Glass Book 59 2dS°^k>n S$ ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES {^"sq"' Denis M, Hurley (Late a Representative from New York) MEMORIAL ADDRESSES Fifty-Fifth Congress, Third Session Fifty-Sixth Congress, First Session HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 2, 1899 June 4, 1900 Compiled under the direction of the Joint Committee on Printing WASHINGTON : : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : : 1907 M MAY 29 1907 D.ofD. - H © M . S 3 j'J J 5 ;,J . >J LI Ji L TABLE OF CONTENTS. Page. Proceedings in the House 5 Memorial addresses: Address of Mr. Fischer, of New York 9 Address of Mr. Stone, of Pennsylvania 14 Address of Mr. Howe, of New York 17 Address of Mr. Shannon, of New York 18 Address of Mr. Bartholdt, of Missouri 21 Address of Mr. Mitchell, of New York 26 Address of Mr. Ray, of New York 27 Address of Mr. Meyer, of Louisiana 33 Proceedings in the Senate 35 3 DEATH OF REPRESENTATIVE DENIS M. HURLEY PROCEEDINGS IN THE HOUSE Monday, February 2J, iSgg. Mr. Fischer. Mr. Speaker, I am in receipt of the sad news that Mr. Denis M. Hurley, a colleague of mine and a Mem- ber of this House, died on yesterday at Hot Springs, in Vir- ginia. It is not my purpose now to go into any extensive remarks concerning his life, character, and work. I shall, however, at some other day ask the House to take proper action. At the present I offer the resolutions which I send to the desk. The Clerk read as follows: Resolved, That the House has heard with deep regret and profound sorrow of the death of Hon. DENIS M. Hurley, late a Representative from the State of New York. 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 Brooklyn, X. Y., and that the necessary expenses attending the execution of this order be paid out of the contingent fund of the House. Resolved, That the Sergeaut-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 of the House communicate these resolutions to the Senate and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the deceased. 5 6 Memorial Addresses: Denis M. Hurley The Speaker pro tempore. The question is on agreeing to the resolutions. The question was taken; and the resolutions were unani- mously agreed to. The Speakkr pro tempore. The Chair appoints the follow- ing committee: Mr. Fischer, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Howe, Mr. Shannon, Mr. Odell, Mr. Bartholdt, Mr. Mahon, Mr. Kulp, Mr. Driggs, Mr. Bartlett, and Mr. Clayton. The Clerk will report the last resolution. The Clerk read as follows: Resolved, That ;in a further mark of respect the House do now adjourn. The motion was agreed to; and accordingly (at 5 o'clock and 5S minutes p. m. ) the House adjourned until 1 1 o'clock a. m. to-morrow. Thursday, March 2, iSpp. Mr. Fischer. Mr. Speaker, owing to the lateness of the hour and the fact that the session has but a few hours left for legislative business, and that it is impossible to set aside a day for eulogies upon my late colleague [Mr. Hurley] . I ask unani- mous consent that a proper resolution relating to such eulogies may be introduced, and that gentlemen who desire to do so may be permitted to print remarks on the life and character of my late colleague in the Record for fifteen days. The Speaker. The gentleman from New York asks unani- mous consent that leave shall be granted to print eulogies upon his late colleague for fifteen days. Is there objection? [After a pause.] The Chair hears none. Mr. Fischer. I move as a further mark of respect to the memory of my late colleague that the House do now adjourn. The motion was agreed to; and accordingly (at 5 o'clock and 55 minutes p. 111. ) the House adjourned. Proceedings in the House Monday, June /, rpoo. Mr. Fitzgerald of New York, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution ; which was read, consid- ered, and adopted: Whereas the late Hon. Denis M. HURLEY, Member of the Fifty-fifth Congress from the Second district of the State of New York, died on the 26th day of February, 1S99, immediately preceding the final adjournment of the Fifty-fifth Congress; and Whereas the pressure of public business in the few days then remaining of the Fifty-fifth Congress prevented a day being set apart for the custom- ary tributes to the memory of the said deceased : Resolved by the House of Representatives ( the Senate concurring), That Members of the Senate and of the House of Representatives be permitted to print in the Record appropriate remarks in eulogy of the said Hon. Denis M. Hurley, deceased. And then, on motion of Mr. Payne (at 7 o'clock and 3 minutes p. m. ), the House adjourned until 12 o'clock m., to-morrow. Tuesday, June j, /goo. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Piatt, one of its clerks, announced that the Senate had passed without amendment the following resolution: Whereas the late Hon. Denis M. Hurley, Member of the Fifty-fifth Congress from the Second district of the State of New York, died on the 26th day of February, 1S99, immediately preceding the final adjournment of the Fifty-fifth Congress: Resolved by the House of Representatives 1 tlie Senate concurring), That Members of the Senate and of the House be permitted to print in the Record appropriate remarks in eulogy of the said Hon. Denis M. Hurley, deceased. MEMORIAL ADDRESSES Address of Mr. Fischer, of New York Mr. Speaker: The news which reached this House on Mon- day last announcing the death of the Hon. Denis M. Hurley, a Member from the State of New York, at Hot Springs, in the State of Virginia, on the 26th day of February, was a blow felt deeply by every Member, and while it is the desire of his late colleagues that a time might be set apart for the purpose of paying fitting tribute to his memory, yet, by reason of the fact that but few hours remain for the business of this Con- gress, they have concluded that a few words shall go upon the record before adjournment, and I desire, therefore, for myself and in my own feeble way, to brief!