Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-09-14
NEW SERIES.-VOL. III. NO.I4
SPEAKER KERR'S LAST MOMENTS

SPEAKER KERR'S LAST MOMENTS.
The Death-bed Scenes Mr. Kerr's Re-
ligi0us Views.
GFrom the New York Sun1
For long time Mr.. Kerr had been
satisfied that his end was near. To
friends who sought TO cheer him by
protesting to see In his looks a
change for the better he simply re-
piled: mo, / am not better; I am
worse. 1 am not getting we'll" So
important was death held to be by
him that he never allowed himself to
indulge in the little exaggerated fiat
teries and adulations so common to
most people. He had been called an
austere man. Nothing can be fur
ther from the truth. His affections
were always strong and permanent
His sympathies were ready and pow
erful. In his law practice he made it
rule to remit the charges for SER
vices rendered needy persons, and
many a widow to-day blesses his
name for his kindness, and thou
sands Of dollars In fees remain on his
books. One Of his last injunctions to
his son was that those books must be
closed to the world. This sympathy
for the possible suffering of others
was strikingly shown while he was
Speaker Of the Hose last winter. BE
could never find it in his heart to turn
away applicants for appointments,
but invariably exerted himself, so
far as he could in honor, to further
their causes. When the legislation
bill came from the Committee on Ap-
preparations, no one more deeply
sympathized with the unfortunate
clerks than Mr.. Kerr. The reduc-
ton of the salaries of his own clerk
and secretary were a source Of Poign-
ant grief to him.
Mr.. Kerr kept daily Journal for
many years-ever after his boyhood,
in fact-and this priceless manu-
script, together with his library and
a large collection of letters, he gave
to his son with the injunction to
make nothing public which by any pos
sibility would reflect upon the honor
ofany ofhis correspondents. So meth
odical was he that he even kept a
a current account Of his daily expen-
ses, emitting no detail, however triv-
al. Always the patron OF young
men, he always exacted the condi-
ton of absolute honesty on the part
Of his proteges. An amusing, even
touching instance OF this trait has
been related to me by young Mr..
Kerr. Soon after Mr.. Kerr came
here, he employed a colored boy to
act as his body servant at stipula-
ted sum per month To test the in
tegrity OF the young man, be pur-
sosely withheld a portion of the
monthly stipend, and then inquired
OF Andy how much was still due him.
The correct answer was given, and
Mr.. Kerr's eyes sparkled with delight
as he remarked to his wife, ~That
boy Is honest"
A few days before his death Mr..
Kerr had a conversation with his
son, In the course Of which he said:
Il have nothing to leave you, my son
except my good name. Guard it and
your mothers honor, and live as I
have lived" He leaves very little Of
this worlds goods-not enough to
supply his family with a living. In
the same conversation he further
said: PAY all my debts, IL my estate
will warrant it without leaving your
mother penniless: otherwise pay
what you can, then go to my credi-
tors and tell them the truth, and
pledge your honor to wipe out the in
debtedness."
In religious matters Mr.. Kerr was
a free thinker. He might be said to
have been q nationalist accepting
nothing which did not bear the i'm
press of probability. Without ad-
mitting the divinity OF Jeses Christ.
he was an advocate OF his code OF
morals. To be honest and true and
just was in his belief to be a good
Christian. Early this afternoon he
was visited by the Rev. Mr.. Harris.
President OF the female seminary at
Staunton, who, with view to sound
ing him as to his religious views,
asked, Il hope you are prepared for
the better life hereafter, Mr.. KERR"
The reply was prompt inclination
Of the head in the affirmative.
Again the minister asked, Il trust
you have a firm faith In the merits OF
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christi
After a moments hesitation, In
which he seemed to be carefully
weighing the question, Mr.. Kerr
shook his head slowly. 1t was fine
distinction to make. and one worthy
of the fine analytical mind which
maintained supremacy to the last
Finding that Speaker Kerr could
not carry on a conversation, Mr..
Harris promised to pray for him, to
which Mr.. Kerr whispered, Il thank
you"
To Mr.. Cox's inquiry whether he
was content to die, he nodded tran
gull assent.
Thus passed away one Of the best
and purest Of men and one of the
ablest and truest of American states
men-a man whose integrity was re-
ligion. and whose heritage to his de-
scendants Is his untarnished honor.
The Cincinnati Commercial picked
this up somewhere: @On a recent |
at Lowell, Mass. a collection
was taken up at one OF the churches
in aid Of the Reform Club. As the |
box reached a pew occupied by q
lady. her daughter and little son,
the two former found themselves
cent of money. Master