The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1888-06-28
Pnrtar nn Rarrisnn.

WHILE every body is familiar with
the name. and, in a general way, with
the public life and services of General
Harrison, now that he is a candidate
for the presidency there will be a de-
mand for further information as to the
particulars of his record and history.
Probably there is nothing which is yet
available, more to the point than the
following from the nominating speech
of Ex-Governor Porter, of Indiana:
Benjamin Harrison came to Indi-
| ana in 1854, at the age of 81. He came
poor in purse but rich in resolution.
/ No one ever heard him make reference
| to his ancestors. Self-reliant he
mounted the back of prosperity with
out the aid of stirrup. The hospitality
of his ancestors had given their prop
| erty to those whom they had served.
| The core had gone tn the people, the
Find only to them and their families.
He received, indeed, something from
them-their talents, their Integrity,
| their fitness for public trusts, and
what to some persons would have
seemed a misfortune. but 60 heart so
stout as his was the highest good for
tune, he received from them the inesti-
mable legacy of penury.
| Upon his arrival in the State he en-
tered at once upon the practice of law
| and immediately achieved success.
| Amplitude of preparation. large
view OF questions, a mind marvellous1y
prompt in yielding up its stores, and SO
exhaustive IN its power of reasoning
that no argument that would help his
case was ever found to have been
omitted-theSe gave him rank at once
in his profession. In union with these
was found fairness that sought no
mean advantages and an integrity that
never could be shaken. The young
lawyer leaned on nobOdy's arm for
help. Modest, but self-c0nfdent, his
manner seemed to say, i am an honest
tub, standing on its own bottom
1T was perceived from the start
that in web and wool he was of heroic
stuff. While he was engaged in the
practice of the law and was rapidly
raised its handF to strike down the
Union. Relinquishing his profession,
its emolumentS and the fame to which
it was reckoning him, he yielded to the
imperative demand of duty, raising
regiment and receiving from Morton
the commission of a colonel. He
marched with Sherman to the sea;he was
in the thick of the fight at Resaca and
Atlanta. and his gallantry and the eff
were so conspicuous on those fields as
to draw from the heroic Hooker, in a
letter TO the secretary OF war, the high
est possible commentator of his indus
try as disciplinarian, and skill and
intrepidity as soldier.
He was not unknown to the people
Of Indiana before he entered the army.
At a State election they had chosen
him to the Office Of reporter of the de-
clsl0ns Of the supreme court His OBJ
ponents took the Office from him while
he was serving as soldier in the field.
The people while he was yet in the
field reelected him, and on returning
home on the disbandment of Sher-
mans forces he received his commits
sione
ssOn account of his eIoquence as a
speaker and his extraordinary power
as debater. General Harrison was
called upon at an uncommonly early
age to take part in the public discus
sion of the mighty questions that had
begun to agifate the country, and he
was early matched against some OF the
most eminent speakers OF the Demo
cratic party. None who ever felt the
point OF his blade desired 70 engage
with him again. Possessing orator.
cal powers of 3 high order he has new
er spoken for mere rhetorical effect.
lie seems to have remembered the
saying OF the great Irish orator and
patriot, O'Connell, that good speech
Is good thing. but that the verdict is
the thing. He therefore pierced the
core OF every question he discussed and
fought TO win IN every contest in which
he engaged. He has taken part Is a
pupssc speaker IN every presidential