The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-14
GEN. HARRISON IN INDIANA.
The Efforts to Make Him Appear in a False
Light-His Popularity at Home
SneciaI TO New York Times


Light-His Popularity at Home.
Special to New York Times.
There seems to be something malicious in the
persistent misrepresentation in certain Eastern
newspapers of the attitude of the Indiana dele
cation to Chicago both as to their choice for a
presidential candidate outside of the State and
their preference should it come to the selection
of an Indiana man. The statements that Ind
lana will give twenty-five or more votes to Mr..
Blaine and the giving of the names of the dele
gates favorable to Mr.. Blaine, are at once
a falsehood and an outrage. In per
sonal conversation with number of
delegates, among them the Hon. r. W. Thomp
son, George G. Reilly, W. R. MeKeen and w.
A. Montgomery, your correspondent was author
lied to say with the greatest emphasis that the
publication of their proposed preference was
without the slightest warrant from them and en-
tirely misrepresented their views and this same
fact is true respecting two thirds, if not three
fourths. of the delegation. The truth is that the
delegates have been extremely reticent as to
their personal choice. and with but few eXcep-
tions, have declined to say who they are for or
who they are not for. The
ceptions are of one who is emphatically
for Mr. Blaine and of a number who
are emphatically opposed to him. and who will
not be for him under any circumstances, except
it be to make his vote unanimous after he shall
have been nominated. 1t is entirely within the
bounds of truth to say that there are not more
than eight votes from Indiana that can in any
wise be counted for Mr.. Blaine With respect
to an Indiana man the delegates have even been
more careful, so as to avoid any possibility of
the appearance of difference among Indiana
Republicans. But before and since the State
convention there has been some influence
actively at work to create the i'm
preston outside that the State was unfavor
able to Senator Harrison and was largely in
favor of Gen. Gresham, more for the purpose of
injuring Harrison than because of liking to
Gresham 1t has not been believed by any one
that this effort has received the counteuanee of
i'm SLIGHTEST. indeed i
been specially announced that it was distastetul
to him; but to-day publication is made of the
fact that Gen. Gresham has written here asking
how the delegation stood between himself and
Senator Harrison. This is scarcely credible
but it shows how far the effort has gone to make
it appear that there is division between the two
men and their supporters. Unless stopped, the
effect can but be bad and Gen. Gresham
will unquestionably the propriety
and Importance of peremptorily stopping
the use of his name in efforts that imperil party
unity and harmony and that can have no other
object than to prevent united action in the pos
sible contingency of the Chicago convention
coming to point where Indiana could present
satisfactory candidate. OF course it goes with
out saying that Senator Harrison is largely the
first choice of the party and OF the delegation,
and this without necessary opposition to Gen
Gresham: but all through the years Gen. Harri
son has been leading figure in politics here
while General Gresham, on the bench, has been
necessarily held aloof, and has never been
nothing to do with either the victories or de-
feats that have come to Indiana Republicans
with the last twenty years. On the contrary
Gen. Harrison has been in the forefront of
every battle since the year 1860, when
he was elected Reporter of the Supreme Court,
which Office he gave up to enter the service as
second lieutenant until his nomination by aecla-
nation as United States senator after the
election of 1880. In 1876 he was asked to head
the State ticket in what was regarded as a
forlorn hope, with the result, despite the demon
alization incident to the withdrawal of Mr.. Orth
and the short-sighted and imbecile policy of
buying off the Greenback candidate for Gov
ernor, which was done by few Republican man
ayers against the protest of the many, that Gen
eral Harrison pOlled POS, OS0 votes. average of
about 1880 in excess of the vote polled for
his associates on the ticket He ran nearly two
hundred votes ahead of his ticket in this, his own
county, and received in Marion county in De-
tober 1877 votes more than Hayes received in
November These figures and his election
senator by reclamation and his choice as dele
gate at large to Chicago by reclamation indicate
now he is regarded in the State and by his inn
mediate neighbors and fellow-ctizens. On the
delegation to Chicago there are at least twenty
one gentlemen who are warmly his friends and
advocates, should the occasion arise.
The Evansville Journal says Senator Har-
risoI appears to be enjoying boom of large di-
mansions, of which he is entirely worthy. The
effort to make it appear that Judge Gresham is
the favorite in Indiana will prove futile. Some
of the delegates classified as Gresham men are
for Harrison. "
And the indianapolis News last evening said:
''Fhe Republicans cannot nominate a man for
President more certain to carry Indiana than
Senator Benjamin Harrison and he is the only
Indianian with whom such certainty rests If
there are any reasons why he would not be
equally certain of carrying New York, We have
not seen them stated"
These facts should be ample to do away with
the false impression sought to be produced by
the publications referred to- which are not so
much in the interests of Gen. Gresham as they
are to satisfy the personal and petty malice of
few who have not found Senator Harrison man
of putty in their hands
The Republican candidacy for the Governor
ship is still in statu quo. Col Thompson has
not said positively he would not accept if nomi-
mated, but he hesitates to give any encourage
ment to the use Of his name. There is little
talk of Col Asbury Steele, of Grant county; of
Gen Veatch, of Spencer county, and of Gen.
Lew Wallace, but there is no concentration upon
any other than Maj. Calkns and Col. Dudley
The action of the House of Representatives IN
the case of Mr.. Peelle is viewed without special
interest. 1t is universally conceded that he will
lose his seat and that he will be reelected by
such majority as will show the Democratic
iobbers in elections what an honest constituency
thinks of such shameless barter and sale Even
Democrats eoncede the hopelessness of a race in
this district if Mr.. Peelle shall be unseated for
Mr.. English.