Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1821-05-31
COMMUNICATION.
Hinc ille lachryme.
HencR these tears.

In the contemplation OF DEATH the minu
is naturally filled with horror. The SUD-
lest is calculated to excite the most pain
f,isensations to which human being can
he exposed. The certainty of liability to
lis operation in some measure prepares the
mind to view its approach with degree
of familiarity; but the uncertainty OF the
nature of a future state is full OF the most
melancholy ideas. Hence when rehgioh
hos convinced the man, that the Immortal
state will unfold to him glories and feiicf-
Nv he becomes animated by the pleasing
nrospeet, and calmly waits the unit OF
time which launches him into eternity
To one of this description death is not the
king of terrors; but he comes in the proud
character of deliverer, and bearer OF
beatified spirit to the abodes OF the oiest
In this view of the subject rational being
is prepared to accommodate himself to all
circumstances by which he may be sur
rounded He is willing to take upon
himself the burdens to which he may be-
come exposed, and under the guidance OF
his heavenly monitor, to advance towards
the goal of his destiny, When such be-
inc takes his departure from this misera-
bic stage ofexistence, there is no cause to
weep, there is no necessity to bedew his
clay-col1 corpse with the tears of friend
ship; because we are assured that those
who die in the Lord. shall in him have
eternal life. Not so, when mortal dies
unanointed, and with all his uncancelled
sins thickly set upon him, Here we have
cause sufficient to arouse the sympathies
ofour nature, and to call into action every
fine feeling Of our frame.
If this then be the fact, where can be
the utility of ornamenting the execution
of an unhappy being with the tropes and
figures of rhetoric to decorate his dying
moments with paraphernalia, which
would by no means disgrace the exit of a
triumphant conqueror These remarks
arise from perusal of the death of S. NJ.
Clark, youth Of sixteen years of age,
and who was lately executed at Salem,
Mass. He is represented under the va
rious scenes, which he had to pass through.
as enduring them with stoical apathy, &
christian firmness. But still there is as
much to admire, as to censure in his con-
duct. Such pompous descriptions are not
suited to such occasions, for if the unhap-
DIV offender against the laws of society,
whether he be young or old, is eulogized
bv the press, for the fortitude which he
has displayed on the scaffold, where is the
restraint to prevent others from often of
Tending in the like cases. 1t is better to be
silent on such occasions, and to unite over
the grave of the deceased, "requiescat in
pace. If he has violated the law and has
given his life victim to insulted justice,
the expiation is complete, and the living
are no longer interested in his fate AT
ter giving long account of the circum-
stances which preceded and accompanied
his execution bringing into view the
cipilan military arrangements, assisted
also by the clerical profession, and " that
he discovers no unmanly terrors on his
nearer approach to the fatal spot, the
firmness with which he contemplated the
approach of death" then picturing the
manner, in which " the young and inter
esting object of universal attention and
commisseration,n was led into the midst
of "mixed assembly," the Editor closes
the dreary narrative by declaring that
the feelings of the multitude could no
longer be suppressed, and mingled signs
& groans were heard in every direction"
What effect has such an assemblage of OBJ
jects on the minds of the spectators Is
not pity rather than detestation produced,
in behslding fellow mortal in the bloom
of youth, thus prematurely hurried into
eternity Well may the splendid pain
tiers of a melancholy scene from the bot
tom of their hearts express warm desire,
that the example may have salutary eff
80 khie frorr