"Ben was the only Republican in the family and the more shame for him." 11

By: vivian on 4:38 PM

Share it Please

Tweet

“Ben was the only Republican in the family and the more shame for him.”

-

John Scott Harrison, Jr., brother to the future president, quoted by an unknown family member (likely sister Jennie Harrison Morris) in a letter dated July 23rd, 1860.

Benjamin Harrison belonged to an old, distinguished, and conservative Whig family. When the Whig party dissolved following the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854, the larger portion of the family threw in with the American or “Know-Nothing” Party. Only Ben joined the Republicans and advocated for the abolition of slavery.

Related post