Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-08-22
WILMINGTON, rHURsDAY Usrse.
Governor Hastings and ais Constituents In
This state.


Governor Hastings of Pennsylvania,
accompanied by the members Of his
staff, while ON the way home from the
camp Of the Naval Reserves at Angus
tine Park, stopped Off at New Castle
and there inspected the whipping post
and pillory. The sheriff and his asso-
ciates graciously received the distin-
guished visitors, and rendered them
every possible courtesy during their
brief stay.
Governor Hastings, we are assured,
greatly enjoyed his visit Ho was per
mitted to "swish" the cato nine tails,
and to ply it in joke upon the backs
Of those who consented to act as sub
stitutes for genuine victims of the post.
We are not informed that he objected
to our peculiar mode of punishment as
barbarous, as do so many Pennsyl-
vanians who do not know the virtues
of the post and pillory as terror to
evilsdoers.
In addition to the other pleasures of
the inspection, Governor Hastings
found an unexpected treat in the pres
ence of nearly score Of his lawful con-
stituents, among the prisoners who
were working out sentences Of fines i'm
posed for disorderly conduct by labor
on the stone pile. They were, in fact,
members of a disorderly gang who had
seized a railroad freight train in Phil
adelphia, and were brought on the train
into Delaware before they were arrested
and punished, Thus, the punishment
OF these marauders, which should have
been attended to by the Pennsylvania
authorities, was imposed upon Della
ware, and New Castle county uniustly
put to the expense of keeping them for
term in Jail.
But we are bound to. say that Gov
ernor Hastings very handsomely did his
part towards modifying the effects of
this injustice towards Delaware. He
was overjoyed at seeing his constitu-
ents, even if they were engaged in the
unpleasant labor of breaking hard
stone, and on satisfying himself that
they were lawful citizens of the State
of William Penn, of which he now en-
Joys the proud distinction of being the
chief executive, he Immediately paid
the amount of the fines and costs as
sessed against them. This entitled them
TO their release, and they walked out
from the Jail yard free men, and no
longer an unjust burden upon the peo-
pie of this State.
The taxpayers of New Castle county
will no doubt sincerely thank Governor
Hastings for this commendable act. II
lightened his pocketbook. but it light
ened their public burdens to a CORE
spending extent 1t was also an act of
kindness, for which the recipients are
no doubt truly grateful. As they are
citizens of Pennsylvania, possibly most
of them residents of Philadelphia, they
can show their generosity by going to
the latter city in time to vote at the
Republican primaries tonight A hot
fight is going on, in which Governor
Hastings is taking hand, his object
being to knock out his old time politi-
cal associate, Senator Matthew Stanley
Quay. Those nineteen men from New
Castle Jail, released through the Gov
ernor's generosity, would be ingrates of
deep dye if they refused to take hand
in the fight and vote for the ticket
bearing the names Of the Governors
friends in this close and exciting fac
tional contest. No doubt they will do
it--some Of them may have no obiec-
tions even to voting "carly and often. -
And thus the Governors kind act,
conceived and executed in spirit Of
true charity, may rebound 10 his prac-
tical-and political benefit, before The
gratitude of his benefciaries has time
to fade away.