[Hinds' Precedents, Volume 5]
[Chapter 146 - Ceremonies]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
CEREMONIES.
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1. Visit of House to Senate. Section 7045.
2. Thanks to the Speaker. Sections 7046-7051.\1\
3. Participation in celebrations, etc. Sections 7052-7064.
4. Presentation of portraits of former Speakers. Sections 7065-
7069.
5. Observance of Washington's Birthday. Sections 7070-7075.
6. Reception of eminent soldiers, statesmen, etc. Sections
7076-7088.
7. Acceptance of statues for Statuary Hall. Sections 7089-7099.
8. Acceptance of gifts. Sections 7100-7106.
9. Observances at deaths of Members. Sections 7107-7138.
10. Observances at deaths of former Speakers. Sections 7139-
7141.
11. Funerals of Members. Sections 7142-7155.
12. Eulogies of deceased Speakers and Members. Sections 7156-
7170.
13. Deaths of officers of House. Sections 7171-7175.\2\
14. Observances as to Presidents who have died in office.
Sections 7176-7180.
15. Announcements of deaths of former Presidents. Sections
7181-7188.
16. Decease of Vice-Presidents and other civil officers.
Sections 7189-7200.
17. Decease of high officers of Army and Navy. Sections 7201-
7212.
18. Decease of eminent citizens of this and other countries.
Sections 7213-7223.
19. Instances of adjournments in recognition of calamities.
Sections 7224-7226.
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7045. Ceremonies attending a visit of the House to the Senate.
When the House attends in the Senate, the Sergeant-at-Arms does not
bear the mace.
On April 23, 1898,\3\ the House, in accordance with an order adopted
on the previous day, attended the Senate in a body. When the hour
arrived, the Speaker \4\ announced:
The hour having arrived, the House, in accordance with its order
already made, will now in a body attend the funeral services of the
late Senator Walthall.
Thereupon the House, preceded by the Speaker and the Sergeant-at-
Arms, proceeded in a body to the Senate.
At 12.15 the Members, headed by the Speaker and Sergeant-at-Arms,
returned to the Hall, and the House was called to order by the Speaker.
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\1\ Thanks to a Speaker who had resigned. (Sec. 231 of Vol. I.)
\2\ See also section 266 of Volume I.
\3\ Second session Fifty-fifth Congress, Record, p. 4212.
\4\ Thomas B. Reed, of Maine, Speaker.
Sec. 7046
The House in this case did not adjourn or take a recess, and the mace
was not carried by the Sergeant-at-Arms, but was left standing in the
place it usually occupies when the House is in session.
7046. Form of resolution thanking the Speaker at the adjournment of a
Congress.
References to divisions on the resolution of thanks to the Speaker.
(Footnote.)
On March 3, 1897 \1\ (calendar day of March 4), after the committee
appointed to wait on the President and inform him that Congress had
completed its business had reported, the Speaker pro tempore called to
the chair a member of the minority, Mr. Alexander M. Dockery, of
Missouri.
Thereupon Mr. Benton McMillin, of Tennessee, also a member of the
minority, offered this resolution:
Resolved, That the thanks of this House are presented to the Hon.
Thomas B. Reed, Speaker of the House of Representatives, for the able,
impartial, and dignified manner in which he has presided over its
deliberations and performed the axduous and important duties of the
Chair during the present term of Congress.\2\
The resolution having been agreed to unanimously, the Speaker resumed
the chair and, having addressed the House, declared it adjourned
without day.
7047. On the calendar day of March 4, 1901,\3\ but the legislative
day of March 1, the Speaker \4\ called Mr. Charles F. Joy, of Missouri,
to the chair, and presently Mr. Joy called Mr. Joseph W. Bailey, of
Texas, a member of the minority.
Thereupon Mr. James D. Richardson, of Tennessee, first of the
minority members of the Ways and Means Committee, offered the following
resolution:
Resolved, That the thanks of this House are tendered to the Hon.
David B. Henderson for the able, impartial, and dignified manner in
which he has presided over its deliberations and performed the arduous
and important duties of the Chair.
After remarks by Mr. Richardson, the resolution was agreed to
unanimously, by a rising vote.
Thereupon the Speaker pro tempore appointed Mr. Richardson, Mr.
Sereno E. Payne, of New York, and Mr. Joy a committee to wait on the
Speaker and notify him of the action of the House.
The Speaker appearing, escorted by the committee, the Speaker pro
tempore informed him of the resolution agreed to by the House, the same
being read by the Clerk, and presented to him the gavel.
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\1\ Second session Fifty-fourth Congress, Record, pp. 2981, 2986.
\2\ Such resolutions are usually presented and adopted at the close
of a Speaker's term, the form in this case being about the same as the
resolutions thanking Mr. Speaker Crisp in the two preceding Congresses.
In many instances there have been divisions or calls of the yeas and
nays, and sometimes party lines have been drawn. Thus, in votes of
thanks there have been divisions, of greater or less extent, in the
following Congresses: Fifth, Speaker Dayton; Sixth, Speaker Sedgwick;
Tenth, Speaker Varnum; Thirteenth, Speaker Clay; Twentieth, Speaker
Stevenson; Twenty-fifth, Speaker Polk; Twenty-seventh, Speaker White;
Thirtieth, Speaker Winthrop; Thirty-second and Thirty-third, Speaker
Boyd; Thirty-fourth, Speaker Banks; Thirty-fifth, Speaker Orr; Thirty-
sixth, Speaker Pennington; Forty-seventh, Speaker Keifer; Fifty-first,
Speaker Reed.
\3\ Second session Fifty-sixth Congress, Record, p. 3604.
\4\ David B. Henderson, of Iowa, Speaker.
Sec. 7048
The Speaker, taking the gavel and the chair, addressed the House, and
then declared the House adjourned without day.
7048. On April 28, 1904\1\ (the legislative day of April 26), at the
close of the long session of the Congress, Mr. James D. Richardson, of
Tennessee, a member of the minority party, was called to the chair by
the Speaker.
After a short time, Mr. John S. Williams, of Mississippi, proposed
the following resolution:
Resolved, That the House of Representatives return its thanks to its
Speaker, the Hon. J. G. Cannon of Illinois, for the fair, impartial,
and able manner in which he has presided over its deliberations, and
for the sturdy common sense and genial good humor which have been
displayed by him and which have induced the Members of the House itself
at this session, in a degree almost unprecedented, in imitation of him,
to display the same sterling American characteristics in their
deliberations and mutual dealings.
The vote was, by unanimous consent, taken by rising, and was
unanimously agreed to.
The Speaker pro tempore then, on motion of Mr. Williams, appointed
Messrs. Williams, Sereno E. Payne, of New York, and James A. Hemenway,
of Indiana, a committee to escort the Speaker to the chair.
The Speaker having been escorted to the chair, and having been
informed of the action of the House by Mr. Williams, addressed the
House.
And at the close of his remarks he declared the session adjourned
without day.
7049. A Speaker pro tempore is sometimes thanked for his services.--
On February 6, 1888,\2\ the House adopted a resolution thanking Hon. S.
S. Cox, of New York, for acting as Speaker pro tempore during the
temporary absence of the Speaker.
7050. The resolution of thanks to the Speaker at the end of his term
of service is presented as privileged.--On March 3, 1829,\3\ Mr. Samuel
C. Allen, of Massachusetts, offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That the thanks of this House be presented to the Hon.
Andrew Stevenson, for the able, prompt, and dignified manner in which
he has presided over its deliberations, and performed the important and
arduous duties of the Chair.
Mr. William L. Brent, of Louisiana, objected to the resolution as not
in order under the rules.
The Speaker pro tempore \4\ said that if the rules and orders were to
be strictly enforced, the motion of the gentleman from Massachusetts
would, of course, be out of order. But the universal practice of the
House had decided that such a resolution might be received on the last
day of the session, though not strictly in order, and therefore the
resolution would be received.
Mr. Brent having appealed, after debate the decision of the Chair was
sustained, yeas 95, nays 41.
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\1\ Second session Fifty-eighth Congress, Journal, pp. 717, 718;
Record, pp. 5849, 5850.
\2\ First session Fiftieth Congress, Journal, p. 684.
\3\ Second session Twentieth Congress, Journal, p. 501; Debates, pp.
388-390.
\4\ Philip P. Barbour, of Virginia, Speaker pro tempore.
Sec. 7051
7051. On June 28, 1834,\1\ Mr. Jesse Speight, of North Carolina,
offered this resolution:
Resolved, That the thanks of this House be presented to the Hon.
Andrew Stevenson, late Speaker,\2\ for the firmness, dignity, skill,
and impartiality with which he filled the office of Speaker during the
present session.
The resolution being read, an inquiry was made of the Chair whether
it could be received and entertained at this state of the business of
the day without a suspension of the rules prescribing the order of
business.
The Speaker \3\ decided that, in an analogous case which occurred on
the 3d of March, 1829, the House had decided that a resolution of
similar import did not come within the rules prescribing the order of
business, and that, in accordance with the decision then made, the
present resolution would be received and entertained.
The yeas and nays being taken, the resolution was agreed to, yeas 97,
nays 49.
7052. The Speaker sometimes, by unanimous consent, lays before the
House invitations to it to participate in public ceremonies.--On
November 24, 1903,\4\ the Speaker,\5\ by unanimous consent, laid before
the House an invitation from the governor of Louisiana requesting the
honor of the honorable the Speaker and Members of the House of
Representatives' presence at the celebration of the one hundredth
anniversary of the transfer of Louisiana by France to the United
States, to be held December 18, 19, and 20, 1903, New Orleans.
Thereupon Mr. Adolph Meyer, of Louisiana, asked unanimous consent to
offer the following resolution:
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That the invitation extended to the Congress of the United States by
the Louisiana Historical Society and by the governor of the State of
Louisiana to attend the ceremonies in commemoration of the one
hundredth anniversary of the transfer of the territory of Louisiana and
all sovereignty over said territory by France to the United States, to
be held at New Orleans, December 18, 19, and 26, 1903 be, and it is is
hereby, accepted.
That the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the
House of Representatives be, and they are hereby, authorized and
directed to appoint a committee, consisting of three Senators and five
Representatives, to attend the ceremonies and to represent the Congress
of the United States on the occasion of the celebration of the
centennial anniversary referred to.
Resolved further, That the expenses of the members of the said joint
committee of the Senate and House of Representatives authorized to
attend and attending and representing the Congress of the United States
at the city of New Orleans on the occasion named, not exceeding in the
aggregate $2,500, to be paid as follows: One-half thereof out of the
contingent fund of the House and one-half thereof out of the contingent
fund of the Senate.
This being objected to, it was referred.
7053. The House and Senate being invited to attend the Jamestown
Exposition, appointed a joint committee to attend at a date after the
expiration of the term of the Congress.--On February 27, 1907,\6\ the
Speaker laid before the House the following communication \7\ which was
read:
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\1\ First session Twenty-third Congress, Journal, pp. 879 880.
\2\ Mr. Stevenson had resigned on June 2, 1834, after seven years of
service in the chair.
\3\ John Bell, of Tennessee, Speaker.
\4\ First session Fifty-eighth Congress, Journal, p. 89; Record, p.
469.
\5\ Joseph G. Cannon, of Illinois, Speaker.
\6\ Second session Fifty-ninth Congress, Record, p. 4133.
\7\ Communications of this nature should regularly be referred under
Rule XXIV (see sec. 3089 of Vol. IV of this work) without being laid
before the House; and the Speaker presents them for reading only by
unanimous consent.
Sec. 7054
Jamestown Exposition Company (Incorporated),
Norfolk, Va., February 25, 1907.
To the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives, Washington:
The honor of the presence of the Speaker and the House of
Representatives of the United States is requested at the formal opening
of the Jamestown Tercentennial Exposition at Norfolk, Va., on April 26,
1907. The acceptance of this invitation and the attendance of the
Speaker and the House of Representatives upon the ceremony of the
formal opening will be most gratifying to the president and the
directors of the exposition and to all through whose agency the
tercentennial has been made worthy the cause it represents.
H. St. Geo. Tucker, President.
Thereupon, by unanimous consent, Mr. Harry Maynard, of Virginia,
offered this resolution, which was agreed to:
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That the invitation extended to the Congress of the United States by
the Jamestown Tercentennial Exposition to attend the opening ceremonies
of said exposition, to be held April 26, 1907, is hereby accepted.
That the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of
the Senate be, and are hereby, authorized and directed to appoint a
committee, to consist of ten Senators and fifteen Representatives of
the Fifty-ninth Congress, to attend the formal opening of the
ceremonies referred to and to represent the Congress of the United
States on that occasion.
Subsequently the Senate agreed to the resolution, and the joint
committee was appointed.\1\
7054. The House and Senate appointed a joint committee to attend the
opening of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.
Instance wherein a joint committee was authorized and appointed to
attend a ceremony occurring after the final adjournment of a Congress.
On February 20, 1903,\2\ the Speaker, by unanimous consent, laid
before the House the following communication:
Universal Exposition Commemorating the
Acquisition of the Louisiana Territory,
St. Louis, U. S. A., February 12, 1903.
To the Congress of the United States.
Sirs: The Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission and the Louisiana
Purchase Exposition Company hereby extend an invitation to the Congress
of the United States to attend the dedicatory ceremonies of the
Louisiana Purchase Exposition, to be held in St. Louis on April 30 and
May 1 and 2, 1903.
These ceremonies are provided for in the act of Congress approved
March 3, 1901, and will be in keeping with the dignity of the occasion
and commensurate with the importance of the event they are designed to
commemorate.
April 30, 1903, will be the one hundredth anniversary of the signing
of the treaty by which the Louisiana territory was transferred from the
jurisdiction of France to that of the American Republic.
Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission,
Thos. H. Carter.
Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company,
D. R. Francis.
Thereupon Mr. James A. Tawney, of Minnesota, offered the following
resolution, which was agreed to by the House:
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That the invitation extended to the Congress of the United States by
the National Commission of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition
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\1\ This committee, of course, had no powers after the adjournment of
Congress.
\2\ Second session Fifty-seventh Congress, Journal, p. 266; Record,
p. 2412.
Sec. 7055
and by the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company to attend the
dedicatory ceremonies of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, to be held
at St. Louis, Mo., April 30 and May 1 and 2, 1903, be, and is hereby,
accepted.
That the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the
House of Representatives be, and they are hereby, authorized and
directed to appoint a committee to consist of seven Senators and eleven
Representatives elected to the Fifty-eighth Congress, to attend the
dedicatory ceremonies referred to, and to represent the Congress of the
United States on the occasion of the celebration of the one hundredth
anniversary of the purchase of the territory of Louisiana at St. Louis,
Mo., April 30 and May I and 2, 1903.
On February 24 \1\ this resolution was returned from the Senate with
an amendment making the number of the committee ten Senators and
fifteen Representatives.
On February 25 \2\ the House concurred in the amendment.
7055. The House sometimes appoints committees to represent it at
public ceremonies.--On December 12, 1884,\3\ the House and Senate, by
concurrent resolution, authorized a committee of thirteen Senators with
the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House with a
committee composed of a Representative or Delegate from each State or
Territory, to attend at the Executive Mansion on December 16, when the
President of the United States should by telegraph open the World's
Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition at New Orleans.
7056. On March 2, 1889,\4\ the House passed a resolution that the
Speaker appoint a committee of one member-elect to the Fifty-first
Congress from each State and Territory to attend the centennial of the
inauguration of the first President, to be held in New York April 30,
1889, after the expiration of the fiftieth and before the organization
of the succeeding Congress.
7057. The House, accompanied by its officers, attended the exercises
in celebration of the founding of the Capitol.--On August 25, 1893,\5\
a joint committee was appointed on the part of the Senate and House in
accordance with the joint resolution providing for the celebration of
the centennial of the laying of the corner stone of the Capitol. This
joint resolution provided for a joint committee of seven from each
House to arrange for the ceremonies, and gave authority for the use of
the Capitol grounds, under control of regulations to be prescribed by
the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House.
On September 12 the House, in response to an invitation, agreed to
the following resolution:
Resolved, That the House will attend the ceremonies of the one-
hundredth anniversary of the laying of the corner stone of the Capitol,
September 18, 1893, at 2 o'clock p. m.
That a recess be taken at 10 minutes before 2 o'clock of that day,
and the House, accompanied by its officers, shall proceed to the place
assigned, at the east front of the Capitol. That the Sergeant-at-Arms
of the House is directed to make the necessary arrangements to carry
out this order.
On the day arranged, the House as a body attended, and having
returned to the Hall, adjourned.
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\1\ House Journal, p. 282.
\2\ Journal, p. 284.
\3\ Second session Forty-eighth Congress, Journal, p. 72; Record, p.
204.
\4\ Second session Fiftieth Congress, Journal, pp. 765, 766; Record,
p. 2717.
\5\ First session Fifty-third Congress, Record, pp. 244, 886, 1427,
1567.
Sec. 7058
7058. Ceremonies at a joint meeting of the two Houses in celebration
of the centennial of the Capitol.--On December 12, 1900,\1\ the one-
hundredth anniversary of the establishment of the permanent seat of
Government in the District of Columbia and of the first session of
Congress held in the permanent Capitol was observed in accordance with
the terms of a joint resolution, Which provided as follows:
That the two Houses of Congress shall assemble in the Hall of the
House of Representatives on the 12th day of December, 1900, at the hour
of half past 3 o'clock p. m., and that addresses on subjects bearing on
the celebration shall be made by Senators and Representatives to be
chosen by the joint committee mentioned in the preamble; that the
President and ex-Presidents of the United States, the heads of the
several Executive Departments, the Justices of the Supreme Court,
representatives of foreign governments accredited to this Government,
the governors of the several States and Territories, the Commissioners
of the District of Columbia, the Lieutenant-General of the Army and the
Admiral of the Navy, officers of the Army and Navy who have received
the thanks of Congress, and all persons who have the privilege of the
floor either of the Senate or the House, be, and are hereby, invited to
be present on the occasion, and that the members of the committee from
the country at large, the members of the said citizens' committee, and
the chairman and vice-chairman of the committees of the national
capital centennial, are hereby granted the privilege of the floor of
the House during the exercises; that the said citizens' committees
shall issue cards of admission to such portions of the public galleries
of the Hall of the House as may be set apart by the Doorkeeper of the
House for that purpose. That the Speaker of the House shall call the
assembly to order and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall act
as presiding officer during the exercises.
At 3.30 o'clock the following bodies appeared, and were announced, in
the absence of the Doorkeeper by the Assistant Doorkeeper, in the
following order and terms:
The President pro tempore and the Senate of the United States.
The Chief Justice and associate justices of the Supreme Court.
The ambassadors and ministers to the United States.
The governors of the several States and Territories.
The President of the United States and the members of his Cabinet.
Other invited guests entered unannounced.
The President pro tempore of the Senate, when he entered with the
Senate, was escorted by the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House to a chair
beside and at the right of the Speaker.
The members of the Senate, diplomatic corps, governors, and the
unannounced guests took seats in the body of the Hall to the right of
the Speaker's desk, the Members of the House occupying the portion of
the Hall to the left of the Speaker's desk.
The President of the United States and his Cabinet occupied seats in
the area before the Speaker's desk and on its left. The Supreme Court
occupied chairs similarly placed on the other side of the area, to the
right of the Speaker's desk.
The exercises being concluded, the bodies were ushered from the Hall
in an order the reverse of that in which they entered.
7059. The completion of the Washington Monument was celebrated by
exercises in the Hall of the House.--The completion of the Washington
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\1\ Second session Fifty-sixth Congress, Journal, pp. 45, 46; Record,
p. 255.
Sec. 7060
Monument was celebrated by ceremonies, of which a part was an address
delivered in the Hall of the House of Representatives on February 22,
1885,\1\ by Hon. Robert C. Winthrop. The exercises were arranged in
terms of a joint resolution, which also provided for a commission,
consisting of five Senators, eight Representatives (to be appointed
respectively by the presiding officers of their respective Houses),
three members of the monument society, and the engineer in charge of
the work. This commission was to arrange for the ceremonies.
7060. The centennial of the inauguration of George Washington was
observed by exercises at a joint session of the two Houses.--On
December 11, 1889,\2\ the joint committee of the two Houses, appointed
in pursuance of the act of March 2, 1889, reported to the House the
order of arrangements for the ceremony of that day in commemoration of
the inauguration of George Washington, first President of the United
States. This programme provided the usual regulations for the admission
to the Capitol, the occupation of the floor and galleries of the Hall
of the House, where the exercises were to take place, for the seating
of the President and ex-Presidents, the Supreme Court, the Cabinet, the
Senators, the General of the Army and Admiral of the Navy, etc.
The Vice-President occupied the Speaker's chair and presided, the
Speaker sitting at his left.
At the appointed hour the Senate and other bodies and individuals
arrived, a message having been sent by the House to the Senate that the
House was ready to receive the Senate. The orator of the occasion,
Melville W. Fuller, Chief Justice, was escorted to the Clerk's desk by
the chairman of the joint committee on the part of the House and
Senate.
The opening invocation was by the Chaplain of the Senate, and the
benediction by the Chaplain of the House.
At the close of the exercises the bodies and invited guests retired
from the Hall in an order the inverse of that in which they entered.\3\
7061. The House sometimes accepts invitations to attend public
exercises, but does not go as an organized body.--On May 7, 1884,\4\
the House agreed to this resolution:
Resolved, That the House of Representatives will, at 1 o'clock p. m.
on Saturday, May 10, attend as a body the ceremonies of unveiling the
statue of John Marshall, late Chief Justice of the United States.
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\1\ First session Forty-eighth Congress, Record, p. 3977.
\2\ First session Fifty-first Congress, Journal, p. 18; Record, p.
146. The programme appears in full in the Record.
\3\ On December 20, by concurrent resolution, the thanks of Congress
were tendered to the orator for his oration. (Journal, p. 74.) By the
act of March 2, 1889 (25 Stat. L., p. 980), a joint committee composed
of five Senators and five Representatives, to be appointed by the
presiding officers of their respective Houses, and to be Members of the
Fifty-first Congress, was appointed to have charge of the centennial of
the inauguration of the first President. This committee made a joint
report (first session Fifty-first Congress, Record, pp. 146, 147) which
prescribed the order of exercises. These exercises occurred in the Hall
of the House, in the presence of the Senate, Supreme Court, diplomatic
corps, President and Cabinet, and other invited guests.
\4\ First session Forty-eighth Congress, Journal, p. 1200; Record,
pp. 3949, 4056.
Sec. 7062
The House, however, on the 9th adjourned to the 12th, so it did not
attend as a House organized. The Senate did assemble, proceeded to the
unveiling, and on its return adjourned.
7062. On May 5, 1876,\1\ concurrent resolution was announced as
agreed to whereby the two Houses accepted an invitation to attend the
opening of the Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia.
7063. On June 28, 1850,\2\ Mr. Speaker Cobb, by unanimous consent,
laid before the House an invitation to the House to participate in the
celebration of the anniversary of National Independence. The invitation
was accepted.
7064. On July 23, 1856,\3\ the Speaker laid before the House an
invitation from Cornelius Vanderbilt inviting the House to inspect his
steamship. On the following day an order was adopted accepting the
invitation, although it was urged in opposition that the House should
take no action, and that such a matter ought not to appear in the
Journal.
7065. Ceremonies at the presentation of portraits of ex-Speakers.--On
December 21, 1880,\4\ Mr. Joseph R. Hawley, of Connecticut, by
unanimous consent, was recognized to present in behalf of the State of
Connecticut a portrait of Mr. Speaker Trumbull. The House thereupon
adopted the following resolution:
Resolved, That the thanks of the House of Representatives be tendered
to the general assembly of the State of Connecticut for the portrait of
the distinguished statesman and citizen, Jonathan Trumbull, presented
to the House today.
7066. On February 26, 1881,\5\ Mr. Hiester Clymer, of Pennsylvania,
presented to the House a portrait of Frederick A. Muhlenberg, first
Speaker of the House. Mr. Clymer made the presentation in behalf of
descendants of Mr. Muhlenberg, and the House adopted a resolution
thanking them for the portrait.
7067. On June 27, 1882,\6\ Mr. Leopold Morse, of Massachusetts, by
unanimous consent, presented the letter of several Massachusetts
gentlemen, presenting to the House a portrait of Mr. Speaker Winthrop.
