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I I / T, A SKETCH OF THE LIFE AND PUBLIC SERVICES OF la * Van I .AM iENRY HARRISON, s s CANDIDATE OF TEIJB PK-DPLK FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, To wMcIb is asBBi^xed asi Ajppeudax. r*+ PRINTED BY JACOB GIDEON, JR., WASHINGTON CITY— 1840. •_, ././-./-"^ j J S'S *~J SJ -J J ■*"■* "' A SKETCH OF THE LIFE AND PUBLIC SERVICES OF GENERAL WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON, ' The prominent position now occupied by General Harrison before the American peo- ple, renders it peculiarly proper that a brief sketch of his life and public services should be laid before his fellow-citizens ; for, although his public acts, both in a civil and military capacity, have been for die lasting glory and honor of our whole country, yet in conse- quence'of his having resided for the greater part of his life among the patriotic and chivalric inhabitants of the Western States, they are more familiar with his history than those who reside in the east and north. It was this acquaintance with the man, or rather — to make use of the endearing appellation by which he lias been universally known — it was this acquaintance with die Washington of.the West, that has there produced such a general and ardent feeling in his favor ; that the people have, in despite of party dictation, borne him triumphantly along, for the highest office in their gift, until there is now nodoubt but he will be elected by a most decisive majority. It will be apparent, that our efforts to compress the materials of his eventful life in the compass of a few pages, has compelled us to omit all those minute illustrations of particu- lar facts, which have in reality given to his life all the beauty of romance. To see a youth of eighteen years of age, leaving his kindred, and friends, and paternal roof, and inspired by a lofty patriotism, marching into the savage wilderness, and battling with the enemies of his country ; and then in a few years to find him in the councils of the nation, exerting himself to promote the civil institutions he had -so gallantly defended in the field; and then again leading the armies of our country to yicjory at the dreadful midnight con- flict of Tippecanoe, and at the hard-fought siege of Fort Meigs, and the still more brilli- ant victory of the Thames, — together opens a field for meditation, which it is impossible to exoress in the few pages we have devoted to the history of his life. To have pursued a subject of this kind in all its details, would have been grateful to our feelings, but the brevity of our plan will forbid it. We must leave the reader to fill up for himself the many omissions we are compelled to make. We ought to state, that this compilation is principally taken from the valuable and au- then tic history of McAliee on the late war, and from the excellent biographical works oi Dawson and Judge Hall. William Henry Harrison was born in Virginia, on the 9th of February, 1773. His father, Benjamin' Harrison, was one of the patriots of the Revolution. He was a very distinguished member of the first Congress of the United States, which met at Philadel- phia in 1774, and was one of the most conspicuous of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He afterwards rendered important services to his country, by his energe- tic and patriotic measures as governor of his native State, Virginia. This eminent patriot died in 1791, leaving his son,' William, under the guardianship of his friend, the celebra- ted Robert Morris. Young Harrison was educated a; Hampden Sydney College; and, by the advice of his friends, turned his attention to the study of medicine. But about the period when he had completed his education, soon after the death of his father, the increased and barbarous hostilities of the Indians on our northwestern borders, began to excite a feeling of indig- nation through the whole country. In this general excitement our young student partici- pated so warmly, that he resolved to relinquish his professional puisuits, and join the ar- my destined to the defence of the Ohio frontier. The war in this part of our country was then assuming a very alarming aspect. The Indian tribes, who bad been in the service of Great Britain during our revolutionary struggle, had not yet laid down the tomahawk ; but still persisted in their ruthless hostili- ties, and in the almost daily commission of their savage atrocities. From the year 1783, when Great Britain acknowledged our independence, and war with the mother country .ceased, up to the year 1791, it was estimated that more than fifteen hundred of our hardy borderers had fallen victims to the riile and scalping knife of their savage foes. Our northwestern frontier presented an appalling scene of rapine, conflagration, and wanton destruction of life and property. Many Of our border settlements had been crashed in their infancy, and" all had been retarded in their growth. Expedition after expedition, nV ted out to oppose them, had met with the most disheartening losses ; ami finally a gallant army under Brigadier General Harmer, which had been sent expressly to chastise these savages, had been signally defeated by them, and almost annihilated. Of the few expe- rienced officers who escaped from Ilarmer's defeat, nearly all, worn out with the fatigues of a service so harrassing, and shrinking from a warfare of so dangerous and barbarous a nature, had resigned their commission, and a feeling of dismay began to pervade the whole community. Such was the o-loomv aspect of affairs, when the ardent and generous patriotism of young Harrison prompted him to give up ths comforts and luxuries that surrounded him at home, and peril his life in defence of his fellow-countrymen. He received the commis- sion of an ensign in the United States artillery, in the autumn of the year 1 7 J 1 , when only eighteen years of age, and hastened immediately to join his regiment, which was then stationed at Fort Washington, lie arrived at thai post a few days after the unfortu- nate defeat of General St. Clair, near the Miami villages, by the confederate Indians, un- der the command of the celebrated chief, Little Turtle. This disastrous defeat, in which St. Clair's army was destroyed, with the loss of nearly a thousand men, killed or taken prisoners, left the whole of our north-western frontier exposed to the ravages of a merci- less enemy, and added greatly to the general consternation before existing. In this state of things, our government saw the necessity of adopting immediate and efficient means to put an end to this savage conflict. Another army was promptly raised, and the command given to General Anthony Wayne — a gallant and skilful officer, who had earned a brilli- ant reputation in the revolutionary war. Wayne's Legion, as his army was called in the new organization, assembled at Pittsburg, in the summer of 1792 ; and in the ensuing month of November, they left that place, and went into winter quarters at Legionville, on the Ohio, 22 miles below Pittsburg. About this time Harrison was promoted to Lieute- nant ; and shortly alter, he joined Wayne's Legion. His fearlessness and energy, with his strict attention to discipline, soon attracted the notice of his commander-in-chief, him- self a bold and daring soldier and a rigid disciplinarian; and General Wayne, not long af- ter his arrival, selected him as one of his aids-de-camp, at the age