General Harrison In Brief Anecdotes
General Harrison has been a ; .-. i of eoldness. Tiloso wiio kuow ■-. .. Bissert that he le eme of the wai Dieartod of 1110:1. oí híB oíd so.l;ers belfeve üim a oald hearted maio. GKNEBAl HAKWSOn's EARLY LIFE. Gen-eral HarrlBcm's early Ufe and ble prominent characterístlcs are well dc.-sci-ilx-d tn a letter oí Genera] Bea Butterwortü to tlie Hon, WUitelau: Eeid, wriTicn ta 18SS. lt says: "In marnier oí thought and erprefi1 sioii he rfuumls me inore of Lincoln tlian any candidate w 'nave ever liad. He do'n't kn:)v how to be a trimmer', Uut apeáis íroni a thorough conviction'Of diit.v mkI an hispiratlon whlcb -I)riings froin a.n adhf ronc to ríght. ■'ïcra kinow oe wan boi-u just over acroöe t Iii? i i : i s from where you aiiü I tirert saw ii.in, arad iiis experience was abimr tin.1 same as ours. It'.s fair to say tliat he made better ue n' bis opportim.lt ias t-iian we dul. Least wiee, tliat i.s the lou'if of the .situatiKHi; c!-c vye would both be candidaics ui same t;iet iov the pree:dency. liut Ben Ilarri.son's éxperience was just lila; oura. He waa a íarmer's boy, li-v-d m a little farmhouse, had to t unible ont of bed lx tweeoq 4 uid 5 o'ciock tiie year round -in tlie Hjwing and siimmor to feed aaid get (ready to drop oorn and potatoee, rake liay, by the time the Bino was up. He kwe-w xo 6eed the pige, liow to teach a cali to drink mlük out of ;i bucket, could iiarmess a horst.' üi the dark and do all oí the thinge coat wc, as farmers' boys kiiew toow to lo. "He used to go to mili on a gacb of wlueat or cora, balance iit over the JiOTse's back by gettiaig oai one end of rt, (h'oldimg on ïo the ruane while Ue was gofoig up hHl, feeling anxious about tlue result. He had the usual miinber of Kboue brutees and .stubbed toes and the average number of naila ín hfe ïoot tliat feil to the portioil of tlie rest of us. He knew liow to get up, feed, inllk, and tlien study bis lssons by a littte tallow dip, -walk two niilles and a lialf to school and get theire intime to play buil pen for lialf aai hour before books. WABM HEARTED AND KIND. "Tlie cliaraoteristics I first observEd in hinn are still dominant. He is askind an a mothtr, whtte as courase ous as any man I ever knew. He wouldlnot consciously offend t lie humb lest or meanest of creatures, and by the same token lie wouldn't hest&te to tackle the most powerful liis 6emse of duty requia-ed it. I i'.an not hielp buit feel that ta liis nominatiooi we aa-e gettimg around once more lato the game atmosphere that surj-O'UTKled Abraham Ltncota. "Tlie talk abont his not being wam hearted is the veriest rot. If there is a Tva.rni amd genereus hoart in ama U beats lm the breast of Ben Har(rteon. He d'oes not giishi or slop over. There it no trace of the demagogie about hiña. Ho does hls whole duty wherever placed or however situattd. I feel satiwfted tliiat he will be elected and I hope that yon will seo your way clear to support hini." But pertiinacity and determinatie have always beon maíked features of' Benjamín Harrteon's cliaracter. When only 20 years of age he married Mtee Seott. His xnl5r capital at tdius turne was $00, whicü lus lamer gav liim imniediately after hls mairi&ge, amd witli this utn in his pocket a.i his yoraig wife liy liis Bide Benjaniim Harrison gta.rted for Indianapolis. wliwe he established himself ag a member oí the bar. Tlie ïirst hom" of the young couple, a liittle tin'.; rootned house, stiJl BtaiMls on Vermoat sti-eet, near