The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-04-17
ton, and shrink from the pain of saying much

uon, ana shrink from the pain OF saying much
about them.
Governor had but few friends, his fellow
slaves, who came over very early in the morn
ing to take leave of him, and who, finding him
so apathetic, went away comforted, with the
belief that Governor did not seem to mind
it."
His miserable wife came alone, to drop weep
ing at his feet, and implore his dying forgive
ness for the part she had had in bringing him
to this awful pass. Governor, partially aroused
from his torpor, awoke sufficiently to put his
arm around her shoulders, and say
"Don't cry, chile; doesn't bear you no
malice you couldn't help of it, chile, no more
AN 1 could things was too much for US bofe.
Don't cry, L loves You same az ever"
This gentleness almost broke the penitent
woman's heart; and she went away weeping
bitterly, wringing her hands, and wishing most
sincerely it were possible for her. the most
guilty one, to die in her husbands stead. After
this visit, Governor sank into a still deeper
stupor of despair, from which nothing had pow
er to arouse him.
Directly after this, followed the last interview
between Valentine and his little farfily. Ph;e-
dra and Fannie came in, accompanied by old
Elisha, who carried little Coralie in his arms.
l cannot describe the anguish of this parting.
Ph@dra perhaps bore it best of all, with
strange, hopeless fortitude, that reminded one
of Governors stolidity, only saying, that though
life was sorrowful, even at its happiest, it was,
thank Heaven short at its longest; and that
she should not be many days behind her son.
But Fannie was wild with sorrow, and utterly
inconsolable. When the moment of final sepa-
ration arrived, she tainted, and was borne from
from the CELL as one dead, in the arms of the old
preacher. Phadra followed, leading little Co
ralie.
The execution was to be public one. And,
oh, shame the authorities published card in
the daily papers, formally inviting the masters
OF the city and of the surrounding country to
give their slaves HOLIDAY upon this day, to
enable the latter :" to attend the execution of
Valentine and Governor" And as the morn.
ing advanced towards noon, so numerous was
the multitude of negroes that gathered in from
all parts of the country, and SO great was the
excitement that prevailed among them, that the
powers saw the mistake they had made by issu-
ing this general invitation, and felt great alarm
as to the result. The marshal called upon the
militia and the city guards to turn out and mus
ter around the scaffold, to insure the safe Gus.
tody OF the prisoners and the execution of the
sentence. The scafold was erected upon
gentle elevation, on the west suburb of the city,
A crowd of many thousands, each moment aug
mented, was gathered upon the ground But
the two companies of militia made way through
this forest of human beings, and formed around
the foot of the scaffold. 1t was about eleven
o'clock that the prisoners were placed in close
van, in company with the marshal and a clergy
man, and, escorted by detachment of the city
guards, were driven to the place of execution.
The presence of the guards was needed to force
passage through the compact and highly ex-
cited crowd. The prison van was kept carefully
closed, and the condemned with their attend
ants remained invisible until the procession had
passed safely through that stormy sea of human
beings, and gained the security of the hollow
square, formed by the bayonets of the militia,
around the scaffold.
The van drew up at the foot of the steps
leading to the platform. The police officer that
stood behind the vehicle jumped down and
opened the door, and handed out the prisoners,
who were followed closely by the marshal and the
clergyman. The marshal Immediately took
charge of Governor, to lead him up the stairs
The clergyman drew Valentines arm within
his own, to follow. And the police officer was
Joined by the deputy marshal, who brought up
the rear And so the sad procession assembled
those fatal stairs-Governor in deep stupor
or looking as if he did not understnd what all
this pageant meant-Valentine with grave com.
posture, as If he felt the awful solemnity of the
moment, and was prepared to meet it. The
scafold was very HIGH and was reached by
flight of more than twenty steps.
When the prisoners and their escort gained
the PLATFORM they stood in full view of every in
divldual OF that vast concourse of people. Their
appearance was hailed by reclamation from the
multitude below, and huzzas of encouragement
or defiance, shouts of derision, and cries of
sympathy, were mingled in one undistinguish-
able melee of noise. The prisoners were not
prematurely clad in the habiliments of the
grave, as is usual upon such occasions, but were
attired in ordinary citizens dress. Governor
wore his best Sunday suit of "pepper and salt"
cassinet, and looked huge, shapeless figure of a
negro, in which the sooty skin could scarcely be
distinguished from the sooty clothes. Valentine
looked very well, though pale and worn. He
wore a suit of black broadcloth, with a white
cravat and gloves, and his natural ringlets were
arranged with that habitual regard to order and
neatness which was with him a second nature
Valentine held in his hands the manuscript adj
dress that he wished to make to the assembly
He had been promised by the authorities an
opportunity of delivering this address, before
the parting prayers should be said. He stood
the noise to subside, before his commencing
Governor stood by his side, in stolid insens-
biity.
But Valentine had been deceived TO the last
moment; he was not to be permitted to deliver
that address the authorities feared too much
its exciting effect upon the tumultuous assembly
below. The marshal had received his instruc-
tons, and had given private orders to his dep
uty and assistants.
Valentine was still letting his eyes rove over
the multitudnous sea" of heads, waiting for
calm in which he might be heard, when his
eye fell upon Major Hewitt. who had been alb
sent all day at the capital, and had but just
returned from his last fruitless attempt to move
the Executive in behalf of the condemned, and
who, without leaving his saddle, had ridden up
at once to the scene of execution. He could
not penetrate the crowd, but remained on horse
back on its outskirts. At the same moment,
the figure of Major Hewitt caught the eye of
Governor, and reused him from the torpor of
despair into which he had fallen-roused him
to an agony of entreaty, and, stretching out his
arms to his master, he cried, with loud voice,
that thrilled to the hearts of all present
ooh, Marstetl allus looked up to you as if
you were my father and my God Save me
now save me from under the gallows Oh,
Marster l"-
Major Hewitt turned precipitately, and gal.
Hoped away from the scene.
The condemned were not aware that they
stood upon the fatal trap-door. They did not
notice, either, that, at signal from the mar
shall, the attending clergyman stepped aside,
and the deputy and assistants gathered in a
little group behind. Governor still had his
arms extended in wild entreaty after his flying
master, and Valentine was still waiting for
silence, when suddenly, in the twinkling of an
eye, their arms were bound the cords slipped
over their heads, the cap drawn over their
eyes, the spring of the bolt touched, and,
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