}' record my opinion of his life, character, and worth. Denis M. Hurley was born in the city of Limerick, Ireland, March 14, 1843, and came to this country when he was 7 years old. He took up his residence in the city of Brooklyn upon his arrival in June, 1S50. He remained in Brooklyn until 1854, when he removed to New York City, residing there until the year 1866, when he again moved to Brooklyn, remaining in the latter city until his death. His early struggles and subsequent successes furnish us with one more example of the possibilities that come to young men who seek our shores and apply themselves intelligently and faith- fully to their needs and progress. He attended public school in 9 io Memorial Addresses : Denis M. Hurley the city of New York, remaining there until he was 14 years of age, when he left to secure employment in order that he might earn for himself a livelihood. His first occupation was that of apprentice to a carpenter, and he continued at that trade until the year 1868, when he left to accept an appointment as a United States weigher in the customs service at the port of Xew York. This position he retained until the year 1879, when he resigned to enter into private business. Several years thereafter he became identified with the Beard Dredging Com- pany as its superintendent, and subsequently he became one of its largest stockholders. His popularity in his district, as well as in the city of his adoption, was unbounded, and whenever he presented himself to the people for their suffrages that popularity was fully proven. In the year 1880, upon the urgent recpiest of his polit- ical organization, he became its candidate for member of assem- bly in order that the ticket headed by James A. Garfield might be locally strengthened; and although he knew that his district was overwhelmingly Democratic, he entered the campaign with such energy that when the polls closed mi that election day the judgment of his party was more than justified, for while the district gave a Democratic majority of 3,000 for all candidates except member of assembly, Mr. Hurley was defeated by only [50 votes. This fact and his grand character, steadfastness, and ability induced his people to bring him forward in the year 1894 as their candidate for Congress in the district in which he resided. His canvass for the latter office resulted in his election. In the year 1896 he was again the candidate of his party and was triumphantly reelected by a very comfortable majority. He was the first Republican ever elected to represent that district in Congress. At the beginning of the campaign of 1898 he Address of Mr. Fischer, of New York n expressed a desire to retire from office. He felt that his large and growing business required more of his time, and his part- ners insisted that they needed his ability and energy; but, not- withstanding all this, the people of his district persisted in their demands and renominated him by acclamation for a third time, and after the urgent request of his party and his friends he consented to make an effort to hold the district for them. The campaign was a severe and arduous one and, coupled with the severe weather which that period experienced, told fatally upon his constitution. The announcement of the result of the election found him cheerful. On a visit to my office, a few days thereafter, he spoke jokingly of the campaign through which we had just passed and added a declaration that his defeat was a grant from his constituents, relieving him from office in order that he might return to his business. It was but a few days after this when I received the sad and startling news that he had been prostrated by a stroke of paralysis, and when I called upon him he said, with a smile: " It's all right; I thought you and Sherman would have to pro- nounce my eulogy in the House, but I have relieved you of this unpleasant duty and I am getting better." He gradually recovered the use of his limbs, and, in fact, continued to improve so rapidly that immediately after the holidays, upon the advice of his physician, he left home for Hot Springs, in Virginia. There his improvement was most marked. In fact, he had improved so much that on Wednes- day last he came to Washington and spent two days looking after some matters of interest to himself and constituents, and his friends in the House expressed the greatest satisfac- tion and pleasure at his reappearance in their midst. When he bade us good-by we felt he would be gone but a short 12 Memorial Addresses: Denis M. Hurley while and would return fully recovered. Therefore I am at a loss to say as I should how severe a shock was the recep- tion of the news of his death, following his visit so closely. Mr. HURLEY'S character was one of the grandest ever pos- sessed by any man. He was plain, straightforward, and honest, and his love for the good was so great that he could not bear the company of men who were otherwise. Indeed, he did not hesitate to say to those who were not upright and honest that he did not want their company. From my acquaintance with him, extending over eleven years, I will say that I never knew him to do a mean act. He was so constituted, both in mind and heart, that he could not commit one if he tried. His greatest pleasure was in looking after the welfare of his family, and I have heard him say many times that he loved his children so well that he wished he had more of them. And as he put it, in his homely way, "the happiest and proudest man is he who is surrounded by a large and happy family." His love for his children was reciprocated by them. Although they had grown to years of maturity, and some married and established in their own homes, his merest wish was a law unto them, and I know they were pleased to obey. The loss sustained by his family and by this House, and so deeply regretted by both, also fell heavily upon his constituents and friends, and his funeral, which I had the honor to attend, was the greatest outpouring of a grief-stricken and saddened community which I have ever seen. The funeral cortege was fully one-half a mile long; some in carriages and many on foot followed the procession from his late home t<> the