At the conclusion of remarks on the subject, Mr. J. Randolph Tucker, of
Virginia, presented a resolution, directing the Speaker to inform the
donors of the satisfaction with which the House had received the gift,
and to assure them that it should be placed among the portraits of the
other Speakers.
7068. January 20, 1888,\7\ was by special order set apart for the
presentation, on behalf of the State of Massachusetts, of portraits of
ex-Speakers Sedgwick, Varnum, and Banks. The executive council of
Massachusetts were, by permission of the House, given seats on the
floor. Mr. John D. Long, of Massachusetts, a Member of the House,
presented the portraits in behalf of the committee of the council. The
House adopted a regolution accepting the portraits and declaring that
they should be placed with the portraits of the other Speakers.
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\1\ First session Forty-fourth Congress, Journal, p. 927.
\2\ First session Thirty-first Congress, Journal, p. 1054; Globe, p.
1303.
\3\ First session Thirty-fourth Congress, Journal, pp. 1262, 1283;
Globe, pp. 1728, 1764.
\4\ Third session Forty-sixth Congress, Journal, pp. 109, 110;
Record, p. 293.
\5\ Third session Forty-sixth Congress, Record, p. 2192.
\6\ First session Forty-seventh Congress, Journal, p. 1546; Record,
p. 5399.
\7\ First session Fiftieth Congress, Journal, pp. 320, 472.
Sec. 7069
7069. January 21, 1892,\1\ was set apart by special resolution for
the presentation to the House of the portraits of ex-Speakers Grow and
Randall on behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. After remarks
the House adopted the usual resolution accepting the portraits.
7070. Washington's farewell address was read at a joint session of
the two Houses in 1862.--In 1862,\2\ a joint session of the two Houses
was held in the Hall of the House of Representatives, and Washington's
farewell address was read by the Secretary of the Senate. The joint
meeting was provided for by concurrent resolution, and the heads of
Departments, judges of the Supreme Court, representatives of foreign
governments, and officers of the Army and Navy were present. The
President of the United States was absent on account of the recent
death of a son.
7071. In early days the House did not allow special occasions, like
holidays, to interfere with public business.--On February 22, 1796,\3\
the House declined to adjourn in order to pay their compliments to the
President on his birthday, the argument having been made that it was
the business of the Members first to do their duty, and then attend to
the paying of compliments.
7072. On February 21 and 22, 1826,\4\ the House, after debate,
declined to adjourn on Washington's birthday.
So, also, the House declined to adjourn February 22, 1906.\5\
7073. On February 21, 1846,\6\ on motion of Mr. William L. Yancey, of
Alabama, the rules were, by a vote of two-thirds, suspended, and the
following resolution was offered and agreed to:
Resolved, That when this House adjourns, it stand adjourned until
Tuesday next, in honor of the memory, and in respect to the anniversary
of the birthday, of George Washington, the Father of his Country.
7074. On March 31, 1820,\7\ the House decided in the negative the
motion made by Mr. John Randolph, of Virginia, that the House adjourn
out of respect to Good Friday.
7075. In honor of the centennial birthday of George Washington, the
two Houses, by concurrent action, adjourned from February 21 to 23,
1832.
Form of report by a joint committee.
Correspondence, carried on by the Speaker by direction of the House,
was entered in the Journal as a matter of course.
On February 3, 1832,\8\ the House agreed to this resolution:
Resolved, That a joint committee of the two Houses be appointed for
the purpose of making arrangements for the celebration of the
centennial birthday of George Washington.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ First session Fifty-second Congress, Journal, pp. 24,
\2\ Second session Thirty-seventh Congress, Journal, pp. 310, 338-
340; Globe, pp. 835, 913.
\3\ First session Fourth Congress, Annals, p. 355.
\4\ First session Nineteenth Congress, Debates, pp. 1419, 1428.
\5\ First session Fifty-ninth Congress.
\6\ First session Twenty-ninth Congress, Journal, p. 445; Globe, p.
413.
\7\ First session Sixteenth Congress, Annals, p. 1701.
\8\ First session Twenty-second Congress, Journal, p. 283; Debates,
p. 1732.
Sec. 7076
A committee of twenty-four, one from each State, were appointed on
the part of the House, and the resolution was transmitted to the
Senate.
On February 7 \1\ a message from the Senate announced that they had
concurred in the resolution and appointed a committee.
On February 13 \2\ this joint committee made a report in writing,
signed by ``H. Clay, Chairman of the Committee of the Senate,'' and
``Philemon Thomas, Chairman of the Committee of the House of
Representatives.'' This report begins as follows:
The joint committee of the Senate and House of Representatives,
appointed to make arrangements or the purpose of celebrating the
centennial birthday of George Washington, have, according to order, had
the subject under consideration, and now beg leave to report to the
respective Houses.
The report then goes on to say that the committee had decided to
recommend an adjournment of the two Houses by joint resolution from the
21st to the 23d of the present month; and, being unable to have an
oration from the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, had decided to
request the Chaplains to perform divine service in the Capitol on the
22d instant; and finally the committee recommended action to carry into
effect the resolution of 1799 by the removal of the remains of George
Washington and their interment in the city of Washington in the
Capitol.
The report having been read, joint resolutions were presented and
agreed to, empowering the President of the Senate and Speaker of the
House to make application to surviving relatives of George Washington,
and Martha, his wife, for the removal of their bodies to the Capitol;
also arranging for appropriate ceremonies. These resolutions were
agreed to by the Senate.
On February 16 \3\ the Speaker announced to the House that the Vice-
President and himself, in fulfillment of the joint resolutions of the
two Houses, had sent joint letters to Messrs. John A. Washington and
George Washington Parke Custis. These joint letters, signed by the
Vice-President and Speaker, with the replies thereto, were laid before
the House and entered in fall on the Journal. Their entry on the
Journal being made a subject of inquiry, the Speaker \4\ said that they
would be entered as a matter of course.
On February 20 \5\ the two Houses agreed to the adjournment.\6\
The exercises of February 22 were not a part of the proceedings and
do not appear in the Journal.
7076. Eminent American soldiers have been received informally by the
House.--On February 11, 1865,\7\ the House took a recess in order that
the Members might have an opportunity of paying their respects to
Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, and at the expiration of the recess, on
motion of Mr. Robert C. Schenck,
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Journal, p. 302.
\2\ Journal, pp. 339, 340, 348; Debates, pp. 1782-1809, 1811.
\3\ Journal, pp. 366-368; Debates, pp. 1818-1820.
\4\ Andrew Stevenson, of Virginia, Speaker. Debates, p. 1820.
\5\ Journal, p. 392.
\6\ They did this by resolutions concurrent in form and the same in
phraseology, but not identical. The House, having acted on its own, did
not deem it necessary to act on the Senate's when that was received.
\7\ Second session Thirty-eighth Congress, Journal, p. 242; Globe, p.
756.
Sec. 7077
of Ohio, General Grant was escorted by the Speaker to the Speaker's
chair, and formally introduced to the House of Representatives.
7077. On December 16, 1880,\1\ the House took a recess to enable the
Members to be presented to General Grant, who was present on the floor.
7078. On January 29, 1886,\2\ the House took a recess to enable the
Speaker to introduce to the House Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman. On February
2 \3\ Gens. George G. Meade and George H. Thomas were introduced to the
House.
7079. On February 5, 1867 \4\ Gen. Philip H. Sheridan was introduced
to the House by the Speaker.
7080. A newly appointed Chief Justice of the United States Supreme
Court was received informally by the House.--On February 20, 1874,\5\
the House took a recess of ten minutes to enable Members to be
introduced to the newly appointed Chief Justice, Morrison R. Waite.
7081. The House formally extended the privileges of the floor to the
widow of President Madison.--On January 8, 1844,\6\ it was unanimously
resolved that a committee be appointed on the part of this House to
wait on Mrs. Madison and to assure her that whenever it shall be her
pleasure to visit the House she be requested to take a seat within the
Hall.
The committee made a written report consisting principally of the
letter of thanks from Mrs. Madison.\7\
7082. Ceremonies at the reception of General Lafayette by the House,
in the presence of the Senate.--On December 6, 1824,\8\ on motion of
Mr. George E. Mitchell, of Maryland,
Resolved, That a committee be appointed on the part of this House, to
join such committee as may be appointed on the part of the Senate, to
consider and report what respectful mode it may be proper for Congress
to adopt to receive General Lafayette and to testify the very high
gratification which he has afforded to it by his present visit to the
United States, made in pursuance of the invitation given to him by
Congress \9\ during its last session.
The Senate having concurred in this resolution, on December 8 Mr.
Mitchell, chairman of the committee on the part of the House, made the
following report:
That the joint committee have agreed to recommend to their respective
Houses that each House receive General Lafayette in such manner as it
shall deem most suitable to the occasion; and recommend to the House
the adoption of the following resolutions:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Third session Forty-sixth Congress, Journal, p. 84; Record, p.
205.
\2\ First session Thirty-ninth Congress, Journal, p. 199.
\3\ Journal, p. 220.
\4\ Second session Thirty-ninth Congress, Globe, p. 1013.
\5\ First session Forty-third Congress, Journal, p. 484; Record, p.
1688.
\6\ First session Twenty-eighth Congress, Journal, p. 186; Globe, p.
120.
\7\ House Report No. 5, first session Twenty-eighth Congress.
\8\ Second session Eighteenth Congress, Journal, p. 8.
\9\ This invitation was in the form of a joint resolution, presented
in the House January 12, 1824, and signed by the President February 4.
(First session Eighteenth Congress, Journal, pp. 140, 208; Annals, p.
1127.)
\10\ Journal, p. 29.
Sec. 7083
Resolved, That the congratulations of this House be publicly given to
General Lafayette on his arrival in the United States in compliance
with the wishes of Congress; and that he be assured of the gratitude
and deep respect which the House entertains for his signal and
illustrious services in the Revolution; and the pleasure it feels in
being able to welcome him, after an absence of so many years, to the
theater of his early labor and early renown.
Resolved, That, for this purpose, General Lafayette be invited by a
committee to attend the House on Friday next at 1 o'clock; that he be
introduced by the committee and received by the Members, standing,
uncovered, and addressed by the Speaker in behalf of the House in
pursuance of the foregoing resolution.
The resolutions were agreed to unanimously, and the committee were
appointed, Mr. Mitchell being chairman, and the number being 24.
On December 10 \1\ a message was sent to the Senate inviting that
body to attend at 1 o'clock, which they did, being assigned, with their
President, to seats prepared for them.
General Lafayette was then conducted into the Hall by the committee
appointed for that purpose, and, having arrived at the area in front of
the Speaker's chair, was presented by Mr. Mitchell, of Maryland, the
chairman of the committee, in the following words:
Mr. Speaker: We have the honor to introduce to you General Lafayette.
The Speaker rose and addressed him.
To which General Lafayette replied, addressing--
Mr. Speaker and gentlemen of the House of Representatives.
At the conclusion of his address the House adjourned.
On December 30,\2\ by joint action of House and Senate, a joint
committee was appointed to announce to General Lafayette the passage of
the act ``concerning'' him, which had just been approved, and to
``express to him the respectful request and confidence of the two
Houses of Congress that he will add his acceptance of the testimony of
public gratitude extended to him by this act, to the many and signal
proofs which he has afforded of his esteem for the United States.''
On January 3 \3\ the committee reported to the House that they had
performed the duty by addressing to General Lafayette a letter, of
which they presented a copy, with General Lafayette's reply thereto.
These, on motion of Mr. Lewis Condict, of New Jersey, were entered at
large on the Journal.\4\
7083. Ceremonies at the reception of Louis Kossuth by the House.--On
December 15, 1851,\5\ the House, in concurrence with the Senate, passed
the following:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Journal, pp. 33-35; Debates, p. 3.
\2\ Journal, pp. 92, 93; Debates, p. 99.
\3\ Journal, pp. 97, 98; Debates, p. 113.
\4\ On October 14, 1881 (special session Senate, Forty-seventh
Congress, Record, p. 523), the Senate received on its floor the
representatives of the Government and people of France and the
descendants of General Lafayette and Baron Steuben, invited as guests
of the United States at the Yorktown centennial celebration. When they
had been introduced on the floor the Senate took a recess to enable the
Senators to greet them.
\5\ First session Thirty-second Congress, Journal, pp. 89, 168, 173,
184; Globe, pp. 96, 209, 225.
Sec. 7084
A joint resolution of welcome to Louis Kossuth.
Resolved, That Congress, in the name and behalf of the people of the
United States, give to Louis Kossuth a cordial welcome to the capital
and the country; and that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
him by the President of the United States.\1\
On January 5, 1852, Mr. David K. Cartter, of Ohio, offered, and the
House agreed to, the following resolution:
Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed by the Speaker to
wait upon Louis Kossuth, and introduce him to the House of
Representatives.
Mr. Cartter was appointed chairman of the committee.
On January 6 he presented a report recommending ceremonies on the
occasion of the introduction similar to those observed in the Senate in
introducing Kossuth.\2\
On January 7, at 1 o'clock, the hour fixed for the ceremony, Mr.
Louis Kossuth, escorted by the committee of reception, and followed by
his suite, entered the Hall and advanced up the aisle in front of the
Speaker--the Members of the House generally rising to receive him.
Mr. Cartter, chairman of the committee of reception, then addressed
the Speaker as follows:
Mr. Speaker: We have the honor to present Governor Louis Kossuth to
the House of Representatives.
The Speaker said:
As the organ of this body I have the honor to extend to Louis Kossuth
a cordial welcome to the House of Representatives of the United States.
Mr. Kossuth, having responded briefly, thanking the House for the
reception, was conducted by the committee to a chair that had been
prepared for him. The House then adjourned to give Members an
opportunity of greeting him.
The Journal has the following statement of the occurrence:
The hour of 1 o'clock having arrived,
Mr. Cartter, from the select committee appointed for that purpose,
introduced Louis Kossuth to the House of Representatives.
The Speaker having extended to him a cordial welcome, to which he
briefly responded, he was conducted to a seat provided for him within
the bar of the House.
And then, on motion of Mr. Frederick P. Stanton, at 1 o'clock and 5
minutes p. m., the House adjourned until Friday next at 12 m.
7084. At a special session of the House Charles Stewart Parnell was
introduced by the Speaker and addressed the House.--On January 19,
1880,\3\ the Speaker laid before the House, by unanimous consent, a
letter from a committee having in charge arrangements for the address
of Charles Stewart Parnell, inviting the House to be present at the
address.
Thereupon Mr. Samuel S. Cox, of New York, submitted the following
resolution:
In response to the invitation just presented and accepted, requesting
the House to agree to take part in the ceremonies to be observed in the
reception of Mr. Charles Stewart Parnell, a representative
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ On December 18 the Committee on Enrolled Bills reported that the
committee had presented the joint resolution to the President; but
there is no record that he signed it. There is doubt about his
signature being required.
\2\ The Senate committee, composed of Messrs. James Shields, William
H. Seward, and Lewis Cass, recommended the same proceedings as in case
of General Lafayette. (Globe, p. 157.) The Senate adopted the report.
\3\ Second session Forty-sixth Congress, Journal, pp. 261, 386;
Record, pp. 393, 664.
Sec. 7085
of the Irish people, for the delivery of an address on Irish affairs,
and because of the great interest which the people of the United States
take in the condition of Ireland, with which this country is so closely
allied by many historic and kindred ties: Therefore,
Be it resolved, That the Hall of this House be granted for the above
purposes on the 2d day of February next, and that the House meet on
that day and time to take part in said ceremonies.
The Speaker \1\ held that the resolution came within the terms of the
rule, and it was agreed to by the House.
On February 2 an evening session was held, and the Speaker introduced
Mr. Parnell to the House and the latter delivered an address. This
address appears in the Record as a portion of the proceedings of the
House.
7085. The embassies of China and Japan were received by the House.--
On March 1, 1872,\2\ the House, by resolution, requested the Speaker to
extend to the Japanese embassy an invitation to visit the House of
Representatives. The embassy having accepted the invitation, a
committee of five Members of the House was appointed to arrange the
reception.
On March 5 the Doorkeeper announced the presence of the committee of
the House with the members of the embassy. The Members of the House
arose as the visitors entered and took their places in the area in
front of the Speaker's desk. The chairman of the committee then
presented them to the Speaker, who addressed them. To this address one
of the embassy responded in his own tongue. A translation of the
response was presented to the House by the chairman of the committee
and ordered entered on the Journal.
Members of the House generally were then presented to the embassy,
after which they retired from the Hall.
7086. On June 6, 1868,\3\ by unanimous consent, and on motion of Mr.
Fernando Wood, of New York,
Resolved, That the Speaker be requested to extend to the embassy now
in this capital representing the Chinese Government a public reception
in this Hall at such time as may be convenient to the embassy and the
public business.
A committee was appointed to receive the embassy, and on June 9 the
presence of the said committee, with the embassy, was announced by the
Doorkeeper. At this announcement the Members of the House rose, and the
committee and the embassy advanced to the area in front of the
Speaker's desk. Then Mr. Robert C. Schenck, of Ohio, chairman of the
committee, presented the embassy to the Speaker.
The Speaker \4\ addressed the embassy, after which Anson Burlingame
responded for the embassy. Then the committee introduced Members of the
House to the embassy, an informal recess being taken for the ceremony.
7087. The House and Senate in joint session received the King of
Hawaii.--On December 17, 1874,\5\ the joint committee of the two
Houses, appointed in accordance with a concurrent resolution of the
Senate, reported the following:
The Senate and the House of Representatives will receive the King of
the Hawaiian Islands in the Hall of the House to-morrow, at 15 minutes
after 12 o'clock.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Samuel J. Randall, of Pennsylvania, Speaker.
\2\ Second session Forty-second Congress, Journal, pp. 439, 452, 455;
Globe, pp. 1445, 1446.
\3\ Second session Fortieth Congress, Journal, pp. 806, 823; Globe,
pp. 2906, 2970.
\4\ Schuyler Colfax, of Indiana, Speaker.
\5\ Second session Forty-third Congress, Journal, pp. 66, 81, 83;
Record, pp. 67, 129, 144.
Sec. 7088
The Vice-President and the Speaker of the House will preside.
Senator Cameron, chairman of the joint committee, will present the
King and the Speaker will welcome him.
The southeastern gallery will be reserved for the families of the
President, Vice-President, members of the Cabinet, Senators, and
Members of the House.
The diplomatic gallery will be reserved for members of the diplomatic
corps exclusively.
The other galleries, except the reporters' gallery, will be open to
the public.
The report was agreed to, and on the succeeding day the exercises
took place in accordance with the arrangements.
7088. The Speaker having been ordered by the House to communicate a
resolution to the last surviving signer of the Declaration of
Independence, laid before the House a copy of the letter, and it was
entered in the Journal.--The Speaker having, on May 22, 1828,\1\ been
ordered by the House to communicate to Charles Carroll, of Carrollton,
Md., a joint resolution of the two Houses, granting the franking
privilege to him as the last surviving signer of the Declaration of
Independence, the Speaker on May 23 laid before the House a copy of the
letter which he had addressed to Mr. Carroll, and it was entered in the
Journal.
7089. Ceremonies in accepting statues for Statuary Hall.--On January
20, 1870,\2\ Mr. Charles Sumner, of Massachusetts, in presenting in the
Senate the joint resolution for the acceptance of the statue of
Nathanael Greene, said that he had followed the precedents, and
especially that made by John Quincy Adams, on a similar occasion.
The resolution, which was as follows, was agreed to:
Resolved, That the thanks of this Congress be presented to the
governor, and through him to the people of the State of Rhode Island
and Providence Plantations, for the statue of Major-General Greene,
whose name is so honorably identified with our Revolutionary history;
that this work of art is accepted in the name of the nation and
assigned a place in the old Hall of the House of Representatives,
already set aside by act of Congress for the statues of eminent
citizens; and that a copy of this resolution, signed by the President
of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, be
transmitted to the governor of the State of Rhode Island and Providence
Plantations.
7090. On April 29, 1872,\3\ the House concurred in the following:
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring),
That the thanks of Congress are presented to the governor, and through
him to the people, of the State of Connecticut, for the statues of
Jonathan Trumbull and Roger Sherman, whose names are so honorably
identified with our Revolutionary history.
Resolved, That these works of art are accepted in the name of the
nation, and assigned a place in the old Hall of the House of
Representatives, already set aside by act of Congress for statues of
eminent citizens, and that a copy of this resolution, signed by the
President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives, be
transmitted to the governor of Connecticut.
7091. On December 19, 1876,\4\ the House agreed to the following
concurrent resolution from the Senate:
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 1.
That the statues of John Winthrop and Samuel Adams are accepted in the
name of the United States, and that the thanks of Congress
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ First session Twentieth Congress, Journal, p. 830.
\2\ Second session Forty-first Congress, Globe, p. 594.
\3\ Second session Forty-second Congress, Journal, p. 774; Globe, p.
2899.
\4\ Second session Forty-fourth Congress, Journal, p. 113; Record,
pp. 300-306.
Sec. 7092
are given to the State of Massachusetts for these memorials of two of
her eminent citizens whose names are indissolubly associated with the
foundation of the Republic.
2. That a copy of these resolutions, engrossed upon parchment and
duly authenticated, be transmitted to the governor of the State of
Massachusetts.
7092. On January 19, 1886,\1\ after addresses, the House agreed to
the following:
Resolved by the. Senate (the House of Representatives concurring),
That the thanks of Congress be presented to the governor, and through
him to the people, of Ohio for the statue of James A. Garfield, whose
name is so honorably identified with the history of that State and of
the United States.
Resolved, That this work of art is accepted in the name of the nation
and assigned a place in the old Hall of the House of Representatives,
already set aside by act of Congress for statues of eminent citizens,
and that a copy of this resolution, signed by the President of the
Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives, be transmitted to
the governor of the State of Ohio.
7093. On December 6, 1893,\2\ the House agreed to the concurrent
resolution accepting from the State of Missouri, for the Statuary Hall,
the statue of Gen. James Shields.
7094. On December 20, 1894,\3\ the House received from the State of
New Hampshire the statues of Webster and Stark, and adopted the usual
concurrent resolution thanking the State, accepting the statues, and
providing that they should be placed in Statuary Hall.
7095. On January 31, 1903,\4\ Mr. George A. Pearre, of Maryland,
presented the following resolutions:
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That the thanks of Congress be presented to the State of Maryland for
providing the bronze statues of Charles Carroll of Carrollton and John
Hanson, citizens of Maryland, illustrious for their historic renown and
distinguished civic services.
Resolved, That the statues be accepted and placed in the national
Statuary Hall, in the Capitol, and that a copy of these resolutions,
duly authenticated, be transmitted to the governor of the State of
Maryland.
After remarks these resolutions were agreed to by the House.
At the same time similar resolutions were agreed to by the Senate.
7096. On January 30, 1904,\5\ Mr. Theobold Otjen, of Wisconsin,
offered the following resolutions, which were agreed to by the House:
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That the thanks of Congress be given to the people of Wisconsin for the
statue of James Marquette, the renowned missionary and explorer.
Resolved, That the statue be accepted, to remain in the national
Statuary Hall, in the Capitol of the nation, and that a copy of these
resolutions, signed by the presiding officers of the House of
Representatives and Senate, be forwarded to his excellency the governor
of the State of Wisconsin.
On February 1 \6\ the resolutions were agreed to by the Senate.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ First session Forty-ninth Congress, Journal, p. 428; Record, p.
762.
\2\ Second session Fifty-third Congress, Record, p. 78.
\3\ Third session Fifty-third Congress, Record, p. 516.
\4\ Second session Fifty-seventh Congress, Record, p. 1541.
\5\ Second session Fifty-eighth Congress, Journal, p. 224; Record, p.
1421.
\6\ Record, p. 1446.
Sec. 7097
7097. On February 25, 1905,\1\ in accordance with the following
order:\2\
Resolved, That the exercises appropriate to the reception and
acceptance from the State of Texas of the statutes of Sam Houston and
Stephen F. Austin, erected in Statuary Hall, in the Capitol, be made
the special order for Saturday, the 25th day of February, at 3 o'clock
p. m.
In the House considered, and agreed to the following resolutions:
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That the thanks of Congress be presented to the State of Texas for
providing the statues of Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin, illustrious
for their historic renown and distinguished in civic services.
Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions, duly authenticated, be
transmitted to the governor of the State of Texas.
7098. On January 21, 1905,\2\ the following resolutions were agreed
to by both Senate and House:
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring),
That the statue of John J. Ingalls, presented by the State of Kansas to
be placed in Statuary Hall, is accepted in the name of the United
States, and that the thanks of Congress be tendered the State for the
contribution of the statue of one of its most eminent citizens,
illustrious for his distinguished civic services.
Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions, suitably engrossed and
duly authenticated, be transmitted to the governor of the State of
Kansas.
7099. On January 19, 1905,\3\ the Speaker laid before the House the
following:
State of Illinois, Executive Department,
Springfield, January 10, 1905.
Dear Sir: Governor Deneen is in receipt of a letter from the chairman
of the Illinois board of commissioners for the Frances E. Willard
statue, informing him that the sculptor, Helen Farnsworth Mears,
reports that the model will reach Washington, D.C., on February 11. The
commissioners express the desire that Governor Deneen advise the Senate
of the United States and House of Representatives of the completion of
the statue in order that a date may be immediately fixed for its
acceptance by Congress. I am directed by Governor Deneen to communicate
this fact to you for your information and such action as Congress may
see fit to take.
Yours, truly,
J. Whittaker, Secretary.
Hon. Jos. G. Cannon,
Speaker Howe of Representatives, Washington, D. C.
Thereupon Mr. George E. Foss, of Illinois, offered the following
resolution, which was agreed to:
Resolved, That the exercises appropriate to the reception and
acceptance from the State of Illinois of the statue of Frances E.
Willard, erected in Statuary Hall, in the Capitol, be made the special
order for Friday, February 17, at 4 o'clock.
On February 17 \5\ these resolutions were agreed to, after
appropriate addresses:
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That the statue of Frances E. Willard, presented by the State of
Illinois, to be placed in Statuary Hall, be accepted by the United
States, and that the thanks of Congress be tendered the State for the
statue of one of the most eminent women of the United States.
Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions, duly authenticated, be
transmitted to the governor of the State of Illinois.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Third session Fifty-eighth Congress, Record, pp. 3429-3450.
\2\ Agreed to on January 20. Record, p. 1156.
\3\ Third session Fifty-eighth Congress, Record, pp. 1202-1214.
\4\ Third session Fifty-eighth Congress, Record, p. 1078.
\5\ Record, pp. 2801-2809.
Sec. 7100
7100. The sword of Washington and staff of Franklin were presented to
Congress with addresses by Members.--On February 7, 1843,\1\ Mr. George
W. Summers, of Virginia, being recognized by the Speaker, addressed the
House, presenting to Congress, and through Congress to the people, the
service sword of George Washington, and a walking stick which Benjamin
Franklin had bequeathed to George Washington. The presentation was made
by Mr. Summers in behalf of his constituent, Samuel T. Washington.
At the conclusion of Mr. Summers's remarks the Sergeant-at-Arms
received into custody the relics.
Mr. John Quincy Adams, of Massachusetts, was next recognized, and
having addressed the House, presented the following resolution:
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled, That the thanks of this
Congress be presented to Samuel T. Washington, of Kanawha County, Va.,
for the present of the sword used by his illustrious relative, George
Washington, in the military career of his early youth, in the Seven
Years' war, and throughout the war of national independence, and of the
staff bequeathed by the patriot, statesman, and sage, Benjamin
Franklin, to the same leader of the armies of freedom in the
Revolutionary war, George Washington; that these precious relics are
hereby accepted in the name of the nation; that they be deposited for
safe-keeping in the Department of State of the United States; and that
a copy of this resolution, signed by the President of the Senate and
the Speaker of the House of Representatives, be transmitted to the said
Samuel T. Washington.
This resolution was presented and agreed to, and then the following
order was presented and agreed to:
Ordered, That the addresses of Mr. Summers and Mr. Adams be entered
on the Journal; that the resolution be taken to the Senate by the
Clerk, accompanied by the sword and staff, with the request that the
Senate will concur in the said resolution.
7101. Ceremonies at the presentation of various gifts to Congress.--
On April 18, 1844,\2\ Mr. John Quincy Adams, of Massachusetts, gave
notice to the House that he had in his possession the camp chest of
Gen. George Washington, which, by the last will and testament of the
late William S. Winder, he had been requested to present to Congress,
and he asked leave to present it to the House of Representatives at 3
o'clock this day. Leave was granted by unanimous consent, and at that
hour Mr. Adams proceeded to make the presentation, reading certain
papers relating to the authenticity of the gift.
Mr. Adams then offered two joint resolutions, one accepting the gift
and ordering its deposit in the Department of State, and the other
expressing to the Winder family the high sense of Congress of the value
of the gift.
It was then ordered that the resolutions, accompanied by the chest,
be taken to the Senate by the Clerk, and that the letters and papers
read by Mr. Adams be entered on the Journal.
7102. On February 11, 1878,\3\ Mr. Samuel S. Cox, of New York, from
the Committee on Library, submitted the following report:
The Joint Committee on the Library, having been instructed by the
joint resolution of Congress to make arrangements for the formal
presentation of the painting tendered to Congress by Mrs. Elizabeth
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Third session Twenty-seventh Congress, Journal, pp. 329-333;
Globe, pp. 254, 255.
\2\ First session Twenty-eighth Congress, Journal, pp. 812, 817, 819;
Globe, pp. 559, 561.
\3\ Second session Forty-fifth Congress, Journal pp. 412, 425;
Record, pp. 938, 968.
Sec. 7103
Thompson, on Tuesday, the 12th of February, have, in pursuance of the
said resolution, ordered the painting to be placed in an appropriate
and conspicuous place in the Capitol, and provided for such
presentation the following programme:
The two Houses to meet in the Hall of the House at 2 o'clock p.m. on
Tuesday, the 12th of February, when the ceremony shall take place. Hon.
James A. Garfield, of Ohio, and Hon. A. H. Stephens, of Georgia, will
make remarks appropriate to the occasion; the donor of the picture,
Mrs. Elizabeth Thompson, with her escort, and the artist, Mr. F. B.
Carpenter, to be privileged the floor of the House during the ceremony.
The House agreed to the report, and on February 12 the exercises took
place as arranged.
7103. On August 10, 1852,\1\ Mr. Joseph R. Chandler, of Pennsylvania,
by unanimous consent, presented to the House a steel engraving of
Washington, the gift of Mr. G. W. Childs, of Philadelphia.
7104. On April 22, 1880,\2\ a message from the President announced
that the heirs of the late Thomas Coolidge, jr., desired to present to
the United States the desk on which the Declaration of Independence of
the United States was written, and recommended that action be taken by
Congress with reference to the gift.
Accordingly the House passed a resolution (H. Res. No. 290) thanking
the donors in the name of Congress, accepting the relic in the name of
the nation, and directing that it be deposited in the Department of
State.
The resolution was passed by the Senate and signed by the President.
7105. The House, by resolution, accepted the gift of a flag made of
American silk.--On December 13, 1830,\3\ the Speaker laid before the
House a letter from Peter S. Du Ponceau, of Philadelphia, presenting to
the House a flag made entirely of American silk, woven in one piece
12\1/2\ feet long by 6 feet wide.
The communication being referred to the Committee on Agriculture, on
December 21 that committee reported the following resolution, which was
agreed to by the House:
Resolved, That the flag bearing the colors of the United States,
presented to this House by Peter S. Du Ponceau, of Philadelphia, made
of American silk, prepared and woven by John D'Homergue, silk
manufacturer, in the city of Philadelphia, be accepted by this House,
and that it be displayed, under the direction of the Speaker, in some
conspicuous part of the hall of sittings of this House.
7106. A letter from a foreign artist, presenting to Congress a bust
of Lafayette, was communicated to the House by message from the
President, and with the message appears in the Journal.--On February 9,
1829,\4\ the following was transmitted to the House by message from the
Senate:
Washington, January 29, 1829.
To the President of the Senate of the United States:
Sir: I transmit herewith a letter which I have received from Mr.
David, member of the Institute of France, professor of the School of
Painting at Paris, and member of the Legion of Honor, the artist who
presents to Congress the bust of General Lafayette, which has been
received with it. And I have to request the favor that, after it has
been communicated to the Senate, it may be transmitted to the Speaker
of the House of Representatives, for similar communication to that
body.
John Quincy Adams.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ First session Thirty-second Congress, Journal, p. 1016; Globe, p.
2156.
\2\ Second session Forty-sixth Congress, Journal pp. 1085, 1086;
Record, pp. 2639, 2651.
\3\ Second session Twenty-first Congress, Journal, pp. 50, 51, 84;
Debates, pp. 355, 378.
\4\ Second session Twentieth Congress, Journal, pp. 269, 270.
Sec. 7107
Both this message and the accompanying letter of Mr. David appear in
the Journal of the House.
7107. Forms of resolutions offered at the death of a Member.--On
March 7, 1900,\1\ Mr. Henry H. Bingham, of Pennsylvania, announced to
the House the death of his colleague, Hon. Alfred C. Harmer, and
offered these resolutions:
Resolved, That the House has heard with deep regret and profound
sorrow of the death of the Hon. Alfred C. Harmer, for twenty-seven
years a Representative from the State of Pennsylvania, and the senior
Member of this House in time of continuous service.\2\
Resolved, That a committee of fifteen Members of the House, with such
Members of the Senate as may be joined, be appointed to attend the
funeral at Philadelphia, and that the necessary expenses attending the
execution of this order be paid out of the contingent fund of the
House.
Resolved, That the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House be authorized and
directed to take such steps as may be necessary for properly carrying
out the pro-visions of this resolution.
Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to the Senate
and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the deceased.
The resolutions having been agreed to, the Speaker announced the
committee.
Then, as a further mark of respect, on motion of Mr. Bingham, the
House adjourned.
7108. Early observances of the House at the decease of Members.--On
June 1, 1790,\3\ the House was informed that Theodorick Bland, one of
the Members from the State of Virginia, died that morning. It was
ordered that the Virginia Members be a committee to superintend the
funeral, and that the House attend the same.
On June 2 it was ordered that the Members of the House go into
mourning for one month, by the usual method of wearing crape around the
left arm.
7109. On December 28, 1847,\4\ the House and Senate voted to
accompany the remains of John Fairfield, late a Senator from Maine,
from his house to the depot, where they were to be delivered to Mr.
Franklin Clark, a Representative from Maine, to be conveyed to Maine.
The Chaplain of the Senate was requested by the Senate to deliver the
funeral sermon at the Capitol on the next Sunday.
7110. In 1850,\5\ a committee of the Senate accompanied the remains
of John C. Calhoun to South Carolina.
7111. On August 9, 1852,\6\ the remains of Robert Rantoul, jr., were
accompanied to Massachusetts by a committee of the House.
7112. On January 10, 1854,\7\ the House authorized the Speaker to
appoint a committee of four to attend the remains of Henry A.
Muhlenberg, a Member of the House, to his late residence in
Pennsylvania.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ First session Fifty-sixth Congress, Record, p. 2636.
\2\ The clause relating to years of service was added because Mr.
Harmer was ``Father of the House.'' Usually the name is followed only
by the words ``a Representative from the State of ----------.''
\3\ First session First Congress, Journal, pp. 232, 233 (Gales &
Seaton ed.).
\4\ First session Thirtieth Congress, Journal, pp. 162, 163; Globe,
p. 73.
\5\ First session Thirty-first Congress, Globe, p. 670.
\6\ First session Thirty-first Congress, Journal, p. 1015.
\7\ First session Thirty-third Congress, Journal, p. 179; Globe, p.
147.
Sec. 7113
7113. It has for a long time been a custom to appoint a joint
committee to attend the remains of a deceased Senator or Member to his
home, as in the instance of Senator Daniel S. Norton, of Minnesota, on
July 14, 1870.\1\
7114. On December 5, 1827,\2\ this resolution was agreed to:
Resolved, unanimously, That the Members, of this House will testify
their respect for the memory of William S. Young, late a Member of
Congress, and a Member-elect of this House from the State of Kentucky,
by wearing crape on the left arm for one month.
7115. In the resolutions adopted on the occasion of the death of
Senator and ex-President Andrew Johnson, of Tennessee, the House
omitted to provide for wearing the symbol of mourning, crape on the
left arm. The Senate resolutions provided for that for the Senators.\3\
7116. On January 31, 1880,\4\ the House, on the occasion of the
eulogies on the late Rush Clark, of Iowa, adopted a resolution
providing for the wearing of the usual sign of mourning.
7117. On February 28, 1881,\5\ the resolutions adopted on the
occasion of the decease of Fernando Wood, of New York, omit the
provision regulating the wearing of the usual sign of mourning. As this
was within a few days of the end of the session the provision to wear
the emblem thirty days would hardly have been operative.
7118. On February 8, 1882,\6\ the House authorized the wearing of the
badge of mourning for the death of Hon. Michael P. O'Connor, of South
Carolina.
7119. On February 17, 1883,\7\ the resolutions in memory of Mr. John
W. Shackleford, of North Carolina, were adopted without the paragraph
relating to wearing the usual badge of mourning.
7120. On April 12, 1884,\8\ the House, on the occasion of the death
of Hon. Thomas H. Herndon, of Alabama, ordered the wearing of the usual
badge of mourning for thirty days.
7121. The decease of a Member in the Hall of the House has been the
occasion of immediate adjournment.--On February 12, 1834,\9\ during
discussion as to the removal of the deposits from the Bank of the
United States, Mr. Thomas T. Bouldin, of Virginia, having the floor,
referred to a rebuke he had received during the discussion from his
colleague, Mr. Henry A. Wise, of Virginia, for not announcing on the
floor the death of his predecessor, Mr. John Randolph. The Journal has
this entry of what then occurred:
And whilst the Hon. Thomas T. Bouldin, of Virginia, was addressing
the House on the subject, and within a few minutes after having
commenced his address, he fell suddenly on the floor, and immediately
expired. The House immediately, upon the fall of Mr. Bouldin,
adjourned.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Second session Forty-first Congress, Journal, p. 1255.
\2\ First session Twentieth Congress, Journal, p. 24; Debates, p.
812.
\3\ First session Forty-fourth Congress, Journal, p. 157; Record, p.
3,52.
\4\ Second session Forty-sixth Congress, Journal, p. 364; Record, p.
637.
\5\ Third session Forty-sixth Congress, Record, p. 2241.
\6\ First session Forty-seventh Congress, Record, p. 529.
\7\ Second session Forty-seventh Congress, Journal, p. 433.
\8\ First session Forty-eighth Congress, Journal, pp. 1052, 1053.
\9\ First session Twenty-third Congress, Journal, p. 320; Debates, p.
2705.
Sec. 7122
On February 12 the usual resolutions, to attend the funeral, wear the
emblem of mourning, etc., were agreed to, and then the House adjourned.
7122. The Journal of February 21, 1848,\1\ contains the following
entry:
Mr. John Quincy Adams, becoming suddenly very seriously ill in his
seat in the House, on motion of Mr. Cocke, the House, at 20 minutes
past 1 o'clock p.m., adjourned until tomorrow, at 12 o'clock m.
And on February 22, the Journal is as follows:
The Speaker \2\ I said it was deemed appropriate that he should state
to the House from the Chair, that his venerable colleague, John Quincy
Adams, was still lying in a state of unconsciousness, in the Speaker's
room; and, in the opinion of his medical attendants, rapidly sinking
under the stroke by which he was yesterday prostrated.
Whereupon, Mr. Burt moved that the House do now adjourn.
Mr. Giddings suggested that the Journal of yesterday should state the
cause of the early adjournment of the House.
The Speaker, with the general consent of the House, directed the
entry to be made accordingly.
And then the House, in pursuance of the motion of Mr. Burt, at 5
minutes past 12 o'clock, adjourned.
7123. The death of a Member who has died in recess of Congress is
announced at the beginning of the next session.--On December 21,
1826,\3\ the death of three Members, Messrs. Robert P. Henry and James
Johnson, of Kentucky, and Henry Wilson, of Pennsylvania, all of whom
had died during the recess, were announced, and in memory of each a
resolution was presented and agreed to, providing that the Members
should wear crape on the left arm for one mouth in memory of the
deceased.
In presenting the resolution for Mr. Henry, Mr. Thomas Metcalfe, of
Kentucky, said that he should have acted in the matter earlier in the
session, but he had been under the impression that it was not the
custom of the House to adopt the testimonial to Members who had died
during a recess. On inquiry, however, he had found that it had been
done in some instances, and therefore he would present his resolution.
7124. On January 20, 1826,\4\ the death of Mr. Patrick Farrelly, of
Pennsylvania, was announced. He was an old Member of the House, but had
not taken his seat at this session. Some question was suggested from
the fact that he had not died at the seat of government, but the
precedent in the case of Mr. Lowndes, of South Carolina, was cited, and
the House voted the customary observance, the wearing of crape on the
left arm for thirty days.
7125. On December 3, 1832,\5\ at the beginning of the second session
of the Congress, Mr. Charles F. Mercer, of Virginia, announced that Mr.
Philip Doddridge, of Virginia, had died during the recess. The House
voted the usual observance of respect, the wearing of crape on the left
arm for one month.
7126. On December 3, 1834,\6\ at the opening of the second session of
the Twenty-third Congress, the deaths of two Members who had died
during the late
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ First session Thirtieth Congress, Journal, p. 443; Globe, pp.
381, 383.
\2\ Robert C. Winthrop, of Massachusetts, Speaker.
\3\ Second session Nineteenth Congress, Journal, p. 83; Debates, p.
549.
\4\ First session Nineteenth Congress, Debates, p. 1057; Journal, p.
171. This resolution was offered at the close of the day's business.
\5\ Second session Twenty-second Congress, Journal, p. 7; Debates, p.
818.
\5\ Second session Twenty-third Congress, Journal, p. 32; Debates, p.
751.
Sec. 7127
recess were announced, and the customary resolutions were moved and
agreed to for each.
7127. On March 28, 1850,\1\ in the Senate, Mr. Henry Clay, of
Kentucky, after some opposition, secured the adoption of a, resolution
that funeral honors and ceremonies should be restricted to the deaths
of Members of Congress during the session of Congress.
7128. On December 3, 1900,\2\ when the House met in its second
session, announcements were made of the deaths of two Representatives
and two Senators who had died during the recess.
Mr. Henry H. Bingham, of Pennsylvania, presented this resolution,
which was agreed to:
Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow of the death
of Hon. John H. Hoffecker, a Member of this House from the State of
Delaware.
Mr. Allan L. McDermott, of New Jersey, presented a similar resolution
for Hon. William D. Daly, deceased, which was agreed to.
Mr. William P. Hepburn, of Iowa, presented the following, which was
agreed to.
Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow of the death
of Hon. John Henry Gear, a Senator of the 'United States from the State
of Iowa.
A similar resolution in memory of Senator Cushman K. Davis, was
presented by Mr. James A. Tawney, of Minnesota, and was agreed to, as
were also the following:
Resolved, That as a further mark of respect to the memories of the
late Representatives Hoffecker and Daly and the late Senators Gear and
Davis, this House do now adjourn.
Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to the Senate
and transmit a copy thereof to the families of the deceased Senators
and Representatives herein named.
7129. Forms of action on death of a Senator and Member-elect who had
died in the recess before the assembling of Congress.--On December 4,
1905,\3\ at the opening of the first session of the Congress, a message
was received from the Senate:
Resolved, That the Senate, with deep regret, has listened to the
announcement of the death of the Hon. Orville Hitchcock Platt, for more
than a quarter of a century a member of this body, a period marked by
five consecutive elections, as a Senator from the State of Connecticut.
Resolved, That the Secretary communicate a copy of these resolutions
to the House of Representatives.
Resolved, That, as a further mark of respect to the memory of the
deceased, the Senate do now adjourn.
Later, Mr. George L. Lilley, of Connecticut, offered the following,
which was agreed to:
Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow of the death
of Hon. Orville Hitchcock Platt, a Senator of the United States of the
State of Connecticut.
Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to the Senate
and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the deceased Senator.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ First session Thirty-first Congress, Globe, p. 616. This
resolution was observed for some time by the Senate, but the old
practice revived after a time.
\2\ Second session Fifty-sixth Congress, Journal, p. 18; Record, pp.
16, 17.
\3\ First session Fifty-ninth Congress, Record, pp. 41, 45.
Sec. 7130
Then Mr. James McKinney, of Illinois, offered the following, which
was agreed to:
Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow of the death
of Hon. Benjamin F. Marsh, late a Representative from the State of
Illinois.
Resolved, That the Clerk of the House be directed to transmit this
resolution to the Senate and a copy thereof to the family of the
deceased.
Then Mr. McKinney said:
Mr. Speaker, as a further mark of the respect which we hold of the
memory of the deceased Senator, Orville Hitchcock Platt, and the
deceased Member, Benjamin F. Marsh, I move that the House do now
adjourn.
Thereupon the House adjourned.
7130. Notice of the death of a Member is sometimes transmitted to the
House by the executive of his State.--On January 12, 1901,\1\ the Chair
presented to the House the following letter, with the announcement that
it would be entered on the Journal:
State of New Hampshire, Executive Department,
Concord, January 10, 1901.
Sir: It is my painful duty to inform you of the death of the Hon.
Frank G. Clarke, Representative from the Second district of New
Hampshire in the Fifty-fifth and Fifty-sixth Congresses of the United
States, which occurred at his home in Peterboro on January 9.
Congressman Clarke was held in high esteem by the people of his
district and of the State. His public career as speaker of the New
Hampshire house of representatives, member of the State senate, and
Representative in Congress has been alike creditable to him and to our
State, and his private life has been such as to win for him universal
respect. His death is mourned by all classes of our citizens.
Yours, very sincerely,
Chester B. Jordan, Governor.
Hon. David B. Henderson,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, D. C.
7131. Form of procedure when the Senate informs the House of the
death of a Senator.--On June 4, 1906,\2\ a message from the Senate
announced that the Senate had passed the following resolutions:
Resolved, That the Senate has heard with profound sorrow of the death
of Hon. Arthur Pue Gorman, late a Senator from the State of Maryland.
Resolved, That a committee of seventeen Senators be appointed by the
Vice-President to take order for superintending the funeral of Mr.
Gorman, which will take place at his late residence Thursday, June 7,
at 11 o'clock, and that the Senate will attend the same.
Resolved, That as a further mark of respect his remains be removed
from his late home to the place of interment, in Oak Hill Cemetery, in
charge of the Sergeant-at-Arms, attended by the committee, who shall
have full power to carry these resolutions into effect; and that the
necessary expenses in connection therewith be paid out of the
contingent fund of the Senate.
Resolved, That the Secretary communicate a copy of these resolutions
to the House of Representatives.
Resolved, That as a further mark of respect to the memory of the
deceased, the Senate do now adjourn.
And that in compliance with the foregoing the Vice-President had
appointed as said committee Mr. Rayner, Mr. Allison, Mr. Morgan, Mr.
Hale, Mr. Aldrich, Mr. Teller, Mr. Gallinger, Mr. Elkins,
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Second session Fifty-sixth Congress, Journal, p. 114; Record, p.
952.
\2\ First session Fifty-ninth Congress, Record, p. 7819.
Sec. 7132
Mr. Martin, Mr. Tillman, Mr. Clay, Mr. Spooner, Mr. Kean, Mr. Bailey,
Mr. Blackburn, Mr. Clark, of Montana, and Mr. Overman.
Thereupon Mr. J. Frederick C. Talbott, of Maryland, offered the
following resolutions, which were agreed to:
Resolved, That the House has beard with profound sorrow of the death
of the Hon. Arthur Pue Gorman, a Senator of the United States from the
State of Maryland.
Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to the Senate
and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the deceased Senator.
Resolved, That a committee of seventeen Members be appointed on the
part of the House to join the committee appointed on the part of the
Senate to attend the funeral.
Then, the Speaker having appointed the committee, Mr. Talbott offered
this resolution, which was agreed to:
Resolved, That as a further mark of respect the House do now adjourn.
7132. On March 17, 1900,\1\ Mr. E. J. Burkett, of Nebraska, offered
the following resolutions:
Resolved, That it is with profound sorrow and regret that the House
has heard of the death of Hon. Monroe L. Hayward, late Senator-elect
from the State of Nebraska.
Resolved, That, as a mark of respect to the memory of the deceased,
the business of the House be suspended to enable his friends to pay
proper tribute of regard to his high character and distinguished worth.
