Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-03-08
DEAD NAYS VoIcE.
Ambassador Bayard Hears Cnrdin
Mannlng's Message.

| Ambassador Bhyard Hears chruinai
Mannlug's Message.
London Daily Telegraph.
Three years ago, in the course of 1901,
the late Cardinal Manning, lay dying,
or facing the approach of death, at his
palace in Westminster. He was sur
rounded by faithful attendants and
friends, one of whom suggested 10 him
the novel idea OF transmitting to Cardi-
nal Gibbons, in America, personal
message by the photograph, which
was then still in the early stages OF
novelty. II was considered a striking
and wonderful fact that words spoken
near u small revolving cylinder could
be SO engraved by microscopic indenta-
tons of . needle that 5000 miles away
1t would be possible to reproduce them
exactly in the voice and tone in which
they were uttered. The cardinal was
greatly impressed with this idea, aud
readily fell in with It. The message to
his brother cardinal and friend was
despatched, together with another mes
sage to Pope Leo XIII, the acknowl-
edged head of his church. These living
epistles were recorded on phonograph
belonging to Colonel Gouraud, Edison's
partner, and the representative of his
interests in Europe, whose collection Of
Immortal voices" from this century
will one day form priceless treasure
FOR the nation fortunate enough to OBJ
tain them. They were received in due
course at their respective destinations,
and the solemn manner of their com
munication, as well Us tho unique
nature OF the incident, were fully COM
mented upon at the time in every news
paper published. ...
But what was not commented on, and
what was not even known, except to a
small company of three persons, was
the fact that Cardinal Manning, in adj
dition TO the two foregoing missives,
either by his own request or at the sug-
gestion of a valued friend, Mr.. Charles
Kent, the poet and author, delivered
into the photograph third message,
which may be called dedication 10
posterity-not to be dvulged or repro
duced until after his death. a few
months afterwards lie was dead, and
no man outside the room where he lay
had heard the message, or knew what it
contained. But this one living vesuge
of Manning was still in q small wax
cylinder, under glass case, with q
silver inscription, in the library at arch.
bishops house, Westminster The phone.
graph grew with the lines, and was i'm
proved in the hands Of its inventor, but
there was only Que man who held the
key which could unlock the secret con-
tanned in that glass case, and for two
years he was not to be found in Eng.
land. Recently it occurred To the
present archbishop of Westminster, Car.
dinal Vaughan, that the temporary visit
Of Colonel Gouraud TO London was a
favorable opportunity for the occasion
be had long dcsired--to make known
his predecessors last message TO the
world. ..-.5
The arrangements had to be made in
great haste, for the colonel was about to
depart once moro for America. But
short as the time was, Invitations were
issued TO select and suitable company,
including the Archbishop of Cunter-
bury, the Duke Of Norfolk, the prime
minister and members of the Cabinet,
Lord salisbury, Mr.. Balfour, the Bishop
OF London, and number of other rep
resentatiVe men, to meet his Eminencc
Cardinal Vaughan and be present at the
brief ceremony. The hour fixed by the
cardinal was $3.50 yesterday afternoon,
and n large reception room in tho base.
ment OF Whitehall Court, where colonel
and Mrs. uonraud are residing, was
placed at the disposal of tho visitors.
The occasion was made strictly pri-
waite one, to meet the wishes Of the arch
bishop, and everything was done to
keep the proceedings consistent with
reverence and decorum. Tho hour
unfortunately, prevented many from
being present who would other.
wise have been glad TO come.
This was especially the case with
those who had parliamentary duties to
perform. The unavoidably short notice
was responsible for other absentees. In
spite Of these drawbacks, a fairly repre-.
sentative company assembled 10 meet
the cardinal. They included Sir Alrer.
non West and Mr.. Shand representing
tue Prime Minister and Mrs. GladstoneI
the United States Ambassador, the
United States military attache end Mrs.
Ludlow, and the United States naval
attache, the Spanish Ambassador, the
Lady Mayoress, Lord and Lady Knuts.
ford, the Dowagcr Lady Stanley az
Alderley, Sir RedYers and Lady Butler,
General Lord Roberts, Lord Justice and
Lady Wright, Sir Charles and Lady
Russell, Lady Jeune, Lord Rowton. Sir
Richard Webster, Sir Ellis Ashmead
and Lady Bartlett, MIR. and Mrs. James
knowles, Canon Curteis, Rev. Mr..
Haweis, Monsignor johnson 1.-THE cardi.
uals chaplain), Madame Belle Cole, Mr..
and Mrs. II. NJ. Stanley.
The proceedings were commenced by
a short speech from Colonel Gouraud
explaining the circumstances detailed
above, after which the phonograph
cylinder was removed from the glass
case in which it was locked up and was
placed upon the instrument. The first
three who listened TO the message were
Cardinal Vaughan, Mr.. Bayard and tina
Lady Mayoress. After that the remain.
der of the party listened in turns. The
voice was very distinct and clear, long
pauses being left between the words,
The message was not in Itself of yery
great import, beyond showing the pre-.
dominant thought in the mind Of the
man just before his death. 1t ran as
follows:
10 all who may come after me. | hone |
that no word OF mine, written or spoksn
IN my life, will he found TO have done |
harln to anyone after am dead.
HENRY EnwAKD MANNING.
Cardinal Archbishop.
After listening 10 few other voices |
oil great men since deceased, among
whom may be mentioned Tennyson and |
ltonert Browning, the company dis. |