of nineteen. We have entered thus minutely into this detail, because we wish to point it out at how early an age, and in what trying 'times, young Harrison was thought worthy of honorable distinction. Lieutenant Harrison acted as aid to General Wayne during the whole of the ensuing campaigns, and his bravery and gallant conduct throughout were such, that he was repeatedly officially noticed in "terms of the highest encomium. The war was con- ducted by General Wayne, with all the cool daring of a veteran soldier, and the sagacity of a prudent General, until finally, on the 20th of August,' 1794, he fought the bloody and desperate battle of the Miami, in which the confederated Indians, with their allies, were totally defeated. Their heavy losses in this battle so disheartened the Indians, that a lew months alter, they entered into negotiations for a treaty of peace, giving hostages for their good faith ; and thus, with the close of this war, were extinguished what may be consi- dered the last embers of our revolutionary struggle. In his despatch to the Secretary of War, after this decisive victory, General Wayne, in mentioning those whose good con- duct made them conspicuous on this occasion, says — " My faithful and gallant aids-de- camp, Captains De Butts and T. Lewis, and Lieutenant Harrison, with the Adjutant General, Major Mills, rendered the most essential service, by communicating my orders in every direction, and by their conduct and bravery exciting the troops to press for vic- tory." Soon after this battle, Lieutenant Harrison received the commission of a Captain, and was placed in command of Fort Washington, the most important station on the western frontier. He remained in the army till the close of the year 1797, when, as there was no longer an opportunity to serve his country in the field, he resigned his commission, to com- mence his career of civil services. He was almost immediately appointed Secretary, and cx- officio Lieutenant Governor of the north-western territory, which then embraced the whole! extent of our country lying north-west of the Ohio river ; thus receiving his first civil ap- pointment in that part of our country which he had perilled his life to defend. While m 4 this station, lie entered so warmly into the interests of the people, and his intelligence and the kindness and urbanity of his manners, rendered him so popular, that when, in the fol- lowing year, they became entitle,! to representation in the councils of the nation, they al- ,most unanimously elected him their first delegate to Congress. Mr. Harrison was, at this time, about - 3o years of age. He took his seat in the House of Representatives, at the first session of the sixth Congress, in December, 1799. There were then in Congress some of the ablest and most enlightened statesmen, and some of the most eloquent men our country lias ever produced. Yet in this severe ordeal, the abilities and manly energies of Mr. Harrison soon commanded universal respect. At this period the all-engrossing sub- ject in the West, and one in which our whole country had a deep interest, was the sale of our public lands. The manner in which these lands had been hitherto disposed of, had cre- ated great dissatisfaction among the people. They had been sold only in large tracts, the smallest of which included, at least, four thousand acres. Our hardy yeomanry, with li- mited pecuniary means, were thus shut out from all chance of competition with wealthy speculators and grasping monopolists, in the purchase of these lands; the poorer emigrants were becoming disheartened at the chilling prospect before them, and the settlement of the new country was greatly retarded. Fully aware of the impolicy and injustice of this state of things, and true to the trust confided in him, Mr. Harrison's earliest legislative efforts were made to overthrow this pernicious system. He aroused the attention of Congress to the consideration of this important subject, and evinced so intimate an acquaintance with the facts and business details connected with it, that he was appointed chairman of a com- mittee raised to examine into and report on the existing mode of disposing of the public lands. After a proper investigation, lie presented a l-eport, accompanied by a bill, the principal object of which was, to reduce- the size of the tracts of public land offered for sale, to sueh a smaller number of acres as would place them within the reach of actual set- tlers. This masterly report, which was the joint production of himself and Mr. Gallatin, together with the great ability and eloquence with which he defended his bill from the powerful opposition it encountered in the House, gained Mr. Harrison a reputation rarely attained by so young a statesman. The bill was carried triumphantly in the House, and finally, after some amendments, passed the Senate. The result was, that the public lands, instead of being offered only in large tracts, of which four thousand acres was the smallest, size, were now to be sold in alternate sections and half sections; the former containing 640, and the latter 320 acres each. The point gained was of immense importance, since, from the low price of these lands, and the small amount, of purchase money required to be paid, they were now within the reach of nearly all the poorer emigrants and actual set- tlers, who felt a natural desire to own the fee simple of their homes, and of the lands they subdued from the wilderness. Thousands of the hardy and industrious farmers of our Northern and Middle States, and many of the poorer planters of the South, availed them- selves of the fair field which was now opened for emigration and enterprise ; and we may justly consider this happy result, which Mr. Harrison was so instrumental in producing, as one of the leading causes of the rapid settlement and prosperity of our western country. In the year 1800, the Northwestern territory was divided. That part of the old terri- tory, included within the present boundaries of Ohio and Michigan, retained its former name ; and the immense extent of country north-west of this, was made a separate territo- ry, and received the name of Indiana. Soon after this division had taken place, Mr. Har- rison resigned his seat in Congress, and was appointed governor of the new territory. This appointment gave great satisfaction to the people of Indiana, with whom the patriotic exertions of Mr. Harrison had rendered him deservedly popular ; and it was, at the same time, the strongest evidence of die confidence with which the General Government relied upon his integrity, prudence, and capacity for civil government. The extent of Indiana wis almost boundless. The small population it then contained was thinly scattered through avast wilderness, and only three settlements of any note ex- isted within its territory. One of these was at Vincennes, the capital ; another at the Falls of the Ohio, one" hundred miles distant from Vincennes; and the third was on the Mississippi, at a distance of more than two hundred miles from the capital. The commu- nication between these remote points was, at all times, difficult and toilsome, and often at- tended with great danger. There existed no practicable roads, and nearly all the inter- mediate country was occupied by the Indians, or overrun by their hunting-parties. Most 5 of these savage tribes, though professing to be friendly, were restless ami diss: : ; sfied, ami their leading