Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1862-07-31
For the Marshnll County RErusLIcAs.
BzUfALITY TO CHILDREN. Z


j SzpfALITY TO CHILDREN.
MEssRs EDrroas:--I propose to writ.
and have you print. few thoughts upor
the indiscriminate use of the rod in the cor
rection If children. We have all heard
Of the cruelty of Southern Masters toward
their negro slaves; yet there are none Or d,
here in the enlighted North who cannot cit.
instances Of repeated ard outrageous cruel
ty. on the part of parents. to their owl
vAas children! 1t is time the people were
swaked up upon this subject. Many 9
poor and defenceless child suffers in life
and limb and reason. by the repeated and
barbarous cruelty on the part Of unfeelinp
parents or guardians. Upon the subiec,
OF correcting children. the rule Of the law
as well as reason is. that no parents, teach.
er. or guardian is justiisble in Furnishing q
child in cruel or angry manner.
The person who cannot govern q school
or family without the habitual and severe
use OF the rod. or other instruments of cor.
poreal punishment. is utterly unfit to have
the charge Of children. Under certain cir
cumstances. the rod is no doubt a proper
instrument Of correction. when used with
judgment and moderation, but in 50 cases
out Of hundred its use is decidedly per.
ncious. The boy who gets severe
thrashing for every slight dereliction OF
duty. from infancy to the age of Is will
never make q man. He will always have
an idiotic. sleepy. hang-dog and guilty
look. More sense is generally beaten out
Of children than is ever beaten into them.
More than this. child subject to severe
and frequent chastisements will never love
its cruel parents in the true sense of that
word. Any child of moderate discretion
can easily judge of its parents motives for
punishments. and whether that punishment
is within the bounds of reason or not. and
they will never forget it. Parents who
for slight and transient causes severely NAL.
treat their children. will surely reap the re-
ward due their indiscretion. in old age,
when their children will cease to respect
and honor them or care for their support.
This is one Of the inevitable consequences.
l have often thought how strange it is. that
parents can be so cruel to their own off.
spring,-to their own flesh and blood
and with what greedy delight they seem
to enjoy the torture of their children BY
their own hands. j lay il down as an in
iallible and invariable rule that the most
governed and most disobedient children
are found in those schools and families
where the rod is used the NEST. | will cite
9 few instances of the evil effects of corpo-
real punishment when used out of reason:
From these it would seem that the advo.
Gates OF severe corporal punishment could
enjoy the cries of helpless children with a
demoniacal grin truly refreshingl Why
not introduce the knout. the rack, the
thum6screw and other scientific and refin-
ed tortures connected with the holy mi
QUESTION? -
Two years ago. in Chicago, man was
IN the habit of severely chsstising his boys
with leather strap. So frequent aud bar
oarous was the punishment that one Of the
boys committed suicide by hanging him
self. Two months ago in the same city.
Tor like cause lad threw himself from the
window Of an upper room into the street
and was instantly killed by the fall. Two
years ago in the city Of Laporte. brutal
irishman so severely thrashed his little
boy with knotted rope that he laid long
while under the care of the phvsician.-
In the same city. about the same time an
infant adopted child was beaten So severe
ly as to cause its DEATH One year ago in
plymouth. man beat his little son, seven
years old. SO severely that his mother had
to battle his back with vinegar and other
washes to prevent gangrening. The cries
OF the boy brought the neighbors to his re-
iief, but the inhuman father ordered them
to leave his premises. The same man has
a pIny infant child some two years old,
which he often holds under water till near.
~ sufficated in order to make it quit cry
ing' He is known to give his boy an aw-
iul chastising once q month. Some three
weeks ago he took his boy into a room,
locked the coor. put gag into the boys
mouth and beat his shoulders and arms to
. perfect jelly. And yet the neighbors are
afraid to prosecute this barbarous wretch
for fear it might hurt his feelings. A
short time since man of Plymouth took
his young boy into q smoke house, rolled
up his pants and applied single or board
so severely that the cries of the boy bro't
the neighbors to his relief. Whether he
now uses the gag to stifc the child's cries
is best known to himself and family
Last week. in this place. drunken and
brutal German was arraigned before JUS
tice and found guilty of fragrant brutality
toward his little boy-four years DID,
and in default Of paying a fine. is now
serving it out in the county Jail. And thus
| might go on and multiply instances of
cruelty towards defenceless children and
infsnts-but time and space forbid. Every
one is acquainted with numbers of such
cases Of cruelty-most of which 60 unpun-
ished and unrebuked. There is a wrong
neglect somewhere. If person even
touches another in an angry or insolent
manner. an action for an assault and bate
~ will Iie:-but man may beat his little
boy within an inch Of his life, and no re.
nonstrance. not . murmur is heard. II is
only child!
Now the question is. when will parents
learn to treat and govern their offspring
with reason and humanity? Or in default
Of this, when will prosecuting attorneys
do their duty By ferreting out and punish
ing the guilty. G.. NJ.