%cidy Stxsfec-h of Ju.Jae\BLL-rnetC of Ohi vincj a b^ic ? Hist or 7 0^ the Lift of VVillia-m hle^ry HarriboTi. 18^9, Class Book— :hxi SPEECH JUDGE BURNET T^ rf^, rj'y O I i I O , RIG NATIONAL CONVENTION, A BRIEF HISTORY T II E LIFE GEN. WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON, B ornel. oscop. *f >Va" WASHINGTON: IRlNrilD AT THE AIADISOMAN OFFICE. 1839. i — ? r; SPEECH. MR. PRESIDENT: Labouring imJcr ihe iiifliieiices of a severe cold, wliich afTects both my voicr and head, it will not be apprehended that I ^hall detain the Convention by a ]onj^ address. But, sir, indisposed as 1 am, I must add mv approving voice to the jus't and merited plaudits which have been pronounced from everv part of this assem- bly, on the distinguished son of the patriotic State of Kentucky. In admiration of his talents, virtues, and public services, no man on this floor goes further than I do ; nor does any one repeat them with more pleasure and pride. They are the property of the nation, and we all claim them as tenants in conmion. Lon"- and ardently have 1 desired to see him in the Presidential Chair, and many aliattle have I fought for the accomplishment of that desire. But few men on this floor bear more of the scars of political warfare, received in his defence, than I do- nor is there one more willing to have them increased in future conflicts, should it a^?in become necessary to vindicate his character or his cause. General HAR- RISON entertains towards him the same feelings, and has long ardently desired to see him at the head of the nation ; nor would he have been a candidate in 1836 had it not been distinctly announced that Mr. Clav had withdrawn from the canvass. The State of Ohio has witnessed the honors which have been paid to that dis- tinguished citizen, in every part of the Union, with great delight, and has been among the first to acknowledge, or, more properly speaking, to assert and vindicate their justice ; and here, in the presence of this august assembly, tec endorse them It IS, no doubt, expected, sir, that the delegation of Ohio will say somethinen violated. Tecumseh, adaiitted by all, to be tiie most intrepid warrior, and the fnost talented chief of the age. had prevailed on the tribes who were parties to that treaty, to re- fuse its execution, anil fi>r the pur|)ose of insuring the .success of his project, was attempting to form a union among all the tribes from the lakes to the gulf of .^Toxico. He h -d visilcMl the Northern tribes and had secured their co-operation, and was negotiating with tliose of the South for the san>e purpo.««e. llarrison. who was uware of his plan, and lint he was actually eagaged in the successful v\c- «:utio[i of it, was ncrmitling it !<> be completed. 'I he President promj)tly placed the 4th regiment under the <'onwnand of Harrison, then (Jovernor of lM(Ji:inft; ordered bun to raise four hundred volunteers, and proceed to the Itidian eountrv. The order was ho promptly obeyed, that our gallant little army iWHOO tui;n arrived at Tippecanoe before Tecuuis'h Ir.id relumed from the South. When Harrison reached tho settlement, twelve hundred warriors had ulrcady as- \ pomhlerl. lie sent for the Chiefs ; tlioy came to his camp ; ho told thetn their Great Fathtjr h:>(l not sent hiin to liiiht, Imt tD settle their cortiphlnts amicahly ; and he invited them to nieet him in council ; they nromised to do so the next day, and then returned to their vilhige. As soon as they were gone, he told his officers he kiiew from their la iii;(i;igf! and hehaviour that ths-y intended to attack iiim before mornin:^. Conti lent thai this was the council they meditated, he encamped his army in the order of hatlle, and directed his men to lie down with their clothes on, and ihoir arms at their sides. His predictions soon became history: an hour or two bsiure day, in a dark fojrgry night, the attack was made with f^roat fury. The con'lict lasted nearly t^vo h )urs, and until day-light enabled him to see the position of th.3 In bans, when a vig )rous charge was ordered which terminated in their de- feat and dispersion. The army then marched to the village and destroyed it. Wo may safely affirm that this w,is the first i istance in which American troops have sustained themsehes agaiast a superior force of Indians in a night attack of two hours continuance. As a fruit of this victory, the treaty was preserved and the peace and safety of the frontier secured. It was from this battle, so important to the Governaient and people of Indiana, and so brilliaat in the mode of its achieveirient, again-^t a desperate ioc, that (ieaeral Harrison derived the appellation of the "Hero of 'i'ippecanoe." Th3 savages on th:; frontier of Iiidi ina, having bc^n thus defeated and scattered, and C- jvernor FI irrison hearing that they were taking scalp-* and breaking up the settleMients on the fri)ntier of Ohio, resigned his comu)ission as Govern(jr, and su- perintendant of