Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-03-29
BURNING And HANGING IN EFFIGy

All about the country they are burning
Senator Douglas in effigy. A feeble, fool
ish way is this Of showing the popular
contempt for man, and so weak that it
does not rise up to the dignity of being
wicked. This burning in effigy answers
no other purpose than to show that there
is somebody very indignant about the
course Of the person whose ragged coun-
terpart is burned, and at the same time
to expose the utter impotence of parties
agonizing to reek their malice upon the
obnoxious one. 1t is the same policy that
actuates boys to chalk the image of the
master who has tiogged them on the barn
door and then throw mud at it. or offended
girls to write their prescribed favorite's
name upon smooth white pebble and
cast it into the sea. There is the same
satisfaction ineach case of having treated
somebody with contempt but the latter,
inasmuch as it is done more privately,
and SO can be repented of more con-
veniently when they are ashamed of it,
has practical advantage.
Then 1t has two effects decidedly con-
.larv to the ones intended. Begging
pardon Of the operators at Auburn, Bos-
ton, Portsmouth, Chicago, and elsewhere,
where such flames have latterly ascended,
men who turn out to burn bundles Of
straw ana rags are generally reckoned
among the rowdies; and whatever row.
dies do as such, sober citizens are apt to
disapprove of. In other words, the ex-
citement of such an occasion gets up
reaction in behalf Of the parties attempted
to be diSgraced. Then, it is never safe
to trust our sympathies, when the GRIM
inal is under the hands of ths executioner.
When the greatest villain that ever dis
graccd the form of manhood is overtakeu
by justice, and the haltar put upon his
neck, if the eXecutioner, or any other
present should attempt an indignity upon
his person, it is doubtful if the populace
would not relax its Sternness, and demand
that part Of the punishment should be
visited on his tormenters; so when sheaf
of straw is dressed and decked to resem-
bic man, there is feeling of commits
Grafton stealing to the heart Of the stout.
est for the person that the dumb effigy
resembles.
We can have living and armed eneny.
but who has the courage to hate him
when he is dead When the corpse is
stretched on the ground before one, who
will consent to harbor such resentment
any longer! The bloodless hips, the
glazed eyes, the dumb mouth. disarm all
enunity, and malice is hushed in the pre-
SCI c.. Something Of the same sentiment
is ct in the spectator, who stands calmly
by 10 witness the burning or hanging in
eiligy of an old friend. lie perhaps cheers
with the crt I'd; but, as the crowd dis
perscs, he feels the reaction, and is pre-
psI cd to defend, as far as be is able, the
object of his late resentment. Bad busi.
ness, then, is this burning in effigy. 1t
wastes good, wholesome indignation. We
need to retain, for the use of our own
misrepresentation in Congress, five are
so unfortunate as to have them, some of
this fierce wrath which is being 30 un-
piDftably expended. Bottle it up, good
iriead;- it, We .entreat, for the day
of reckoning with your own folks; and.
Of all things, do not make fools of your
selves, in the excess of your anxiety to
express your sense Of the folly OF others.
N. Y. Times. = a-a o. = - s