Rogers.] 4b4: [Feb. 20, 



of the business proceedings of the Session of April, 1878, and the Presi- 

 dent's address, which was his last formal communication to that body, 

 touched in the most feeling manner upon the compliment paid to him. 



The other incident was the exhibition to the Academy, by Mr. Edison, 

 through special invitation, of the phonograph, and of a number of im- 

 provements upon the telephone and kindred instruments. A private ex- 

 hibition of them was made in Prof. Henry's private rooms in the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, and nothing could have been more interesting than the 

 spectacle of the famous old physicist studying with the most intense inter- 

 est and the clearest appreciation, the very latest developments of the sci- 

 ences to which he had devoted his life, and the application of those investi- 

 gations, in many of which he had led the world fifty years before. 



He felt, and those about him felt, that it was probably the last time that 

 lie would have any direct connection with the active science of the world, 

 and so it proved ; for, within less than four weeks, his friends were called 

 upon to mourn his death. 



The funeral services of Prof. Henry were the occasion of a large gather- 

 ing of the scientific men of the country, and of others who, prominent in 

 their respective offices, admired the pure spirit which had passed for so 

 many years unscathed by the breath of scandal, through the temptations 

 of official life ; and, on a sunny May afternoon, his remains were deposited 

 in the beautiful cemetery which overlooks the city of Washington, in 

 which he spent so many years, full of honor. 



Within a year of his death, the Congress of the United States paid to the 

 memory of Prof. Henry its highest compliment. Both Houses passed on 

 the 10th of Decemher, 1878, the following resolution : " That the Congress 

 of the United States will take part in the services to be observed on Thurs- 

 day evening, January 16, 1879, in honor of the memory of Joseph Henry, 

 late Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, under the auspices of the 

 Regents thereof, and for that purpose the Senators and Members will as- 

 semble on that evening in the Hall of the House of Representatives, the 

 Vice-President of the United States, supported by the Speaker of the 

 House, to preside on that occasion." 



The exercises which were held in a crowded auditorium, consisted in an 

 opening prayer by Dr. McCosh, of Princeton College, and addresses by 

 Senator Hannibal Hamlin, Senator R. E. Withers, Prof. Asa Gray, Prof. 

 William B. Rogers, Representative James A. Garfield, Representative S. S. 

 Cox, and General W. T. Sherman with the concluding prayer by the Rev. 

 Dr. Sunderland, Chaplain of the Senate. 



With this mention of such a fitting tribute to his worth, and to the esti- 

 mation in which he was held by his fellow-men, our short memoir of Prof. 

 Joseph Henry ends. 