Alabaina, in In-diaiiupolis. It was on tlieir fiiret Sunday in Indianapolis, and while Btaiwlhig on tlie pavement iu Iront ol lui houee tliat General Harrlsom receKe] hte Hitst retainiiig fee as a lawyer. His owm story is as ïollows: HIS FIRST LAWYER'S FEE. "Righit im front oí that door I receied my fiirst lawyer's fee. It was the l'irst Hunday in our new home. aiHi i iva-ü walked out on tue wdewalk in tli eaCbemoon and was stand iaig there lcukinig with soinc pride at the iront of the house when a mail clattored up oai horeebaek. He quickly made kiiowu hits erraud. A man had been arrest cd at Clairmont, abous eigfrt miles irom here, om the charge of obtakiimg money uiidw ial.se pre"u'iises. 'The rider wished me to appear beíore tlie Juetice (ii tlie i'eace there ljr thie prosee ut i om. I agreed to do tx a-nd Sie Uanded me a $5 gold pjeoe. It wa.s mot a.n enormous ic, Ijut l was giud to lmve itt. The sum wa.s lvardly large e.no'Ugli t.O' war. raat a bjiggy, bo t lie next mornhig I rode to Claiirmont on the back of a pony thiat. I hiired at a table came back Iiijmc that niight pretty well cliuK-d, but I ha.l sueceeded to wiiat 1 wut (ar." HIS FIRST BIG CASE. Ijew Wallace iai hite lile oí I-Iarrisou ;-iY.s uil account oí tile pru.sident's iirst great case. He had taken, full (■vidence, and, Hke all beginners, feaj lul of makiag mistakes in statement, was resolved to read from them copiously. A table had been cirawn bctween Man and the jury, and when he begaa, to Ilíls wusternation, lie dis■ 'ivered 'tlie light was wholly insuffictemt. The sheriff had provided bu ome caaidle ! What should he do ? There was dead gitaneo throtighout the öueky room. Hie voice, sharp, 'k-ar, ponetratimg, was being heard to the farthest ,-orner. The auaience was already im sympathy witli hini. ne Biifuattoai was embarrassing He, referred to hdfe nor es. He wtelied t lio absoiutely ooeet. He sMlfted tli randle. He tumed the paper to ever; .■nule. It woiiid n n do. The penei Si refused to oome out. Then, in des peratlom, hie flping the notes awaj 'fo lite owm astünitshnieut lie founii ate memory perfect. Besrt cm all, he v.iuiul lie óould th.nik and epeak upoii h& lee! ilashliUe amd eoherently. Tlwre -were not öaly words at toni mand. bm tlie jlit words, emabling h'lau to exprese hímselí exactly. lie jomad, too, the pleasure there alwaj is iii tin' faeulty ol speech, with freedoni Buperadded. ixmtidence cama wit li the disto veries. From that day to thfe, whether adOreesilng hhuséll tt court or jury or the vaster aud'lence -svh.0 iuriiiwh tlie deiiiglu ol oratory ou the platform or stunip, he lias been au impromptu speaker. THE FIRST TKIAL A TKIÜMPH. At tlie coiiclui.sion of this maiden oiíort lie was coi'.gratulatt'd by everybady. Onder the code oí that day tlie dtfense liad the ClpsÍEQff speech, and as the duty devolved upon Governqr Wai lace, he was proiuse im eomplhneutai-y reierejK-es, and dffclt whli ieeling upon the kindness of tlie youn. ruan's graii'diath'er to hi.m wlion he was a l;;d. Tlie auditvnce dispersed lo exploie "tihiat little lellow, Harii.-on." "Wiiao a Lsi'jiged eat Ire i : Who would liave Gbonght ie ? He is oniiy a boy yet," tiüey saiid to each other. The jury, alter retirenieut Bufficienl to take th'e usiuil votes, r'turiRd á veniLet of guilty- and Harrison's Hrst triial was a triump'li and more. It brouglut liiau honorable notortety and qufck mductkxn into business. HIS GREATEST LAW AKGUMEXT. Attoniey General Miller once saitl: 'Terhaps the greateit law argunu-ni made by tlw: General ivas Lu the Lieutejwuit G-overnor's case iii the winter of 1880 befare the supreme court öt Indiiajia. 