Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-14
SOLDIER AND STATESMAN.
Distinguished Career of the Late Ex-
President.

| North Bend, Ohio, August 20, 1888. His
| father, John Scott Harrison, was third son
of Gen. William Henry Harrison, ninth
| President of the United States, who was
| the third and youngest son of Benjamin
Harrison one of the signers of the Declare
| ton of independence, from Virginia. John
| Scott was twice married, his second wife
| being Elizabeth, daughter of Archibald
| Irwin of Mereesburg Pa. BENJAMIN was
the second son of this marriage. His par
| ents were resolutely determined upon the
education of their children, and early in
| Childhood Benjamin was placed under pri-
Fate instruction at home. In 1917 he and
ms elder brother were sent to a school on
| what was known as College Hill, few
| miles from Cincinnati. After remaining
| there two years he entered the Junior class
| at Miami University, at Oxford Ohio,
where he was graduated in 1852 He was
married October 20, 1853 to Caroline Scott
| daughter of DR.. John w. Scott, who was
! then president of oxford Female Seminary,
! from which Mrs. Harrison was graduated
! In 1852 After studying law under Storer &
| Gwynne in Cincinnati, Ohio, he was ed
mitted to the bar in 1854, and began the
| practice of his profession at indianapolis,
| Ind, which remained ever since his home.
John H. Rea, clerk of the United States
district court, gave him desk room, and
soon afterward he was appointed crier OF
! the federal court at salary of s. 50 a day
This was the first money he earned.
| Won His First Case.
Jonathan w. Gordon, one of the leaders
of the Indianapolis bar, called young Harri-
| son to his assistance in the prosecution of
a criminal tried for burglary and intrusted
| to him the plea for the state. He had
taken ample notes of the evidence. but the
| case was closed at night and the court
| house being dimly lighted by tallow cam
| dies, he was unable to read them when he
| arose to address the court and jury. Lay
| Ing them aside he depended entirely upon
his memory and found it perfect. Best of
| all, he discovered he could think and paak
on his feet, fuently and coherently. He
| made an eloquent plea, produced a marked
impression and won the case.
Forming partnership with William Wal
lace in the practice Of law, he prepared
! deeds, gave advice, made collections, tried
| cases before justices Of the peace, appeared
| In the probate court and sometimes in the
circuit court. In 1850 Mr. Wallace became
clerk Of the county of Marion. and the firm
| was changed to Harrison & Fishback,
which was terminated by the senior part
ner going into the army in 1862 In 1860
| Mr.. Harrison was chosen reporter of the
| supreme court Of Illinois on the republican
ticket by a majority Of 9.6ss. This was his
| first active appearance in the political field.
Career in the Army.
When the civil war began he assisted in
| raising the roth Indiana Regiment Of VOL
| unteers, and became In 1t second lieutenant.
although Governor Morton rendered him fits
| command he himself appointing q deputy
reporter for the supreme court. He sub
| sequently became its colonel. In the en-
| suing autumn the democratic state conven-
| ton, considering his position as a civil off,
| Ger vacated by this military appointment
| nominated and elected successor al
| though Harrtson's term of Office had not
yet expired. Their view was sustained by
| the state supreme court, but in 1864, while
| Col Harrison was in the army, the people
| of Indiana gave their Judgment by re-elect-
| Ing him to the position of supreme court
! reporter by an overwhelming majority
January 2, 1864, his command was
| called to the front, Col. Harrison being
| placed in command Of the brigade. Later
this brigade became the list Brigade Of
| the Sd Division of the Goth Army Corps
under Gen. Hooker. After the Peach Tree
Creek fight Gen. Hooker wrote as follows
to Washington in complimentary terms of
Gen. Harrison: My attention was first at
| tracted to this young officer by the SUI
peTior excellence Of his brigade in disci-
pline and instruction, the result of his
| labor, skill and devotion. With more fore
sight than l have witnessed in any officer
| of his experience he seemed to act upon
the principle that success depended upon
the thorough preparation in discipline and
esprit of his command for conflict more
than on any influence that could be exert
ed on the field itself, and when collision
came his command indicated his wisdom
as much as his valor. In all of the achieve
Col. Harrison bore conspicuous part
In Law and Politics.
When he returned to Indianapolis after
the war he became a member of the law
| firm Of Porter, Harrison & Fishback, and
| after subsequent changes Of that of Har-
rison, Miller & Elan. He resumed his Of
flee as reporter of the supreme court, but
in 1867 declined a denomination, and re-
commenced his law practice. In 1868 and
| 1872 he took part in the presidential cam
paign In support of Gen. Grant. travelling
over Indiana and speaking to large audi
| ences. In 1875 he at first declined the NOM
nation for governor on the republican
ticket, consenting to run only after the
regular nominee had withdrawn. He re-
| ceived almost 1900 more votes than his
associates on the ticket but was, never
| theless beaten. In 1880, as chairman of
| the Indiana delegation in the republican
| national convention, he cast nearly the en-
| tire vote of the state for James A. Gar
field for President. president Garfield Of
| fered him a place in his cabinet, but he
| declined 1t, preferring the United States
| senatorship from Indiana. to which he had
| Just been chosen and which he held from
| 1881 to 1887. In the Senate he advocated
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