Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1881-10-10
q Reminiscence of James a. Gar
Eotd

touching tribute to our lamented presi
dent, and nothing has come before us
more tender and pathetic than this |
contribution by Emma James, Wash
ington correspondent, writing to the
Providence Press:
On February s, 1876 after the regu-
lar business of the day, it is stated in
the formal phraseology of the Record
that Mr.. Phelps Connecticut offered a
resolution that the house has received
with profound sorrow, the announce
ment of the death of Orris S. Fer
ry, and that proper tributes be paid
for his public and private virtues.
Ordinarily this would have been the
prelude to very prosy scene, during
which most of the red-blooded men of
the house would have sauntered out of
sight and hearing, except the few who
had been pressed into service for
euphemistic tributes. But Senator
Ferry was man SO greatly held in
esteem, and his death had been one in
such a memorable series, that our leg
islatOrs seemed for once profoundly
impressed with the great fact of NOR
tality, and lent a listening ear. The
last public act of Senator Ferry had
been to pronounce an eulogy upon his
colleague, Senator Buckingham. Fol
lowing close upon his death came that
of Vice-President Wilson, and imme-
diately afterward, that of Representa-
tive Henry II. Starkweather, a beloved
member from Connecticut. These
facts conspired to render the memorial
exercises to Senator Ferry an occasion
of vivid interest, and the galleries
listened with moist eyes. After sever
al touching tributes, notably one from
Prof. Seelye of Amherst, a boyhOOd
friend of the dead Senator's, Mr.. Gar
field, then in his prime as an orator,
and already wearing the indefnable
aureole that settles around the head Of
one set apart for higher destiny than
his fellows, rose impressively and
said:
81 have never in this house per-
formed duty so sad and SO sa
cred as that which is devolved
upon me to-day. Two weeks ago
last Friday our late beloved
friend and associate, the Hon. II. II.
Starkweather, of Connecticut came to
my seat and urgently requested that
should address the house on the reso.
luton in reference to the death of
Senator Ferry. After speaking with
me few moments he was called to
the chair to preside, and remained
there, perhaps half an hour; but not
feeling well, he soon passed out and
never entered the hall again.
"The very evening when he was
stricken with his mortal disease, he
had completed, or very nearly COM
pleted, the remarks which he proposed
to offer to the house on this occasion.
I have not the heart even to keep my
promise to him. L could not think of
this subject without being over
whelmed with the sense Of the double
loss; but l am sure the house will
permit me. in place of any remarks Of
my own, to do what our departed
friend can no longer do for himself, to
read the speech as he left it. / have
filled few blanks and added here and
there word, to supply the final revis-
ion which his own hand would have
made, and thus the dead speaks for
the dead friend, whom he soon fol-
lowed.
81 read, and ask that it may 90 in
the record as his speech, the following
Remarks prepared by the late Hon.
II. III. Starkweather.
Then followed touching and fra,
ternal tribute, not necessary to quote
in full. but ending with the following,
which seems, to one who knew the
ctuln of aanh about annallv the Wnrk