period of his career for the first time, thus describes him : "He was small in stature, of slender physique, and what might be called a blonde. His eyes were gray tinged with blue, his hair light, reminding one of what, in ancient days along the Wabash, was more truly than poetically described as a 'tow-head'. He was plainly dressed, and, in that respect, gave tokens of indifference to the canons of fashion. He was modest in manner, even diffident; but he had a pleasant voice and look: and did not lack for words to express himself. At first one wondered that a young man, apparently so lacking in assertion, should intrust himself so far from home." Harrison came to Indiana at a fortunate period of time. The present Constitution had gone into force November 1, 1851 . Its provisions required a complete reformation of civil and criminal pleading and practice; and both the civil and criminal codes, with many other laws of a reformatory character, had gone into force May 6, 1853, w1tn tne publication of the Revised Statutes bearing date of the year previous. He, therefore, stood on a nearer equality with the older members of the bar than would otherwise have been the case. His first case was a State prosecution in the Circuit Court for burglary. Jonathan W. Gordon, who afterwards rose high in his pro fession, was the prosecuting attorney; and he invited Harrison to assist him. Horace Mann was to lecture in the evening, and Gor don desired to hear him. Those were the days when court was often held in the evening; and Gordon, thinking the case would occupy the evening, invited his young friend into the case, with a view of having him make the closing argument after night, while he could thus secure an opportunity to attend the lecture. . Harrison, as young lawyers are wont to do, made copious notes, but when he arose to speak, to his dismay he found he could not read them, for lack of light. Throwing them aside, he trusted to
his memory, and to his surprise found that he could recollect the evidence far better than he supposed. That night in the dimly lighted old court room he won his first case. So good an impression did he make, that the leading counsel for defendant soon invited him to become his partner, and the partner ship continued until the senior member, Mr. Wallace, became clerk in the Circuit Court in 1860. Mr. Harrison soon became interested in politics, joining his fortunes with the newly founded and rising Republican party. In 1855, at a small village of the county, he made his first political speech. In the cam paigns of 1856 and 1858 he took an active part as a speaker, with such success that in 1860 he was nominated and elected Reporter of the Supreme Court of his State. It was during the campaign of 1860 that he first met Thomas A. Hendricks, after wards for years his political and legal an tagonist. It chanced that Mr. Hendricks and he were to speak at the same place »at same hour. The former was pitted' against the Republican candidate for governor as the fittest man in the State to take care of the Democratic side of the political contest, and was- the Democratic candidate for the guber natorial office. As soon as Mr. Harrison ar rived at the town where he was to speak, a demand was made by the Democrats for a joint debate. The Republicans hesitated, but finally demanded of Mr. Harrison that he go into the debate. He hesitated, declaring it unfair to demand of the candidate on the tail of the ticket to debate with the one at the head; but he finally consented to do so. It was arranged, however, that Mr. Hendricks should speak two hours, and then Mr. Har rison so long as he chose to do so, thus avoiding technically a joint debate. Mr. Hendricks used up his time with one of those adroit and pleasing addresses, in a style in which few if any one could equal him. In closing, he courteously requested the audience to remain and hear Mr. Harrison.
