Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1839-12-31

e'tseAt
mond. HIS father was Benjamin Harrison. q
lineal descendant of the celebrated General Of
that name, who held a commission ii the par J
llamentafy armies during the English civil
wars, and who. for his devotionsto republican
principle, persisted on the scaffold. Benjamin
Harrison was distinguished citizen of Vrgln-
"a, much honored and highly trusted By his fell
low citizens. He was brother.in-law OF Pey-
ton Randolph, the first President Of Congress,
and.Was himself member Of that body during
| the years 1774, T775, and l776 It was prin-
cpally through his influence that John Ham
cock was chosen TO preside over the Con-
gresssa as a successor to Peyton Randolph. lie
was Chairman ofthe Committee Of the whole
House, when the Declaration oflndependence
was finally agreed to: and his signature is
borne upon that celebrated document. Hav
| ing retired from Congress, he was elected /
member Of the Virginia House Of Delegates,
over which body he presided as Speaker, until
1882, when he was elected Governor Of the
State
Benjamin Harrison died poor, leaving three |
sons, of whom William Henry Harrison was |
Ethe youngest At his fathers death he was a
minor, and was left by his fathers willto the
guardianship of Robert Morris, the celebrated
financier. He had selectedthc practice of med
icine as profession, and was diligently pirsu-
ling his studies with that object, at Hampton
Sydney College, when the disasters of the In
dian War on the North Western frontier, and
the call for men and officers, for the defence of
the settlers, induced him to enter into the milf
tary service. His guardian wouldhave dissua-
; ded him from this determination, but Washing
ton, his fathers friend, approved of il, and gave
J hun a commission of Ensign in the first regi-
, ment of United States Artillery, then stationed
at Fort Washington, on the present site Of the
city of Cincinnati, and under the command Of
General st. Clair Governor of the North West
Z Territory, and Commander-in-chi of the mill
Iitary forces in that section of the country.
2 As soon as he received his commission,
. young Harrison, who was at this time but nine
. teen years of age, FASTENED to join his regi-.
ment, and arrived at Fort Washington shortly
after the disastrous defeat of St Clair, near the
head waters of the Wabash. This was "a
: time of great danger and alarm. Shortly after
u his arrival at Fort Washington, he was APP
3 pointed to command the escort of a train of
: pack horses, bound for Fort Hamilton, some
o twenty or thirty miles North of Fort Washing
ton; which difficult service he performed with
such credit as to attract the particular notice OF
, the commander In chief.
! In 1892 HARRISON was promoted to the rank
of Lieutenant and in 1898 he joined the new
d army under General Wayne. His spirit, en-
. lterprise and sagaclty soon attracted the notice
q OF that able commander, who appointed him
g one OF his aids-de-camp, in which difficult and
: responsible post he served during the war His
services, especially at the battle Of the Maumee
Rapids, by which the contest was brought to q
y close, are mentioned with emphasis, in Gene.
!. raj Wayne's official account of the victory
After the close the war, Harrison was pro
!, NOTED to the rank of Captain, and was placed
in command of Fort Washington, the most i'm
: portant post ofthe Western country While
In this command, he married daughter of the
e celebrated John Cleves Symms, the founder O
r the Miami settlements, lady In whom he has
ever found faithful and affectionate compan
q ion.
!, In 1897 Harrison resigned his commission il
!. the army, and was appointed Secretary of tn
y North Western Territory, and ex officio Lieu
y itenant Governor. The next year the Mort
y Western Territory entered the second grad
IF of Territorial government, and became entitle
% to Congressional Delegate. General Harri
son was chosen to FL this important station
i He remained in Congress only one year, Blu
i during that time he rssszscred very essential ser
!, vice to his constituents. As the law then stoo
IS the public lands could only be purchased i
1t tracts of four tonsdnd acres, very great hard
-e ship upon the poor settlers, who were thus G
re bliged to purchase atsecoRd hand, and an en-
NJ HANGED price. Harrison brought this subieC
i before Congress, and moved Committee {
81 consider it. OF that Committee he was him
VI self appointed Chairman ); the only instance,
is believed, in which such an honor has bee
:, conferred upon Territorial Delegate. H
n made Report accompanied by bill, aulhorlz
in ing the public lands to be sold in alternate la
n and quarter sections that Is in alternate tract
:, of three hundred and fCenty and one hundred an
- sirty acres. The report attracted great Al
tentioD, as did Harrisons speech in support
RI 1T, but the bill was vehemently opposed.
q passed the House. however, by large major
If ty. In the Senate the resistance was so pres
gs that at length Committee of Conference wa
in appointed. Harrison was one of the Commit
tee, and finally a compromise was agreed tc
by which the public lands were to be sold in al
ne ternate whole and half sections, that is, in a
ed ternate tracts Of $40 and 800 acres. This wa
RS a great improvement upon the former law
he and at this time; settlers began to flow rapiC
ly into Ohio, its beneficial results were instant
GO ly felt
! At this session ofCongress bill was passe
: for dividing the North Western Territory. G
nc ho became Territory by itself; while all tn
Ter rest ofthe North Western country, includin
III the existing States of Indiana Illinois and Micl
he igan, and the Territory of Wisconsin, wer
ID. created into new Territory, by the name q
Indiana. After the purchase of Louisiana, tn;
\. vast country was annexed to the Indian Terr
nS tory, and SO remained for some time. 9th
TN new Territory General Harrison was appointe
y, Governor. He became, by virtue of this al
Sc pointment, Superintendent of Indian affail
he with IN his jurisdiction, and in addition he wa
ch appointed sole Commissioner for treating wit
a.. the Indians. We have not room to 90 into
detail of his territorial administration Sufic
I, it to say that he was re appointed from time
.ne time, for fourteen years, always at the EXPIRE:
re request Of the inhabitants. His station as s,
ar perintendent of Indian affairs, and Indian Con
.an missioner, involved him in complicated negoti
=. tons and disputes with the celebrated Tecun
sch, and his brother, the Prophet, the details
=. which, if we had room for them, would be higl
aa' " interesting. These troubles at length r
70 suited IN the expedition of Tippecanoe, /
I've which the schemes of the Shawnese Chic
40. were broken up and their forces dissipated.
md At the breaking out, however, of the W
Tho with Great Britain inl6l2, all the dangers
~ an Indian war were renewed and aggravate
III III and that danger became eminent when the i
"au efficient conduct Of General Hull, upon the d
troit frontier, became generally Known
Of large body of volunteers was organizing IN Re
the lucky, for the protection of the North weste
in frontier, and General Harrison, whose condu
md II the TIppecanoe affair had been highly q
~ proved throughout the whole Western cou
= try, was sent for BY Governor Scott, TO adv
S0'a and AID IN their organization and disposition.