The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-09
SENATOR HARRIS DEAD
SERVICE IN CONGRESS ANTEDATED
ANY MAN IN EITHER HOUSE.
He Was Noted as Tennessee's Rebel
War Governor and Fled the Coun-
try After Lees Surrender.

WASHINGTON, July S.-Senator Isham
G. Harris, of Tennessee, died at his resi-
dence here a few minutes before o'clock
this afternoon. The senator had been grow
ing constantly weaker for several days
past, the intense summer heat which has
prevailed greatly debilitating him and no
doubt Fastening his end. There were times
when he would rally slightly giving his
family hopes that he would be able to
regain strength sufficient 10 be removed
from the city, but his vitality had become
too much exhausted to stand the strain.
This morning the senator revived some
what, but only temporarily. During the
afternoon he sank rapidly and passed away
peacefully. There were present at his bed
side when death came his son, Mr.. Edward
K Harris, and the latter's wife; Repre-
sentative Benton McMillin, of Tennessee;
Miss Polk, friend from his native State,
and the members of the household where
the senator had lived for some time. An
other son, Charles Harris, not realizing the
end was near, had left the house a short
while before death came. Another son,
James Z. Harris, residing in Tennessee, is
expected to arrive in the city tomorrow,
and a fourth son, Isham G. Harris, jr., is
now on his fathers ranch and stock farm
at Abilene Tex, and probably will meet
the funeral train when it reaches Memphis,
where the interment will be made.
Senator Harris was last in the Senate
chamber about ten days ago, but he was
unable to stay for any length of time, and
had to be taken home in a carriage. Dur
ing the past six months the senator had
been able TO attend to his duties only at
intervals, having been away from the city
several times endeavoring to recuperate.
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
first became member of Congress in 1S49
Senator Harris was a native of Tennessee,
his father being a planter who had emf
grated to the State from North Carolina
He was admitted to the bar in 1S4l. His
congressional career began earlier than
that of any member of either house. ante
seven years and Hon. Galusha A. Grow,
now a member of the House from Penn
sylvania, by one year Mr. Harris, when
he was elected to the national House OF
Representatives, had already become
man of state reputation in Tennessee, hav-
ing the year previous served as presi-
dental eector on the Democratic ticket,
and two years before been elected mem
Der of the Legislature of the State Mr.
district in Congress for the two terms end
ing in 1858, when he declined a renomina-
ton: He then moved to Memphis, where
he has since resided. Here he was
gagged in the practice CT law until 1857 with
the interruption necessary to allow him
to become a presidential elector in 1856. lie
was three times in succession before the
war, beginning in 1851, 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 COnfed-
eracy and was known as one of the South
ern war Governors. The vicissitudes of
conflict rendered frequent change of resi-
dence necessary and he was often with the
army in the field. He attached himself at
different times to the staffS Of Generals
Albert Sydney Johnston, joseph Il. John-
ston, Beauregard and Bragg. Albert sgd
ney Johnston fell from his horse into Sen
ator Harriss arms when he received his
death wound.
After Lees surrender Mr.. Harris was one
of a small party of political refugees who
escaped to Mexico, going across country
on horseback Parson BroWnlow, who mad
become the military governor OF Tennes-
see offered a large reward in character
istically worded poster for the capture of
his predecessor, but the latter remained ab-
sent 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
the law.
Mr. Harris was allowed to follow the
pursuits of the private citizen until 1Sl7
when he was elected to the United States
Senate defeating Hon L. I~ Hawkins, Re
publican. He has remained member OF
the Senate ever since and would have COM
pleted 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 1885, and his term would not have ex-
pired until 1901.
Senator Harris had received almost all
the honors that the Senate could bestow
He was the president pro tempore during
the Fifty-third Congress, a leading mem
NAT~ Of no anffa toes on IN
and also of the Democratic advisory or
steering committee He has long been
place on both sides of the chamber in par
liamentary questions. and in recent years
he had been more frequently heard in ex-
pounding these questions than. in the elu-
sessed of a very positive manner and never
failed to throw into his statements con-
force Of which he was capable His Ian
guage on these and other occasions was
generally so uneompromising that he was
regarded by those who knew him not as
man of little feeling. That, however, this
was not true and that the contrary was
true none Is now so willing to testify as
his opponents in the Senate, who unite in
attrbutng to him a warm heart as well as
just spirit and brilliant mind.
Senator Harris had not been especially
active in the Senate since the passage Of
the Wilson-Gorman tariff act in 1894. He
was one of three Democratic senators in
trusted with the arduous duty of putting
the bin in shape in committee and to him
was delegated the control of the parlia-
mentary work of getting the bill through
the Senate. Although then man of adj
vanced 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 a legislative point against
the bill ever caught him mapping but once
They adjourned one day earlier than he in
tended when he was temporarily absent
but he made the incident so disagreeable
to friend and foe that the experiment was
not repeated. He was a tireless worker,
and made II a point to be prompt in his
attendance at committee meetings when
ever able TO be at the Capitol. He was
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