Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 August 1888 — HOW HE ENTERED THE PARTY. [ARTICLE]

HOW HE ENTERED THE PARTY.

Gen. Harrison Relates How He Was Carried Ilodily Into the Camp. Gen- Harrison, although a Republican since the foundation of the party,/did not go into it of his own free" will. He had to be carried into it feet first. He wag picked up, carried off bodily, and literally thrown into the pauty. He himself told tho story of it to Tho Sun correspondent. “It was right after Rremont Was nom : mated,” ho raid, “and While ! was practicing law with Mr. Wallace. Wo were in our office in an upstairs, room, where The News building now stands, when Mr. Roberts, who used to keep a drug store hero, and another man, vhoSo name I forget, came running >b and told us that Fremont was nominated; that they were going to have a ratification meeting right away, and that I must come down and address it. I said I couldn’t think of sugli a thing; that I had nothing to say, and was not prepared. They insisted that I could make a * good enough speech without any preparation, and' that I must come. I said that I wasn’t sure about this Fremont business, anyhow, and refused point :h!anfc:W"gO';' They Simply mo, lifted me off my feet and started away with mm They carried me bodily down stairs, out into the street and without ever letting my feet- touch the ground, took mo over to where the meeting was to be held and sat me up on a packing box before a crowd of three or four hundred persons. Of course I had to talk then. That was my initiation into the Republican party.”