The Rock Island Argus., 1883-09-03

General speaking cemetery is not II
cheerful place to spend holiday, yet
there are circumstances which lead peo-
Pile hither sometimes IN moments Of leis
ure spent an idle hour the other day
in visiting, for the first time, the Congress
i nal cemetery here. This is not, as
many people suppose, government IN
stitution, although the government has
purchased considerable portion OF it as
a last resting place for those who fall in
its service here in Washington The Gem
etery is the property of Christ Church
tEpiscopaD and is one of the oldest in the
city The Government lots stretch along
the principal avenues, and their adOrn-
ments, wretched looking though they
NAV be are the most prominent features
of the place. Among those whose remains
lie here are TWO Vice Presidents of the
United States-George Clinton and Ell
bridge Gerry. Over the grave of the lat
ter is a gootl sized marble monument
erected by order of Congress, and bearing
the sentence from one of his speeches:
1T is the duty of every citizen, though he
may have but one day to live, TO devote
that day to the service of his country" +"
Over the dust of the Vice President Gin
ton is monument erected by his children
bearing these words: ITO the memory of
George Clinton. He was born in the
State of New York on the 26th of July,
1880. and died at the city of Washington
on the Goth of April, 1871, in the seven
ty third year of his age He was Il soldier
and statesmen of the revolution. Emf
nent in council. distinguished in war, he
filled with unexamplcd usefulness, pur
ity and ability, among many other high
offices, those of Governor of his native
State and the Vice President Of the United
States While he lived his virtue, wisdom,
and honor were the pride, the ornament,
and security of his country, and when
he died he left an illustrious example of
well spent life, worthy of all imitation. -
One of the handsome monuments in
cemetery is one erected to the memory OF
William Writ, Attorney General from
1917 10 1929 He rests almost in sight of
his historic birthplace, Blandesburg Near
this monument lie the remains of iona
than Cilley, a member of Congress from
Maine, who fell on the Blandesburg duel
ing ground by the hands of the fiery
Graves OF Kentucky No one now knows
eXacty how many Congressman are buried
in this consecrated ground. In earlier
years, when there were few railroads and
the members came by stage or in THEN
own conyeyances. few who died here
were returned to their homes hy inter
mcht Later on, however, the custom
changed, and since 1864 mono have been
taken here for permanent interment The
receiving vault of the cemetery has con
t.ined the clay OF many distinguished
persons VIE were inferred at othtr places
among the number of Presidents TavloI
and Harrison The remains of one Sena
tor lay in the vault unclaimed FIR Years,
and were finally removed by The official,
of the GENE terry and buried at their own
cost. The first Congressman buried in
the grounds WAS Utah Tracy. of Cornec-
| ticut, a General in the Revolutionary wal
| who died here in 1907 The last were
| Lemuel Boden, member from West
! Virginia, who died in 1864 How many
there were between the records of the
cemetery do not show with accuracy; tho
removals even were not noted upon tht
books, Upon the cenotaphs are many
historic names, among them Clay. Gal
houn. LOyejOy, Adams, and Stevens, anC
upon plain shaft near by is the name o
Pushmataha, the Indian chief who dice
here in 1924, saying when | am gone
| let the bic guns be fired over NE,
PHONO