Montgomery County sentinel., 1877-12-07
PNNLSHMEMTR


investigation been prying into affairs that de-
served its scrutiny, aud what is the gain A
load OF refuse humanity shoveled off to the
penitenliary and few private sptes unsatis-
factorIy settled al an enormous cost Law, the
brunette sister Of blonde Justice, is a wonder
ful institution. II is said TO be the only sub
ssautial and permanent foundation of well
regulated society, and mankind, without its
miraculous ministrations, would rcvel in a
chaos Of inhumanty. Human wisdom perches
itself upon a self-constructed throne and sis-
sues its edicts OF authority, and behold The
human passions are made subservient to its
will and the fetters ofan almighty restraint are
locked upon the arms of wickedness. Crime
we are told must bow like subservient serf
before its mandates and curb the natural in
clinations that lead it to outrages upon the hu-
man family. Almost from our cradles were
we taught to reverence wi holy respect hu-
man law es the offspring and auxiliary of
Divine institutions Bndly we followed our
early teachings, vainy hoping that time would
bring that wondrous regeneration which we
thought could only spring from the punitive
enactmens Of human legislation. Law has
exercised its supremacy and with an unmerci-
full hand has chasised It's violators; but crime.
rs il enamopred Of the penalty imposed upon
it, has reveled in wider latitude and paraded
itself with vaster publicity than when we were
first taught shat human law would completely
extermina'e it. Year after year has our Court
been increasing its load of happy criminals,
who have been consigned to a comfortable
home in the State pen;tentidry. Society with
its wondrons gratitude for such remarkable
and ,ranscendant protection opens its pocket
book and defrays the expense. Some despica-
ble speak-thef has committed petty larceny
by stealing dollar note, and look upon the
the enormous sum that society pays for bis
punishment. lie is committed TO Jail for thirty
days oftentimes longer, before III e couvening
Court at a cost Of forty cents day with al
least three dollars magistrates cost for his
commitment, making in all fifteen dollars
One day of Court is devoted exclusively to his
trial, for which the States Attorney receives
twenty dollars, an attorney for his defense
twenty, a jury of lweniythree kept in attend
nuce, whether engaged in the trial or not, at
frty-seven dollars and a-half, certain useless
employees around the Court House at eight
dollars and Clerks and Sheriffs fees twenty
FIVE dollars, making the Court expenses one
hundred and thirty dollars aud fifty cents
He is sentenced 10 comfortable and almost
luxurious home in the Jail for sixty days at
cost Of twenty-fonr dollars; and thus society,
because il has been robbed of a one-dolar
note, furnishes board and lodging TO the thief
AT a cost OF one hundred and sixty-uine dol
lars, and then growls about taxes. II human
wisdom cannot furnish more eificacious and
less costly corrective than this for crime it
had beller.surrender its legislation into the
hands of the brute creation 1t only offers
tempting inducements for the in!raciio1 Of
law when it holds out home better and more
comfortable than so many lazy vagabouds en-
joy. Corporal punishment is the only remedy
that has ever yet been discovered. Once more
introduce the whipping pest and we will have
us little crime as there was when it was 10
vogue 1t may be termed brutality and bar
barily, but tina, is only because humanity
thinks that ii has winged its flight TO a higher
plane of civilization than Heaven enjoys Il
merciful God can make lake of unqucnch-
able fire for the punishment of sinners il
eternity, we do not see why humanity should
not establish the whipping post for them rc
regulate affairs this side OF the grave. 1t viii
be less expensive and more eflcacious Try i
again
The Washington Capital still continues al
attractive and Interesting as ever. 1t has
rather improved, than lost, in those charml
which gave it so wide a notoriety and mad,
IL so acceptable and welcome to its thousand
of readers With an unparalleled boldness i
attacks the folies and vices OF public mon, ant
handles them with severity of sarcasm truly
terrifying. Its correspondents select the mos
interesting topics and dress them in the mos
pleasing and attractive description In fact
the Cdpitai is without similiiude and it neei
no patent right for its protection as the genius
has not yet been created which can copy it.
firm recently to purchase $3.50, coo OF the
per cent. bonds provided the Treasury Depart
ment would receive sufficient silver to coir
Sl50, 600. Secretary Sherman has declined
the offer, reminding the firm that the law re-
qures that the bonds shall not be sold unde
par in gold coin, and that with $3.50, 900 o
bonds or gold coin he can purchase enough
silver to coin Sl63 sSn. He says that it i,
therefore necessary that gold should be paid
for the bonds and he expresses confidence tha
the United States will never pay YOU in coir
Of less value than it exaeis of you.
Now that the waters have snhsided an6 thai
travel and telegraphc communication is being
resumed, the details Of the devastation by tn,
late freshet show that the damage on all side
was much greater than appeared at first. 1t
the Valley of Virginia the destruction il
immense. The Chesapeake and Ohio canal i
considerably damaged, requiring much tim,
and a considerable amount Of money to put il
in good navigable condition
Hon. Montgomery Blair has a few days
since pu' 'llished letter in the Baltimore TEE
gram bitterly denouncing railroad monopolies
and 1t was, says he, through the efforts 0
these monopolies that the Electoral Commits
sion, by influencing many OF the Southern
delegation, was fraudulently formed
The suit of Geo. Il i'll vs. the Capital Pub
fishing Company, in bankruptcy, has beer