The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-06-29
GEN. BENJAMIN HARRISON.
A Biographical Sketch Of the Re-
publican Nominee.

publican Nominee.
General Benjamin Harrison was born at
North Bend, Ohio in his grandfather's house,
Aug. 70, 1888. The name is historic not only
as TO the family name but as whole, for the
subject of our sketch is the third great man tn
give honor to The title. Major General iInr-
followers and fighters. In the zenith OF Crnm-
wells power II become the duty of General
Harrison to participate In the trial of harlcs
l. and afterwards to sign the death warrant Of
the King. He subsequently aid for this with
his life, being hanged Oct. IL, 1860. HIS de-
cendants emigrated to America and the mex;
member To- of the family tina, appears IN history
member of the House Of Burg, sscs, and later
of the Colonial Congress, bore an active and
leading part In the patriotic mos c:;:ents of
the Revolutionary period; was one of the
signers OF the Declaration OF independence;
three times elected Governor of Virginia and
a member OF the convention that ratified the
Constitution. He was the father 81 Geneta al
William Henry Harrison, who won renown AZ
soldier and statesman anI who
elected President of the United States In
lS4O. President Harrison wns the father OF
John Scott Harrison and the grandfather OF
the favorite son OF Indiana.i
A uArD sruDENT.
General Benjamin Harrison inherited ru-
bust intellect that mutured early tie enter
tered Miami University, oxford, Ohio, at the
age of ID and graduated at 10. Prof. David
swing says that Harrison, though one OF the
youngest students at oxford, was very studi-
Gus, and early gave evidence of being fore
there acquired the habits Of study and mental
discipline which have characterized him
through life, enabling him to grupple wi b any
subject on short notice, to concentrate his in
tellectual forces and give his mental energies
that sort of direct and effective operation
that indicates the trained and disciplined
mind
He was what might be called a legal mimi,
and on quitting college he commenced the
study OF law In Cincinnati with the Hon. Is. s.
Storer. In 1854 he removed TO Indianapolis,
where he began the practice OF his profession.
Those were times which appealed to the man
hood of the country, and IL was quite natural
that the era ndson of President Harrison
should take an interest in politics, especially
when the issue as one of extending slavery
into new Territories OF the West and North
west. He soon won place as a lawyer IN his
new home, and before 1860 he WAS also
sidered one IF the ablest political speakers in
the state. In the memorable Lincoln cam
align of 1860 he and the late Thomas A. Hen
bricks happened 10 have appointments in the
snme town on the same day. Ii Was arranged
that they should divide the time al d the
friends OF Hendricks expected to see him oniy
amuse himself with the young white-haired
man who was to speak against him. They
were surprised The Young man VAS II SO
easily vanquished, and the Democrats admit
ted that Mr. Hendricks had met his match,
while KepuDi leans thaught ne had been badly
worsted. The chairman Of the meeting after
ward said: II have heard good many pCliti-
cal debates In my time, but 1 never heard II
man skin an opponent as quickly as Ben Har-
riSon did Hendricks that day."
AS SOLDIER.
In 1860 Mr.. Harrison was nominated for re-
porter OF the supreme court, and was e-ected.
In July, 1862, Governor Morton under the call
OF the President for 30 100 three years troops,
requested Harrison to assist in recruiting the
regiment from the Sixth Indiana district, I'M
der that call the quota from each district be-
Harrison's was the first RI cruiting commits
sion issued by the governor for the Seventeen
regiment, bearing date of July II, 1862, and
making him a second lieutenant. He WIS
made captain OF Company A Of the regiment
and when the whole regiment was filled he
was chosen colnoel. Governor Morton offered
to send some one else into the field with the
regiment that Colonel Harrison might retain
his civil Office in indianapolis, bu the Colonel
preferred to go with the men who had chosen
him their leader. He refused To ask any other
man to go where he would not willingly go
himself and he commanded the regiment in
the field. After a variety of service in Ken
lucky and Tennessee during the next eigh-
teen months, up to January, 1864, Colonel Har-
rison's regiment was formally assigned to the
First brigade (Ward's) of the Third division of
the twentieth army corps, and with this Ir-
war. .-r..
AT Resacca he captured the enemies line
and four guns, and at Peach Tree Creek while
commanding brigade he gained such signal
victory that General Hooker recommended
him to the secretary of war for promotion
and he was made u brigadier general.
During the absence of General Harrison in
the feel the Democratic supreme court d; =
clared the Office OF supreme court reporter va
cant and another person was Gee ed 10 the
position. The general was given leave Of
absence I'm the fall of 1854 with orders from the
war department to report to Governor MIR
ton. During that thirty days he again made
brilliant canvass of the state and was re-clect-
ed for another term. Then he rejOincd the
army, was in the siege of Nashville, 81 rived
until the surrender of Johnston, and was with
his command at the final review of the Union
forces in Washington.
THE LEADER OF HIS PARTY.
In 1868 he declined denomination as report
er OF the supreme court and resumed the
practice of law. In 1876 he became the candi-
date for governor under peculiar circumstan-
ces, having been placed on the ticket by the
state central committee to fill u vacancy
caused by the declination of the regular NOM
inee. General Harrison was absent from the
state when selected as the candidate and he
accepted it as duty he owed his party. His
opponent was the most popular Democrat IN
the state and he also had the frauds of w. II.
Barnum and his corruption fund to fight, but
notwithstanding this unequal fight in Demo-
cratic state, General Harrison received 1000
votes more than his party. He was defeated
as a matter of course, but he made National
reputation in the canvass.
In the convention of 1880 his name was mer-
toned for President, but he promptly checked
the movement in his favor. In the campaign
of that year he was conspicuous, and having
secured Republican Legislature for Indiana,
he was elected to the United States Senate to
SuCCeeu SeDdtOT mCDOHdlu
His services in the Senate was not that of
new member. He went to the work well pre-
pared and he took part in the debates upon
every important question. He was regarded
as one of the ablest men, best lawyers, and
strongest debaters in the Senate He proved
himself fully equal to the demands of the po-
stion, and would have been elected in 1887
had not the Democrats stolen q Republican
legislature, elected by the exertious of Sena-
tor Harrison in the canvass.
In the Senate, his Dakota rcpnrts and
speeches and his speech on the Edmunds reso-
luton regarding civil service reform gene
raj, and the Presidents appointments in Indi-
ana in particular, were among his best EFFORTS
in debate. As member of the Committee on
Foreign Relations he assisted the consider
alton and amendment, and united IN the unan-
imous report of the Chinese restriction bill
introduced by Senator Fair, OF Nevada. On
the contract labor Senator Harrison made a
speech favoring the wholesale emigration of
those who desire to become American citizens.
He also spoke on the alien ownership of land,
taking a decided stand against the evil OF
foreigners acquiring large bodies of public
and private lands t. the exclusion of the ac-
tural settlers.
His Senatorial term expired March I, 1887,
and he resumed the practice OF law at lndian-