Evansville weekly journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 184?-18??, 1848-03-09
From the National Intelligencer.l
FuNER AL ORSEOUIESOF Mr.. ADAMS.


building were thrown open to the gathering multi g
udes while those of the hall of the House of Rep
esentatiyes, where the funeral ceremonies were to
axe place. were closed to all but members and Off
;ers of the House. The ladies' gallery was rapidly
illed up, all gentlemen without distinction being
,mptorily excluded. A certain portion of the semi
circular gallery was partitioned off for the accommo
lation of very large choir of singers, selected from
hose of the several churches of the city
The hall was shrouded in black, and presented a
very solemn appearance. This part of the arrange
ments was executed with great taste and judgement
by the officers of the House, and the suggestion and
kind supervision Of distinguished lady. The figure
of History, especially, (whose graceful form sur
the clock holding in her hand tablet and
penn was robed with consummate and judgment,
the black drapery covering her entire person, with
the exception of The arm holding the recording pen,
whose alabaser whiteness, in strong contrast with
the surrounding STOLE had fine effect; heightened as
it was by the attitude of the head which, turning to-
ward side, happened to have its countcnance in
the very direction where stood the of MIR
Adams as ifin the act ofrecordng the solemn cir
cumstances of his death. That by order of the
House was draped in the deepest mourning, and by
the fact of its vacancy, recalled every beholder to
from cloudless sky The portraits of Washington
and Lafayette, on either hand of the chair, were
covered with thin Grape, casting melancholy dim
ness over the features, without entirely concealing
them, the frames being covered with deeper black.
The effect of this too, very hne most truly rep
resenting what would have been the feeling of both
those distinguished il alive to witness the solemn
scenes for Washington gave the deceased his first
commission, and Layfayette embraced him in his
arms when taking his last adieu of America.
The space in the central area in front Of the clerk
table, was furnished with for the judges, the
cabinet, the diplomatic CORPS and the committee of
arrangements, consisting of one member from each
State of the Union WHILE in its centre, stood table
covered with black velvet pail to support the corpse
/ Officers Of the army and navy, they entered the
hail. had assigned them next in the rear OF the
| foreign ministers.
The members of the diplomatic body arrived sew
orally from time to time, and not in body; some OF
them manifested their respect for the solemn OCCASION
and for the presence of the assembled authorities OF the
nation by appearing in their full official dresses, with
their respective orders and decorations, while others
seem to have deemed it more appropriate to appear
in simple black. The contrast could not but strike
| the eye.
The Speaker having taken the chair the journal OF
Thursday was read Soon after, the Senate entered,
preceded by their venerable presiding officer, whose
white and flowing hair renders him so striking an
object in every scene where his and dignited
figure is seen.
/ AS the Senators passed up the centre aisle and
took their seats, the Speaker and members OF the
House rose, and continued standing till they had ia
ken the seats assigned them. Soon after the Presl-
dent of the United States entered the hall, and was
received by all in like manner while he took his seat
ON the rig ht of the Speaker. The members OF the
Cabinet occupied in front of the Senators and
opposite the foreign ministers. The Judges OF the
Supreme Court preceded by their officers, passed up
to seats on the right of the clerks desk. The rela
tyes of the deceased next conducted to posi-
ton reserved for them on the extreme lett Next en-
tered the corporate authorities or Washlngton, head
ed by their respective officers who were conducted
: places by the officers of the House. At length CAM
the body escorted by the committee Heterogeneous
and followed by the Massachusetts delegauon a
/ mourners. The Speaker the President of the Senate
the officers of both houses the members of the com
mite OF arrangements, the pail bearers, and attendan
physicians wure white scarfs. The whole assem-
" blage being thus at length completed, the deep 81
- lence of expectation pervaded the hall. Not rud
n sound aud scarce sound OF any kind, was to
s. heard among the waiting thousands who crowded tt
ii galleries and Hobbies in every spot where huma
e, being could find to stand
v The chaplain of the House, the Rev. Mr.. Gurle
10 then and read appropriate portion of Ho
n Writ, and addressed the throne OF Heavenly Grace
~ a meek and devout prayer.
toI He then read hymn which had been selected f
os the OCCASION and which was sung with admiral
Il ~ obe 81
i'll waiIing notes sweed and sank away in meancho
ed cadence their placid stling, and solemnzing ete
was obvious to the eye, in the countenances of t
listening auditory, and prepared them for the adore
al which followed, from these words in Job "Al
ne thine age shall be clearer than MONDAY thou sht
an shine FORTH thou shalt be the morning: and tn
shalt be secure because therei hope" Chapter
as I'D
The address was followed by closing hymn a
he the Apostolic benediction when the funeral proc'
i'm sion began to be formed the corpse horne out
ere the hail. the several public bodies fell into their
en- ces in order othe programme passing in SUGGEST
along the broad aisle and through the north door
is to the rotunda, and the eastern portco
led down the great flight of steps to the open arera
All 'front.' where carriages in waiting to recel
II them.
III The whole proceeding was conducted with gr
Ill decorum and dignity, and the universal interest
cited among people OF all classes witness it sho
CIV the deep hold the itselfhad taken the p
,or- lie mind As the coffin was borne into the hall,
to impression was profound on every countenance, q
all seemed to feel that the solemnities OF death anc
on the Judgment had been brought nearer to them tt
ever before.
- Thus much for the solemn scenes and ceremon
within the Capital. Without the building (the v
rotunda of which, as we'll as the Hobbies and passa
der were densey crowded by hundreds OF thousands
,ut could not gain admttance the Representative
free the scene striking. from the vast multitude of
cen Derby and welldressed people of both sexes the
ity companies and various associations, college
by cletes &c. which filed the great space in front
!. D the Capital and all its precincts amounting in
= within and without the Capital, on the grounds
~ the avenue the cemetry, to not less than hit
20 thousand men, women, and children. Ofthe arrar
ned nehtS anu ihciNen,' ou' u anu " WV @-''