The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-31
BLAINE In HIS GRAVE.
THE LAST OFFICES PAID THE DE-
PARTED STATESMAN.

come by Her Great Grief to Follow
the Remains to the Church and to the
Grave-Public Sorrow Everywhere
Manifest.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 80. - Ex-Secretary
of State James g. Blaine could not have a
private funeral. Every effort was made to
comply with bis own understood wishes,
and with the expressed desires Of his family
in this regard, but the surging wave Of pub
lie interest swept over the barriers imposed
and made his private funeral one OF the
most impressive public demonstrations in
honor of the dead. The most eminent men
In the nation stood around his bier. The
prsence of the President and his cabinet,
the justices Of the supreme court, senators
and Representatives and the diplomatic
corps was not more significant than the
homage of the waiting crowds which, in
respectful silence, lined the streets through
which the funeral cortege passed.
The parlor on the second floor where the
body lay in its cedar casket, closely sealed,
was fairly embroidered with floral tributes.
The casket rested on huge bed of roses,
violets, palm leaves and ferns sent by Mrs.
Emmons Blaine, about 9 feet long by feet
combination of oolors the design of an
oriental rug.
THE MoURNERS IN THE PARLOR.
The parlor was far too small for the dis
tinguished mourners, who, by invitation,
sought aooess to 1t. The President entered,
accompanied by Mrs. Mckee, Private Sec
retary Halford and Lieut. Parker. The
Vice President was accompanied by Mrs.
and Miss Morton. The members of the
cabinet and their families and many other
distinguished people followed. The oere-
monies at the house were grand In their
simplicity. Before the hour Of 10 O'clock
invited guests began to arrive and take their
seats in the fragrant and horal-bedecked
front parlor of the mansion. There we're
no chairs reserved except for the President
and for the immediate family Of the de-
ceased.
ENTRY OF TIE FAMILY.
A few minutes after IL O'Clock mourners
entered and the President and all the dis
tfnguished ooncourse rose to pay fitting
honor and sympathy TO the sorrow Of the
deceased statesman's relatives. The family
was followed by Rev. DR.. HaInlin of the
Church Of the Covenant, who, standing
beside the casket, in low tone delivered
the Presbyterian prayer for departed soul.
As he did SO Walter Damrosch touched the
keys OF the piano TO q slow dirge and the
diate mourners grouped around the caskeb,
were the widow, her married daughter,
Mrs Damrosch, Hattie Blaine, James G.
Blaine, Mrs. Emmons Blaine, Abigail
Dodge nee Hamilton), ex-Secretary Blaine's
cousin r. G.. Blaine, q brother of the dead
statesman, and his wife and daughter;
Hampton Denman of Missouri, a cousin Of
the Blaines, Frank, Henry, Horace and Au.
gustus Stanwood, and Walter Stonson and
w. FL. Hatch, all nephews Of the deceased
ex-secret airy.
DIR. HAMLIN's PRAYER.
DR.. Hamlin returned thanks to God that
by his power this life was ended only that
the life Of Immortality might be begun. He
beseeched the Almighty that comfort might
come to every member of the stricken house
hold, because one that mad gone out of this
life had gone to immortality. Let the con-
ISOLATION that came from above fall tenderly
and sweetly upon them. 'Speak to them
words of comfort such as thou alone can
teach. This we ask in the name of our
Saviour, amen" This completed the brief
impressive services, and the casket was
closed and tenderly borne to the hearse.
Solemnly and in silence the family and
mourning guests left the house, which has
been SO frequently invaded by the angel of
death, and the sad procession wended its
way slowly to the church.
Outside the house the street was thronged
with spectators who reverently dotfed their
hats az the pall-bearers deposited their
sacred burden in the hearse and while the
attendants temporarily buried it under as
many flowers as could be placed therein.
AT THE CHURCH.
1t was exactly l2 o'clock when slow and
solemn organ music announced the arrival
OF the funeral party at the door Of the
church. As the sad procession moved up
the aisle Walter Damrosch, Mr.. Blaine's
son-in-law, who was at the organ, played
an improvisation made up of several
themes Of hymns which Mr.. Blaine loved
more than all other musical motives All
present rose and remained standing as the
funeral party moved down the aisle DR.
Hamliu. the pastor, walked at the head of
the mourners, holding in his hand an open
book containing the ritual of the Presby-
terian worship, and read as he advanced a
selection from the scriptures Behind him
came the honorary pallVbearers two abreast,
Senators Hale and Frye. the representa-
tives Of the dead mans beloved state, lead
ing the way. The body bearers moved with
measured pace toward the chancel
rail whore they deposited the casket amid a
profusion Of flowers. The family followed
the body and took front seat on the left
near the remains. They knelt with their
heads bowed In prayer and remained in this
attitude for some time. The more distant
other members OF the funeral party, who
were at the house, came in after the family
and were seated in the pews reserved for
them When all were seated the deap peals
of the organ ceased and DR.. Hamlin, rising
from his place in the pulpit, began the
church services with the reading of selec-
tions from the scriptures. Their reading
finished prayer was offered up by DR.. Ham-
lin.
HRS. BLAINE NOT AT THE CHURCH.
DIR. Hamlin's prayer was the only ap-
prosch 10 funeral discourse that marked
the ceremonies Of the day. The Lords
prayer was then repeated by the pastor and
part of the congregation, and the benedic-
tion was invoked upon all present. and at
12 45 o'clock the church services closed the
casket was raised and placed once more ia
the hearse, all the distinguished concourse
standing as it was borne from the
church. It was then noted that Mrs. Blaine
was not among the mourners. as had been
supposed Among 30 many deeply veiled
figures her form had not heretofore been
missed, but It was soon whispered, that
overcome by grief, she had remained at the
house. The masses Of people IN the vicinity
of the church, kept from too close approach
TO the doors Of the ediace by a detachment
OF policemen, pressed closer as the
stir about the main doorway told
them that the services we're over.
ON THE WAY TO THE GRAVE.
The procession was soon moving in the