The daily Wabash express. (Terre-Haute, Ind.) 1857-1867, 1862-06-28


The Dslia. OF June :. gives a full report
Of the execution. on the day preceding, OF
W. h. Mumford. who tore down the United
States flag, first hoistcd on tho mint IN that
city. by Commodore fasragut.
Mumford, the Delta says, exhibited little
emotion. and eompoFted himself with great
GOODNESS and self possessions. Aiter reach
Ing the scafiold. 10 which he was escorted by
the 18th Maine olunteers. the order OF ex-
ecntion was read with brcathiess silence
Upon concluding IL. he mas asked II he had
anything 20 say 20 the assembled multitude.
lie sgnihed that he had.
Ne then. addressing the crowd. stated, In
substance. that he was a native OF North
Carolina. but had been citizen OF New Or
leans for many years; that the offence for
which he was condemned 10 die was com
mtiod under excitement. and that he did not
consider that he was suffering justly. tie
conjured all who heard him 70 act justly 10
all men; 10 rear their children properly. and
that when they met death they would meet
II firmly lie was prepared 20 die. aud As
he had never wronged any one, he hoped to
receive mercy. Having concluded, his face
was covered with black mask, his head On
seloped ia large hood, and the rope put
around his neck his hands and legs were Sc
curely tied, and he stood alone upon the
platform At thirteen minutes before III
A IA. after a moments pause. that seemed
an age To every one present. the signal was
given. the platform, loaded with iron 10 &C
celerate its fall. swung heavily down with
sullen crash. and In few moments the soul
of VIM. II. Mumiord has passed into the
presence Of his Maker
Daring all this time vast crowd swayed
10 and iro in front OF the Mint. aud thronged
the levee: every eve fixed upon tho awful
scene. while along the long line mounted
men galloped, preserving order. Upon the
consummati0n of tho sentence the Assem-.
blage quietly dispersed TO their homes
WHAT IL Cosr TO HAUL down THE AMERICAN
FLAG.
Mumford. the III stared youth, whose name
and fate will be terror to all who are in
clined to trihe with the government or is
sacred emhiems in time 10 come, Justly re-
eeivcd the reward of his treason and mad.
ness, In presence of thousands of spectators.
a. announced IN the Delta of last evening. -
SO far as our knowledge extends In the mat
ter, it is the first instance upon record of a
man being tried found. guilty. aud executed
for laying violent hands upon our national
flag, and the lesson IL conveys Is a solemn.
and. we trust. will proyea salutary one -
Mumford. though standing only "a repre-.
sentative of parties equally guilty at heart as
himself. had the misfortune 10 mingle liz.
tie more rashness with his reasonable in
tents than some of his traitor associates, and
paid the penalty with his worthless life. h
Il. perhaps, of very little Importance whether
this individual so depravod In his nature. 20
lost 10 all sense of patriotism and love of
country, be dead or alive. and tho recon.
pense OF forfeiture which he made in the
sacrifice of personal existence Is in no degrec
a compensation for the insult which he of.
fered great and magnanimous people. by
bsscly trampling their noble ensign under
foot. Aud the thousands who witnessed the
exit OF this miserable person from life he
had disgracei. must have learned. IL they
had need Of such lesson. that IL is most
dangerous To set at defiance a government
that, from lis very nature. is selfprotecting
and will, at all hazards, aud under all cir
cumstances, yindcato itself and avenge the
insults offered its flag.
The hauling down Of the flag on the Min
Vas much moro cowarily act than entering
the ranks. in open and armed rebellion. for
the perpetrator might well fiatter himself
that, in the absence OF those who had either
the will or the power TO redress the insult n
tho instant, his escape in the melee OF n mot
lesgued city might be relied upon. But il
this he misudged, and never did justic,
overtske criminal more abandoned. OF
punish crime more reyolting'to the sense
every honorable high minded person. Their,
could be no rcprieve from the execution o
a sentence 80 just: and forever AFTER, so Ions
as time shall continue. and the good ole
national flag floats over the Union. as floa
it will, long after the present race Of traitor
are dead and buried. let him who woul,
violently lay hands upon it to haul IL down
count we'll the cost, by remembering the fat,
of Mumford. And least by your neglect
citizens of New Orleans. some of your chill
dren may come 10 the same bad end, teacl
them that hauling down the American flag !,
an act Of treason, and IS synonymous will
death.