The Republican journal., 1898-01-27
The Tributes to Hon. S. L. Milliken.
What was Said in Congress of the Funeral
Services in Belfast.

dispatches a synopsis of the eulogies on
Hon. s. L. Milliken in the National House
of Repres entatives Jan 10Th. We have
since received the Congressional Record
containing the official report of the proceed
ings, and from which we make the follow
ing extracts. Congressman Burleigh closed
| with these words:
The sorrow at his untimely death was
shared by all classes. The pulpit and the
the popular sense of bere avement and in
paying eloquent tribute to his memory. l
was present at his funeral and followed h is
| body to its last resting place in the beautiful
city by the sea where he lived during so
| many of the besi years of his life, and which
| had deep and abiding place in his affec-
| tions. 1t was & sad and solemn occasion,
| the memory of which will always remain
with me. The whole city was in mourning.
| All classes of it, people, the rich, the poor,
| the old, the young, We're moved with a com
| mon grief. To and all the death of
| their distinguish ed and warm hearted friend
| and fellowcitz3n had come with the force
! of personal loss Amid such sincere and
| loyal tributes to the qualities that enshrine
men in the hearts of their fellows his mortal
remains were laid to rest.
The d. ath change comes
| Death s another life We bow our hea Is
| At going ont, we think, and enter straight
| Another golden chamber of the Kings
| Larger than this we leave, and lovelier.
| And then in shadowy gimpses, disconnect,
| The story, fower-like, closes thus its leaves
/ The will of God is all in all. He makes,
| Destroys, e-makes, for His own pleasure all
Congressman Boutelle paid a handsome
tribute to the memory of his late colleague,
and said of the funeral here:
1t fell to my lot to accompany the delega-
| tion from this House and the Senate to the
city of his residence on the last sad Journey
| from the capital of the nation TO his final
| sepulture, and my associates upon that
| journey from the different sections of the
| country were uniformly and powerfully i'm
| pressed by the quiet reverence, the univer-
sal marks of esteem and sorrow which per-
| vaded the communities through which we
| traversed on that mournfui route. | recall
! distinctly the occasion Of the funeral ser
| vices in the town where he had lived 80
| long, where his name was household word
among the people. and his presence and
voice familiar to all as the membership Of
| their own families.
| But | was especially impressed by the
beauty and felicity of the tribute paid
to mis- life and public services by the youth
| full officiating clergyman, who, blending
| the affection of Mr.. Milikens own genera
tion with the esteem IN which he was held
| by the younger portion of the community,
| gave feeling expression to the grief which
! would follow their deceased Representative
| to his grave.
! We saw the last sad rites performed above
the remains of our departed colleague and
| sadly retraced our steps, as is the law Ot
| life, toward the duties OF the present and Jf
| the future, feeling that we had experienced
another solemn reminder of the muts h..lty
| of human life and the incompleteutss ll
| human ambition, that should determine
| each one OF US to devote himself more
| earnestly, more unseltshlY, more wurthIiv
| to the duties we owe to our God, our cuuu-
| try, and our fellOw-men,
Congressman Dinsmore OF Arkansas, after
speaking of his friendship for MI. MilliNeu,
and of his abilities and characteristics, closed
By saying:
| was honored by the Speaker Of the
| House IN the selections to he one of the
| company that Went with him to lay him
| away IN his native home, Late on one
| gray. murky afternoon, the funeral tram
came to this city Of Belfast and there We
found the whole population of that ciry
| turned out TO give him solemn greeting
| No one could have witnessed the scene there
| without being profoundly affected. There
We're the most prosperous people, com
fortably and elegantly dressed, some IN
a.
| town, and the fishermen; the company en-
| braced all. And that which always touches
me more than anything else is to see the
| common poor of "a community giving evil
dence of affectionate memory of the man
| who has been their public servant and has
| deserved their confidence and esteem
The whole city turned out its population,
| and they lined the streets, with bowed
and uncovered heads they stood while the
remains of Seth Milliken Were taken to
| the church where they should rest until the
morrow then to be finally laid away. There
| the people were again assembled, and one of
| the most touching and beautiful tributes
| that l have ever heard fall from the lips of
| any man upon funeral occasion came from
those of tho young clergyman in charge of
| the obsequies on that day in the presence
| of the assembled people. Everything spoke
| of affection and love. Stern Old fishermen
who had spent their lives upon that coast
said to me with Sremulous voice, Did you
! know Seth?' eager for every word that
might be spoken of him Everyb body called
| him Seth. 1t was not "Mr. Milliken." They
| spoke of him in the terms of affection and
intimate relationship. did you know
Seth ?" all called him Seth "He served his
people long, and we feel that he can never
| be replaced to u.s."
This, Mr.. Speaker, is one OF the most
beautiful things in life, that when a man
has lived out his days and years amongst
people, he holds their affection and con
tidence. Ii Seth Millken had his faults,
they were generous faults. He had
virtues which made him beloved and
will always make him respected. Max
ing no pretense of greatness, i'll simple,
straightforward way he performed duty
and left his page in the country's history.
No stately column will lift aloft its naughty
head bearing inscription of his achievements
but his name is enshrined in the hearts of
his people, and those hearts will be the
lamps wherein the flame of love shall burn
while life endures. And who shall say that
when those lamps grow cold in death that
the flame shall flicker and die also? Who
dare say that it will not burn on into
eternity, into the other world where men
may meet in reunited fellowship? We laid
him away in the soil of his own native State
his New England home. He peacefully
sleeps on that 'stern and rock bound coast"
where loving hands have laid him, and the
sad soughing of the sea will sing unceasing
requems for his soul.
Congressman Hilborn of California spoke
of Mr.. Milliken's visit to California several
years ago and Of the reception and banquet
rendered him by the people of San Francis
co who had formerly resided in Maine, and
said: 81 shall never forget his address on
that occasion. Naturally an orator, the sur
roundings inspired him to an eloquence of
expression which l have seldom heard
equalled. He never forgot that occasion,