chiefs still nursed a moody h/)pe of revenge for h mortify ii f d feat they had sustained six years before, at the battle of the Miami. , rtful and treacb irous, nume- rous, warlike, and thirsting for plunder, they kept this remote frontier in continual excite- ment and ai arm. The angry fei four hard) borderer we •■ frequ ntlj roused by some robbery or atrocious i n itt< .1 by the more evil-disposed among their sa- vage neighbors, and quarrels often ensued, which threatened the peace of the whole com- munity. Such was the exist-in state of things in Indiana Territory, when Air. Harrison was appointed to the a (ministration of its government. As governor of a frontii r lerriti ry so peculiarly situated, .Mr. Harrison was invested with, civil powers of the most important nature, as well as with military authority. Besides the ordinary power which he held, ex-officio, as governor, he had the sole" power of dividing the district into counties and townships, and was appointed the general superintendent of Indian affairs. He had like- wise the unusual power of conferring oh a numerous class of individuals a legal title to large grants of land, on which they before held merely an equitable claim. His solo signature was sufficient, without any other formality, to give a valid title to these extensive and va- luable tracts of land. Possessed of this 'immense power, opportunities were continually b'sfore him of accumulating a princely fortune; but the scrupulous sense of honor, which has always characterized Mr. Harrison, would never permit him to speculate in lands over which he had any control. And it is a fact worthy of note, that during the whole time that he held this important trust, he never availed himself of his peculiar advantages to acquire a single acre of laud ; no shadow of suspicion ever doubted his disinterested- ness, and not a murmur ever accused him of partiality, or even of unnecessary delay, in the performance of this delicate duty. We mention this only to show, that the integrity of Mr. Harrison is not merely theoretical, but practical; and that it has always shone with the purest lustre when assailed by the strongest temptations. In 1803, Mr. Jefferson appointed Governor Harrison sole " commissioner to enter into •any treaties which may be necessary with any Indian tribes, north-west ot the Ohio, and wlthiu the territory of the United States, on the subject of their boundaries or lands." By virtue of this, or a similar authority, during the subsequent course of his administra- tion, Harrison effected thirteen important treaties with the different tribes, on the most ad- vantageous terms ; and obtained from them, at various times, the cession of large tracts ot land, amounting, m all, to more than sixty millions of acres, and embracing a large por- tion of the richest region in our country. In their frequent intercourse with Governor Harrison, the Indians had learned to respect his undaunted firmness, and were, at the same rime, conciliated by his kindness of manner and considerate forbearance. This, with his intimate knowledge of the Indian character, is the truf secret of the remarkable success that has uniformly attended every treaty he has attempted to effect. The various and arduous dudes of the Governor of Indiana required, for this office, a man of.very superior abilities — one possessed of stern integrity and prudent moderation, accompanied by the most unwavering firmness. Such a man, Governor Harrison, in the long course of his administration, fully proved himself to he. The plainest evidence of this, to those who are not familiar with the history of Indiana during this period, is the fact, that, for thirteen years, at every successive expiration of his term of office, he was re-appointed, at the earnest solicitation of the people of the Territory, and with the public expression of the mast flattering approbation on the part of our Chief Executive. _ And this, too, notwithstanding the entire' change which had taken place within that time in the ruling politics of the country — his first appointmenl having been made by Mr. Adams, his second and third by Mr. Jefferson, and his fourth, by Mr. Madison. The following ex- tract from the resolution, unanimously passed by the House of Representatives of Indiana, in the year 1809, requesting the re-appo ntment of Governor Harrison, will show the esti- mate which along acquaintance had taught them of his worth: " They (die House of Representatives) cannot forbear recommending to, and requesting of, the Pre- sident and Senate, most earnestly in their own names, and in the names of their constituents, the re-ap- pointment of their present Governor— William Henry Harrison, because he possesses the good wishes and affections of a great majority of his fellow-citizens ; because they believe him sincerely attached to the Union, the prosperity of the United states, and the administration of its government ; liecause they be- lievc him, in a superior degree, capable pf promoting the interest of our Territory ; from iong experience ;nnl laborious attention to its concerns, from his influence over the Indians, and wise and disinterested management of that department ; and because they have confidence in his virtues, talents, and repub- licanism."' If necessary, we might fill a goodly volume with extracts from public documents of a similar nahnc ; but what stronger pr >of than this could we have of the popularity of Gov- ernor Harrison, and of the entire confidence with which the people relied on his integrity and ability as a statesman? In the vear 1805, the celebrated Indian chief, Tecumthe, and his notorious brother, the Shawanese prophet, Ol-li-wa-chi-ca, (sometimes called Els-kwa-law-a.) began to create disturbances on the frontiers of Indiana. Tecumthe was a bold and daring warrior ; saga- cious in council, and formidable in battle. The prophet was a shrewd impostor; cunning, artful, and treacherous ; and they were leagued together by the tie of mutual interests, and a common hatred to the whites. The object of these crafty intriguers was to form, by their own influence and the aid of foreign emissaries, a combination among all the North- western tribes of Indians, with the hope that, by a simultaneous attack, they might destroy all the whites, or force them from the Valley of the Mississippi. But their designs were soon known to Governor Harrison, and, aware of his dangerous situation, his prudence and wise policy enabled him, for several years, to hold his savage neighbors in check. The following extract from a speech which he delivered to the Legislature of Indiana, in 1809, will serve to show that he fully understood the nature and cause of the excitement then existing among the Indians : o " Presenting, as we do," said Governor Harrison, " a very extended frontier to numerous and war- like tribes of the Aborigines, the state of our relations with them must always form an important and in- teresting feature in our local politics. It is with regret that I have to inform you, that the harmony and good understanding which it is so much our interest to cultivate with those our neighbors, have, for some time past, experienced a considerable interruption, and that we have, indeed, been threatened with hostili- ties, by a combination foimed under the auspices of a bold adventurer, who pretended to act under the immediate inspiration of the Deity. His character as a prophet would