Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-07-04

HARRISON.
1t was in 1866 that young Harrison be-
gan his career in Indiana. He looked,
then, the record says, like schoolboy.
Beardless, with a big bulging head, COW
cred with tow-like hair, and set upon a
ture of voice, and alone among strangers,
career to follow. Yet he had wife and
was poor. For long time he lived in
three rooms in little old house, which
still stands on Vermont street, near Ala
bama in indianapolis.
But though so young and unknown, his
head held brain that soon brought him
into notice. He was successful from the
very start. One of his earliest cases con-
cerned a legislative investigation, in
which he was employed by the Demo
cratic Governor, Joseph A. Wright. The
ability he displayed soon brought him
other cases, In one of the earliest of these
he was fortunate enough to be selected as
assistant prosecutor against a woman
charged with poisoning a man at the
Ray House-an old hostelrie-a case which
excited great public interest. A food OF
clients followed, and since then he has al
ways been pressed with business. It is
worth while saying just here that, aside
from his prominence in public life, he
has for nearly two decades been one of the
foremost lawyers in the State. Now, that
the Hendricks firm is broken up, it may
be said that General Harrison shares with
one, or possibly two others, the honor OF
standing at the head of the Indiana bar.
When the war came on Harrison was
still poor, and he needed all the dollars he
could earn to support his family. But ne
was active in the cause, and when, in July,
1862, Gov. Morton met him on the street
and said "Ben, want you to raise regi.
ment," he accepted the request as COM
mand. He raised a company, was commits
ssioned a second lieutenant, then captain
and then colonel of the 18th Indiana regi-
ent. Gov. Morton at this time suggested to
the young lawyer, who was not yet 30, and
whose family still needed his constant care,
that it was hardly fair to ask him to give
up the civil office to which he had been
elected, and offered to send some one else
in his place to the field. Harrison's reply
was characteristic: II have recruited this
regiment, and would ask no man to 60
where I would not 60 myself" 1t was in
this soldierly spirit that he began his mill
tary service.
General Harrison's political career, in
terrupted by the war, was destined there
after to be one of much hard work and lit
tie reward in the form Of preferment,
albeit repaid literally by great popularity
and the high appreciation of party leader
in many other st ates While he was alb
sent in the field in 1868, the supreme court
declared his Office of reporter vacant, and
the place was filled by another. From the
time of leaving Indiana with his regiment,
in 1862, until the fall of 1864, after the cap
ture of Atlanta, General Harrison had no
leave of absence. But the Indiana Repub-
licaps in 1864 renominated him for the
office from which he had been ousted and,
under the orders of the war department,
he at once reported to Governor Morton
for duty on thirty-days' leave. He at
once made brilliant canvass of the State
and was triumphantly elected for another
term. Then he rejoined the army and
served until the surrender of Johnston.
He served out his term as reporter OF
the supreme court, but declined re-elec-
ton in 1868, and devoted himself to the
practice of his profession.
In 1876 General Harrison became can
didate for Governor under circumstances
which reflect upon him all the honor of a
leader of forlorn hope, even though the
success of victory did not crown his brow.
The nomination came to him under pc
culiar circumstances. The regular party
nominee, Godlove Orth, had Withdrawn
from the ticket, and the State central COM
mittee chose Gen. Harrison to fill the va
cancy. The general, at the same time was
absent from the State, and was only ap-
prised of the honor thus thrust upon him
by a telegram which met him on the re-
turn journey. He had declined the nomi-
nation before the meeting of the conven-
tion which named Orth, but in rendering
it to him again the committee said: 1.-The
nomination was made for no other purpose
than to subserve the best interests of the
Republican party in Indiana and in ten
dering it to you we do so with the assurance
that you will receive the united and earn
est vote Of the entire party"
Again, in 1880, he took leading part in
fhe campaign, and when it was found that
the Republicans had carried the Legsla-
ture, he became at once the leading candi-
date for United States Senator. The voice
of the party was unanimous in favor of the
man who had been fighting its battles so
long and who had been leading figure in
its history since 1856. His nomination
was foreshadowed, and when the caucus
met no other name was presented. His
election gave the liveliest satisfaction to
Republicans throughout the State.
During his term of six years in the Sen
ate, Gen. Harrison won reputation as one
of the ablest leaders, strongest lawyers and
most forcible debaters in that body.
Senator Harrison's term expired March
4, 1887, and the legislature to choose his
successor was elected in the fall of 1856.
That was memorable campaign. 10 a
large extent, it was Senator Harrison's s
own campaign, for he led and won the
fight.
General Harrison is not called an orator,
although he is most effective and forci-
Bile speaker. His greatest successes have
been at the bar and have been won by
learning and logic. He has remarkable
faculty of turning his mind quickly from
one matter to another.
One of his characteristics is peculiar
one for public man. He does not care to
shake hands, and he has such poor men,
ory for names and faces that it is said that
prominent men in his own State have
been introduced to him three times in one
day.
Gen. Harrison is not rich, even though
his law practice is large and remunerative.
He owns handsome house in Indianapo-
lis, where his wife, daughter of Professor