The daily gazette., 1876-08-21
KERR.
His DEATH At ROCKBRIDGE
ALUM SPRINGS.
His Last Hours Painless, and His
Mind Clear to the End.
ESPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE WORLD.

at about 2 this evening. have been
by his side for two days. His last
hours were painless, as he SO much de-
sired. His composure was as remark
able as it was heroic. He was thorough
ly content and prepared for the unseen
world, He was conscious and intelli.
gent, gentle and brave to the end. His
disease was consumption of the bow
els, but toward. the last the lungs were
involved. He has been for days past,
in facts, a disembodied intellect-a
mere skeleton. Everything possible
to be done at this remote spot to soften
this blow TO his family, by throwing
the tenderest care around his dying
bed, has been done, and the last offices
will be performed with all the thought
fuluess they could ask. We have sent
to the officers of the House at Wash~'
ington for an escort. His body will be
taken to New Albany on Monday.
s. 3. Cox.
THE NEWS AT WASHINGTON.
WARRINGTON, August 19.-The an
nouncement of the death of Speaker
Kerr, though anticipated, occasions
general sorrow among all classes of
this community. Colonel Adams, Clerk
of the House of Representatives. on re-
,ceiving the intelligence, proceeded to
an undertaker's and ordered q casket
to be sent to Rockbridge Alum Springs.
in which to placeth remains. The
casket will be sent tomorrow morning
in charged of several officers of the
House, and probably two or three
4, r,f hn xrfsll /,
the remains from the Springs to the
Speakers late home in New Albany,
Ind. ...
Michael G. Kerr was born near
Titusville. Crawford County, Pa,
March 10, 1927, but removed westward
early in life. He was left an orphan at
the age of twelve years, and managed
through his own exertions to secure an
academic education. 1t may be truly
said however, that his education never
ceased. for his life was one OF continu-
GUS thought and study. Like many
other young Americans, he began his
active career by teaching school; but,
as in SO many other cases, teaching
was only temporary expedient, and
in due time he entered the University
of Louisville to pursue the study OF
law, and graduated with the degree OF
Bachelor of Laws in 1861. He married
early in life and happily, and settled
in 1852 in his present home. New AL
bany, Ind, where he prospered in bis
profession and grew In the esteem of
his fellow citizens. He was elected
City Attorney in 1854 and Prosecuting
Attorney of Floyd County in 1856. He
was chosen a member of the State AS.
sembly in 1856 and 1867, and was elec-
ted Reporter to the Supreme Court of
Indiana in 1862 In that position he
edited five volumes of reports, and be.
came thoroughly grounded in legal
scholarship. In 1864 he crossed the
threshold of national politics and was
chosen a member of the Thirty-ninth
Congress. He entered upon his duties
at the close of 1866.
His career in Congress was without
spot or blemish, all his efforts being
| in favor of an honest administration
and economical conduct of the Gov.
ernment.
| He acquiesced In the advance of
Congressional salaries to $4,000, but
he considered further increase exorbi-
tant and an increase retroactive in its
nature dishonest. He therefore voted
against the bill and returned his back
pay. His conduct made him more
popular than ever at home and added
to the reputation which he had already
gained throughout the country.
After his election in 1874 his health
began to fail and he spent the winter
| in Aiken, s.. G Returning in the
spring of 1876 he profcssed to feel re-
newed in health and vigor, though to
those who knew him well it was clear
that the old fire had gone from his
eye and his voice had lost its sonorous
ring. The interval previous to his de-
perture for Washington he speant in O
trip to Colorado, and then entered
upon the canvass for the Spcakership
He had received the complimentary
vote of the Democrats of the Forty
first Congress for the position, ant
it was appropriate that he who hat
won the barren honor should achiev,
the fruitful one, with his election ant
opening career the country is familiar
No better choice could have beer
made. On his honesty, his justice hi
his unf1inching determination to d.
|, his duty, the people relied lmpl1cltl.
and were not deceived. His commit
} tees were criticised with some severit,
, at first; but it is now generally conce
ded that the House was wisely an,
safely organized. AS Speaker, MI
Kerr more than fulfilled the anticipa
ton of his friends. His knowledgeo
the rules was accurate and ready, hi
discrimination in applying them t
particular cases was keen and he CAV
his decisions with simple gravit
that allowed on questioning. His dig
nifty and weight OF character gave hir
control of the House. and his fairnes
won for him the admiration of his pc
litical opponents, His health. how
ever, failed rapidly, and his absenc
k from the chair grew longer from da.
to day. Finally he was compelled =
ask for a vacation and returned to hi
duties no more. The conspiracy t.
break the force of the revelations O
+: corruption in the Republican party b.
o running the Speaker doubtless haster
II ad b,s daoth. Rut IL was some sati,