church where the hist sad rites were held. The vast concourse of people who came to pay their last respects was made up of all classes and of all religions and sects. The church in which the services were held was the largest in the city, but was too Address of Mr. Fischer, of New York 13 small to accommodate the vast assemblage that attended. No man has died in that city whose death was ever more deeply regretted than was that of Hon. Denis M. Hurley. For myself, I desire to say that in the death of Mr. Hurley lose one of ray best political and social friends. His goodness of heart, his desire to serve others, and his entire unselfishness in all things made him one of the grandest and best of friends and citizens, and I do not violate my conscience when I say that I felt his loss almost as much as I did that of my own parents. The grandest compliment, in conclusion, that I can pay him. is to record the opinion of all who knew him, that he was an honest man. 14 Memorial Addresses : Do/is M. Hurley Address of Mr. Stone, of Pennsylvania Mr. SPEAKER' I would pay the tribute of a sincere friend to the merits and memory of Denis M. Hurley. Few men in this House have won for themselves a more genuine regard or a kindlier feeling from their fellow-members than Mr. Hurley possessed. This was not because of anything special that he did or said, but for what they felt he was — a true, sin- cere, straightforward, open-hearted, clean-handed, honest, and earnest man. He performed his duties in a quiet, faithful, unostentatious manner. He was ever ready to serve a con- stituent or aid a friend. He was not an orator, and yet he could express himself clearly and in a manner that attracted attention and commanded respect, partly, perhaps, from the modesty, if not the diffidence, of his bearing, but largely from the transparent simplicity and evident sincerity of his utter- ances. He was not a constructive statesman, and yet he had earnest convictions on the great questions of the day, and had studied attentively and had acquired a store of information on some of the questions of practical governmental administration of which any of his colleagues might have been proud. He was not highly educated, but he was well informed, and his informa- tion was of that practical character which conies from thoughtful observation, intelligent reading, and the teachings of personal experience and reflection. He was not an aggressive partisan, and yet he had deep and strong political convictions, from which he never swerved, and he was always true to the prin- ciples of the party with which he was allied. Mr. Hurley was exceptionally modest and unpretentious in tastes, manner, and life, and given to no show nor parade, He Address of Mr. Stone, of Pennsylvania 15 essayed no leadership and never assumed more merit than he possessed, and often not as much. He was moderate in action, gentle in manner and speech. He was faithful to every trust assumed; true to his country, to his party, to his friends, to himself. He never wavered nor faltered in any cause in which he enlisted. My last interview with him was a striking illus- tration of his earnestness of purpose and persistent devotion to any cause that enlisted his sympathy and commanded his approval. He had in some way become early strongly impressed with the importance of the adoption by this country of a deci- mal or metric system of weights and measures, and the bill for that purpose introduced by him in the Fifty-fourth and again in the present Congress was to him a matter of constant care and interest. When, three or four days before his sudden death, he reached the Capitol for an hour, after many months of wear)' sickness and enforced absence, he sought the room of the Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures with the apparently sole pur- pose of finding someone who would assume, in the Fifty-sixth Congress, charge of the cause and the work to which he had devoted himself so zealously during his term of service in this body. When he was assured that a colleague from his own State would take up his unfinished work and introduce and press his bill in the next House he expressed his satisfaction in his characteristically quiet manner, but in a way that showed he felt he had performed his last public duty. It was a sad and solemn occasion. Even the hand of Death, which he must have felt already drawing him to the silent tomb, did not hold him from a last effort to forward a cause to which he was devoted, and almost from the confines of another world came the legacy of duty which he intrusted to his colleague. Others who knew Mr. Hurley in his home, in his family 16 Memorial Addresses; Denis M. Hurl<\ life, in his business associations, can bear witness to those attractive qualities which bound to him a devoted family and confiding and appreciative business associates. Those of us who knew him only as a Member of this body can bear ready testimony to his fidelity to public duty, his purity of purpose, and to his simplicity and yet strength of character manifested during his service in this body; and even in the hurry and pressure of these closing hours of a dying Congress we do not forget the friend and associate who has gone on before. Address of Mr. Howe, of New York 17 Address of Mr. Howe, of New York. Mr. Speaker: In offering a tribute to the life, character, and memory of my colleague, the Hon. Denis M. Hurley, let me say that his was not only a spotless life of morality but one fully charged with those beautiful characteristics that mark the man of kindly feeling and whose heart was ever sensitive at the distress of his fellow-men. Mr. Hurley was one of God's noblemen. His heart over- flowed with kindness. He was generous, brave, withal pos- sessed of a nature as gentle and sweet as that of a child. He was a man of broad and liberal views, wise and sagacious in political counsel, and possessed of remarkable business fore- sight. They loved him most who knew him best. The more intimate one became with him the more did his genial soul reveal itself. As a