The Daily Advertiser

From the Philadelphia Evening Post.

Mr. EDITOR,

IN the 13th century, there arose a fanatical sect in Germany, called Whippers; they used to run about the streets naked, whipping themselves and one another; thus punishing their bodies for the good of their souls. Smollett, speaking of this sect, says, that it never made its way to England, for, says he, the English were never fond of mortification. We may also remark, that of all the numerous religious sects that appear among us, not one of them seems fond of the discipline of the Whippers: on the contrary, some of them promise themselves the gratification of all their inclinations and passions in this world, and in the world to come, pleasures evermore. Comfortable doctrine, truly; and worthy to be embraced by every glutton, drunkard, epicure, and lecher, on the face of the earth.

But, sir, though we have no religious Whippers among us, we have political ones in abundance. Our newspapers may be styled the place of correction, where discipline is exercised on every rank, from Washington and Franklin, down to Folwell and Cooke. We read of a statute, of Henry the VIII. that was called the Whip with Six Strings; but our political whippers make use of a scourge of six times six, and yet seem dissatisfied with the strokes they give; though some of the strings are enormously large, and fetch blood at almost every lash.

Let us examine this political whip a little: what a convenient handle it has got! It suits either the right or left hand:—malice, revenge, envy, or ill-will, are never at a loss to grasp it, under pretence of public justice or public good. What a number of strings hang to it! Let us count them; villain, coundrel, wretch, reptile, liar, sycophant, defaulter, jackall, tool, conspirator, embezzler, old midwife, excrescence, deserter, Margery, mustard-grinder, fidler, Jeffries, parasite, slave, devil—twenty-one large, besides a great number of smaller ones, which we cannot stay to reckon.

What an unmerciful stroke it must give! Look at that fellow there; he has got the whip, and is coming slyly up behind yon unsuspecting passenger; thwack, he comes across his back! see, how the man writhes with pain! while the whipper has hid himself up a dark alley. Observe that man with the mask on his face; he has pick'd up the whip; he thinks he is now disguised, and so he comes crack, over the face of one he had just before caressed in the most friendly manner; the poor man is now almost ashamed to shew his face.

Look at that old sinner there; he seems as grave as a Judge, and yet he is putting the whip into the hands of that stout young fellow; see, they hide themselves behind that wall: aye, there the youngster sneaks out, and falls unmercifully on that gray headed old gentleman. What a cuffle ensues! Crack, crack, crack, goes the whip every one at his neighbor. Hey-day, what a hubbub! How they go, helter skelter, heels over head, topsy-turvy! Why, they will tear the whip all to pieces among them.

Well, let them; it will give more employment to the whip-makers. Who are the whip-makers. There are, William, and Francis, and Eleazer & Daniel, and one lately begun, whose name is John: good men in the main, only blameable in making their whips too large and heavy, in tying too many strings to them, and not being careful enough to whom they sell or lend them; for when the whip gets into the hands of a bully, or a bruiser, or a madman, as we have seen, they not only fall on the wicked and ill-deserving, but attack the innocent and the righteous; to the great annoyance of the neighborhood where they live.

Well, the cuffle, you see, is almost over and those mischievous fellows that began the fray have been found out; and, deservedly, have got a sound flogging, with that very whip, with which they wantonly assaulted others. So, good bye.

A SPECTATOR.