Resolved, That the House communicate these resolutions to the Senate
and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the deceased with the
action of the House thereon.
Resolved, That, as an additional mark of respect, the House, at the
conclusion of these ceremonies, do adjourn.
The resolution were agreed to.
7133. On January 6, 1902,\2\ Mr. Henry C. Loudenslager, of New
Jersey, announced the death of Hon. William J. Sewell, a Senator from
New Jersey, and presented the following resolutions, which were agreed
to:
Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow of the death
of Hon. William Joyce Sewell, a Senator of the United States from the
State of New Jersey.
Resolved, That as a further mark of respect to the memory of the late
Senator Sewell this House do now adjourn.
Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to the Senate
and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the deceased Senator.
7134. The House takes notice of the death of a Member-elect as if he
had been duly qualified.--On December 10, 1833,\3\ Mr. Henry L.
Pinckney, of South Carolina, announced to the House that Thomas D.
Singleton, a Member-elect of this House from the State of South
Carolina, died in Raleigh, N. C., while on his journey to Washington to
take his seat as a Member.
Mr. Pinckney said that while the deceased had not appeared and
qualified (it appears that Mr. Singleton had not before been a Member
of the House) it was fitting, and according to the usages of the House,
to pay to him the usual observances of respect.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ First session Fifty-sixth Congress, Record, p. 3011.
\2\ First session Fifty-seventh Congress, Journal, p. 171; Record, p.
455.
\3\ First session Twenty-third Congress, Journal, p. 31; Debates, pp.
2166, 2167.
Sec. 7135
The usual resolutions were then moved and agreed to.
Then Mr. Pinckney moved an adjournment of the House, saying that he
believed such to be the custom in these cases.
7135. On January 6, 1840,\1\ the House adopted the usual resolutions
of respect and ordered mourning for the usual period for C. Alvord, a
Member-elect from Massachusetts, who died before the meeting of the
Congress, and consequently had never taken a seat in the House.
7136. In a rare instance the House took action on the occasion of the
decease of a former Member.--On March 3, 1883,\2\ the House adopted a
resolution of sorrow at the death of Alexander H. Stephens, governor of
Georgia, long a Member of the House.
7137. April 9, 1858,\3\ after the adjournment of the House, Mr.
George W. Jones, of Tennessee, read to the Members a note handed to him
by Thomas H. Benton, asking that in the event of his death no mention
should be made in either House of Congress. Mr. Benton referred to the
remarks of Mr. Randolph on the death of Mr. David Walker as expressing
his views on the subject.\4\ Mr. Benton was not at this time a Member
of either House. On April 12 the Senate adjourned informally to enable
individual Members to attend his funeral.
7138. On March 10, 1846,\5\ the House laid on the table a resolution
providing for adjournment at 3 o'clock to attend the funeral of Gen.
John P. Van Ness, formerly a Member of the House, and since mayor of
the city of Washington.
7139. The House has adjourned in honor of an ex-Speaker, whose death
occurred after he had ceased to be a Member.--On December 8, 1902,\6\
soon after the meeting of the House, Mr. James S. Sherman, of New York,
announced the death of ex-Speaker Reed, and proposed the following,
which was agreed to unanimously:
Resolved, That the following minute be spread upon the record of the
House of Representatives:
Hon. Thomas Brackett Reed died in Washington, December 7, 1902. For
twenty-two years he had been a Member of this House; for six years its
Speaker. His service terminated with the Fifty-fifth Congress. Within
this Chamber the scene of his life's great activities was laid. Here he
rendered services to his country which placed him in the front rank of
American statesmanship. Here he exhibited characteristics which
compelled respect and won admiration. Forceful ability, intrinsic
worth, strength of character brought him popular fame and Congressional
leadership. In him depth and breadth of intellect, with a full and
well-rounded development, had produced a giant who towered above his
fellows and impressed them with his power and his wisdom. A
distinguished statesman, a lofty patriot, a cultured scholar, an
incisive writer, a unique orator, an unmatched debater, a master of
logic, wit, satire, and most famous of the world's parliamentarians,
the great and representative citizen of the American Republic has gone
into history.
Resolved, That in honor of the distinguished dead the House do now
adjourn.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ First session Twenty-sixth Congress, Globe, p. 103.
\2\ Second session Forty-seventh Congress, Journal, p. 649; Record,
p. 3773.
\3\ First session Thirty-fifth Congress, Globe, p. 1551.
\4\ See section 7142 of this chapter.
\5\ First session Twenty-ninth Congress, Journal, pp. 503, 504;
Globe, pp. 473, 478.
\6\ Second session Fifty-seventh Congress, Journal, p. 29; Record, p.
121.
Sec. 7140
7140. On February 26, 1906,\1\ Mr. William P. Hepburn, of Iowa, being
recognized, said:
Mr. Speaker, I have been directed by my colleagues from the State of
Iowa to announce the death of David B. Henderson, late a Member and
late a Speaker of this House. He died yesterday at his residence in the
city of Dubuque, and I offer the following resolutions:
Resolved, That this House has learned with the deepest sorrow of the
death of Hon. David B. Henderson, Speaker of the Fifty-sixth and Fifty-
seventh Congresses, and for twenty years a useful, faithful, and
distinguished Member from Iowa; and that this House herewith expresses
its appreciation of the services of the deceased as a partriot and
statesman.
Ordered, That this resolution be entered upon the Journal of the
House and that a copy be transmitted to the relatives of the deceased.
Then, as a further mark of respect, Mr. Hepburn moved that the House
adjourn.
This motion was agreed to, and at 4 o'clock and 18 minutes p. m. the
House adjourned.
7141. On January 27, 1893,\2\ Mr. Seth L. Milliken, of Maine, arose
and announced the death of Hon. James G. Blaine, formerly Speaker of
the House and more recently Secretary of State, but holding no official
position at the time of his death.
Mr. William S. Holman, of Indiana, followed Mr. Milliken in
eulogizing briefly the deceased, and then proposed a motion that the
House adjourn in memory of the deceased. This motion was agreed to. No
formal resolution was offered.
7142. Since the earliest days the expenses of the funerals of Members
have been defrayed from the public funds.--On March 1, 1820,\3\ the
death of Mr. David Walker, of Kentucky, was announced and resolutions
differing from those usually adopted were agreed to. Mr. Walker having
before his death communicated to the Speaker his wish to be buried
without pomp or parade, the House authorized the usual committee to
``take order for superintending the funeral,'' but resolved that the
House would not conform to the practice of adjourning to attend the
funeral and would also depart from the usage of wearing crape for one
month.
On this occasion Mr. John Randolph, of Virginia, recalled the
Congressional funerals since the beginning of the House. At first the
traveling allowance of the deceased was applied to the funeral
expenses; but on the death of Delegate Hunter, of Mississippi
Territory, at the beginning of Mr. Madison's Administration, the
practice was first adopted of providing a funeral at public expense.
The custom had since been observed and abused.
7143. On February 8 and March 23, 1848,\4\ the subject of the payment
of the funeral expenses of Members was discussed at some length. It
appears from the discussion that up to that time it had not been usual
to pay the funeral expenses of Members except when the funeral was held
in Washington. In the latter case the House paid the expenses,
amounting on an average to $1,500 in each case.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ First session Fifty-ninth Congress, Record, p. 3028.
\2\ Second session Fifty-second Congress, Record, p. 894; Journal, p.
62.
\3\ First session Sixteenth Congress, Annals, pp. 1568-1572.
\4\ First session Thirtieth Congress, Journal, pp. 371, 599-602;
Globe, pp. 311, 527-529.
Sec. 7144
7144. Ceremonies at the funerals of Members in the Hall of the House
in early days.--On February 27, 1838,\1\ the funeral services of
Jonathan Cilley, of Maine, a Member of the House, occurred in the Hall
of the House, both House and Senate having voted to attend. The Journal
has simply this entry:
The House met pursuant to adjournment; and, after attending the
funeral ceremonies of Jonathan Cilley, deceased, and being returned
into the Hall, adjourned at 20 minutes before 3 o'clock until to-
morrow, 12 o'clock meridian.
The Globe states that the committee of arrangements, pallbearers, and
mourners attended at the late residence of the deceased at 11 o'clock
a. m., at which time the remains were removed, in charge of the
committee of arrangements, attended by the Sergeant-at-Arms of the
House, to the Hall, where the funeral services were performed by the
Rev. Mr. Slicer and the discourse preached by the Rev. Mr. Reese. The
funeral procession then moved from the Hall of the House of
Representatives to the place of interment in the following order:
The Chaplains of both Houses (Messrs. Slicer of the Senate and Reese
of the House).
The committee of arrangements (seven Members of the House, Mr. Evans,
of Maine, chairman).
The pallbearers (six Members of the House, Mr. Thomas, of Maryland,
chairman).
The family and friends of the deceased.
The Members of the House of Representatives and Senators from Maine
as mourners.
The Sergeant-at-Arms of the House of Representatives.
The House of Representatives, preceded by their Speaker and Clerk.
The Sergeant-at-Arms of the Senate.
The Senate of the United States, preceded by the Vice-President and
their Secretary.
The President of the United States.
The heads of Departments
Judges of the Supreme Court and its officers.
Foreign ministers.
Citizens and strangers.
7145. On February 25, 1842,\2\ Mr. Lewis Williams, of North Carolina,
who had been a Member of the House since 1814, and had long been the
``Father of the House,'' was buried from the Hall of the House, being
honored with the ceremonies of a state funeral.
7146. On April 19, 1842,\3\ Joseph Lawrence, of Pennsylvania, a
Member of the House, was buried from the House with the ceremonies of a
state funeral.
7147. On April 26, 1844,\4\ a state funeral of Hon. Peter E. Bossier,
late Member from Louisiana, was held in the House, the funeral
ceremonies being conducted according to the rites of the Roman Catholic
Church, of which the deceased was a member. As in other state funerals,
the House was technically in session during the ceremonies.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Second session Twenty-fifth Congress, Journal, p. 501; Globe, p.
200.
\2\ Second session Twenty-seventh Congress, Globe, p. 264.
\3\ See Journal, second session Twenty-seventh Congress, p. 723.
\3\ First session Twenty-eighth Congress, Journal, p. 852; Globe, p.
586.
Sec. 7148
7148. Later funeral ceremonies, including the elaborate observances
at the burial of John Quincy Adams.--The Journal of February 26,
1848,\1\ has this entry:
The House met at 12 o'clock meridian, pursuant to adjournment.
The funeral ceremonies of John Quincy Adams, a Representative from
the State of Massachusetts, were performed; after which the corpse was
conveyed to the Congressional burial ground in the following order of
procession:
Military companies.
Band.
The Chaplains of both Houses.
Physicians who attended the deceased.
Committee of arrangements. (Names given.)
Pallbearers. (Names given.)
The family and friends of the deceased.
The Senators and Representatives from the State of Massachusetts as
mourners.
The Sergeant-at-Arms of the House of Representatives.
The House of Representatives of the United States preceded by their
Speaker and Clerk.
The other officers of the House of Representatives.
The Sergeant-at-Arms of the Senate.
The Senate, preceded by their President and Secretary.
The other officers of the Senate.
The President of the United States and his private secretary.
The heads of Departments.
The judges of the Supreme Court of the United States and its
officers.
The judges of the circuit and district courts of the District of
Columbia and their officers.
The diplomatic corps.
The Comptrollers, Auditors, and other heads of bureaus of the several
Departments of the Government with their officers.
Officers of the Army and Navy at the seat of Government.
Members of State legislatures.
The corporation of Washington.
The Columbia Typographical Society.
Officers and students of Georgetown College.
Officers and students of Columbian College.
Literary institutions.
Fire companies of the District.
Masonic institutions.
Odd Fellows.
Citizens and strangers.
After depositing the corpse in the burial ground, the Speaker,
Members, and officers returned into the Hall; and on motion of Mr.
Nathan Evans, the House at 25 minutes before 4 o'clock, p. m.
adjourned.
The Record of Debates has the following description of the
proceedings in the Hall:
The Speaker having taken the chair, the Journal of Thursday was read.
Soon after the Senate entered, preceded by their Presiding Officer. He
took, his seat on the left of the Speaker. As the Senators passed up
the center aisle and took, their seats the Speaker and the Members of
the House rose, and continued standing until they had taken the seats
assigned them. Soon after the President of the United States entered
the Hall, and was received by all in like manner, while he took his
seat on the right of the Speaker. The members of the Cabinet occupied
seats in front of the Senators and opposite the foreign ministers. The
judges of the Supreme Court, preceded by their officers, passed
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ First session Thirtieth Congress, Journal, pp. 446-448; Globe, p.
389.
Sec. 7149
up to seats on the right of the Clerk's desk. The relatives of the
deceased were next conducted to a position reserved for them on the
extreme left. Next entered the members of the legislature of Maryland,
preceded by the officers and chaplain of that body, the legislature,
sitting at Annapolis, having passed resolutions to attend the funeral.
Next entered the corporate authorities of Washington headed by their
respective officers, who were conducted to places by the officers of
the House. At length came the body, escorted by the committee of
arrangements, and followed by the delegation of Massachusetts as
mourners. The Speaker, the President of the Senate, the officers of
both Houses, the members of the committee of arrangements, the
pallbearers, and attendant physicians wore white scarfs. The whole
assemblage being thus at length completed, the deep silence of
expectation pervaded the Hall. Not a rude sound, and scarce a sound of
any kind, was to be heard among the waiting thousands who crowded the
galleries and lobbies in every spot where a human being could find room
to stand.
The Chaplain of the House, the Rev. Mr. Gurley, then arose and read
an appropriate portion of Holy Writ, and addressed the throne of
Heavenly Grace in a meek and devout prayer.
He then read a hymn which had been selected for the occasion.
An address and benediction followed, when the procession was formed
to take the body to its temporary resting place preparatory to its
removal to Massachusetts.
On February 28 the committee to accompany the remains to
Massachusetts was appointed, and the House adopted a resolution for
printing in pamphlet form the addresses of the Speaker, Messrs. Hudson,
Holmes, and Vinton, together with the addresses made in the Senate, and
by the Chaplain at the funeral.\1\
7149. Senator Charles Sumner, of Massachusetts, was buried from the
Senate Chamber on March 13, 1874.\2\ The House attended the funeral and
appointed a committee to attend the body to the place of burial in
Massachusetts. The House also voted that its officers and Members wear
the usual badge of mourning. The eulogies occurred in House and Senate
on April 27.
7150. On February 16, 1875,\3\ the funeral services of Hon. Samuel
Hooper, of Massachusetts, were held in the Hall of the House.
7151. On January 30, 1884,\4\ the funeral of Hon. E. W. M. Mackey,
Member from South Carolina, was held in the Hall of the House in the
presence of the two Houses.\5\
7152. Ceremonies at the funeral of William D. Kelley in 1890.--On
January 11, 1890,\6\ the funeral of Hon. William D. Kelley, of
Pennsylvania, occurred in the Hall of the House. The Senate attended in
a body, the Vice-President occupying a chair on the right of the
Speaker. After the Senate had entered and taken the seats assigned to
them, the casket was brought into the Hall, preceded by the Sergeant-
at-Arms of the House, Rev. Doctor Cuthbert, of Washington, and Doctor
Butler, Chaplain of the Senate, and the committee of arrangements,
composed of Senators and Representatives. The family of the deceased
took seats inside the area in front of the Speaker's chair.
Rev. Doctor Butler read appropriate Scripture selections as the
casket was borne to the Hall of the House.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The publication of these addresses is now a regular procedure.
\2\ First session Forty-third Congress, Journal, pp. 598, 867;
Record, pp. 2142, 2143, 3399, 3409.
\3\ Second session Forty-third Congress, Journal, p. 479; Record, p.
1322.
\4\ First session Forty-eighth Congress, Journal, pp. 423, 424, 452;
Record, p. 755.
\5\ The House has rarely noticed the deaths of members of the
families of Representatives; but on January 31, 1844, the House
adjourned to enable the Members to attend the funeral of Mrs. Rebecca
Russell Reding, wife of Mr. John R. Reding, a Member of the House from
New Hampshire. (First session Twenty-eighth Congress, Journal, p. 324;
Globe, p. 218.)
\6\ First session Fifty-first Congress, Journal, pp. 107, 108;
Record, p. 496.
Sec. 7153
Rev. Doctor Cuthbert, acting as Chaplain of the House, read the
Ninetieth Psalm, and then offered prayer.
Doctor Butler, Chaplain of the Senate, then read selections of
Scripture.
After benediction by Doctor Cuthbert, the remains were borne from the
Hall.
Then the Senate retired, and the House resumed its session.
On the preceding day, the House, upon the announcement of the death
of Mr. Kelley, had adopted the following:
Resolved, That the House has heard with deep regret and profound
sorrow of the death of Hon. William D. Kelley, late a Representative
from the State of Pennsylvania.
Resolved (in recognition of the long and distinguished term of
service rendered in this body by Mr. Kelley, a term the longest in its
history, and which had made him for many years the ``Father of the
House''), That appropriate services be held in the Hall of the House
to-morrow, the 11th instant, at 12 o'clock m.
Resolved, That a committee of nine Members of the House, with such
Members of the Senate as may be joined, be appointed to attend the
funeral at Philadelphia, Pa.
Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to the Senate
and transmit a copy of the same to the family of the deceased.
Resolved, That as a further mark of respect to the memory of the
deceased the House do now adjourn.
7153. The ceremonies at the state funeral of Nelson Dingley.--On
January 14, 1899,\1\ immediately after the reading of the Journal, Mr.
Charles A. Boutelle, of Maine, being recognized, announced the death of
his colleague, Mr. Nelson Dingley, of Maine, and then offered the
following resolutions:
Resolved, That the House has heard with deep regret and profound
sorrow of the death of Hon. Nelson Dingley, late a Representative from
the State of Maine.
Resolved, That in recognition of the long and distinguished services
rendered in this body by Mr. Dingley, appropriate services be held in
the Hall of the House of Representatives on Monday, January 16, 1899,
at 12 o'clock m.
Resolved, That a committee of eleven Members of the House, with such
Members of the Senate as may be joined, be appointed to attend the
funeral at Lewiston, Me., and that the necessary expenses attending the
execution of this order be paid out of the contingent fund of the
House.
Resolved, That the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House be authorized and
directed to take such steps as may be necessary for properly carrying
out the provisions of this resolution.
Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to the Senate,
and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the deceased.
The resolutions were agreed to; and the Speaker appointed as the
committee on the part of the House, Mr. Boutelle, of Maine; Mr. Payne,
Mr. Dolliver, Mr. Tawney, Mr. Hilborn, Mr. Evans, Mr. Clarke, of New
Hampshire; Mr. Bailey, Mr. Dockery, Mr. Bell, and Mr. McClellan.
Mr. Boutelle then offered the following resolution, which was agreed
to:
Resolved, That as a further mark of respect to the memory of the
deceased the House do now adjourn.
The committee issued invitations and established the following order
of services:
The House of Representatives will meet at 12 o'clock noon, January
16, 1899.
The body of the late Representative Dingley will be placed in the
Hall of the House at 10 a. m., where it will lie in state.
The President of the United States and his Cabinet, the Chief Justice
and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, the Diplomatic Corps, the
Major-General Commanding the Army, the senior Admiral of the Navy, and
the Commissioners of the District of Columbia have been invited to
attend the services.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Third session Fifty-fifth Congress, Record, p. 679.
Sec. 7153
The President and Cabinet will meet in the rooms of the House
Committee on Naval Affairs.
The Supreme Court will meet in the Supreme Court room.
The Diplomatic Corps, the Major-General Commanding the Army, the
senior Admiral of the Navy, and the Commissioners of the District of
Columbia will meet in theWays and Means Committee room.
The pallbearers \1\ and committee of arrangements will meet in the
House lobby.
The Speaker's room will be reserved for the members of the family and
the officiating clergy.
Seats will be reserved for those entitled to them upon the floor, to
which they will be shown by the Doorkeeper.
The Senate will enter the Chamber in a body preceded by their
officers.
The President, Cabinet, Supreme Court, General commanding the Army,
senior Admiral of the Navy, Commissioners of the District of Columbia,
and the family of the deceased will occupy seats on the floor of the
House assigned them by the Doorkeeper.
The Diplomatic Corps will occupy seats on the right of the Speaker of
the House and in front of the Senate and back of the President and his
Cabinet.
The Senate will occupy seats on the right of the Speaker of the
House, the House of Representatives on the left of the Speaker of the
House.
Upon the announcement by the Speaker of the House the clergy will
conduct the funeral ceremonies, and upon their conclusion the body will
remain in the Hall of the House until escorted to the station.
On January 16,\2\ the House met at 12 m. After prayer by the Chaplain
and the reading of the Journal, a message from the Senate, by Mr.
Platt, one of its clerks, announced that the Senate had passed the
following resolutions:
Resolved, That the Senate has heard with deep sensibility the
announcement of the death of Hon. Nelson Dingley, late a Representative
from the State of Maine.
Resolved, That a committee of nine Senators be appointed by the
Presiding Officer to join the committee appointed on the part of the
House of Representatives to take order for superintending the funeral
of the deceased, and that the Senate will attend in the Hall of the
House of Representatives on Monday, January 16, 1899, at 12 o'clock
meridian.
Resolved, That the Secretary communicate these resolutions to the
House of Representatives.
And that in compliance with the foregoing the Presiding Officer had
appointed as said committee Mr. Frye, Mr. Aldrich, Aft. Burrows, Mr.
Fairbanks, Mr. Pritchard, Mr. Berry, Mr. Faulkner, Mr. Rawlins, and Mr.
McLaurin.
This message having been received, the ceremonies proceeded in
accordance with the following forms:
Approach of the Senate: The Speaker taps with his gavel and the
Members of the House rise to receive the Senate.\3\ The Doorkeeper,
without addressing the Speaker, announces ``the Vice-President and the
Senate of the United States.''
The Doorkeeper next announces ``the Chief Justice and the Associate
Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States,'' the House again
rising at the tap of the Speaker's gavel, if it has not remained
standing.
In a similar manner ``the Ambassadors amd the members of the
Diplomatic Corps to the United States'' are announced and received.
Next ``the President and the members-of his Cabinet'' are announced
and received.
The General of the Amy, senior Admiral of the Navy, Commissioners of
the District of Columbia, Canadian members of the Joint High
Commission, committee of the Chamber of Commerce of New York; and the
committee of the House and Senate and family and friends of the
deceased, enter informally and unannounced.
\1\ In this case there were no pallbearers.
\2\ Third session Fifth-fifth Congress, Record, p. 681.
\3\ It is the general custom ior the House to rise to receive
visiting bodies. See Record, second session Forty-fourth Congress, page
1503, for visit of Senate during proceedings over electoral count.
Sec. 7154
All having assembled the Speaker indicates when the services are to
proceed.
After music by the choir, reading of Scripture and remarks by the
officiating clergyman, Rev. Dr. S. M. Newman, of Washington, prayer by
Rev. Mr. Couden, Chaplain of the House; choir; benediction by Doctor
Newman; the family and friends are conducted from the Hall by the
Doorkeeper, and following them the committee of the House and Senate.
The President and Cabinet are next conducted forth, and after them
the other official bodies in an order the reverse of that in which they
entered.
Then, as a further mark of respect, on motion of Mr. Charles A.
Boutelle, of Maine, the House adjourned.
7154. The House sometimes authorizes the funeral of a deceased Member
in the Hall.--On May 3, 1902,\1\ Mr. Sereno E. Payne, of New York,
having announced the death of Mr. Amos J. Cummings, of New York,
offered the following resolutions:
Resolved, That the House has heard with great and profound sorrow of
the death of Hon. Amos J. Cummings, late a Representative from the
State of New York.
Resolved (in recognition of the long and distinguished term of
service rendered in this body by Mr. Cummings), That appropriate
services be held in the Hall of the House on Sunday, May 4, 1902, at 3
o'clock p. m.
Resolved, That a committee of fourteen Members of the House, with
such Members of the Senate as may be joined, be appointed to take
orders concerning the funeral.
Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to the Senate
and transmit a copy of the same to the family of the deceased.
Resolved, That as a further mark of respect to the memory of the
deceased the House do now adjourn.
The House did not meet on Sunday, so did not attend the services as
an organized body.