Representative he was unswerving in his fidelity to the trust reposed in him by the people of his Congressional district, not only giving character and tone to the great business interests centered in his district but reflecting credit upon the intelli- gence of his constituents and himself as well. The world was made better by the life of Dkxis M. Hurley, and when God took him to Himself there was left a void that will long remain unfilled. May the recollection of the good qualities of his life remain with us and continue to inspire us to nobler and better deeds, thus emulating this noble man, leaving the world when we go from it better because of our having lived. H. Doc. 801, 59-2 2 iS Memorial Addresses: Denis M. Hurley Address of Mr. Shannon, of New York. Mr. Speaker: My personal acquaintance with our late col- league began only with our common service in this House, and so I may not be allowed to speak of him with that fullness of knowledge regarding his life work and career which is permitted to those who knew him intimately for many years. My acquaintance thus formed, however, quickly ripened into a warm and sincere friendship, for who could resist that frank and honest nature, that genial and amiable disposition which so endeared him to his friends and associates? To me he seemed to be ever smiling and happy, and so perfectly contented with his lot that I sometimes wondered if he was indeed wholly free from those troubles and cares and anxieties of life which usually disturb men. If an exception is to be made of the occasion when he recently appeared among us, it must be remembered that he had already suffered the fatal stroke which ultimately laid him low. I shall not soon forget that last interview with our departed friend and colleague. Tears welled to his eyes as he sat listening to our words of earnest sympathy, for we could not hide from him if we would the deep sorrow our hearts felt at his sad condition. A few days later and he had gone to his long home. Born of Irish parents in the famous old city of Limerick, on "the banks of the Shannon," as he often gleefully told me, DENIS HURLEY came to this country a mere lad — only 7 years of age — but destined to win, as the event proved, both fame and fortune. Here he grew up in the metropolis, increasing, as we can Address of Mr. Shannon, of New York rg easily imagine, his naturally sturdy strength by youthful con- tests, and receiving such education in the public schools as time and circumstances would permit. Having reached his majority, he seems to have at once taken a lively interest in the political struggles of his district, where, on account of his great personal popularity, he ultimately became the recognized leader of his party, and maintained that leadership to the end. That he should, therefore, on occasion become his party's candidate for office is but natural, and that he should enter with ardor into all election contests no one could doubt who ever knew him. He had the experience of both defeat and victory, and whether defeated or victorious he always bore himself in a manner to win the admiration not only of his supporters but of his opponents as well. His sterling honesty and fidelity to trust could not pass un- noticed in a commercial community, where these are exactly the qualities to give solid success to any industrial enterprise; and so we find him winning his way also in the business world, and securing for himself a handsome fortune that enabled him not only to care well for his family, but also to give scope to his generous instincts in many public-spirited ways, thus set- ting an example to his sons that will be a constant reminder to them through life of the worth and merits of their honored father. Of the services of Mr. Hurley as a Member of this House it will not be said of him that he ever sought to make himself con- spicuous, or that he was anxious or eager to take part in debate, or, as it is more accurately described, "to get into the Record;" but he will be remembered rather as one who was quite con- tent to devote himself modestly and quietly to the promotion of the best interests of his constituents, seeking in all proper ways to serve and aid them, but without much thought of self, the 20 Memorial Addresses: Denis M. Hurley consciousness of duty faithfully done being the reward lie most cared for or desired. Such services as these may not have been showy or brilliant; but that they were fully appreciated by his constituents there can be no doubt. Ample proof of this may be found in the resolutions adopted by the various political organizations with which he was connected for so many years, fully recognizing his faithful services and paying eloquent tributes to his memory. But to those of us who were designated to accompany our friend and colleague to his last resting place nothing could be more convincing than the vast throngs of people who were assembled in the vicinity of his home, and afterwards attended the impressive funeral ceremonies at the church and the ceme- tery. This was the people's tribute to the memory of their Representative, of whom it can be truthfully said that in every relation in life "he well performed his part." Address of Mr. Bartlwldt, of Missouri 21 Address of Mr. Bartholdt, of Missouri Mr. Speaker: To add a spray to the wreath which kindly regard and affection will weave in loving remembrance of Denis M. Hurley I esteem a great privilege. It is an oppor- tunity which honors those who improve it, because all who knew our departed friend more intimately will agree that while greater men may have been eulogized here, tributes have never been paid to abetter man, if the test of human perfection is the goodness of heart and the purity of soul. With all our boasted civilization and our wonderful technical progress the average human heart has undergone no change. The same passions, weaknesses, and failings move it to-day as thousands of years ago, and its nobler traits existed then the same as now. Neither knowledge nor education nor even genius constitutes a guaranty of