not, however, have given him any very dangerous influence, if he had not been assisted by the intrigues and ftdvice of foreign agents, and other disaffected persons, who have for years omitted no opportunity of counteracting the measures of the Government with regard to the Indians, and filling their naturally jealous minds with suspicions of the justice and integrity of our views towards them." Two years subsequent to this, in 1811, from petty aggressions, the Indians proceeded to more open violence, and acts of decided hostility. The war whoop was again heard yelling within the limits of the territory, and every day brought fresh accounts of the perpetration of those atrocious deeds of depredation and murder, which always irives the first intimation of a savage war. From motives of humanity as well as policy, Governor HarrisQii had always endeavored to avoid a war with the Indians ; but when this result became unavoidable, he promptly adopted the most ener • ic measures within his limit- ed resources, to place the territory in a posture of defence. At his own earnest request, and at the solicitation of the people, the President, soon after, directed him to inarch with an armed force towards the principal place of rendezvous of the hostile Indians, the Pro- phet's town, on the Wabash, near the mouth of the Tippecanoe — where this crafty impostor had assembled a body of more than a thousand fierce warriors, ready to obey his will. Governor Harrison immediately assembled£ve hundred of the militia and volunteers of Indiana. These with a regimen'1 d United States infantry, consisting of three hundred and fifty men, commanded by Colonel Boyd, and a small body of volunteers from Ken- tucky, constituted his whole available force— amounting in all to about nine hundred ef- fective men. As soon as he had disciplined these troops, and trained both the regulars and militia in the Indian mode of warfare, he took up his line of march towards the Prophet's town. He left Fort Harrison, on the Wabash, about sixty miles above Vincennes, on the 28th of October, 1811. Profiting by his own early experience, [this was seventeen years after the battle of Miami,] and the remembered example of his old friend and com- mander, General Wayne, his march through a wild country to Tippecanoe, was conduct- ed with so much skill and prudence, that he avoided all danger of ambuscade or surprise from the savage foe. On the 6th of November, the army arrived within five or six miles of the Prophet's town. According to the instructions he had received from the Presi- dent, Governor Harrison immediately sent in a flag of truce, to endeavor to open an ami-' cable negotiation with the hostile Indians. To this overture, the Prophet returned a deceit- ful reply — he professed the most pacific intentions, and agreed to meet Harrison the next day in council, with his chiefs, to settle definitely the terms of peace. But Harrison knew too well the treachery of his artful antagonist to allow himself to be deceived by his specious professions, or lulled into any fancied security. He carefully selected the most eligible and defensible position for his encampment, and ordered his troops to lie upon their arms all night, that they might be in readiness, at a moment's warning, to repel any sudden attack of the enemy. The sequel proved that these precautions were wisely adopted. — An anxious night passed away without interruption; but about four o'clock, on the following morning, two hours before day light, a sentinel at one of the outposts discovered an Indian creeping stealthily towards the camp. He immediately gave the alaim, and almost at the same instant, a strong body of the enemy rushed to- wards the encampment, with the most savage yells. They made a furious charge on the left of the camp; and so sudden and desperate was their onset, that the guard stationed in that quarter, gave way, at first, to tiieir iierce assailants. But these brave troops soon ralli- ed, and retrieved the ground they had lost. The camp fires were extinguished with all possible haste, and the battle was now waged on more equal terms. Our gallant troops fought with the most daring intrepidity, and their savage foes evinced a desperate valour worthy of a better cause. The battle raged with eents, and furnished them with fire-arms, to induce them to renew their hostilities against our country, The crafty and daring Tecumthe, too, was once more in the field. Urged on by his savage eloquence, by their own native love for war and plunder, and by the atrocious intrigues of foreign agents, the Northwest- ern Indians again raised the war-whoop, and commenced their barbarous system of warfare Their cruel murders and depredations became of frequent occurrence, and the wailing of bereaved mothers and orphans, and the bitter complaints of those who had eicaped from the conflagration of their plundered homes, exci- ted the commis.-.eration of our hardy borderers, and roused a general feeling of indignation. Such was the state of excitement in our frontier settlements in the summer of 18)2. Immediately after the declaration of war. our western governors promptly adopted every measure in their power, for the defence of their respective States and Territories. But conscious of the great abilities and experience of Harrison, they placed the utmost reliance on his counsels, and looked on him as the leader under whom they might hope for success against the common enemy He aided Governor Ed- wards in placing the frontier of Illinois in a posture of defence, and soon after was invited by Governor Scott, of Kentucky, to a conference in relation to the Kentucky troops, which had been raised for the de- fence of the frontier. He accepted this invitation, and met Governor Scott at Frankfort, where he was received with the acclamations of the people, and with the highest civil and military -honors. These pub- lic marks of the high estimation in which Harrison was held by the people, were shortly after followed by proofs still more flattering, of their confidence in his patriotism, his abilities, and his military skill. Governor Scott had levied an armed force of more than five thousand militia and volunteers, com- manded by some of the ablest men and most experienced officers in the State. Two thousand of these troops were ordered for immediate service; anil they -had no sooner learned that they were destined to march to the aid of their fellow-countrymen on the frontier, than they at once unanimously expressed the most earnest desire to be placed under the command of Governor Harrison. This desire was responded to by the wishes of the people throughout the State. The laws of Kentucky, however, would not permit any other than a citizen to hold a command in the State militia. In this dilemma, Governor Scott con- sulted with the venerable Sheiby. (the governor elect.) the Hon. Henry Clay, and other distinguished citizens of the State ; and by their unanimous advice, he gave Harrison a brevet commission of major- general in the Kentucky militia, with express authority to take command of the gallant troops about to march to the frontier. This was a bold and unprecedented measure, but one that gave unbounded satis- faction to both soldiers and citizens, and one fully warranted by the peculiar exigencies of the case. These facts speak volumes in favor of the remarkable popularity which General Harrison enjoyed in a popula- tion of brave and chivalrie