7155. Ceremonies at the state funeral of a deceased Senator.--On
February 16, 1904,\2\ a message from the Senate announced that it had
agreed to these resolutions:
Resolved, That the Senate has heard with profound sorrow of the death
of the Hon. Marcus A. Hanna, late a Senator from the State of Ohio.
Resolved, That a committee of twenty-five Senators, of whom the
President pro tempore shall be one, be appointed by the presiding
officer to take order for superintending the funeral of Mr. Hanna,
which shall take place in the Senate Chamber at 12 o'clock m., on
Wednesday, February 17, instant, and that the Senate will attend the
same.
Resolved, That as a further mark of respect his remains be removed
from Washington to Cleveland, Ohio, for burial in charge of the
Sergeant-at-Arms, attended by the committee, who shall have full power
to carry these resolutions into effect; and that the necessary expenses
in connection therewith be paid out of the contingent fund of the
Senate.
Resolved, That the Secretary communicate these proceedings to the
House of Representatives and invite the House of Representatives to
attend the funeral in the Senate Chamber, and to appoint a committee to
act with the committee of the Senate.
Resolved, That invitations be extended to the President of the United
States and the members of his Cabinet, the Chief Justice and As'sociate
Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, the diplomatic
corps (through the Secretary of State), the Admiral of the Navy, and
the Lieutenant-General of the Army to attend the funeral in the Senate
Chamber.
The message also informed the House of the names of the committee
appointed.
The message having been announced to the House, Mr. Charles H.
Grosvenor, of Ohio, offered the following resolutions, which were
agreed to:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ First session Fifty-seventh Congress, Journal, p. 672; Record, p.
5014.
\2\ Second session Fifty-eighth Congress, Record, p. 1998.
Sec. 7156
Resolved, That the House of Representatives has heard with profound
sorrow of the death of the Hon. Marcus A. Hanna, a Senator of the
United States from the State of Ohio.
Resolved, That the House of Representatives accepts the invitation of
the Senate to attend the funeral services of the late Hon. Marcus A.
Hanna, to be held in the Senate Chamber to-morrow, at 12 o'clock noon,
and that the Speaker of the House appoint a committee of thirty Members
to act in conjunction with a committee of the Senate to make the
necessary arrangements and accompany the remains to the place of
burial.
Resolved, That as a further mark of respect the House do now adjourn.
The Speaker having announced the committee, the House adjourned.
On February 17,\1\ after the approval of the Journal and the
transaction of some business, in accordance with the invitation of the
Senate and the order adopted by the House on February 16, the Members
and officers of the House proceeded in a body to the Senate Chamber to
attend the funeral services of the late Hon. Marcus A. Hanna.
At the conclusion of the services the Members returned to the Hall of
Representatives.
Thereupon, as a further mark of respect to the deceased Senator, the
House adjourned.
The Record \2\ records the proceedings in the Senate:
The casket containing the body of the dead Senator was brought into
the Senate Chamber, accompanied by the committees of arrangements of
the two Houses.
The President pro tempore called the Senate to order at 12 o'clock.
The Members of the House of Representatives, preceded by the
Sergeant-at-Arms and the Clerk and by the Speaker, entered the Senate
Chamber. The Speaker was escorted to a seat on the left of the
President pro tempore, the Sergeant-at-Arms and Clerk were assigned to
seats at the Secretary's desk, and the Members of the House were given
the seats on the floor provided for them. They were soon followed by
the ambassadors of and ministers from foreign countries, the Chief
Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, and the Admiral of
the Navy and the Lieutenant-General of the Army, who occupied the seats
assigned them. The President of the United States and his Cabinet
ministers and the iamily of the deceased Senator entered the Chamber
and were shown to the seats reserved for them.
Thereupon the Chaplain of the House was introduced to offer prayer;
after which the Chaplain of the Senate delivered an address, read
passages of Scripture, and offered prayer.
The hymn ``Nearer, My God, to Thee'' was sung by the quartette of the
Gridiron Club, composed of Mr. Herndon Morsell, Mr. J. Henry Kaiser,
Mr. Alexander Mosher, and Mr. John H. Nolan.
The President pro tempore said: ``We commit the body of our beloved
Senator now to the two committees of the Houses of Congress and to the
officers of the Senate, to be conveyed to his late home in Ohio and to
his final resting place. May God sanctify his life and death to us, who
loved him well.''
The benediction was pronounced by the Chaplain of the Senate.
The invited guests having retired from the Senate Chamber, the Senate
adjourned.
7156. Ceremonies in memory of a deceased Speaker.--On December 5,
1876,\3\ on motion of Mr. Andrew H. Hamilton, of Indiana, the
presentation of resolutions on the death of Hon. M. C. Kerr, Speaker of
the House during the preceding session, was made a special order for
December 16.
On that date, after remarks on the life and public services of the
deceased, the following resolutions were offered and agreed to:
Resolved, That the sad announcement of the death of Michael C. Kerr,
late Member from the State of Indiana, and Speaker of this House, is
received by us in the deepest sorrow and profoundest regret,
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Record, p. 2003.
\2\ Record, pp. 2002, 2003.
\3\ Second session Forty-fourth Congress, Journal, pp. 23, 92;
Record, pp. 44, 245-257.
Sec. 7157
and that in his untimely decease the House of Representatives of the
United States has lost an impartial, competent, and noble presiding
officer, a faithful and patriotic Member.
Resolved, That in testimony of our respect for the memory of the
deceased Speaker, his chair be draped in mourning during the unfinished
term of the Forty-fourth Congress, and as a further evidence of our
continuing esteem for the dead the officers and Members of this House
will wear the usual badge of mouming for the space of thirty days.
Resolved, That the Senate be informed of the death of the late
Speaker by forwarding to that body a copy of these resolutions, and
that the Clerk transmit a copy of the same to the afflicted family of
the illustrious dead.
Resolved, That, as a further tribute of respect to the departed
officer, the House do now adjourn.
7157. Form of memorial resolutions for deceased Members.--On February
11, 1899,\1\ on the day set apart by special order for exercises in
memory of the late Nelson Dingley, of Maine, Mr. Charles A. Boutelle,
of Maine, offered these resolutions, which were agreed to:
Resolved, That the business of the House be now suspended that
opportunity may be given for tributes to the memory of Hon. Nelson
Dingley, late a Member of the House of Representatives from the State
of Maine.
Resolved, That as a particular mark of respect to the memory of the
deceased, and in recognition of his eminent abilities as a
distinguished public servant, the House, at the conclusion of these
memorial proceedings, shall stand adjourned.
Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to the Senate.
Resolved, That the Clerk be instructed to send a copy of these
resolutions to the family of the deceased.
The eulogies having been pronounced, the Speaker declared the House
adjourned in accordance with the terms of the resolutions.
7158. The eulogies of a deceased Member formerly occurred at the time
of the announcement of his death and the adjournment of respect.--On
January 15, 1839,\2\ the death of Mr. T. L. Harris, of Illinois, was
announced. At this time it had become the practice to announce the
death of a Member and then and at the same time to have eulogies
delivered by several Members, after which the resolutions of sym athy,
providing for wearing crape on the arm and I P for adjournment were
adopted.
7159. On March 4, 1844,\3\ the House adjourned out of respect to the
memory of a deceased Member, Mr. Henry C. Frick, of Penn ylvania,
although the House had just reassembled after an adjournment taken on
February 29 in respect of the memories of the Cabinet officers killed
on the man of war Princeton. The adjournment for Mr. Frick was taken
immediately before the transaction of business. The Member offering the
resolution for adjournment and for the usual mark of respect, the
wearing of crape, prefaced his action by a eulogy of the deceased. It
was quite common for Members dying in Washington at that time to be
buried in the city, and the Members of the House usually attended the
funeral. Sometimes a state funeral was held in the House. But Mr. Frick
was taken to Pennsylvania for burial, so the proceedings in his case
were simply the adjournment and the wearing of crape.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Third session Fifty-fifth Congress, Record, p. 1760.
\2\ Second session Thirty-fifth Congress, Globe, p. 408.
\3\ First session Twenty-eighth Congress, Journal, p. 513; Globe, p.
347.
Sec. 7160
7160. On February 24, 1848,\1\ the Speaker \2\ announced to the House
the death of his colleague, John Quincy Adams. The short address in
which the Speaker made this announcement appears in full in the journal
by order of the House. Eulogistic addresses were made by three Members
on the floor--Messrs. Charles Hudson, of Massachusetts; Isaac E.
Holmes, of South Carolina, and Samuel F. Vinton, of Ohio. No mention of
their addresses is made in the journal.
Mr. Hudson offered the following resolutions, which were agreed to:
Resolved, That this House has heard, with the deepest sensibility, of
the death in this Capitol of the death of John Quincy Adams, a Member
of this House from the State of Massachusetts.
Resolved, That as a testimony of respect for the memory of this
distinguished statesman the officers and Members of the House will wear
the usual badge of mourning and attend the funeral in this Hall on
Saturday next at 12 o'clock.
Resolved, That a committee of thirty be appointed to superintend the
funeral solemnities.
Resolved, That the proceedings of this House in relation to the death
of John Quincy Adams be communicated to the family of the deceased by
the Clerk.
Resolved, That this House, as a further mark of respect for the
memory of the deceased, do adjourn to Saturday next, the day appointed
for the funeral.
The committee was then appointed, Mr. Hudson being chairman.
Mr. William A. Newall, of New Jersey, then offered this resolution,
which was agreed to:
Resolved, That the seat in this Hall just vacated by the death of the
late John Quincy Adams be unoccupied for thirty days, and that it,
together with the Hall, remain clothed with the symbol of mourning
during that time.
Mr. Frederick A. Tallmadge, of New York, offered the following
additional resolution, which was also agreed to:
Resolved, That the Speaker appoint one Member of this House from each
State and Territory as a committee to escort the remains of our
venerable friend, John Quincy Adams, to the place designated by his
friends for his interment.
On motion of Mr. Vinton,
Ordered, That the remarks of the Speaker announcing officially the
death of John Quincy Adams be entered upon the journal.
7161. On March 28, 1864,\3\ Mr. Ellhu B. Washburne, of Illinois, rose
and announced the death of Hon. Owen Lovejoy, a Member of this House
from the State of Illinois. After remarks by Mr. Washburne and other
Members on the life and public service of the deceased, Mr. Washburne
submitted the following resolutions, which were agreed to:
Resolved, That this House has heard with profound sorrow the
announcement of the death of Hon. Owen Lovejoy, a Member of this House
from the Fifth Congressional district of the State of Illinois.
Resolved, That this House tenders to the widow and relatives of the
deceased the expression of its deep sympathy in this afflicting
bereavement.
Resolved, That the Clerk of this House communicate to the widow of
the deceased a copy of these resolutions.
Resolved, That the Speaker appoint a committee of three to escort the
remains of the deceased to the place designated by his friends for his
interment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ First session Thirtieth Congress, Journal, pp. 444-446; Globe, p.
384.
\2\ Robert C. Winthrop, of Massachusetts, Speaker.
\3\ First session Thirty-eighth Congress, Journal, p. 439; Globe, p.
1326.
Sec. 7162
Resolved, That as an additional mark of respect for the memory of the
deceased the Members of this House will wear the usual badge of
mourning on the left arm for thirty days.
Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be communicated to the
Senate, and as a further mark of respect this House do now adjourn.
7162. On August 9, 1852,\1\ the announcement of the death of Robert
Rantoul, jr., to the House was made the occasion of several eulogies.
7163. On June 29, 1852,\2\ the announcement was made in the House
that Henry Clay, of Kentucky, a Member of the Senate, had just expired
at his lodgings in the city of Washington. The House immediately
adjourned.
On June 30 a message was received from the Senate conveying the
information of Mr. Clay's death and the proceedings of the Senate
thereon. The House thereupon adopted the usual resolutions expressing
sensibility at the intelligence, providing for wearing mourning by the
officers and Members of the House, declaring that the House would
attend the funeral, etc. These resolutions were made the occasion of
eulogies by Members of the House. Also in the Senate there were
eulogies. Usually on the announcement of the death of a Member of
either House the Member making the announcement would speak briefly of
the deceased; but in this case several Members spoke, some at
considerable length.
Later in the session, on July 14, these eulogies were printed by
order of the House as a document.
7164. In later years the eulogies of deceased Members of the House
and Senate have occurred after the announcement of the death.--On March
29, 1866,\3\ the death of Senator Solomon Foot, of Vermont, was
announced in the Senate and his funeral was held in the Senate Chamber
the same day. Mr. Poland explained at the time that the usual eulogies,
then made at the time of the announcement, would, for lack of time, be
postponed until a more suitable season. So they occurred on April 12, a
resolution stating the fact and that the Senate had adjourned out of
respect being ordered sent to the House on the latter date. When the
message from the Senate was received, the House also proceeded to the
memorial exercises.\4\
7165. On January 11, 1871,\5\ the Speaker announced to the House the
death of Hon. John Covode, of Pennsylvania, and a committee was
appointed to attend his funeral. On February 9 the eulogies occurred
with the customary resolution for wearing the emblem of mourning, etc.
7166. On February 20, 1875,\6\ the House devoted a large portion of
the day to the eulogies of four Members of the House who had died at
different times during the session. Thus the convenience of the House
dictated that the eulogies should not be pronounced at the time of the
announcement of the death.
7167. In the case of Senator Matthew H. Carpenter, of Wisconsin, who
died at the close of the Forty-sixth Congress, on February 24, before
the adjournment
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ First session Thirty-second Congress, Globe, p. 2141.
\2\ First session Thirty-second Congress, Journal, pp. 852, 853, 900;
Globe, pp. 1631-1645.
\3\ First session Thirty-ninth Congress, Globe, pp. 1704, 1908.
\4\ Globe, p. 1922.
\5\ Third session Forty-first Congress, Journal, pp. 136, 310.
\6\ Second session Forty-third Congress, Journal, p. 505; Record, pp.
1561-1567.
Sec. 7168
of March 4, the memorial exercises were held in the first session of
the Forty-seventh Congress.\1\
7168. Sunday has been made a legislative day for eulogies of deceased
Members.--On the legislative day of Sunday, February 1, 1903,\2\ in the
absence of the Speaker and Clerk, Mr. Henry C. Smith, of Michigan, took
the chair, called the House to order, and had read the following:
House of Representatives U. S.,
Washington, D. C., February 1, 1903.
I hereby designate Hon. Henry C. Smith, of Michigan, as Speaker pro
tempore this day.
D. B. Henderson, Speaker.
Thereupon prayer was offered by the Chaplain, the journal was read,
and then the House proceeded to the order of the day--eulogies on the
late James McMillan, Member of the Senate.
7169. On Sunday, April 10, 1904,\3\ the House met pursuant to order;
the Journal was read and approved; and then the House proceeded to
memorial services in memory of the late Henry Burk and the late Robert
H. Foerderer, both of Pennsylvania.
7170. At the request of a deceased Member, the House did not appoint
a committee or hold memorial exercises, and the Senate was not informed
of his death.--On June 1, 1906,\4\ Mr. Edward de V. Morrell, of
Pennsylvania, announced the sudden death, that morning, of Robert
Adams, jr., a Representative from the State of Pennsylvania.
Thereupon, by consent of the House, the Speaker \5\ read the
following letter:
Washington, D. C., May 31, 1906.
Hon. J. G. Cannon.
Dear Mr. Speaker: The fact that my personal obligations exceed my
resources is my only excuse for abandoning the responsible position I
occupy in the House. I am willing to be buried at its expense, but I
ask that no committee be appointed or memorial services be held, as I
have never been in sympathy with the latter custom.
With assurance of my high regard, sincerely, yours,
Robert Adams.
Thereupon, Mr. Morrell offered the following resolutions, which were
agreed to:
Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow of the death
of Ron. Robert Adams, Jr., a Representative from the State of
Pennsylvania.
Resolved, That the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House be authorized and
directed to take such steps as may be necessary for the funeral of the
deceased, and that the necessary expenses in connection therewith be
paid out of the contingent fund of the House.
Then, on motion of Mr. Morrell, as a further mark of respect, the
House adjourned.\6\
No message was sent to the Senate, no concurrent action of that body
being required.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ First session Forty-seventh Congress, Record, p. 619.
\2\ Second session Fifty-seventh Congress, Journal, p. 191; Record,
p. 1549.
\3\ Second session Fifty-eighth Congress, Record, p. 4594.
\4\ First session Fifty-ninth Congress, Record, p. 7711.
\5\ Joseph G. Cannon, of Illinois, Speaker.
\6\ Mr. Adams had committed suicide.
Sec. 7171
7171. The death of the Clerk being announced, the House adopted
appropriate resolutions.--On April 15, 1850,\1\ after the reading of
the Journal, the Speaker announced the death of Thomas J. Campbell,
Clerk of the House.
Mr. Meredith P. Gentry, of Tennessee, after remarks on the life and
public services of the deceased, and after remarking that there seemed
to be no precedents to guide the House in a case of this kind, offered
the following resolutions, which were unanimously adopted:
Resolved, That this House has heard with deep sensibility the
announcement of the death of the Hon. Thomas Jefferson Campbell, late
Clerk of this House.
Resolved, That, as a testimony of respect for the memory of the
deceased, the Members and officers of this House will wear the usual
badge of mourning for thirty days.
Resolved, That the proceedings of this House in relation to the death
of the Hon. Thomas J. Campbell be communicated to the family of the
deceased by the Speaker.
Resolved, That the House, as a further mark of respect for his
memory, do now adjourn.
The House accordingly adjourned.
7172. The House appointed a committee to attend the funeral of its
deceased Chaplain.--On October 26, 1893,\2\ Mr. James D. Richardson, of
Tennessee, offered the following resolutions, which were agreed to:
Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow of the death
of Rev. Samuel W. Haddaway, Chaplain of the House.
Resolved, That as a mark of respect to his memory the Speaker appoint
a committee of seven to attend his funeral services.
Mr. Richardson was appointed a member of this committee, but not
chairman. The chairman was Mr. Barnes Compton, of Maryland, the State
of the deceased.\3\
7173. On the announcement of the death of the Doorkeeper, the House
took appropriate action.--On March 12, 1902,\4\ Mr. Sereno E. Payne, of
New York, offered and the House unanimously agreed to the following
resolutions:
Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow of the death
of Hon. William J. Glenn, Doorkeeper of the House.
Resolved, That as a mark of respect to his memory the Speaker appoint
a committee of seven to attend the funeral services.
7174. Resolution relating to the decease of an official reporter of
debates.--On January 5, 1884,\5\ by unanimous consent, the Speaker
presented to the House for inclusion in the Journal and Record a
communication from the official reporters of debates transmitting
resolutions of respect adopted by them in memory of their late
associate, William Blair Lord.
7175. Form of announcement to the Senate of the death of its Chief
Clerk.--On March 2, 1907,\6\ the Vice-President laid before the Senate
the following communication; which was read:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ First session Thirty-first Congress, Journal, pp. 788, 789;
Globe, p. 730.
\2\ First session Fifty-third Congress, Journal, p. 155; Record, p.
2858.
\3\ The House has rarely noticed the deaths of its employees, but an
instance occurred on January 4, 1849; the House adjourned at 2 p. m. in
order to enable the Members to attend ``the funeral of the late Daniel
Gold, for many years a faithful and useful assistant of the Clerk of
this House.'' (Second session Thirtieth Congress, Journal, p. 196.)
\4\ First session Fifty-seventh Congress, Journal, p. 458; Record, p.
2706.
\5\ Second session Forty-eighth Congress, Journal, p. 159; Record, p.
446.
\6\ Second session Fifty-ninth Congress, Record, p. 4454.
Sec. 7176
United States Senate,
Office of the Secretary,
March 2, 1907.
To the President of the Senate:
It becomes my painful duty to advise you of the death of H. Bowyer
McDonald, Chief Clerk of the Senate, and for upward of thirty-four
years an employee of this body.
Respectfully,
Charles G. Bennett, Secretary.
7176. Ceremonies in memory of President William Henry Harrison.--On
June 1, 1841,\1\ on motion of Mr. John Quincy Adams, of Massachusetts,
the House agreed to the following resolution:
Resolved, That a committee of one Member from each State in the Union
be appointed on the part of this House, to join such committee as may
be appointed on the part of the Senate, to consider and report by what
token of respect and affection it may be proper for the Congress of the
United States to express the deep sensibility of the Nation to the
event of the decease of their late President, William Henry Harrison;
and that so much of the message of the President as relates to that
melancholy event be referred to the said committee.
Mr. Adams was appointed chairman of the committee.
On June 3 a message was received from the Senate informing the House
that they had agreed to the resolution and had appointed a committee on
their part. This Senate committee numbered five.
On June 8 a message from the Senate announced that they had agreed to
resolutions reported by the joint committee, and immediately these
resolutions were presented to the House and agreed to. They were as
follows:
The melancholy event of the death of William Henry Harrison, the late
President of the United States, having occurred during the recess of
Congress, and the two Houses sharing in the general grief, and desiring
to manifest their sensibility upon the occasion of that public
bereavement: Therefore,
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled, That the chairs of the
President of the Senate and of the Speaker of the House of
Representatives be shrouded in black during the residue of the session;
and that the President pro tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the
House of Representatives, and the Members and officers of both Houses
wear the usual badge of mourning for thirty days.
Resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to
transmit a copy of these resolutions to Mrs. Harrison, and to assure
her of the profound respect of the two Houses of Congress for her
person and character, and of their sincere condolence on the late
afflicting dispensation of Providence.\2\
This joint resolution was signed by the President of the United
States.\3\
7177. Ceremonies in honor of President Zachary Taylor, who died
during a session of Congress.--On July 10, 1850,\4\ a message was
received from
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ First session Twenty-seventh Congress, Journal, pp. 34 36, 61,
62, 128; Globe, pp. 10, 12.
\2\ On June 22, 1841, President Tyler, in a message, submitted to the
House correspondence concerning the removal of the remains of the late
President Harrison from Washington, a ceremony that afterwards occurred
under superintendence of a joint committee of the two Houses. This
correspondence in fall, as well as the message, appears in the Journal
of the House. (First session Twenty-seventh Congress, Journal, pp. 180-
182.)
\3\ Later the remains of President Harrison were removed from the
Congressional Cemetery under superintendence of a joint committee of
both Houses, President Tyler having communicated to Congress the
request of citizens of Ohio that the remains be removed. (Journal, pp.
180, 190.)
\4\ First session Thirty-first Congress, Journal, pp. 1121-1123;
Globe, pp. 1366-1376.
Sec. 7177
President Millard Fillmore announcing the death of the late President,
Zachary Taylor, and recommending the adoption of suitable measures for
the obsequies.
The Speaker \1\ stated that this was the first time in the history of
the nation that a Chief Magistrate had been stricken down during a
session of Congress. Therefore a new and solemn obligation devolved on
the representatives of the people to adopt the most appropriate
measures.
Mr. Charles M. Conrad, of Louisiana,\2\ was then recognized, and
after eulogizing the deceased, offered these resolutions:
Whereas it has pleased Divine Providence to remove from this life
Zachary Taylor, late President of the United States, the House of
Representatives, sharing in the general sorrow which this melancholy
event must produce, is desirous of manifesting its sensibility on the
occasion: Therefore,
Resolved, That a committee, consisting of thirteen Members, be
appointed on the part of this House, to meet such committee as may be
appointed on the part of the Senate, to consider and report what
measures it may be deemed proper to adopt, in order to show the respect
and affection. of Congress for the memory of the illustrious deceased,
and to make the necessary arrangements for his funeral.
Resolved, That this resolution be communicated to the Senate.
Pending consideration of this resolution, a message was received from
the Senate announcing that they had agreed to the following resolution,
in which they asked the concurrence of the House:
Whereas it has pleased Divine Providence to remove from this life
Zachary Taylor, late President of the United States, the Senate,
sharing in the general sorrow which this melancholy event must produce,
is desirous of manifesting its sensibility on the occasion: Therefore,
Resolved, That a committee, consisting of Mr. Webster, Mr. Cass, and
Mr. King, be appointed on the part of the Senate, to meet such
committee as may be appointed on the part of the House of
Representatives, to consider and report what measures it may be proper
to adopt to show the respect and affection of Congress for the memory
of the illustrious deceased, and to make the necessary arrangements for
his funeral.
