New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-08-15
THADDEUS STEVENS.
THE pODY IN LANCASTER.

l. ayrrrt,
ICrtoN OF THE TENNESSEE LEGISLATURE
1..sc,srrp Penn. Aug. 14-The thousand lights
.. tbs dome Of the capitol burned brightly all last
,igbt making clear as day the vast rotunda where
Law the remains of Pennsylvanias greatest states
man watched by the grateful representatives OF that
Doople for whose freedom and enfranchisement he
struggled through years and years of agitation oh
loouv and odium He lived to see his dearest hopes
realized, and to hear the hymn of victory at last
ehaned from one end of the continent to the other
At midnight the last visitor had departed, and the
snly sounds heard in the vast edfce were the heavy
tread of the sentnea and through the long watches OF
the night the grounding Of the the guard was
changed every four hours. Morning came,and wihits
FIRST beams came also hundreds Of the friends and adj
mirers Of the great Pennsylvania, who appreciated
his labors in lfe and loved him for the love which
he bore humanity. Those early callars were gene
rally the hard-wOrklng men, and the labOTeTs. and
mechanics, on their way to the Navy-Yard on the
one side and the Government buildings and private
shops and warehouses on the other Every car that
passed the Capitol rested few minutes. and dis
charged its little group, who quickly assembled the
steps of the building. and gazed reverently at the
great strong features of the departed, calm and
placid ia their eternal death-sleep. They We're for
the most part of that race for whose Liberation Mr.
Stevens devoted nearly all his energies and IN whose
behalf his life was long and ceaseless en-
deayor Of strife and battle to the last
II any testimony were needed to prove
the gratitude and affection of this people
II may be found in the deep feeling which they have
everywhere manifested and in the numbers IN which
they have poured out from every point to view their
benefactor in death. They were rude aud untutOred
but their sincerity cannot be questioned. As the
morning hours wore on, the thTong mOmentarily in
creased and at = o'clock the rotunda filed with
people who slowly filed past the coffin, and then
took up vantage points around the catafalque,
patiently waiting the beginning of the funeral rites.
The coffin lay at the feet OF the hfe-sze statue Of
Abraham Lincoln. On the opposite side, at the feet,
was the picture of the Goddess of Peace-nOt a gem
of art it is true but still sufficiently suggestive
The other pictures around the rotunda, of the
Landing Of the Pilgrims, and the Embarka-
ton of Columbus, and the Baptism Of PocahOn-
tas and the Signing of the Declaration of In
dependence, which nearly always gazed upon
by visitors 10 the Capitol, were uncared for. and
unnoticed All eyes were centered on the dark
coffin, and all thoughts were employed on the
be borne thence but whose memory is TO live through
the far-coming years. The minutes slowly numbered
into hours-s o'clock-and now it was apparent from
the DuubeT Of members Fastening TO and fro, and
from the movements of the guards, that the
monies were about to begin.
The Rev DR.. Gray, Chaplain of the Senate, Dr.
Hamilton, and DR.. Emory entered shortly afterward
Senators Sumner and Mcdonald also arrived and
many other distinguished citizens followed. The
81,
right of the catafalque, as high above the crowd
physically with his colossal frame and massive head
as he their superior in the world of intellect and
fame. Thaddeus Stevens, jr.. and Simon Stevens,
the nearest relatives of the deceased statesman and
patriot occupied seats between the statue of Mr.
Lincoln and the head of the coffin. Seats were
ranged on the left for the household of the
dead Representative. The citizens formed an
eliipse around the bier and at a few
minutes after eight the Rev. Dr. Emory
read the appropriate burial service, which was
finished in about fifteen minutes. The Rev. DIR.
Gray then pronounced funeral Oraton-an eloquent
panegyre on the life and labors of the Old Com
mOner.
Before the conclusion of the sermon there was
parting of the multitude, and between divided lines
Of people eleven Sisters of Charity the nurse and
community of Providence Hospital. an institution
for which Mr.. Stevens has done so much in the way
Of endowment, passed up to the catafalque. The
scene was at novel and picturesque. 1t is very
seldom that the strict adherents of the Catholic
Church participate in the religious services of people
Of another faith Indeed the clergy of that Church
are if we mistake not strictly prohibited from doing
90. But around the remains of Mr.. Stevens people
Of all religions stood in prayer Protestant and
Catholic. the descendants of the Covenanters, the
heirs Of the Purtaus and the children of the POpes
assembled, for least, together and Joined in
Joint prayer the leless corpse of Pennsylvanas
nOblest and greatest son.
paper fell into the hands of your correspondent,
few days ago. in the handwriting of Mr. Stevens,
which bears on this point of the endowment of
Providence Hospital and from which, as it tends 10
illustrate Mr. Stevens's character, venture to make
aquOfatiOn. 1t consists of number of queries writ
ten by Mr. Stevens. the replies TO which are in
another hand II was in reference to the institution
IN qeuStion.
Question. How many additional would the new wing
accommodate 7" Answer. " About 100" Question. Are
there more applicants than can he accommodated"
Answer Yes" Question. "Is any distraction made in
color race or rellgionP Answer. "NOne."
All races all coOrs all religions paid their tribute
to Mr. Stevens dead, if not living beneath the dome
Of the great Capitol of the nation AT the close of
the sermon, the Rev. DR. Hamilton gave the bene-
diction.
The long silence was broken by the tread of many
feet rushing over the marble pavement. and out
pouring of the thousands of people through the doors
Of the binding to the large square in front Of the
EAST entrance where the funeral cort6ge was to be
formed AT 81 o'clock tho ceremonies were finished
and The coffin was lifted from its stand and borne
down the steps Of the Capitol to the hcarse in wait
ing The order OF the procession was as follows;
bergeantat Arms Brown AND Gen James A Ekip