The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-07-12
CARTER HENRY HARRISON,
From the Chicago Times.


nominee for governor, was born III Fayet't
county, Kentucky, Feb. 10, 1928, and Is Il
kinsman of Benjamin Harrison, OF ReV"'
lutionary fame He was raised on iaFin'
and received his early education from MS
mother, but he subsequently attended aIc
and Keyes colleges, graduating from tne
latter with great honors in lS45. lie SUD,
seouently prepared himself for tie legal
profession, graduating from the lransyl-
yania law school at Lexington, hui ne pre-
ferred the quiet avocation of the farm, 10
which he had been early trained, ana Tor
unite a while followed the pillow lie re-
ceived his first taste of public life IN ls4",
when he was elected a delegate 70 'ue hrsl
emancipation convention in his native STATE
The movement was unpopular NJ the tllhe'
and the position he took brought nm 70
more or less notice in the south. IN fact,
IL Is said of him that his Attending we
convention, and thus Identifying WIN tLe
work of emancipation, had much 10 90
with his quitting the state, and ms seeking
the west few years later whef" theie
were greater tolerance and wider npportlt
mites for growth and development. lie
came 10 Chicago in 1855 and entered upon
the practice of his profession, up 20 when
time. though thoroughly educated ana me-
side having travelled over Europe, he wa,
little more than the plain farmer boy. lie
had never attempted 10 make speech Tor
he was backward and rather inclined l" Sc
clusiveness which was against him IN puI-
suing his profession, He was not waning
in hope and self.confidence, however, blt
in the whirl of business the future posslbll-
ties of the then city Of the plains didntes
cape his notice, so instead OF adhenng 70
law he entered into the real estate bust
ness, which he found more congenlai to
us tastes, as well as promising better in
financial results
II was not until 1870 that Mr., Harrison
took any part in politics or was known be
yond the precincts of the city, and II may
be uuthfully said of him, as il can be OF
hundreds of others who have grown into
prominence, that he started in pubic HE
asa delegate 10 a convention. lie was
elected from the very territory in which he
now lives as delegate 10 the body which
first placed Judge J. g. Rogers, of this city
on the bench The two had come here
about the same time, and they were warm
friends, as they are yet, and the hre' speech
Mr.. Harrison ever made was IN the cen
vention in question in the interest ~ j uage
Rogers. Lambert Tree was the opposing
candidate for the nomination. HIS speech
il is said, turned the tide in favor OF Judge
Rogers, at least, the judge was nominated
and Immediately thereafter he became
known as a wheel horse" in the polltics OF
bis ward in fact, he grew ambitious Win
his success, and year later-lust after me
big fret began to crop out that lie would
like to be mayor. He was too young INT
politics, however, and in Difference to the
older heads, he quietly laid by his aspira,
tons for the time being; but he was sun
bent upon public career, and he tells II
on himself to-day that while his modesty
precluded his seeking or accepting the
mayoralty on the "fire proof" ticket, he had
the pleasure OF naming another man tor the
place, and was instrumental in causing him
to accept the position. Following this he
was elected county commissioner, which
was really the first elective position he ever
held He passed through the trials and
temptations of the Office, which were nu-
merous at that time, without blemish. Al
the expiration of his term, in 1872, he ran
for congress against }. ID. Ward, and WAS
defeated by small majority, after which
he made second trip to Europe for health
and recreation.
In 1874, while still abroad he was again
nominated for congress and elected, and IN
1876 he was reelected by an increased ma
jority BY this time he had become used
TO speech making, and upon several occa-
sions while in congress he made speeches
which attracted the widest attention Ills
centennial speech at Philadelphia while
attending congressional banquet gotten
up in the interest of a liberal approprla-
ton for the affair gave him the title Of
Our Carter" He had never spoken in
congress up to this time, or even upon such
an occasion, and was called upon to res
pond to the toast Agriculture the Basis OF
Commerce" When the toast was read his |
name was called, but he declined. Ran
dolph Tucker, Of Virginia, however, pulled
him out Of his chair and introduced him as
Carter Henry Harrison. Raising his voice
70 pitch which he had never reached be
fore, he uttered these words: II came from
a district three miles long and two miles
wide, and in II we raise more grain than
many states combined. II Is raised by ele-
vltors." ltcaught The assemblage thought |
they had humorist. They cheered him.
He clutched a chair and one of his friends |
caught him by the legs and said; For
Gods sake go on, or they'll think you are
drunk His lips were cold and Lis dia.
phragm was iced Foru lately his first
words had caused roar, and il continued
until he recovered By the time it ceased
be was himself. He began again and kept
the crowd convulsed. He forced himself
70 be funny, lest he should have relapse,
The papers next morning had him report.
ed as c. Henry Harrison, The new came
to Chicago, and paper asked; who is
this G. Henry Harrison, of Chicago And
the next day the same paper answered the
conundrum: "Why, il is our Carter" Ii
travelled and fastened upon him. and there
il remains.
His next speech TO attract any attention
was the one delivered just before he left
congress, 1t was known as his Marine
band" speech and from it grew the cogno-
mea of ''the Eagle" II was AN effort of
words, rather than thought, and was gener.
ally interpreted as bit Of satire, but II
was really meant as an earnest defense Of
the band" which someone had sought al
the time to abolish by covering" tie in.
sruments into the treasury. In his fancy
be scared from ocean 10 ocean, and thus il