character, and some of the greatest artists, authors, orators, and statesmen, who in the drama of life appeared before the footlights, have proved to be knaves or scoundrels. This seems a pessimistic view, tending to breathe despair of moral improvement, but the recognition of a truth brings with it its own salvation. We are attracted by goodness of heart much more than by the most phenomenal intellectual- ity. We may admire ability or worship heroism, but when we come across a real good man whose lips are touched by benevo- lence and whose soul is aglow with love for his fellow-men — ■ and Denis M. Hurley was such a man — then our whole hearts go out to him, the innate goodness of our own souls reveals itself, and we look up to him as a noble example which it is our duty to emulate. Thus we demonstrate, instinctively, perhaps, that we put character above genius and culture, and 22 Memorial Addresses: Denis AT. Hurley therein lies the hope of the human race in its onward march to moral improvement and perfection. We claim for main- of our departed friends that their careers forcibly illustrate the possibilities of American citizenship. Of none can this be said more justly than of Denis M Hur- ley. His career, we may rightfully say, carries lessons no less instructive to our youth than gratifying to all honest friends of free institutions. Horn on foreign soil, he died as the Repre- sentative in the American Congress of a great and enlightened constituency. Was he less patriotic, less intensely American, because of his foreign birth? Nobody dared to make the asser- tion, and if narrow-mindedness should ever cause a betrayal of the spirit of our institutions to the extent of drawing such a distinction and making such a charge, Mr. Hurley's career was a complete refutation of it. He prized American citizen- ship the higher, because its cardinal duty is love of liberty, and further, because he enjoyed it, not as a natural right, but a privilege under the Constitution, which he should have liked to extend to the downtrodden and oppressed of all the world in strict accordance with the lessons of the fathers. Therefore, when the proposition was made in Congress to restrict Euro- pean immigration by excluding illiterates — in other words, to punish the poor for their lack of opportunity — he was one of the sternest opponents of such a measure, and advocated with all the seriousness of his nature the maintenance of the right of asylum, a boon which, enjoying it himself, he would not deny to others. Hut few can realize the difficulties which beset the pathway of a poor, lone immigrant boy. Without the loving care of parents and without the protection and influence of friends, he has to depend entirely upon himself from the very start. Com- pared with the native-born he is naturally at a vast disadvan- Address of Mr. Bartkoldt, of Missouri 23 tage. Only when we bear this in mind it will be possible loi- ns to fully measure the amount of energy, industry, and good common sense it required for young Hurley to be finally accepted as a partner by the large business concern with which he was connected. We often hear it asserted that success in business is most frequently due to unscrupulous methods. If this be true — and I hope it is not — Mr. Hurley's case is an exception, just as his public career is a refutation of the frivo- lous idea that politics and corruption are inseparable, or that no one could remain in public life for any length of time without paying the penalty of contamination. Denis M. Hurley was a religiously honest man in business and politics. He served his constitutents as faithfully as his customers, but when we ask to what factors his success was originally due my answer is, the rare goodness of his heart, his sublime tolerance, and his charitable disposition. While others captivated the senses of their fellow-men by eloquence, and thus gained popularity and fame, he captured their hearts by good cheer and kindness, and thus became an enviable object of their love and affectionate regard. We strive to live up to the teach- ings of the Xazarene and Lincoln's noble maxim, "With charity to all, and malice toward none;" but during my life I have met but few men who succeeded so well as our departed friend in putting those good teachings into practice, as a mere instinctive manifestation of his innate good nature. One day I met him on the way to the War Department. He wanted to look up the case of an old colored man who had served in the war of the rebellion, but whose name somehow could not be found on the muster rolls. "There is some mistake," he said, "because the evidence shows that the man did serve in the Union Army, and I am trying to have justice done him. It is true he did not support me in 24 Memorial Addresses: Denis M. Hut-lev the last campaign, but he is poor and broken down in health, and who should help him in such a matter if I would refuse to do it?" He devoted a good deal of time to that ease in the interest of a man who had opposed him politically. On another occasion he complained to me about the defeat of a pet measure of his. "I bear the men who opposed the bill no grudge," he said, "they are simply mistaken, and I shall talk to them and convince them of their mistake, no matter whether the bill will ever be brought up again or not." The spirit of retaliation was foreign to his nature. An old aunt in Ireland, who was obliged, after the death of his parents, to take the 6-year-old boy into her house, treated him unkindly, and shortly afterwards shipped him to America. Years after the same aunt came to this country herself, and to-day they sleep the eternal sleep side by side in the Brook- lyn cemetery, he having insisted when she died that she should be buried on his lot. He had also provided for her in her lifetime, and so retaliated in kindness, not in kind, for the cruel treatment he had suffered at her hands. In the district which Mr. Hurley so ably represented in Congress he could not have been elected and reelected but for the fact that he was personally known