Wichita eagle., 1888-07-01
HARRISON HONORED.

representing the Marquette club, OF chi
cago. called on General Harrison this
afternoon and presented resolution con-
graduating him on his success IN securing
the nominotIon and pledging their earnest
efforts towards electing him president OF
the United States. General Harrison re-
ceived them with a few words of cordial
welcome. after which the committee and
the general retired to the library, where
short time was spent in conversation upon
general topics. In the evening body OF
veteran soldiers of the union, not repre-
senting any particular organization. called
at the generals residence to pay their re-
spects. In reply to the address OF theif
spokesman. General Harrison SAID:
Comrade Mitchell and fellow soldiers:
] sincerely thank you for this evidence OF
Your respect and comradeShip. 1 am very
certain that there is no class whose con-
fidence and respect | more highly prlze or
more earnestly covert than that OF the
soldier. who in the great war from lS6L TO
1865 upheld the loved banner of our coun-
fry and brought it home in honor. The
comradeship of the war will never end IN
til our lives end. The fires III which our
friendship was united and welded were
too hot for the bond ever TO be broken. we
svnapathiZe with each other IN the glory OF
the common cause for which we fought. we
went. not as partiSans, but patriots into
this strife which involved the national
life. | am sure that no army was ever as
sembled in the worlds history that was
gathered from higher impulses than the
army OF the union cries OF right, right /.
1t was no sordid impulse, no hope OF spolls
that induced these men to sunder the ten
der associations OF home ana lorsake tnelr
bushes pursuits to look into the grim face
of death with unblanched cheeks and reSo-
lutte ewes. They were the kind of men
who drew their impulses from the
high springs of truth and duty.
The army was great IN It's assemb-
ling. 1t came with an impulse that
was majestic and terrible. 1t was as great
in its nIstkr out as in the brilliant work
it had done in the field. When the war
was over the soldier was not left at the
tavern every man had in some humble
place chair by some fireside where he was
loved and toward which his heart went
forward with qulckstep. lApplauseI.
And so this great army that had rallied Tor
the defense and preservation OF the coun-
try was disbanded without tumult, or riot
or any public disturbance. 1t had covered
the country with the mantle OF its protec-
ton when it needed it as the SHOWS OF
spring cover the early vegetation, and
when the warm sun OF peace shone upon
e. it disappeared; as the sun sunk into
~ arth TO refreshen and WHY the sum-
nIer's growth. They found their homes.
thew carried their Drawn and intellect
into ali the pursuits of peace 10 stimulate
them and lift them up; they added their
great impulse to that great wave OF pros
peritv which has swept over our country
ever since. [Applausel. But in nothing
WIS tins war greater than in that We led a
race into freedom and brought those
whom we conquered in the struggle into
the full enjoyment OF restored cltlzen-
ship and share again with them the re-
sponsibilities and duties of restored gov
ernment. [Applausel.
| thank you tonight most sincerely for
this evidence of your comradeshIp. |
thank especially those friends who dll1er
with me u their political views that they
have put those things aside tonight and
have come here to give me cordial greet
ing. Applausel, May / have the privi-
lege now. without OBTAINING you longer of
taking BIZ the hand every soldier here.
iApplouseI.
Later in the evening the Harrison club,
n colored organization, called, ana IN re
Spouse to an address from their leader
General Harrison said:
Mr. Bagby and gentlemen of the Harrl-
son clnb-I assure you that have a sin
cere respect for ana a deep interest IN the
colored people of the United States. My
memory as Il boy goes back to the time
when slavery existed IN the southern
states ] was born upon the Ono river
which was the boundary between the free
state of Ohio and the slave state of Ken
tuckv. Some of nay earliest recollections
relate to the stirring and dramatic inter
est which was now and then excited
by the pursuit of an escaping slave
or the hone of offered rewards. remember
as boy. wandering once through my
yranifather's orchard at North Bend, and
In passing through an alder thicket that
grew on It's margin saw setting in Its
midst Il cOlored man with the frightened
look of q fugitive in his eye ana attempt
ing TO satisfy his hunger with some wal
nuts he had gathered He noticed ply APP
proach with fierce, startled look TO see
whether WAS likely 10 betray him. | was
frightened myself and left him in some
trepidatjon, but l kept his secret. lCrles
pf good good. - | have seen the progress
which has been made in the legislation re
laung To your race, ard the progress the
lace itself has made since that DAY. When
/ came to Indiana 20 reside the unfriendly
black core was in force. Ny memory goes
back to the time when col
pred witnesses were first allowed TO
appear in court in this state TO
testified in cases where white men were
parties. Prior To that time. as you know,
YOU had been excluded from the right TO
tell in court under oath, your side of the
story in any legal controversies with white
men. Cries of Il know that In every
WAY you were at a disadvantage, even IN
| the free states. | have lived to see this
unfriendly legislation removed from our
statute books and the uniriendly sections
of our state constitution repealed. | have
lived not only 70 see that, but TO see the
race emancipated and slavery extinct.
ICries of amen TO that. Nothing gives
me more pleasure among the great results
of the war than this. History will give a
prominent place in the story of this great
war to the fact that it resulted IN
making all men free and gave 10 you equal
civil rights. The imagination and art OF
the poet. the tongue of the orator, the skill
of the artist viii be brought under contri-
button TO tell this story Of the emancipa-
ton of the souls OF men. Applause and
cries of ''Amen."l Nothing gives me so
much qualification rs a Republican as 10
feel that in al the steps that led to this
great result tie Republican party sympa-
<nhiZeG with you, pioneered for You in legiS-
Diation and was the architect of those great
measures of relief which have so much
ameliorated your condition. ApplauSe.
/ know no where in this country OF a
movement that | behold with SO
much interest, that touches so deeply
my heart as that monument at Washing
ton representing the proclamation OF
emancipation by President Lincoln, the
kneeling blackman at the foot OF the mar
tyred president with the shackles failing
from his limbs