The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-06-26

The Record Of Our Next
President.


The grandson Of the ninth president
Of the United States has been made
the leader OF the Republican party in
the campaign which Is about to begin.
Blood will tell Is saying whose
tfsith is proved by history as well as
by every day experience in the great
modern republic where every man
stands for himself, and when he comes
before the people. cannot ask for sup
port on account OF his ancestry His
forefsfhers may bequeath him the
qualities which place him in the trent
rank Of the battle: but il Is by virtue
of these qualities, and not by reason of
his hir5h. thai his sword flashes in the
van Of the charge. No family tree
offers itself ladder to political dissfnc-
tion in this country. though the timber
whicl, the family tree yields may fsfS
nj h the material for a ladder to fame.
II IL sometimes said that II ones
descent be traced back far enough
there may be found a hangnsan's noosc
at the end OF it. In the case Of General
benjamin Harrison, OF Indiana. this
is literally true; and yet true without
dicrc,iit and with honor. Were there
coats OF arms in this repnh,ic, this
sidential candidate might happily
flank the knotted rope with gihbet and
chains. Indeed. the reeicide blood
comes often to the front in American
politics.
There have been three generals in
the Harrison family. There may have
been more chiefs and leaders in pre-
historic times. but the modern records
give evidence of three. Of these the
first was hanged, the second was the
president OF the greatest republic OF
the worlds history, and the third viii
fiji once more the position held by the
second.
But the first General Harrison, the
man who was hanged, was a man OF
whose execution any descendant may
be justly proud. He died a martyr to
the cause of constitutional liberty a.
opposed to the prerogatiye of kings.
The ignominy OF his execution has
become i'lumined with the progress of
civilized institutions until 1t shines as
pillar OF FIRE.
The iifs. Gcsacral Harrison was one
OF Gronweff's trusted iieuteuanss. lie
was hanged for no fciony but for ser
vice that forwarded England's history
and consequently our own. He was
appointed ore OF the board OF commits
sioners who tried King Charles ! for
a A..
10 the great protector faithsuiness
to the Presbyterian church, he signed
that Kings death war ant. Perhaps
he may have felt a prensonition OF the
reatiion in politics that was to result
in his own death, this first General
Harrison. when he witnessed the royal
execution. lie paid the penalty of bis
steadfastness 10 his pfiacipies iy being
hanged, By order OF Charles II. on 0e-
toser i3. its0, and Pepys says that he
looked as cheerful as could be expected
under the circumstances.
The Harrison family, under the
reign OF the Stuarts. il may be imag-
inei, found little comfort or prosperity
in England. Certain It is that they
emigrated 10 America as Virginia colo
nisss. Once more blood told, and they
soon were heard from On this side the
water. Renjamin Harrison, Of Vir
ginia, was a typical patriot OF the rev
uluition. A member of the Virginia
house of burgesses, he undoubtedly
heard Patrick Henry make his historic
speech in the little church that still
crowns one of the hills Of Richmond,
exclaiming "Gise ME liberty or give
me death,r and he took his life in his
hands when with his fellow leaders of
American patriots. he signed the
Declaration of Independence, Three
times was this Benjamin Harrison
elected Governor of Virginia, and he
was A mesater of the state convention
that ratified the Consultation of the
United States. His son, renowned
both as soldier and statesman, was the
ninth president of the United States.