The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-06-18

Of Ohio merely, should not have thought il ne
cessary 10 make any reply whatever II has
been well said by that distinguished gentleman
whom my colleague eulogized so highly, (Col.
X. M. Johnson,) "Maf the History Of The Hest
is The history of General Harrison" With
that history our people are familiar. Our old
men were eye-witnesses 10 his services, his pri-
rdtions, his hardships, his battles, and his nc
tories. Our young men have read them In his
tory, and heard them in story and IN song
Our children, too, are familiar with his name
and exploits Ii is therefore unnecessary Tor me
10 say any thing 10 the People OF that State II
would also be a matter OF supererogation Tor me
TO attempt 10 add any thing to the points dwelt
upon by my talented colleagues from Montgo-
merry and Warren, (Messrs. Corwinand Goode.)
j The triumphant REGULATIONS given by those no
norable gentlemen 10 the charges advanced by
the member from Michigan would seem TO rem
der any answer 10 further attacks quite unneces-
| say. II should, however, be borne IN mind that
| my colleague and myself are both citizens oil the
same State with General Harrison. The attack
| does not come from the Representatives OF
different State, or from stranger, but from the
| Representative of the district in which General
| Harrison resides. II comes from his neighbor
| Il is an attack on this floor, made by member
upon the fair fame of one Of his own constitu
ents The member even went so far in his re-
marks as 10 speak of General Harrison IN one or
| two in stances as "his friend :" while he occu-
| ped m entire day in the vain attempt TO con-
vince the People Of this nation that the exalted
| citizen whom he assailed was in favor OF selling
mhie men into siarery; and in endeavorlng 10
tear from his war-worn brow the aurels that
have clustered there for more than a quarter Of
| a century
The member from Hamilton county has not
confined his assaults TO General Harrison, but
has extended his attacks to the whole political
party who support him for the office OF Presi-
dent. Before ] proceed 10 notice his charges
against General Harrison, will detan the com.
mtlee a few minutes in answering his assaults
upon the Wing party
The first charge made by the member against
the Wing party is, that ne are trying TO get up
a panic. He asks, g Where is the distress to
BE- found?" | will refer him for answer TO the
planter Of the South to the commission mer-
chant; TO the importer, the jobber, the retail
merchant, the manufactures, the farmer, the la
borer and the mechanic. Any Of these viii
tell him where pecunary distress is TO be found.
Let him go to our principal cities, or to our pub
lie works, and inquire Of any one OF the many
thousand laborers who cannot find employment,
and are destitute of the means necessary to sup
port their wives and children, and think they
will inform him where he may find pecunlary
distress In answer to the question, would re-
| fer the member to his owR constituents, and, if
am not mistaken they will answer his Inqul-
ries with promputude, and will show him dis
| tress within his own district.
| Again the member appears 10 complain OF the
Wing party for speaking OF General Harrison
as the log cabin candidate" He very gravely
denies that General Harrison lives in ''log
4 cabin Now, sir, was the party who oppose
| General Harrison that first applied that term TO
him and TO the party who support him The
Wings had nothing TO do with it. The mem
ber's complaints should be directed TO those who
bestowed the name upon General Harrison as
term of reprodch, and not TO the Wings, who
quietly receive the appeation which his party
have bestowed upon them, rather than contend
about a name. think the member is correct in
saying that General Harrison does not live in a
''log cabin | incline to the opinion that he re-
sides in a pretty comfortable old-fashioned two
story frame house, with chimney in each end,
and dome of" in good fdrmer-tike style
Such is its appearance as you pass by It on the
i river. But do not think the Presidential cleo
ton, Mr.. Chairman depends on the style OF the
dwelling in which General Harrison resides
The real secret is, that all the early settlers in
the Western country once resided in log ca
| bins They were often destitute of chimney
or hearth Sometimes they had windows with
| out glass, and doors that could not be Shut ex-
cept, perhaps, by blanket. They often sat upon
stools constructed by the help Of an axe and an
auger aud ate their frugal meals from plank
| split from the body of a neghboring tree They
suffered many Inconvenience and prlvations I'M
| known TO later emlgrants. At that early day,
| General Harrison was in the Western country.
He, too, encountered the same privatlons. He
associated with our people, and in all respects
was one of them. Our population al that day
were hardy, intelligent, vrtuous, and brave
The friendships formed AT that time were of the
most substantial and enduring kind. They are
not now forgotten. The early settlers OF the
Western country regard General Harrison
their associate and companion IN the hardshns
and priva,ions Of former days. To the ears of
those men the term 'log cabin" has sort OF
charm AT its very mention, thousand pleas
ing recollections rush upon the mind old asso-
cates are brought to remembrance, and an en-
thusasm is awakened, which can only be ap-
preciated by those who have experienced IT.
II is to these feelings that we are in some de-
gree indebted for these enthusiastic demonstra-
tons in the Western States, and the display OF
'.iog cabins" with all the paraphcrnalia Of
| skins, rifles, traps, &C. which were only known
to the early settlers of that country. ! am aware
that these representations call forth sympathies
and feelings hostile to those who treat the pio-
neers Of the West with sneering and contempt
| While reading accounts OF some oil those en-
thusastic meetings lately held in our Buckeye
Statc,n found my mind unconsciousy car
red back to the days Of youth and of 'log
cabins )" TO the days OF hunting, and ''oi youth
| lul sports and buoyant pleasures ]" 10 my asso-
ciates of that day and, in short, to all the ten
thousand recollections 10 which the memory
clinrs with londness and enjoyment that may
be felt but not described. II these feelings
which do honor to our nature, are brought IN AID
of the election Of General Harrison, II IS be
cause his enemies have fdunfed him with being
:. NE log cabin ca,didate" They must now
reap the consequences Of their arlstocratlc Jeer-
ing.
NV colleague has alluded 10 the Convention
i halI IN No = Ia