The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-08
SENATOR HARRISON.
His Record Soldier, Lawyer and States
man-Character of His Work In
the Senate.
". e. B. in Boston Advertiser.

promises to be next year. On that account
any candidate whom the Indiana Republi-
cans may put forward for the presidential
nomination will be entitled to consideration.
In that event Senator Benjamin Harrison, or
"Ben," as he is called, assumes an additional
interest to that which always pertains to a
man who is recognized as party leader in a
great State There are two types of Western
men who take high rank at Washington. One
is the eloquent, free-hearted, impulsive, and
at times, careless man, represented by Logan,
Browne and Voorhees,, The other is quieter,
shrewder and calmer 1t finds impersona-
ton in such men as Senators Sherman, Alli-
son and Harrison. The latter is still young
Three years ago he was hardly known, ex-
cept as twice defeated candidate for Gov
ernor. Then the victory of 1880 gave the In
diana Republicans the Legislature, and he
was unanimously nominated to succeed SEN
ator Mcdonald. Other candidates appeared,
only to withdraw when they perceived that he
was sure to be chosen. For two sessions he
has been in the Senate. To an outsider he
does not seem to have accomplished much.
He has made no great speeches, nor engaged
in any controversies. His short stout figure,
his large head with beard just turning to
gray, and his quick stride, are familiar to
",
but he has not figured in the Congressional
Record. This is not because he cannot
speak, and speak we'll. His twenty years
service on the stump dsproves that Neither
is it due to any lack of interest in public
questions, for no senator has better
grasp of them. An explanation is better
found in the mans character. He is one of
the cautious kind and naturally goes slowly.
So he has devoted himself TO committee
work, has tried to master great questions OF
legislation and is hiding his time for more
brilliant displays His party associates
have found him out as a thoroughly safe
adviser. He is one of the so-called steering
committee which has general charge of
legislation and the order of business to be
pushed by the majority. They have found
out that he can be depended upon, and his
judgment is safe to follow. There is no
danger of his stopping over" The Senate
is always an interesting body to watch. Its
members go and come Some are never in
their seats. Some are always to be found in
the smoking-rooms. A few can be relied
upon to be present and on the look
out. One of these is MIR. Harrison.
He sits by the hour at his desk, working
steadily, and at the same time
watching how things go on. A Western
senator is much more at the service of his
constituents than those from the East. His
mail is larger, and the demands upon him
are greater The quiet Indanian has
he seems to be always at work, except when
something occurs ont of the usual routine of
the Senate When he speaks it is in a very
unaffected way. He has none of the rhetori-
cal graces. He is, when on his feet, the same
direct, earnest and straightforward man on
the street orin his own house Most men in
public life affect the art of gaining populari-
ty. They seek to please, they like to be ad
vertsed. Ben" Harrison does none OF
these things. He goes directly about his
business without any display or parade. The
interests of his constituents are strictly
looked after, but he does not go out of his
way to seek their applause. In that way he
is not popular in one sense. Hail fellow,
well met" does not apply to him. Even 20
his friends he sometimes appears cold, but
those who know him best say that he never
forgets friends, nor lays up enmities
There is a charm about the career of such
a man, however briefly told His ancestor
of seven generations back was that Major
general Harrison concerning whom the We
racious Samuel Pepys made this entry in his
diary, Oct 49, 1860: Il went out to Charing
Cross to see Major-general Harrison hanged
drawn and ouartered which was done then,
he looking as cheerful as any man would
do in that condition. He was presently cut
down and his head and heart shown to the
people, at which there were great shouts of
Joy" He had been one of Cromwell's gen.
erals and signed Charles rs death warrant
min Harrison was one of the Virginia dele
gates to the Provincial Congress- and wrote
his name next to John Hancock's in the
declaration of independence. President
Harrison was his son, and, in turn. grand
father of the present Senator. Senator Har-
rison is essentially lawyer. He graduated
at Miami University, Oxford O., in 1852.
Two years afterward he was admitted to the
Indiana bar Since that time he has
been one of the most industrious and sue
cessful attorneys in the State. The firm of
which he is the head is engaged on one side or
the other of almost every case of note His
successes come from careful preparation in
every detail, while as pleader and jury ad-
vocate his rivals at the bar acknowledge his
supremacy. Since the war his practice has
been worth an average of $500 a year, and
is now largely before the Supreme Court of
the United States.
Like the majority of Western lawyers, he
has always been called upon in the great
political battles of his State. The Fremont
campaign, in 1856 first saw him upon the
stump. and from that time till now he has
been a conspicuous figure in every canvass
Long before the war, he was pitted against
Hendrick, Voorhees,, and other men older
than himself, in the bitter years which
led up to Oliver p. Morton's election as
Governor So it was that in 1860
he was elected Reporter of the Supreme
Court for four years. and had entered
upon its duties when the war broke out
He was in debt for the little house in which
he lived and his young wife and two chill
dren were solely dependent upon his earn
ings. But in 1862 the Western armies had
been defeated recruiting had ceased and the
copperheads were rampant in Indiana. Gov
ernor Morton came to him and said that the
State needed his services He enlisted raised
the Seventeen Indiana regiment, and went
to the front as its colonel. Except for one
furlough, when his children were i'll, he did
not see his home again until the war was
over. He was then a brigadier-general, as
the result of his bravery in the Atlanta
campaign. After the war he settled
down again as lawyer and was reelected
Reporter, which office had been taken away
from him in 1862 (when he enlisted) by