The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-02-21

" / am glad to see you, General
lust up from Richmond, hey?
And what are you doing down there
In the lpgislating way
hear tll;,t a bill in the Senate
Has lately been introduced,
And hone iJ went thrO safsly,)
TO abolish the whipping-pCSt
It's II barbarous relic, General,
A stain on our noble state;
will surely be glad to hear sir,
That it met its proper fate
I'm an old man, but thuk, sir,
| shall live to see the day,
When In moral reform and progress,
Virginia shall lead the way
Defeated :" And Parson LoVegood
Rose up in noble rage
such legislation as that, sir,
Is unfit for q Christian age!
Perhaps didn't hear rightly
I'm n little deaf, you see."
Aud Ia" shook his white head sadly
II am sure, II cannot be,
Just keep the paper, General,
Your tyeStght Is young and strong
Aud reId enough 10 tell me
NhclHrr I'm right or wrong
D,Sgustrd with moral ideas,
And modern reform, is he
| wish Judge Fossil would come, sir,
Aud talk in that strain to me!
Su Ii worse than paganish speeches,
On our nations record engrossed,
VIII be Il fttiug excuse, sir,
For retaining the whipping-post.
II reformed moral ideas
Are stumbling blocks in your way,
You had better exchange them, General,
For the rack aud au:o-de-fe;
Bring Ill the bastinado,
And punishment in the stocks;
Aud hGr them from the cliffs, sir,
On the raggedest bed of rocks.
You had better build a bonfire,
In the midst OF Capitol Square,
And publicly barn the Bible,
And the Book of Common Prayer.
You say that your legislation
Has nothing at all to do
With the Bible, or Common Prayer Book
Your words are, alas, too true Il
For the Bible has taken errors,
Aud the cruelest wrongs by storm
Its the synonym of morals,
And the leader in all reform
A little more of the Bible,
Here and there in a clause,
Would give II higher spirit
TO every one of your laws.
DO YOU think that Christ would punish
A man at the whipping-post Z"
II came not to destroy,
But to save that which was lost
These are the words He said, sir;
And many Il word He said
TO wake to Il newer living,
Those who in sin are dead;
The WretChed one who was SHINING,
He didnt make sin the more
But loved with an infinite loving,
The wicked, the wronged, the poor
YOu may scott the idea, General,
And call it a parsons can't,
Rut our dear old blessed Bible
Is the best laW-book eXtant."
''If you've rascals and thieves to deal with
Just try the Christian plan
And see il the thief and rascal
WIN not each become man.
And what mean by man, sir,
Is one whose soul is broad
With love to his fellow -murtal,
And greater love for God"
"Now, suppose a youthful culprit,
Is whipped at the whippng-post;
Tho tenderness of his conscience,
In that public shame is lost.
The Ioul stain is upon him
And the public turn from him,
Bnt he'll pay back the public,
In q hate two-Gold and grim
Enact some moral measure.
As other States have done;
our Mother State should care for
Her weakest Maynard son.
Asylums of reformation
For the young to sin Inclined
And not the cruelest jailors
For the oldest thief confined
There is much TO do yet, General,
Before our State shall rise
Up from the ruined grandeur,
In which she lowly lies.
God speed the blessed future,
When she shall deserve the fame,
Mother Of States and Statesmen
As well i'll deed, as in name"
Must yon go? Good morning, General,
10 your best for our good old State,
And bear the Parsons blessing
TO those noble, heroic eight;
Tell them that Parson Lovegood
Is with them, heart and soul;
And he thinks our State will be saved sir,
With such brave men on its roll"
"PRoGRRsz,
.fSLytsttt county, FtJ. 1914, 1872.