The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1860-11-08
SKETCH OF HON. JAHs HARLAN,
U. 8. SENATOR FR6 IOWA,

SKETCH OF HON. JA2s HARLAN,
U. q. SENATOR FRa IOWA.
From the October nurJer of the La-
dies Repository, We takithe following
sketch of Mr.. Harlan:
All the elements of th(self made man
are found in the history ia character of
Senator Harlan, whose ttrait is here
with presented to our Hers The ell
evated place he has been lalled at com
paratively early age to ofupy has been
fairly and honorably wonI He is an il
lustration of what an 4nerican youth
may achieve by noble pu1ose, stcadincss
Of aim, and ardor of conti1l effort, even
without the adventitiou} favors of for
tune or patronage.
yThae laastlhos. qf.". self-hAp" says of the
they are useful as he>,s sAod men, ttat
centives to others Some OF 5tsfe and in
almost equivalent to gospels teaching
high living, high thinking, any enerset-
ic action for their own and tie worlds
good British biography, say' he, is
studded over as "With patens pf bright
gold," with illustrious examples Of the
power Of self:help, of patient purpose,
resolute working, and steadfast integri-
ty, issuing in the formation of truly no.
bic and manly character exhibiting, in a
language not t. be misunderstood, what
it is in the power of each to accomplish
for himself, and illustrating tle efficacy
of self-rcspect and self-relance in ena-
bling men of the humblest rank to work
out for themselves an honorable compe-
tency and solid reputation. What is
here said of British biography Is true in
even higher sense of American. Nor
are we compelled to seek for them in the
dead past alone, They are round about
us living presence, mighty il their in
fuence to do US good. 1t it is for this
reason that VIC have selected few rep
resentative men from the different de-
partments Of mercantile and professional
life affording at once lesson and incen-
tives to the young who read our pages
Senator Harlan is a native Of the State
of Illinois, where he was born, August
26, 1920 But Indiana has A claim on
him, for his parents eahy removed to that
State, and are still living on farm in
Park county His early life was spent
in the midst Of agricultural pursuits and
labors, so invigorating to the physical
constitution.
The advantages offered by country
common scho comprised his early edu-
catonal resources. But as soon as he
had attained his majority hs entered the
preparatory school of the Indiana Asbury
University, then under the Presidency
of Rev. NJ. Simpson. Though repeated,
ly obliged to suspend his studies and re-
sort to manual labor or school teaching to
absitse7m;aehntst is7;ah u" III -1s455 he graduated to
the first college degree.
His Alma Master has since conferred
upon him the degrees first Of A. NJ, and
then of L. l.. d.
The religious element of his character
and its connection with his early pur-
poses and aims as we'll as its influence
upon his whole life, are worthy of no.
tice. In letter to a friend, and from
which we are permitted to copy, he says:
"In my eighteenth year ! joined the
Methodist Episcopal Church as seeker
of religion. Three years afterward,
while listening to sermon delivered by
father Haveps, in Greencastle, Indiana,
on the fullness of the ransom offered for
sinners in the person of Jesus of Nazar-
eth, I found The pearl of great price,
not to be compared with earthly jewels,
since which l have been striving, from
day to day, to be consistent, though
humble follower of the Nazarene.
What lesson is this to a young man
just entering upon life! What citadel
of defence what an incentive to noble
enterprise and what divine inspira
tion may he find in the faith Of Christ !!
In the autumn of 1S45, Mr.. Harlan
was elected Professor of languages in the
Iowa City College," and removed to
that place Here he taught about year,
during which time he was licensed as a
local preacher in the Methodist Episco-
pal Church. In these relations he won
for himself so good reputation for in
tegrity and ability, that in the spring of
ls47 he was elected by the people of the
new State Superintendent of Public In
struction. In the spring of 1913 he was
again a candidate for the same office, but
his competitor, Hon. Thomas H. Benton,
jr., was elected by majority OF seven
teen votes over him. In the meantime,
having completed his preparatory studies,
he was admitted to the bar and common
ced the practice of law in Iowa City.
During the summer Of lS49, Mr.
Harlan received another gratifying evi
dence of the esteem and confidence of thu
public. He was nominated by the Whit
State Convention as candidate for Gov
ernor. But as he not attained the ag'
required by the State Constitution, h'
declined the nomination. AS the frs
common school Superintendent, he hat
acquired very general acquaintance il
the State, and continued to practice Law
under very auspicious circumstances til
the fall Of 1858.
At this time the Methodist Church il
the State, looking for the developmen
and enlargement of her educational plans
fixed her eye upon him as the man, b,
his experience, ability and reputation, t.
lead in the enterprise He was then el
ected President of the "Mount Pleasan
Collegiate Institute" which during tn
following winter. was recognized unde
an amended charter, granted by the Leg
islature for that purpose, as the " low
Wesleyan University Here caroe
of wide usefulness was opening befor
him and it is but just to say that he en-