The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1843-11-16
PUBLIC EXECUTIONS.

In several of the States, it is known, the pub
lie execution of criminals condemned to death is
no longer permitted. The sentence Of the law
in these cases is carried into effect privately,
under prescribed forms, and thus the evil conse-
quences which are believed to arise from the
gathering OF prOmiscuous crowds OF men, wo-
men, and children. eager to indulge a morbid
curiosity, are obviated few days since man
was publicly hung for murder at Greensboro,
North Carolina, and the occasion is thus refer
red to by the editor Of the paper published there,
for the purpose of showing the improperly Of
public executions:
The Public EIecution.-T sentence of the
law was yesterday executed upon the person of
Hampton b. 7'Hly, for the murder of William
Martin.
Reader, perhaps you never had the pleasure
of witnessing the public infection of death by
hanging? Lend us your attention for two min
ntes, then, until we present you the details.
We use the word pleasure in this connexion.
fit is not pleasure, what is it that draws crowds
10 repeated exhibitions of this kind Such is the
best name we have for this strange emotion !;
and the philosophy Of it, according to the correct
notion Of Joseph Addison, is just this, the spec
tator looks upon the horrible situation of the
doomed one, and reJoices that it is not his O,cn !
The morning rose gloriously, shedding the
tempered sunlight and balmy air of Indian sum-
mer over the glowing bosoms of the earth. Soon,
with eager faces and fastening steps, people
were seen pouring in through every street to-
wards the great centre of aitraction-the Jail.
By IL o'clock a great throng had gathered at
the spot, in vehicles of various descriptions, on
horseback, but far most on foot.
All conditions, and ages, and coors were
there. Conspicuous on many bony old carry
all and shaggy mule, or tipoeing in the crowd,
were the negroes, manifesting that unsophsti-
Gated and unrestrained interest which such a
scene naturally inspires in such minds. Women,
delicate and tender women" were there, but
what business or what enjoyment they had, is
probably best known to that potent being who
visited Eden in his wrath, and instilled his spirit
into the bosom of mother Eve, and who must
also have put it into the tender hearts Of these
her daughters TO come and see a fellow creature
hung. But most painful was it to see the little
boys, and some little girls too, led up by their
tiny hands to learn lesson"-to learn lesson
and merciful Heaven to learn at the gallows
to be taught by the halter
Now, the tap OF the drum is heard, and the
Guards" with their arms and uniform glitter
ing in the sunshine, file slowly through the
crowd, and form hollow square at the door of
the prison. The door opens, and between two
officers appears the condemned man, in long
white shroud like robe, the cap upon his head,
his arms pinioned and rope with the hang
mans knot about his neck. The silence and
the stiffness are profound, every pulse bounds
quicker, and every heart swells with a strange
emotion, as he steps into the cart and takes his
seat upon the black coffin. With measured
tread the guards march away to the knell-lke
tap Of the muffled drum, and the crowd breaks
and rushes along with swollen stream, to the
lonely spot where the gallows is erected, far
from the sight and the busy haunts of men
There the tide is stayed. and the throng cluster
around the criminal tocatch his last accents, ex-
pecting words of fearful import at that honest
hour of the murderer's life.
The rope is tied TO the gallows-tree the cap
drawn over his eyes, the cart driven away, and
he swings heavily into the air, a thousand up