to the majority of the voters. They knew him as a friend of the poor ami helpless, a warm-hearted advocate of the rights and interests of the plain people, and a fearless champion of the cause of humanity and justice. Therefore the sorrow at his untimely death — in the meridian of his powers and in the unimpaired possession of all his faculties — was shared by all classes. The pulpit and the press have united in giving expression to the popular sense of bereavement and in paying eloquent tribute to his memory, It fell to my lot to accompany the delegation from this House and the Senate to the city of his residence, and follow his Address of Mr. Bartkoldi, of MissQuri 25 body to its last resting place. It was a sad and solemn occa- sion, the memory of which will always remain with me. The whole western part of the great city was in mourning. All classes of its people — the rich, the poor, the old, the young — were moved with a common grief. To one and all the death of their distinguished and warm-hearted friend and fellow- citizen had come with the force of a personal loss. Amid such sincere and loyal tributes to the qualities that enshrine men in the hearts of their fellows his mortal remains were laid to rest. ' ' Requiescat in pace. ' ' 26 Metnorial Addresses: Denis M. Hurley Address of Mr. Mitchell, of New York Mr. Speaker: My colleague from the Second district of New York has left this House forever, but the memory of his gen- erous, great, and grand spirit will ever remain blessed and revered with those who knew him. The sweetness, simplicity, and honest}' of the nature ©f Denis M. Hurley were imprinted in every line and expression of his face, and his sturdiness and steadfastness were shown not only from the reflections of his soul but in every movement of his splendid sinews and powerful frame. Could that spirit have existed in an Indian in the days when that race was noblest it would have made its possessor leader of tribes and his name Great Heart. His control over men and power to lead and command were proven by the ability with which he repeatedly led his Con- gressional district to victory and the great trust and confidence reposed in him by his business and political associates. He was incapable of dissimulation. He always had a prompt answer based on sound reasoning when called upon to express his opinion "ii mooted questions of state. A Congress made Up nf such strong men, full of sympathy, controlled by good judgment and business experience, instead of causing this country alarm when called together either in regular or extra session, would restore confidence both here and abroad, for everyone would know that progress was assured on great, broad, healthy lines, and that justice would reign supreme. Address of Mr. Ray, of New York 27 Address of Mr. Ray, of New York Mr. Speaker: The life and character of Denis M. Huri.ky, late a Member of this House, demonstrate the truth of the frequently repeated statement that in the United States of America we have no aristocracy save that of brains and integrity. Denis M. Hurley was born in Limerick, Ireland, in 1843. He came to Brooklyn. N. Y., in 1S50, at the age of 7 years, where he always resided, except that for twelve years during his boyhood, from 1854 to 1S66, he resided in the city of New York. He was educated in the public schools and in the broad field of human activities, where, availing himself of every oppor- tunity, he added to his knowledge and mental resources until he became a leader among men. His ability, integrity, and worth, the estimation in which he was held by his fellow-citizens, are shown by the fact that in the city of Brooklyn he was elected to the Fifty-fourth and reelected to the Fifty-fifth Congress as a Republican by sub- stantial majorities. He was neither a politician nor an office seeker,, as those words are commonly understood. He min- gled actively in politics for the reason that he was interested in good government, the growth an( \ prosperity of his city and State and adopted country, and also fully realized and appre- ciated the benefits conferred upon the human race by our sys- tem of government. He accepted office not as a business or means of livelihood or to gratify ambition, but that he might do his part to insure the honest administration of affairs and promote the general welfare. He was an industrious, intelli- gent worker wherever found. When a young man he learned and practiced the trade of carpenter and joiner with success. 28 Memorial Addresses: Denis M. Hurley He knew how to shape, fashion, and fit material things and make them useful to man. When he engaged in municipal and State affairs he demon- strated his ability to shape governmental policies, to utilize the moral and mental forces about him, and construct useful and permanent laws. He never tore down a structure for the mere sake of destruction, but that it might be replaced with some- thing better, something more useful. He never opposed any proposition or measure unless he could see that its adoption would produce injury, or more injury than possible good. He was progressive in his instincts and purposes. He was Ameri- can in every act and inspiration. He was a Republican because he believed in the principles of the party — was convinced that the prosperity of the whole country depended on the adoption and execution of its policies. He had the warm, generous nature characteristic of his nationality. He was genial, he was kind, he was true. He was aggressive when occasion de- manded, and brave, but he rarely gave offense. In his habits and manners Denis M. Huki.kv was unosten- tatious and unpretentious. He was a practical man — practical and accurate in his judgment and so made few mistakes in deal- ing with men either in public or private life. He knew the people and sympathized with them. He always opposed any- thing and everything savoring oppression. He believed in the broadest measure of liberty to the citizen consistent with good government. In his judgment force was the fit instrument of despots and tyrants, but the last