Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-11-22
WASHINGTON IN MOURNING.
President, Cabinet, Supreme Court
Entire Senate and Many Repre-
sentaffves to Attend Funeral.


Hobartts funeral on Saturday will be at
tended by the president, the members of
the cabinet, supreme court the senate in
body, and a large committee from the
house of representatives, besides many
dignitaries of the government who will
journey to Paterson to pay their last trib-
ute of respect to the memory of the vice
president. Every senator has been invited
to be present. and the senate will meet at
the Fifth Avenue hotel, in New York. Sat
urday at II O'Clock. thence travelling in a
body to Paterson.
Sergeant-at-arms Bright has engaged a
special train to convey the president and
his cabinet and the United States supreme
court to Paterson. The. train will leave
Washington over the Pennsylvania rail-
road at Z o'clock Saturday morning and
arrive. on the return, at II p. m.
Chief Justice Fuller was not in the city
to-day and in his absence no one could say
whether the court, would be able to attend
the funeral In body. but the officials of
that tribunal generally expressed them
selves as very confident that it would do so.
Owing 10 the fact that the house of rep
fesentatires Is without speaker, no ar
committee were made to-day. General
Henderson. who will be the next speaker,
telegraphed TO Major Mcdowell. the clerk
OF the house. at his home at Sharon, Pa.
and Major Mcdowell Is expected here to-
night. Upon his arrival, he will consult
General Henderson and other representa-
tlves who are in the city and a commit
tee Will be appointed to attend the funeral
The death of Vice President Hobart nat
urally recalls the death of Vice President
Hendricks, who expired suddenly of pa
the time the question of the succession to
the presidency had not been settled by law.
although Senator Hoar's bill. providing for
the presidential succession through the
cabinet had been submitted on December 4.
lsS3, and had remained unacted on.
The news of Mr.. Hendricks death was
received In Washington late on the after
noon of November %. President Cleveland
was at dinner when the news was brought
to him by Secretary Lamont. Notices were
sent at once to all the members of the
held that night. President Cleveland's first
act was to dispatch a telegram of con-
doience to Mrs. Hendricks. after which a
proclamation was prepared making an Of
nciai announcement of the vice president 8
death to the public. and establishing a
usage which was followed to-day by Pres
ident Mckinley.
On the morning following Mr.. Hendricks
death. meetings of such members of the
house and senate as were in town were
held at the capitol. and committees from
both legislative bodies. were appointed to
attend the funeral services, which were
held In Indiana polls on the Tuesday follow
ing Nineteen members We're appointed on
the house committee and the rather unusu-
al number of thirteen from the senate.
President Cleveland at first expressed
his intention of attending the funeral. but
there was an immediate protest from his
advisers. seconded by the press of both
parties, against his subjecting himself to
even the slight possibilities of an accident
incident TO. travel at time when there was
no provision for a successor in his office
and when his death, might have entailed
President Cleveland deferred to the advice
of his friends and remained in Washing
ton. The cabinet, however, attended the
funeral in body. and the supreme court
adjourned over till after the services.
Pending the presidents decision not to go
to Indianapolis. the most elaborate prepa-
rations were made by the railroad officials
for the safeguarding of his train In cas-
the journey should be made, special track
walkers, pilot engines and the like being
detailed detail to insure the safety of the whole
The vice president was in indianapolis
at the time of his death and, through d
singular set of circumstances, no one was
in the room with him when he expired.
The law applicable to the vice presidency
was enacted January IS, 1856 by the Fifty
ninth congress, first session. The main
features are as follows:
Be 1t enacted, ETC. that, in case OF removal death
president Of the United States the Secretary Of
m sea Of the ..sasusy rsnsr.,
the navy o seere,aGy o, the ipsefIe9 sbs
act as president until the disability of the presden
or vice president is removed or president shall be
elected.
The law further provides that when one
of the above. cabinet officers succeeds to
the presidency, he shall call a special ses-
sion of congress. A provfso limits the sue.
cession to those who would be eligible to
the presidency. under the terms of the
Legislation and who have been appointed
with the advice and consent of the senate
The effect of the law is not to provide q
succession to the vice presidency, but
merely to insure succession to the presi.
dency.
William P. Frye. of Maine. becomes presi.
dent pro tempore and will discharge all the
duties of the vice president as presiding
officer Of the senate. The senate rules
necessary at the beginning of the session
Senator Frye, accordingly, will continue as
presiding officer It'll the end OF President
McKinley's administration. unless he
elect another senator to the office.
A curious coincidence of the death OF
the Vice President Hobart is found IL
the fact that of the six vice presidents
who have died in office, four died within
few days of the same day of the month
in the year of their deaths, the death OF
Mr. Hobart being the 21st Of November
1891: that of Mr.. Wilson. the 22nd of No
vember, 1875: that of Elbridge Gerry. No
vember %. 1875. and that of Hendricks
| November q. 1ss5. The other two vice pres
idents who died in office were Clinton ant
King. The former died April 20, 1872, ant
the latter April II, 1858.
All the flags in Washington are half
masted out Of respect to the memory o
Vice President Hobart The announce
| ment of the vice presidents death, Will,
not unexpected, came as a distinct shocl
and cast deep gloom over the city wher,
| he was loved and honored The news wa:
| first received at the White House ten min
utes before 9 o'clock in a private message
| from Paterson. The flag over the executiv,
mansion was Immediately hauled down I,