The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1872-02-15
"rHE WHIPPING Pusr.~

N''~o'
the Legislature for refusing to strike from
the statutes Of tbs State the law tolerating the
"whipping post" The writer claims that it
is "cheap" mode Of punishment, and saluta-
ny in its effects.
| We radically differ with the spirit of the
article in tbs Chronicle We have never
thought it an evidence Of an advanced civli-
cation to subordinate the emotions Of human
ity to the influence of material substances
or to m insure moral convictions by the stan
dard value Of dollars and cents. The tendon
cy Of such grade Of ethics is to crime and
degradation It is the rule that is now show
/ ing its results Of stupendous frauds and reek.
ing corruptions in New York, Washington,
Louisiana South Carolina, and other munic-
ipal and State governments. The almighty
dollar is the motive power that has controlled
the Tweeds, the Connaliys, the Sweenys, the
Leets the Murphys, the Forbes, the Bullocks
the IIoldens, the SCOTS. the Carriers, the
Warmouths, 1t III onane genus, in their bra
zen robberies Of tho people. regardless Of all
moral restraint md in defiance of all laws
both human and divine.
The mere infection of stripes upon a real
| ly bad man, is no punishment at all, except
that which would be experienced 10 pulling
an aching tooth, or choppins off a shattered
finger. 1t IS over in short time, and the
culprit turned loose upon the community to
repeat his crimes It is neither cheap nor
salutary.
But the punishment of the whipping post
is barbarous and unchristian. Taking into
consideration the age in which we live-the
rapid advancement and wonderful develop
ment Of the powers Of mind-the light which
is shed over the progress Of man by higher
civilization than has ever been vouchsafed to
any people, through the agencies of science
aud more elevated esthetics-the whipping
post becomes a relic Of barbarism more hide
GUS and detcstable than the bastinado of the
Turks, the rack and inquistion Of the Span
iards. or the sacri6cial alters OF the Aztecs.
The moral sentiment of the age condemns
it. 1t is within the memory Of every reader.
who has advanced out of his teens, with what
qualification the abolition Of fogsing in the
Navy was greeted by the entire American
ment not even justified by the code of savages,
much less nation holding itself up as model
for the world. The retention Of the whip
ping post in the criminal Jurisprudence Of
Virginia and Delaware, is not complimentary
to the delicate humane sentiment of those
States, and argues the absence Of refined
christian morality, to be deplored BY every
rejecting mind.
The argument is used, that the stripes arc
inflicted now by the choice Of the culprit
himself. We do not regard it as within the
legitimate province Of any Court, to allow the
prisoner II select the mode Of his punishment,
for the penalty he would select would certain
Iy be the lesser punishment to him. There
is no depth of degradation that the man has
not already reached, who will choose the
whipping post as the alternative of solitary
confinement. The greatest punishment to
the culprit. and benefit to the community,
would be encompasscd by shutting him up in
Jail, deprived of his personal freedom.
But there is something savasely cruel and
| harharo1ls in the idea If n man heinu Strinncd
to the waist, and the cow-hde applied to his
bare back. until the blood gushes from the
veins. The stake and the faggot are but a
slight exagseration Of this mode Of satisf gin.
the offended law The ends Of justice can
be accomplished by other means more in con-
sonance with the spirit OF an elevated civili-
cation, more compatibleswith the interests Of
community, and harmonizipg more aptly
| with the esthetical sentiment Of the age
We attribute the recent action of the Leg
islature more to want of thoughtful con-
sideration, than to deliberate reiteration Of
a species Of cruelty that rests as hideous
stigma upon the Statute books Of the State
| SHARP PRAGTrcE.-Mr Sumner, in the
| u. s. Senate, who is opposed to the passage
of an amnesty bill. offered as an amendment
to the one pending, his civil rights BILL
The vote on the amendment was tie, ald
the Vice President voting for it, it was adopt
ed. The bill as amended requiring a two