DOI Heft:
February 14, 1863
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16871#0069
February 14, 1863.]
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
6i
HUMANITIES OF THE HUSTINGS.
There has just been an election for Reigate, not perhaps
a very exciting affair in itself, inasmuch as both candidates
called themselves Liberals, and appealed to a constituency
numbering a vast throng of 747. But the exquisite
amenity of the proceedings entities the election to an im-
mortalising word. Mr. Wilkinson, formerly of Lambeth,
was one of the candidates, and at the nomination one of
the speakers, Mr. Phillies, said
“ He conjured Mr. Wilkinson not to go to Parliament, inasmuch
as his age was such that any shock would unsettle and perhaps prove
fatal to him. ”
Not to be behindhand in politeness, Mr. Wilkinson
replied that he—
“ Was much obliged to Mr. Phillips for being so very considerate
with regard to his health, but he assured the electors that he felt
completely able to conduct whatever business might be imposed upon
him.”
The electors, however, were not to be outdone in
courtesy, and scorning to take advantage of Mr. Wilkin-
son’s good breeding, furnished the returning officer with
instructions to make the following announcement. Mr.
Leveson Gower 345, Mr. Wilkinson 333. Mr. Wil-
kinson declared that he had been beaten “ with honour,”
and Mr. Gower was awfully complimentary to everybody
concerned. This is a gentlemanly way of doing things.
Reigate is a Model Borough.
Something like a Jewel.
“ A Diamond, far exceeding in dimensions and value the famous
Koh-i-Noor, is said to have been just discovered by a negro in
America.”
This is true. It was found after a Eederal skedaddle.
The fortunate negro carried it to President Jeef Davis,
who said, “ You are free, Samro, but I had that number
of Punch already.”
latest from bedlam.
Q. What is the difference between the effect of catching
cold and one of the “Isles of Greece ?”
A. In the one case it is you cough; in the other it is
Corfu.
First Cadger. “ Ow ’s Business ? ”
Second Cadger. “ Shockin’ ; what with this ’ere Lancashire distress and 1 Over the
Borderand what not, I ’aren't been so slack these ten years.”
REFORMATORY DRILL AND DISCIPLINE.
One of a series of papers appearing in the Post on “The London
Poor,” in an account of the Middlesex Industrial School at Feltbam,
contains the following statements, amongst others, respecting the disci-
pline to which the boys at that establishment are subjected:—
“ I saw them sit to their supper. They were marshalled by word of command,
i and marched to their bread and cocoa with the precision of Guards. They even
raised their hands and clasped them, and sang grace to the sharp orders of the
master.”
This devotional drill, then, at the above-named Reformatory, forms
part of what is meant by the “ religious instruction,” which it is so
necessary, as we are told, to combine with secular teaching.
Again, we read that
“It was painful to see them march from the school form to the supper form; 1, 2, 3
lift their hands in prayer; again 1, 2, 3 lower their hands, and take their seats
before their iron mugs of cocoa, and set to in solemn silence.”
When the consecrated wafer is carried about the streets of some
foreign town in which British troops are quartered, our soldiers, if it
happens to be borne past them in procession, are sometimes commanded
to present arms to.it, for the purpose of conciliating the priests and
humouring the natives. The result of this compulsory manual exercise
of idolatry, on the part of those who are obliged to perform it, is per-
haps considerably more beneficial than the devotional manoeuvres above
described as executed by the scholars of the Feltbam Reformatory at
the word of command. Both the soldiers and the boys are likely to be
impressed with a contempt for the mechanical observance imposed upon
them; only in the case of the soldiers that contempt is contempt for
the worship of a cake; in the boys’ case it is something more.
The Middlesex Model School at Feltbam is an institution for the
j reformation of young thieves, but its arrangements for developing the
religious sentiment in the youthful mind appear to be such as may be
conceived to have been devised for mutual edification by the inmates of
an asylum for idiots.
