The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-01-15
HENRY JOHNSON.

Among the members OF the Senate, about
to retire from that body, there is no one
whose absence will be greater loss to the
public councils, than that Of HENRY JoHN-
SON Of Louisiana.
Long member Of the House of Repre-
sentatives, he won for himself high name
as a legislator and statesman. The PHoiic
records bear abundant evidence OF his use
fitness to his constituents and the pubic
generally, by his interchangeable attention to
business entrusted to his care, both IN Con-
gress and before the executive departments
As committeeman, his labors are not
whit behind those of the most industrious
members Indeed, it will be doing no in
Justice to any representative, who has ever
held seat on the floor Of the House, to
assign to Mr.. Johnson the palm of industry,
sound judgment, and tact as committee
man.
That much injured class Of citizens, to
whom the government owes money, and
whose rights it is in the daily habit of vio-
lating, is largely indebted 10 Mr.. johnson,
both as Senator and Representative, for
his activity and success in compelling pay
ment Of their Just claims. The private
claims, which Mr.. Johnson was mainly in
strumsntal, during his term Of service, in
getting through Congress, exceed in amount
the labors of any Of his brother Legislators
during the same period Of time. He always
enjoyed the confidence of both houses, and
a claim, which bore his recommendation to
be passed, was seldom or ever lost
On all the public questions Of the day,
Mr.. Johnson has always occupied truly ma
tional Wing ground. To be right, appeared
to be his rule Of action; and events have,
in every case where there was doubt in the
beginning, justified the wisdom Of his course.
He is moderate man--neyer falling into
extremes on any question. Such legisla-
tor is ever safe public servant. Where he
has differed from his political brethren, on
any public question, it has invariably turned
out, that his course was the true one, and
that il was sustained by the country.
Governor Johnson's administrative facul-
ties are Of the highest order of excellence,
as was fully demonstrated by his successful
execution Of the Office Of Governor Of the
State of Louisiana, for several terms. His
sense Of Justice and his character for inhexi-
BILE integrity, enabled him to exercise the
appointing power-that Pandora's box of
every executve--while occupying the CUB
ernatorial chair Of Louisiana, with an Impair
tiality and sole regard for the public good,
that have secured for him the afectionate re-
membranes Of his onstituents-remem
brances, which any man may be proud to
enjoy.
His expanded views Of public policy, in
every position which he has held, and his
sound judgment upon public measures with
sole reference to the good Of the country,
are impressed upon the Legislative history of
his own State and of the Union, in charac-
tiers not soon 10 be forgotten. All his
speeches, writings and reports, are distin-
gushed for their ohaste simplicity of style
and their close adherence to the subject
matter Of which they treat. To be useful,
without parade or show, seems to have been
his leading purpose in all his actions and
writings.
No man was ever in Congress, who, by
his personal bearing, secured warmer and
more devoted friends than Governor John
son; and we are sure, we express but the
general sentiment, when we repeat, that his
absence, from the public councils, will be
felt as loss that will not soon be replaced.