New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-07-04
Repentance on the ScaHold--Harrangue
from the Glbbet.

Repentance on the ScafYold--Harrangues
from the Gibbet.
Criminals condemned for capital offences generally
meet death with the stolid brayado of despair or
else succumbing to the exhortations of presty ad-
visers mount the scaold converts to Christianity
and offer sacrifice 70 Heaven the Pickering taper
Of the life which they have consumed in the service of
the devil.
With the memory Of the repentant thief on the
cross before eyes, far be it from us to deny the
beatudes Of Paradise to the worst felon whose neck
was ever stretched for the preservation of society
and the good Of the world We leave the fate of such
to the infinite mercy of Him who extended the Divine
attribute OF forgiveness to the expiring felon of Jeru
salem.
But we protest in the name of decency, good taste
and Christianity against the melodramatic exhibitions
of gibbet repentance lately paraded in the newspa
pers. 1t is not in the line Of the Mirror to publish
these sickenng Details or to repeat verbatim reports
OF the farewell sermons of notorious murderers and
bloody assassins with which the press from the Mis-
souri, to the Penobscot has lately surfeited public
The other day in Edwardsyie, Illinois, a cold
blooded murderer called johnson, hung up, pro-
testing that his Salvation sure.' About the
same time in st. Louis, Israel Shoultz and Jacob
Nuesein were executed for cowardy assasnatons the
former declaring, If one was ever Christian be-
leve am y and the latter as confidently asserted,
she knew God would take care of him.
The hanging harangues of these and other victims
of the law form kind of disgusting criminal ltera-
ture, much delighted by clerical quacks and melo-
rous criminal is sentenced to death, he becomes the
subject of the morbid sympathy OF the two classes
Assdiously waited upon by reporters and clerieals
the former to take of his earthly reputation and
to crown his death with theatrical tinsel the latter
to make shining convert perhaps to adorn his bul
et-shaped head with the glories of incpient martyr
dom, the convict passes his last hours in condition
of feverish excitement which units him for the pro
per discharge of his duties to his elowmen to h
God. Surrounded by halo of dattering notoriety
petted by the priests, cheered by sensation para
graphs in the newspapers, pitied if not caressed b.
the women, be passes his last hours in making read
for the grand tabeau of which he is to be the centr
figure.
The moments which should be devoted to tn
solemn offices of religion given up to the compc
ston of letters to the editors startling confession
in the style of yellowcovered novels the prepara
tion of moral homily to be delivered on the gbbet
if his taste runs on dress, like Wards, the wit
/ murderer, to the selection of a pair of white ki
gloves to cover his crimson hands. Old.fashione
morality revolts at such exhibitions better smothe
man quietly in his cell. For one, we will not sui
\ nit to be lectured on moral duties by condemne
criminal with the moose around his neck nor will "
nfict the blasphemous trash upon inteliger
readers. New York Mirror.