The Ohio Democrat and Dover advertiser. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1839-1840, 1840-04-17
FoR GOVERNOR,
WILSON SHANNON.
,HARRISON'S HEROlSM AM

II WILSON SHANNON.
! ,HARRlSON'S HEROlSM AND
i HONOR.-We every day see the he
roism and the homer OF Gen. Harrison,
blazoned forth by the party who have
dragged him before the people Of this
country Heroism, and honor, are tbe
two most prominent traits (say they)
he possesses, and which are full well
enough developed TO place him in the
Presidential chair. lfthere 10 any eS.
ldence that such is the fact, we have
never yet seen il. HIS own fellow Of.
6ceIs have testified to the contrary; tho
| U. s. Senate have denied this his
tory denies it, and he himself 10 his let-
ter TO ihe Secretary of War, rendering
his resignation, virtually admits that he
does not possess those, two great aitri-
butes, with which The Wings are now
eDdeaVorihg to cover him. Here is
his letter.
Headquarters, Cincinnati. My n 1914.
10 THE Hon. JOHN ARMSTRONG, SEC of War.
! u have the honor, through you. TO request
the President to accept my resignation of the
appointment Of MAJOR General iuIhs army, with
which he was pleased to honor me. Lest the
public service should suffer before a successor
can be nominated, I shall continue to act until
the ,Slstinstant, by which time ihOpe to be re-
lieYed. ..r % .ttt
n'iIlaying some reason to believe that the
-. l.. bo,, Lan,. IL
ganst nre at Washington, it was my intention
TO have requested an inquiry into my conduct
From the commencement OfDy command. Fur.
ther reflection has, however, determined me TO
decline the application, because. from the proud
consciousness of having 2alpaPfy done my duty,
cannot believe that it is necessary, either for
the satisfaction ofthe Government or the people,
that should pay much respect to the sugges-'
tions Of malice and envy"
Now let ue ask the candid reader, if
there 10 similar case on record, where,
a General, and one claiming 10 be
hero tOo--resigned his commission, in
the midst Of war. while a foreign en-
emy were menacing his country BY sea
end By iand-aRd while thousands Of
ssvages, we're merclessly numbering
the defenceless border inhabitants, and
all because "some malicious ipslnua-
tions" had been thrown out against him
at Washington No, our history does
not furnish another such example. And
this was "heroism' vas in II was a
kind Of heroiem that an American
should never wish 10 imiiaie--a kind
Of hereism that should meet with no
other than the deserter's reward.
Again, he Gays at was his intention
10 have requested an inquiry into his
conduct, but he could no, believe il was
necessary, either for the GoverDment,or
the people, that he should pay SO much
respect 10 the suggestions Of malice
| and envy" Here ls the height Of hon
! OF indeed What manl what subaltreul
wha, officerl thSt ever possessed one
spark ofbouor, or felt conscious that he
had done his duty, would let insiDua.
/ ,ions be thrown out at The seat Of Gov
| ernmen,, against him, by bis fellow Of
ice,s, without Instantly demanding an
inquiry into his conducl-a court mar
tial, to wipe away The siainl We ven
lure 70 say, there was not another man
in the American army, from General
down to Corpora's Guard, that would
not rather have lost his life, than had his
honor and his name tainted with cow
ardlce, ss was Gen. harrison's, With
Out calling for redress
But Harrison says lit was not neces-
sary lha, he should pay respec, to NAL
ice and envy'' Ah! there's the rub,
not necessary TO refute and disprove the
charges Of Nlismanagemeni, and Cow
ardice, that were whispered aloud a
galnst him ! He might have. thought
It was not necessary, il he priced his
personal safety more than he did an unr
sullied character; hat certainly ifhe sci
any value on his honor, his bravery, or
his hero m, .he W uld not b ave skulked
away to retirement when the eyes Of
his countrymen were resting on him
with euspicion and disdaiu.
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