The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-05-17

ffC
courts decide whether the laudable and unpar,i.
san scheme of the Democratic Lawmakers for
the State at large to legislate them out of Office
is to succeed or not. As the Democratic Leeis-
lature exercises no jurisdiction over Mr. shaws
pulpit, that gentleman did not choose to wait,
and l. feel assured that his voice will soon be
heard from the same pulpit in denunciation of
the heathenish devotions of Delaware at the
shrine of st. Pilory.
One of the Wilmington clergymen is already
an open and avowed assailant of this mockery of
justice and defiance of decency. / refer to the
Rev. Fielder Israel, of the Unitarian Church,
: who talks very plainly upon the subject in the
pulpit and out of il. Delaware Christianity,
however, is in the main far from aggressive, and
its other pulpit eXponents, If not directly favor
ing the whipping-post, at least refrain from
assailing it, inspired to this mastery inactivity
by desire not TO offend the prejudiees of their
parishoners. For il must be stated, II the truth
is to be told, that very many of the most inGueu-
tial and most intensely respectable Christians
of Delaware are as ardent admirers of the
whipping-post as were the Spanish
Inqusltors of their instruments of torture. Ii
the Rev. Alfred Goodman, formerly of Philadel-
phia, but now stationed at Grace Church,
Wilmington, one of the most magnificent edifces
of the kind in the country, were to rise in his
elegant pulpit and half whisper an intimation
that he regarded the whippiug-post as slightly
out of its proper place in the midst of people
protesting to have surrendered themselves TO the
outstanding and refining influences of the
Gospel, the chances are that he would, in turn
receive.yery loud intimations from the occupants
of the luxurious front pews that he had seriously
impaired his prospects of usefulness in that par
ticuar field of labor.
"The Gates Wide Open.''
At few minutes after ten the gates of the
prison-yara were thrown back on their creaking
hinges, and the motley crowd ushered into the
presence of the new shrine, additions being
made to it from time to time until, towards
noon, a half-dozen colored women and as many
white females of tender age were included Two
men, both black were in the pillory. One of
these was John Realey, a dark, stout and we'll
built youth, who had appropriated sundry spoons
and articles of apparel, so numerous in detail
that on his trial he tauntingly inquired, when
the list of his peculations was recited, 'if there
wasn't something else that he had stolen?" and
suggested to the prosecutor that he had GER
tainly forgotten the two bottles of whisky the
absorption of the contents of which had under
mined his power of locomotion and led to his
capture. Realey grinned complacently from
his lofty perch, and bore his affiic-
tions with commendable fortitude, doubt
| less revolving in his mind the fact that
| the slight discomfort which he experienced
during his hour in the pillory was more than
compensated for by the contents of the two bot
ties, without any consideration of the silver
spoons and other paraphernalia which, unlike
the whisky, found their way back to those whom
the law recognized as their rghtful owners. At
the end of the hour the cuIprit Strengthened
| Iii md 1ad tha lo1
with the reflection that more painful ordeal
was in reservation for him, as indeed it was.
By the side of Realey stood Aaron Conner, a
cream-colored youth of about sixteen years, who
| has been an occupant of the Jail for more than a
| year already, his trial on the charge of an I'M
natural assault upon white girl having been
| twice postponed, at his counsers request. He
finally compromised with justice by confessing
! that he had attempted to commit an offense
which, if fully proven, would, by the law Of
Delaware, have sent him to the scaffold. There
was not tinge of sympathy for this boy on the
part of the spectators, who viewed the constant
shifting of the position of his legs with evident
satisfaction. Yet, although he appeared to be
| far more uncomfortable than his companion, he
frightened up as he was released, and remarked
/ gaily to the iailor:-
"Ain't that handy"
There was another chapter in store for.him
also but it did not disturb his present equa-
nimity.
Democratic Msigfe MNIEigers,s, Man. and an ES""era"r
This portion of the entertainment would have
drifted along into positive monotony if two
specimens of Delaware civilization had not at
tracted the attention of the crowd and afforded
them substantial diversion. One of them was,
according to the remark of q native, IAN ornery
niger who had barely escaped the pillory him
self, and ought to have had taste of it," This
specimen of humanity, who has lived all his
days within reach of the shadow of the pillory,
and must therefore be regarded, in his deport-
ment, as fair and average example of the
salutary and restraining influences of the
| institution, is said to be an active Ia
borer in the ranks of the Delaware Demo-
cracy, being found especially useful on election
days in inducing lukewarm patriots who are en-
trusted with the franchise to exercise it early
| and often" according to the time-honored and
universal Democratic maxim. 1t was probably
| his unfortunate afiliaton with the ward poll
| ticians of Wilmington that led him to be sus-
pected of having appropriated a watch or some
other trihe, for which suspicion he passed
seven months in Jail, and was then complimented
by Democratic jury with an acquittal. He ap-
peared to appreciate the compliment at its full
valuation, remarking, in q boisterous and boast
ng tone:-
81 wouldn't go into that thing for five thou
sand dollars cash, and subsequently running
the premium on his fortunate escape up to
$4,000, with an intimation that he would even
have preferred to dangle in the air at the end of