resort in the government of a free and an intelligent people. He believed that aggregations of men will care for themselves, and, if intelligent, will govern themselves wisely and well, and that therefore the only true form of government is a republic; that to insure a high degree of liberty there must be a high degree of intelligence and educa- Address of Mr. Ray, of New York 29 tioii. Hence he was the friend and champion of our common- school system and of governmental aid in every field where the uplifting of the masses is possible. He had no enemies in this House. We came to know him gradually, but knew him to be an honest, careful, painstaking business legislator, a true, reliable friend. He admired oratory, but was never swayed by it. Mere words made no impression on his judgment. He was always himself. It has been said that "he is great who is what he is from nature, and never reminds us of others." It is certainly true that no man can become great by imitation. Denis M. Hurley imitated no man. He was what he was and as he was because he was natural and made the most of his opportunities without trench- ing upon the rights of others. Not a demagogue himself, he had no respect for demagogical statesmanship. He wanted the truth and the wise action de- manded by actual conditions. He had great pride in his home city, in the City of New York and in the Empire State, but he felt an equal pride in the Republic. He was not, could not be, sectional. Hence, he had no sympathy with sectionalism. He would not support legislation designed or calculated to ben- efit one locality at the expense of another. He was respected by his colleagues irrespective of party. He was a safe adviser. He never sought to wear the laurels won by another. He was happy when his Republican colleagues from New York won recognition. He always stood by his party on party questions, but never hesitated to act independently when private rights were at stake, nor would he permit private rights to be made a party question. But Denis M. Hurley is, as we say, dead. When the tidings came that our loved and honored colleague had been called from his field of usefulness here to that other land of 30 Memorial Addresses: Denis M. Hurley which we think much, but know little, a feeling of sadness, of bereavement, permeated every heart. We realized that we had lost a companion and a friend. It is fitting and proper that we pause in our labors and pay fitting tribute to his memory. True, what we say here will not be long remem- bered, but we can point to the life of Denis M. Hurley and say to the young men of America, "Do thou likewise," and trust that some will find encouragement, and perhaps inspira- tion, to pursue life's work with greater zeal and determination. Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time; Footprints, that perhaps another, Sailing o'er life's solemn main, A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, Seeing, may take heart again. Who will say that the life and successes of Denis M. Ht'RLEv, born in Ireland, educated in the free schools of New- York, a toiler at the carpenter's bench, a wise, respected, and honored legislator in the Congress of the United States of America, are not an inspiration to the youths of America — ' ' footprints ' ' that shall guide young men aright and encourage hundreds to renewed effort? This age is wedded too much to fiction. We have too many dreamers. Too many follow visions that constantly change and thus lead their devotees a weary chase after the unattainable and the impossible. Denis M. Huklev was not visionary, but a practical man, and hence a successful one. There was no dash nor glitter in his make-up. He was solid, substantial, reliable, persistent, and hence he carried men with him when he advocated a measure or a policy. He succeeded because the man and his methods mer- ited success. Address of Mr. Ray, of New York 33 Whatever of greatness he possessed he achieved; it was not thrust upon him. What great and good men have done others may do ; and with improved methods and more extensive knowledge those who study the lives of worthy and successful men and avoid their errors may accomplish still greater results. Our late colleague has not lived in vain. His example was worthy of emulation, and his influence was felt impelling men in the right direction. Those who know what he did, those who read the story of his simple and honest and laborious life. more fully appreciate the blessings flowing from our system of government and the rewards that crown honest and persistent effort. When he became a man he saw a field of labor open to all who would compete. He at once became a competitor. The occupation was humble, but useful. He mastered the business, and became a leader and then a commander. He knew how to do things and did them. He honored labor and labor honored him. The masses in his Congressional district were entitled to representation, and their choice fell upon him because he was of them and understood them and could speak for them. In the broad sense, Denis M. Hurley is not dead, but called to a higher field of usefulness. God has so ordained that no material thing, however much it changes its form, is lost. Who can doubt that in some form somewhere the brave spirits of God's noblemen find an eternal home and work to do? It is well that we do not know what lies beyond the grave. We do know that this earth on which we live is but an atom in the vast creation of Omnipotent power. We do know that there is room beyond the sky and that our Creator has planted deep in every human breast, not hope merely, but an expecta- tion of immortality. In the firm belief that this expectation is to be fully realized, let us assert what our late colleague firmly 2,2 Memorial Addresses: Denis M. Hurley believed, that what we call death is but "transition," and that he is now where the grasses are ever green, the flowers ever bloom, and the birds ever sing, and the ended centuries are ever iu the springtime of an eternal' life. There are no dead; we fall asleep To waken