The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1897-07-16
ISHAM q. HARRIS.

Union; and in Tennessee, where it
was known and loved best, it will
never die. The man who bore it
was a patriot, a soldier and states
man. For City long years he lived
in the glare of public life. His
mettle was severely tried in war,
his patience sorely tried in peace.
He was honored, he was hattered,
he was cajoled, he was tempted; but
he never even once faltered, much
less fell, and out of the smoke of
battle, through the fiery furnace of
political jealousies, purged of the
calumnies of little minds, his name
shOne brighter and brighter as years
of greatness proved his worth, until
at last he rose to that highest pin
nacle of public life, the thoroughly
trusted, devotedly loved, unrivalled
leader Of the dominant political
party of a great state.
There has never been another
Harris in Tennessee, and we doubt
If there ever will be. Jackson, Polk,
Gentry, Jones and Johnson, were
eminent men in their times. They
were great men, and had strong
personal followings. But they had
their ups and downs, their victories
and defeats. None of them ever
fought political battles half as long
or half as many as Isham G. Harris,
and without losing one; and none
save he ever reached that absolute
ly unrivalled position where his word
or wish was the law, and where no
one dared oppose him.
Jackson was peculiarly suited to
his day and time. Circumstances
had much to do with Folks success,
and Johnson's preferment was more
of accident than of merit, and then
he sustained himself not any too
well. But history will write of
Senator Harris that he made Of him
self what he was, and that for forty
years or more he moulded the politi-
cal sentiment of Tennessee as COM
pletely as his own.
He took Tennessee out of the
Union, and never Drawer patriot
drew sword than he in her defense.
He carried Teunessee's credit
with him through all the four years
of war, and sent it safely home,
even before he was allowed to come
himself, and while price was put
upon his head.
He took up the broken threads
and through the trying days of re-
construction routed the camp fol-
lowers of the war and restored this
people to their own.
He for twenty years in the Senate
has stood for the rights of the States
against paternalism, for the rights
of the people against plutocracy
and he more than any other one
man thwarted the threatened dan
ger Of that most infamous of al
hateful measures, the Force bill
When its friends were most hope
full, when its enemies were heart
sick and tired, when it seemed thai
sectional hate would once more
trample upon and humiliate the
South, Isham G. Harris, who haC
stood for days and nights watchful
tireless, alert and ready, with hi:
matchless parliamentary skill sud
denly sidetracked the measure be
fore its friends knew what he wa,
doing, and the session already near
ing its end, closed with it still on the
calendar.
Right then the grateful hearts o
Tennesseeans said, "the old man
shall die in the highest Office VIZ
can give him" Since then, it has
been political suicide to oppose him
and he died as he had lived, "flrs
in the hearts of his countryman."
No pen can write him create
than he was, no eulogy can max,
his name more immortal. In til,
braniest body of men on earth, h,
ranked a leader. Through tn
stormiest period of his country's his
tory, he stood side by side with it
braveSt patriots, and in quiete
times he has fought battles no les
heroic. He never lodged an enemy
nor deceived friend; he nevel
faltered in his fealty to his pc ople o
their interest; he never compro
missed principle or bent the kne
in suppliant fawning; he punished
his enemies by rewarding hi
friends; he won not by indirection
but by magnificent leadership; h
was direct even to abrubtness, an,
his word once given was as good a
any mans bond. He might hav
died rich, but he preferred to di
poor, that he might leave nam
untarnished with even the sus
picion of bride. He has served hi
gran,r,tinn ,rn11 ,,rhfIa