New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-08-05

| the first he ever made.
While speaking of Harrison's poverty, General
| Wallace give his own theory Of how the Presl-
Dental candidate came to be lawyer;
1t may, perhaps, be said that multitudes OF
| young men in our country drift toward the law
not from any manifest aptitude for it. but be.
cause it has been. If IL IS not now. tne uIec,es.
npp il ap to Rcans PHF Harrison Ills quail
ties the gift Of nature. oil those OF the lawyer
as contradistingushed from the politician. mus
drawn to il by innate aptude ne m Necessity Of
his Situation. When he resoly ed to
adopt the law as his profession the probabilities
arc that he was mainly moved by the prospects
Of 6ndinr Il the shortest avenue to livelihood.
| Ambition might have had something to do with
the choice. but 1t was lesser influence
TRYING HIS FIRST CASE.
General Wallace's description Of Harrison try
ing his first case in court is so graphic that u
| is worth quoting almost entire. 1t serves. more
over. to illustrate the fact that the candidates.
marvellous gift of cxtemporaneous eloquence-the
versatility Of material and felicity of expression,
which, during the past month. have astonished
the scores of big delegations to whom he has
talked day after day without repeating himself
was gift already possessed in no small degree by
the STRIPPING towhead" barrister of 1854. man
who pumps his speeches from encyclopaedia pages
would have been absolutely incapable of extri-
|
General Harrsons biographer describes as follows
Among others, Jonathan W. Gordon, In the fall
of s54, was regarded with great popular favor
| OF unquestoned ability, an enthusiast, but eccen-
trio, he was serving the people as Prosecuting Az
torney, and, having made the acquaintance OF
| Harrison, he formed high opinion of him and
| led him to his first appearance. There was on inc
| docket an indictment against an individual Tor
afternoon. and by chance Horace Mann was an
nounced for lecture in the evening MaJor
Gordon was anxious TO hear that distinguished
person and. fearful that the trial would he con-
tinued into the night, to accommodate himself he
requested his new friend to assist him. Inc m
yitation was accepted. Judge Majors was presid-
ing. The defence was conducted by Governor
Wallace and Sims Colcy, As anticipated the
evidence was heard and Major Gordon for the
State and Mr.. Colley for the defendant finished
their speeches in the afternoon, whereupon an ad-
journment was had.
The Interior of the old Court House was dingy,
gloomy and forbiddng in the daytime; at night
It was funereal. When young Harrison came in
to make the concluding argument he found large
assemblage waiting to hear the debut. On the
fixed desk before the Judge there were two ta!ow
candles lighted. The clerk, in his place peiow
the Judge protected by stout railing, sat with n
the pillars in the centre of the room and here ana
there upon the walls were old fashioned tin sconces
casting glow red and murky with smoke, partly
of cigars, partly from a leaking stove AT the
Judges left sat the Sheriff, and at his left again
the panel At the feet of each juror was the IN
evitable spttoon and in pauscS the plug of tobacco
was passed from man to man. In crises OF the
evidence and the speeches the eXpectOraton was
incessant: sometimes the amber fund missed the
targets at which 1t was projected. Altogether
the scene was not such as to ippart inspiration
to the debutant upon his entry. On the other
hand the wonder grew when he rose to begin
so boyishlooking was he.
He had taken full notes Of the evidence, and,
like all beginners fearful OF mistakes in state
mcnt was resolved to read from them copiousy.
A table had been drawn between him and the
Jury and when he began, to his CONSERVATION. he
discovered the light was wholly insufficient. The
sheriff had provided but one candle! What should
he do?
There was dead silence throughout the dusly
room. His voice, sharp, clear, penetrating was
being heard to the furthest corner. The audience
was already in syspathy with him. The situation
was embarrassing. He referred to his notes
He wished to be absolutely correct. He shifted
the candle. He turned the paper to every angle.
1t would not do. The pcncilling refused to come
out. Then. in desperation, he flung the notes
away. To his amazement he found his mem
Ory perfect. Best Of all he found he could think
and speak upon his feet 1ashllle and coherently.
right words, enabling him to express himself cx-
actly. He found, too, the pleasure there always
is in the faculty of speech with freedom super
added. Confidence came with the discoveries.
From that day to this whether addressing himself
TO court or jury. the vastcr audiences who
furnish the delight of oratory on the platform or
stump he has been an impromptu speaker.
At the conclusion of this maiden effort he was
congratulated by everybody. The audience dis
WGd to s1S thP Ct ' f MbS wan Sa1s
thought ~ He is only a boy yet they said 70
each other.
The jury, after retirement sufficient to take the
usual votes. returned verdict Of gulty-and
Harrison's first trial was triumph and more.
1t brought him honorable notoriety and quick
induction into business.
HIS ENCOUNTER WITH HENDRICKS
No passage in General Wallace's book, per-
hapS, will be more heartily enjoyed by Rcpub-
leans than that in which he tells how young
Harrison met Thomas A. Hendricks in joint de-
bate and at the same time put the laugh on Mr..
Voorhees, signally In 1860, Harrison, the
Republican candidate for the lofty office of Re
porter of the Supreme Court, had gone to Rock
vile, Parke County, whittier he had been as
signed by his colleagues to uphold alone the dig
nifty of the ticket and inspire the enthusiasm of
Republican mass-meeting.
Interest in the contest. as will be remembered
was centred chiefly in the battle between Colonel
Henry ). Lane and Mr. Thomas Hendricks who
were opposing each other for the GovernOrship
When young Harrison set out for Rockville he had
no other thought than of making his speech OF
general advocacy Of the Republican party and its
tickets, State and National without responsibility
other than pertained to his own subordinate strug-
gle Upon allghtlnG at the cid tavern he learned
Tor the first time that MIR. Thomas Hendricks mad
meeting appointed for the same hour at the
courthouse: The Republicans gathered around
and told him that the Democrats were hectOrng
them with suggestions of "a Joint debate. The
young man met the news at first with modest
hesitation. Mr. IIcndricls's reputation as a
speaker and debater National, and he had
been pitted against Colonel Lane as the fittcst
Democrat in the State to take of the
Young Harrison shranll from the effect Of failure
upon the interests Of his party.
" That is, OF course, a very unfair proposal
be said. Mr.. Hendricks is at the head of the
Democratic ticket, while am at the tail Of the
Republican ticket He is an experienced public
debater, while am on my first trip"
Finally he said: Gentlemen, if we can't get
along with this without showing the white
feather you just tell them we will consent to a
Joint meeting And it, was arranged; that
is, as Mr.. Hendricks did not want TO dignity
the affair by making it joint discussion in
form, his friends proposed that, as his appoint
ment was first, he should speak two hours,
leaving Harrison 10 follow.
The PEOPLE men and women damned the