The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1882-07-01

AND some Or THE CEREMONIES
ATTENDING IT
A Searvl After the Origin of the Custom Of Hold
ing up the Right Hand,

SeargA After the Origin of the Custom Of Hold
ing up the Right Hand.
Franz IL" Bo$to" 'o"ricr.
Hold up your right hand, said the
clerk, and the witness, no doubt Devil,
dered by the glitter and glare of that
palatial home of justice, in the Court
House, Immediately proceeded to raise
his left hand high in air.
Your right hand sir, Don't you
know your right hand from your left p
snapped the clerk.
The witness evidently thought he did,
and was inclined to resent this reflection
upon his intelligence, but he presently
awoke to the fact even this bit of elc-
mentary know ledge had failed him. and
somewhat abashed, he lowered his left
hand, raised his right, and was duly
sworn
He could not help wondering whether
the right hand really was essential to an
oath, ard why, having once got his left
hand up that would not have done as
well. And SO. after the trial he asked
his counsel, who III turn asked the clerk,
and the clerk asked the judge, and the
judge looked wise; but not enc of them
could give any other reason than that
this was the way it was always done
Turning to the statutes they found that
1.-the usual mode of administering oaths
now practiced in Massachusetts with the
ceremony of holding up the hand " is
required to be observed in all eases, with
certain exceptions especially enumerated
in favor of Quakcrs and others. And
the usual mode undoubtedly is. and has
been for generations. to hold UP the
right hand. But why?
This question was asked in an English
Court of Insolvency held at Oxford, i'll
1854. and the Commissioner is said to
have gravely decided that the right hand
is used because the other would be the
'rr"ng one
Various theories looking to purely
legal origin have been advanced, some OF
them gate ingenious: as. FOR instance.
that the custom is founded in supposed
law, said to be once in vogue. by which
the fingers Of the right hand were cut
OH as punishment for certain offences.
When, therefore. a criminal who had
been thus punished came thereafter to
be shown, the absence of the fingers
showed at once his unfitness as a witness,
! and he was not allowed to be shown, or
to testify. 1t is also suggested that thu
use Of the right hand may have arisen
from the common law doctrine of - bene.
fit of clergy described i'll previous
"bcnetit of clergy" was at one time
granted to all who could read, whether
of the clergy u rot. 1t was subsequent
ly enacted that layman could have the
benefit but once: and to prevent his
claiming it second time, he was branded
with a hot iron i'll the Drawn of the hand.
When, therefore, he raised or extended
his hand, ill taxing the oath, the fact OF
his having been branded appeared, and
at once affected his credibllty.
Neither of these theories. however, is
at all satisfactory, partly because they
are founded upon a very slender basis of
fact, but more especially because the use
of the right hand III this connection is of
far higher antiquity than the common
law, Or indeed of any system of law of
which We have any knowledge. It is as
old, and probably Older than the Scrip
lures. We read IN Isaiah G2::s, 1.-THE
Lord has sworn by his right hand" And
on old coins, and ancient statues, and
has reliefs, whenever Il ceremony of this
at is represented, the right hand is
almost universally the one that is found
raised or extended
Any attempt, therefore. to seek origin
for its use in the common law is mere
WAIST. Gf time. There probably is no
purely legal o,ls,". W. preference OF
the right hand to the left is by no means
confined to legal matters. 1t is well nigh
universal. Children are taught from
i:ahyhood to use the right hand in all
thins~, Rid parents regard with holy
| horror any tendency %, their i.ary 10 b.
left handed. AS Charles Reade put it in
Ills vigorous English:
| ;Iother and Nurse both pursue this
| game with Tyranny that X HeTer CIT it!
| guard. aud they east their victims in ira
dition's moaiG, not knowing what they
are doing, nor why they are doing il, an,
more than the Northumbrian peasants
who light bon-iires and 60 .iumpin.
through tisa;. ape evening i'll the year
know that they eGit.g through til,
fire to Baal. the fouest of all heather
supcrstitions, wicker, but not older. sill
ler nor more Pagan than the suppression
Of ti.c left hand.
One would NATURALLY expect that il
matters of religion, OF sentiment, or o
honor. the left hand as being the hanc
nearest the heart, would be the one t.
whist. We should give the pre- ference
The right hand might very well do til,
work. hold tie sword, write, paint, u
drive the nail But the left hand sureI,
should be the one with which to beotov
Il favor, greet Il friend or appeal /,
heaven. We shoud certainly extend tin
left, 0r heart hand, in giving ''hcart'- :.
shake. But 40! ohef ;my one your lief
hand. and if he does not feel offended
he ut least feels that you have not beel
quite courteous to him He expects no
tie left but the right hand of fellowship
SO We SPEAK If = person upon who's
aid We specially rely. as Our riaht-Ean;
man. and we always want to get on th
right side of person of position or in
iluence The especial guest of an occa
sion is always placed at the right han,
of the host. Bathsheba was placed OF
the right hand Of Solomon as a mark @
respect. Ct Kings 2:l9D ana oar savior
is described as standiag tActs 500 o
sitting (Col. SD at the right hand G
GOD. implying 4 position of dignity an
favor And al the Judgment day. tn
sheep were to lie at tie right hand, tt.
roats at the left. (Matthew $3.50 thoe
left on the right being called blessed
and those on the left cnrSed.
In hera,d.y, thc bar dexter indicates a
honorable birth, the bar sinister the re
verse. Gossips tell us that our check
viii ;inrIr when others are speakInr ,