The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-02-12
PUNISHMENT pIrH STRIPES.
An Argument in Favor of Mr.. Murphy
Bill Re-enacting the Old Law.

| Bill Rc-enHctink the Vtt baN'
| Editor Of The Times:
sir.-ln "a leading editorial in your pa
per of the Sth instant, under the caption
40 Whipping-Posts,' you urge the Leg
/ islafure 10 reject bin recently intro
| ducod i'm the House hy Mr. Murphy OF
! this city. having for Dos object INC re-
! enactment Of the former law. with some
notifications. providing for the punish
ment OF petit larceny by stripes, instead
OF hy confinement in Jail, for hfieI re-
ply TO which editorial J ask your space
You Use this language. such methods
of punishment belong TO dark age. and
are remnants of barbarism. The modern
idea Of punishment includes reformation
of the criminal as wei as punishment,
and there Is no possibility FOR reiof.auoh
where he is publicly disgraced, ana tn'h
sent abroad with his marks on him, and
no leisure and opportunity for reelection
and repentance. The thought OF fog
cling white men is not 10 be- entertained
for a. moment. and n law applied 90 me-
proos exclusively would Doc repugnarf to
The fourteenth amendment 10 the Con-
stitution of the United States, and void.
agree win you that such a law apply
ing TO negroes alone would not only Doc
unconstitutional. but would also bee de-
structive 10 the liberties OF the citizens
Of the State. You seem Co found your
objections 10 this bin upon the following
grounds Cd Punishment by stripes is
barbarous. and a relic OF dark age.
O. the chief end Of punishment is 10
reform the criminal, 90 punishment 10y
stripes degrades. and. therefore. prevents
reformation. and CD the application OF
such a method or punishment 10 white
men u.s. proposior0us. and not deserving
OF consideration.
with an due respect 10 Tho Times,
these grounds OF objection seem 90 me
fallacious. and.as this subject is one bon
which the whole State IS vitality interest
ed. I must crave your Indulgence Tor at
tempting to show their falacy.
a. is punishment by stripes barbar-
ous and a relic of dark age II 20. then
the people Of this grand old Common
wealth have very recently emerged from
barbarsm: for until May T. ISL exactly
such "a statute as is now proposed was
upon our statutc-hooks. and had been the
law of this State for many years. Why
should the innictiou Of stripes be har-
barous? Is il the bodily or mental pain
that constitutes the barbarity2 II the
bodily, then how barbarous to inaict
capital punishment. OF to expose the
delicatcly-reared criminal 10 the hard
ships of the changing or 10 the manual
labor required in the ponilentiary. N the
mental. how barharous 10 compel the
convict 20 wear his stripes, or the pris-
oner 10 be tried IN open court. where an
may hear and know his shame. That
stripes may be inflicted with unneces- |
sary cruelty is possible. but then even is
IL more possible for the same jailer 20
starve his prisoner 90 the verge Of death. }
and iniict many stripe unauthorized by /
law.
60 Is the reformation OF the criminal |
the chief end Of punishment? All au-
thOriues on criminal law unite in de- |
claring that the end of punishment is TO |
prevent crimes. which end the law seeks !
TO acc0mplish-in crimes other than capt. /
tal-by amending the offender and also /
by lettering others by fear Of like pun |
ishmcnt The offender Is 80 De amended. |
i. g. made TO regret the commission OF the |
crime, and 10 abstain therefrom i'm the !
future Beyond this. the law cannot UNI |
dortake his moral reformation Not |
only. however. is the offender to be amend |
ed. but he must also serve as an example |
TO deter others from committing a like /
offence and both Of these objects are |
best attained by that method Of punish
ment most dreaded BY the class Of Of |
Tenders 10 whom il Is 10 bee applied. |
Moreover it appears 70 me beyond ques-
ton that tho offender punished b. the |
taller with stripes IN tie privacy OF the
jail and then released. Is much more
capable OF moral reformation than one
confined with q large number o. others
more criminal than himself. Cor period
OF from one 10 six months.
60 Does punishment by stripes degrade
the person so punished? ln order to
satisfy ones own mind on this question.
you. Mr.. Editor. and your readers. must
Law aside your own personality Tor the
moment. You have education. refine
ment. and nice sense OF honOr-tO whom
an insult or the lash would be more ex-
,ulsite torture than death itseif-but you
must remember that the criminal who
commits petit larceny Is generally an
lnprincipied sneak and coward who
would willingly sell his honor for
breakfast Can il be maintained for a
moment that such a man Is degraded i'm
lis own estimation by beins punished
With the lash? It Is the criminal IN
ent and act which degrades-not the