, 1879-04-08
PUNISHMENT FOR CONTEMPT,


Tho punishment inflicted by tho Illinois
Legislature upon Alr, NEyns for tho con-
tempt in which ho appears to hold tho mosn-
bors of TINT body saoms to bo rilioulously
inadequate to tho ono11nity Of bis offense
in fact, tho punishment iB 80 light that his
contempt appears to increase eaeh day. II
ho is confined many days longer Lis con-
tempt will reach such dimensions TINT i'm
priRon,nent in BOTH penitentfarios at onco
eau hardly make compensation for tho Pc
onliarity OF Ills personal regard for tho ay-
orago Illinois legislator. Again, since the
Legislature maln tho discovery TINT Mr.
NEvNs bod feelings OF contempt for IL,
other people havo begun to express their
contempt, the limits Of this contempt o..
tending to tho geographical bouuda-
rics Of tho State. Upon this point
there seems to bo IN astonishing
unanimity Of opinion. Newspapers divide
on political issues, bnt aro Harmonious Oh
tho faot Of contempt. People comment on
legialation according to their partisan feol-
ings, and discuss pending issues with moro
or less Of hoatod aud violent oxotoment, but
thoy meet upon tho common ground Of con-
tempt for the Legislature with hearty una
nimity. Since Mr.. Nkv1Ns, therefore, ropro-
santa sloh largo constituency, 1t follows
that his moro confinement from day to day
in very ordinary jail for tho expression Of
Il feeling shared by tho rcst Of tho commu-
nifty, tho only difference being that he had
an opportunity to express what others can
only feel, hut would express II they Ind tho
ohance, is entirely inadequate ~ punisl,-
ment. Agatn, Mr.. NEv1ss il nrst-clasa
reporter, mud still romaius in tho employment
Of The Ou1oAdo TRIBUNE. A tirst-class
reporter is always superior to Ills aurround-
ings. 10 him there are no such things
NJ accideuts Of time or place. Ho is q phi
losophar. fIo Is nulthor oxaltod nor depreBs-
cd, llo has bat one astinot-to report; hut
one ambition-to interview; bat one passion
to got tho news. In removing bEr. Nxv1ss,
therefore, from tho Assembly Chamber to the
moro respectable apartment in the jail; the
Legislature has simply changed his acus
0pcrdAdl IIo has now turned Ills attention
to the jail, and Is souding us news about its
condition, Its conduct, aud ita prisoners, aud
Aas already discovered tt,at, vhile the Logis-
lasuro Ia disgrace 10 tho stato OF Illinois,
tho Jail Ia disgrace to 6angamon County.
II such be tho oaso, 1t ia Clearly his duty to
report II +; but IL there not a danger that he
mny bring tho county rs well az tho Stato
officials into contempt? In fixing his pun.
ishment, therefore, Inns not tho Legislature
nnla 1t altogether too trivlals 1Io sorda word
that favorite method Ut punishment In
the Jail IL to pinIou tho victims arms aud
shaoklo hts feet, tl.en run rope through a
staplo In tho wall aud hoist him up by tho
feet until hs stands OF, his head, md leave
him to enjoy hin,self. Some such punishment
as this might be triod with Mr. Nky1Sa
aa IN experiment. It would be sort OF
satisfaction to the members to visit hin, and
see lin wrong side ul', and at the Basno tina
| would bo IN additional entertainment for the
readers Of THE Tribune, as his Vows OF
things would bo taksn from m eutireiy
| different standpoint. It would also be in-
teresting as solving tho problem whether tho
Legislature looks NJ contemplate to q man
with his head wlesa his heels ought to be ~
| to man with hiA head in tho proper place.
| u reality, We layo Suspicion that the Log