The House proceeded with the consideration of the resolutions offered
by Mr. Conrad, and after eulogies had been pronounced by several
Members, the resolutions were unanimously agreed to.
Mr. Conrad was appointed chairman of the committee.
On July 11 the joint committee reported to the House as follows:
That the funeral take place from the President's house on Saturday
next; the ceremonies to commence at 12 o'clock m., and the procession
to move at 1 o'clock p.m. precisely. That the two Houses of Congress
assemble in their respective chambers on Saturday next, at 11 o'clock
a.m., and thence move in joint procession to the President's house;
that the chambers of the two Houses be hung in black, and that the
Members wear the usual badges of mourning.
The committee further report that a programme of all the ceremonies
proposed on the occasion will be published at the earliest moment.
The military and naval arrangements for the day will be under the
direction of Major-General Scott, commanding the Army of the United
States, and of Commodore Warrington, the senior naval officer present,
and will conform in all essential respects to those adopted on the
occasion of the funeral of the late President Harrison.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Howell Cobb, of Georgia, Speaker.
\2\ Mr. Conrad was a Whig, of the same party as the deceased
President, but a member of the minority in the House.
Sec. 7178
The said report having been read, it was unanimously concurred in.\1\
The House then adjourned to meet on Saturday next.
On that day the House met, and the Speaker and Members went in
procession to the President's house, in accordance with the
arrangements.\2\
7178. Ceremonies in memory of President Abraham Lincoln.--On December
5, 1865,\3\ Mr. Elihu B. Washburne, of Illinois, submitted the
following resolution, saying that it was in accordance with the
precedents in similar melancholy events:
Resolved, That a committee of one from each State represented in this
House be appointed on the part of the House to join such committee as
may be appointed on the part of the Senate, to consider and report by
what token of respect and affection it may be proper for the Congress
of the United States to express the deep sensibility of the nation to
the event of the decease of their late President, Abraham Lincoln; and
that so much of the message of the President as relates to that
melancholy event be referred to the said committee.
This resolution was at once agreed to by the House, and on December 6
was considered by the Senate. At first it was proposed that the
committee on the part of the Senate should consist of six, in
accordance with the precedent on the last occasion of the decease of a
President during the recess of Congress. But after debate it was
decided to make the number thirteen, in order that it might be more
representative of the different portions of the country.
Mr. Washburne, of Illinois, was made chairman of the committee on the
part of the House, and Mr. Solomon Foot, of Vermont, of the Senate
committee.
This committee reported first in the Senate, and on December 18 the
House received a message from the Senate that they had concurred in the
following:
Whereas the melancholy event of the violent and tragic death of
Abraham Lincoln, late President of the United States, having occurred
during the recess of Congress, and the two Houses sharing in the
general grief and desiring to manifest their sensibility upon the
occasion of the public bereavement: Therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives
concurring), That the two Houses of Congress will assemble in the Hall
of the House of Representatives on Monday, the 12th day of February
next, that being his anniversary birthday, at the hour of twelve
meridian; and that, in the presence of the two Houses then assembled,
an address upon the life and character of Abraham Lincoln, late
President of the United States, be pronounced by the Honorable Edwin
1A. Stanton, and that the President of the Senate pro tempore and the
Speaker of the House of Representatives be requested to invite the
President of the United States, the heads of the several Departments,
the judges of the Supreme Court, the representatives of foreign
governments near this Government, and such officers of the Army and
Navy as have received the thanks of Congress who may then be at the
seat of government to be present on the occasion.
And be it further resolved, That the President of the United States
be requested to transmit a copy of these resolutions to Mrs. Lincoln,
and to assure her of the profound sympathy of the two Houses of
Congress for her deep personal affliction, and of their sincere
condolence for the late national bereavement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ This report was simply in the form of a report, and not of a
resolution. The House acted on it, concurring in the report. The report
appears in the Journal in full, without especial order to that effect,
as would seem proper, since it was the report that the House agreed to.
\2\ A joint resolution (S. 24) expressing the condolences of Congress
for Mrs. Margaret Taylor was also passed by the two Houses of Congress
and signed by the President. (Journal, pp. 1128, 1161.)
\3\ First session Thirty-ninth Congress, Journal, pp. 32, 36, 43, 47,
83; Globe, pp. 10, 12, 13, 67, 71.
Sec. 7178
The resolutions were agreed to by the House unanimously.
Mr. Stanton having declined, the committee selected Hon. George
Bancroft, although it does not appear that a formal record was made of
this action.
The Journal of February 12 \1\ has the following entry:
After the Journal was read, the Speaker laid before the House the
following letter, this day received by him from the Secretary of State,
viz:
(Here follows in full a letter from William H. Seward expressing
thanks for the invitation, and regretting his inability to attend.)
In pursuance of the concurrent resolution of the two Houses of the
18th of December last, the Senate of the United States, preceded by the
President of the Senate pro tempore and its officers, the President of
the United States, the heads of the several departments, the judges of
the Supreme Court, the representatives of foreign governments near this
Government, such officers of the Army and Navy as have received the
thanks of Congress, and Mr. George Bancroft, entered the Hall and took
the seats provided for them, respectively.
Mr. George Bancroft then rose and pronounced an address upon the life
and character of Abraham Lincoln, late President of the United States;
and having concluded the same, the Senate and invited guests of the two
Houses withdrew.
Mr. Washburne then submitted the following concurrent resolutions,
which were read, considered, and agreed to, viz:
Resolved (the Senate concurring), That the thanks of Congress be
presented to the honorable George Bancroft for the appropriate memorial
address delivered by him on the life and services of Abraham Lincoln,
late President of the United States, in the Representatives' Hall,
before both Houses of Congress and their invited guests, on the 12th
day of February, 1866, and that he be requested to furnish a copy for
publication.
Resolved, That the chairman of the joint committee appointed to make
the necessary arrangements to carry into effect the resolution of this
Congress in relation to the memorial exercises in honor of Abraham
Lincoln be requested to communicate to Mr. Bancroft the foregoing
resolution, receive his answer thereto, and present the same to both
Houses of Congress.
The record of debates \2\ has the details of the ceremony more fully.
The Speaker's desk and the desk of the Clerk of the House were draped
in mourning. The account is as follows:
At 12 o'clock and 10 minutes p. m. the Members of the Senate,
following their President pro tempore and their Secretary, and preceded
by their Sergeant-at-Arms, entered the Hall of the House of
Representatives and occupied the seats reserved for them on the right
and left of the main aisle.
The President pro tempore occupied the Speaker's chair, the Speaker
of the House sitting at his left. The Chaplains of the Senate and the
House were seated on the right and left of the Presiding Officers of
their respective Houses.
Shortly afterward the President of the United States, with the
members of his Cabinet, entered the Hall and occupied seats, the
President in front of the Speaker's table, and his Cabinet immediately
on his right.
Immediately after the entrance of the President, the Chief Justice
and the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States
entered the Hall and occupied seats next to the President, on the right
of the Speaker's table.
The others present were seated as follows:
The heads of Departments, with the Diplomatic Corps, next to the
President, on the left of the Speaker's table.
Officers of the Army and Navy, who, by name, have received the thanks
of Congress, next to the Supreme Court, on the right of the Speaker's
table.
Assistant heads of Departments, governors of States and Territories,
and the mayors of Washington and Georgetown, directly in the rear of
the heads of Departments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Journal, pp. 261, 262.
\2\ Globe, p. 798.
Sec. 7179
The Chief Justice and judges of the Court of Claims, and the Chief
Justice and associate justices of the supreme court of the District of
Columbia, directly in the rear of the Supreme Court.
The heads of bureaus in the Departments, directly in the rear of
officers of the Army and Navy.
Representatives on either side of the Hall, in the rear of those
invited, four rows of seats on either side of the rear aisle being
reserved for Senators.
The orator of the day, Hon. George Bancroft, at the table of the
Clerk of the House.
The chairman of the joint committee of arrangements, at the right and
left of the orator, and next to them the Secretary of the Senate and
the Clerk of the House.
The other officers of the Senate and House, on the floor at the right
and left of the Speaker's platform.
When order was restored, at 12 o'clock and 20 minutes, the Marine
Band, stationed in the vestibule, played appropriate dirges.
At 12 o'clock and 30 minutes the two Houses were called to order by
the President pro tempore of the Senate.
Reverend Doctor Boynton, Chaplain of the House, offered the following
prayer: * * *
The President of the Senate then introduced the orator of the day.
On February 16 \1\ Mr. Washburne, from the joint committee, reported
that the committee had placed a certified copy of the concurrent
resolution of thanks in the hands of the Hon. George Bancroft, and
received his answer thereto, which correspondence was laid on the table
and ordered to be printed.
7179. Ceremonies in memory of President James A. Garfield.--On
December 6, 1881,\2\ immediately after the reading of the message of
the President, Mr. William McKinley, jr., of Ohio, offered the
following:
Resolved, That a committee of one Member from each State represented
in this House be appointed on the part of the House to join such
committee as may be appointed on the part of the Senate to consider and
report by what token of respect and affection it may be proper for the
Congress of the United States to express the deep sensibility of the
nation to the event of the decease of their late President, James Abram
Garfield; and that so much of the message of the President as refers to
that melancholy event be referred to said committee.
This resolution was considered by unanimous consent, and agreed to.
Mr. McKinley was appointed chairman of the committee on the part of
the House.
The Senate concurred in the resolution, constituting the committee on
their part of six Senators, Mr. John Sherman, of Ohio, being chairman.
On December 21 Mr. McKinley reported to the House the following:
Whereas the melancholy event of the violent and tragic death of James
Abram Garfield, late President of the United States, having occurred
during the recess of Congress, and the two Houses sharing in the
general grief and desiring to manifest their sensibility upon the
occasion of the public bereavement; therefore,
Be it resolved by the Howe of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the two Houses of Congress will assemble in the Hall
of the House of Representatives on a day and hour to be fixed and
announced by the joint committee, and that in the presence of the two
Houses there assembled an address upon the life and character of James
Abram Garfield, late President of the United States, be pronounced by
Hon. James G. Blaine, and that the President of the Senate pro tempore
and the Speaker of the House of Representatives be requested to invite
the President and ex-Presidents of the United States, the heads of the
several Departments, the judges of the Supreme Court, the
representatives of the foreign governments near this Government, the
governors of the several States, the General of the Army, and the
Admiral of the Navy, and such officers ot the Army and Navy as have
received the thanks of Congress, who may then be at the seat of
government, to be present on the occasion.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Journal, p. 280; Globe, p. 886.
\2\ First session Forty-seventh Congress, Journal, pp. 43, 185;
Record, pp. 44, 238.
Sec. 7179
And be itfurther resolved, That the President of the United States be
requested to transmit a copy of these resolutions to Mrs. Lucretia R.
Garfield, and to assure her of the profound sympathy of the two Houses
of Congress for her deep personal affliction, and of their sincere
condolence for the late national bereavement.
Later the two Houses, by concurrent resolution, fixed February 27,
1882,\1\ as the date of the ceremonies, and the Journal of that date
contains the following:
The Senate of the United States, preceded by the President of the
Senate pro tempore and its officers, the President of the United
States, the heads of the several Departments, the Chief Justice and
Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, the chief
justice and judges of the Court of Claims, and the chief justice and
associate justices of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia,
the General of the Army, and Admiral of the Navy, with such officers of
the Army and Navy as have received the thanks of Congress, the
representatives of foreign governments near this Government, invited
guests, and Mr. James G. Blaine, entered the Hall and took the seats
provided for them, respectively.
The President pro tempore of the Senate called the two Houses to
order.
Mr. Blaine then rose and pronounced an address upon the life,
character, and public services of James Abram Garfield, late President
of the United States; and having concluded the same,
The Senate and invited guests of the two Houses thereupon withdrew.
The Speaker having called the House to order, Mr. McKinley submitted
the following concurrent resolutions, which were read, considered, and
agreed to, viz:
``Resolved, (the Senate concurring), That the thanks of Congress be
presented to Hon. James G. Blaine for the appropriate memorial address
delivered by him on the life and services of James Abram Garfield, late
President of the United States, in the Representatives' Hall, before
both Houses of Congress and their invited guests, on the 27th day of
February, 1882, and that he be requested to furnish a copy for
publication.
``Resolved, That the chairman of the joint committee appointed to
make the necessary arrangements to carry into effect the resolutions of
this Congress in relation to the memorial exercises in honor of James
Abram Garfield be requested to communicate to Mr. Blaine the foregoing
resolution, receive his answer thereto, and present the same to both
Houses of Congress.
``Ordered, That the Clerk request the concurrence of the Senate in
the said resolutions.''
Mr. McKinley also submitted the following resolution; which was read,
considered, and agreed to, viz:
``Resolved, That, as a further testimonial of respect to the deceased
President of the United States, the House do now adjourn.''
The Record of this date contains the programme of arrangements in
full:
The Hall of the House of Representatives will be opened for the
admission of Representatives and to those who have invitations, who
will be conducted to the seats assigned to them as follows:
The President and ex-Presidents of the United States and special
guests will be seated in front of the Speaker.
The Chief Justice and associate justices of the Supreme Court will
occupy seats next to the President and ex-Presidents and special
guests, on the right of the Speaker.
The Cabinet officers, the General of the Army and Admiral of the
Navy, and the officers of the Army and Navy who, by name, have received
the thanks of Congress, will occupy seats on the left of the Speaker.
The chief justice and judges of the Court of Claims and the chief
justice and associate justices of the supreme court of the District of
Cloumbia will occupy seats directly in the rear of the Supreme Court.
The diplomatic corps will occupy the front row of seats.
Ex-Vice-Presidents, Senators, and ex-Senators will occupy seats in
the second, third, fourth, and fifth rows on east side of main aisle.
Representatives will occupy seats on west side of main aisle and in
rear of Senators on the cast side.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Journal, pp. 676, 687; Record, p. 1465.
Sec. 7180
Commissioners of the District, governors of States and Territories,
assistant heads of departments, and invited guests will occupy seats in
rear of Representatives.
Executive gallery will be reserved exclusively for the families of
the Supreme Court and the families of the Cabinet and the invited
guests of the President. Tickets thereto will be delivered to the
private secretary of the President.
The diplomatic gallery will be reserved exclusively for the families
of the members of the diplomatic corps. Tickets thereto will be
delivered to the Secretary of State.
The reporters' gallery will be reserved exclusively for the use of
the reporters for the press. Tickets thereto will be delivered to the
press committee.
The official reporters of the Senate and the House will occupy the
reporters' desk in front of the Clerk's table.
The House of Representatives will be called to order by the Speaker
at 12 o'clock.
The Marine Band will be in attendance.
The Senate will assemble at 12 o'clock, and immediately after prayer
will proceed to the Hall of the House of Representatives.
The diplomatic corps will meet at half past 11 o'clock in
Representatives' lobby, and be conducted by the Sergeant-at-Arms of the
House to the seats assigned them.
The President of the Senate will occupy the Speaker's chair.
The Speaker of the House will occupy a seat at the left of the
President of the Senate.
The Chaplains of the Senate and of the House will occupy seats next
to the presiding officers of their respective Houses.
The chairmen of the joint committee of arrangements will occupy seats
at the right and left of the orator, and next to them will be seated
the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House.
The other officers of the Senate and of the House will occupy seats
on the floor at the right and left of the Speaker's platform.
Prayer will be offered by Rev. F. D. Power, Chaplain of the House of
Representatives.
The presiding officer will then present the orator of the day.
The benediction will be pronounced by the Rev. J. J. Bullock,
Chaplain of the Senate.
By reason of the limited capacity of the galleries the number of
tickets is necessarily restricted, and will be distributed as follows:
To each Senator, Representative, and Delegate, three tickets.
The Capitol will be closed on the morning of the 27th to all except
the Members and officers of Congress.
At 10 o'clock the east door leading to the Rotunda will be opened to
those to whom invitations have been extended under the joint resolution
of Congress by the presiding officers of the two Houses, and to those
holding tickets of admission to the galleries.
No person will be admitted to the Capitol except on presentation of a
ticket, which will be good only for the place indicated.
The Architect of the Capitol and the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Senate
and Sergeant-at-Arms of the House are charged with the execution of
these arrangements.
7180. Proceedings and exercises in memory of President McKinley.--On
December 3, 1901,\1\ the message of the President having been received
and read, Mr. Sereno E. Payne, of New York, moved that all of it,
except that portion relating to the death of the late President,
William McKinley, be referred to the Committee of the Whole House on
the state of the Union. This motion was agreed to.
Thereupon Mr. Charles H Grosvenor, of Ohio, offered the following:
Resolved, That a committee of one member from each State represented
in this House be appointed on the part of the House, to join such
committee as may be appointed on the part of the Senate, to consider
and report by what token of respect and affection it may be proper for
the Congress of the United States to express the deep sensibility of
the nation to the tragic death of the late President,
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ First session Fifty-seventh Congress, Record, p. 93; Journal, p.
50.
Sec. 7180
William McKinley, and that so much of the message of the President as
relates to that deplorable event be referred to such committee.
This resolution being agreed to, the Speaker announced the committee,
Mr. Grosvenor being chairman.
Then, on motion of Mr. Grosvenor, and as a further mark of respect to
the memory of the late President, the House adjourned.
On January 15, 1902,\1\ Mr. Charles H. Grosvenor, from the select
committee, presented the following resolution, which was considered by
unanimous consent and agreed to:
Whereas the melancholy event of the violent and tragic death of
William McKinley, late President of the United States, having occurred
during the recess of Congress, and the two Houses sharing in the
general grief and desiring to manifest their sensibility upon the
occasion of the public bereavement: Therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the two Houses of Congress will assemble in the Hall
of the House of Representatives on a day and hour fixed and announced
by the joint committee, to wit, Thursday, February 27, 1902, and that,
in the presence of the two Houses there assembled, an address on the
life and character of William McKinley, late President of the United
States, be pronounced by Hon. John Hay, and that the President of the
Senate pro tempore and the Speaker of the House of Representatives be
requested to invite the President and ex-President of the United
States, ex-Vice-Presidents, the heads of the several Departments, the
judges of the Supreme Court, the representatives of the foreign
governments, the governors of the several States, the Lieutenant-
General of the Army and the Admiral of the Navy, and such officers of
the Army and Navy as have received the thanks of Congress who may then
be at the seat of government to be present on the occasion, and such
others as may be suggested by the executive committee.
And be it further resolved, That the President of the United States
be requested to transmit a copy of these resolutions to Mrs. Ida S.
McKinley, and to assure her of the profound sympathy of the two Houses
of Congress for her deep personal affliction, and of their sincere
condolence for the late national bereavement.
On February 27, 1902,\2\ after prayer by the Chaplain, the Speaker
laid before the House the concurrent resolutions providing for memorial
exercises in honor of the memory of the late President, William
McKinley, which were about to begin in accordance with the following
programme:
The Capitol will be closed on the morning of the 27th day of
February, 1902, to all except Members and officers of Congress.
At 10 o'clock the east door leading to the Rotunda will be opened to
those to whom invitations have been extended under the joint resolution
of Congress by the presiding officers of the two Houses, and to those
holding tickets of admission to the galleries.
The Hall of the House of Representatives will be opened for the
admission of Representatives and to those who have invitations, who
will be conducted to the seats assigned to them, as follows:
The President and ex-President of the United States and special
guests will be seated in front of the Speaker.
The Chief Sustice and associate justices of the Supreme Court will
occupy seats next to the President and exPresident and special guests,
on the right of the Speaker.
The Cabinet officers, the Lieutenant-General of the Army and the
Admiral of the Navy, and the officers of the Army and Navy who, by
name, have received the thanks of Congress, will occupy seats on the
left of the Speaker.
The chief justice and judges of the Court of Claims and the chief
justice and associate justices of the supreme court of the District of
Columbia will occupy seats directly in the rear of the Supreme Court.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ First session Fifty-seventh Congress, Journal, p. 223; Record, p.
693.
\2\ First session Fifty-seventh Congress, Record, pp. 2197-2202;
Journal, p. 394.
Sec. 7180
The diplomatic corps will occupy the front row of seats.
Ex-Vice-Presidents and Senators will occupy seats in the second,
third, fourth, and fifth rows on east side of main aisle.
Representatives will occupy seats on west side of main aisle and in
rear of the Senators on east side.
Commissioners of the District, governors of States and Territories,
assistant heads of Departments, and invited guests will occupy seats in
rear of Representatives.
The executive gallery will be reserved exclusively for the families
of the Supreme Court and the families of the Cabinet and the invited
guests of the President. Tickets thereto will be delivered to the
Secretary to the President.
The diplomatic gallery will be reserved exclusively for the families
of the members of the diplomatic corps. Tickets thereto will be
delivered to the Secretary of State.
The reporters' gallery will be reserved exclusively for the use of
the reporters for the press. Tickets thereto will be delivered to the
press committee.
The official reporters of the Senate and of the House will occupy the
reporters' desk in front of the Clerk's table.
The House of Representatives will be called to order by the Speaker
at 12 o'clock.
The Marine Band will be in attendance.
The Senate will assemble at 12 o'clock, and immediately after prayer
will proceed to the Hall of the House of Representatives.
The diplomatic corps will meet at half past 11 o'clock in
Representatives' lobby, and be conducted by the Sergeant-at-Arms of the
House to the seats assigned them.
The President of the Senate will occupy the Speaker's chair.
The Speaker of the House will occupy a seat at the left of the
President of the Senate.
The Chaplains of the Senate and of the House will occupy seats next
to the Presiding Officers of their respective Houses.
The chairmen of the joint committee of arrangements will occupy seats
at the right and left of the orator, and next to them will be seated
the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House.
The other officers of the Senate and of the House will occupy seats
on the floor, at the right and the left of the Speaker's platform.
Prayer will be offered by the Rev. Henry N. Couden, D. D., Chaplain
of the House of Representatives.
The Presiding Officer will then present the orator of the day.
The benediction will be pronounced by the Rev. W. H. Milburn,
Chaplain of the Senate.
By reason of the limited capacity of the galleries the number of
tickets is necessarily restricted, and will be distributed as follows:
To each Senator, Representative, and Delegate, two tickets.
No person will be admitted to the Capitol except on presentation of a
ticket, which will be good only for the place indicated.
The Architect of the Capitol and the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Senate
and the Doorkeeper of the House are charged with the execution of these
arrangements.
J. B. Foraker,
C. H. Grosvenor,
Chairmen Joint Committee.
The concurrent resolutions having been read, the Doorkeeper, Mr.
William J. Glenn, announced the President of the United States and his
Cabinet, the President pro tempore and the Senate, the Chief Justice
and associate justices of the Supreme Court, the Lieutenant-General of
the Army, the diplomatic corps, His Royal Highness Prince Henry of
Prussia, and other invited guests.
The Speaker gave the gavel to the President pro tempore of the
Senate.
After prayer by the Chaplain of the House, the orator of the day,
Hon. John Hay, Secretary of State, was introduced and pronounced the
oration.
Sec. 7181
Then, after the benediction by the Chaplain of the Senate, the
President pro tempore declared the assembly dissolved, and
Thereupon the President and his Cabinet, the Senate, the Chief
Justice and associate justices of the Supreme Court, the diplomatic
corps, and other invited guests retired.\1\
The Speaker called the House to order, and then, on motion of Mr.
Sereno E. Payne, of New York, as a further mark of respect, the House
adjourned.
The customary resolution thanking the orator was not presented at
this time. Later, when offered, it was objected to, but on June 2,
1902,\2\ was passed by the House under suspension of the rules. On June
3 \3\ it was passed by the Senate.
7181. Ceremonies upon the announcement of the death of George
Washington.--On December 18, 1799,\4\ Mr. John Marshall, of Virginia,
announced to the House the death of George Washington, and in view of
the effect which the afflicting nature of the news would have on the
transaction of business, moved that the House adjourn. Accordingly the
House adjourned.
