The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-01-27

mole, Iss dsllyeredOn Monday, In the US.
Senate, BY Hon. Stephen A. Douglas:
Mn. PREsiuKEr: For the frat time during
nv public service, has It become my mourn.
ful duty to Join In an official tribute Of re-
spect and veneration to the memory OF
colleague from my own. State. The mes.
age from the House OF Representatives, has
announced the Senate, the death OF Thomas
L. Harris, a we'll known Representative |
from the State of Illinois. His declihlngi
health--the -Tesult -of-severe exposures In I
the military service Of his country--has long
since impressed upon bis family sndimme.
date friends the stern necessity Of prepar. |
ing their minds apd dhearls fort THE sf1ictine |
bereavement. With. a constitution broken,
end sinking ,Alowly but, certainly andet' an
incurable disease, and while calmly PWait- |
ing a result which be was inevitably 'and
rapidly approaching, he resained and dis.
played the iud6mitSbls energy, courage, and
foriitude, which had characterized bis whole
life, and enabled him until the, hour Of his
death 10 perform his whole duty TO his lami.
" and 70 H'koCtety--tc bis State and his
Union. He died at his home IN Petersburg,
Menora county, Illinois, on the I4th of,No-
vember, 1868, Of pulmonary consumption
The history Of Thomas L. Harris may be-
studied. and hia example followed with safe.
ty and honor BY the youth of our country
Born in Norwich, Connecticut on the Goth
Of October, 1915, he was only. two years of
age when his futber died, leaving him and q
younger brother dependent upon widowed
mother for support. BY his own exertions-
with the labor Of his own hands-he obtain.
ed the means TO acquire an education, and
graduated with credit at Trinity College,
Hartford, Connecticut, in lS4l. During his
senior yeur IN college, he became a student
at law in the Office Of Gov. Toucey, now
Secretsry of the Navy, and pursued his stu.
dies with nssidnity and success, In Decem-
Der, lS4l, he removed to Amherst county,
Virginia, where he continued the study of
law, Il while teaching school to obtain the
means Of support. In 1862 he was admit
ted to the bar in Virginia, and the same year
removed TO Petersburg, Menora county,
Illinois, where he commenced the practice
Of his profession, and resided until the Pc
riod Of his death. He rose rapidly in his
profession, and had already acquired an en-,
viable reputation as q lawyer when the
Mexicun War broke out and called him TO
another field ofyduty. In May, l846, he
raised q company Of volunteers and was
elected their captain. He joined the Fourth
Regiment OF Illinois Volunteers, under the
command Of Col. Baker, and, on the 4th Of
July OF that year, he wus elected rDujor Of
the regiment. ,j After reaching Mexico, the
absence and sickness of the colonel and
Iieutenant colonel deyolved the command of
the regiment on Major Harris, and in this
position he displayed in an eminent degree
the qualities OF the soldier and the officer
courage, energy, prompttude, and discipline.
He soon became conspicuous, winning the
applause OF his superors, and the confidence
and love of those under his command. At
Vera Cruz, as we'll as at Germ Gardo, after
the, fall of General Shields, when the com
mqnd Of the brigade devolved upon ColoneI
Baker and that of the regiment on Major
Harris, in consequence OF the sickness OF
the lieutenant colonels, the gallahtry ofmy
friend became historical, as appears by the
ofIical dispatches Of Gen. Scott, COMMAND
CT in Chief, and those, Of Mi ujlr General
Patterson end Col. Baker. .....
During bis absence in Mexico, M,jor Har.
ris was elected by the people to the State
t let had previously given decided minority
ia opposition to the political party to which
he belonged. Returning from the war sur.
rounded with honors, which his fellow citi
zens all took pride in awarding to him, which
; he bore with q modesty in harmony with Gis
character, he again engaged in the practice
. Of his profession with the earUestness Of
, character which was a part of his nature
I But he had become an object Of too much
+ public interest to be allowed to remain long
in private life. In l84S he became the nom
inee Of the Democratic party, with which he
was thoroughly identified, for Congress, in q
district which Ind uniformly given decided
Opposition majority, and was triumphantiy
elected upon the distinct issue o! non inter
: vention by Congress with slavery in States
or Territories. His course in Congress was
bold, manly, and uncquitoeal; always adher.
ing strictly to the principles upon whfch be
was elected. He supported, by vote and
speech, the legislation Of 1850, known as the
Compromise measures and never failed tc
defend the author of those measures and the
principles involved in them, whenever and
wherever assailed. In 1854, when sectional
f strife ragged with its greatest fury, and men
, of less nerve qualed before the storm, Major
Harris again became the candidate OF hi.
! party for Congress, in his district, which had
D been changed SO as to conform to the new
t apportionment, and was then represented
by political opponent. In this contest he
r stood forth the bold and fearless champion
t OF the principles embodied in the Kansas
8 Nebraska act, and on that distinct issus, he
e was elected by about two hundred majority
over his popular antagonist. Maintaining
!. in Congress, with ability and fidelity, the
I principles on which he was elected, he, fol
d the third time, became the chosen leader o
s his party, he was reelected by unonimou!
/ vote in 1856, and after IN arduous and severe
t canvass, pending the Presidential election
S Of that year, he was ro elected by about two
y thousand majority. The course which Maio
: Harris felt it his duty 10 pursue on the i'm
i. portant and exciting question which engross
3. ed the attention of Congress during the las
!. session, is familiar to the Senate and tht
country. Whatever diversity of fopinion ma,
!. exist, here or elsewhere, in regard to thu
>. merits Of that controversy, all will unite il
Q bearing testimony TO the ability, fidelity, ant
o gallantry with which he maintained and de-
i tended his conscientious convictions. Wher
n Congress adjourned, he returned to the be
k loved State Of his adoption, worn down AM
It exhausted by excessive labor, and sinkin!
slowly under effects OF disease which eveI
J, his energy and will could no longer resist
> He received the unanimous nomination o
the Democratic party for re election to Con