For the encouragement of aspirations to endless bliss, the plan of
accustoming children to obey the command, “ 1, 2, 3, lift your hands in
prayer,” and making them sing grace “to the sharp orders of a master,”
does not promise to be successful to a certainty. Of another place than
Heaven, however, from what the writer above quoted says further on, it
seems likely that these lads are sufficiently well impressed with some idea: j
< * The corporal punishments are administered by a tall muscular drill-master,
who has, I believe, been in the Army. The punishment book shows that his muscle
is not seldom brought into requisition. Strokes on the hand, and a dozen with the
birch, meet many offences as ‘very gross insubordination,’ and altering blouses
with a view to absconding. I witnessed three canings, and two floggings with the
birch. I may be chicken-hearted, but I confess that when I saw a boy stretched
upon a table—when I saw him stripped, and held by two or three stout men, while
a fourth—a stalwart, deliberate disciplinarian—with a long birch, struck the naked
flesh with his full might, pausing between each blow, while the urchin shrieked
with agony, and implored forgiveness, I confess I thought it was a brutal sight for
any eyes to look upon, and I pitied the 49 boys who were bound to witness it.
Again, when this same stalwart drill-master took a heavy cane and struck a hoy’s
hand with such force that the cane whistled through the air, and the boy in question
writhed like a cut worm, I looked on with a strong feeling that this was bad and
brutal.”
If such tortures as those above detailed are possible in this world for
naughty children, what limits can be imagined to the penal possibilities
of the next ? If a drill-master exists, capable of using all his might to
scourge a naked little boy who shrieks with agony and vainly implores
forgiveness, or of slashing a lad on the hand with a heavy cane whilst
he writhes like a cut worm, the sufferer who realises these horrible
truths will find little difficulty in accepting all that literal orthodoxy
teaches about an ulterior executioner with horns and tail.
It may be impossible for a reformatory to go on without some cor-
poral punishment; and flogging, merciless as that which is inflicted at
the Feltham establishment, may be necessary in the case of a boy who
has no feeling sufficient to restrain his evil passions but fear. Only, it
would be as well to Keep such a ooy in confinement for life, and never
turn him loose on society with all humanity whipped out of him, and
his hatred, malice, and lust of vengeance lashed into madness. Flog-
ging is a fine thing; but how strange that its application is limited to
boys and soldiers and sailors : to children of tender age, and members
of an honourable profession! Wouldn’t it be at least as suitable to
garotters, and even to cruel swindlers, whose exemplary torture, in
comparison with the misery caused by their crimes, would be the lesser
evil of the two ? 6
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
6i
HUMANITIES OF THE HUSTINGS.
There has just been an election for Reigate, not perhaps
a very exciting affair in itself, inasmuch as both candidates
called themselves Liberals, and appealed to a constituency
numbering a vast throng of 747. But the exquisite
amenity of the proceedings entities the election to an im-
mortalising word. Mr. Wilkinson, formerly of Lambeth,
was one of the candidates, and at the nomination one of
the speakers, Mr. Phillies, said
“ He conjured Mr. Wilkinson not to go to Parliament, inasmuch
as his age was such that any shock would unsettle and perhaps prove
fatal to him. ”
Not to be behindhand in politeness, Mr. Wilkinson
replied that he—
“ Was much obliged to Mr. Phillips for being so very considerate
with regard to his health, but he assured the electors that he felt
completely able to conduct whatever business might be imposed upon
him.”
The electors, however, were not to be outdone in
courtesy, and scorning to take advantage of Mr. Wilkin-
son’s good breeding, furnished the returning officer with
instructions to make the following announcement. Mr.
Leveson Gower 345, Mr. Wilkinson 333. Mr. Wil-
kinson declared that he had been beaten “ with honour,”
and Mr. Gower was awfully complimentary to everybody
concerned. This is a gentlemanly way of doing things.
Reigate is a Model Borough.
Something like a Jewel.
“ A Diamond, far exceeding in dimensions and value the famous
Koh-i-Noor, is said to have been just discovered by a negro in
America.”
This is true. It was found after a Eederal skedaddle.
The fortunate negro carried it to President Jeef Davis,
who said, “ You are free, Samro, but I had that number
of Punch already.”
latest from bedlam.
Q. What is the difference between the effect of catching
cold and one of the “Isles of Greece ?”
A. In the one case it is you cough; in the other it is
Corfu.
First Cadger. “ Ow ’s Business ? ”
Second Cadger. “ Shockin’ ; what with this ’ere Lancashire distress and 1 Over the
Borderand what not, I ’aren't been so slack these ten years.”
REFORMATORY DRILL AND DISCIPLINE.
