Year: 1867

CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.


There is no practice more reprehcnsiblc
than that Of cruelty to animals, except
II be abuse Of the human species, and it
may be questioned whetker indeed even
this practice is so inexcusabe as the
heartless abuse of the dumb beast When
the human is badly treated he can speak,
and make known to his fellows the nature
and extent Of the cruelty that is practiccd
upon him. He can also seek, through the
medium of law, that redress which the
merciful statutes Of the State guarantees
to him. 1t is not so with the dumb beast.
He may be goaded, harasscd, and over.
worked, or worked to death. lie is in
capable Of making any complaint, or Of
seeking even that redress which even the
law vouchsafes to him. Patiently must
be endure the cruel infiction which some
passionate and ill-natured human chooses
to bestow upon him, not having the ability
or the opportunity to seek redress. How
surprisingly mean, not to say dabolical,
then is it to abuse the poor beast. The
man who does ii is Infinitely worse than
the beast, because there is no excuse nor
justification for such deeds.


or all the useful beasts OF burden which
kind and wise Providence has placed
under subsection to man none is so useful,
and certainly none is so indispensable, as
the horse. The simple statement of
10 Il,
in proof Of it, and it would be out of place
to multiply words. One would naturally
suppose that the least reflection upon this
subject would teach all men in whose care
these noble animals are placed to observe
the most common rules Of patience, kind
ness, and due consideration in their treat
ment Of the horse. But sorry are we that
it is far otherwise. But this is general.
izing Let us come to particulars and to
specific facts.


There is not q day passes that we are
not repeatedly reminded Of mans heart
less cruelty to the horse. On the street
cars, the heavy and overloaded teams, and
the thoughtless popnjoys who ride for
pleasure behind hired horses, when thoy
ought to 60 on foot, we constantly witness
painful exhibitions Of the reprehensiblr
conduct, that cannot be too severely cen
sured, and ought TO be as severely pun
ished. Draft and livery stable horses ar,
especially the victims Of this sometime
thoughtless, and always mad and nexcusa
bic cruelty.


On our way up Capitol Hill, a day OF
two since, we saw one of these exhibitions
that fairly made us mad. An overloaded
car, hot and sultry day in August, a
pair of jadcd horses, with one in front re.
fusing to draw, and all ignorant driver,
with careless and passive conductor, we
witnessed scene OF cruelty which we
don't desire TO see repeated. 1t was evi
dent from the first moment that the horses
could not take the load TO the brow OF the
hill. We proposed that all should get Out
and walk. How muk easier for each o.
us to have done this than it was for the
poor animals to take us up. But no; VIC
had paid our six cents, and the majority
of us were bound to have our moneys
worth. if the horses died on the spot. The
driver was bound 10 60 through, and hC
could sec no other way but to stay whcrC
he was with his load, or use the whip all,
he used it with dexterity and strengtl
that made the welkin ring and he did no
desist till we elnphatically assured hin
we would report him to The company if h.
did not stop.


After a while, with Il little coaxing an,
by reducing the load, we went on. 1t al
might have been accomplished from tn,
start, and the cruelty to the poor horse
avoided See that big bully of fellow
mounted upon load OF coal, more than
any horse ought to draw, without the ad
ditional weight Of the driver. Away h,
goes, cutting and slashIng up the hill thu
poor horse struggling to reach the summit
the lazy lubber meanwhile keeping hi
seat while everybody who sees him woul
readily conclude that he is better able t
draw the horse than the horse him.


Instances of this manifest cruelty /
animals might be enumerated to an almos
indefinite extent but VIC have no NOR
room to-day.


Now is it not somebody's duty to loo
after this too common and fragrant praC
tice, and to make some examples by ade
quately Furnishing these wrong.doers il
accordance with law.


THE CALIFORNIA ELECTION.


Reliable information received last nigh