The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-14 00:00:00

Capital Punishment,

The correspondent of a contemporary writes as follows :
Another instance has bean afforded, by the late execution at
Leeds, of the levity exhibited 1,37 base human nature, at the
public strangulation of their fellow-creatures. We read that
seats were let on a platform raised for tho purpose at 2s 6d
per spectator, that there was all the ribaldry and provision
of a fair, 4ko. Now, I would ask (as muoh in the name of
common sense as humanity) of what utility are these spec-
tacles exhibited, and to what extent they deter men from
the fearful crime of murder ? Let Its agitate this question
again and again until the great law of God and man,
"Thou shalt do no murder," is at least obeyed by those who
now violate its precept. I subjoin a letter of Mr Charles
Dickens to a contemporary, which appeared after the exe-
cution of the Mornings at Horsemonger-lane Gaol. The
graphic description of that writer is I think well worth a
reprint :
CHARLES DICKENS, ESQ TILE LATE EXECUTION-

Sir,—l was a witness of the execution at Horsemonger-
lane this morning. I west there with the intention of
observing the crowd gathered to behold it, and I had excel-
lent opportunities of doing so at intervals all through the
night, and continuously frcm daybreak until after the spec-
tacle was over. . .

I do not address you on the subject with any intention ca
discussing the abstract question of capital punishment, or
any of the arguments of its opponents or advocates. I simply
wish to turn this dreadful experience to some account for
the general good, by takicg the readiest and most public
means of adverting to an intimation given by Sir G. Grey
to the last seasien of Parliament, that the Government might
be induced to give its support to a measure making the in-
fiction of capital punishment a private solemnity within the
prison walls (with such guarantees for the last sentence of
the law being inexorably and surely administered as should
be satisfactory to the public at large), and of most earnestly
beseeching Sir G. Grey, as a solemn duty which he owes to
society, and a responsibility which he cannot for ever put
away, to originate such a legislative change himself.
I believe that a sight so inconceivably awful as the
wickedness and levity of the immense crowd collected at
that execution this morning could be imagined by no man,
and could be presented in no heathen land under the sun.
The horrors of the gibbet and of the crime which brought
the wretched murderers to it, faded in my mind before the
atrocious bearing, locks and language, of the assembled
spectators. When I came upon the scene at midnight, the
shrillness of the cries end howls that were raised from time
to time, denoting that they came from a concourse of boys
and girls already assembled in the best places, made my
blood run cold. As the night went on, screeching, and
laughing,Negro melodies, wi:h substitutions of " Mrs Manning"
for
an the like, were to
‘ ,su Susannah,"
and yelling lliag d
added
in strong chorus of parodies on
these. When the day dawned, thieves, low prostitutes,
vagabonds of every kind, flocked on to the
ground,rutfians an
witdh every variety of offensive and foul behaviour,
Fw ihgehr i n
swooning
brutal jokes, tumultuous demonstrations of indecent delight
'in
fa twinogge whlstlings, imitations of Punch,
women were dragged out of the crowd by
the police with their dresses disordered, gave a new zest to
the general entertainment. When the sun rose brightly—as
it did—it gilded thousands upon thousands of upturned
faces, so inexpressibly odious in their bitttal mirth or cal-
lousness, that a man had cause to feel ashamed of the shape
he wore, and to shrink trcna himself, as fashioned in the
imago of the devil. When the two miserable creatures who
attracted all this ghastly sight about them were turned
quivering into the air, there was no more emotion, no more
pity, no more thought that two immortal souls had gone
to judgment, no more restraint in any of the previous ob-
scenities, than if the name of Christ had never been hoard
in this world, and there were no belief among men but that
they perished like the beasts,
I have seen, habitually, some of the worst sources of
general contamination and corruption in this country, and
I think there are not many phases of London life that
could surprise me. lam solemnly convinced that nothing
that ingenuity could devise to be done in this city, in the
same compiles of time, could work such ruin as one public
execution, and 1 stand astounded and appalled by the
wickedness it exhibits. Ido not believe that any commu-
nity can prosper where such a scene of horror and demora-
lisation as was enacted this morning outside liorsomonger-
lane gaol is presented at the very doors of good citizens,
and is parsed by, unknown or forgotten. And when, in
our prayers and thanksgivings for the season, we are
humbly expressing before God our desire to remove the
moral evils of the land, I would ask your readers to con-
sider whether it is not a time to think of this one, and to
root it out P—l am, sir, your faithful servant,
CHARLES DICKENS.
Devonshire-terrace, Tuesday, Nov. 13.

THE COURT AT BALMORAL.—Oa Thursday her
Majesty, accompanied by her Royal Highness the
Princess Helena, and their highnesses the Duke and
Duchess of Saxe-Coburg, drove from Balmoral, vie Inver-
cauld-house and Allanquoich, which was reached about 2
p.m. Hero ponies and roan from Balmoral were in waiting,
and the whole party having mounted, rode up Glenquoicb,
nearly to the hoary pine forest of the Beachon, which is
proximate to the foot of Ben-a-Bourd, where a sump-
tuous luncheon was partaken of. After a brief sojourn,
and a delightful walls through the wild and picturesque
district around, the royal party returned to Braemar,
via Old Mar Lodge and Linn of Dee. At the latter
tmadeh e tor
surroundsview the
tthe
unique Fells. beautyA t
the
palnaciceu,hapabrraileleflesdtasyeewhaesry
Invercauld Arms Hotel horses were changed, Mr Fisher
was in prompt attendance, and personally attended to the
requirements of the royal party. A large and respectable
assemblage of visitors and others lined both sides of the
area in front of the hotel, and greeted the royal party with
a warm salute, which was very graciously returned by her
Majesty and the other occupants of the royal carriage. The
horses having been changed, the Queen and party drove on
to Balmoral at half-past 6 p.m. The day was delightful,
and only a slight shower of rain fell, which in no Wise in-
commoded or marred the enjoyment of the royal sojourners.
—.D u ?deo Advertiser.