The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1878-04-23
THE WHIPPING POST.

We are somewhat surprised to
soc that the Kentucky Senate has
laid on the table the bill to re-
establish the whipping post. We
say we are surprised ut this in
Kentucky, where mon are stern and
stout and practical, and where mock
philanthropy is scarce, if it has any
existence at all. But we begin to
suspect that domagogism has found
a alodgment amongst the solid men
of kentucky, as well as amongst the
Legislators Of most all Of the South
ern States, under the fearful social
revolution Of the times. The con~
sideration that in whipping felon
voter might be whipped no doubt
prevailed to carry tho bill to the
table. Philanthropy had nothing
to do with it's fate. So it is in
other things that tho public inter
osts ate subordinatcd to the polite
view taken by tho demagogue. For
instance, the measures to encourage
sheep culture, by protecting sheep
from dogs, I'LL fail because the dog
has aUote.
The criminal policy of this coun-
try has become inefficient because of
two much philanthropy. The de-
lusivo idea that crime was to be
ended by kindness to robbers and
house~burners, sneak thieves and
cut throats that villains and mur
derers were to be made honest men
and gentlemen by preaching and
forgiveness, have paralyzod the law
and disarmed the police. Felons
are not to be roughly treated. Their
feelings arc not to be wounded.
They must be Hospitality entertained
and left to the course Of meditation
and remorse, that they may emerge
from their place of respectable de-
tention fit companions for tho phil
lanthropic people who have extract.
ed the sting from the law and
Bmothered the discomfort Of the
hard and healthy discipline which
is 80 salutary in the process of re-.
pentance and atoncment Thus the
prisons and penitentiarics have
done absolutely nothing in the way
of roform, and the men who have
passed through thom have come
forth without repentance, confirmed
rascals, to make their art available
with more success than before their
confinement and before that harden
ing process which made them i'm
penetrable to the moral scnsibilities,
of which there were somo traces in
their minds until they entered tire
so-called penitontiary, to part with
them forever.
The whipping post would do more
to put a check upon crime and to
dotor mon from repeating their
felonies than all other provisions of
tho law. If the lash were applied to
big thieves and little thieves without
distinction of color, race or previous
condition of sorvitude, the criminal
docket would shrink up and the
jails and penitcntiarics would bo
relieved of fully half their dodgers.
Widen the range Of hanging, short
en- the period of Imprisonment, and
Introduce the whipping post for
application to cases of burglary and
stealing, and there would bo such a
change in the character and number
Of criminal cases that we might we'll
imagine we wero in a now country.
1t is for the want of moro rigid
administration of the laws against
felonies and misdomeanors, and for
the want of q moro just gradation of
the retribution to the crime, that
we hear even in this advanced
period of civilization Of so many
cases of the intervention of Judge
Lynch. Make crime odious by
proper punishment, and the public
security will be increased while
crime will be decreased .-.Richmoud
Dispatch.