The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-10-10
THE GOVERNORS EULoGY.
In Fitting Words He Reviews The Illus
trious Life and Works Of Pennsylvania's
Dead Statesman.

HARRIsBURG, Oct. 7.-Gov. Pattisou to-
night issued proclamation on the death
of ex-6;ov. Curtin. He says:
His death leaves surviving but single
one of my predecessors in the executive
Office of Pennsylvania. He was one OF
the most distinguished in that long line of
illustrious men. Dying at the age of four
score years, until lately his eye was not
dim nor his natural force abated, and
few, if any, of the citizens of our State
ever maintained 50 lasting Il hold upon
the affections of its people.
Native of Pennsylvania he sprang from
"A race of hardy men who left their inn
press upon its citizenship, and who had
been alike conspicuous in public affairs
and in the development of the material
interest of the Commonwealth. For more
than half century he was a member of
the learned profession of the law. and
though at times his towering prominence
in politics overshadowed his fame a. an
advocate, his legal training during his
entire public career was of inestimable
advantage to himself and benefit to the
State. Conspicuous as the possible can
didate of his party for Governor rs early
as 1854, he was appointed Secretary of
State to Gov. Polk, and with the exercise
of the ordinary duties of that office he
combined the direction and management
of the public school system of the State,
then in somewhat formative condition.
and which gained great impulse toward
its future usefalness from his wise coun-
sci.
He was most potent factor i'm deter
mining the political conditions of the
country during the period of the begin
ming and prosecution of the war for the
Union, and for six years he discharged
the duties of the office of Governor to
which he had been elected and reelected
in a manner that won for him, above all
his contemporaries, the title of 1.-The War
Governor" lie was conspicuoasly help
ful To the Federal government and Presi-
dent Lincoln, and, while always jealous
of the honor and regardful of the dignity
of his own Commonw ealth he aided large
ly to make the part of Pennsylvania in
the great struggle second to that of no
other State in the Union. He was active
in raising and equipping troops, and the
splendid organization of the Pennsylva-
mia reserves was owing to his exertions.
He was indefatigable in his ministrations
for the comfort of Pennsylvania soldiers
in the field, on the march, i'll the camp
or in the hospital. No personal service
Ill l.
render, and again and again his presence
inspired our soldiery and his sympathy
cheered the wives and children of the alb
sent, and the widows and orphans of those
who never returned. To him, above all
others, the State is indebted for the estab-
lishment of the soldiers orphans schools,
and the country owes to him the splendid
example of Pennsylvania care for tie
children of her soldier-dead.
He and his native State were honored
b. his appointment as Minister Plenii-
p)tentiary TO one of the great powers of
Europe, and he WAS eminently successful
in establishing and maintaining the most
cordial relations of Russia's great empire
with our republic. He sat an honOred
member in the constitutional convention
which framed our present fundamental
law. lie represented with distinction
one ofthe principal congressional districts
of our State i'm the House of Representa-
tives of the United States, and when he
retired to private life he was follow ed
with the affectionate regard of people
of all parties and of every section of The
Commonwealth of which he has been
faithful public representative. His pres
ence in every popular assembly, and cs-
pecially on the occasion of military re-
unions, was always the occasion for ven
Grafton of his imposing and geniil per-
His funeral will take place at Belle
fonte, Center county, Pennsylvania, on
October 10, at , p. IN In |
honor of his memory and in reeDynition |
Of his eminent public services invoke |
for his bereaved family the sympathy OF |
the people of Pennsylvania, and I recoin
mend and order that on the day o: his