The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-08-21
The Late Speaker Kerr.

Inc LaLe speaker NeEI'
Fhe death OF Hon. Michael Q. Kerr,
Speaker OF tire National House of Rep
rosentatiyeS, was not unexpected. He
has been i'll for some months. and for the
last few weeks it has been painfully evil
dent that the end was at hand. Mr..
Kerr was born near TitusVille, Penn
sylvania. His father was Seotch-lrish
and his mother German, or rather Penn
thorough conXicTinns and sterling integ-
rity Of the TWO. lie was from his youth
y hard-worker, and acquired the basis OF
the fine education for which he was
famous among his professional brethren
while at work on his fathers farm in
Pennsylvania. lie was almost an en-
cyclopedia Of knowledge. His life was
spent in hard study, and he seemed to
retain almost everything he read or
heard.
MIR. Wolf, leading professional and
political associate Of the late Speaker,
in describing him, once said: "Michael
e. Kerr comes nearer knowing every
thing than any man l ever met" ltwas
this fund of knowledge that gave him his
great power as a lawyer and politician.
He was not remarkable for shrewdness
nor Keen perception, but he so closely
studied every. subject aud SO fully mas
tered every pOlmt that could possibly
arise, that both in politics and in the
practice of law he was almost always
successful against men who prided
themselves in mere ''smartness." He
was born March 10, 1877, pursued his
Academic studies in Erie, Pa, and
graduated in the Law Department
of the University of Kentucky in 1851
lie settled the same year in New
Albany, Indiana, and became at once Il
very successful practitioner. In 1854 he
was elected City Attorney, and Prose.
cutting Attorney Of Floyd County in
1855. He served in the Legislature in
1856 and 1857, and was elected Supreme
Court Reporter in 1861. He'was men,
Der of the Thirty-ninth, Fortieth, Forty.
tirst Forty-second and Forty-fourth
Congresses. He was candidate with
General John S. Williams, of Lafay cite,
for Congressman at Large from Indiana
in 1872, but though they were two of the
very ablest and best men in the State,
dissatisfaction with the Greeley move
ment caused them TO be defeated by a
few votes.
Mr.. Kerr was successful political
leader and manager, but could never be
controlled as subordinate. He thought
every question out for himself, andacted
on his own convictions without much
regard to the opinions Of others. This
often caused clashing with those who
assumed to control party organizations.
He did not possess much of that magnet
ism in politics of which we hear SC much.
For his success he relied mainly on being
in the right and fully understanding
whateve: he had on hand. AT the time
of his selection as Speaker he
firmly believed he would be
the Democratic. candidate for the
Presidency this year, and so believing,
Ire never by word or implication pledged
his aid TO the supporters Of Mr.. TIluen,
who were at work for their favorite,
oven SO long ago as that. The labor
which such dispo sition as his found in
The position of Speaker soon broke down
his health, and but.a few months demon
strated to his. friends that he could never
permanently recover. But for this who
knows that he would not have been
the nominee OF the! st. Louis Couven-
ton? And who can not see that he
would have brought strength to the cam
didacy that no other man in the country
could equal?
Mr.. Clark, the Washington CORE
spondent of the American Press Asso-
ciatiOn, thps-sums up his character:
"Mr. Kerr was Il man OF studious hab-
its, of sound learning, of great legal
talents, aud OF an. exalted. unbending
standard Of morals, AND infleN;HiY de-
voted to the right us he understood i.
His mental vision was siGgularlF
clear. he was no 6Autller nor
trimmer, but stern advocate of ppin-
ciple. Throughout his pubic lite and
during his whole career his character
for probity was never seriously assailed.
The American Congress Will not soon
zee his like again"
-----s se------
WHAT NEXT? 1t is now seriously pro-
A H.. 4. r..