'Xheca.se was oue iuvolving- the gra viest questitona of constitucional law uní the relative functiuiis of the legiBlature, exeeutive and judlcáal departmeuts oí the fiovernuïent 'The case lial already sa variwus p'haes been argued two o-r three titneti by other counsel, and the most elabórate brk'fe liad been prepared and pubItelied om both sMes. The evening befoa-e tlie ïiinal argument was to b; beg"un, the briefs were put to Generai Harrteom's hands. Wlth such preparatioai a.s he could make that niglu and d-uirimg t.he argument by other ooiuifiel, imtluding Senator Turple anu otliers of the ablest im the state, he made am expoailtion oí the relations of Uie dfffei-ont departments üï the goverjimcnt to eac:h other so luiniiioud amd proio'imd that, t hough the ca-e was one enlistmg on eacJh side the most hítense partiean íeeling and tliough iour of the five judges were opposed 'to him poliitically, yet a majority 01 the court adopted hits ylevw and dectdled in his i;uvo,r. In the brLliancy ai his argument all otliere, learatHl aail ioreible os they were, paled ioito insigiiiiicance." HOW HE MET HENDRICKS. Mr. Harrison was one ol the organitf ars oí the reyublicaii party of Iinl!iuia. Olie of tlie motst strikins incidents iai the politieal pareer ui tlw risimg statesman occurred duriug the nifiiiorable Liinooln ca-mpaign oi 18U0. wbem he was announoed as the priucpal republlcam speakei' ta a town whei'e the late Thomas A. Heodrieku iras ateo billed to address a public meetimg. Upon this occasion it was' aoramged ttuat a joint meetiug shouW be hield, and that the time be diyided Betwecn Thomas A. Hendrkka ;uiii Benjamin Harrison. Mr. Hemdrieks jocularly announceü to lws frieiids tlmt he proposed tu have tsome ïun with the blonde and big-hieaded represeutiitïve of the yt public-an party. In tlue vigorous but expressive lajogTia-ge of later days, Mr. Hend'rieks upon that daiy, "bit olí more tluan he could chew," as lie subsequently adoiited. HOW HE BECAME A KOLUIEK. Mr. Ilarriaou tlirew down hts law books wheui he saw thac hi country needed hiis services in thé dark. hom of '02. TÉJB is agaiau his owai story: "I went omy day to see Governoi Moi-ton witii Mr. Waliaoe, to seek au appoilntnient as lieutenant for a younif man iin the souitlieru part of the state. After gettlng through wlth this busiDieee Gwwnww Murtón invited me ii to aai inner room. He there spoke oi' the cali and oí i response beiag maile tilueretQ. g, :. "fine govemor seemed qnite di:couraged at tltoe apathy of the peopli Uiiud, poiiating over toward tlib Ualluii) Bloek, where mem were flreesinig stone, remarked tiiat men wen, mure kiteresti-d int lucir uwn business more Unan 'm th-e neuety oí tlie aatiioa I sai,d rijíh't there: 'Covern.or, ií 1 ,au be oí am.v service to my country 1 am ready to go.' He said' 'You can; you can raise a regiment in this district. ' He weint on to say: 'Yon tave a nood offiice, and :i -ould be too niuc.il to ask ycju to uie it up; but you set up thv regiment and vvta can íjml sumí' onc felee to talíe it tu tfllie íiieLd.' "1 said: No, ií i make a reeruitling speedh and ask any man to enlieC I pispóse to go wit'h hini a.nd stav a long ata b aioee, ir' L lilve so long. 