Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1890-01-15

vi = ~ -
WILLIAM d. KELLEY.
glimpse of intelligence that he showed.
His death was perfectly peaceful, with
out shudder. The family was sitting
in an adjoining room. The doctor ar
rived for his evening visit about the
time he breathed his last, but before he
had fairly entered the room the soul
of the old veteran had passed away. His
death has been expected almost daily,
as has been announced from time to
time in these dispatches, for more than
week, and when he took his bed be-
fore the Christmas holidays he said him
self that he should never leave it.
For the last six years he has been
suffering from cancer similar to that
with which Grant was afflicted, and was
caused, he often thought, by excessive
smoking some years ago. A few friends
in Philadelphia purchased him passage
tickets to Europe and induced him to
go over there to consult en-
inent medical authority. As a re-
suit an operation was performed,
which gave temporary relief and
perhaps heightened his life two or
three years. The disease became more
serious during the last summer and
caused him much inconvenience and
suffering, so that he spoke with diff
Guilty and suffered a serious strain upon
his nervous system, but the immediate
cause of his death was complication of
catarrh of the stomach and dysentery.
The funeral will take place in the Hall
of Representatives ON Saturday, when
the remains will be taken to the resi-
dence of his daughter, Mrs. Horseman,
in Philadelphia, and on Sunday second
service will probably be held at the Uni
tartan church at the corner of 22d and
| Chestnut streets, to be conducted by
Rev. DR.. Furnass, who married him and
was his lifelong friend. Judge Kelley
was Unitarian in his religious convic-
tions and regular attendant upon All
Souls church in this city.
William Darrah Kelley was born in Phila-
delphia April IL, 1914. His grandfather, John
Kelley, served as an officer in the revolutionary
war. Having lost his father at an early age he
| learned the printers trade and later served an
apprenticeship to a jeweler in Boston. In 1910
he returned to Philadelphia and began the
study OF law, and a year later was admitted
to the bar. While serving his apprenticeship
he acquired reputation as a writer aud speak
er, and, after beg inning the practice OF his pro-
fession, he devoted much time to literary pur-
suits. He was elected Attorney-General OF
Pennsylvania in 1S45, and in 1S46 was made
judge Of the court of common pleas Of Phila-
delphia. In 1860 he was a delegate to the Ma
| tional Republican convention, and in the same
year was elected to Congress, where he has
served continuously ever since. He has been
| q member of numerous committees Of the
House and chairman OF some OF the most i'm.
portant committees, notably the committee on
| ways and means. He has served in the lower
House longer than any other member and for
this reason is often called the ''father OF the
House." He has for many years been known as
Pig Iron Kelley" He was at one time free
trader, but later became an ardent protection
list and has written several works in op-
position to the free-trade theory. Among his
works are: Reasons for Abandoning the
Theory OF Free Trade and Adopting the Prin-
ciples OF Protection to American Industry
Letters on Industrial and Financial Cues
lions" and the New South"
Judge Kelly had been in public lite so long
-IOr nearly nau century-Wltn nothing out
! his salary to live upon, that he accumulated no
/ property whatever, and his pecuniary circum-
| stances to-day are about what they were in 1850!
Columns might be written concerning his per-
| sonal peculiarities and eccentricities, but no
man can truthfully say word to discredit his
honor, and no act OF his can be remembered
that casts shadow upon his reputation. He
was so scrupulous that he would never &C
cept railroad pass or q telegraph blank, and,
| although his correspondence was so great as to
make his postage accounts serious drain upon
his salary, he was q sturdy opponent Of the
franking privilege and never voted for any ap-
preparation that would affect his own personal
interests to the extent Of a penny.
Judge Kelley was man Of rare qualities.
His attachments to his friends were SO strong
! that he could forgive almost any thing in them,
! while his great heart knew no enmities and
recognized in his opponents only men who
were simply laboring under mistake. His
constancy and his devotion to the one great
| idea he so long and ably advocated was 80 great
| that he would never permit himself to wear a
| garment made Of imported goods or use any
| article that was produced in q foreign country.
| and he took occasion to demonstrate with his
! friends for preferring the products Of for
eign labor to those Of domestic make.