people. About this time, the cowardice and imbecility of General Hull tamely surrendered to the British the important post of Detroit, with tiie gallant force which composed its garrison. This event spread eon- sternarion far and wide, through the western country, and greatly increased the difficulty and arduous nature of Governor Harrison's duties. He immediately organized the brave troops under his command, and commenced a course of rigid discipline and military training, with the confident hope of retrieving the disasters conscqueut upon the cowardly surrender of Detroit. Soon after, he was appointed a brigadier-general in the service of the United States. But, as the chief command of the western army was conferred on Gerteral Winchester, Harrison declined accepting the commission tendered him, and gave up his command, to return to Indiana, and resume the duties of his territorial government. General Winchester was an old revolutionary soldier, and a brave and meritorious officer ; but one who was not, like Harrison, possessed of the enthusiastic confidence of the army. Governor Harrison exerted every effort in his power to reconcile the troops to this change. But soon after he left them, their displeasure at having been deprived of their favoritc*coinmander was not confined to murmurs, but crea- ted disaffection and almost mutiny. No sooner was the President made aware of the condition of the armv, and of the almost unanimous wishes of the Western people, than he immediately appointed Harrison, in place of Winchester, com- mander-in-chief of the the Northwestern army. The despatch conveying this appointment, overtook him on his way to Indiana, and he returned, without, delay, to the armv. The powers confened on Harrison, as commander-in-chief of the Northwestern army, were of great extent, and he was left to exercise them according to his own unrestricted judgment. In the despatch containing this appointment, dated September 17th, 1812. the Secretary of War says: "You will com mand such means as may be practicable ; exercise your own discretion, and act in all cases according to your own judgment;" thus conferring upon him extiaordinarv and almost unlimited power. We refer to fhifi, merely that we may here notice the remarkable fact, that, though vested with unusual powers, General Harrison was never known, during the' whole of his command, io eXeTdtee his authority in an on- just or oppressive manner. His measures wore energetic, but always qualified by his characteristic mode- ration and humanity, and by a regard for the feelings of even tlie meanest soldier in his camp. The duties that devolved on General Harrison, in his new station, were arduous beyond description* The troops under his command, though brave, were, mostly inexperienced and undisciplined recruits ; ami the army was badly equipped, and nearly destitute of baggage and military stores. With these limited means, and under these unfavorable circumstances, he -was required to defend an immense extent of iron-- tier, stretching along the shores of the great northern lakes, whose numerous harbors and rivers were easy of access to the enemy. In addition to this, the roads leading to those points which most required de- fence, were nearly impassable, and lay, for hundreds of miles, through a wilderness swarming with hostile Indians, and through gloomy and dangerous swamps, where the troops, though little encumbered with baggage, could advance but slowly, and with great fatigue. Under all these difficulties, the spirits of the" soldiers were sustained by the presence and example of their favorite commander, who animated them in their fatigues, and cheerfully endured the same hardships and privations which they encountered. The autumn and eaily part of the winter were spent in active and laborious preparations for the ap- proaching summer campaign ; roads were cut, depots formed, forts built, and a few expeditions were sent out to protect our outposts, and keep the enemy in check. One of these expeditions, consisting of a de- tachment of six hundred men, under Lieutenant Colonel Campbell, was sent by General Harrison against a fortified Indian village, from which our troops had suffered much annoyance. This enterprise was con- ducted with great skill and success. The village was attacked in the most gallant manner, and, after a desperate action of more than an hour, was carried at the point of the bayonet. From the general order issued by Harrison, on the return of this expedition, we make the following extract, which will convey some idea of the humane and generous feelings that have always characterized both his public and private conduct. After awarding these gallant troops the high meed of praise which their bratery had won, he goes on to say : " But the. character of this gallant detachment, exhibiting, as it did, perseverance, forti- tude, and bravery, would, however, be incomplete, if, in the midst of victory, they had forgotten the feel- ings of humanity. It is with the sincerest pleasure that the General has heard that the most punctual obedience was paid to his orders, in not only saving all the women and children, but in sparing all the warriors who ceased to resist, and that even when vigorously attacked by the enemy, the claims of mercy prevailed over every sense of their own danger, and this heroic hand respected the lives of their prisoners. Let an account of murdered innocence be opened in the records of Heaven against out enemies alone.- The American soldier will follow the example of his Government; and the sword of the one will not be raised against the fallen and helpless, nor the gold of the other be paid for the scalps of a massacred enered, when it is no longer seen. To be esteemed eminently great, it is necessary to be eminently good. The qualities of the hero and the general, must be devoted to the advantage of mankind, before he will be permitted to assume the title of their benefactor; and the station which he will hold in their regard and alfections will depend, not upon the number and splendor of his victories, but upon the results and the use he may make of the influence he acquires from them." " If the fame of our Washington depended upon his military achievements, would the common con- sent of the world allow him the pre-eminence he possessses 1 The victories at Trenton, Monmouth, and York, brilliant as they were, exhibiting as they certainly did the highest grade of military talents, are scarcely thought of. The source of the veneration and esteem which is entertained for his character by every description of politicians, the monarchist and aristocrat, as well as the republican, is to be found in *The following is the resolution referred to: Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress as- sembled, That the thanks of Congress be, and they are hereby, presented to Mai. (Jen. WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON, and Isaac Shelby, late Governor of Ky., and, through them to the officers and men under their command, for their gallantry and good conduct in defeating the combined British and Indian forces under Major General Proctor, on the Thames, in Upper Canada, on the fifth day of October, one thousand eight hundred and thirteen, capturing the British army, with their baggage, camp equipage, and artillery ; and that the Pr -sident of the United States be requested to cause two gold medals to be struck, emblem- atical of this triumph, and presented to General Harrison and Isaac Shelby, late Governor of Kentucky. H. Clay, Speaker of the House of Representatives. John Gaillarh, President of the Senate, pro tempore. April 4, 1818.