Indian affairs, together with their emoluments, repaired to Cincia- nati, and volunteered in our defence. In a few months he succeeded in scattering- the savages on our borders ; a [)art of them he drove to the lakes, and the residue he compelled to remove to a place of salety within our settlements. By this ope- ration, the settlers on oar frontier were relieved from danger and hundreds who had a uj to the deassr settlements of the State for protection, returned to their im- provements and occuf)ied them in safety. A person who has not an accurate knowledge of the condition of the Northwestern portio ■. of Ohio, at the time of the late war, w \er\ it was an unbroken wilderness, without inhabitants, other thin al)o- rigines — without roads, bridges, ferries, or improvements of any kind, cannot furm an idea of the diffi ;ulties General Harrison encountered in feeding, sustaining and keeping together his army. '! he difficulties and perplexities which beset him dur- ing ai! his campaigns are known to but few, and cannot be justly a[)preciated by any ; yet by unceasing activity and by the efforvs of his powerful mind, he over- came them all. But it is impossible to dwell on minutiae — a volume would not com lin the half of surh a detail. Pressed down by all these difficulties he kept the field ; he never despaired for a moment; a '.d such was the confidence reposed in his bravery and skill, by both officers and soldiers, t!iat tlieir spirits never flag>j;ed — thoir hopes never .sunk. It is not generally known that the fleet built at Krie, by which the command of the Likes was obtairied was a project recommended by General Harrison, and that it was adopted by Mr. Madison, in consequence i f his unbnundcd confidence in the prudence and sound judijuient of him who proposed it. Before the period of which lam now speaking, Geneial Harris(m had been appointed a IMajor General in the militia of Kentucivy, by a law of that State, and had !)ecn appointed a Major General in the army of the United States, by Mr. Madison. Passing over a multitude of affairs of smaller moment, let me point vour atten- tion to the memorable seige of I'ort Meigs: that work of defence consisting of a mud embardvment and an encio-ure of piquets, was defended Iriumpli.inlly and succes.sfully by about a Ihonsmul mai for many days, (if I mistake not, seven or eight,) against the attack of Proctor, who comininded an army of Briiish and In- dians, ai least four times t/ifi nnnihtr of the beseiged, which was furnished with all the m iterial necessary for the occasion. Such was the skill, the bravery, and iho indefatigi'ole efforts of Geneial Harrison — such was the success of the repeated sallies he made, that he compelled the enemy to abandon the siege in despair. It ss worthy of remark, that on the second day of the attack, Proctor sent an ofi'icer with a Hag, to demand the surrender of the post. The grounds of this demand were, that the American force was too weak to defend the works, against the over- whehning force of the besiegers, and that General Proctor was anxious to save the effusion of blood. The intrepid Harrison promptly replied : " If General Proc- tor knows the usages of war, as 1 am bound to believe he does, he must either have considered me ignorant of them, or he must have intended an insult. It was his duty to make the deinand before he commenced firing on the works. But, sir, said he, go back and tell your General that I know my own force, and his, and thai I shall defend the works to the last extremity. Tell him farther, that if he ever possesses the Fort, he shall obtain it in away that loill give him more honor in thi estimation of his Government than he could derive from a thousand surrenders.''' — Another incident is also worthy of notice : After the enemy had retired, a number of the Indians who had left them came into the fort and stated, that a contract had been entered into between Proctor and Tecuinseh, that as soon as the fort surren- dered, which they considered inevitable, Harrison should be given up tothe In- dians, to be disposed of as they might see proper. Harrison replied : " Then Ge- neral Proctor can be n( ither a soldier nor a man. But if it shall ever be his fate to surrender to me, his life shall be protected, but I will dress him in a petticoa:, and deliver him over to the squaws, as being unworthy to associate with men." — On this story, sir, was founded an infamous slander on General Harrison, and a base insult to the ladies of Chilicothe, fabricated by a person whose naine I will not stoop to mention, and published by the administration press. It was not long alter the successful defence of thi^ Fort, that our honored nomi- nee led his victorious army into Fort Maiden, recaptured Detroit and the Terri- tory surrendered by the unfortunate Hull, and pursuing the enemy to the Thames, subdued the united forces of Proctor and Tecumseh, and captured the entire British army ! The war having been thus gloriously terminated in his own district, Hariison repaired to Eric and tendered his services to the army operating in that quarter. Unfortunately, the Secretary of War was there, who felt some private griefs unre- dressed, and was moreover envious of the laurels which Gen. Harrison had so dearly, but justly won, being unwilling to see another added to the wreath, I'.e or- dered him to repair to Ohio, where he had no further duty to perform, having al- ready brought the war to a close in that quarter. The order was obeyed. He returned to his family and immediately resigned his commission, declaring that he could not honestly eat the bread of the Government when he was denied the privilege of rendering services in return. Here, sir, terminated forever the bril- liant nulitary career of a hero who had won many victories, but who never lost a battle. Now, sir, let us look at this distinguished man in a political and private life. — Time forbids to do more than name the stations he has filled. When he resigned his first commission, which was given him by the " Father of his Country," he was appointed Secretary of the North-western Territory. The Governor being then absent, he was ex-nfficio acting Governor, and vested with all the Executive power of the Territory, which he executed with great prudence, and to the ap- probationof the Govermnent and people. In 1799, the 'J'erritorial liCgi^lature, (my- sel( l)eing one of them,) appointed him llie delegate to represent the Territory in the Congress of the United Stales. His election had been opposed by a nume- rous class of men who had purchased land from his father-in law, and had settled on and improved it. They had failed to obtain a title i'rom the vendor, and were at the mercy of Congress, lial)le to be dispossessed at any moment. They wished to obtain pre-emption rights and other indulgcncies. It was the interest and tho anxious desire of the vendor to deieal their object. On this account they en- tn-ated the Legislature not to appoint Mr. Harrison, believing that he woidd bo gorerned by the views of his father-in-law, and oppose their claims. He was, notwithstanding, chosen, and to the surprise of those men, he volunteered in their cause, and, though against his own uhimate interest, he procured ibr iheni the boon they were so anxious to obtain. At the same session he ])rociired the passing of an act requiring the public lands to be surveyed and sold in small tracts. Under tiie former law, it was impossible for a poor man to become a purchaser from Government — he was compelled to purchase from the speculator at an advanced price. But by the amendment every poor man in the nation, if industrious, might become an independent, freeholder; and, sir, it is public history, that thousands of thousands //««e I)ecome so, and every emigrant who now removes to the west from any part of the Union, has the same privilege. The benefit which has been derived by the industrious poor, from that successful effort of General Harrison, is beyond the power of num[)ers to compute. Having accomplished these important, objects in Congress, he re- signed his seat and was appomted Governor of Indiana. He administered that government twelve years, with such ability, benignity, and success, that all that portion of its present population, who resided there, under his administration, look up to him as the political father of their State. We next find him representing the people in the Legislature of Ohio — then in the House of Representatives of ciie United States — afterwards in the Senate of the United States — and lastly we see him the Ambassador of his Government at the Court of the haughty Bolivar. In all these stations he has received from the goverimient and the people, the plaudit of 'well done good and faithful servant' — and it may be added, this has been his only reward. Suffer me to say here, that it is the settled and publicly expressed opinion of General Harrison, that no man, however great, wise and good, should be re- elected President of these United States. To the prevalence of the opposite opinion he ascribes most of the corruption and strife which have agitated and dis- graced the nation — and I add, that if elected, he will enter on the duties of the office, having no griefs to avenge, and no obligations to fulfd, in relation to indi- viduals. And now, sir, what more can I add — I have attempted to throw a ray of light on the almost forgotten life of one of the most useful, virtuous and patriotic citizens our country has ever produced. From an intimate and confidential ac- quaintance with him, of more than forty years standing, I can speak ex callicdra. The single fact, that after he has held all these offices with abundant opportunities of accumulating wealth, at the expense of his country, he has retired to private life, comparatively poor, is enough to place him on a level with Aristides. Had