Harrison

Benjamin, the twenty-third president of the United States. He was born at North Bend, Ohio, August 20, 1833, and died at Indianapolis, Indiana, March 13, 1901. He was the grandson of President William Henry Harrison. He was graduated at Miami University in 1852, and took up the practice of law in Indianapolis. In 1862 he entered the Union army as a colonel. His career was honorable and courageous. He retired with the rank of brigadier-general and resumed the practice of law. In 1876 he was nominated by the Republicans for governor, but was defeated at the polls. He sat in the United States Senate from 1881 to 1887. In 1888 he was nominated by the Republicans for the presidency, and defeated President Cleveland, who was a candidate for reelection. The principal issue of the campaign was protection. In the organization of a cabinet, Blaine was made secretary of state, Windom, secretary of the treasury, and Wanamaker, postmaster general. The McKinley tariff bill and the Sherman silver act were enacted during his administration. In 1892 Harrison was renominated for the presidency, the rival candidate being Blaine, who had resigned from the cabinet to make the contest. High tariff again formed the issue. Harrison was defeated by Cleveland. He returned to Indianapolis and resumed the practice of law. He was invited to deliver lectures on international law by Leland Stanford University. He acted as the attorney for Venezuela in a boundary dispute with Great Britain. He was one of the representatives of the United States at the Hague Peace Conference, and was appointed by President McKinley as the member for the United States at the international court of arbitration. His reputation is that of a scholarly, honorable man of moderate ability and political success.