Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1836-03-12

sent me an express order to attend
that, agreeably to the .usages of the
army. might. in my official capaci
Ity OF surgeon, see the sentence fully
lexecuted.
The poor fellow was taken from
{ the guard house. TO be escorted 10 the
fatal spot. Before him was his coffin
a box of rough pine boards. borne on
the shoulders oftwo men. The pris-
oner stood, with his arms pinioned,
between two clergymen-a white
cotton gown. or winding sheet reach
Jed his feet. 1t was trimmed with black
and had attacked to 1t, over the place
of the real heart, the black image Of
a heart, the mark at which the exc
cutIoners were TO aic. On his head
was cap of white, also trimmed with
black. His countcnancc was bIanch-
ed, the hue of his winding sheet, and
his frame trcmbled with agony. He
seemed resolved, however, to suffer
like 4 soldier. Behind him were 4
number Of prisoners confined for va
rious offences. Next to them was a
strong guard OF soldiers, with fixed
bayonets and loaded muskets. My
station was in the rear of TIE whole.
Our procession thus formed, and
witt much feeling and in lew voices
on the part OF Tie officers, We
moved forward with slow and meas
ured steps to the tune OF the death
march. (Roslin Castle.) played with
untitled drums and morning flies.
The scene was solemn beyond the
powers of descriptions: man in the
vigor of life walking to b:scrave, to
the tune of his own death march.
'clot'ied in his burial robes, surround
ed by friends assembled to perform
the last sad Offices Of affac ton, AMI
% sseep over him in the last hour
no no. by these. bat by soldiers with
bcist.lng bayor-.s sna io1d-i musk
cts, urge! BY stern commoaI to do
the VIOLENCE OF death to Il fellow sol
der: IS he surveys the multitude, bel
beho!ds 20 ico, # tenderness. no tear
OF sensib.,ty; IL tears no PANT Of!
-tlef, AL. al i as the iron r;gor
OF the Law vhicl DEGREES his death.
AMI who mad, that law! 1t is the
work OF bard necessity, and as such
Is just. But a.so, who created tha;
'n.cessity2 The guilty passions, the
pride the va!nglory. the false honor
of,nen. The voice ofthat blood will
soon cry from the ground: who
shallit accuse' twill! complain, not
o: the sentence Of the law, but of
gui.ty war cherished b. human VIII
and pride! To whom shalt that wid
ow and those orphans look Is the a,.-
thors Of their desolation?
Amid reflections like these, we a.
rived 4: the place OF execution, 4 la.-e
open field. in whose centre heap CT.
earth freshly thrown up. marked the
spot OF the descrtcr's grave. On t:i:s
field. TIE whole force then AZ the can
tonnen.. am ptnt'ng to many nun 1.td
men. was drawn up il the form Of a
hollow square, with tac side beyond
the grave vacant. T'nc execl.ioners.
eight III n:I.ntc-. had been dawn Dv .
lot. Ne soiiier world volunteer toc
such d.. i'!rlr muskets had been
charges /. &C Ulcer OF tie day.,
seen q them with bali, the eighth
with povtrr alone. Thus prepared,
they are paced together. and each
exeeu.;oaer takes lis choice. Taus
eac : be.!eve tia. lie has the ban;
c.rt-il-t. - 5ae.e.oie las no land
III 80 death oi lbs brother soldier
striking Indications Q. the nature OF
the service.
The I'm Was placed parallel with
the grave. and about two feet distant.
In tne Intervening space. the prisoner
was directed 20 stand. lie desired
permission 10 say word 10 his fellow
soldiers. and thus standing between
his coffin and his grave, warned them
against desertion, continuing to SPEAK
until the officer on duty. with his
watch in his hand. announced 10 him
n low vo:ce. t,cJ O'Clock. 1our last
is dtaan}. y1u mast Anecl ap-
on y1ar coffin. This done. the officer
drew down the white cap. so as TO
cover the eyes and most of the face
OF he prisoner-still continuing 10
speak in q hurried. loud. and a-i1ated
voice. The knec!inC was the signal
Tor the eEecut!oncrs 10 advance
They had before. to avoid beng dis
5y the prisoner. stood in
:es1n:nglej with tie prisoners who
formed the line. They now came
forward marching two abreast. and