Punch (63.1872)

52

PUNCH, OE THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

[August 3, 1672.

DISCUSSION IN THE DOG-DAYS.

To waste several hours of the nation's time, during these more
than commonly canicular dog-days, in discussing Capital Punish-
ment, was to deserve it. But you cannot hang the House of Com-
mons, although limited to the number of Members who usually
attend on Crotchet Day, or even to the section accustomed on that

day, Wednesday, to________scoundrel. The vic-

rather. Is Capital Punishment then, the most satisfactory revenge ?
We know that My Lord Judge's sentence of death concludes with a
blessing. If that benison is fulfilled, Capital Punishment is " hire
and salary, not revenge." How, in any case, can we know that it
has not been fulfilled ? Now in the case of a criminal sentenced to
penal servitude there is no doubt of his misery. The man who has
been hanged may be happy for aught we know, and even supposing
Darwin's theory of development true, is at rest. Not so the other

air their Sumptuary
and Sabbatarian
Crotchets. And if
you could, their ex-
ecution would ex-
ceed the bounds of
needful severity.
The certainty of pe-
nal servitude would,
we have no doubt,
have effectually de-
terred Me. Gilpin
from making his
annual futile motion
touching the scaf-
fold, and Me.
R. N. Fowl ee from
seconding: hisfriend.
Wouldn't it be quite
enough to deter any
criminal, capable of
being deterred, from
any crime? As to
the sufficiency of
punishment for the
prevention of crime,
it is impossible for
anybody to evolve
the slightest idea
out of his moral
consciousness, and
the consciousness of
a criminal whence
alone it could be
evolved, is immoral.
Your criminal is
either too great a
fool to be capable of
evolving any idea
whatsoever, or,
being more rogue
than fool, instinc-
tively conceals any
idea which he has
been able to evolve.
If all criminals were
as capable of being
restrained as your-
self, thinking rea-
der, by the conside-
ration of conse-
quences, the mildest
of penal systems
would keep them in
check. What law
would you break at
the risk of probable
imprisonment and
hard labour ? Can
you fancy yourself,
under any provoca-
tion, committing
murder, if it were
in the least degree
likely to subject you
to being locked
up for twenty-four
hours ?

MR PUNCH'S DESIGNS AFTER NATURE.

a suggestion for harvest time.

tim of a garotter,
for instance, doomed
to his deserts, can
occasionally solace
himself by thinking
of the lot which that
convict is enduring
at that moment,
having, moreover,
not only been whip-
ped, but being lia-
ble, in the event of
misconduct, to be
whipped any num-
ber of times again.
No such solace can,
with any certainty,
be derived from an
executed criminal.
Preference, there-
fore, of Secondary
to Capital Punish-
ment should not be
imagined necessarily
to arise from mawk-
ish sentiment and
maudlin philan-
thropy ; because it
may be determined
by opposite feelings,
and thus concurred
in by the strong-
minded of both
sexes. But, on the
other hand, it should
be borne in mind
that the convict
allowed to live must
be kept alive; and
what satisfaction
can he possibly
afford worth the
cost of his keep ?

BLACK AGAINST
BLUE.

The colliers, male
and female, at vari-
ous places in Lan-
cashire, have been
meeting for the pur-
pose of enforcing a
reduction of the high
prices of butchers'
meat. At Scholes,
near Wigan, the
other day, they
passed a resolution
" amid much cheer-
ing," to the effect
"that any woman
who gave more than
Id. a pound for meat
at the market on
Friday and Satur-
day, should forfeit
her husband's wages

The strongest ar- ~ "" for the week." Col

gument for the office of Me. Calceaet appears to be always
ignored. "Sweet is revenge, especially to women," says Lord
Byeon, with not too much gallantry. The majority of women
would vote, if they had votes, for abolition of Me. Calcbaet's office.
But its retention is advocated by the strong-minded men most
antipathetic to strong-minded women. "Revenge, and a healthy
hatred of scoundrels," is what they profess and demand with Mb.
Cablyle. Lose no time in questioning this position ; assume it

Hers may well flatter themselves that they know how to strike. Their
plan is that of striking right and left; for higher wages and lower
prices : against their employers and against their butchers. When
the price of coal is considered, to be sure, it may be thought that the
colliers, of all workmen, should be the last to strike for meat at Id. a
pound ; but, if they could bring it down to that, they would make the
public some amends for increasing the cost of coals, which they would
balance, in a measure, by compensation out of the Butcher's pocket.