The New President of the United States

Feilding Star, Volume X, Issue 67, 13 November 1888, Page 3

The New President of the United States

General Harrison represents the antiinouarchical cause by right of descent. Samuel Pepys tells in his "Diary," under date 10th October, 1660, how he is informed of the arraignment of a number of regicides who " will all be condemned without > questiou." Among this fore-doomed culprits was Major-General Harrison, who was one of the men who tried Charles, aud whose name appears to the warrant of execution. On the 13th of October Mr Pepys writes : — " I went out to Charing Cross to see Major-General Harrison hanged, drawn, and quartered, which waa done there, he looking as cheerful as any man could do in that oondition. He was presently cut dawn, and his head and heart shown to the people, at which there was great shouts of joy. It is said that he said he was sure-4oisoni« shortly at the right hand

of Christ to judge those that now had judged him, and that his wife does expect his coming again. Thus it was my chance to see the king beheaded at Whitehall, and to see the first blooJ.-ihod iv revenge for the king at dialing Cross. There can be no doubt that Harrison was a fervid fanatic. Allan&on Picton says that he \v;i3*'a man who in purity of purpose whs worthy to rank with Eliot." Cr unveil, when he made himself dictator, tried in vain to flatter him into allegiance, failing which he had to commit him !o pribon. On his trial by Charles ll's complaisant judges. Harrison averred, " those who had been to mo as the apple of mine cyo v.hon they had turned aside said to me, ' ."*it thou on my right hand,' but I loathed it." The descendants of this sturdy Republican transferred themselves to New England, where one of them, Benjamin Harrison, took an active part ii. the revolutionary war, and signed the declaration of Independence. His son, William Henry, in 1841, when he was 68 years of age, became President after a coutest of more than usual intensity. The excitement was too much for him. He died at the White House a month afterwards. Benjamin Harrison, who has just been elected, is his grandson. Benjamin was born in his grandfather's house, at North Bend, Ohio, on the 20th August, 1833. He graduated at Miami University, Oxford, in the same State. Ohio takes the lead of the Union in the number, and some say the excellence, of its educational institutions. In the year 1880 it was returned as owning 35 more colleges than any other .^tate, 10 of them bearing the ambitious title of universities. After having been admitted to the bar Benjamin Harrison took up his abode in Indianapolis, the capital of the adjoining State, and speedily gained a reputation both as lawyer and public speaker. While he filled the office of reporter of the Supreme Court of Indiana the War of Secession broke out, and, leaving his family and profession, he volunteered into the army, and was appointed lieutenant. His career as a soldier did credit to his family name, and when the ■aar terminated he was a brigadif.r-genoral Resuming his profession as an advocate, he was nominated as Republican candidate for Governor of Indiana in 1876, and waa elected a United senator in 1881, His popularity iv Indiana is unbounded, and the State's delegates to the Chicago convention were instructed to present him as the unreserved choice of the Indiana Republicans for President — Post.