The reporters made vain attempts to ascertain the
facts. A portion of our committee met the Congressional Committee at
Springfield. Many additions had then been made to the twenty-four. At
Worcester, and perhaps at other places, speeches were made to the
Committee by the local authorities and speeches in answer were
delivered by members of the Committee. Mr. Holmes of South Carolina,
was one of the speakers. He was an enthusiastic man, and he was
endowed with a form of popular eloquence quite well adapted to the
occasion.
I was assigned to the charge of Mr. Wentworth of Illinois. His height
was such that he was already known as "Long John." We sat together in
the train for Quincy on the day of the funeral. He was a good natured
man, whose greatness was not altogether in the size of his body. His
talents were far above mediocrity, indeed, nature had endowed him with
powers of a high order, as I had the opportunity to learn when we were
associated in Congress.
Two banquets were given to the Committee, one by the State at the
Tremont House, and one by the City of Boston at the Revere House. The
notable event at the Revere House was the speech of Harrison Gray Otis.
Mr. Otis was then about eighty years of age. He was a well preserved
gentleman, and in his deportment, dress and speech he gave evidence of
culture and refinement.
Pages:
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158