On December 19 Mr. Marshall, having spoken at some length of the
character and services of the deceased, proposed the following
resolutions, which were unanimously agreed to by the House:
The House of Representatives of the United States, having received
intelligence of the death of their highly valued fellow-citizen, George
Washington, General of the Armies of the United States, and sharing the
universal grief this distressing event must produce, unanimously
resolve,
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The order of the arrival and departure of invited bodies and
guests was somewhat irregular. The most approved order seems to be for
the Senate to come first, then the Supreme Court, the Diplomatic Corps,
and last the President and Cabinet. These bodies are announced. (See
proceedings at funeral of Hon. Nelson Dingley, of Maine.) Individuals
are not as a rule announced. In this case, however, the Lieutenant-
General of the Army and Prince Henry of Prussia were announced. In this
case, also, the diplomatic corps were not announced. Some
misunderstanding occurred in the arrangements for the diplomatic corps,
which led to a correspondence between the diplomatic corps and the
State Department. Sir Julian Pauncefote, ambassador of Great Britain,
and dean of the diplomatic corps, wrote as follows to Secretary Hay:
``I write to you unofficially at the request of my colleagues as
their dean, as well as in my own name, to invoke your good offices in
bringing about a more satisfactory arrangement with respect to the
placing of the corps diplomatique on the occasion of official
ceremonies in the two chambers of Congress.
``This action on our part is prompted by the uncertainty which has
hitherto prevailed in the allocation of our seats, giving rise
occasionally to some friction in relation to questions of precedence.
``The usage in Europe, as you are aware, is to place the foreign
representatives, in a body, to the right of the chief of the State or
high presiding functionary, where they appear as spectators, taking no
active part in the ceremony, and thus avoiding any question of
precedence between them and the high officials of the State.
``This is a reasonable and convenient arrangement which we hope will
commend itself for adoption by the committees of the two Houses which
are charged with the distribution of seats on the occasions referred
to. But if for any reason the above arrangement should be deemed
impracticable, I beg to state in the name of the corps diplomatique,
that they would much prefer to witness the ceremony from the diplomatic
gallery to which there can be no objection, unless it be from its want
of sufficient space.
``My colleagues hope that with your usual kindness and courtesy you
will inform the proper authority of the above suggestion and endeavor
to procure its acceptance.''
This correspondence was transmitted to the Speaker, but the matter
was not brought to the attention of the House.
\2\ Record, pp. 6091-6094.
\3\ Record, p. 6214.
\4\ First session Sixth Congress, Journal, pp. 540, 541 (Gales &
Seaton ed.); Annals, pp. 203-206.
Sec. 7181
1. That this House will wait on the President of the United States,
in condolence of this national calamity.
2. That the Speaker's chair be shrouded in black, and that the
Members and officers of the House wear mourning, during the session.
3. That a joint committee of both Houses be appointed to report
measures suitable to the occasion, and expressive of the profound
sorrow with which Congress is penetrated on the loss of a citizen,
first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his
countrymen.
4. That when this House adjourns, it will adjourn until Monday next.
A message announcing officially the death of General Washington was
received from the President, a committee were appointed to wait on the
President and learn when he would receive them, and a message was
received from the Senate announcing that they had agreed to the
resolution for the appointment of a joint committee.
The Speaker, attended by the House, then withdrew to the House of the
President of the United States, when Mr. Speaker addressed the
President as follows:
Sir: The House of Representatives, penetrated with a sense of the
irreparable loss sustained by the nation in the death of that great and
good man, the illustrious and beloved Washington, wait on you, sir, to
express their condolence on this melancholy and distressing event.
To which the President replied as follows:
Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:
I receive, with great respect and affection, the condolence of the
House of Representatives, on the melancholy and affecting event, in the
death of the most illustrious and beloved personage which this country
ever produced. I sympathize with you, with the nation, and with good
men through the world in this irreparable loss sustained by us all.
And then the House adjourned.
On December 23 \1\ Mr. Marshall, from the joint committee, reported a
concurrent resolution, which was on the same day agreed to by the House
and Senate, providing for the erection of a marble monument in the
Capitol City, for a funeral procession and oration on the 26th instant,
for a recommendation that the people wear crape on the left arm for
thirty days, and that the President of the United States be requested
to transmit the resolutions to Mrs. Washington and issue a proclamation
notifying the people of the recommendation of Congress that they wear
the badge of mourning.
On December 24 \2\ the Speaker informed the House that, conformable
to the terms of the resolution, the President of the Senate and Speaker
of the House had invited Maj. Gen. Henry Lee, one of the
Representatives from Virginia, to deliver a funeral oration before both
Houses on the 26th.
On the appointed day for the funeral procession, the House proceeded
to the German Lutheran Church, where they attended the oration. And
having returned, the House adjourned.
On December 27 \3\ the House directed the Speaker to transmit to
General Lee the thanks of the House for the oration.
On December 30 \4\ the House passed a concurrent resolution
recommending to the American people to assemble on the 22d of next
February to publicly testify
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Journal, p. 542.
\3\ Journal, p. 545.
\2\ Journal, p. 544.
\4\ Journal, p. 547.
Sec. 7182
their grief by eulogies, discourses, or prayer, and requesting the
President to issue a proclamation to carry this recommendation into
effect. The Senate concurred in this resolution.
On January 8, 1800,\1\ the President transmitted to Congress the
reply of Mrs. Washington to the expressions of Congress, and the
message and letter were referred to the joint committee.
7182. In rare instances the House has noticed the decease of a member
of the family of a President or ex-President.--On May 17, 1852,\2\ the
House adjourned over to attend the funeral of Mrs. John Quincy Adams,
relict of the late John Quincy Adams.
7183. On February 21, 1862,\3\ the House agreed to the following:
Entertaining the deepest sentiments of sympathy and condolence with
the President of the United States and his family in their present
affliction by the death of his son;
Resolved, That the Commissioner of Public Buildings be requested to
omit the illumination of the public buildings ordered for to-morrow
night, and that the House do now adjourn.
7184. On December 14, 1897,\4\ Mr. Charles H. Grosvenor, of Ohio,
announced that the funeral of the mother of President McKinley was to
occur at about this hour, and therefore, as a mark of respect to the
President, moved that the House adjourn.
The motion was agreed to.
The Senate took similar action.
7185. The House has, by appropriate resolutions, expressed its
respect for the memories of deceased ex-Presidents of the United
States.--On June 30, 1836,\5\ a message was received from the President
of the United States announcing the death of James Madison, ex-
President of the United States, who--
departed this life at half past 6 o'clock on the morning on the 28th
instant, full of years and full of honors.
The message having been read, on motion of Mr. John M. Patton, of
Virginia,
Resolved, unanimously, That a committee be appointed on the part of
this House, to join such committee as may be appointed on the part of
the Senate, to consider and report by what token of respect and
affection it may be proper for the Congress of the United States to
express the deep sensibility of the nation to the event of the decease
of Mr. Madison, just announced by the President of the United States to
this House.
A committee of twenty-four, one from each State, were then appointed.
A message from the Senate announced that they had appointed a
committee for the same purpose, consisting of seven Senators.
On the same day Mr. Patton, from the joint committee, made the
following report:
The President of the United States having communicated to the two
Houses of Congress the melancholy intelligence of the death of their
illustrious and beloved fellow-citizen, James Madison, of Virginia,
late President of the United States, and the two Houses sharing in the
general grief which this distressing event must produce,
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Journal, p. 554.
\2\ First session Thirty-second Congress, Journal, p. 710; Globe, p.
1377.
\3\ Second session Thirty-seventh Congress, Journal, p. 338; Globe,
p. 910.
\4\ Second session Fifty-fifth Congress, Record, pp. 135, 143.
First session Twenty-fourth Congress, Journal, pp. 1153, 1154 1158,
1159; Debates, pp. 4563, 4577.
Sec. 7186
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled, That the chairs of the
President of the Senate and of the Speaker of the House of
Representatives be shrouded in black during the present session, and
that the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, and the Members and officers of both Houses wear the
usual badge of mourning for thirty days.
Resolved, That it be recommended to the people of the United States
to wear crape on the left arm, as mourning, for thirty days.
Resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to
transmit a copy of these resolutions to Mrs. Madison, and to assure her
of the profound respect of the two Houses of Congress for her person
and character, and of their sincere condolence on the late afflicting
dispensation of Providence.
The said report was read, and on the question being put thereon, was
unanimously agreed to by the House.
7186. On June 3, 1868,\1\ resolutions were offered taking cognizance
of the death of ex-President James Buchanan, and providing for the
appointment of a committee on the part of the House to attend the
funeral. A debate arose as to a passage in the resolutions commending
the public acts of the deceased, and they were laid on the table, yeas
74, nays 46.
But later, on the same day, the House agreed to the following, on
motion of Mr. James G. Blaine, of Maine:
The House of Representatives having received intelligence of the
death of James Buchanan, ex-President of the United States, at his
country seat at Wheatland, on the 1st instant, does hereby
Resolve, That, as a mark of respect to one who has held such eminent
public station, the Speaker of the House is requested to appoint a
committee of seven members to attend the funeral of Mr. Buchanan, on
behalf of the House, and to communicate a copy of this resolution to
the relatives of the deceased.
7187. On March 9, 1874,\2\ the House agreed to the following
resolution and preamble:
The House having received, with profound sensibility and sorrow,
intelligence of the death of Millard Fillmore, ex-President of the
United States, at Buffalo, N. Y., on the 8th instant, it is hereby
Resolved, That the members of this House, of which he was a
distinguished Member and leader, unite in honoring the purity of his
private character, the ability, probity, and patriotic motives which
illustrated his public career, and the grace and dignity which marked
the retirement of the latter years of his life.
2. That as a token of honor to the many virtues, public and private,
of the illustrious statesman whose death, in the ripeness of his age,
has arrested the attention of the nation, the Speaker of this House is
requested and authorized to appoint a committee of seven Members to
attend the funeral of Mr. Fillmore, on behalf of this House, and to
communicate a copy of these resolutions to the relatives of the
deceased.
7188. On January 18, 1893,\3\ Mr. William E. Haynes, of Ohio,
announced the death of ex-President Rutherford B. Hayes, of Ohio. Mr.
Haynes and others spoke in eulogy of the deceased, and then, on motion
of Mr. Haynes, and without formal resolution, the House adjourned in
honor of the deceased.
7189. Ceremonies in memory of deceased Vice-Presidents.--On April 20,
1812,\4\ a message from the Senate announced the death of George
Clinton, Vice-President of the United States, and announced that the
Senate had agreed to a resolution in which the concurrence of the House
was requested.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Second session Fortieth Congress, Journal, pp. 791, 792, 795;
Globe, pp. 2810, 2817.
\2\ First session Forty-third Congress, Journal, p. 586; Globe, p.
2082.
\3\ Second session Fifty-second Congress, Journal, p. 50; Record, p.
666.
\4\ First session Twelfth Congress, Journal, p. 296 (Gales and Seaton
ed.); Annals, p. 1326.
Sec. 7196
Thereupon the House:
Resolved, unanimously, That this House doth concur in the resolution
of the Senate for the appointment of a joint committee ``to consider
and report measures proper to manifest the public respect for the
memory of the deceased, and expressive of the deep regret of the
Congress of the United States on the loss of a citizen so highly
respected and revered.''
It was then resolved that the House meet on the succeeding day at 9
o'clock.
On April 21 the House:
Resolved, unanimously, That from an unfeigned respect for the late
George Clinton, Vice-President of the United States and President of
the Senate, the Speaker's chair be shrouded with black during the
present session; and as a further testimony of respect for the memory
of the deceased, the Members will go into mourning, and wear black
crape on the left arm for thirty days.
Resolved, unanimously, That the Members of this House will attend the
funeral of George Clinton, deceased, late Vice-President of the United
States, to-day, at 4 o'clock.
7190. On November 23 and 24, 1814,\1\ similar proceedings took place
upon the announcement of the death of Vice-President Elbridge Gerry.
7191. On December 8, 1853,\2\ a message was received from the Senate
announcing that that body had passed a resolution of respect to the
late William R. King, Vice-President of the United States.
Thereupon Mr. Sampson W. Harris, of Alabama offered the following
resolutions, which were agreed to unanimously:
Resolved, That from an unfeigned respect for the late William R.
King, Vice-President of the United States and President of the Senate,
the Speaker's chair be shrouded in black during the present session of
Congress; and, as a further testimony of respect for the memory of the
deceased, the Members and officers of this House will go into mourning,
and wear black crape on the left arm for thirty days.
Resolved, That, as a further mark of respect, this House do now
adjourn.
7192. On December 4, 1885,\3\ at the close of the organization of
the House, Mr. William S. Holman, of Indiana, announced the death of
Thomas A. Hendricks, late Vice-President of the United States, and
moved that the House adjourn in respect to the memory of the deceased.
The House accordingly adjourned.
On February 2, 1886,\4\ Mr. Holman submitted the following
resolutions, which, after remarks on the life and public services of
the deceased, were unanimously agreed to:
Resolved, That the House has received with profound sorrow the
intelligence of the death of Thomas A. Hendricks, late Vice-President
of the United States.
Resolved, That the business of the House be suspended in order that
the eminent public services and the private virtues of the deceased may
be appropriately commemorated.
Resolved, That the Clerk of the House be directed to communicate
these resolutions to the Senate.
7193. On December 4, 1899,\5\ after the organization of the House,
Mr. John J. Gardiner, of New Jersey, announced the death of the Vice-
President, Garret A. Hobart, of New Jersey, which occurred on November
21, 1899.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Third session Thirteenth Congress, Journal, pp. 542, 543 (Gales
and Seaton ed.).
\2\ First session Thirty-third Congress, Journal, p. 55.
\3\ First session Forty-ninth Congress, Journal, p. 14; Record, p.
108.
\4\ Journal, p. 537; Record, 1065.
\5\ First session Fifty-sixth Congress, Record, pp. 9, 1229.
Sec. 7194
Then, on motion of Mr. Gardiner, and as a mark of respect, the House
adjourned.
On January 26, 1900, a day fixed by order of the House, there were
remarks on the life, character, and public services of the deceased in
accordance with the following resolutions, adopted unanimously by the
House:
Resolved, That the House has received with profound sorrow the
intelligence of the death of Garret A. Hobart, late Vice-President of
the United States.
Resolved, That the business of the House be suspended in order that
the public services and private virtues of the deceased may be
appropriately commemorated.
Resolved, That the Clerk of the House be directed to communicate
these resolutions to the Senate.
At the conclusion of the exercises, as a further mark of respect, the
House adjourned.
7194. Ceremonies on the occasions of the deaths of a Chief Justice
and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States.--On
February 26, 1841,\1\ the House voted to adjourn to attend the funeral
of Philip P. Barbour, a justice of the Supreme Court of the United
States. Mr. Henry A. Wise, of Virginia, at first objected to this
proceeding, on the ground that the House had not paid a similar honor
to the great Chief Justice Marshall at the time of his death. But it
was explained that neither Congress nor the Supreme Court were in
session when Justice Marshall died.
7195. On March 23, 1888,\2\ the Speaker laid before the House a
communication from Justice Samuel F. Miller, of the Supreme Court of
the United States, notifying the House, by direction of the Supreme
Court, of the death of the Chief Justice of the United States.
The letter having been read to the House, Mr. E. B. Taylor, of Ohio,
offered the following resolutions, which were agreed to:
Resolved, That the House of Representatives has heard of the death of
Chief Justice Waite, of the Supreme Court of the United States, which
occurred this morning at 6 o'clock, with feelings of deep and sincere
sorrow.
Resolved, That while the nation mourns the loss of one of its most
useful and illustrious sons, it is fitting that the House, representing
the people, express its deepest sympathy with the family of the
deceased in their affliction.
Resolved, That the House will attend as a body the funeral of the
late Chief Justice, and the Speaker is requested to appoint a committee
consisting of nine Members to act with the committee of the Senate in
any necessary action relating to the funeral.
Resolved, That as an additional mark of respect to the memory of the
deceased, the House do now adjourn.
The Speaker appointed as chairman of the House committee Mr. William
D. Kelley, of Pennsylvania.
On March 26 the House agreed to a resolution providing that the
funeral should be held in the Hall of the House at noon, on March 28,
under the arrangement of the Supreme Court.
On March 27 a communication from the marshal of the court stated that
the ceremonies would be held on the day and hour named, and inviting
the House to be present.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Second session Twenty-sixth Congress, Journal, pp. 332, 333;
Globe, p. 209.
\2\ First session Fiftieth Congress, Journal, pp. 1298, 1306, 1318,
1332, 1351; Record, pp. 2369, 2371, 2408, 2465.
Sec. 7196
On March 28 the House assembled at 11.30 a. m., and as the Senate of
the United States appeared, and, following them, the President and his
Cabinet and other bodies and officials, the ceremonies occurred in
accordance with the order of proceedings agreed upon by the joint
committee.\1\
The ceremonies being concluded, the House adjourned.
7196. On January 25, 1892,\2\ the death of Mr. Justice Bradley, of
the Supreme Court, was notified to the Senate by a letter from the
Chief Justice to the Vice-President, and the Senate adjourned in memory
of the deceased. It does not appear that the House was notified, and
there was no adjournment in honor of his memory.
7197. On January 24, 1893,\3\ the Speaker laid before the House a
communication from the Chief Justice of the United States, announcing
the death of Mr. Justice Lamar, of the Supreme Court. The House, after
brief remarks by Mr. John M. Allen, of Mississippi, adjourned in honor
of the deceased.
7198. Ceremonies on the occasion of the deaths of members of the
President's Cabinet.--On February 29, 1844,\4\ a message from President
Tyler announced the accident on board the United States ship of war,
the Princeton. The message having been read, Mr. George W. Hopkins, of
Virginia moved the following resolutions:
Resolved, That this House has heard with deep sorrow of the dreadful
catastrophe which occurred yesterday on board the United States ship of
war Princeton, where many valuable lives were lost, and by which,
amongst others, the Hon. Abel P. Upshur, Secretary of State, and the
Hon. Thomas W. Gilmer, Secretary of the Navy, met a sudden and awful
death.
Resolved, That this House will manifest its respect for the memory of
the late distinguished Secretaries of State and of the Navy, and its
sympathy for their bereaved families, by attending their funeral in a
body.
Resolved, That as a further mark of respect for the deceased, and to
manifest our sense of this most melancholy and afflicting dispensation
of Divine Providence, that this House will transact no legislative
business until after the funeral obsequies of the deceased shall have
been performed.
Resolved, That the Members of this House will wear the usual badge of
mourning for thirty days.
Resolved, That a committee of five Members of this House be appointed
to make arrangements, with such committee as may be appointed on the
part of the Senate, for the attendance of the two Houses of Congress at
the funeral of the late Abel P. Upshur and Thomas W. Gilmer.
Resolved, That when this House adjourn to-day, it will adjourn to
meet on Monday next.
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.
The resolutions were agreed to, and with them orders appointing the
committee and directing the transmission of the resolutions to the
Senate and to the families of the deceased.
7199. On December 15, 1852,\5\ a message was received from the
Senate communicating to the House a copy of the proceedings of the
Senate upon the death of the late Secretary of State, Daniel Webster.
The message having been read, Mr. George T. Davis, of Massachusetts,
offered a series of resolutions, and with other Members addressed the
House on the life and public services of the deceased.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ For this programme in full see Record, p. 2465.
\2\ First session Fifty-second Congress, Record, p. 514; Journal, p.
45.
\3\ Second session Fifty-second Congress, Record, p. 823.
\4\ First session Twenty-eighth Congress, Journal, p. 512; Globe, p.
346.
\5\ Second session Thirty-second Congress, Journal, pp. 47, 48;
Globe, pp. 62-67.
Sec. 7200
The resolutions, which were agreed to unanimously, were:
Resolved, That this House concurs with the Senate in its expression
of grief for the death of Daniel Webster, of respect for his memory,
and of estimation of the services which he rendered to his country.
Resolved, That the Members of this House will wear crape on the left
arm for the space of thirty days.
Resolved, That the Speaker be requested to make these resolves known
to the surviving relatives of the deceased.
Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.
7200. On January 30, 1891,\1\ Mr. William McKinley, of Ohio,
submitted the following resolutions by unanimous consent, and the same
were considered and agreed to:
Resolved, That the House of Representatives has heard with profound
sorrow of the death of Hon. William Windom, Secretary of the Treasury,
who for ten years was a member of this body, and for twelve years a
member of the Senate.
Resolved, That a committee of nine Representatives be appointed by
the Speaker, to join such committee as may be appointed by the Senate,
to attend the funeral of the late Secretary on behalf of Congress, and
to take such other action as may be proper in honor of the memory of
the deceased, and as an appreciation of Congress for his public
services.
The Speaker appointed Mr. McKinley chairman.
7201. Observances of the House on occasions of the deaths of high
officers of the Army.--On February 25, 1828,\2\ the House concurred in
a resolution from the Senate providing that both Houses attend the
funeral of Major-General Brown, late Commanding General of the Army. A
joint committee was appointed to make arrangements.
7202. On June 28, 1841,\3\ the House, on motion of Mr. John B.
Dawson, of Georgia, agreed to the following:
Resolved, That the House of Representatives have learnt, with deep
regret, the death of Major-General Alexander Macomb, Commanding General
of the Army, and the distinguished leader in the glorious battle of
Plattsburg in the late war.
Resolved, That the House of Representatives will, if the Senate
concur herein, attend the funeral of Major-General Macomb this day at
10.30 o'clock.
Resolved, That a committee of three Members of this House be
appointed, on the part of the House, to make arrangements with such
committee as may be appointed on the part of the Senate, for the
attendance of the Senate and House of Representatives at the funeral of
the late General Macomb.
Later in the day a message from the Senate announced that that body
concurred in the proposed action.
7203. On May 30, 1866,\4\ the President of the United States sent to
the House and Senate a message announcing the death of Lieut. Gen.
Winfield Scott. The two Houses agreed to a resolution constituting the
committees of Military Affairs and Militia in the Senate, and the
Committee on Military Affairs of the House a joint committee to take
into consideration the message and report what method should be adopted
by Congress to manifest its appreciation of the high character, tried
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Second session Fifty-first Congress, Journal, p. 198.
\2\ First session Twentieth Congress, Journal, p. 348; Debates, p.
1608.
\3\ First session Twenty-seventh Congress, Journal, p. 193.
\4\ First session Thirty-ninth Congress, Journal, pp. 777, 780;
Globe, pp. 2911, 2926.
Sec. 7204
patriotism, and distinguished public services of Lieutenant-General
Scott, and their deep sensibility upon the announcement of his death.
The House having concurred in the above resolution as sent from the
Senate, it was, on motion of Mr. Robert C. Schenck, of Ohio,
Resolved, That from respect to the memory of the deceased this House
do now adjourn.
On May 31 the following resolution was received from the Senate and
agreed to by the House:
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring),
That the two Houses of Congress have received with profound sensibility
intelligence of the death of Brevet Lieut. Gen. Winfield Scott.
Resolved, That the exalted virtues, both public and private, and the
wisdom, patriotism, and valor of this illustrious man in defense of his
country and the maintenance of her honor and glory for more than half a
century against foreign and domestic enemies in war and in peace, claim
the liveliest gratitude and the deepest veneration of the American
people.
Resolved, That as a further mark of respect to the memory of the
deceased, when the two Houses of Congress adjourn to-day, they shall
adjourn to meet on Monday next, and that a joint committee, to consist
of seven Members of the Senate and nine Members of the House of
Representatives, be appointed, who, together with the presiding
officers of both Houses, shall proceed to West Point to represent
Congress at the funeral ceremonies which are to take place to-morrow;
and that said committee be attended by the Sergeants-at-Arms of both
Houses.
7204. On March 30, 1870,\1\ the House, on motion of Mr. Samuel J.
Randall, of Pennsylvania, passed a joint resolution (H. Res. 218)
expressing the sensibilities of Congress at the death of Maj. Gen.
George H. Thomas, and providing that the President of the Senate and
Speaker of the House should be authorized to make such arrangements as
would attest the sympathy of Congress. This resolution was passed by
the Senate and signed by the President.
On April 4 the Speaker laid before the House the report of himself
and the President of the Senate, which provided for a meeting in the
Hall of the House on the evening of April 5, to be presided over by
Gen. J. D. Cox, Secretary of the Interior, and to be under the
superintendence of officers who served with General Thomas, Senators
and Representatives to attend this meeting. Secondly, the report
provided for the appointment of a joint committee of thirteen, six
Senators and seven Representatives, to attend the funeral.
This report was concurred in by both House and Senate.
7205. On August 6, 1888,\2\ a message from the President of the
United States announced the death of Philip H. Sheridan, General of the
Army.
Thereupon, by unanimous consent, Mr. Charles E. Hooker, of
Mississippi, offered the following resolutions, which were agreed to,
after brief eulogies:
Resolved, That this House has learned with profound grief of the
death of Gen. Philip Henry Sheridan, General commanding the armies of
the United States.
