Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1836-09-15
General Harrison.

hhGIIhSObus
Attempts have lately been made to
transfer the honor Of the battle of the
THAMES and Of the final capture of near
ly the entire British army under Proctor,
by Gen. Harrison in 1856 Col. II. nj.
Johnson Of Ken. The following extract
from speech Of that gentleman in Con-
gress, when he thought ii "honor enough
for him to have served" under General
Harrison, ought to put to shame those,
who now vainly attempt to exalt him by
such base means. "Of the career of
General Harrison (said Col. Johnson) I
need not speak-the history Of the West
is his history. For forty years he has
been identified with its interests, its per.
lis and its hopes. Universally beloved
in the walks Of peace, and distinguished
by his ability in the councils Of his coun-
try, ho has been yet more illustriously
distinguished in the field. During the
late war he was longer in active service
than any other General officer, he was
perhaps oltener in action than any one
of them, and never sustained a defeat. a"
Gen. Armstrong has also endeavored
to aid Mr.. Van Buren,, by disparaging
the services Of Gen. Harrison during the
war; But no mans opinions, or testi-
mony, upon this subject, can be entitled
to less respect. 1t was his injurious and
inimical treatment of Gen. III. in 1914,
while he (Armstrong) was Secretary at
War, which compelled him to resign his
commission, notwithstanding the earnest
wishes Of MIR. Madison and Of the whole
Western army that he should retain it.
This was the same John Armstrong who
addressed tho anonymous letters to the
American Army at the close Of the Rev.
olution, melting them not to lay down
their arms, nor suffer themselves TO be
disbanded, until they had compelled their
country-their own country, to satisfy
their demands-the same Armstrong,
wao himself disgraced the service by his
miserable attempt to play the General
on the frontier, and whose total incapaci-
ty as Secretary at War was notorious to
the whole nation. 1t was owing to his
imbecility and cowardice that the Capt.
tol was burnt by the enemy before his
very face, or rather while he was saving
himself by fight.
But one of the most thorough s. salts
factory vindications we have seen of Gen.
II. giving the lie direct to most OF the
pitilul scandals lately vamped up by the
Van Buren presses to the prejudice of
his hard earned fame, is the following
speech by the Hon. MAHLoN DECKER
SON Of New Jersey, then Senator Of
the United States, now one Of General
Jackson's Cabinet iSecretary Of the Ma
wy delivered in the Senate, March "a,
1918. We ask the attention Of our rea-
ders 10 every word Of this speech: COM
ing as it does from a conspicuous men,
Der Of the present administration, long
known for his devoted adherence to Gen.
Jackson, but who on this occasion, and
at that early period, must be supposed
to have acted from Independent impulses.
This speech is the more valuable as it
dissipates completely the cloud, which
in the minds of some uninformed persons,
the proceedings Of the Senate in 1916,
were supposed to have cast, for a mo-
ment, on Gen. Harrison's fame. The
resolution introduced by Mr.. Dickerson,
as recited below, was passed by the Sen
ate and House Of Representatives unani-
mousiy.
Mr.. DIcKERsoN, agrceably to notice given
Yesterday, asked leave to introduce q resolu-
ton offering the thanks of congress to major-
general VIM. Henry Harrison and Isaac
Shelby, late governor of Kentucky, for their
distinguished bravery and good conduct in
capturing the British army, under the CON-
mand of major general Proctor, at the battle
of the Thames, in Upper Canada, OH the 5th
Of October, 1873
should not; said, Mr.. Dickerson, at this
late day, highly as I think of the merits of
those officers who, in cooperation with the
hero Of lake Erie, turned the tide Of war in
our favor, bring forward the present re solu-
ton, if no similar attempt had heretofore been
made in their favor, but would leave their
fame to rest upon the testimony OF impartial