Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-08-21
The Late Speaker Kerr.

Alum Spriops last Saturday evening.
When DR.. Pope homeopathic Of Wash
ington arrived, late on Wednesday evening, he
found Speaker Kerr apparently rapidly si1king
lrom paio, pruiusc discharges and exhausted,
voice almost inaudiOIr, aud skin believed
with cold, claDmy pcrSplratIon. For many
DAYS past Mr. KIT had suffered agonies of
pain, and the physician in charge, Dr. Davis,
and cultivated aliopathc physician, had given
radical change Of treatment would BE- OF aug
avall. D.. Pope stated that the disease was
consumption of the bowels, which had pro-
crossed too lar 10 its ravages to permit any
hope as to recovery aud all that could b. accom-
| pished, perhaps, Was the alienation OF the
more palrfuI and distressing symptoms OF the
disease aud smooth the inevitable downward
pathway. The emaclatlon of the patient was
the most extreme compatible with ir DE- Pop"
ever witnessed. The aodouen Was fattcncd 40
soluteIy down to the back bone by tie shrinkaGe
and Wistlug away OF the abdominal! contents
A slugIe hand could clasp the thigh and the bony
framework Invested Of almost every particle Of
adiposc AID muscular tissue was merely covered
by the altenuated skin Still the eye Was clear
! and bright as OF yore, and all the intellectual
processes bright ever, and the voice reduced
almost 10 Whisper occasionally uttered lis
origipaI full deep tone 1t was his wonderful
/ viii puwar aud wal force that enabled lin -
survive as long as b. did HIS toitiule and
patience under suffering were amazng.
The ii n Montgomery Biur aud the Hon
! S. S. Cox had prutlac ed interviews with him
Saturday, n Que Of which the dyng statesman,
With pcrrec clrarucss. reviewed he political
! I, Of hp
the future bent expressed mos. s1nguiu"
hopes for the success vi the democratic ticket,
reasoning that the pcrpctuny OF our lusiltu
tons aud the preservation pi our freedom could
only be- maintained by change oi party aud
policy.
Hon. Michael e. Kerr, Representative in
! Congress from the Third district OF ludlaua,
WIS uatlvr Of Penusylvar Ia, having been boru
| lu Crawford county, 10 that State, III 1871
The foundation OF his education was Ial ID the
cnmmou schools Of GRAVEYARD coun;y. bu, he
subs, qucn'ly studied at sev"rai academies,
teaching school III The meantime and improving
his mind by course Of steady aud proti,a!p.c
reallpg Having taklng up his residence 10
Kentucky Mr. k,rr studied law i'll the Univcr-
slty OF Louisville, where he pradusttd with
marked huuurs After short residence in
kcuucky he removed 10 New ALBANY ludaua.
Here his taIenlS, eurrHy, ana ability soon
brought hm iuto notice. ln 1856 he was elect
ed to the LegiSa urc ii Indiana Tor Two years.
In this position he cnhapcci lis reputation
aud popularity both by votes aud speeches.
His Judgment was sound and lie had the
Courage 10 vote tor the right, 20 matter VIZ
iuhurucc was brought to bear uron bin from
Interested parties Besides serving 10 be leg
islature, Mr.. Kerr also acted at different Pc
RODS az attorney, and prosecuting attorney OF
his county. In 1862 he was chosen reporter
of the SUPP, N; Curt Vt lndiana. aud edited
with great alb lily and cearne>s hv" Tunes OF
the RI ports Of that body. lu 1862 VI. Kerr
made his first appearance 90 ratlo"al plat
form, haviUg been chosen to the thirty Din'h
Cargr,ss. He W., also reelected 10 1866,
1868 1870. anl 1874 La Congress the car"er
oil Mr.. Kerr was true to the principles when
be protested. He opposed all illegal schewes
Tor sbsrac!ug money from the natloual Treas
ury, Insisted upon public officers telbg held To
a strict account, urged the dlscoutlruancr OF
needless Office ho,dtrS,aud reconlmen I'D jrIog
lug the G1vcromen, back TO the early rules of
honesty and economy. B2iDg an IMPRESSIVE
speaker, and at all tim4s fortified with facts,
Mr.. Kerr commanded the a!teutjn of the
House whenever he spoke. His record is that an
honest. upright, aud consistent Democrat, 6'm
elected Speaker Of the House 10 Dacculb T,
aud his rulings while il tie ctar wrre SUCH Is
10 gain the respect of even hls hlLterest potl-
Cal enemies.
A dispatch to the Richmond IVA Dispatch,
dated ROckDrlnge Alum SrrlDgs, gives the
fulowlUg particulars attending the last hours
OF the dis inguishcd Speaker:
"Mr. kerr expired his evening at I o'clock
aud 20 minu',s, at The going down OF tie SUI
over this beautiful mouataln valley. His last
bali hour was painless uud peaceful H. was
surrounded by his wife and sou, b. his iai hful
secretaries White and Scudder, aud Mr..
Cox and wife, aud MIR. Nj. Blair tad bceo GEAR
hin during his protracted lilncss All the
kindness possible 10 alleviate and comfort has
been bestowed by Mr Frazi T, The proprietor
here aud other friends Your reporter sought
Mr.. Cox, to whom llic dir. cl2ns OF these SD
aft :irs has been given. snilHqured canC1r1ng
the report he should make. Mr.. Cox said he
had been with him for TWO days. du'Irg which
be had been gradu lily sinking. o. Ftliay he
convcrsed in whispers, con. lousy and intcI!i
gently giving directions to hi secretaries IN
private uattcrs, and words Of cheer abrur him
To biz friends and cous lton To hlH wiz an:
sou. DR.. Pope was constant III his attention,
aud 80 far II was possible rave him relief rnm
pain. On my arrival said Mr.. OK. aftcr
giving :n the kuh LII ssags Of hi congress
sional friends, asked bun # he were ready
goI
He expressed his entire content with h.
rric gentlcnes5 which was o?e OF lis character
l>ics. He cpnversci freely ab MT .hc iu,urc
world, its rewards, hopes aDi expectations
with caluncss and quluimty. He had sui
Ter, d so much that he desired to be relieved
and yet he would not have hi, pain aIIeviatcd
so as to distract or stupcfy his mind. He based
his hopes of Il better world upon the practice
and bcucvoiencc which he had eniravurud IL
| illustrate 10 his lie. He iuIprr>sr bis views
upon his son, who is ju-t entering upon his
MANHOOD HIS wife was near him Constantly.
aud Lu for the consultations Of friends you'd
be inconsolabe.
1.-The music and fe=tivity Of the place have
ceased cay, as il in sympathy with the sad
ness around. All proper disposition has been
made to take his body to New AlbaGy, where