Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 December 1875 — The Death of Vice-President Wilson. [ARTICLE]

The Death of Vice-President Wilson.

Warhiwotow, Nov. 22. Vice-President Wilson died very suddenly at 7:30 this morning. He rested well last night, awoke at seven o’clock this morning, and expressed himself as feeling bright and better. He sat up in bed to take his medicine, lay down on his left side and expired in a few moments without a struggle. It having been represented last night that the Vice-President had so much improved that he would be able to leave the city for the North this week the intelligence of his sudden death this morning fell with startling force and suddenness on the community. The Vice-President seemed on Saturday to be a great deal better than at any time during his late sickness, but yesterday he was not quite so well. Postmaster Burt, of Boston, called in the morning, and had a pleasant conversation with him. Mr. Crossman, of New York, a literary friend, also visited the Vice-President on business concerning his (Mr. Wilson’s) unfinished volume on the subject of slavery. The Vice-Presi-dent being in a condition ■’requiring rest Mr. Crossman retired. The Vice-Presi-dent then slept from one to three o’clock, when he rose. Mr. Crossman returned in the afternoon at the Vice-President’s request, and remained until evening. The Vice-President went to bed at an early hour, and slept tolerably well during the night; In his waking intervals ' he asked for water. About midnight he got up and walked around his room. Then, going to his table, he took up a little book of poems entitled “ The Changed Cross,” with the motto “Not as I will, but as Thou wilt,” and read three verses from it, one of which is as follows: Help us, O Lord, with patient love to bear Each other’s faults, to suffer with true meekness ; Help us each other’s Joys and griefs to share, But let us turn to Thee alone in weakness. Other verses had been marked in the book, among them the following: What if poor sinners count thy grief the signal of an unchastened will; He who can give thy bcu! relief knows that thou art submissive still. This volume belonged to his wife, and contained a photograph of her and their son, both deceased. He treasured it beyond value and always made it his companion, from which he seemed to derive much comfort. After reading the verses he spoke with gratitude of the kindness of his friends during his sickness, and of the > widespread sympathy in his behalf. Hethen returned to bed, in .a happy mood, and slept. At three o’clock this morning he awoke, complaining of pain in his stomach. One of his attendants rubbed it, and, being thus relieved, he again fell asleep. At seven o’clock he awoke, remarking that he felt brighter and better than at any time previous. He said he was going to ride out to-day, as his physician, Dr. Baxter, had advised him to do so if the weather was fair. At twenty-nine minutes past seven o’clock he said he would get up and take breakfast. He then called for “bitter water,” which had heretofore been prescribed, and, having drank it, he laid down, with his left side on the pillow’, as it with sudden exhaustion, breathing heavily, but uttering no words, and in a few moments t he (lied without a struggle.

SKETCH OF HIS LIFE. The following brief sketch of the life of the late Vice-President is taken from the Chicago Tribune of the 23d: The life of the deceased 1 statesman has been a,marked one, and its record is one that may be profitably studied by all Americans. Born in 1812, in poverty, he was apprenticed to a farmer at ten years of age, and served laboriously until his' majority, in 1833. With little opportunity for schooling, lie found the means, even in those days, when books were not as plentiful or as accessible as now, to read a great many ‘ volumes of history and biography. As soon as he had completed his apprenticeship on the farm he walked to Natick, Mass., where he engaged at slioemaking, at which he worked diligently, practicing temperance and rigid economy, until he had accumulated some SSOO. He then tried to improve his limited education by attending an academy in New’Hampshire, but the depository of his. savings having become insolvent he returned to shoemaking at Natick. His good habits and his natural abilities,however, made him conspicuous among his associates, and in 1840 he was enlisted in behalf of Gen. Harrison’s election to the Presidency, he making a great many speeches. From that time to the present he has been conspicuous in American politics. He was almost continuously a member of either one or the other branch of the State Legislature, and frequently the presiding oflicer. He was an active anti-slavery man, and opposed the annexation of Texas. 1n.J8.48 he left the Whig National Convention when it rejected the anti slavery platform, and united with the Free-Soil party. For two years he edited an anti-slaveiy paper in Boston, serving also in the Legislature. In 1852 he presided at the Free-Soil National Convention in Pittsburgh. In 1853 he was the Free-Soil candidate for Governor of Massachusetts, but was defeated. When the Know-Nothing organization elected Gardner Governor of Massachusetts Mr. Wilson was a member of that party, but when that party subsequently rejected an anti-slavery platform he abandoned it. In 1855 he was elected to the United States Senate in the place of Edward Everett, resigned, and continued by successive elections a member of that body until 1873, when he resigned to become Vice-President, to which place he was elected in 1872.

