in this our England—yet it
is so, and more than that, the flogging of females is
not only applauded and advocated, but is absolutely
practised in London ! It may be asked with some
incredulity where these wretched and unmanly pro
ceedings are permitted in a metropolis which has
recently rung with yells of loathing against HaYsiol
and his myrmidons ? We answer with more feelings
of disgust than we have words to articulate, that
these things have taken place within the last two
months in the capital of England, and (what renders
the matter yet more deplorable) in a charitable. in-
stitution !

After the above announcement particulars are of
course absolutely essential to substantiate a statement
calculated to prove so repulsive and incredible to the
community. In another column will ba found a letter
addressed to ourselves by one of the guardians of the
eleemosynary establishment to which we have alluded,
in which communication it will be observed that
direct reference is made to the subject of our aninaad-
_ versions, Now that matters have become public,
inquiry proveir.to be imperatively necessary. When
young females, almost marriageable, are shamefully
lsubjectld to such treatment, it is time that the public
shun" ld intorposefor the prevention of such practices,
• and-ultesiorly for the suppression of such a disgusting
• systim '6f ":punishment. Here, at the Caledonian
Asylum, girls .pf twelve or fourteen, for acts alto-
gether apart from their own volition, are stripped and
flogged! And the proceeding, so far from being
unanimously reprobated by the guardians of the in-
stitUtipn, is 'approved of and even eulogized by one
Mr. HECTOR ROSE and by the Reverend Doctor
CUMMING. We regret to observe, moreover, among
the persons who sanctioned this detestable mode of
punishment one rf the members of her MAJESTY'S
Government, the Right Hon. the Secretary. at-War !
Young girls, be it remembered, of an age nearly
marriageable, for an accident magnified by a cruel
and perverse brutality into an offence, have been
flogged, at the Caledonian Asylum, in a
state of nudity ! Is this just ? Is this manly ?
.Is .this decent ? Yet it takes place in Eng-
land ! and •is applauded by English gentle-men
'and by the Reverend Dr. CUMMING I I What is the
written opinion of Tnosias WAKLEY, the distin•
.guished Coroner, when the matter is represented to
'him by one of the guardians ? Mr. WAKLEY Says, upon
the occurrence submitted to him for his consideration,
" I believe the practice to be too brutal and horrible
-to be sanctioned by any Englishman." He says,
moreover, in his letter to this guardian :—" lIAYNAU
and his demoniacal confederates, I believe, do ap-
prove of this inhuman system of punishment; but I
cannot believe that it is practised in England, and I
think you will find, on inquiry, that you have been
misiVormed ' That is the opinion of T
....110MAS
WAKLEY, the Member for Finsbury and the Coroner
for Middlesex. He regards the atrocity as so "brutal
and horrible,' that he is incredulous of its having
actually been perpetrated in England. Now, what
is the comment made upon the event by a man
whose genius has rendered him, upon this subject, the
very highest authority ? What is the view taken of
the punishment by Dr. Eaassins WILSON ? It h
equally, if not still more emphatic. He says, in
.a letter addressed to one of the guardians of the
charity,—" I feel no hesitation in declaring that the
flogging of girls while in a state of nudity is, under
any circumstances, indecent, immoral, and barbarous"
—(the italics are his own)—" and that the punish-

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