The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-12-04
THE PRESIDENTS ACTION.
A Special Meeting of the Cabinet
Hc1d-A Proclamation.

The President was at dinner in the White
House at 20 p. NJ. when the telephone in
the telegraph room up stairs rang. The
White House operator answered the signal
Tel the President that Mr. Hendricks is
dead was the message.
What" said the startled operator
"Ges,' came the further explanation
"we've just received telegram from In
dianapolis saving that he fell dead a few
minutes ago"
ooh, myln exclaimed the receiver of the
message. He dropped the telephone, ran
down stairs, and entered the small dining
room, where the President and Miss Cleve-
land sat at dinner The President could not
believe the sudden announcement He at
once rose and hurried up stairs to get some
confirmation of the news A brief inquiry
through the telephone satisfied him that
there was no possibility of mistake. He re-
joined Miss Cleveland in the dining room for
moment and then went up to the library
where Colonel Lamont, his private secretary,
joined him. a message of coincidence was
at once sent to Mrs. Hendricks and the fol-
lowing announcement was at once sent by
special messenger to each member of the
cabinet:
EXECUTIVE MANSION. Nov. %, 1885,
SIR: The President directs me to inform
you that the Vice President died at his home
in indianapolis at 5 o'clock this afternoon.
The members of the Cabinet are requested to
meet the President at $50 o'clock tonight
Very respectfully,
DANIEL LAMONT, Private Secretary.
The members of the Cabinet were all at
their homes when the message reached them.
They started Immediately for the White
House. All the members were present at
this meeting.
1t was decided that the President and the
members of the Cabinet should attend the
funeral of the Vice President When the
Cabinet adjourned the President issued the
following:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, Nov. 25. 1885.
To the People Of the United States:
Thomas A. Hendricks, Nice-President of
the United States, died to-day at 2. NJ at
indianapolis, and it becomes my mournful
duty to announce the distressing fact to his
fellow couutrymen.
In respect to the memory and the eminent
and varied services OF this high official and
patriotic public servant, whose long career
was so full of usefulness and honor to his
State and the nited States, it is ordered
that the national flag be displayed at half
mast upon all the public buildings of the
United States. that the Executive Mansion
and the several executive departments in the
city of Washington be closed ON the day of
the funeral and he draped in mourning for
the Period OF thirty days; that the usual APP
propriate military and naval honCrs he rem
aercd, and that ON all the legations and con-
sulates of the United States in foreign coun-
tries the national flag shall be displayed at
half-ma't on the reception of this order, and
the usual emblems of mourning be adopted
for thirty days
GROVER CLEVELAND.
BY the President
T. f. BAYARD, Secretary of State.
The following was sent to the secretary of
the Senate:
EXECUTIVE MANSION Nov. 25, 1884
To the Hon Anson q. McCook, Secretary Of
the Senate;
am directed by the President to inform
hat In hag oil nf IA