Benjamin Harrison as a Lawyer and an Orator.. Beginning in a timid manner, for he was a stranger in the place, and knew not whether or no many of his Republican friends were present, an opportunity was soon given Har rison to give a retort to a remark of Mr. Voorhees (afterward United States Senator from Indiana), who had been so indiscreet as to arise and contradict a statement he had made, that carried the house with him. He then proceeded to so effectually answer the argument of Mr. Hendricks, that at the con clusion of his speech, Mr. Voorhees arose and announced that in the evening he would answer the speech of Mr. Harrison. The report of Mr. Harrison's speech crept over the State, and he was thereafter in constant demand. It was in the Reporters office that he did his hardest work, and added to a stock of legal information already large. In 1862 he went into the volunteer service of the army as colonel. The Democrats insisted that he had abandoned his office, and at the fall elec tion elected a successor to him; and upon proper proceedings brought, the Supreme Court decided that the newly-elected Demo crat was entitled to the office. In 1864 Mr. Harrison was re-elected Reporter, although then in the field at the front, this time hold ing the office four years, the full term. Mr. Harrison edited ten volumes of the Reports of the Supreme Court of Indiana, and in many respects the editing is admir able. His syllabi are unusually accurate and clear, free from verbiage and redundancy. During the war a treasonable, secret or ganization existed in Indiana and adjoining States, known as the Knights of the Golden Circle, or Sons of Liberty. Its membership extended into the thousands, and its object was to aid the South in its attempt to dis member the Union, or, if the opportunity offered, to form a new confederation of the Northwest. Its ringleaders in Indiana were arrested and tried by a military court-mar tial. All who participated as judges acted under orders from a superior officer to pro
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ceed with the trial. Several were convicted of treason and sentenced to death. On habeas corpus proceedings they were all re leased by the United States Supreme Court, on the ground that, as Indiana was not the seat of war, the military commission had no jurisdiction to try the charge of treason. Soon afterwards one of the individuals who had been tried brought suit for damages against all the judges of the military commis sion, which was tried at Indianapolis in the Federal Courts; and Mr. Harrison was ap pointed by President Grant to defend the case, the government considering that it had such an interest in the defense of those who had acted under its orders as to justify it in defending those from whom the damages were claimed. Mr. Hendricks was leading counsel for the plaintiff. Naturally, the case excited great interest; for it was an echo of the War of the Rebellion. Under the rulings of the Supreme Court the defense was lim ited to a mitigation of the damages; and so successfully did Mr. Harrison conduct the defense, occupying many days, that the plaintiff recovered only nominal damages. The plea for mitigation of damages rested upon the treasonable acts of the plaintiff and his associates. The address of Air. Harrison was a mas terly effort. The plaintiff's treasonable con duct was held up unmercifully before the jury. Harrison spoke from his heart. Every sentence rang with loyalty or denunciation for the plaintiff. "Senator Hendricks, said the speaker, "will have a great deal to say to you about the security which the Constitution guaran tees to life, person, and property. It is in deed a grand birthright that our fathers have given us; but, gentlemen, it was a legacy handed down to the loyal and law-abiding. The law covers with its broad and impene trable shield the true-hearted citizen, not the traitor and the law-breaker. Yet the gentle man comes to make appeals from a Consti tution, which his client would have de