THE FUNERAL. The funeral services in Washington of the late Vice-President Henry Wilson took place in the Senate Chamber on the morning of the 25th. The crowd in attendance was large, notwithstanding the weather was unfavorable, and many were unable to gain admission to the building. The Senate Chamber was heavily draped in mourning, and the catafalque was placed immediately in front of the Vice-President’s table. Seats were arranged on the floor for the President and his Cabinet, members of Congress, Judges of the Supreme Court, and other prominent persons who attended the services. The casket containing the remajins was brought into the room by twelve soldiers and placed upon the catafalque, two privates of the Marine .Corps taking-position one at the head and the other at the foot of the..coffin, and standing “at rest” during the entire service. The chair of the VicePresident was vacant and heavily draped in mourning. Among the numerous floral offerings on the casket , in the Senate Chamber was a large monument bearing the following inscription:. Floral offering from the South, by the Rev. David Wells, for the funeral of the lamented

Vice-Preaid ent. the etntenk stiMMMlli, philanthropist and Chriatlan < whose name will ever live in the annalsofnis admiring countrymen, and whose memory will be cherished by the wise and good, without respect to section or party. Selections of Scripture were read by the Rev. Dr. Sunderland, after which the Rev. Dr. J. E. Rankin delivered an eloquent discourse. After prayer and benediction by the Rev. Dr. Sunderland the coffin was closed and the funeral cortege was formed and proceeded to the depot of the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad. The funeral car in which the remains w'ere conveyed to the depot was elaborately trimmed with black cloth and surmounted by five heavy black plumes. It whs drawn by six white horses, caparisoned in black, each one led by a groom in mourning. Surrounding this car was a guard of honor, consisting of three non-commis-sionedjofflcers and ten privates, under command of G. B. Haycock. The casket having been placed on the platform at the depot, Senator Thurman, Chairman of the Committee of Arrangements, addressed the Massachusetts Committee, and consigned to them the remains of the Vice-President, Col. Wyman replying to the Senator’s address. The body was then placed in the car and, accompanied by the Massachusetts delegation, the Congressional Committee and a large number of other gentlemen, was taken to Baltimore, where a large crowd was found in waiting at the depot. Notwithstanding a heavy and cold rain was falling at the time the streets for nearly two miles, extending from the Charles street depot to the City Hall, were crowded on both sides by people of all conditions, who waited in a severe storm for more than an hour for the procession to come and go. The arrangements here were of the most systematic and satisfactory character. The Fifth Maryland Regiment formed the principal escort tliroujfh the city, in full uniform and bearskin hats. The hearse was drawn by four black horses led by grooms, and as the concourse passed through the. city amidst the tolling of bells, the ringing of chimes, and the music it was a mournful and impressive spectacle. The casket was placed on a bier in the rotunda of the City Hall, and for an hour and a half a vast crowd passed through and took a last look at the features of the departed. The remains arrived in Philadelphia at 10:40 p. m., where they were met by over 5,000 people and escorted to the StateHouse, the Second Regiment of the National Guards of Pennsylvania acting as the guard of honor. After the body had been transferred from the hearse to the hi|ll, and placed in the room where tiie Declaration of Independence was signed, the doors were thrown open to the public. AlthouglHt was midnight, thousands had waited tor an opportunity to take a last look at the features of the dead statesman, and a line which reached a distance of septal blocks was formed and the throng commenced passing in, and was almost continuous during the night and until ten a. m., many persons being unable to gain admittance. At eleven o’clock the body was placed in a hearse and taken to the depot en route for New York city, where it arrived about four p. m., and was met by five regiments of infantry, officers of the regular army, 400 policemen, a battalion of the Fire Department, numerous committees from political and other civic bodies, and officers of the National, State and municipal governments and a large concourse of people, and escorted through the city to the depot of the New York & New Haven Railroad. , The funeral cortege reached Boston at 16:30 on the morning of the 28th. Eight policemen in dress-uniform, who had been detailed for the purpose, bore the casket from the train to the Beach street entrance. Capt. Haycock, with his detachment of twelve who. had accompanied the remains from Washington, together wit,h the officers of the Fifth Maryland Regiment, marched on either side of the casket as a guard of honor. Immense throngs lined the streets on the route to the as the remains were conveyed thither, and the utmost quiet prevailed and great reverence was shown to the deceased by the crowds of people through which -the procession passed. Doric Hall, where the body lay in state, was heavily but simply draped in black and white. On their arrival at the hall •the remains were formally delivered to the State authorities, Gov. Gaston re ceiving them on behalf of the State in a few feeling remarks. The ceremonies of the occasion were of a solemn and impressive character, and not less than 30,000 people passed through the hall during the day and evening"to take a last view of the features of the deceased statesman.