Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1864-10-07
LINCOLN AND JOHNSON
fheir Struggles and their Triumphs.

hUbo oueus AItuSotu obS .huNsN - OoeeSS.
ere both natives Of slave States. They
we're born 10 the class Of poor whites
which slavery creates and preserves Tor its
own convenience. Lincoln obtained most
Of his ssan,y schooling not only after bis
removal into free State, but after he bad
reached tho full stature Of manhood, and
was enabled to earn and plan for himself;
vhile johnson never had any schooling N
an. and learned to read from bis wife after
his removal from his native State, North
Caroiiua, into almost free East Tennessee.
Neither Of the men could ever have been
chosen even to the Legislature in an essen
TALLY slaveholdipg community, no matter
how thorough their subserviency to "the
institution" They surmounted the inau-
snoe of slavery BY taking position outside
Of its more palpable domain.
To maintaia that such men lack ability
OF force Of character, is to hold that re-
publics are ruled by idiots Lincoln en-
tered Illinois . portionlcss, illiterate boy,
earning livelihood BY the rudest aud
hardest manual labor, and, within twenty
years thereafter, had become one of her
foremost lawyers and the acknowledged
leader of the more intellectual Of her two
grcst political parties-coDspicuous 10 her
Legislature, her only Wing member Of
Congress, candidate for Senatorial Elector,
U. 8. Senator, Vice President, and ulti-
nately for President. All these positions
were accorded to him without contest or
hesitation. ......J johnson entered Tennessee
IN hliterate tailor youth, poor 10 all but
hope and ambition, without o relative or
friend who could help him to . corporal.
ship iu The smallest company Of "aood'
wood" militia. A few gears later, be was
Q member Of Assembly; next We hear ,
from him 10 Congress then Governor Of
bis closely balanced Statc after 6 spirited
canvass; for Tennessee was then prepon-
derantly a Wing State, and her Wings
always ran for overnor one of their ables, !
and eleverest debatcrs. johnson had al !
Ways been a very ardent and active Dem
oerat and had made himself widely oh
noxious to bis political adVersarios. His
birth aud breeding were matters Of com.
mon rctorie,y, and the cultivated aristoc-
raey Of Nashville and the surrounding
region were not at all inclined to be ruled
BY the ex.jnurneyman tailor Of Jonesbor.
ough. They could not help themselves,
however; and johnson, after serving his
term as Governor, Was chosen TO the Uni
ted States Senate, where he made good
bis position against the ablest and proud |
cat in the land. He had his full share Of
the rugged discipline Of poverty and pri-
vation, and was thoroughly trained in the |
keen encounters of 40 active, arduous
public career. Doubtless, be feels and
reerets the deficiencies Of bis early culture;
bat who will say that he has not nobly
supplied them?
Mr.. johnson, as . leading Democrat,
and supporter Of Breckenridge for the
Presidency, saw the shareholders rebellion
take form and body. He knows it, "egg
and bird"-its impulses, ideas and aspira-
tions. Nearly every other prominent
Democrat of bis State and section was
drawn or driven into its tolls I; be never
sounteuanced il for . moment, nor regar.
ded it with the least allowance. He
knew il to be as hostile TO the class from
which be sprung in the South, as to the
smudsills" at the North, and he "stood
by bis order" like any British Peer. He
exposed the hollowness Of its pretexts, the
wickedness Of it's aims, in the presence Of
its coDtrivers, before they had imbrued
their hands in blood. He warned the
simple against their Vaccinations, and
warned them Of their inevitable failure
abd ruin. Had other Southern Unionss
been ~ faithful and fearless as be, the
madpess of secession would have been
stayed at the northern limit of the cotton
ssgiop, and our country would not now
Be rsskiDg With human blood.
Itis . common pro-slavery cavil that
"you Abolitionists talk of what you
do not understand" This can not be
said Of Lincoln and johnson, who we're
born in slave States, and have been famil-
Jar with slavery since they FIRST opened
their eyes. Mr.. Lincoln was never an
Abolitionist till slavery declared war on
che Union; yet be says be never regarded
slavery in itself otherwise than as be now
does. "If slavery is not wrong, then
nothing is wrong" says be 10 bis letter to
Hodges. Mr.. johnson vas . tacit sup
porter Of slavery, until slavery struck at
the life Of bis country but be now holds,
with Lincoln, that union AMI peace are
emily possible through the 6ual, complete
overthrow Of their assailart.
Are these men, fanatics? II there
were an easief or shorter way to peace,