One of a series of papers appearing in the Post on “The London
Poor,” in an account of the Middlesex Industrial School at Feltbam,
contains the following statements, amongst others, respecting the disci-
pline to which the boys at that establishment are subjected:—
“ I saw them sit to their supper. They were marshalled by word of command,
i and marched to their bread and cocoa with the precision of Guards. They even
raised their hands and clasped them, and sang grace to the sharp orders of the
master.”
This devotional drill, then, at the above-named Reformatory, forms
part of what is meant by the “ religious instruction,” which it is so
necessary, as we are told, to combine with secular teaching.
Again, we read that
“It was painful to see them march from the school form to the supper form; 1, 2, 3
lift their hands in prayer; again 1, 2, 3 lower their hands, and take their seats
before their iron mugs of cocoa, and set to in solemn silence.”
When the consecrated wafer is carried about the streets of some
foreign town in which British troops are quartered, our soldiers, if it
happens to be borne past them in procession, are sometimes commanded
to present arms to.it, for the purpose of conciliating the priests and
humouring the natives. The result of this compulsory manual exercise
of idolatry, on the part of those who are obliged to perform it, is per-
haps considerably more beneficial than the devotional manoeuvres above
described as executed by the scholars of the Feltbam Reformatory at
the word of command. Both the soldiers and the boys are likely to be
impressed with a contempt for the mechanical observance imposed upon
them; only in the case of the soldiers that contempt is contempt for
the worship of a cake; in the boys’ case it is something more.
The Middlesex Model School at Feltbam is an institution for the
j reformation of young thieves, but its arrangements for developing the
religious sentiment in the youthful mind appear to be such as may be
conceived to have been devised for mutual edification by the inmates of
an asylum for idiots.
For the encouragement of aspirations to endless bliss, the plan of
accustoming children to obey the command, “ 1, 2, 3, lift your hands in
prayer,” and making them sing grace “to the sharp orders of a master,”
does not promise to be successful to a certainty. Of another place than
Heaven, however, from what the writer above quoted says further on, it
seems likely that these lads are sufficiently well impressed with some idea: j
< * The corporal punishments are administered by a tall muscular drill-master,
who has, I believe, been in the Army. The punishment book shows that his muscle
is not seldom brought into requisition. Strokes on the hand, and a dozen with the
birch, meet many offences as ‘very gross insubordination,’ and altering blouses
with a view to absconding. I witnessed three canings, and two floggings with the
birch. I may be chicken-hearted, but I confess that when I saw a boy stretched
upon a table—when I saw him stripped, and held by two or three stout men, while
a fourth—a stalwart, deliberate disciplinarian—with a long birch, struck the naked
flesh with his full might, pausing between each blow, while the urchin shrieked
with agony, and implored forgiveness, I confess I thought it was a brutal sight for
any eyes to look upon, and I pitied the 49 boys who were bound to witness it.
Again, when this same stalwart drill-master took a heavy cane and struck a hoy’s
hand with such force that the cane whistled through the air, and the boy in question
writhed like a cut worm, I looked on with a strong feeling that this was bad and
brutal.”
If such tortures as those above detailed are possible in this world for
naughty children, what limits can be imagined to the penal possibilities
of the next ? If a drill-master exists, capable of using all his might to
scourge a naked little boy who shrieks with agony and vainly implores
forgiveness, or of slashing a lad on the hand with a heavy cane whilst
he writhes like a cut worm, the sufferer who realises these horrible
truths will find little difficulty in accepting all that literal orthodoxy
teaches about an ulterior executioner with horns and tail.
It may be impossible for a reformatory to go on without some cor-
poral punishment; and flogging, merciless as that which is inflicted at
the Feltham establishment, may be necessary in the case of a boy who
has no feeling sufficient to restrain his evil passions but fear. Only, it
would be as well to Keep such a ooy in confinement for life, and never
turn him loose on society with all humanity whipped out of him, and
his hatred, malice, and lust of vengeance lashed into madness. Flog-
ging is a fine thing; but how strange that its application is limited to
boys and soldiers and sailors : to children of tender age, and members
of an honourable profession! Wouldn’t it be at least as suitable to
garotters, and even to cruel swindlers, whose exemplary torture, in
comparison with the misery caused by their crimes, would be the lesser
evil of the two ? 6