Evening star., 1901-03-19
EMPHATIC IN SPEECH.
Gen. Harrison Could Be Tender or In
dignant as Occasion Demanded.

The quality of Benjamin Harrison's elo-
quence was not shown simply in his speeches
on great questions; two homely specimens
will be recalled, which, one in pathos and
the other in indignation, rank among the
best. When, in 1892. the people in Indian
apolis had turned out by thousands to pay
the last honors to Mrs. Harrison, her hus-
band, before taking the return train. to
Washington, gave this brief card to the
local press:
my Dear Old Friends and Neighbors:
st cannot leave you without saying that
the tender and gracious sympathy which
you have today shown for me and for
my children, and much more, the touching
evidence you have given of your love for
the dear wife and mother, have deeply
moved our hearts. We yearn to tarry with
you and to rest near the hallOwed spot
where your loving hands have laid our
dead, but the little grandchildren watch In
wondering silence for our return and need
our care, and some public business will not
longer wait upon my sorrow.
May q gracious God keep and bless you
all. Most gratefully yours,
BENJAMIN HARRISON"
In 1878. when his fathers newly filled
grave was rified, General Harrison was un-
firing in his pursuit of the vandals till he
traced the body to medical college, whose
faculty endeavored to shield themselves by
pretending that they had no idea how it
came there. Harrison's scathing reply
closed with these words
"Your janitor denied that 1t lay upon
your table; but the clean incision into the
carotid artery, the thread with which 1t
was ligatured the injected veins, prove
him a liar. Who made that incision and
injected that body gentlemen Of the facul-
say it was no bungler. While he lay upon
your table, the long white beard, which the
hands of infant grandchildren had often
stroked in love, was rudely shorn from his
lege that an unseen and an unknown man
may do all this?"
How Gen. Harrison came to Join the re-
publican party against his own free will
he once described to a visitor. ''It was
right after Fremont was nominated" said
he, "and while / was practicing law with
Mr.. Wallace. We were In our Office in an
upstairs room, where the Indianapolis
News building now stands, when Mr.
Roberts. who used to keep a drug store
there, and another man whose name I for
get, came running in and told us that Fre-
mont was nominated, and that they were
going to have a ratification meeting right
away, and that must come down and ad-
dress it.. l said couldn't think of such
| thing; that !! had nothing to say and was
not prepared. They insisted that 1 could
make good enough speech without any
preparation, and that l must come. I said
that 1 wasn't sure about this Fremont
business, anyhow, and refused point blank
to CO. They simply grabbed me, lifted me
off Of my feet and started away with me-
They carried me bodily down stairs, out
into the street. and, without ever letting
my feet touch the ground, took me over to
where the meeting was to be held and set
me upon a packing box before a crowd of
three or four hundred persons. OF course.
l had to talk then. That was my initiation
into the republican party"
Harrison was so devout church MEM
Der that many persons have refused to be-
lieve that he had ever been profane. Only
one instance is recalled and that Is SUBJ
stantiated,~ like a corresponding incident
in George Washington's career, by the tes-
timony of ear-witnesses. 1t was In the
Atlanta campaign in 1864, when, as colonel
of the 10th Indiana Volunteers he took a
conspicuous part in the battle of Peach
Tree creek. The regiment was lying under
cover with strict orders to hold its fire un-
TIL the command was given, One man. too
excited and nervous to lie still sprane I'm
and fired Col. Harrison seized his blanket
which was done up in roll fastened with
a strap. and, jumping up, hurled it at the
excitable soldier, at the same time shout
Ing out loud hearty, rotund s.Damnt'
The blanket struck the soldier full in the
race. and either that or the unexpectedness
of the profane word from his exemplary
colonel laid him fiat on his back ready to
oDey orders for the rest of the campaign.
Profanity seemed to be in the air that
day, for General Hooker, riding down the
lines after the fight. seized the young col
onels hand and wrung 1t as he shouted:
Harrison. by G., I'll make you a briea-
der general for this!'
And he was as good as his word.