State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-11-01
REMARKS OF ION. HEMAN AL
LEN.
On reading the 9TH reso.

HSlrOuS II
Mr.. A remarked that he was us Lefor
say word or two in relation to it, ,. :
the question was taken. He had witnea
sed with pleasure, the growing interest that
was manifested throughout the country in
behalf of Gen. Harrison, as a candidate
for the first Office in the gift of the people.
1t had been a misfortune to his friends that
lie had not been brought into the field at an
earlier day. In all candidates. for office, by
the suilrages of the people, it was their pc
culiar right TO investigate the character and
merits of those who are presented TO their
notice, and in the election of so high an Off
Ger as the Chief Magistrate of the United
S'"tns it .wae not only their right, but it
became their imperative duty, 10 vanv ass
with the utmost scrutiny the talents, integ-
rity and political sentiments of the candi-
dates who might be proposed. His desire
was that such might be the course in the
present case. He wished that the history
of Gen. Harrison should be well understood
before Judgment should be pronounced
upon him in regard to his character and
capability to execute the duties OF an Office
so elevated and of such vast Importance.
After an examntion, with the scverest
scrutiny, he believed Gen. Harrison would
not be found wanting but would be pro-
nounced eminentIy qualified for the per-
iormance of all its requirements.
Gen. Harrison has had much experience,
both in military and civil life. Thirty-eight
years of it had been, almost exclusively, de-
voted to the service OF his country, and he
felt himself justified in saying, to the entire
satisfaction Of all the Executive Chief Mag
istrates of the United States, as well as of
the people, whose rights, interests and lives
it had been his official business to protect
and defend during all that long period of
time. His public services began as early
as 1871, and at the age of IS years. He
was then appointed by Gen. Washington
to the Office Of Ensign in the army Of the
United States, raised for the purpose Of de-
Tending our Western frontiers against the
depredations of the hostile savages then in
arms. He immediately went into active
service, and being promoted TO the Office Of
Lieutenant, served under Gen. Wayne,
and as his aid, TO the final defeat of the
Indians in '94. Amongst other proofs that
he acquitted himself to the entire satislac-
ton, not only of the commanding General,
but OF the Chief Magistrate, Mr. A refer
red to the fact that he was Immediately
thereafter, promoted, by General Wash
ington to the office Of Captain, and had
coniLcd to him a separate command Of the
most important post on our frontier. In
this command he was continued until '97,
when, having proved himself equal to eve
ry place to which he had been appointed,
he was taken from the army and placed by
the same vencratcd Chief Magistrate in
the responsible station of Secretary of the
North Western territory, who in the alb
sence of the Governor, would become the
acting Executive Chief Magistrate of that
Government His capability and powers
as a civil officer being thoroughly known TO
the people Of that part of the Union, Mr.
Harrison was, by their sulIrages, elected as
their first delegate TO the Congress Of the
United States. In this new situation, al
the age of 2G, his talents were such, in the
estimation of that body, that he was APP
pointed chairman of a committee in rcla-
ton TO the public domain, and his able re-
port on that subject, which was carried out
by general law regulating our system Of
Land SHES, confirms, to the fullest extent,
the wisdom of that body in placing him AT
the head OF SO important a committee. His
next appointment to office, in the Civil De
partmcnt, was TO that of Governor of the
Indiana Territory, made by the elder Adj
ans, in the year 1900. This Office was
continued to him by appointments of the