Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-07-18
From the National Journal.

Yesterday, in pursuance Of arrangements made
by the Committee appointed for that purpose.
funeral services were performed in the Cham.
Der Of Representatives in the Capitol, by the
Rev. DR.. Staughton, chaplain ofthe Senate, and
the Rev. Mr. Post, chaplain Of the House Of
Representatives, in honor Of our illustrious pa.
triarchs Thomas Jefferson and John Adams.
On this occasion, judicious arrangements had
been made to put the Chamber in the most ap.
propriate costume. A drapery Of black crane
surmounted the Speakers chair, hung in fes..
toons round the canopy, and entwined the pillars
which support it: the cushion, also, for the BIZ
bic, was covered with Grape: the figure above
the clock, opposite to the chair, and the chande.
lier, were also in Grape drapery, and the framed
the right and left of. the chair, as we'll as the
full length picture Of General La Fayette, were
all arrayed in Grape. The usual crimson dra.
perry of the chamber having been taken down.
the Hall was much lighter than usual, which,
perhaps, rendered the contrast of the crane
more striking.
The chamber was quite crowded before ele.
ven O'Clock, and the xats Of the members were
entirely filled by ladies. The Presidents fami.
ly was on the right of the chair The Vice-pre.
sident, the Secretaries of the Treasury, War,
and Navy and the Postmaster-General occu.
pied the seats directly under the. clerks desk.
The circular space Immediately IN front Of the
chair, was occupied on one side by the princi.
pal officers of the government, civil, military,
and naval, and on the other by the city a8fho.
rites We saw bu, few Of the Diplomatic corps
present; we presume they,have mostly left the
-, g. ,I,u al mo- horn 4,
summer season.
At eleven o'clock the services commenced,
by the Rev. Mr.. Post reading the 18th Psalm:
after which the choirs oil the several churches
Of the city, who had united and kindly offered
their assistance on this OCCASION, under tie d.
-ectiop of Mr.. V. Mast, sung with much effect
the hymn
"IIark! from the tomb solemn sound"
To this succeeded truly iervent and appro-
pirate prayer, by the Rev. Mr.. Post; after which
the choir sung the beautiful ode
"vtal spark of Heavenly flame
"Quit! oh quit! this mortal frame'
The execution of the anthem, although per-
haps not fully equal to what we have heard,
was more than respectable, and was very eff
Gent. The'Rev. Dir. Staughton then delivered
funeral discourse from the text--23d verse Of
the lst chapter oil the Cd book of Samuel
"Louey and pleasant in their Ines, and in Their
death they ,cere not divided"
The discourse occupied considerable time,
was able throughout, in many parts full Of deep
pathos, and i'll some> rising into The lofiest
sphere Of eloquence. AS a whole, however, We
were less pleased with it than we were with his
beautiful and affecting little apostrophe over
the corpse Of Mr.. Gaillard, as il lay in the Sc.
nate Chamber, during the late session. We
say this, however, without detracting oriutend.
ing TO detract, from the well acknowledged re-
putaion Of This minister Of eloquence. We
effort for upwards Of an hour, on a subject to
which every rational individual feeling is ava
kencd, and where expectation is strained to the
highest Under similar circumstances, the
most finished orators have too frequently dis.
appointed their audience. But great cred. i.
due to Dr. Staughton for the industry and pa.
triotic zeal which marked his discourse thro'-
out.
If we may be allowed TO enter an exception
at all, 1t would be against the use OF such ex-
pletives as honorable" We are of opinion
that the simple names Of Thomas Jefferson and
John Adams are in themselves too lustrous. too
distinguished, 10 derive any ornament from ex-
pletives Of this character that the names OF
Jefferson and Adams, the fathers Of the Repub-
lie, require.no unmeaning epthets to send their
names TO posterity with becoming splendour.
Their names may give importance to, but can
never derive any value from, such tinsel exple-
tives.
After the discourse, Pleydel's German hymn
was surg with fine effect by the united Choirs.
This hymn was sustained, in all its different
parts, with as much richness, fulness and har-
mony, as any we have ever heard. There was
great natural power Of voice, as well as science
and taste in every part.
DR.. STAuGHToN then dismissed the audience
with the usual benediction.
On the whole, the services were deeply I'M.
pressive, and feeling Of peculiar solemnity
seemed to pervade the whole Of the numerous
assemblage. We were pleased to see great
numbers Of the. fair sex in mourning. Among
the audience We observed Mr.. WHIT, who has
been requested to undertake the arjuous duty
Of Orator on the day which is to be set apart
for civic and military honors to the deceased
patriots We anxiousy look for that day; for
we believe, if there be man who can fulfil the
public expectation as TO the appropriate matter
and manner of an Grafton on this great subject
that man is Mr.. WRIT.
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