he nothing more to complain of but the blighting negligence of his own government, which has compelled him, Cincinnatusdike, to labor at the plough for the bread which feeds his fam.ly, it might be endured. But, sir, it is not so : malice has assailed his character, and thousands who know him not, have inno- cently yielded to it their assent. An attempt to refute charges against his bravery, would be as insulting to him as it would be ridicidons in the eyes of the world. Insinuations have been made injurious to his moral character ; those who know him personally, smile at the folly of such efforts ; and let me say to all others, that a man of purer moral character docs not it\habit our land. When every thing else tails, they proclaim at the top of their voices that he is an imhicile old man. Sir, I had the pleasure of taking him by the hand the morning 1 left home ; .scarcely a week passes in v/hich I do not see and converse with him, and let me assure you and this assembly, and the American people, that his mind is as vigor- ous, as active, and as discriminating as it was in the ineridiati of his dnys ; that he cnjoijs fine health, and all the bodily vigor and activity which belong to a man of sixty five or sixty-six. Now, sir, let me attempt to give utterance to the ecstacy of joy and delight which the transactions of this day have produced on my own mind. In common with all my associates in this imposing assembly, I feel that our country is redeemed ^^ and saved — the sounds ol unity and concord which biriUe the ear from everv seat in this sacred temple — the united declaraiion of eniire acquiescenie in the result of our deliberations — the enihnsiasiic pledges, tendered by every nien;ber of this august body, to devote himself, heart ai»d hand, to sustain ihe di.stinginshed individuals we are about to present to the people as the men of our unanin.ous^ choice — the expression of joy on the faces of so many aged and venerable })atriols, who have finished their course in public life — who have long since crossed the meridian — are on their downward course, and will soon pa^s the horizon, to he seen here no more ; 1 say, sir, to hear such men testify their feel- ings of approbation, pledge their zealous eilorts to advance the cause and prochiirn their confidence in its triumphant success, produces sensations which cannoi be described. To hear ihe shouts of approbation — the enthusiastic promises oi ex- ertion, and the confident predictions of victory, from the young and vigoious }, op- tion of this body, is enougli to inspire the most conhrmed stoic. In short the en- lire manifestations of this day, so exciting, so cheering, have produced a geiierj^ ecstacy of delight, of which those who have not witnessed the scene, and fc^it the threatened danger ol' disagreement in this body, as we have done, can foriii no conception. P'or one, I must say, that although I am near the terminaticm oi tlu; prophetic number of days allotted for the life of man, 1 have never, in that long period, witness(;d such an imposing spectacle. 1 am almost ready to repeat artd apply to myself the pious exclamation of the good old Simeon. Mr. Pre^ident — Is not this enough for one day? The great object which brought us l»ere from every part of the Union, is accomplished. That object was to produce unity and harmony of action in the great struggle we are on the eve of commencing ; a struggle to save the liberty, the morals and the happiness of the people, and to rescue the constitution froni the hands of the profligate men, under whose management it is sinking to decay. This object, 1 repeat, has beeri gained. It is the opinion of every American, whose principles have not been debased by the corru[)t and corrupting influence of the national administration, that an eflbrt should be made to save the nation ; that efiort has now been niiidt, and successfully made, 'i'lie unity and zeal it has produced, have accomplished half the victory already, and will consummate it hereafter. It is now nianiiehi that we came here, deeply impressed with the importance of the (tbject at stake, which is nothing less than the jjerpetuiiy of the glorious constitution bequeathed by our fathers We, all know, sir, that in such a strug-gle, in a contest lor such a prize, we cannot aflbrd to dispute and wrangle about minor matters; and we have therefore ofliered up our preferences on the altar of patriotism. This Convention has carried out its professions, that it seeks the prosperity and hap[)iness of the. whole Union. :ind that it contends for principlns instead of men. Our choice has not been re.strictt-d for want of material ; among the Whigs and Conservatives of the country there are a thousand enlightened patiiots, honest, capable and faith- ful, into whoso hands we may safely commit the Executive Government of ihn ibig, inscrib.^d \> iiU the motto of ilie lion .Vlr. Wise, of Virginia, "union for the sake of the Uni.':i."