'Well,' said the govennor, 'you can comniaind the regiment.' I said: 'l Aiii't kiunv tluit I hall want to. I have had no military expertence; we esaa aee about tflüat.1 " A C0LBAGEOUS AND ABLE SOLDIER. HLs reghnem-t bolonged to the army of the Cumberland in ïennessee anti Kejituoky. It was attached t;o the Tw-entieth Army Corps, General "Joe'ï Hooker's oommaoMl, duritog the Atlanta caanJSaign, and General Harrison took the place of 'General Butterïield as brigade cummauder. In the report of hiw superiors he was commeudei for ttmrairi' and ski-11 at The battle i Re&aoa and l'eaoh Tree Oreek. As General Hooker rode the linon tlu' day after Peach Tree Creek h shook liiK hand and sa:d. "HarriBOB by , I'll make you a brigadk' general for this figln." Hooker soou after "vrote a highlj (.omiilimeutary letter tü tile secretar} of war. WiKle iin temporary leave oí aitusemúe tu vküt nis Family, General Ebarrtean was cut off from his return to Atlanta by ttoe Oonflederate invasión of Te.imessee and Xorthrrn Geoi4 g-ia. He was gtven commaud of a iu.gade at Xas'liville, however, and took jiart ín ttoe l!oody battle fought around tliat town. l'nder General George H. Tbomas, he aided in the deïcat and fligtt't of General Hood'a anny. TE.XDERNESS OX THE BATTLE FIELD. On thie night fuüowing the battle of Xcw Hoie chui'ch, saye Lew ace. Colóme] Harrison liad hid dead collected fr burial. H:s wounded he uul taken to a little farm house standing a short dietance in tlie rear, ind lie seart ior his surgeons. Unforunaifly they li::d beon separated íro] he coinm,'!,!;.l in thé daxknes. Anxioii-s, soikitidus and synipathetio n tlieíii1 absence, the cölonel turned uxgeon ftftnself. Takáig ol'f liis coat iwl rolli'iiy Jij U'e'es tO' his elbows e set to 9tanching the wo-unds. He iyB, gpeakimg of the dreumstance; "I dto'ii't kuoAv whiether I did any serviré; I trvetl to." He cansí a sume tents to be torn up for bandajes and worked inihutriously sevrral heurs beíore the ,surgeons appeared. AVlien they carne into tQie impirovi.-.cd hospital they íounu Mm covered -svitli blood which lie bad Brtvn to stop. la tilie diim, flickering ligiit of eai dles gtuck in the 'floer, lie looked lite a butclitr iinstead of a Samaritac, The survivors of his treatmeut never forgot M's teiKferness and the sympatlvy he slicwed by look, voice and ao tíO'll. HAKEISOX ON HIS MUS CL E. Jeeee BLamey, a farmer living near Waverly, Jl'organ caunty, though a ctemoerat, has declared in favor of' Harl'.Boni presidetft. The reasoa for hiis peculiar deteriuination, Mr. Blamiey givee as foltows: On au autumin tlay several yearg ago, as tho farmer was latiorioaisly piling soma heavy logs oti liis place, two duek hunters fitmi Indianapolfe appeared om the 6cene. They had just come up from a ewamp near by, where tliey híid been eeaipohiing for game. Wlnen they eaw what Blaney was do ing a dialogue took place which .shall be reprodiiced as nearly as can be recalled: ■General, dd yon ever roll logs ?' "Xo, but I've got a good muscle and I believe I could do a fiirstclaiss job of it. I'll tell you what I'll do, Judge, I'Il go o-er th;re and help that main a Whffle if you wlll." "I'll dto it," replied tlie .Tudge. Tlien they went over and volunteered t)o help the farmer, ivlio ha vuig a prctty hard time oí it by himself. He gladly aceepted their .services, and tfoey worked like beavers untii several large (haps of logs were completetl. After telling this story Mr. Blaney ík wout t'o Close with: "Now, who dü yoTi yupp'Ose those two men were ?' ama afte.r all tlie hearers have siveu it up, ke liiinself, with great pride, tUDBweirs