The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-08-14
IrDIEJ0uN m0N1-uAHHI7.

0f Hauis0nburg. Rockingham county.
was born in Albemarie county. Nir-
ginil. His father rcmoscd 10 Augusta
county when Judge Harris was but
boy. and here Doe was raised. Teaching
for several wears. and 40 the same time
prosecuting more advanced studies.
he became % pupil in the excel
lcnt law school of the late
emmineut Judge Thompson. of Staun
ton. whore Doe graduated. and IN 1871
Judges Baldwin and smith licensed the
young lawyer lo practice his profession.
he selected Rockingham county as bis
new home. ami bias continued TO reside
m Haul-0uburg since that time. a
Drmocm. by birth. Dee 80 once took an
active piIt in the politics OF bus county
AND ATE. aud soon became leader ln
thr ilm0u. Tenth Legion Ot Democracy.
lu lel2 bc first offered Tor public office
DIS candidate for Commonwealth 5
attorney of Rockingham county, 10
which office he was elected boy an over
whelming majority defeating the IN
cumbeni. H. elected in 1856. and the
same year an eioctor upon the Buch
auan ticket. he had attained pOEu-
mrity aud prominence which prepared
bin lor promotion in 1859 o. the
National Congress. lu this body.
during tRe eveultul aud stormy period
that preceded the inauguration
~ Lincoln. he was con-
.lpcou- as an ardent advocate of the
union and a pronounced aud nne-
Quiyocll opponent of secession. When
Virginia seeded he promptly followed
tie fortunes OF his State. aud IN the
Virginia Legislative halls during this
time be was among the aDlest and most
influential members, aud warm sup
porter of vigorous measures for the
prosecution of the war. In 1865 be
took hls seat upon the bench as the
Judge of the l2th judicial circuit, where
me- continued 10 preside until
1869. Wlen he was removed, because OF
his inability TO take the test oath. la
nD position so much rs this did Judge
Harris give greater evidence of his NJ
talumert. aud intellectual ability. He
met and decided the difficult and
novel legal questions growing out Of
the war. with "a judicial wisdom which
one case was his opinion reversed by
the Supreme Court. A record perhaps
without parallel. Upon his retirement
from the bench he resumed the
practice Of the law. but in 1870
be- was nominated for Congress by the
Democratic Conservative Convention
of his district. and ia the face of in
dependent opposition within and regu-
Jar Republican opposition without his
party he was triumphlntly elected by
more than 300 maiarity. Ren0mi-
mated in 1872. 1874 and 1876, be con-
tinuei IN Congress by largely increased
majlrities. In 1917 the opposition of
the Holiday ticket chrystllized in a
public meeting in HarrisOnburg
20 strike from the ticSet the
Att0rney-General. but Judge Harris
vigorously opposed the movement
ia joint debate with Senator Riddle
berger and Judge Paul. maintaining
the necessity for the integrity and
preservation OF the Holiday ticket.
In 1878 the Readjuster movement
throughout the State had assumed such
alarming and serious proportions that +
the Democratic Congressional COnven- |
lion Of Judge Hlrris district regarded /
a nomination as injurious, rather than /.
beneficial. 10 party success, and Judge /
Harris was left TO fight the blttle I'M
aided by party organization of any /
character whatever. 1t was a contest /
remarkable for complications. Gen
pral EchOls was supported for ,
Congress by the debl-payers of