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THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

HON. BENJAMIN HARRISON, the Republican nominee for President, chosen on the first ballot at the National Convention, held at Minneapolis, June 7 to June 11, 1892, was born August 20, 1833, at North Bend, Ohio, ́ and is therefore in his 59th year. He is the son of John Scott Harrison by a second marriage, his mother's maiden name being Elizabeth Irwin, daughter of Captain Archibald Irwin of Pennsylvania. His father's first wife was Miss Johnson of Kentucky. There were two daughters and one son by the first marriage. Both daughters are still living. By the second marriage there were ten children, four of whom are now alive, Carter Barrett Harrison, John Scott Harrison, Anna Harrison-now Mrs. Anna Morris-and Benjamin Harrison, who was elected President of the United States in November, 1888, and is still serving his country in that exalted office, for which he has just been renominated to the great satisfaction of many members of the Republican party.

It may be of interest to review briefly the pedigree of this distinguished man. It is a matter of history that one of President Harrison's ancestors, Major-General Thomas Harrison, was a military commander during the protectorate of Oliver Cromwell, the great English Republican. It fell to his turn to convey Charles I. to Windsor, and thence to Whitehall, where he was called upon to sit as one of the judges and then to sign the king's death warrant. After the death of Cromwell and the restoration of Charles II., MajorGeneral Harrison was condemned for treason, hanged, drawn and quartered at Charing Cross. He died a martyr to the cause of liberty.

Some members of the Harrison family came over to Virginia from Lancashire in 1635, a quarter of a century before the execution of their kinsman. The leader of these colonists was the first Benjamin Harrison to land on American soil. The party decided to make a home in Surry county, not far from the colony of Jamestown, which had been settled nearly thirty years before. A son, Benjamin, the second of that name, married Hanna Churchill, who claimed affinity with the world-renowned Duke of Marlborough. They took up residence in Surry county, where a son was born, and named after his father.

He, in due course, married a Miss Burwell, daughter of Louis Burwell of Gloucester County, Va. The home of this family was about midway between Richmond and Jamestown. As a result of the union a son was born, and named Benjamin, he being the fourth Benjamin Harrison along the line of direct descent. The records show that this son married a daughter of Robert Carter of Carotoman, Va. The father and two daughters were killed by lightning in the hallway of their home during a terrific storm.

There were several sons, among whom were Charles and Benjamin. The first-named became famous as a commander of artillery in the Revolutionary War, and Benjamin made a brilliant record in public life, one of his bestknown acts being that of attaching his signature to the Declaration of Independence. He belonged to the Virginia House of Burgesses; was a member

of the first Colonial Congress; a reporter of the resolution of independence; president, for four years, 1777-81, of the House of Burgesses; served three terms as Governor of Virginia, and was a member of the convention assembled to ratify the Constitution of the United States.

William Henry Harrison, grandfather of the present occupant of the White House, was born at Berkeley, Charles City County, Va., on February 9, 1773, and was three and a half years old when his father signed the Declaration of Independence. Gazetted as ensign in the First Regiment of United States Artillery in 1791, he took part in the battle of the Miami in 1794, and gained fame at the battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. Afterward promoted to the rank of major-general, he distinguished himself by winning, in 1813, the battle of the Thames, in Canada. Tecumseh, the great Indian warrior, was killed during this fight, whilst supporting the British. Misunderstandings with the Secretary of War led to a voluntary resignation and retirement to his home at North Bend, O. Three years later he served in Congress, continuing until 1819, when his election to the Ohio State Senate took place. The record of William Henry Harrison includes two terms in the United States Senate. When a candidate for the Presidency, in 1836, he received 73 electoral votes. In 1840 234 electoral votes were cast in his favor, as against 60 recorded in behalf of Martin Van Buren.

BENJAMIN HARRISON, now fulfilling his first term of office as President of the United States, received his education as a boy under his father's roof, first from a governess, next from a Massachusetts college graduate, and then from a graduate of Marshall College, Pennsylvania. He was seven years of age when the campaign of 1840 was at its height, and was an eye-witness of the enthusiastic demonstrations that made the "Tippecanoe" political contest so remarkable. As a result of his home training and healthy home influences, the youth, in his fourteenth year, was thought to be considerably in advance of most young people at his age.

