The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-07

8
of Delaware virtue, and consequently xes the
punishment for the first offeuse at death by
hanging. II Delaware cbivalry bad full PLAY,
he mere attempt to make Delaware virtue
byword and a reproaoh would douotiesS also
subject the offender TO n sudden suspension OF
the vital functions especially when the color
OF the offenders skin is little darker than the
orthodox hue. As IL Is, the attempt to outrage
the person of a female is punished by 1oggiug
and imprisonment only. THIS distinction
appears anomalous to SUSSEX eyes, when seem
10 regard a combination of the two correcttves
as exceedingly wholesome, especially wnen the
offender belongs TO the tan.colored order OF
vertebrates.
The case In question involved this happy
combination, If properly manipulated. II the
wretch had been tried for the more heln1us
o1ense first, and hung by the neck until dead,
he would have escaped tiogging-for strange
and incredible as IL may appear, Delaware
never fiogs a man before she hangs him, for one
and the same infracton of the laws. Tne OIL
GERS of Sussex however, were equal To the
emergency; at least they attempted to rise to
an equality with it. The accused was first put
upon his trial for the attempt Convicted or
that, he was sentenced 10 sixty lashes; the re
mainder OF the programme being TO try him at
the next term of Court for The other crime'
and then to hang what might be left Of him
after the hoggIg.
when the first gala day came round, the
Sheriff looked about him for a substitute, aId
found q fitting tool in the person of despar ate
character, who is described having himself
richly merited, under the laws OF the State,
sound thrRshing. This brute volunteered to do
the work and his proffer was accepted. But ne
would not toucn such a childish weapon rs Jhe
simple oat-o-nine.tails. Instead OF this, he
procured q raw hide, and standing AT the pri-
soners right hand, gave htm thirty unmercitul
blows upon the bare back, spending all his
strength, and causing the wretcned man to
shrek and sob with each relentless
scoring. Then the deputy fl logger, mindful that
not an inch of skin should oe left upon the
back Of his victim, shifted his base of opera
tions to the other side. and completed the alot-
ment oil sixty lashes in similar fashion Alter
that, it is said that the back of the prisoner was
washed with brlue! When the torture was
completed, ne was thrown into Sussex Jail, To
await his trial for the ofsnse wnich would
insure him an early entrance into eternity.
But Providence inlerfered, to the intense dis
gust Of Sussex, and permitted the prisoner 10
creep through bars and bolts into the darkness,
and he has not been seen la Sussex since.
"Let as AAOnev'
Two years ago the Darbarity of the med eval
Justice which is sill meted out in Della ware
was first assailed with eurnestness within the
borders of the State. The Wilmington Com.
daily in the State, made the plory and the
whippin post objects of attack from its esta-
blishment. To the energetic editors of that
journal Delaware is mainly indebted for the
comparative gentleness with which the austere
and barbarous laws of the Slate are now en-.
forced in New Castle county at least. With
the exception of the Commercial, nearly every
newspaper in the State, without regard to
politics. is an earnest apologlst aDd advocate of
the pillory and the lash.
The attacks which have recently been made
upon these instruments of torture throughout
the Union have lssned the press rs well as the
people of Delaware into a state of mind which
borders upon fury. Like every advocate of O
grievous wrong, like every evil spirit which
enters into the heart of man. they are crying
out Justify, LET AS a.one!" accompanying this
appeal to the civilization and humanity of the
age with scurriious abuse of all who have laid
unholy hands upon their idols The DeLa,Uare
Republican. so.called Republican journal
published at Wilmington, thus referred to the
subject in its last issue;-
Our people appear to be somewhat attached
to the custom and It's speedy aOiogation is
very dOubtful, A great many persons contend
that all rogues stand in dread Of the whipping
post, ana hence there is less Ihieving and bur.
RlsTy in our State than IN most Others. + 4
A few lashes well laid on exert very reforma-
tory or restraining Influence, ana for tnat rea-
son our people still cling TO the 'barDaroas
custom"
The Republican also suggests that, when any
extensive depredations do occur within the
State, they are committed by Pennsylvanians
and Mary landers. who contriVe TO make good
their escape with their booty. The Delaware
Gazette, rabid ro.slavery Democratic sheet,
defends the system as IA matter of course, ad-
mittirg into the columns of the last number
communication headed "Another Carpet bag
Lie," from which we select the following choice
paragraph
"The pillory and whipping post need no de
tense IN Delaware from DelawareanS. We know
their worth and are determined 10 maintain
them, despite carpet bag howling, moral ideas ;
and Yankee philanthropy; anu We are aware OF,
jurisdiction, when viii be complete when i'm
pudent carpet-b TeVileTs of the state and her
Institutions are summary brought under tue
salutaIy influence of the one and the whole some
correction of the other"
The Gazette editorially pitches into all crea.
tion, because Delaware barbarity has been
assailed, winding up as follows
'These editors had better study some mode by
which they Will be able to deter the hordes of
their low, vicious, and misguided populace
from the hOrrid acts they so frequently are
guilty of at home, before they undertake u
reform the laws of Delaware, which do not dis
tuTb their people so long as tney commit no
crime within her borders"
But the Journal and Statesman, another De-
mocratic sheet-Which lays TO its soul the Il A.
terng JUNCTION that IL lis the best read paper iu
the State" since "Scsiawags sneak after IT,
and honest men read IL openly and with salts
faction"-unwittingly demolishes the most for
midable argument in favor of the pillory and
the lash that has yet been adga need, in the
following fashion:-
UScarcaly a. week. nasaaa hut sOne bouSa is