the question, -'General Harriuom a.nd Judge Byron K. Elliot." Thu it is tha.t Mr. Blaney has come a nrm supporter of the republ:ean camdidate far president. HI8 KIXDNESS AND BROAD CHAKITY. lllustnitive of lns kindness and broad cfhiarity, a well knoivn railroad man wtoo has worked up from the lnnnble walkg of labor, told this incident: "I was ltving in two rooms om thie same sto-eet within a door or two of where General Benjamin Harrisom líved eighteon years ago. I did mot knoiv luim or his wife then, as I !id been married only a short time amd li'ad lately moved imto my rooms My wife was taken sick, and strangers as we were, the General frequently ealled at the door of our humble home to iraquBre as to her condition aaid many a time Mrs. Harrison brougtot to my wiife daimties to eat and was always clwei-y im her words. Poot amd a stranger as I was, it made m hnpreeeiioii that win be green im my mimd as long as I live. Talk about labroimg men not voting for Göaeral Harrison ! No truer or more sympatlietlc hearts ever beat thau hite anwl tli-at of his wife for poor men, aiwl ome 111 be in at hKs election to rejoitoe with others." ANOTHEE WAR TIME AKECDOTE. öeneral Harrteon Ie a member o! tttve clmrcli and has nover been knowu to swoar but ouce in hte Ufe, This was dnrimg the liattle 0t Resaca when his regtaaat held the post of danser. A soldier who fought onder hini tells t!ie oirounisiaiircs: "Our colonel was wiiüi o, 1 ,„„,■ savs Moaès McLain. win) as wouni",'(i ie that charge. "He carne rtelhil up behünd us when we captmre-d t'lte c,-ini there- the only gums, I beliieve, th'at were taken iai the Atlanta campaign. We had to with,stai)d the murderous cross fia-e, aaid as the gunners diseharged tJhetr püeces we feil to the groamd and allowed the shot to pass over np. "Thiem we rushed up, scaled the works and took possession of the gnus. The boys teil a story of the general wíhiich I guess is true. They say fhiat wheai we went into the works Harrisoin was wiith. us, and tlilat he grabbed a rebel ginimer by tlhle beord and yanked him out, exclaimiing: 'Come out of here, yon blank, blank rebel !' " Om being mustcred out of the ser vico, General Harrteon returned to Indianapolius and took up his office of offifial reporter to the eupreme court. As Bucih li cifimii-ned until 1868, wlieu toe becajne asBOCiatfed wiith the law firms oí Hiñes & Mïller - ttue last nam. ed beJng the present attorney geit era] of the Uiiiite dStates. HIS HOME LIFE. The home ];ie of President Harrison aiiwl hto wiie and family is of the most beautlitul ctoaraeter. Mrs. Harrisou is a model lnostess and a lovin.u' wiie ];:vsf lire is devoted to her husbaad. lier childreai and her grandchlJdren. She is the sa.me age as her husbaiul. poeeeeeea the faculty of makiug warm friiends and rebaining tiiem. Like lw?r huband she is active in ctiurcli work, ior both are niemberá and ciui.stant atiéndante of the Preebyt-erton church. General Harrisoo for niauy yeare tauh; the Bible class a;id Mrs. Harrfeon the infant class in the suiiday school of the first Presbyterittn chairch of Indkniapolis. Gremeo-al Harrieon lias many personal peculiarities, among them i the disinolination to shake haudf. He has an exceed;ln#i;ly bad memory fcr íanie.-i and faces, and it ís í-elated oí lira that prominent ini'n in hls own stato have been introduced to han hree times ia noe day betore hecould ecognize tbem.
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Old News
Ann Arbor Courier