The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1877-10-16
THE WHIPPING-POST.
What would be the effects Of it's re-
establishment.

| HAoV Woulu % inc eH7CCS OF lCs re-
establishment.
Nessrs. Editors:
I have read, with much interest,
the expression of opinions, rs utter
ed by the press of the State, as to
the establishment of the whip
ping-post in South Carolina, SO
that hogging can be substituted for
Imprisonment, as the punishment
for petit larceny.
It is said that "the certainty, and
not the severity, of punishment
prevents crime" and, it may now
be added, with much force, that the
mode or manner Of the punishment
is as necessary as tho certainty.
The certainty Of punishment will
not prevent pilferers, or petty
thieves, from committing larceny,
unless the mode is of such char
acter rs to be q sufficient mental or
corporeal suffering in it's adminis>
tration as to ovcrbalunce tho en-
joymont of the fruits of tho larceny.
We may have tho certainty of
punishment, but the manner of in
ilcting it may only make it such in
name, and not in fact and it may
become such as to remove all fear
or dread of breaking the law and
become a premium awarded for
pilfering or petty stealing. The
great or main cause of committing
potit larceny arises in our State
entirely from idleness, laziness, and
On aversion the thief has to work.
There is no one, of any, class or
condition of tho people of this
State, who caunot make an honest
support, with moderate labor or
even tolerable industry. You will
invariably find that these petty
thefts are perpetrated by persons
who are in the class of street~corner
loungers, "big road walkers" loaf
ers, waiting about for light jobs, or
engaged in hunting up something
to do, to keep them from working
in the hot sun. Now, to put such
fellow in jail for committing petit
larcency is burlesque upon legal
punishment for stealing. There
he is fed and lodged, at the expense
Of the county, to tho injury of the
honest taxpayer, and he finds there
convenient place to indulge his
lazy habits. There he is generally
permitted to converse at Ii6ituna,
through the windows, with passors-
by in the street, and he rejoices in
making light of his situation. And
when he comes out, he enjoys q
nine days notoriety, in being
lionized, and loses not one iota in
social position. The person, on the
other hand, whom he has stolen
from has to bear an Increase of
taxation to assist in support ng him
while in jail. Such punishment is
burdensome to honest taxpayers,
and does not in the slightest dogree
reform the thief, for he will, as we
all know, go forthwith and commit
another theft. He laughs to scorn
the majesty of the law and the
dignity Of the State, and seeks the
Jail rs a sanctuary to protect him
from work and to screen him from
the heat Of the sun.
The thief breads the lash and
abhors compulsory labor. Now,
establish the whipping.post and so
change tho law that each and overy
person who commits petit larceny
shall either bo whipped, or bo com
PEELED to work, and you will see
that these petty deprcdations will
be greatly diminished, and q great
reduction in the aggregate amount
of county taxes will be made. Let
tho county commissioners let out by
contract certain portions of the
public roads contiguous to the
Jail or otherwise. Permit tho con-
| troctoy. to bira fbo &b;o,,oc 4 1