The Portland daily press., 1875-11-23
Death of Vice President Wilson.
A Calm and Peaceful ENd.
Tributes to His Memory.

community.
The Vice President seemed on Saturday to
be great deal better than at any time during |
his late sickness. bat yesterday he was not
quite so well. Postmaster Burt of Boston |
called in the morning and had pleasant con-
versation with him. Mr.. Crossman of New !
York, literary friend, also visited him on bus.
mess concerning the unfinished volume of
the Vice Presidents on slavery. Mr. Wilson
then slept from till O'Clock, when he rose.
Mr., CrossmaH returned at o'clock at the Vice
Presidents request, and remained until even
ing;
hour and slept tolerably well during the night.
In the waking intervals he asked for water.
About midnight ne got up and walked around
his room; then going to his table, took up
little book of poems entitled The Changed
Gross" with the motto 'Not as will but as
thou wilt" and read several verses from it.
This volume which belonged to his wife, and
contained photograph of her and of their son,
he treasured beyond price and always made it
his companion. After reading the verses, he
spoke with gratitude of the kindness of his
friends during his sickness, and of the wide
sympathy in his behalf He then returned to
bed IN a happy mood and slept: AT 8 o'clock
this m orning he awoke, complaining OF pain
in his stomach one of the attendants rubbed
it. when being thus relieved, he again fell
asleep.
ATT o'clock he awoke, remarking that he
| felt bright and better than at any time pre-
viously. He said he was going to ride out to-
| day, as his physician, DIR. Baxter, advised him
| to do so if the weather was fair. At twenty
minutes past o'clock he said he would get up
| and take breakfast He then called for bitter
water, which had heretofore been prescribed.
| and having drank it he laid with his left side
on the pillow, as if overcome by sudden eX-
| haustion, breathing heavily but uttering no
words, and in few minutes died without
| struggle.
The following additional details are obtained
| from Messrs S. A. Bayden and H. A. Wood,
vino were alternately the Vice Presidents at
| PENDANTS throughout the night. hayden is
| lieutenant of the capitol police, who was Sc
| lected BY MI, Wilson to be with him as much
| as possible on account of their old friendship,
formed several years ago in Natick. Mass.
| Yesterday evening the Vice President said:
'If the doctor was here I'd have blister put
on the back of my neck instead of this plaster"
Mr.. Wood replied that they could manage that
without the doctor,'to which Mr. Wilson re-
sponded: Eyes, but don't want to taks the
responsibility" His attendant then asked if
| he wouldn't ike to have a message sent to the
doctor, but he said after thinking moment,
| "It isn't worth while
| A few moments after Mr.. Wilson awoke at
| o'clock this morning, while Mr.. Bayden was in
| attendance, Mr.. Wood entered and was pri-
vately consulted by Mr.. Bayden as to the ad-
| visibility of communicating to the Vice Presi-
| dent the news of Senator Ferry's death, and
| cluded it would be best to mention it as Mr..
| Wilson would be certain to read it in the pa
| pers.
The Vice President was prepared for the n
| nouncement and expressed no surprise, but
said, Poor Ferry, he has been great suffer-
err" He then proceeded to speak of Senator
| Ferry's political services in terms of high COM
| mendation, characterizing him as an able ac-
| tive and useful man. He also talked about
Mr.. Ferry's early life. and abont his last cleo
ton, and added, THAT makes eighty-three
What record don't think any man now
| living can say the same unless, perhaps, it is
Hanlin of Maine. If live to the end of my
| present term shall be the sixth in the history
of the country rho lave served so long time"
| His death coming but few minutes after all
| the evidences of remarkable improvement and
rapid recovery, could not at first be realized by
his attendants and it not till the arrival of
| DR.. G. NJ. Ford, who resides in the neighbor-
| hood and was instantly sent for, that the mel
| ancholy fact found any credence
The post mortem examination showed the
| cause Of death to be apopexy.
