The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-04-21

We have read with very great pleasure .
volume that has just come to hand, entitled
"Speeches of Benjamin HARRISON" Of which
an advertisement appears elsewhere.
This book will be- ono of the most useful and
powerful documents that will be used during
the coming Presidential campaign. 1t is full
of sound Republican doctrine and argument,
and Is conclusive proof Of the greatness of our
Republican President. 1t is the best statement
of the Republicanism of to-day that has been
condensed in single volume and the speeches,
besides being full Of gound thought and logical
argument, are bright and entertaining. They
sparkle with apt and terse sayings. The Presi-
dent shines in new light. We have
most of these gems of his thought from time to
time as uttered, but here they are all before Us.
Mr.. Blaine gave a very happy description Of
President Harrison's style when he said: He
has tho agreeable faculty Of condensing the
whole argument within the dimensions of q
proyerb. 1t is the faculty which was the strik-
ing feature Of Benjamin Franklin's mode Of
reasoning, and Mr.. Lincoln possessed it in a
very marked degree. Never was happier
argument moro felicitously stated than when
Gen Harrison said that 'free-traders we're
stud wing maxims instead of markets. In a
single phrase he exhibited the fallacy and tho
weakness Of their whole argument"
The most remarkable characteristic that the
book developes, and the one most important
liable at all times TO have affairs of great mag
nitude thrust upon him for immediate action,
is his level e-hcadedness-his ability to act and
speak on the moment without making mis-
| take. The Democratic managers, during the
| campaign Of 1888, had some of their keenest.
| shrewdest men constantly OF the alert to catch
| up any careless word that tho Republican can
| didate might drop, yet although the speeches
| were for the most part entirely extemporaneous,
ri a. ali rod nk mon altf'4
| visiting delegation, they never succeeded. he
| said nothing that would not bear tee closest
| scrutiny.
Our readers will be most interested In the
| speeches to the veterans of the war. There are
| about 15 such, and how vividly recalled the
| familiar scenes of '61 and go, and how unmis-
takgbly sincere are his greetings to his COM
| rades and his words of sympathy and love! He
| is the soldier and the conrade still.
| Altogether this is o remarkable book. IL
| shows tho man as broad and great, and at the
| same time pure and loyable character, and II
| contains unansWerable arguments for the Re-
| publican cause. 1t should be in the hands OF
every earnest Republican and every comrade
| of Gen. Harrison, and il is an indispensable
| manual for the use of paign-speakers. Ii
| is a magazine OF political information; it is 9
| charming literary work, as entertaining as q
| romance.
There is feature Of peculiar interest In the
| fact that it contains account OF the reception
or other occasion whom each speech was de.
lvered, and the names of the Reception Com
mittee and other distinguished persons pres
| ent
The accuracy of the collection is attested by
the fact that it Is the work Of Charles Hedges
Esq, who was Special Correspondent OF this
Associated Press at Indianapolis during the
campaign Of 1888, who sent out all of Gen. Har
rison's campaign speeches.
Besides the $40 speeches and addresses, III
cludng all the Generals campaign speeches o.
1888 and those made on his tours to California
aud elsewhere, the volume contains his mos
important papers, such as his letter of accept
anee, his inaugural address. annual messages
and the famous message to Congress in relation
| to the trouble with Chile.
That the work meets the approval OF al
prominent Republicans is shown by the many
letters of conmendation which Mr.. Hedges has
received, including from the President
himself in which he says:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, !
| March %. 1892,
| My Dear Mr.. HEDGEs; The care
| you haye taken in The arrangement of these ex
| leGipore utterauces and the good style III which
| the book IS gotten up very gratifying to me-
and beg 10 thank you for your interest well a.