The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-09

I taken home in carriage.
Probably no man in public life had been
identified with more of the history of this
country than had Senator Harris. He had
almost completed his seventy ninth year,
having been born in February, 1918, and
hrst became member of congress In 1S49.
His congressional career thus began earlier
than that Of any member Of either house,
ante-dating Senators Morrill, and Sherman
by seven years, and Hon. G. A. Grow, now a
member OF the house from Pennsylvania by
one year. Mr.. Harris had, when he was
elected to the national house Of representa-
tives, already become man of state reputa-
tlon in Tennessee, having the year pre-
yiously served as a presidential elector on the
Democratic ticket, and two years before
been elected a member of the legislature Of
| the state.
| He was three times in succession before
| the war, beginning in 1857, elected governor
Of his state and was serving in that capacity
| when the war broke out He took a pro-
nounced stand for the Southern Confederacy,
and was known as one of the Southern war
| governors The vicissitudes of conflict rem
sary, and he was often with the army in
the field. He attached himself at different
times to the staff Of Gen. Albert Sidney
Johnston. Joseph E. Johnston, Beauregard
and Bragg. Albert Sidney Johnston fell from
his horse into Senator Harris arms when he
received his death wound.
After Lees surrender Mr.. Harris was one
OF small party of political refugees who es-
capped to Mexico, going across the country on
| horseback. Parson Brownlow, who had be-
come the military governor of Tennessee,
oHered a large reward in a chara acteristically
worded poster for the capture of his prede-
cessor, but the later remained absent from
the country until his return was safe. He
remained in Mexico for several months going
| thence to England, where he resided until
1867, when he returned to Memphis and
resumed the practice of law
Mr.. Harris was allowed to follow the pur-
suits of private citizen until 1877 when he
| was elec:ed to the United States senate. de-
feating Hon. L.. L. Hawkins, Republican.
He has remained member of the senate
! ever since, and would have completed his
| twentieth consecutive year in that body on
| the 4th of next March, if he had lived to that
date He had been four times elected to the
| senate, the last time in 1895, and his term
| would not have expired until 1901.
Senator Harris had received almost all the
| honors that the senate could bestow. He
F1tty-third congress, leading member of
| the committees of finance and rules, and
also of the Democratic advisory or steering
| committee. He has long been awarded by
| common consent the front place on both sides
of the chamber in parliamentary questions,
ana IN recent years he had been more fire.
quentiy bI hearu t IN expoundtng these questions
| than IN the elucdation of other subjects.
| Senator Harris had not been especially
active IN the senate since the passage of the
| Wilson German tariff act in 1894 He was
one or the three Democratic senators entrust-
ed with the arduous duty of putting the bill
III shape IN committee, and to him del
esated the parliamentary work of getting
the bill through the senate. Although then
a man of advanced years, his energies never
seemed to flag. He was at his post of duty
day and night, and no man in the opposition
who sought to turn legislative point against
the bill ever caught him mapping but once
lhey adjourned one day earlier than he in
tended when he was temporarily absent, but
he made the incident so disagreeabIe to
friend and foe that the experiment was not
repeated.
senator Harris was native of Tennessee.
His father a planter who had emigrated
to the state from North Carolina He was
admitted to the bar in 1S41.