Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-10
GRoUsEIlAND.
The Mansion Where "Old Tippecanoe"
and Tecumseh Held Their Celebrated
Debate
Fro1n he C1icag0 Tri5uns.

Debate.
From tho chicago Tribune.
VINCENNEs, IND, March las they
reach the east side of the Wabash river,
passengers on the Ohio and Mississippi
railroad who look from the north windows
NAV see, surrounded by sbrubbery, the
first brick house built west OF the Ale
ghanies. 1t was erected by William
Henry Harrison in 1904 when he was Gov
srnor of Indiana Territory. On the porch
next the railroad stood Gen. Harrison
Surfing the celebrated council
with Teoumseh, which the
latter began with the senti-
ment: "The sun is my father, the
earth is my mother, and on her bosom
will repose." A large tree near by is
often pointed out as the one under which
the Indian remained, but the Hon. Henry
&. Canthorn. whose grandfather was one
Of Gov. Harrison's guard on this occasion,
says that the locust tree which sheltered
Teoumseh stood between the house and
the railroad, and its stump disappeared 80
years ago. With the Shawnee eXclama-
tion, "TelI him he lIesp' hurled at the In
terpreter, Tecumseh started from this
house on his incendiary tour among the
Southern Indians. Around the same tree
that waved over this aboriginal Bismarck
was held in 1910 an immense mass meet
ing in honor Of "Old Tippecanoe."
HANDSOME OLD PLACE.
Gen. Harrison's aristocratie tenden
cies are apparent all over the place. Two
surveys down the river from the OLD Post
were laid out after the style OF an old
Virginia plantation, and called ''Grouse-
land" The owner also often spoke of it
as s'my plantation" and Harrison
Place." Trees and shrubbery in infinite
variety were planted. and the place was
carefully farmed. Along the river front
of the grounds was built a palisate of ca
talpa posts set deep In the ground side
by side. Behind this small force could
make a strong defense. The preserva-
ton of this wood has been so remarkable
as to cause an investigation by the State
geologist.
In the midst of these surroundings the
house was built of brick burnt on the
ground. The money which paid for them
Bought large farm, now one of the best
In the county. The house fronts on the
railroad. An deliberately carved walnut
door admits one into large, high nall,
arched in carved walnut, from which al
easy stairway ascends. Light comes
through a stained-glass window high up
at the further end. 1t is one Of those de-
lightful halls that seem to greet the Wis
itOr with hearty welcome and that one
leaves with an earnest desire to enter
which the Governor received IN state
and where the Territorial Council
met. That. end of the house, next
the sfOuabache" River, is the arc
of a circle for better defense, and in
side the chairs of the early Legislators
were ranged in this curve. Throughout
the house the windows, SO deeply embras-
ured as to protect rifiemen, are by y
feet in size, with small panes of glass,and
solid shutter both inside and out. All the
woodwork is carved walnut. When the
frontiersmen met there to formulate an
Indian policy, upon which they staked
more than does the present Interior De-
partment upon its own, the bright flames
played around the huge backlog IN the
big fireplace, and the richly-carved, pol
ished mantel reflected them to the high
ceiling and into the faces of the small,
generally harmonious council. A stone
tomaaaWk lying quietly by an 0ld-fash
Toned chair is all the furniture that is lett
to-day, but they are suggestive enough.
On the opposite side Of the hall is the old
sitting room, with its own fireplace,
wainscoting, and wood carving, ana back
of it IS the very long dlning-room. At the
foot OF the latter the inside shutter shows
bullet hole at the height of seated mans
head and dangerously near the edge OF
the wood. Almost in the centre of the
house a narrow, dark stairway leads
Its foot is the old powder maya
zine, protected by heavy arched masonry,
and very like a Dutch oven. Opening
from the same room is a stone, window
less dungeon, perfectly adapted to keep
ing prisoners of war safely. The ceiling
over the magazine, and, in fact, the whole
basement, was made trepreOf by thick
Haubing Of mud and straw on lathlng.
The basement has narrow windows COM
manding every side, and must have been
intended as a last resort in case of attack
or siege when the rest of the house might
be captured or fired.
THE UPPER FLOOR.
The second floor contains large state
chambers and coy little bedrooms, each
with a snug closet at the side OF the fire.
place, very suggestive OF black bottles
and nightcaps. The garnet, which ex-
tends ever the whole house, has TWO dor
mer windows, with a very extensive
view. From one can be seen, miles away,
a prehistoric Iudian mound; from the
other no doubt the feet of Tecumseh was
watched as it came down the river to the
great council which began so eloquentlY
and ended 50 abruptly. From dl1erent
points in the house the Wabash, the great
highway Of that day, can be seen for many
miles both above and below.
After Gen. Harrison left here for Tip
pecanoe battle-ground and the White
House the place was allowed 10, run
down. In 1910 the boys OF the adjoining
school used the rarest fruits from its
trees as weapons in the frequent battles
which the history of the place melted
among them. The house is in good
state OF preservation, and little changed
from what it was when built. Two hun
dred miles farther east along the same
railway is the last dwelling-plaee OF old
Tippecanoe. Locomotives give the war
whOOp OF civilization every time they pass
his "plantauOn" at GrOuseland, and q
dozen telegraph wires stretch from his
grave TO the house where he planned his
great successes when it took months to
communicate with Washington.
HIS GUARD ALL THAT SAVED HIM.
The arguments of Tecumseh advanced
IN the great council would have been
listened To had they come from any ruler
with an army behind him. The conduct
OF the great Indian was worthy Of any
patriot, and there was much majesty in
his words and actions. Gen. Harrison
would have been treacherously murdered
there on the porch but for the vigilance
of his guard; but the Indians we're eXas-
perated by the knowledge that their cOun-
try was being held by him by the right OF
force, and that there was no justice 10 be
had IN that unnecessary council. Tecum-