Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1840-06-04
NO. 10.

occasion eyinced SO much spirit patriotic
zeal and wisdom, that, with each success
sive graduation Of office he rose in the es-
teen, affection and confidence Of his fellow
citizens, TIL at length he reached the high
form graced with the Washiagtons the
Henrys, the Randolphs. and the other IL
lustrious men who formed that splendid
constellation Of worthless, which will i'm
mortallze the new world.
In the unwea,ied discharge Of these
most important duties we find him employ
ed during the whole Of the Revolutionary
war. Looking to the journals of congress
we see them filled with repeated testmon;
ais of the implicit trust reposed in his tall
ents end fidelity by that august body
There, he appears as one of the three
members nominated TO proceed to WASH
inton's camp in the year IT'S, in order TO
persuade the army to extend their term
of service-again, one of the committee
appointed to determine whether Newly York
should be burned or defended: after that,
chairman of that celebrated committee
styled "the Board of War, and lastly,
chairman Of the no less digniied than me-
morabe assembly in which that momentus
subject, the declaration of independence,
was debated.
Thus honoured and deserving Of honour,
lived the father Of general Harrison to the
year 1871, when at the age Of sixty.fve
he was gathered to his forefathers. leaving
behind him three sons, the youngest Of
whom, is the gentleman Of whose exploits
we are now to speak, and who was born at
the family seat in Virginia. on the ninth
of February 1773.
Though the property of Mr.. Benjamin
Harrison was large, it was not sufficient
to place every branch Of numerous of.
spring in state Of opulent independence
suitable to the wonted standing and accor-
ding to the customs of the society in which
they lived. In his own talents had they
been exclusively devoted to the improve
ment Of his fortune, he had perennial
spring of wealth; but those we're so entire
ly bestowed upon public concerns, and his
time was SO engrossed by the official duties
which he had to perform at distance from
home, that his private affairs were neglec-
ted by him, and of course impaired. Of
fee, which in all other times and countries
has tended TO enrich the possessor,
brought nothing but glory to our patri-.
OTIS of that day. and Mr.. Harrison, while
he was asserting his country's indepen-
dence, was consuming his familys patri-
mony. Not that he was addicted to any
of those wastefu sports, much less to any
of those degrading vices, on which SPLEEN
did fortunes are too often lavished away in
that state. His establishment at Berkly
IS represented as a model of elegant CON-
fort, and liberal but correct hospitality-in
which, however, plain good sense presided
and banished that thoughtless prodigality
and extravaganza which makes many Of
the Vngnians ''traduced and taxed Of
other nations" and indeed, ''soils their adj
dition," yet, owing to the causes already
mentioned his fortune began to fall to waste,
and this suggested to him the expediency Of
giving his sons such an education as would
qualif. them for lucrative as well as hon-
durable pursuits in life.
William Henry, who entered upon his
education after his elder brothers had kn-
ished theirs and been settled in business.
was at an early age placed at grammar
school, from which in dae time he was
sent to Hamden-cclege, where he remain
ed till he completed his fourteenth year,
when Ire was moved to an academy in
Southampton county. There remained
till entered his seventeenth year; at which
time. being pronunced by the principal we'll
qualified to commence the study of physc,
for which he was destined by his father, he
was placed for short period under the
tuition of doctor Lelper, practising phys
ician of respectable standing in Richmond.
and in the Spring Of 1871, was sent to
Philadelphia 10 finish has medical studies.
1t was while he was ON his journey TO
Philadelphia that his father died, and this
event determined him to abandon altogeth-
er a profession which he had consented
TO enter upon, merely to crafty that gen.
tleman. The reception he met from all the
eminent professors of that ay,--Rush.
Shipper, Wistar, &c. particularly from, the
first OF these, on account Of the services
rendered by bis father during the progress
of the revolution. was insufficient 10 shake
his purpose. But what profession to
choose in lieu Of the medical was the cues
tion which demanded the most prompt de-
cision, as his brother had given him to IN
derstand by letter, that the personal proper,
ty left by his father fell short of what
would be necessary to the successful pros
ecution of his original scheme of life.
The connexions Of this gentlemen.
however, were reepecia hle: the family in.
G,,oo,o