The Portland daily press., 1888-06-26

rejoined the army, was in the siege and bat
tie of Nashville, served until the surrender
of Johnston, and was with his command at
the final grand review of the Union forces
at Washington at the close of the war;
In 1868 he declined reelection as report
er. and resumed the practice of law. In 1876
he became candidate for Governor under
peculiar circumstances. having been placed
on the ticket by the State central committee
while absent from the State, to fill vacancy
caused by the declination of the regular NOM
inee. He had before the convention de-
clined to take the nomination, but the action
OF the committee was in Difference to the
popular demand. In rendering it to General
Harrison the committee said: 1.-THE NOM
ination was made for no other purpose than
to subserve the best interests of the Repub-
lican party in Indiana, and in rendering it to
you we do SO with the assurance that you
will receive the united and earnest vote of
the entire party" The nomination was en-
tirely unsought and undesired, but it was ac-
cepted in terms that indicated sense of
public duty. Having accepted it, General
HARRISON threw himself into the campaign
with his usual energy. He made a great
campaign, canvassing the entire State and
addressing immense audiences, but was not
elected. The Uis inertie of the Democratic
party, strengthened by the candidacy of the
most popular Democratic leader in the State,
could not be overcome, and, in addition, the
corruption fund and tactics of w. H. Bar
mum were too powerful.
This campaign, though unsuccessful, great
ly extended General Harrison acquaintance
and reputation among the people, and from
this time he was recognized as the. coming
man among the Republican leaders of the
State He polled nearly two thousand more
votes than the general average of his ticket.
His brilliant campaign had been watched
from without the State, and after the October
election he was in great demand for speeches
in the East, where he added to the high esti-
mate the people had formed of him as a
speaker. He came as far East as Maine, and
audiences in this State were greatly pleased
with his soldierly bearing and his eloquence
as an orator.
In 1880, as usual, he took an active part in
the Indiana campaign, and when it was
found the Republicans had carried the Legis-
lature he became at once the leading candi-
date for United States Senator. Efforts were
made to create diversions in favor of others.
but the voice of the party was practically
unanimous for the man who had been fight
ing the party battles for so many years, and
had been conspicuous figure In every cam
paign since 1857. His nomination was plain
ly foreshadowed before the Legislature con-
vened, and before the caucus met all other
names had been withdrawn. His election
gave the greatest satisfaction to Republicans
throughout the State.
His service of six years in the Senate gave
him national reputation as one of the
ablest men, best lawyers and strongest de-
baters in that body. During this period he
grew very rapidly in public estimation and
proved himself fully equal to the require
ments of the place and the expectations of
his friends. His Dakota report and speeches,
and his speech on the Edmunds resolution
regarding civil service reform in general,
and especially on the Presidents appoint
ments in Indiana, are to be found in the
Congressional Record AS member of the
foreign relations committee he assisted in
the consideration and amendment. and
united in the unanimous and favorable COM
mittee report of, and voted in the Senate for.
the Chinese restriction bill introduced by
Senator Fair of Nevada. On the contract
labor bill Senator Harrison made a speech
in the Senate favoring the prevention of the
wholesale emigration of contract labor, be-
ing careful, however, to reserve the freest
possible voluntary emigration of those who
desired to become American citizens. He
also spoke on the alien ownership of land,
taking decided stand against the evil of
foreigners acquiring large bodies of public
and private lands to the exclusion of actual
settlers, who would improve small farms and
make for themselves homes.
His senatorial term expired March 4, 1887,
and the Legislature to choose his successor
was to be elected in the fall of 1886. The
history of that campaign is still fresh in the
public mind. 1t was large degree General
Harrison's campaign. Though others were
good seconds and able assistants he was
foremost in the fight. When others way
cred he advanced, when they lost heart he
expressed confidence He was almost the
only prominent Republican in Indiana who
felt confident of carrying the State or who
sAVuShb ~ NVAsh WAiAC w CtCH dibCupb W
carry the Legislature This is no disparage-
ment of other Republican leaders who did
yeoman service in the campaign, but it is a
fact The result attested General Harrson's
wisdom and his work. The Republicans
carried the State and came within hairs
breadth of carrying the Legislature, though
the apportionment had been gerrymandered
so as to give the Democrats at least forty six
majority on the joint ballot, and Senator
Voorhees, said he should feel personally dis
graced if that was not the result.
With the expiration of his senatorial term
General Harrison returned to the practice of
his profession, being now and for many
years past at the head of one of the strong
est law firms in the State. In his private
life and personal character General Harrison
has the good fortune to be unassailable.
Neither political opposition nor personal
malice has ever dared to attack him in this
regard. His character as a citizen, neighbor
and friend is invulnerable.
Like Mr.. Harrison, Levi Parsons Morton,
the candidate for Vice President, is a self
made man. He was born in Shoreham, Yer
mont, May 49, 1924. He began life as clerk
In country store. His aptitude for mercan-
tile affairs soon made itself manifest and it
was but short time before he was called to
a larger field of action. In 1850 he became a
member of the firm of Beebe, Morgan & Co.,
merchants of Boston, and four years later he
removed to New York and established the
firm of Morton g. Grinnel. In 1868 he found
ed the banking house of Morton, Bliss & Co.,
of New York, and that of Morton, Rose &
Co., of London. The houses of which Mr..
Morton was the head soon became among
the best known and most substantial of
any in this country or Europe. From
1873 to 1884 the Lonon branch was the fiscal
agent of the United States in Europe
His firms were active in the syndicates that
negotiated United States bonds and in the
payment of the Geneva and Halifax awards.
In 1873 Mr.. Morton was American commits
sloner to the Paris Exposition, and the same
year was elected member of Congress as a
Republican. In 1880 he was reelected.
That year he declined the nomination for
vice president on the Republican ticket.
When Gen. Garfield became President he Of
fered Mr. Morton the choice between Secre-