Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1878-03-01
Corporal Punishment.

Mr Editor In last weeks AaUocate was
published Dr. Wilson Magruders lecture on
the Whipping Posi-, " in which he deyoies a
large part o! his utterancrs to criticism Of adj
vocacy by me, some weeks ago, OF your sugges-
lion for a restoration Of the pilory and whip.
ping post rs the most effective, speedy and
economical mode of disposing Of small crimes
and misdemeanors.
Only because this lecture may be deemed by
some, and doubtless by its au thor, uuanswer-
able, do ask space in your columns for a
brief reply.
The first thought brought to my mind from
lis perusal was the remark once made of a
somewhat remarkable Virginia clergy man.
''He goes down deep and comes up dry" No
moisture. no warmth and no light, no three
elements in nature so absolutely necessary for
qualification, for grow th and for the maturity
of fruit. This popularity seems to run through
al! The Doctors effusions-perfect barreuness
of results He is smart, but devotes his smart
ness 10 one idea, and that the easiest of ac-
complishments, namely, to finding fault -
Nothing is good, nothing is right nothing is
expedent. A year ago he ridicued the great
Centennial at Philadelphia an exhibition to
which the whole civilized world paid homage
and is now about TO be repeated in Paris The
Rev. Dr.. Hu,ton's suggestion for putting
tramps into the army did not escape his shaft
and now, while admitting the inefficiency OF
the present system for disposing of such cases,
he objects to the humane plan of Mr.. Halo
well for work houses in the several congress
sional districts, wherein habits of useful ness
and industry may be taught. He objects TO
your plan of restoration of the plory and
whipping post, ard especially TO my advocacy
thereof, but more especially that should
have borrowed AN argument from King Solo
man, and to King Soloman himself as unworthy
of respect if not of belief Had have quoted
King David sor the ideal ola good citizen,
namely, ale that leadeth an incorrupt life
and doeih the things that are right, and speak
eth the truth from his heart; be that hath
used no deceit in his tongue, nor done evil 10
his neghbor, and hath moi slandered his neigh
Dor" would he also have objected to King
David? for he, too, under the old dispensation,
like Solomaa was permitted to have pleural-
ity of wives. And for the same reason, bad
conduct, would he have objected to the A pos
lie Peter, for he Course and swore' and thrice
denied bis Lord and Masler2 Yet to him was
committed the KEYS of Heaven. Now for such
a universal fauli-6nder fear there is but little
hope; even in his quotation from Him who
spake as never man spake GAS driving ont the
money-changers, " he forgeis TO add, with
scourge of small cord - The same want of
fairness and candor prompts him to hold me
up as using the example of Prussia as an ar
gument in support of my advocacy of your
plan of disposng Of tramps, when only cited
IL 10 support of the argument drawn from our
little sister State OF Delaware, where The plllo-
ry and whipping post have been preserved and
are still in use With such satisfactory results
The Doctor, because he could spin little web
OF prejudice upon the idea of citation drawn
fro inalf for Of To-,
out and omits altogether my reference 10 the
Republican State of Delaware. How far this
accOr1s with King David's idea of jlst and
fair man, leave TO the Doctor to disclose.
The only suggestion as a remedy. il remedy
it can be called, is to be found in this short,
concluding paragraph Of the Doctors lecture,
'Obey the laws we have" Notwithstanding
his previous admission of their inetiiciency as
preventives or cures
Let us see what laws are applicable to the
class Of crimes under consideration. A man
commits an assault and battery or steals tur-
key, pig or a few chickens Complaint is first
made 20 the magistrate, upon which, if reason
ably founded. be issues his warrant to a con-
stable to ares, the party and bring him be-
fore the Justice. Unless the party can clear
himself or give bail he is sent to Jail often to
remain there for six months A Grand Jury
Of twenty-three men investigate the case, e1
pdrte, and send down presentmeut, upon
which the States Attorney frames an indct-
ment then the party is brought in for arraign-
ment with the power to 20 before the Court or
choose a jury oftwelve men. fthe latter, there
are one or two lawyers for defence, sometimes
appointed by the Court, and then we have the
spectacle Of three learned and grave Judges on
the bench at a salary of 50, 900, twelve jury
men al So a day, a number of witnesses at ST.
per day, and the business of the county him
dered and obstruced for whole day over a
case of often not SIS in value. And all OF this
at the expense of the tax. payer of the county.
Agains, such cumbersome and costly machin-
cry has been the object OF the articles by Mr..
Hallowel, DR.. Hutton, your editorial and my
SELF but the learned lecturer SAYS no, all of
these are wrong or will fail. 1t is only obedi-
ence TO "existing laws" the above among
them, in persons of high position as our ex-
ample 'to the poor and weak" which is to
work reformation and amendment of life -
This is transcendent and above the plain com
mol-sense and everyday experience of life
AS before said, the hope of reward and fear
Of punishment are the governing influences
which control human nature as we find it,
and for this laws are necessary to restrain the
vicious and dissolute and TO protect and en-
the frugal and industrious, DR.. Will
son Magruder 10 the contrary notwithstanding.
A. B. DAVIS.