Resolved, That as a mark of respect to the memory of the deceased
this House do now adjourn.
Resolved, That the Speaker of this House is directed to transmit to
the widow of the deceased a copy of these resolutions and an assurance
of the sympathy of the House in the loss which she has sustained in
common with the people of the nation.
Resolved, That the Speaker of the House appoint a committee of seven
Members to confer with a like committee of the Senate, and after
consultation with the family of the deceased, to take such action as
may seem appropriate in regard to the public obsequies of General
Sheridan.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Second session Forty-first Congress, Journal, pp. 543, 575, 581;
Globe, pp. 2290, 2405.
\2\ First session Fiftieth Congress, Journal, pp. 2540, 2544, 2551,
2560; Record, pp. 7272, 7405.
Sec. 7206
The Speaker named Mr. Hooker as chairman of the committee.
On August 9 the House concurred in the following:
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring in
the proposition), That both Houses attend the funeral of General
Sheridan on Saturday next at 10 a.m.
Resolved, As a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased,
that when the Houses of Congress adjourn on Friday it be to meet on
Monday next.
7206. On February 10, 1886,\1\ Mr. Newton C. Blanchard, of Louisiana,
offered by unanimous consent the following resolutions, which were
unanimously agreed to:
Resolved, That this House has learned with profound sorrow of the
great and irreparable loss which the country has sustained in the death
of that great and good man, Major-General Winfield S. Hancock.
Resolved, That this House, in common with all his countrymen, mourn
the death of him who was the stainless soldier for the Union in war,
and the undaunted defender of the Constitution and of civil liberty in
peace, and at all times the stainless man and uncorruptible patriot.
Resolved, That as a mark of respect and affection for the exalted
virtues of this hero and patriot this House do now adjourn.
Resolved, That the Speaker of the House be directed to transmit to
the widow of the honored dead a copy of these resolutions and the
assurance of the heartfelt sympathy of the House in the sorrowful
bereavement which is alike hers and the nation's.
7207. On February 16, 1891,\2\ the Committee on Military Affairs, to
whom had been referred the message of the President of the United
States announcing the death of William Tecumseh Sherman, reported the
following resolutions, which were agreed to by the House:
Resolved, That the House of Representatives has heard with profound
sorrow of the death, at his home in New York City, on the 14th instant,
of William Tecumseh Sherman, the last of the generals of the Army of
the United States.
Resolved, That we mourn him as the greatest leader remaining to the
Republic and the last of that illustrious trio of generals who
commanded the armies of the United States--Grant, Sherman, and
Sheridan--who shed imperishable glory on American arms and were the
idolized leaders of the Union Army.
Resolved, That we hereby record the high appreciation in which the
American people hold the character and services of General Sherman as
one of the greatest leaders of his generation, as one of the grandest
patriots that our country has produced, and as a noble man in the
broadest and fullest meaning of the word.
We mingle our grief with that of the nation, mourning the departure
of her great son and of the survivors of the battle-scarred veterans
whom he led to victory and peace. We especially tender our sympathy and
condolence to those who are bound to him by the ties of blood and
strong personal affection.
Resolved, That the Speaker appoint a committee of nine members of the
House to attend the funeral of the late General as representatives of
this body.
Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be forwarded by the Clerk
of the House to the family of General Sherman.
After remarks on the life, character, and public services of the
deemed the House, as a further mark of respect, adjourned.
On February 28 a letter from the family of the deceased, expressing
appreciation of the action of the House, was laid before the House and
inserted in the Journal.
7208. Resolutions in memory of the Admiral of the Navy.--On February
14, 1891,\3\ the Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom on the preceding
day had
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ First session Forty-ninth Congress, Journal, p. 608; Record, p.
1327.
\2\ Second session Fifty-first Congress, Journal, pp. 252, 325.
\3\ Second session Fifty-first Congress, Journal, pp. 248, 343.
Sec. 7209
been referred a message of the President announcing the death of the
Admiral of the Navy, David Dixon Porter, reported the following
resolutions, which were agreed to:
Resolved, That the House has learned with profound grief of the death
of David Dixon Porter, the Admiral of the United States Navy, who,
during more than sixty years of distinguished service to his country,
has added to the honors of one of the most illustrious names in our
naval history.
Resolved, That the Speaker of the House appoint a committee of seven
members to confer with a like committee of the Senate, and, after
consultation with the family of the deceased, to take such action as
may be appropriate in regard to the public obsequies of Admiral Porter.
The Speaker having announced the committee, of which Mr. Charles A.
Boutelle, of Maine, chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs, was
made chairman, the following resolution was agreed to:
Resolved, That as a mark of respect to the memory of the deceased
this House do now adjourn.
On March 2 the Speaker laid before the House a letter of
acknowledgement from the family of Admiral Porter, which was read and
ordered printed in the Journal and Record.
7209. A proposition that the House attend the funeral of Commodore
Decatur and pay to him the funeral honors usually paid to a Member was
withdrawn because of opposition. Mr. John W. Taylor, of New York, felt
it would be improper as the distinguished officer died in opposition to
the laws of his country and God.\1\
7210. On May 8, 1902,\2\ the House of Representatives, on motion of
Mr. Alston G. Dayton, of West Virginia, agreed to the following:
Whereas the House of Representatives has heard with profound regret
of the death of Rear-Admiral William T. Sampson, which occurred in this
city on the 6th instant; and
Whereas the Senate of the United States has appointed a committee to
join a committee of the House in attendance upon the funeral services:
Therefore, as a mark of respect for the deceased, and as a tribute of
esteem for his distinguished services to the nation,
Be it resolved, That a committee of seven members be appointed to
join the committee appointed on the part of the Senate to attend the
funeral of the deceased.
7211. The House generally did not adjourn in tribute to the memories
of high officers of the Revolution.--On January 22, 1818,\3\ Mr.
William Henry Harrison, of Ohio, offered this resolution:
Resolved, That this House, entertaining the highest respect for the
memory of General Kosciuszko, his services, etc., the Members thereof
will testify the same by wearing crape on the left arm for one month.
There was much opposition to this on the ground that, with the
exception of General Washington, the House had been sparing of its
recognition of departed worthies, native or foreign. General Kosciuszko
had been an American officer;
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ First session Sixteenth Congress, Journal, pp. 334, 336 (Gales &
Seaton ed.); Annals, pp. 1670, 1675. Commodore Decatur had died in a
duel.
\2\ First session Fifty-seventh Congress, Journal, pp. 686, 687;
Record, pp. 5185, 5186.
\3\ First session Fifteenth Congress, Annals, p. 800.
Sec. 7212
but as late as 1810 the House had refused a like tribute to the memory
of Colonel William Washington.\1\
Mr. Harrison, because of the opposition, withdrew the resolution.
7212. The House appointed a committee to attend the transfer of the
remains of General Rosecrans.--On April 4, 1902,\2\ Mr. Charles H.
Grosvenor, of Ohio, by unanimous consent, presented the following
resolution, which was agreed to:
Resolved by the House of Representatives of the United States (the
Senate concurring), That there be appointed a committee by the
President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House to
attend the ceremonies incident to the transfer of the remains of Gen.
William S. Rosecrans from California to the cemetery at Arlington, Va.,
said committee to be a joint committee of the two Houses.
The same day \3\ the Senate agreed to the resolution.
7213. In rare instances the House has taken notice of the decease of
eminent citizens not of its membership.--On April 22, 1790 \4\ the
House being informed of the death of Benjamin Franklin, resolved to
wear the usual badge of mourning for one month.
7214. On October 19, 1803,\5\ Mr. John Randolph, of Virginia, offered
the following:
Resolved unanimously, That this House is penetrated with a full sense
of the eminent services rendered to his country, in the most arduous
times, by the late Samuel Adams, deceased; and that the Members thereof
wear crape on the left arm for one month in testimony of the national
gratitude and reverence toward the memory of that undaunted and
illustrious patriot.
The resolution was agreed to.
7215. On February 20, 1834,\6\ Mr. John Y. Mason, of Virginia,
announced the death of William Wirt, and in order that the Speaker and
Members might have an opportunity of attending the funeral, moved that
the House adjourn. This motion was agreed to.
On the next day Mr. John Quincy Adams, in moving to amend the Journal
so it should show the reason for the adjournment, said:
The customs of this and of the other House of Congress warrant the
suspension of their daily labors in the public service, for the
attendance upon funeral rites, only in cases of the decease of their
own Members. To extend the usage farther might be attended with
inconvenience as a precedent; nor should I have felt myself warranted
in asking it upon any common occasion. Mr.Wirt had never been a Member
of either House of Congress. But if his form in marble, or his portrait
upon canvas, were placed within these walls, a suitable inscription for
it would be that of the statue of Moliere in the hall of the French
Academy--``Nothing was wanting to his glory; he was wanting to ours.''
Mr. Wirt had
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The resolution to wear crape in memory of Colonel Washington was
objected to because such ceremonies had not been observed for Generals
Greene, Wayne, or others, and on April 11, 1810, it was disagreed to.
On April 13 the House agreed to a resolution explaining that their
action of the 11th was taken wholly on public grounds and was not
intended to detract from the fame of the deceased. (Second session
Eleventh Congress, Journal, pp. 355, 361 (Gales & Seaton ed.); Annals,
pp. 1770, 1794.)
\2\ First session Fifty-seventh Congress, Journal, p. 564; Record, p.
3675.
\3\ Record, p. 3674.
\4\ Second session First Congress, Journal, p. 198 (Gales & Seaton
ed.).
\5\ First session Eighth Congress, Journal, p. 410 (Gales & Seaton
ed.); Annals, pp. 378, 379.
\6\ First session Twenty-third Congress, Journal, p. 349; Debates, p.
2758.
Sec. 7216
never been a Member of Congress; but for a period of twelve years,
during two successive administrations of the National Government, he
had been the official and confidential adviser upon all questions of
law of the Presidents of the United States.
7216. On April 25, 1872,\1\ the House and Senate concurred in a
resolution expressive of the regret of Congress at the decease of Prof.
S. F. B. Morse, inventor of the electric telegraph, and of appreciation
of his services. The House of Representatives also appointed a
committee to cooperate with a general committee in arranging a memorial
service held in the Hall of the House on the evening of April 16.
7217. On December 2, 1872,\2\ Mr. Henry L. Dawes, of Massachusetts,
offered the following resolution, which was agreed to by the House, and
also concurred in by the Senate:
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That in view of the recent death of Horace Greeley, for whom at the
late election more than three million votes were cast for President, a
record be made in the Journals of Congress of appreciation of the
eminent services, personal purity, and worth of the deceased, and of
the sad impression created by his death following keen family
bereavement.
7218. On May 14, 1878,\3\ the two Houses by concurrent resolution
adjourned to permit Members to attend the funeral of the late Joseph
Henry, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.
7219. The House paid honor to the memory of Lafayette by elaborate
ceremonies.--On June 21, 1834,\4\ Mr. John Quincy Adams, of
Massachusetts, moved the following resolution, which was agreed to
unanimously:
Resolved, That a committee be appointed on the part of this House, to
join such committee as may be appointed on the part of the Senate, to
consider and report by what token of respect and affection it may be
proper for the Congress of the United States to express the deep
sensibility of the nation to the event of the decease of General
Lafayette.
Ordered, That the committee on the part of this House consist of one
Member from each State.
Mr. Adams was appointed chairman of the committee.
In the Senate,\5\ on the same day, the resolution of the House was
concurred in, on motion of Mr. Daniel Webster, of Massachusetts, and
then, on motion of Mr. John Forsyth, of Georgia, the number of the
Senate committee was fixed at 13, the number of the original States.
The same day,\6\ after the above action had been taken, a message was
received from President Jackson announcing the death of General
Lafayette, and transmitting a general order issued to the Army and
Navy, requiring them to render the same honors as were observed at the
death of Washington. This proclamation, as well as the message, appears
in full in the Journal of the House.
On June 24 \7\ Mr. Adams presented a joint resolution expressive of
the feelings of the two Houses at the receipt of the intelligence of
the death of ``General Lafayette, the friend of the United States, the
friend of Washington, and the friend
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Second session Forty-second Congress, Journal, pp. 628, 640, 656,
696, 752; Globe, p. 2761.
\2\ Third session Forty-second Congress, Journal, pp. 7, 29; Globe,
pp. 3, 10.
\3\ Second session Forty-fifth Congress, Journal, pp. 1078, 1079.
\4\ First session Twenty-third Congress, Journal, p. 796; Debates, p.
4642.
\5\ Debates, p. 2054.
\6\ Journal, p. 806.
\7\ Journal, p. 829; Debates, p. 4760.
Sec. 7219
of liberty;'' requesting the President to address a letter to members
of the Lafayette family assuring them of the condolence of the nation;
providing that the Members of the two Houses of Congress should wear a
badge of mourning for thirty days, and recommending a similar
observance to the people of the United States; providing that the Halls
of the two Houses be dressed in mourning for the residue of the
session, and that John Quincy Adams be requested to deliver an oration
on the life and character of Lafayette before the two Houses of
Congress at the next session.
This resolution was passed by both House and Senate, and on June 27
\1\ the President announced that he had approved it.
On June 25, 1834,\2\ a message from the Senate announced that the
Senate had passed ``unanimously'' the resolution manifesting the
sensibility of the two Houses of Congress and the nation on the
occasion of the decease of General Lafayette.
On December 9, 1834,\3\ the House agreed to a resolution providing
for a committee of the House, to join such committee as might be
appointed on the part of the Senate, to consider and report the
arrangements necessary to be adopted in order to carry into effect the
resolution adopted at the last session in regard to the death of
General Lafayette. A committee of five were appointed on the part of
the House. The Senate concurred in the action and appointed a committee
of five on their part.
On December 23, Mr. Henry Hubbard, of New Hampshire, chairman of the
joint committee on the part of the House, reported the following
resolutions, which were agreed to by the House:
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States, That Wednesday, the 31st instant, be the time assigned for the
delivery of the oration by John Quincy Adams before the two Houses of
Congress on the life and character of General Lafayette.
That the two Houses shall be called to order by their respective
presiding officers at the usual hour, and the Journal of the preceding
day shall be read, but all legislative business shall be suspended on
that day.
That the oration shall be delivered at half past twelve o'clock in
the Hall of the House of Representatives.
That the President of the United States and the heads of the several
Departments, the French minister, and members of the French legation,
and all the other foreign ministers at the seat of Government, and the
members of their respective legations, be invited to attend on that
occasion by the chairmen of the joint committee
That the President of the United States, the heads of the several
Departments, the French minister, and members of the French legation,
the other foreign ministers at the seat of Government, and the members
of their respective legations, and John Quincy Adams be requested to
assemble at half past twelve o'clock p.m., in the Senate Chamber, and
that they, with the Senate, shall be attended by the joint committee to
the Hall of the House of Representatives.
That the galleries of the House, under the direction of its officers,
shall be opened on that day for the accommodation of such citizens as
may think proper to attend.
On December 31, at 40 minutes past 12 o'clock, the Senate of the
United States, preceded by the Vice-President and its officers, the
President of the United States, the heads of the several executive
departments, the ministers of sundry foreign nations at the seat of
Government, and the members of their respective legations,
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\1\ Journal, p. 858.
\2\ First session Twenty-third Congress, Journal, p. 832.
\3\ Second session Twenty-third Congress, Journal, pp. 54, 98, 123,
129, 153, 154, 156, 173.
Sec. 7220
and John Quincy Adams, entered the Hall of the House and took the seats
prepared for them, respectively. Mr. John Quincy Adams was conducted to
the Speaker's chair by the committee of arrangements, when the Speaker
withdrew and took seat at the Clerk's table with the Vice-President.
The Journal then goes on to record that Mr. Adams rose and addressed
the assemblage, after which the Senate and invited guests withdrew. The
address appears in full in the appendix of the Journal.
On January 2, 1835, Mr. Hubbard moved a joint resolution giving to
Mr. Adam the thanks of Congress for his oration, and this resolution
having been agreed to by both House and Senate, on January 6 Mr.
Hubbard reported to the House that the joint committee had, according
to direction, presented the thanks of Congress to Mr. Adams; and he
further presented to the House the correspondence passing between Mr.
Adams and the joint committee, which was inserted in the journal.
7220. The House has, in a few cases, paid honor to the memories of
champions of liberty in foreign lands.--In 1882,\1\ Congress passed and
the President approved the joint resolution (H. Res. 227) ``expressive
of the sympathy of the Government and people of the United States upon
the death of General Garibaldi.
7221. On January 9, 1884,\2\ Mr. Thomas P. Ochiltree, of Texas, by
unanimous consent, presented the following resolution, which was agreed
to:
Resolved, That this House has heard with deep regret of the death of
the eminent German statesman, Edward Lasker.
That his loss is not alone to be mourned by the people of his native
land, where his firm and constant exposition of and devotion to free
and liberal ideas have materially advanced the social, political, and
economic condition of those peoples, but by the lovers of liberty
throughout the world.
That a copy of these resolutions be forwarded to the family of the
deceased, as well as to the minister of the United States resident at
the capital of the German Empire, to be by him communicated through the
legitimate channel to the presiding officer of the legislative body of
which he was a member.
On February 28 \3\ by unanimous consent (the Speaker, Mr. Carlisle,
holding it not to be privileged), Mr. Peter V. Deuster, of Wisconsin,
presented the acknowledgments of the executive committee of the Liberal
Union of Germany, addressed to the House of Representatives, for its
expression concerning the death of Doctor Lasker. This communication
was referred to the Committee of Foreign Affairs.
The resolutions of the House had been transmitted by the Secretary of
State to the American minister to Germany, with the request that a copy
be transmitted by him through the foreign office to the legislative
body of which Doctor Lasker was a member.
Later the German minister at Washington communicated to the Secretary
of State \4\ a dispatch from Von Bismarck, in which the latter said:
Every appreciation which the personal qualities of a German receive
in a foreign country can not but be pleasing to our national feelings,
especially when emanating from such an important body as the American
House of Representatives.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ First session Forty-seventh Congress, Journal, pp. 1438, 1463.
\2\ First session Forty-eighth Congress, Journal, p. 264; Record, p.
329.
\3\ Journal, p. 689; Record, pp. 1463, 1464.
\4\ Executive Documents, first session Forty-eighth Congress, Vol.
26, No. 113.
Sec. 7222
I should, therefore, have gratefully received Mr. Sargent's
communication, and should have asked His Majesty the Emperor to empower
me to present it to the Reichstag if the resolution of the 9th of
January did not at the same time contain an opinion in the direction
and the effects of the political action of Representative Lasker which
is opposed to my convictions.
Prince Bismarck then goes on to explain why the indorsement given by
the resolution of the House did not meet his approval, saying:
I would not venture to oppose my judgment to that of an illustrious
assembly like the House of Representatives of the United States if I
had not gained, during an active participation in German internal
politics of more than thirty years, an experience which encourages me
to attach also to my opinion a certain competency within these limits.
He then concludes:
I can not make up my mind to ask His Majesty the Emperor for the
necessary authorization to communicate the resolution of the House of
Representatives of the United States to the German Reichstag, because I
should therewith have to officially indorse myself and also to indorse
with His Majesty the Emperor an opinion which I am unable to recognize
as just.
The German minister, having communicated the dispatch, offered to
return the engrossed copy of the resolution, an offer which the
Secretary declined, saying:
The President can not be supposed to have any wish in respect to what
the German Government may do in regard to the disposition of the copy
of the resolution of the House of Representatives after it has been
decided that it can not be transmitted to the body for which it was
courteously intended.
On March 10 \1\ the correspondence of the State Department on the
subject was transmitted to the House and at once referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs, together with a resolution proposed by
Mr. Frank Hiscock, of New York, expressing the surprise and regret of
the House and reiterating the expressions of its original resolution.
On March 19 \2\ Mr. Andrew G. Curtin, of Pennsylvania, from the
Committee on Foreign Affairs, made a report \3\ recommending that the
resolutions of the 10th instant lie on the table, and proposing for the
action of the House the following:
Resolved, That the resolutions referring to the death of Dr. Edward
Lasker, adopted by this House January 9 last, were intended as a
tribute of respect to the memory of an eminent foreign statesman who
had lived within the United States, and an expression of sympathy with
the German people, of whom he has been an honored representative.
Resolved, That the House, having no official concern with the
relations between the executive and legislative branches of the German
Government, does not deem it requisite to its dignity to criticise the
manner of the reception of the resolutions or the circumstances which
prevented their reaching their destination after they had been
communicated through the proper channel to the German Government.
After debate these resolutions were agreed to by the House.
7222. On March 23, 1894,\4\ on motion of Mr. Amos J. Cummings, of New
York, the House agreed to the following resolutions:
Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the United States has
heard with profound regret of the death of Louis Kossuth, the eminent
Hungarian patriot, once the guest of the American people.
Resolved, That the Speaker of the House be requested to communicate
the respectful sympathy of the House to the family of the deceased.
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\1\ Journal, p. 794; Record, p. 1766.
\2\ Journal, p. 875; Record, pp. 2073-2083.
\3\ Report No. 988.
\4\ Second session Fifty-third Congress, Journal, p. 406; Record, pp.
3202, 5408.
Sec. 7223
On May 28 the Speaker stated to the House that he had addressed a
communication to the Kossuth family in accordance with the resolution,
and had received a response from the sons of Kossuth, which he
presented to the House.
This letter was read and, without special order of the House, appears
in the Journal.
7223. Adjournment in honor of memory of the deceased sovereign of a
foreign nation.--On January 22, 1901,\1\ the House, by unanimous
consent, considered and agreed to this resolution, offered by Mr.
Robert R. Hitt, of Illinois, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign
Affairs:
Resolved, That the House of Representatives of the United States of
America has learned with profound sorrow of the death of Her Majesty
Queen Victoria, and sympathizes with her people in the loss of their
beloved sovereign.
That the President be requested to communicate this expression of the
sentiment of the House to the Government of Great Britain.
That as a further mark of respect to the memory of Queen Victoria the
House do now adjourn.
On February 9, 1901, a letter from the Acting Secretary of State,
transmitting the royal appreciation of the King of England of the act
of the House in adjourning in honor of the memory of Queen Victoria,
was laid before the House by the Speaker and by unanimous consent
ordered to be inserted in the Journal.
7224. Instance wherein the House adjourned in sympathy for the people
of a destroyed city.--On April 18, 1906,\2\ Mr. John Gill, jr., of
Maryland, offered the following resolution, which was agreed to by the
House:
Resolved by the Home of Representatives, That the sympathy of the
House is hereby extended to the people of the State of California in
this the hour of their great disaster and suffering, caused by the
extraordinary evolution of nature in that State, and that as an
expression of our profound sympathy we do now adjourn.
The House thereupon adjourned.
7225. The House has extended its sympathies to the sufferers in a
fire in a city of the United States.--On January 5, 1904,\3\ Mr. Martin
Emerich, of Illinois, by unanimous consent, offered the following
resolution, which was agreed to by the House:
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the United States
of America, That the sincere and tender sympathy of this body be
extended to the grief-stricken citizens of the city of Chicago in their
sad bereavement and desolation.
Be it resolved, That the shocking calamity \4\ which has lately
occurred in the city of Chicago has appalled the entire country, and
this House, on behalf of the people of the United States, is deeply
sensible of the sorrow and despair caused by this frightful disaster,
and sincerely condoles with the maimed and stricken and those bereaved
through the loss of loved ones.
Be it further resolved, That a copy of these resolutions, duly
authenticated by the Speaker and Clerk of the House, be transmitted to
the mayor of the city of Chicago.
7226. On December 30, 1811: \5\
Resolved, unanimously, That the Members of this House will wear crape
on the left arm, for one mouth, in testimony of the national respect
and sorrow for those unfortunate persons who perished in the fire in
the city of Richmond, in Virginia, on the night of the 26th of the
present month.
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\1\ Second session Fifty-sixth Congress, Journal, p. 145; Record, p.
1317.
\2\ First session Fifty-ninth Congress, Record, p. 5506.
\3\ Second session Fifty-eighth Congress, Journal, p. 94; Record, p.
474.
\4\ A theater had been burned with great loss of life.
\6\ First session Twelfth Congress, Journal, p. 97 (Gales and Seaton
ed.).