Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-09-05
Says the General Was Not Sorry
to be Defeated.

Washington, Sept. 5-While Presi-
Dental talk is in the air, an interest
ing little story is told that ex-Presi-
dent Harrison did not desire a re-nom-
ination in 1892. Louis II. Michener,
close personal friend of Gen. Har-
rison, makes the somewhat surprising
statement: 4
He was chairman of the Republican
State committee of Indiana that year,
and was very closely identified with
the Presidential candidate. He came
to Washington in the beginning Of
the Harrison administration and re-
mained one of the most intimate and
confidential friends General Harrison
had until the day Of the Generals
death.
know the Presidents personal ambi-
tions as well as any man living, and
in talking Of General Harrison the
other day he said
General Harrison did not want to
be re-nominated in 1892, and had the
men who saw fit to oppose his re-
nomination been In a frame Of mind
which would have allowed them to
believe the truth, his name would not
have gone before the Minneapolis con.
yention.
I'm August, 1891. prominent poll
tician told me that he and others,
whose names he gave, had met in
Washington a short time before, de-
termined to oppose Harrison's re.
nomination, and had begun the work
of organizing the party against him.
My informant suggested that II the
President would send for three or four
of the men whose names he gave,
talk with them about the approaching
campaign, indicate willingness Oh
his part to accept the nomination, and
allow them to feel that he would APP
preciateo their support. all opposition
would cease, and the nomination might
be made by acclamation. ] promised
that this view should be brought to
the attention of the President, and
I did SO at the first opportunity. He
at once said that he did not desire
to be re-nominated, but even If he
did wish the denomination, he thought
it would be unwise to quiet opposition
by making the leaders of 1t feel that
he would be under particular obliga
tions to them if they changed theil
positions.
He adhered to this conclusion In
spite of all that could be urged by
his friends. AS late as February
1892, he said to me that he did moi
desire denomination; that his family
would regret It; that he was so con
stituted that he could not have {
peaceful or happy hour In the Presi
dency; and that he would issue I
statement to the public Mt the proper
time withdrawing himself from con
siderntion as q candidate.
But this was not done, because hi
opponents began electing delegate
who We're pledged or instructed to vot
against him, and at the same tim
they boasted openly that they ha'
made an organization In the part.
which would succeed in preventing
his nomination, The President the
said to his friends that he could no
retreat in the face of the enemy
thing no Harrison had ever done, an
that he would let the future tax
care of itself hut he expressly fol
bade his intimate friends to take an
steps in the way of making an organ
ization in his interest. When tn
time came for the assembling of tn
convention in Minneapolis his friend
We're an organized host, while the oI
position was under the admirable di'
ciplne of Senator Quay and oths
great political generals. The renon
inatlon caused no elation in his minC
and his defeat occasioned no sorro'
for himself"