The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-03-13
Forty Third Congress-First Session.

jOurned to Wednesday next.
Forty Third Congress-First Session.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Mar. -.
The galleries of the Senate chamber were
crowded before the hour of meeting.
The chair of the late Senator Sumner was
draped in mourning and a large boquet of white
flowers waf placed on his desk
The chaplain, in opening prayer, said.
"Oh Lord, our God, our Father in Heaven,
we all do fade as leaves before Thee. One gen.
Grafton cometh and another goeth, and SO Thou
standest this day to plead with Thy people.
Two honored heads lie low and the signing of
sister cities responding in their grief is heard in
all the land, The grave must receive its own.
We bow in silence and submission to Thy
stroke. Christ is our only shield"
Mr.. Anthony of Rhode Island, arose and
aid:
Mr.. President-In the absence of the Senator
to whom this saddest duty appertains, and who
is detained from the Senate by illness, the SEN
atOr from Massachusetts, 1 have been requested
to make to you the final announcement of an
event which my heart refuses to accept and
which my lips hesitate to disclose. 1t is an
event which need not be announced, for its
dark shadow rests gloomly upon this chamber,
and not only upon the Senate and Capitol, bnt
upon the whole country, and the intelligence of
which was borne on the mysterious wires that
underlie the world, has been already carried to
the remetest lands, and has aroused the pro-
foundest sympathy wherever humanity weeps
for friend and wherever liberty deplores an
advocate. The Oldest member of this body in
continuous service, he who yesterday was the
oldest, beloved for the graces of his character,
&C mired for his genius and accomplishments,
revered for the fidelity with which he adhered
to his CONVICTIONS illustrous for his services to
the republic and to the world, has crossed the
dark river that divides us from the undiscovered
country. Charles Sumner died yesterday To-
day in humble submission to the Divine will,
we meet to express our regret for his character,
our reverence for his memory. Tom orrow,
with sorrowing steps and with Borrowing
hearts, we shall bear him to Massachusetts,
which he has served so faithfully and which
loved him SO well, and to his SOIL precious with
the dust of patriotism and of valor, of letters
and of art of craftsmanship and of elOquence,
we shall commit the body of one who thus is
worthy to rest by the side of the noblest and
the best of those who in the centuries of her
history have made her the model of a free
Commonwealth. BIT the great duty which il
Illustrated his life shall not die with him, and
never shall the earth cover the immortal prin-
cples to which he devoted every energy of his
soul, the consumation and vindicatiOn of which
as his greatest reward great God permitted
him to witness.
Mr.. President, this is not the time nor is the
office mine to pronounce the words that are due
to the event. A future hour and more fitting
utterapces shall interpret to the American peO-
pie the affectionate respect of the Senate to
to our dead associate, and the homage which
it will render to his life and character. there
fore offer tie following resolutions:
Resolved, That committee of the members
be appointed by the President pro tenn of the
Senate to take the order for experimenting the
funeral of Charles Sumner a member of the
body, at 1870, and the Senate will attend the
same.
ID
the Senate for the memory of Charles Sumner
and his long and distinguished services to the
country, that his remains be removed to the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts and in charge
of the Sergeant-at-Arms and attended by
committee OF Senators to be appointed by the
President of the Senate, pro tempore. who
shall have full power to carry these resolutions
into effect.
Resolved, That as an additional mark of re-
spect to the men DRY of the deceased, the Sen
ate do now adjourn.
Mr.. Schurz said:
Mr.. President can say nothing, but will
offer the following amendment to the resolu-
tons:
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate
be directed to communicate these proceedings
to the House of Representatives, and invite the
House of Representatives to attend the funeral
ceremonies iE the Senate chamber tomorrow
at IL. 80 o'clock.
Mr.. Conkling referred to the absence of one
committee to day, in attendance at ex-Pres
dent Fillmore's funeral, and to-day we pause
in the shadow of another grief for vacant
chair is here, long filled by one of the most il
lustrious and honored of Americans. No trib-
ute can be paid to him but which I will join
sincerely and feelingly. unable to contribute to
the feeling and graceful announcement of the
Senator from Rhode Island. second his reso-
buttons.
The amendment of Mr.. Schurtz was adopted
and the resolutions, as amended, were agreed
On motion of Mr.. Anthony the President
pro tempOre, was directed to fill the blank in
the resolutions as to the number of the Sena
tors to constitute the committees and appoint
the committees after the adjournment of the
Senate.
The Senate then adjourned at LIS p. IN.
rangement for Mr.. Summers funeral: Messrs.
Anthony, Schurz. Frelinghuysen, Morrill, of
Maine, Stevenson of KY, and Thurman of
Ohio.
The Following Senator'S are the committee of
the Senate to accompany Mr. Summers remains
to Boston: Messrs. Anthony, Schurz, Sargent
of CAL, Sherman of Ohio, Oglesby of Ill, and
Merrimon of N. c.
HOUSE.
After the reading of the journal no business
was entered upon and no motion of any kind
made, but members sat waiting amid muir
muir of conversation for the expected message
from the Senate announcing its action on the
death of the Massachusetts, Senator.
At 1885 o'clock a message was received from
the Senate and thereupon e. r. Hoar Of Mas
sachusetts rose and in a fearful voice and with
great sadness of manner said ''The event
which the resolutions of the Senate announced
fell upon the ears of this House and the coun-
try yesterday with startling sadness To-day,
wherever the news of it spreads ever this
broad land, not only liz this city among his as
socates in the public councils, not only in the
old Commonwealth of which he was the pride
and ornament. but in many quiet homes, in
many a cabin of the poor and lOwly there is to-
day an inexpresslble tenderness and pro-
found sorrow. There are many of us who
have Known and loved him whom this event
other than those of that pure life that faithful
public service, that assured Immortality. In
response to the invitation of the Senate 1 offer
these resolutions:
Resolved. That this House will attend the
funeral of Charles Sumner, late Senator from
Massachusetts lr the Senate chamber to-mor-
row at half past twelve o'clock, and on its re-
turn to this, the Speaker shall declare the
House adjourned.
Resolved, That committee of nine members
be appointed, who, with the members of the
House from Massachusetts, shall accompany
the body of the deceased Senator to its place Of
burial in that Commonwealth.
RESOLVED, That as a testimony of respect to
the memory OF the deceased the members and
officers of the House will wear the usual
badges OF mourning for thirty days.
The resolutions We're adopted and the Speak
er, remarkiDg that the resolutions contemplate
ed the attendance of Massachusetts Represen-.
tatives in nearer capacity than as members OF
the House, announced the following as COM
mittee to accompany the body to Massachu-e
sets: Messrs. Hurlburt of Illinois, Hale OF
Maine, Foster of Ohio, Rainey of South Caro-
lima. Clayton of California, Scudder of New
York, Randall of Pennsylvania, Beck of Ken
lucky, and Hancock of Texas.
The House then. adjourned.