The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-14

accepted leader OF all her sons. Time alone
can demonstrate whether we have one able
to take his place
Frank L. Jones, superintendent Of public
instruction. said: 1.-The death OF General
Harrison takes from the Nation its fore
most citizen. He was the ideal American.
His presence in the community and State
was a constant Inspiration to our youth. 1t
is particularly unfortunate that a man of
such eminent ability and wide experience
should be taken from US when the Nation
is In the midst OF changing conditions and
new governmental policies. His wisdom,
honesty and conservatism gave to his
words and advice the force of a multitude
Of ordinary men,
b. f. Johnson, chief of the bureau Of
statistics. said: MY admiration for Cen
eral Harrison began with the vividly mem
olable events of 1S61-65. when he gave up
his position in civil life and rendered his
services 10 Governor Morton. was appoint
ed colonel Of the Seventeen Indiana Regi-
ment, and took up the duties OF a soldier.
l think of him as If but yesterday leading
his regiment through Kentucky, Tennessee,
Georgia and on to Atlanta, bringing honor
and distinction TO himself and his regiment
in a desperate charge made upon the enemy
at Resaca. My admiration was strength
ened as L followed him on to Savannah.
through the Carolinas TO Washington, back
to his home again. where he laid aside the
h~abiliments of a soldier and took up the
cuties Of civil life with the same ease that
he had laid them aside four years before.
LAS United States senator, as President
of the United States, the one feature of his
AIe mat seemed 10 OVerSndQ0W every other
was his intensely American spirit. Gen
eral Harrison was truly the premier Amer
ican,. and / honored him above others for
his noble Christian character and patriotic
devotion to his country
Merrill Moores, deputy attorney general,
said:
General Harrison probably was the
greatest lawyer OF his time. Judah p.
Benjamin was a very great lawyer, but
his field was limited. Lord Russell was
a successful advocate and a respectable
1n6Ua hnf his c1opaGGaC NJ tho har xUQra
more attributable TO the rare charm OF
his personality than to his ability as a
lawyer. How his successor in the leader
ship of the English bar, the present Lord
AlberstOne, compared with Harrison we
ali know through the pitiable exhibition
he made against Harrison in the V~ene2ue-
Ian arbitration. Sir Edward Clark is only
a successful jury lawyer. David Dudley
Field was an encyclopedia of legal cru
dition, a drafter of codes and a progressive
thinker. Charles O'Conor was a forcible
lawyer and the type of marty courage
and integrity. James c. Carter is an in
tellectual athlete. with the rare gift of
almost perfect rhetoric. EvartS was and
the younger Choate is of much the same
type. Matthew Carpenter was great as
a constitutional lawyer, and so Is Ed
munds. Garland, Daniel and Carlisle were
men of great force who took high rank at
the bar.
General Harrison was too busy a man
to acquire the scholarly learning of Field,
but he had in every other respect every
quality which distinguished every one oil
these great lawyers in his profession.
Whether before a court or jury he was
always the complete master of the law
and all the facts of the case he had
undertaken, and he presented them with
ton unsurpassed by any of his contempt
raries. He mastered the subject before
him by exhaustive study, and, however
abstruse the problem, be 1t of law, mechan-
les, or any branch of science, or a SEEM
ingly impenetrable labyrinth of evidence.
he applied himself to it until he had solved
it. and, having done so, he could so pre-.
sent his solution that to the intellect of
the meanest juror, as well as TO the great
est judicial mind, ii seemed plain and easy;
and his manner of presentation was de-
HE was a great statesman, simply be-
cause he was absolutely honest with him-
to the problems of government the same
industry, capacity, loyalty and courage
that he gave to his profession, and made
his solution so clear and convincing as
TO be almost irresistible"
William L. Taylor, attorney general, said:
Benjamin Harrison was the most con-
spicuOus citizen that ever lived IN ms nome
city; the most illustrious man of his State,
and was at his death the greatest states
man of his country and the peer OF any
statesman in the world. And yet, withai
he was the simple, kindly, gentle, plain citi-
zen who did his duty day by day and loved
his country as he did his life. As he said
at the funeral of his friend Ffshback, so
we can say of him: This city and State
will feel lonesome without him. Love Of
country was with him a passion. 1t was
easy for him 10 perform his patriotic duties.
He went into the army without a struggle,
because il was duty's call, and that made it
easy for him. AS a senator he was guided
by the same impulses, and as President he
did not change his course. 1t is doubtful If
any man in the history of American politics
lived up more rigtdly TO his highest ideal
as the first citizen of the Republic than he.
He was a most self-poised man, both in
public and private life. No matter how Bit
ter the political assault may have been, no
matter how cruel, causeless and hamefu
the personal criticisms became, yet this
great and good man never struck back or
answered deiantly. He was always the
same gentle, sweet spirit, who did his duty
uncomplainingly and went straight forward
in his work. Conscience was the pole star
that directed and guided every movement
of his craft on the sea of life.
Benjamin Harrison died on the summit
of greatness. AS a President he will rank
in history with Jefferson and Adams. with
Garfield and Grant. No pantheon for the
great Of America will be constructed in the
future in which the marble statue of Gen.
Benjamin Harrison will net occupy a most
conspicuous place"
Charles E.. Wilson, secretary to Governor
R RarpIn; s auite well during haye known tho per, Gen eaSl
cred by the past eighteen years, and L
sincerely admired him on account of his
undisputed ability. He was a natural born
leader.
HE was not disposed to be dictatorial
in party matters but he possessed qualities
Oh genius as a coinindnuer tnat exerteu q
potent influence upon those who were IA
vored with his advice and counsel. He
won fame as a soldier in his youth, he
served in the United States Senate with
distinction. and as President he made Il
record that compares favorably with any
other in the history of the Republic. He
did not deliberately court popularity, as
most politicians do, but rather relied on
the confidence he had in the theory that
public duty well and honestly performed
insures its reward. While there has been
more or less criticism of his DersOna,ity.
to the effect that he was not cordial.
much of this was baseless, and all of 1t
frivolous. His surprising ability was ev-
erywhere admitted, and his integrity was
never questioned. His life was character
lied by usefulness and honor, and his
death will produce general and sincere