The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-11-27
DEATH OF yICE.pREs1DENT WILSON.

ton that Vice President Henry Wilson was
dead. Up to the very moment OF his death
the friends of the Vice President were sat
isfied that his recovery from the illness
which so suddenly Frustrated him at the
Capitol, on the morning of the 10th inst,
was assured, and even when death had put
its seal upon his lips his attendants were
unwilling to realize the mournful truth.
His death occurred very suddenly, from
apoplexy, in his room in the Capitol, where
he had remained during his illness, about
y O'Clock Monday morning. He had rest
ed well on Sunday night; awoke at Z A. N.
and expressed himself as feeling bright and
better sat up in bed to take his medicine,
laid down on his left side and expired in a
few moments without struggle.
The President, when informed of the sad
event, at once called Cabinet meeting,
and Secretary Fish was deputed to unite on
the part of the President and Cabinet in
any arrangement that might be made re-
garding the funeral. At noon a meeting
of the Senators and Representatives now
in Washington was held, the Chief Justice
presiding, at which committee of nine,
headed by Senator Boutwell, was appoint
ed to take charge of the obseques. In the
afternoon an order was issued by the Presi-
dent announcing to the people the death of
the Vice President, and ordering the GUS
tomary honors and display of mourning for
the distinguished dead. The remains laid
in state in the Capitol till 10 A. NJ. on Fri
day, at which hour religious services were
held in the Senate chamber. These con-
cluded, a procession was formed and the
body taken to the Depot of the Baltimore
& Potomac railroad, and sent North in
charge of the committee heretofore ap-
pointed. There was military escort
through Baltimore, and when the train
arrived in Philadelphia the body was car
ried to Independence Hall, where it was
laid in state till II p NJ, when the train
proceeded to Boston, making no stop in
New Y ork. The funeral takes place to-day.
When the news of the Vice Presidents
death reached Boston, Governor CASTOR at
once made official announcement of the
loss sustained by his State and the country,
and called a meeting of the State Council.
In Philadelphia, New York, Il Baltimore,
New Orleans, Little Rock, Albany, Fan
River, Worcester, and other cities flags
were halfmasted, courts were adjourned,
meetings were held, and official notice was
taken by the Mayors and other city officers
of the country's loss. The Fifth Maryland
Regiment offered its services as an escort
to the remains of the deceased Vice Presi-
dent on their passage through Baltimore.
The news of Mr.. Wilson's death reached
Little Rock while the Senate of Arkansas
was in session, and that body Immediately
adjourned as q mark of respect.
Hon. Henry Wilson, Fice-President of
the United States, was born at Farming
ton, n. H., Feb. 16, 1912. His parents
were very poor, and at the age of ten he
was apprenticed to farmer in his native
town, with whom he continued eleven
years, during which time he went to school
at irregular intervals amounting in all to
about twelve months. He was great
reader however, and in this way obtained
much Information from private library
in the town.
On arriving at his majority, lie left
Pennington and walked with pack on
his back, containing all his worldly pos
sessions, to Eatick, Massachusetts. Here
he apprenticed himself 20 shoemaker,
and spent two years learning that trade;
after which he went to number of acade-
mics in various towns in New Hampshire
and Massachusetts, paying for his educa-
ton out of the money he had saved; but
in a short time the person to whom he had
entrusted his savings became insolvent, his
plan Of education was cut short, and he
resumed work as shoemaker IN 1888.
His early calling and his appreciation of it
known appellation of the "Natick Cob
bler''
Mr.. Wilson entered political life in the
Presidential campaign of 1910, making over
sixty speeches in behalf of President Har-
rison, the Wing candidate. In the next five
years he served in the State Legislature of
Massachusetts,, three years as a Represen
tative and two years as a State Senator.
He was an active and Jealous opponent of
slavery, and in l945, in conjunction with
John G. Whittier, carried to Washington
the great ant-slavery petition from Massa
chusetts against the annexation of Texas.
His chief political efforts were subsequently
made in opposition to slavery, and in 1S4S
he took prominent part in the organi3a-
ton of the Free Soil party, being made
Chairman of the MASSACHUSETTS, State Com
mittee of that party, which post he filled
for four years.
Mr.. Wilson first appeared in Congress in
1854, when he was chosen United States
Senator as the successor of Edward Ever
EFT, post that he filled for eighteen years,
being the colleague of the late Senator
Sumner. He was always an earnest OPP
ponent OF slavery, and when the Hepubl-
can party was formed, he took an active
share in its organization.
When, after the beginning of the Rebel
lion, the Republican party became a major
ity in the Senate, Senator Wilson was made
Chairman of one of tho most important
committees, that of Military Affairs, a post
which he held for twelve years, during that
time performing prodigious amount of
labor.
He took leading part in the advocacy
of the constitutional amendments, of the
Freedmen's Bureau bill, and of the other
acts of Congress that were passed at this
eventful period, and was the author of the
first Civil Rights bill introduced into Con
gress for the protection of persons of color
in the District of Columbia. In 1868, Mr..
Wilson was prominent candidate before
the Republican National Convention for
Vice President, Hon. Schuyler Colfax, then
Speaker of the House, being however ult-
mately nominated after five ballots had
been taken. In 1879, being again candi-
date for Vice. President, Wilson was nomi-
mated over Colfax by small majority, his
success being mainly due to his support by
the delegation from Pennsylvania. He
was elected in the Autumn of 1872, and
assumed his duties as Vice President,
March 4th, 1878. For some time past he
has been in poor health, and his recent ILL.,
ness is familiar to the public.
His wife died four years ago, and his only
son, Lieutenant Hamilton Wilson, of the
regular army, died while serving on the
frontier in 1866.