The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1869-09-11

by the p. w. & B. Railroad to Baltimore,
then the latter city would have railroad
facilities with the Eastern Shore equal to
those now enjoyed by Philadelphia, in adj
dition to her present advantages of water
communication. Baltimore city may as
well make up her mind to this at once, or
abandon this periodical decision about sue
cessfully competing with Philadelphia for
the trade of the Eastern Shore. No ANAL
gam route of rail and water will ever COM
pete successfully with continuous rail.
Death of Secretary RaWlins.
Gen. John. A. Rawlins, Secretary of
War, died at Washington on Monday last,
September 9th, at 4.12 Pm. The origin of
his disease was pleuro- pneumonia produced
by exposure in the army. General Rawlns
dined with Second Assistant Postmaster
General on Thursday of last week. At the
dinner he partool1 of food he had not been
accustomed to, and this dietary indiscretion
produced terrible hemorrlage, from which
he lost so much blood that for the five sub
sequent hours he lay in a comatose state.
General Grant, who was at Saratoga, was
Immediately telegraphed to to repair to
Washington, but on Friday morning he re-
vived from his unconscious state and exhib-
tied SYMPTOMS of improvement, when the
telegram was countermanded.. Later in
the day he commenced to fail, and, as stated
above, never recovered. A constant stream
of carriages, filled with friends, and pcdes-
trains thronged the street and sidewalk in
front of the house on Friday, Saturday,
Sunday, and Monday, eagerly inquiring
about his condition up to the hour of his
death.
His main desire since Saturday morning
seems to have been to see General Grant be-
fore he died, and consequently he frequent
ly asked for him. His conversation princi-
pally related to the future welfare of his
immortal soul, of which he felt assured, as
he possessed religion with the utmost earn
estness, and with due regard to the solemn
ity of the ceremony. but at the same time
expressed deep regret that his death would
deprive his family of every vestige of pc
cuniary income. He frequently said that
his wife and children would become pau
pers, and it is probable that his anxiety
to see his friend, the President, had some
thing to do with his overshadowing fear
He was however, greatly relieved in this
regard by an offer from several prominent
members of the Association of the Army of
the Tennessee to adopt his children, and
promises by his friends that they would ex-
ert their influence to secure the aid of the
Government itself for the support of his
loved ones. When the proposition was
made to adopt his children, he smiled, and
with seeming gratitude asscnted to it. On
Sunday morning he called for breakfast
of his customary diet, which for the last
two years of his life has almost invariably
been raw beef, stale bread, fresh milk, and
soft-cooked eggs, and on receiving it re-
marked: - king would fattcn on this
At exactly SIP on Monday evening, one
hour to the very minute after his DEATH
President Grant arrived at the house. He
was met at the door by DR.. Bliss, and
addressed to that gentleman an inquiry as
to how long his friend had been dead
The tears blinded his eyes as he pushed
the cold and lifeless form of his adjutant
Then, when he was told most tenderly of
the ott-repeated desires of the deceased to
see him, he falteringly explained that the
contradictory nature that he did not think
it necessary to start until the last despatch
from DR.. Bliss arrived, announcing with
unerring certainty the approach of the fatal
result.
Starting Immediately, his journey con-
sumed twenty-five hours, and his grief over
his tardy arrival clearly proved that he
made every exeltion to alleviate by his
presence the last hours of lis warmcst
friend and supporter. Secretary Robson
advised the President to retire for the night
and seek the necessary rest after his fatigu-
ing journey, but he announced his intention
The last words of the deceased were.
Raise me up His request being COM
piled with, he brcathed easily for about ten
minutes, and then. without a struggle, and
with hardly spasm, expired. Among his
last messages was one to Senator Morton
through General Ekin, in which he express
ed his thorough confidence in the patriot
ism aud craftsmanship OF that eminent pub
licist
At the time of his death there We're pres
ent Secretaries Cox and Robson, Post
master General Creswell General Giles A.
Smith, General JOHN Z. Smith, Commits
Sioner Parker, James Rawlins, brother of
the deceased General O. O. Howard, Mr..
Chadwick, Surgeon General Barnes, DR..
Bliss, DR.. Peterson, and tie servants in at
tendance.
During the day the late Secretary OK
pressed a strong desire to sec President
Grant, asking, When will he come -
but was fearful he would not live long
enough to do SO.
Soon after the death of Secretary Raw
Inns his body was embamed and dressed in
the uniform of major general.
On Tuesday morning the military took
charge of the body and it was removed to
the War Department, where it lay in state
till Thursday, the day of the funeral.
whence it was conveyed to the place
Of interment in the Congressional Gene
terry.
MEETING or THE STATE CENTRAL Con-
MITrEE.-The Republican State Central
Committee assembled at Recabite Hall
Baltimore on Wednesday last and designa-
ted Wednesday 18th of October as the day
FOR holding the Republican State Conven-
ton to nominate a Candidate for State
Comptroller. There was very full attend
ancp of members IF tho State (ro,.,,,