The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-05-31
C0rnOraI Puniahment.

The discussion as to the propriety of cor
poral punishment either in the school or
household has been carried on for num-
Der or years. 1t is but branch OF the
main question as to whether penalties OF
any sort should be inflicted upon the body
of human being ty legal or other ac-
knowledged authority, whether IN the
army, navy, prison, family or elsewhere
And while the discussion is going on, 1t emily
needs an observation of land marks
TO carry the conviction that the
question is gradually settling IT.
If. Corporal punishment has
disappeared as part OF military and naval
discipline; it has. been largely diminished
altogether, In a penitentiaries, and there
has been a notable decrease of it in the
schools. In the family 1t may be said as a
lie. TO have been slipping down through
the grades of society until little or none OF
| IL is left among the most cultivated and re-
fined class. There are a great many very
excellent people who still make use OF the
rod, but the fact remains that the most
highly evolved fathers, mothers, guar
dams and school-teachers no longer
whip. This may be an affecting
PROPOSITION to some, but it is the stern
cold and, it may be added, fortunate truth
! Of the situation. Corporal punishment is
disappearing in the direction that most So
cial errors disappear. Like prize-hghting,
lis outlet is through the gateway of the
dregs, though it has a somewhat longer dis
lance to travel.
The heart and the head go together in
this movement. The human instincts are
receiving active support from common
sense. What was years ago condemned as
| impracticable and visionary is being found
not only to be entirely practicable but con-
' H.. 20
is being arcertained that though whip
ming may produce temporary obedience
In the child its more lasting effect IL I'M
favorable. 1t is discouniing the future. II
is an act of t-sightedness. Ii Is a irite
saying that brutality brutalizes. and how
ever guarded and sanctified by holy resoln-
lions personal chastisement may be, IL Is
essentially brutal. No amount OF prayer
or consideration of the recipients future
good can remove the fact there is a
brutality in a powerful person beating a
helpless one and the latter In his heart oil
hearts can not help recognizing II as an
outrage. He cannot reason II out, but
the impression Is there not 10 be
eradicsted. Society having sanctioned IL.
be will get his revenge, when be is able,
out Of society. To an extent he 10 bru'
talized, and IL the effect is not overcome BY
a higher mental development than that
possessed by the person who beat him, be
will prosecute others when his time come
/ ana probably with O clear conscience.
/ In inculcates disregard Of the inviolabil-
ity of the human body. Ifa mans house
IL his castle, his body IL trebly 50. and 3
child should not be taught TO believe other
wise. Moral growth must come through
reflection and rightly disposed energy, and
feelings Of resentment can only have re
tsrding effect. There II deeper truth
than IL generally recognized IN the saying
/ T~urnhufls
VI Ssmsn Ger felt the halter draw
Win good opinion OF the law.
III men or children are 10 be taught 70
I have a good opinion OF the moral law, u
must be bv some other means than brute
force. The iOcular schOOlmssier who
claimed that If learning could not be got IN
III the head any other way itmust be driven
M The back bone, was fully ss Logical a.
tbose Who assert that morals can be incul-
Gated by bssting. The end 70 be gained
ard the means are homogeneous Ine con-
nection between the two in the common
mind h = fsIse one. The mental nature Of the
cnlId or If the man is true 20 itsef and
/ srts Iogicsilv-albeit uncOnsci0usly and
Z il revolIs ct the missppLcstiOn. The tue
tber,rv IL 10 lead. not 20 drive % contrn'
the source Of impulse and DESIRES DOT 70
10 el-ct the source sud stand ready Win =
clHo, metaphorlcsily spes klne, 20 10 -. :,
7 fha latter sSnseless VIXEN they move ont ~
the ruis As the mental system o. the
cs,nd = s5ussd by the old syaens IT IN
srruction which compel the tedious lesrn-
ing Of things BIZ rofe. instead Of ilu ninatlne
the phiios0phy Of the subject % he strng-
ding liftls infellect and oeligntine y
fbr-esr. 90 i the moral nature abused b
sr1erro-irr - rourisb 4 b. bi1u-.
rs ehild Il 100 bsi ~ stsv IN school
b her-er seod 10 bone thsn wiIip q A DO
ssh ncfion Of ursLh, h0EsTer dlsEuiseo
snd IKE b ,gsts Ike. Ersry SD orlnssin