From the home schooling he was sent to Farmer's College, Cincinnati, where he gained credit for close application to study and general good conduct. Murat Halstead was one of his classmates. At the end of two years he returned home. Shortly afterward his mother died. He did not recover from this great blow for a long time, apparently abandoning all interest in his life and surroundings. She had been his great friend, and in losing her he experienced keenly that sense of isolation so peculiar to deep affliction. His next educational course was at Miami University, Oxford, O. Here his record was excellent, gaining for him the esteem and high regard of his associates, among whom were Oliver P. Morton, afterward Governor of Indiana, and W. P. Fishback, with whom he subsequently became associated in the practice of law, a profession he decided to adopt during his sojourn at Miami. At college he came to be recognized as possessing all the qualifications for success as a public speaker, always choosing his words wisely, and maintaining a calm and impressive attitude throughout. Although attentive to his studies, he found time to fulfill social duties, frequently visiting the home of Rev. John W. Scott, a former friend and professor, and at this time the president of the Oxford Female College. During these visits Benjamin Harrison became acquainted with Miss Carrie L. Scott, his friend's daughter. The acquaintanceship ripened into friendship, and this, in due course, resulted in the engagement of the young lovers, who subsequently married and established a home at Indianapolis, where the student found his first legal work.

The record of his early life at Indianapolis is one of struggle, hopeful and determined, always ready to accept an honorable task, even if the remuneration offered was entirely out of keeping with the work to be accomplished. His first partnership was with William Wallace. In 1860 Mr. Wallace re

signed, and, in his stead, his college friend, W. P. Fishback, became an associate in law.

Some four or five years before this time Benjamin Harrison's political career may be said to have commenced. At a ratification meeting he was introduced as the grandson of William Henry Harrison. On rising to address the audience, he said: "I want it understood that I am the grandson of nobody. I believe every man should stand on his own merits." This has been his maxim through life, and has had much to do with his success.

For more that thirty-five years his services as a public speaker for his. party have been in demand, and his recent addresses, given day after day during his presidential tour of the States, proves beyond doubt that he stands in the first rank of those who are able to say timely and telling things in a pleasant yet forceful and emphatic manner without previous preparation.

In 1860 Benjamin Harrison, or, as he was familiarly called, "Ben,” ran for the office of Reporter of the Supreme Court of Indiana. A memorable incident in the campaign was his debate with Thomas A. Hendricks, in which his opponents gave him great credit, and his friends accorded him the honor of victory.

His canvass for the office of Reporter was successful, but before he had held this position very long, war was declared, and volunteers were called for from every loyal State. It is well known that the man who afterward took such an important part in military affairs was anxious at the very start to participate in the conflicts, but his official duties prevented this, and it was not until Governor Oliver P. Morton made what might be termed a personal appeal that he felt fully justified in relinquishing all civil responsibilities for the time being to help in arousing enthusiasm among those citizens who did not realize the urgency of President Lincoln's call in July, 1862, for 300,000 more troops. He volunteered to raise a regiment, and within a month the Seventieth Indiana Regiment was organized and had joined the forces in Kentucky, with the organizer at its head as colonel.

The first part of his active service was occupied in skirmishing through Kentucky and Tennessee, the force under his command forming part of the Army of the Cumberland. On May 15, 1864, came the commander's first opportunity to use, with good effect, whatever military knowledge he had acquired since entering upon active service. The episode is thus described by a justly celebrated writer, and is given here as best illustrating the character and courage of Benjamin Harrison as a military commander.

"The 7th of May, 1864, came. The armies moved out 100,000 strong. The divisions were commanded by Generals Thomas, McPherson, and Schofield. The boys began Marching through Georgia.' General Thomas's division, to which the Twentieth Army Corps belonged, had been massed at Ringgold, but was now before the rocky cliffs of Rocky Face, upon which Johnston had strongly fortified himself to dispute the passage of our armies through Buzzard Roost Gap below. On the 8th of May occurred the assault upon Rocky Face Ridge, and the terrible carnage that followed.

"Then Johnston suddenly discovered that the wily general of the Union forces had been sending a division through Snake Creek Gap, some distance south, to the rear, and was threatening the railroad and Resaca. General Johnston withdrew from his works on Rocky Face, and quickly intrenched himself at Resaca.

"Around Resaca, which was a small town on the Oostanula River, were hills, swamps, ravines, and the densest of thickets. All this ground was familiar to the enemy, while it was a strange land to the Union men. 15th of May the attack was made.

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Perched on the crest of a hill that commanded the approach to the town, were rebel batteries that poured incessant fire into the Union ranks.

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