Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-12
THE LAST SAD RITES.

THE LAST SAD RITES.
Funeral Ceremonies Over the Remains
| OF Representative Townshend.
| SOLEMN SERVICES AT ST. MATHEWS CHURCH
AN IMPRESSIVE DISCOURSE BY Oh. cHAPELLE--
LARGE ATTENDANCE OF DISTINGUISHED PER-
| soSs-BEAUrrTuL FLORAL TRIBUTES.
| The funeral Of the late Richard W. Town
shend, member Of the House of Representa-
tives from Illinois, took place this morning at
st. Matthews church. The funeral cortege
was formed at the G-street entrance of the
Riggs house, and was under the direction of
Mr.. Leedom, the sergeant-at-arms of the House.
The pall-bearers, congressional delegation, rel
ativss and friends assembled in the parlors,
and took q last look at the familiar features of
the dead. The remains lay in casket covered
with black cloth and mounted with SILVER.
| Upon the top and at the sides were floral
tributes, forming beautiful masses of fresh, fra
grant flowers. A large piece was sent by the
| Illinois friends of the deceased Mrs. Senator
Stanford sent a handsome cluster of lilies of
the valley. Beautiful roses from the White
House conservatory were sent by the President
and Mrs. Harrison. There were besides other
floral expressions from the friends of the de-
| ceased.
THE cAsKEr WAS BORNE
| by eight members of the capitol police force,
headed by Capt. Alabach. The honorary pail
bearers wore sashes of black, with black ro-
settles. They were the following named: Chief
Justice Fuller, Commissioner of PenIions Black,
| ex-Speaker Carlisle, Interstate Commerce Com
! missioner Morrison, First Assistant Postmaster
| General Stevenson and ex-Land Commits
| sioner Sparks. Following the paIl-bear-
ers were the members of the congressional
| delegation, wearing white sashes, who were
Senator Blackburn, Senator Farwell, Repre-
sentatives Springer and Henderson, Illinois;
| Cutcheon, of Michigan; Maish OF Pennsyl-
vania; Yoder, of Ohio; Cox and Tracy, of New
York; Gibson, of Maryland, and Allen, of Mis-
sissippi.
The pall-bearers and the members of the
congressional delegation walked from the
Riggs house to the church, and following the
hearse were the members of the family and
friends in carriages. The widow was accom-
panied by DR.. Smith Townshend, of this city, a
brother of the deceased, and her son and
daughter.
Upon the arrival of the cortege at the church
the casket was borne up the center aisle and
placed In front of the altar with lighted can
dies at each end. During the entrance of the
funeral party into the church the regular choir,
under the direction of Mr.. Cannon, sang the
Miserere. While the Office of the dead was said
the choir sang the Liberia.
DIR. cHAPELLE OBLIGATED,
assisted by Rev. Father Walter, and the regular
funeral service was read. Upon its conclusion
Father Chappelle pronounced brief discourse,
taking as the theme of his remarks the words
OF Job: Il know that my Redeemer liveth,"
&c. He spoke of the hope of immortality
cherished by man, and said that it was strange
that there were men who were Indifferent to
such hope. 1t ought to give direction to the
lives OF all. That We are not, as the animals,
without hope OF future life, the speaker
said, had been recently pointed out
IN striking speech by one of the
most distinguished Senators. There is an
impossible chasm between man and the lower
creation. There is death and dissolution but
the principle of life, the identity of the soul re-
mains. There is just God in Heaven, and as
justice is not done in this world it must be done
in another. The dignity of manhood, said the
speaker. mans moral senses, his desire for hap
piness, goes to show that man cannot be mis-
taken in the belief that he has the spirit of life
that shall never die. This is the controlling
thought to be impressed on an occasion like
this when surrounding the coffin of a friend
and man like the late Representative Town
shend. Father Chapelle than briefly
REVIEWED THE LIFE OF THE DECEASED.
He was born ill Maryland, in that part of the
country, said the speaker, where was first pro-
claimed religious liberty. That privilege was
still enjoyed, and the reverend father charac-
terized as the worst enemies of mankind those
zealots who seek to stir up religious sstrife and
to array public sentiment against any particu-
lar denomination. Such was not. he said, the
spirit of the dead Representative. Although
not brought up in the doctrines of the Catholic
church, yet when his life partner became
member of that church he threw no obstacles
in the way of her religious life or in the
proper training Of the family. During
the last days of his life he
expressed, DIR. Chapelle said desire to be-
long to that ancient church and to worship be-
fore the affairs of that organization and society
which emerging from the catacombs exerted
clvllZlng, humanizing influence upon the
world and originated what was best in modern
political institutions. The career of the de-
ceased, where as school teacher, lawyer and
member of Congress, he exerted an infuen-
tial and beneficial influence on the history of
the country, was dwelt upon. He paid trib-
ute to the probity moral purity and disinter-
estedness of the deceased. He was true to his
friends, but neither his friendship or his af-
lection for others ever induced him to
swerye from the path Of duty.
The speaker referred to his relations with the
District as a member of the House District
committee, and said that he did all he could to
forward the measures that he knew would be
useful to the District In this he though not
merely of the welfare of the residents of the
District, but Of the greater fact that Washing
ton is not provincial town but it is the capital
city OF this great country and all the nation is
interested in its prosperity and welfare
In conclusion, the preacher said that this
record of an upright life is the source of the
greatest consolation to the relatives and friends
OF the deceased in their present affection The
lesson of the occasion taught all that they
should live like men. To live like men was to
live like a son of God, and such a life would
enable one to triumph in death.
TAKEN TO OAK HILL.
Upon the conclusion of the discourse the
casket was borne to the hearse, followed by
the large congregation. The interment was
made, temporarily, in vault at Oak Hill GEM
etery.
The attendance at the funeral included nearly
all the members of the House now in the city
and large number of Senators, besides a num-
Der Of the leading citizens of the District
Among those present. were Senator Ingalls,,
Senator Barbour, Representatives Randall
O'Neill, Mills and Breckenridge, District Com
missioners Webb and Wheatley, Marshal Wilson,
ex-District Commissioner Edmonds, Indian Com
missioner Oberly, Second Assistant Postmaster
General Knott, Norris Peters, and the follow
ing committee OF the American shipping and
industrial league: Gen. Joseph Wheeler, Mr.
A. Vanderbilt, Hon. H. d. Money. Hon. f.
John Ellis, Hon. Horatio King, Maj. NJ. NJ.
Parker, Mr.. John II. Magruder, Maj. Chas. s.
Hill
HoNoRING MR.. TowNsHESD's MEMORY.
There was a large meeting last night at Will
lard's of the Illinois congressional delegation
and friends. both i'm and ont of Conpress of he