The Cannock Chase Examiner. — 1874-12-19 (Cannock, Staffordshire, England)

THE EFFICACY OF FLOGGING. If (the Telegraph says) flogging in revived we think it would be better to reserve its first application for womembeaters alone; we could then carefully watch its effect on our criminal statistics. The pleaders for the equality of the sexes, and for what are called "women's rights," will no doubt resent this " odious " distinction; but a poor wife whose face is not battered in because her "master" fears the lash will be thankful to owe her safety even to that " inequality " the agitators seek to remove. It may be owing to masculine obtuseness, bbt we do not understand bow we " insult " I women by throwing around them the protecbon of special laws. To treat an outrage on a woman as worse than an outrage on a man is part of that chivalry and tenderness towards a physically weaker sex wi kb inspires many of our statutea. We prevent females from being overworked in our factories; we leave men to look after themselves. The Court of Chancery takes tender and special care of property acquired by a wife. Married women who incur debts escape responsibility even when they are known to le AA, enough to pay. These distinctions would be unjust if woman were equal to man; but they are just. because she , is no—because she starts in the race of life with numerous disadvantages, and ought to receive special protection. tenderness, and consideration. not only from individual men, but from makers of our hews, as she does in instances that are many and ought to be more. We hope to eke next year a new statute on the old lines—a special Act to liscour..ge ruffians who commit on women and children "aggravated" assaults. It has been said by a very eloquent correspondent in two letters we ately published, that the flogging will inflict on the man an indelibly stinging disgrace; that his after-life will he intolerable, owing to the taunts of I his unfit's ged fellows; and that his home will be for ever miserable in the recollection of the fact. All this may be true, and we hope that in part it is. The punialdnent would not be deterrent enough usloss it did carry with it a deep disgrace. If a man flogged finds the gin palace, the skittle alley and ill. wort shop intolsr-ble, owing to the leers, the scorn and coarse ribaldry of his comrades, we surround the punishment for wife-beating with the very horror we desire; and, after a time, the disgrace of the penalty will extend to the offence.  A new English church, dedicated to St. John the Evangelist, has been opened at sPegli, near Genoa.  Adams' °odometer, an instrument invented for teaching nautical students astronomy, has been adopted by the Board of Trade. The charge of perjary brought by Mr. E. W. Pugin against Mr. Hodgson, of Eamegate, and which was dismissed by the local megtstrates, haa been revived in the shape of an indietinet.t at the fieldstone Assires, and the Grand Jmy having returned a true bill, the trial will take place in March.  A FlINI•11 LEADHI, CONVICTIRD OF ITTIIMPTZD canna.—At the Durham asainea Patrick Kelly, a workman at Palmer'. shipbuilding yard, at Joarovs, who was said to be a leader among the Poniana, was put on his trial for shooting a fellow- ' countryman named Devanny with intent to murder him. The evidence showed that the prosecutor, whilst going with some relatives towards a public. house, was strock by the pi ißoner, who wain assisted in the attack by some other Irishmen. The prosecutor, who won an anti e. pow rbil fellow, struck back, and he was then surrounded and thrown an the ground. He got up, however, aud the prit saner rushed at him, saying that he must die, and, presenting a revolver, nred deliberately upon him. The shot missed, and the prisoner then gripped hold of the prosecutor and, with the assistance of others, held him- fast whilst he again tired at him. The shot took effect this time, a bullet entering the man's left jaw and coming out about two inches lower. Since then the prosecutor's left arm has been useless. Eft. was for some , time in a dangerous state The Jury found the , prisoner guilty. In sentencing the prisoner to twenty years' penal servitude, Mr. Baron Cleasby, referring to a statement that it was "rather oommon for Irishmen to carry offensive weapons," 'said he hoped t at such was not the date. If suoln a thing were general we should be living in society of assassins. No motive was apparent In this case, but the prisoner must have harboured hatred against the fftmentor for some re con or other.