Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-10-29
THE GAZETTE.
SATURDAY MORNING. OCTOBER -, 1859

ORIGIN or TIE JUDGE's BLACK CAr.-The
practice Of our Judges in putting On black
cap when they condemn criminal TO death,
will be found, ON consideration, to have
deep and sad significance. Covering the
head was III ancient days sign OF mourn
ing. ..IIaman FASTENED to his house mourn
ing and having his head covered" Esther Vi.
l2.) In like manner Dcmosthcnes, when in
suited by the populacc. went home with his
head covered. aud David. wept as he
went up, and had his head covered :. . and
all the people that was with him covered
every man his head, and they went up, weer-
ing rs they went up" I'D Samuel, XIV, 50
Darius too, covered his head on learning the
death of his Queen. But among ourselves
we find traces of similar mode of express
ing grief at funerals. The mourncrs had
the hood drawn forward over the head. p
(Fosbroke, "Encyc, of Ahtiq.," p. 95l.)-
Indeed, the hood drawn forward thus over
the head is still part Of the mourning habill-
ment of women when they follow the corpse.
And with this it should be borne i'll mind
that, as far back as the time Of Chaucer, the
most usual color Of mourning was black
Atropos also who held the fatal scissors
which cut short the life of man, was clothed
in black. When therefore, the Judge puts
on the black cap, tits a very siSniiccnt as
we'll as solemn procedure. lie puts on
mourning, for he is about to pronounce the
forfeit Of life. And accordingly. the act
itself, the putting on Of the black cap, IS gen
orally understood to be significant. IL lntl-
mates that the judge is about to pronounce
no merely registered or supositious sentence;
in the very formula of condemnation he has
put himselfin mourning for the convicted
culprit as for dead man. The criminal is
then left for execution, and unless mercy ex
ert it's sovereign prcrogative, suffers the SEN
sively indicates his doom.-Notes amd Q"er-
ies.
A VISIT TO Mas PoLK.-A correspondent
Of the Concord IN. III Patriot writing
from Nashville, October s, thus handsomely
alludes to Mrs. President Polk:
With Major Eastman, of the Nashville
Union and American, | called yesterday
upon Mrs. Polk, who occupies the splendid
mansion in Nashville, built by Hon. Felix
Grundy, and purchased by President Polk OF
Judge Grundy's heirs, to whickhe retired at
ter leaving the White House, and where, worn
out by the cares and anxieties of office, he
died some four months after the expiration
of his official term. The mansion, surround
ed as it is by beautiful grounds, is one OF the
pleasantest residences in the city, and no one
who has had the pleasure of meeting Mrs.
Polk needs the assurance that 1t Is presided
over with an affability and dignity that
makes it centre of attraction
Mrs. Polk is probably the most generally
known Of any woman in America, and IS
universally conceded to be the most amiable,
accomplished and intelligent woman Of her
time. She possesses that graceful case of man
ner, tact and readiness in conversation, which
make every one feel at home in her society,
and render her conversation so charming
She contested the palm Of popularity evenly
with Mrs. Madison, and with that single
exception was much the most popular lady
that ever did the honors at the White House;
while here in Nashville, she is regarded with
u love and admiration that approach to
reverence. Regularly on the first of Janua-
nv the legislature Of Tennessee adjourns by
formal vote to permit members to pay their
respects to Mrs. Polk-an honor never ac-
corded to any other person, not even to Gen.
eral Jackson himself-and. with the speakers
Of both houses at their head, proceed in q
body to her house. Their action affords u
fair instance of the respect and esteem IN
which she is held"