where they never weep. We close our eyes on pain and sin, Our breath ebbs out, but life flows in. Address of Mr. Meyer, <>/ Louisiana 33 Address of Mr. Meyer, of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker: I do not rise for the purpose of speaking in detail of the varied and useful career of Denis M. Hurley, to whose memory we are now paying this tribute. That duty has been well performed by those from whom it more appropri- ately comes than from myself, but a long association with the deceased in this House and an observation of his public career will surely justify in me a brief word expressive of my respect and sympathy for his elevated sturdy character and useful service. Mr. Hurley sat in this House for about four years, the choice of a "Teat constituency from the important city of Brook- lyn. Serving with him as a colleague on the Committee on Naval Affairs, and in frequent social intercourse, I had constant opportunity to observe and study his admirable traits of char- acter and his devotion to duty. He was a man endowed with a quiet but steady enthusiasm, and brought to the performance of his duties an admirable courage, perfect conviction, and con- ceded purity of motive, and even those who differed from him must widely in his political beliefs recognized his sincerity ami respected him as a worthy and most honorable antagonist. I believe that Mr. Hltrley enjoyed the sincere respect of every Member of the House, and he more than deserved it. He was not a man of artifice or tricks. He had no cunning. He was not a demagogue or titneserver. He spoke always what he believed to be the truth. He followed unostenta- tiously but firmly what he believed to be the path of duty. No line of ambition, no sordid motive, no popular clamor or misconception could have led him to swerve from the right as H. Doc. 801, 59-2 3 34 Memorial Addresses: Denis M. Hurley he understood it. He was a punctual, a faithful, a laborious public servant. In an epoch when many public men are accused, whether rightfully or wrongfully, no one ever whis- pered a syllable against his personal integrity. His life was one of republican simplicity, true to his antecedents and traditions; homely, if you please, but clean, honest, and brave. If the high standard of fidelity and duty that Mr. Hurley recognized could be made the law and life of our representative men, the effect upon every branch of the public service would be to quicken us all to a new and higher patriotism and to inspire a stronger hope in our institutions. He has left a noble model for us to follow. Those who specially mourn his loss in this hour of bereavement can not but feel that he has well and bravely filled his part, both as a useful citizen in the industrial walks of life and on a great theater of public action; and that not only his good works do follow him, but the lesson of a high example. PROCEEDINGS IN THE SENATE Monday, February 2j, i8gg. A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. W. J. Browning, its Chief Clerk, communicated to the Senate the intelligence of the death of Denis M. Hurley, late a Member of the House from the State of New York, and transmitted resolutions of the House thereon. The message further announced that the Speaker pro tempore of the House had appointed Mr. Fischer, of New York; Mr. Sherman, of New York; Mr. Howe, of New York: Mr. Shan- non, of New York; Mr. Odell, of New York; Mr. Bartholdt, of Missouri; Mr. Mahou, of Pennsylvania; Mr. Kulp, of Penn- sylvania; Mr. Driggs, of New York; Mr. Bartlett, of Georgia, and Mr. Clayton, of Alabama, as the committee on the part of the House to take charge of the funeral arrangements. Mr. Platt of New York. I ask the Chair to lay before the Senate the resolutions of the House of Representatives in rela- tion to the death of Representative Hurley. The President pro tempore laid before the Senate the fol- lowing resolutions of the House of Representatives; which were read: In the Housk ok Representatives, February _'/, rSgg. Resolved, That the House has heard with deep regret and profound sorrow of the death of Hon. DENIS M. HURLEY, late a Representative from tile State of New York. 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 35 V 1 Memorial addresses : Denis M. Hurley funeral at Brooklyn, X. V., 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. Ri wived, That the Clerk of the House communicate these resolutions to the Senate and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the deceased Resolved, That, as a further mark of respect, the House do now adjourn. Mr. 1'i.att of New York. Mr. President, I offer the resolu- tions I send tn the desk. The President pro tempore. The resolutions will be read.. The Secretary read the resolutions, as follows: Resolved, That the Senate has heard with deep sensibility the announce- ment of the death of Hon. Denis M. Htrlky, late a Representative from the State of New York. Resolved, That a committeeof five Senators be appointed by the Presid- ing Officer to join the committee appointed on the part of the House of Representatives to take order for superintending the funeral of the deceased. Resolved, That the Secretary communicate these resolutions to the House of Representatives. Tlie resolutions were considered by unanimous consent and unanimously agreed to. The President pro tempore appointed, under the second resolution, as the committee on the part of the Senate, Mr. Wil- son, Mr. Wellington, Mr. Smith, Mr. Heitfeld, and Mr. Piatt, of New York. Mr. Pi.ATT of New York. Mr. President, I offer an additional resolution, and ask for its adoption. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The resolution will he read. The resolution was read, as follows: Resolved, That as a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased, Hie Senate do now adjourn The resolution was unanimously agreed to; and (at 9 o'clock and 35 minutes p. m. ) the Senate adjourned until to-morrow, Tuesday, February 2S, 1S99. at 11 o'clock a. m. Proceedings in the Senate 37 Ti 1.M1AV, June 5, rgoo. A message from the H