[From Appendix to Memorial Address on the Life and Character of Abraham
Lincoln.]
The members of the Thirty-ninth Congress then in Washington met in the
Senate reception room, at the Capitol, on the 17th of April, 1865, at
noon. Hon. Lafayette S. Foster, of Connecticut, President _pro tempore_
of the Senate, was called to the chair, and the Hon. Schuyler Colfax, of
Indiana, Speaker of the House in the Thirty-eighth Congress, was chosen
secretary.
Senator Foot, of Vermont, who was visibly affected, stated that the
object of the meeting was to make arrangements relative to the funeral
of the deceased President of the United States.
On motion of Senator Sumner, of Massachusetts, a committee of five
members from each House was ordered to report at 4 p.m. what action
would be fitting for the meeting to take.
The chairman appointed Senators Sumner, of Massachusetts; Harris, of
New York; Johnson, of Maryland; Ramsey, of Minnesota, and Conness, of
California, and Representatives Washburne, of Illinois; Smith, of
Kentucky; Schenck, of Ohio; Pike, of Maine, and Coffroth, of
Pennsylvania; and on motion of Mr. Schenck the chairman and secretary of
the meeting were added to the committee, and then the meeting adjourned
until 4 p.m.
The meeting reassembled at 4 p.m., pursuant to adjournment.
Mr. Sumner, from the committee heretofore appointed, reported that they
had selected as pallbearers on the part of the Senate Mr. Foster, of
Connecticut; Mr. Morgan, of New York; Mr. Johnson, of Maryland; Mr.
Yates, of Illinois; Mr. Wade, of Ohio, and Mr. Conness, of California;
on the part of the House, Mr. Dawes, of Massachusetts; Mr. Coffroth,
of Pennsylvania; Mr. Smith, of Kentucky; Mr. Colfax, of Indiana;
Mr. Worthington, of Nevada, and Mr. Washburne, of Illinois.
They also recommended the appointment of one member of Congress from
each State and Territory to act as a Congressional committee to
accompany the remains of the late President to Illinois, and presented
the following names as such committee, the chairman of the meeting
to have the authority of appointing hereafter for the States and
Territories not represented to-day from which members may be present
at the Capitol by the day of the funeral.
Maine, Mr. Pike; New Hampshire, Mr. E.H. Rollins; Vermont, Mr. Foot;
Massachusetts, Mr. Sumner; Rhode Island, Mr. Anthony; Connecticut, Mr.
Dixon; New York, Mr. Harris; Pennsylvania, Mr. Cowan; Ohio, Mr. Schenck;
Kentucky, Mr. Smith; Indiana, Mr. Julian; Illinois, the delegation;
Michigan, Mr. Chandler; Iowa, Mr. Harlan; California, Mr. Shannon;
Minnesota, Mr. Ramsey; Oregon, Mr. Williams; Kansas, Mr. S. Clarke;
West Virginia, Mr. Whaley; Nevada, Mr. Nye; Nebraska, Mr. Hitchcock;
Colorado, Mr. Bradford; Dakota, Mr. Todd; Idaho, Mr. Wallace.
The committee also recommended the adoption of the following resolution:
_Resolved_, That the Sergeants-at-Arms of the Senate and House, with
their necessary assistants, be requested to attend the committee
accompanying the remains of the late President, and to make all the
necessary arrangements.
All of which was concurred in unanimously.
Mr. Sumner, from the same committee, also reported the following, which
was unanimously agreed to:
The members of the Senate and House of Representatives now assembled in
Washington, humbly confessing their dependence upon Almighty God, who
rules all that is done for human good, make haste at this informal
meeting to express the emotions with which they have been filled by the
appalling tragedy which has deprived the nation of its head and covered
the land with mourning; and in further declaration of their sentiments
unanimously resolve:
1. That in testimony of their veneration and affection for the
illustrious dead, who has been permitted, under Providence, to do so
much for his country and for liberty, they will unite in the funeral
services and by an appropriate committee will accompany his remains to
their place of burial in the State from which he was taken for the
national service.
2. That in the life of Abraham Lincoln, who by the benignant favor of
republican institutions rose from humble beginnings to the heights of
power and fame, they recognize an example of purity, simplicity, and
virtue which should be a lesson to mankind, while in his death they
recognize a martyr whose memory will become more precious as men
learn to prize those principles of constitutional order and those
rights--civil, political, and human--for which he was made a sacrifice.
3. That they invite the President of the United States, by solemn
proclamation, to recommend to the people of the United States to
assemble on a day to be appointed by him, publicly to testify their
grief and to dwell on the good which has been done on earth by him whom
we now mourn.
4. That a copy of these resolutions be communicated to the President of
the United States, and also that a copy be communicated to the afflicted
widow of the late President as an expression of sympathy in her great
bereavement.
The meeting then adjourned.