The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-01-17
Funeral Of the Late Congressman
Dingley Yesterday.
WAS ALMOST MAJESTIC IN ITS
IMPREssIvENESS.
Floral Bower--All Great Men of
Washington Present - Arrange
ments For Services I'm Lewiston.

/ MHsnimKt0n IECefmt -
ments For Services I'm Lewiston.
uPKcIAL TO THE rREss1
Washington, January I6.-The services
over the remains Of Governor Dingley to-
day will be memorable both as an event
and as a spectacle. The great men OF q
nation where political power is more un-
certain and transitory even than the con
dition which Providence attaches to ali
human things, quite generally terminals
their connection with the government be-
fore the ending Of their lives Hence sheiI
burials have more commonly been freu
their own homos. and among the scenes
OF their private rather than Of their pub
lilo associations. There haye been ut the
however. In the rotunda the body of
Henry Clay lay In state, after the disap.
pointments OF his long and famous career
were over. This was long ago In history.
but not no long ago In years but that
there was present today among the subor-
dinate officers of the House, ons, John I.
Clancy, who assisted in those obsequies
as he assisted today in the ceremonies in
honor of MIR. Dingley. Thaddsus Stevens
of Pennsylvania, the great chairman OF
tie ways and means committee In the
days Of the Civil War was also buried
from the Capitol; and later the remains
Of John A. Logan lay in state in the ro-
tn nda. The Senate chamber has several
times been the scene Of services In honor
of deceased Senators. The last state
funeral in the hall of the House was near
ly ten years ago when William d. Kelley
of Pennsy lvania was buried.
The hall today was decorated with
palms and flowers, the area in front of
the Speakers desk. where the casket
rested, being especially favored with an
artistic arrangement OF floral offerings
and ornamental plants The desk which
Mr.. Dingley occupied while living, and
which had been given him at the time OF
the drawing of seats by virtue Of his
position M the Republican leader, was
draped in black. while the lid was covered
With freshly cut flowers. The great
hall, usually the abiding place Of business
and contention, had strangely solsmn
and peaceful air, as II its inanimate self
took on human feeling for an instant at
parting with one who had lived SO long
and largely within its walls.
Few men buried with worldly pomp
so far from home have connected with
their obsequies SO many associations OF
home and friendship. The State of
Maine, though distant, was recalled at
every stage Of the oerem onies- The
and lifelong associate. The pastor
who led the service, Rev. DR.. S. NJ. New
man, Of the Howard Memorial church in
Washington, was a native Of Maine, born
in the town of Falmouth; of the Senate
which was announced ms soon rs the
House was called to order, the President
pro tempore was the Junior Maine Sena-
tor, and MIR. Dingleys life long friend
and neighbor; the Supreme court, which
came in its robes of office, the Chief
Justice could recall that the scenes of his
own youth had been laid within few
miles of the county where Governor
Dingley was born and made his career; ;
and near the Supreme court. among the
Cabinet and the President, the most
famous of the secretaries, the chief of the
navy, could not forget that he WAS a
native of one of the counties of Governor
Dins LEY s district. And in this connection
1t should not fail of mention that the ex-
ecutive officer of the House, under whose
direction the obsequies were conducted,
the sergeant-at-arms, was also native of
the Second District OF NJ aine.
Old associates of Mr.. Dingley were
everywhere. The President, himself, had
sat with him around the council table of
the ways and means committee, and
among the Senators and Representatives
all those OF old service stood on the foot
ing OF friends and acquaintancss
There was much quiet pomp and cere-
mony in the gathering of the distin-
guished assembly. AS the various bodies
appeared, the Senate, the Supreme Court,
the President and Cabinet, the General of
the Army. the Diplomatic Corps in
black except the Coreans, they were
announced to the House by the door
keeper and ushered to their seats OF
honor near the area wherein rested the
casket. The galleries were given to the
accommodation of the families of men,
bers and Senators.
Mrs. Dingley, her daughter and sons,
and other mem bers of the family and close
personal frie nds, were given the Speak
er's room as meeting place before going
into the hall Of the House.
Among those who accompany the family
party to Maine are Major Herbert N.
Lord, U. S. A., formerly clerk of the
ways and means oommittee; MIR. Everett
b. Norton of Farmington, assistant clerk
OF ways and means. and Mr.. Haskell OF
p ortland. Me-. one of the Capitol police
Governor Burleigh would have been ap.
pointed with Mr.. Bouteile as a member OF
the party to go to Maine, had he not been
prevented BY serious illness in his family.
The party includes some OF the most
prominent members Of Congress. Mr..
Serene Il Payne Of New York. stands
next Mr.. Dingley on the ways and means