Proceedings of the Cabinet.
| The President was notified of the Vice Presi-
| dents death about 8 o'clock, and Immediately
called special meeting of the Cabinet at half
| past 10, at which time all the members were
present. except Secretary Robertson, who is alb
sent from the city. Secretary Fish was re-
| quested to attend the meeting of Senators now
IN the City at noon and on the part of the Pres
ident and Cabinet unite i n any arrange mentS
for the funeral ceremonies. After the pro-
| gramme for the funeral shall have been per-
fected by the meeting the President will lie
notified by the Secretary of State and execu.
| tive order will be issued announcing the death
| of the Vice President, ordering the depart
| ment to be closed and other suitable marks of
| respect be shown to the memory of the deceas-
ed.
| Adjournment of she SupremeSC Court,
| When the Supreme Court assembled at noon,
/ the Chief Justice announced that 10 cOuse-
Quence of the death OF the Vice President no
business would be transacted today and there
| upon the court adjourned till tomorrow. All
the justices then proceeded to the Sen ate wing
| of the Capitol to participate in the meeting of
| Senators to make arrangements for the funer-
| al.
| Action of the state Government of Mas.
Eachusests.
| BOSTON, Nov. 22.-Gov CASTOR officially an
nounces the death of Vice President Wilson
His announcement says:
| The loss of this pure and distinguished states
man and honest man, will be the cause of great
| mourning throughout the country and especial
| ly in the state E which he resided where he
was best known, and therefore most highly
| honored.
It. was decided at the meeting of Executive
| Council that Messrs Turner and Dunn of the
| Council should go TO Washington this after.
| noon and two members OF the person Il staff of
| the Governor follow in the evening.
Preparations fer the Funeral
| WASHINGTON, Nov. 22.-The embalmed re-
l
Vice Presidents room, in catafaque which
| occupies the place where the writing table
| stood, at which he did all his work. The body
is attired 10 dress suitiof black cloth and faces
Rembrant Pears portrait of Washington and
beside it are wreath of tea roses, japonieas,
| Gala lilies, white pinks and heotropes from
| the wife of the President, and a cross of white
| flowers from Gen. Babcock The room is
| guarded by detail of Capitol police. Among
them is colored man who also stood by the
bier of Senator Sumner
Sergeant-at-arms French has received tele-
gram announcing that Gen. Cunningham of
| the staff of the Governor of Massachusetts, and
| Messrs. Dunn and Turner representing the
city council, start for Washington tonight and
| that Senator Boutwell, starts tomorrow morn
| ing, The date for the Vice Pre- ideuts funeral
is not yet settled 1t is the desire of some of
his friends to defer it till Congress assemblies,
but the question will probably be determined
by his nephew and executor, W. L. Coolidge of
Natick. who is yet to be heard from on the
subject. President Grant called at the Capitol
this afternoon, but as the progress of embalm-
ing was in progress he retired without seeing
the remaius.
The Massachusetts, State Republican Asso-
citation in this city held meeting tonight at
which eulogies were pronounced and resolu-
tions adopted commemorative of the Vice
Presidents life and character.
Order fir ON the Secretary of War.
In compliance with an order of the Presi
dent, directing that appropriate military and
naval hOnors be rendered to the memory OF
e-Presdent Wilson, the following order
was issued by the Secretary of War this after
noon:
On the day succeeding the receipt of this
order at each military post theitroops will be
paraded at ten o'clock a. M, and the order
read to them. The natioal flag will be display
ed at half-mast. AT sundawn on that day 10
guns will be fired, commencing at II o'clock m.
IS minute guns will be fired, aud at the close
of the day the national salute of 81 guns will
be fired. The usual badge of mourning will be
worn by the officers of the army, and the coors
of the several regiments will be put in mourn
ing for the period of three months.
An appropriate order will be issuel by the
Secretary of the Navy tomorrow.
Executive Order.
The following order, announcing the death of |
Vice President Wilson, was issued by the Pres |
ident this afternoon: |
Executive Mansion, Washington, D. c., Nov. |
%, 1875.-It is with profound sorrow that the |
President has to announce to the people of the |
United States the death of Vice President |
Henry Wilson, who died in the capitol of the |
nation this morning. The eminent station of |
the deceased, his high character, his long ca
reer in the service of his state and of the I'm |
ion, his devotion to the cause Of freedom and |
the ability which he brought to the discharge |