— Approved, JAMES MONROE. 13 his imdeviating and exclusive devotedness to the interest of his country. No selfish consideration was ■ever suffered to intrude itself into his mind. For his country he conquered ; and the unrivalled and in- creasing prosperity of that country, is constantly adding fresh glory to his name." We regret that our limits will not permit us to inseit the whole of this vigorous and beautiful pro- duction. But the few passages we have quoted, contain a fair specimen of the noble sentiments which characterize this letter, and give evidence of the pure republican principles, which have ever distinguished this eminent Statesman. General Harrison remained in Colombia but a short time, having been recalled by the present admin- istration, soon after it came into power. Since his return from this mission, he has lived in comparative retirement, in Ohio, the State of his adoption. With the most enticing opportunities of accumulating wealth, during his long government of Indiana, and superintendency of Indian affairs, he acquired none ; his honest and scrupulous integrity, was- proof against the golden temptations. His time and best energies were devoted to the service of his coun- try, and his own interests were ever, with him, a secondary consideration. He therefore retired without the spoils of office, and with only a competency barely sufficient for his support; hut rich in a reputation undimmed by a single tarnish, and in the honor and respect of all his fellow citizens. General Harrison is now sixty-five years of age; (about six years younger than President Jackson ;) but such have been the activity and temperate habits of his past life, that he enjoys his moral and physical energies in remarkable vigor. In person he is tall ar.d thin ; his features are irregular, but his eyes are- dark, keen and penetrating ; his forehead is expansive ; his mouth peculiarly indicative of firmness and genius ; and his countenance is highly expressive of intelligence and benevolence. His manners are plain, frank and unassuming, and his disposition is cheerful, kind and generous, almost to a fault. In his pri- vate intercourse, he is beloved and esteemed by all who know him. In the various civs! and military offi- ces he has held, he has always been moderate and'forhearing, yet firm and true to his trust. No otheir commander has ever been more popular with our militia, and the true secret of this cannot be better ex- plained than by his own reply, when asked how he had gained this influence : " By treating them," said he, "with affection and kindness, by always recollecting that they were my fellow citizens, whose feelings I was bound to respect ; and by sharing with them, on every occasion, the hardships which they were obliged to undergo." In the republican institutions of our country, birth and parentage are comparatively of very little im- portance ; and no candidate for public favor can found thereon the slightest claim to the respect e-r the sup- port of his fellow citizens. We have happily shaken oil' the thralling prejudices of the old world, and a title to office and honorable distinction is not with us hereditary ; but every man must earn his own "-ood name, and his claim to the favor of the people, by his own good deeds. Yet, aware, as every one must be- of the powerful influence of early education, it is worthy of remark, as well as gratifying to know, that a candidate for public office, in whom we feel an interest, passed all the early years of his life with the bright- est examples constantly before him ; and under the parental tuition of one of those illustrious patriots,, whose memory is revered by every true-hearted American. It is pleasing to know, that his first political sentiments were imbibed in a school of the purest republican principles. And when we trace up the ca- ieer of this individual, from the spring-time of his youth, to the summer of his manhood and to the early autumn of his years, and see those principles closely adhered to throughout, we can scarcely resist the con- viction, that his future course will be consistent with the past; and that, with matured abilities, he will be still more conspicuous for his republican principles, his moderation in office, his firm integrity, and his ex- tended and enlightened views as a Statesman. Such were the early advantages of William Henry Harri- son ; such has been Ms course thus far through life ; and such is now the bright promise, to a realization of which we may safely look forward, should the people see (it to place him in office. The friends of General Harrison found no claim on his military services. His own sentiments on this subject we have already quoted ; and his friends would scorn, as much as he would, any attempt to dazzle a single one of his fellow citizens by the gloiy of his military renown, brilliant though it be. They would rather point to his numerous civil services, in the forty years he has devoted to his country; to the various and important offices he has so ably filled — in the territorial governments, in the Legislature of his own State, and in the House of Representatives and Senate of the United States; and to the high or- der of abilities displayed in his speeches in Congress, in his public acts, and in his voluminous public cor- respondence. And we here take occasion to say, that all his letters and public papers have been exclu- sively written by himself; and that so far from his having called in the mental aid of another, to prepare his messages and despatches, as some of our distinguished men have condescended to do, he has never even employed an amanuensis, to perform the manual labor of his correspondence. His ruling principles, through life, appear to have been, an ardent love for his country, and an earnest desire to serve her best interests; with a devotion to the pure republican maxims of the Revolution, always unwavering and con- sistent; unlike the scheming politicians of a more modern school, whose own interest is the polar star that guides them, whatever may betide their country. With tried patriotism, with abilities of the highest order, with integrity pure as the unsullied snow, and with the truest republican principles, William Henry Harrison is now before his fellow citizens, as a, candidate for the highest office in their gift. In the long course of his public life, he has always been a staunch advocate of popular rights, and is therefore truly the candidate of the people. He cmies be-, fore them, not with a crowd of pampered and still-grasping officials to intrigue and bribe for him, but with the noble frankness of an honorable and high-minded man, willing and desirous to be judged impartially by his fellow citizens, and ready to abide by their honest decision. 