The Iuka vidette. (Iuka, Miss.) 1894-1912, 1895-03-28
CONGRESSIONAL FUNERALS.
What Takes Place When n Member Dies
During Session.

CONGRESSIONAL FUNERALS.
What Takes Place When Member Dies
During n Session.
The custom of interrupting public
business upon the death of u senator or
member of congress if peculiar in
this country. In the parliaments of
Great Britain and the European con-
tinent the decease of a very prominent
snember is sometimes referred to III
feeling terms by the leader of the gov
eminent; but then the business of the
country proceeds.
In this country congress mourns over
the illustrious dead-and also over its
members who are unknown outside of
their own districts-in much more
thorough way. but we should not ven
ture to say more sincerely.
We suppose that not many of our
readers have ever followed the details
of congressional funeral. We will
therefore describe what takes place
when n senator or member of the
house of representatives dies in Wash
ington during n session. The custom
is the same for the statesman of twenty
years of public life and for the obscure
; member who has been in congress but
n few weeks.
We will suppose that the member has
died on Saturday after the adjourn
ment. Although the fact of his death
has been telegraphed all over the ccun-
try and is known by every member of
the house. one of the dead members
colleagues rises Immediately after the
ttfr ~ he do nd
announces his decease. A committee
is appointed to take charge of the fu-
neral; and then the house Immediately
adjourns, no matter how pressing the
public business may be.
Later in the session-somctimes it is
six months later-a day is set for the
delivery of eulogics upon the deceased
member. Many speeches are prepared
and delivered, some full of feeling,
others labored but empty. They are
all fully reported in the Congressional
Record. When the last word has been
spoken, resolutions of eulogy are
adopted. and the house adjourns again
Finally handsomely printed book,
containing a fnely-engraved portrait
of the member and all the eulogies de-
livered in his honor, is prepared and
published at the public expense. OF
the ten thousand copies of the
memorial, fifty are bound in morocco
to be given to the dead mem ber's fam
lily, and the others are divided among
the senators and memb ers for distribu- |
tion.
The news is sent to the senate, and
that body also adjourns, out of re-
N mo of ha !
congressman.
On the next or the second day flu
neral service is held in the early after
noon in the hall of the house, to which |
the senate, the president and the cab
met are invited, and at close of
the ceremony both houses adjourn
again.
A large committee of both houses
accompanies the remains to the dis
tant home of the member, and all the |
expenses of the trip. including some.
times very Objectionable expenditures
for refreshments, are paid out of the |
contingent fund of the house.
With the issue of this volume the |
public mourning comes to an end. 1t
has consumed the greater part of three
Legislative days, and a large amount of
public money.
Certainly men who die in the public
service are worthy of honor. Certain
ly, too, in this country we are too
much inclined to criticise and belittle
our public men, and too niggardly of
honor to them while they are still liv-
ing. But it may be doubted if the
payment of indiscriminate honors to