14 APPENDIX. Since the nomination of General Plarrison for the Presidency, numerous objections have sprung into existence. This was not unexpected, nor should it be especially deprecated by those who desire the. suc- cess of the nomination. The lire of the Hint is elicited only by collision. Truth is established, where there are worshippers of error, only by labor and patient investigation. The friends of the nomination will surely be benefitted by the inquiries and discussions which opposition excites. Unfortunately for their authors, the objections to General Harrison have been drawn rather from the inventive genius of those who would be displeased by his election, than from the pages of true history. We select a few of the more prominent objections for brief notice here, and dismiss the more numerous but less important ones, with the remark, simply, that they are, in almost every instance, as unfounded as these : B. Tlae Charge oiT Federalism. This charge is unfounded. " Judge Burnet, who has known General Harrison forty years, and who was himself a Senator in Congress from Ohio, declares that he (Gen. Harrison) " was a firm, consistent, unyielding Republican of the Jefferson school, and warmly advocated the election of Mr. Jefferson against Mr. Adams." General Harrison supported Mr. Jefferson's administration, and was appointed Indian Commissioner, and Governor of Indiana, by Mr. Jefferson. He also supported Mr. Madison's and Mr. Monroe's admi- nistration, and was re-appointed Governor of Indiana by Mr. Madison, and received from him also, the ap- pointment of Major General in the Army. In a letter published in the Cincinnati Inquisiter, under date of the 17th September, 1822, General Harrison declares that he is "a Republican of the old Jeff erspnian school," and derives his principles of constitutional interpretation "from the a :■ brat i resolutions of'the Virginia Legislature, of '1)8 and '99;" that he therefore " denies to the General Government the exercise of any power but what is expressly given to it by the Constitution, or what is essentially necessary to carry the powers given into effect ;" that "he believes the charter given to the bank of the U. S. was unconstitutional ;" that " he believes the ten- dency of a large public debt to be to sap the foundation of the Constitution, by creating a moneyed aristo- cracy, whose views and interests must be in direct hostility to those of the mass of the people;" and that he is, therefore, " in favor of every practicable retrenchment in the expenditures of the Government," &c. In a debate in the (J. S. Senate, in March, 1826, in reply to some observations of Mr. Randolph, General Harrison said, "his opposition to the alien and sedition hues was so well known in the Terri- tory, that a promise was extorted from him by his friends in the Legislature, that, as he had no vote in the proceedings of Congress, he would not unnecessarily compromise the local interests of his constituents by the expression of his political opinions;" John Adams being, at the time he was sent a delegate to Con- gress, President of the United Stat. s. General Harrison further said : " he was not in Congress when the standing army was created, and the alien and sedition laws were passed, and if he had been, he could not have voted for them, and would not, if he could. It was not in his nature to be a violent or prescriptive partizan, but he had given a firm support to the republican administration of Jefferson,, Madison and Monroe." His principles, as more full] developed in his letter to Sherrod Williams, in 1836, and in his letter to Harmar Denny, in 1S38, are truly Democratic Republican, according to the understanding and definition of those principles by Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Madison, and their Republican cotemporaries and coadjutors. S. Tlie Charge ©£* Afcolifionisui. This charge is utterly groundless, and without apology. It is so palpable a misrepresentation, that it would seem to be urged in mere wantonness. There are scarcely to be found in the productions of any statesman of this Union, more energetic and unsparing denunciations of the schemes of the Abolitionists, than are embodied in the writings of General Harrison. In his address at Cheviot, in Ohio, on the 4th of July, 1833, he maintained in strong and unqualified language that, "the slave population is under the exclusive control of the States which possess them," and that "neither the Genera! Government nor the •non-slavcholding States can interfere in any way, with the right of property in slaves;" and he denounced, at the same time, the schemes of the Abolitionists as fraught with "horrors, upon which an incarnate devil only could look with approbation." In a speech made by him at Yincennes, in Indiana, in 1835, he pronounced the schemes of the Abo- litionists to be " weak', presumptuous and unconstitutional" — " illegal, persecuting and dangerous," and broadly maintained that the subject of slavery is under the exclusive jurisdiction of the South; and he moreover deprecated discussion upon the subject in the non-slavcholding States, as an abuse of the free- dom of speech, tending in its consequences to jeopard the peace and impair the rights of the slaveholding States. But, a brief and explicit definition of his position on this subject, was given in the following letter, addressed to a gentleman of New Orleans of much respectability : , 15 " Cincinnati, 26th November, 1886. " My Dear Sir ■ "I answer the questions you proposed to me this morning, with great pleasure. " 1st. I do not believe that Congress can abolish slavery in the States, or in any manner interfere with the property of the citizens in their slaves, but upon the application of the States, in which case, and in no other, they might appropriate money to aid the States so applying to g«t rid of their slaves. These opinions I have always held, and this was the ground upon which I voted against the Missouri restriction in the 15th Congress. The opinions given above are precisely those which were entertained by Mr. Jef- ferson and Mr. Madison. " 2d. I do nut believe that Congress can abolish slavery in the District of Columbia, ivithout the consent if the States of Virginia and Maryland, and ike people of the District. " I received a letter, some time since, from John M. Berrien, Esq., of Georgia, proposing questions si- milar to those made by you, and I answered them more at length than I have now done, but to the same import. " In haste, yours truly, W. H. HARRISON. . "To Thomas Sloo, Jr., of New Orleans, now in Cincinnati." ' 3. The Charge of seiEIaBg- White Men. for Debt. This charge is untrue. In the year 1821, while the Legislature of Ohio were revising the criminal laws of that State, the House of Representatives passed, unanimously, an act to punish petty larcenies, which contained a provision that when any person should be imprisoned, for failure to pay the fine or costs imposed or incurred upon his offence, it should be lawful to sell out such person as' a servant to any one within the State who would pay the amount, or, in other words relieve him from punishment by im- prisonment, for the shortest period of service — the relation of the purchaser and prisoner for the time being, to be that of master am! servant. General Harrison, with eleven others'; voted against a motion to strike out this feature of the. act. The provision was voted for at the time as a substitute for whipping, and was i considered the most mild and humane policy. It was not novel. Similar enactments had been in force in the same State since 1797. and have been long in force in Maine, Delaware, Illinois, Missouri, and other States. It was also a measure of public relief. The jails of the State had become so filled with petty thieves, who considered their support by the State a bounty for the violation of its laws, that a deficit of £20.000 had occurred in the penitentiary fund. The vole of General Harrison was, therefore, not only dictated by humane feelings, but by sound policy. There is a wide difference between " selling men for debt," and hiring out men to service as a meliorated form of inflicting a penalty for crime. General Harrison closes a letter on this subject, to the editor of the Cincinnati Advertiser, with the following paragraph : " 1 would appeal to the candor of your correspondent to say whether, if there were an individual con- fined under the circumstances I have mentioned; for whose fate he was interested, he would not gladly see him transferred from the filthy enclosure of a jail, and the still more filthy inhabitants, to the comfortable mansion of some virtuous citizen, whose admonitions would check his vicious propensities, and whose au- thority over him would be no more than is exercised over thousands of apprentices in our country, and those bound servants which are tolerated in our, as well as in every other State in the Union. Far from advocating the abominable principles attributed to me by your (indent, 1 Hunk that imprisonment for debt, under any circumstances but that where fraud is alleged, is at war with the best principles of our Constitution, and ought to be abolished. I am, sir, your hurnblo servant, North Send, Dec. 22, 1821. WM, H. HARRISON. The charge above alluded to, and a variety of other equally "weak inventions of the enemy," were circulated in handbills amongst the people of Ohio at the Presidential election, in 1S3G, and the State, not- withstanding, gave General Harrison a majority of ten thousand votes over all others, for the Presidency. 4. In relation to the TariiE Very gross and wanton injustice' has been done General Harrison, by perverting a passage in an ad- dress delivered by him to an Agricultural Society in Ohio, in 18151, so as to make the impression that he would not be willing to relax or abandon the Tariff policy, " till under its operation the grass was found to grow in the streets of Norfolk and Charleston." The truth is. that this expression was quoted by Gen- eral Harrison from an agricultural address of Mr. James M. Garnett of Virginia, who had argued that such was the actual effect of the Tariff on the South; and General Harrison, responding to the argument, de- clared, if such were really its effect, then " he would instantly give his voice for its modification or entire repeal." The sentiments of General Harrison are known to be those of great liberality on this subject ; for, in his Cheviot speech he declares, with as much justness of thought as elegance of expression, that " even in cases where the injuiious operation of a measure of the General Government is confined to a few, and it is beneficial to a large majority of the States, it would be evidence of as little foresight as of moral rectitude in the latter, to countenance the injury." * "The I^o§- Cabin and Gen. Hakiuson, when parting from a regiment of his soldiers, just after the Indian war, said to them: " Gentlemen, if you ever come to Vincennes, you will always find a plate and a knife and fork at my tahle, and I assure you that you will never find my door shut and the siring of the latch pulled in" This cut represents the veteran HARRISON as he now lives, a private citizen, in the act of wel- coming an old soldier into his cabin, where he had some friends at dinner. He introduced him thus : " Gentlemen, here is one of my old comrades, who has done battle for his country, and he will take a 6eat with us at table." The soldier, thus introdu- ced, was received with open arms and joyful hearts by the company. aril Cider Candidate." Am Elotpaesfct jtecord. WILLIAM II . HARRISON was born in Virginia, on the 9th February, 1773. In 1791, when 19 years of age, he was appointed by Washington an Ensign in our infant army. In 1792, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant ; and in '.793, joined the legion under General Wayne, and in a few days thereafter, was selected by him as one of his Aids. On the 24th of August, 1794, he distinguished himself in the battle of the Miami, and elicited the most flattering written approbation of General Wayne. In 1795, he was made a Captain, and was placed in command of Fort Washington. In 1797, he was appointed, by President Adams, Secretary of the Northwestern Territory, and ex- offlcio Lieut. Governor. In 1798, he was chosen a delegate to Congress. In 1801, he was appointed Governor of Indiana, and in the same year, President Jefferson appointed him sole Commissioner for treating with the Indians. In 1809, he was re-appointed Governor of Indiana by Madison. On the 7th November, 1811, he gained the great victory of TIPPECANOE. On the 11th September, 1812, he was appointed by Madison, Commander-in-Chief of the North- western Army. On the 1st May, 1813, the siege of Fort Meigs commenced — lasted five days, and was terminated by the brilliant and successful sortie of General Harrison. On the 31st July, 1813, the battle of Fort Stephenson occurred. On the 5th October, 1S13, he gained the splendid victory of the THAMES, over the British and Indians under Proctor. In 1814, he was appointed by Madison one of the Commissioners to treat with the Indians ; and in the same year, with his colleagues Gov. Shelby and Gen. Cass, concluded the celebrated treaty of Green- ville. In 1815, he was again appointed such Commissioner, with Gen. McAnhur and Mr. Graham, and negotiated a treaty at Detroit. In 18 1 G, he was elected a member of Congress. In January, 1818, he introduced a resolution in honor of Kosciusko, and supported it in one of the most feeling, classical and eloquent speeches ever delivered in the House of Representatives. In 1819, he was elected a member of the Ohio Senate. In 1821, he was elected Senator in Congress, and was appointed in 1S25, Chairman of the Military Committee, in place of Gen. Jackson, who had resigned. In 1827, he was appointed Minister to Colombia, and in 1S29, wrote his immortal letter to Bolivar, the deliverer of South America. Of him Col. Johnson (Vice-President) thus spoke in the House of Representatives whilst a member of that body : — " Of the career of (Jen. Harrison I need not speak — the history of the west is his history. For forty jears he has been identified with its interests, its perils and its hopes. Universally beloved in the walks of peace, and distinguished by his ability in the councils of his country, he has been yet more illustriously distinguished in the field. During the late war, he was longer in actual service than any other General Officer; he was, perhaps, oftener in action than any one of them, and never sustained a defeat." Such is the man, who still enjoying his untarnished fame arrd glory, and standing on a proud and lofty eminence, where neither malice or envy car. assail him, is now summoned by his grateful country- men to leave the quiet walks of private life, to guide the councils of the nation, " and deliver the country from the dangers which encompass it." And uk will nc nun bk:lit:biieb ! ! !! ! ! _,. --„ f\W 8 I HK* li^ ^iBfc -^^^ **o* .** °^ * a V ••v* 9 % v V "OV '^ff^ 0* -:-. A k ' ^ / ' *. * >- • * O o. rr, t» ,o y oV° jr .l % w ••»'- %/ 'isKfe V* ^ * *> /.. 25 V** .'; C_ *."^^,' * .^ C •iv.V ,**\.^.\ /.^-A >*.^:.V .-«»'■ **o« »•* :«*■*■• *■* w »}» v "& a? .L^L* ,o v ^ **r^r» or ? .0 ■ ■. " 1 .# • *> ,o > .0 A v :v v o, •■ « . 1 • aO $•/%. ^ aP »Ll 5> ^