The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1865-03-24
OUR NEW VICE PRESIDENT.
a DRUNKEN BOOR IN HIGH PO-
SITION.
Disgraceful Scenes at the Capitol.
Washington Correspondence n. Y. Herald

Washington Correspondence n. Y. Herald
Durlrg all this time Andrew Johnson
for such he simply was then, not having
taken the oath of office (wouId to heaven
tina. 1t could be said in behalf of the coun-
try that he Is still only Andrew Johnson
continued his speech. Such a speech
II might have been appropriate at some
husiings IN tennessee; but it certainly
was far iron being appropriate on this
occasion. 1t was not ouIy a ninety ninth
rate stump speech, but disgraceful in the
extreme. lie had not proceeded far when
senators on the republican side began to
hang their heads, sink down in their seats
| lock at each other with significance, as
much AS to say, rs he crazy, or what is
the natter!' They exhibited in every
feature great uneaslness. There was no
mistaklng the fact that The senators were
mortified in the extreme The democrat.
lc senators leaned forward and appeared to
be chrckiing with each other over the fig
uIe made by the republican party throug
Their vice president elect. The foreign
ministers showed unmstakabe signs Of
came from Mr.. Johnson's lips. Eepubli>
can senators moved around in their seats,
unable TO sit still under the exhibition be-
fore them. Some of the senators sat side
ways, other turned their backs, as if anxi-
Gus 10 hide themselves.
Luckily for the members of the House
of Representatives they did not reach the
senate until several minutes after twelve,
and they were not subjected to but small
portion of this scene
The speech was disconnected, the SEN
fences so incoherent tha: it WAS imoossi
ole 10 give an accurate report Of bis speech.
As his sentences came up in the reporters
gallary, the statements that your president
is plebeiah-I an a plebeian, glory in
tt am going to talk two minutes and
half on that point-l want you to hear
ne. Tennessee always was loyal-we all
derive our power from the people--Chief
Justice Chase is bpt a creature Of The PEG
pie--l want you to hear ne two minutes
on that point-you, Mr.. Stanton, secretary
OF war, derive your authority and power
from the people. ("Who is secretary OF
the navy g was then heard, in voice Of
less volume. Some one responded Mr..
| NeiIes You, Mr.. Welles, secretary OF
the navy, get your power from the people.
his was the strain and toue of the whole
speech, mixed with lecture to the senate
on the action of the senate on the rebelIi-
Gus states.
1t was impossible to give full repor,
sitting in the gallary. The constant clat-
ter of voices in thu rear, declaring,
" What shame" (" las he 10 friends e.
Is there 10 person who will have mercy
upon him" "IelI him to stop and save
the the country fur;;h,c; disgrace" were So
numerous that il entirely prevented a full
repor, being made. The only full repor,
was that OF the official reporters of the
Globe. The senators, however, were sc
chagrined at the speech that they notified
the Globe reporter to suppress bis copy
and wait until Mir. johnson could write
cut speech, that this affair might not &c
before the world in that form. 1t is char
liable to say that bis condition was such
that he was unfit to make speech. IL
evidently did not shun Bourbon county
Kentucky, on his way here
Mr.. Johnson finally concluded his speech
whereupon Vice President Ilamlin admin,
istered to him the oath Of office. Mr.
Hamlln read the oath by sentences. ant
Mr.. Johnson repeated it after him. The
effort Of the vice president elect to &C
through with the form of repeating The
sentences as read by M!. Hamlin wa:
painful IN the extreme. He stumbled
stammered, repeated portions Of it severa
times over. The moment that he conclul
ed this task Mr. Johnson turned to The
audience and commenced another speech
giving TO those assembled his idea of the
oath which he had just taken. lie hat
uttered but two or three sentences wher
some of the officials standing near lin
had the good sense to stop him, he having
already occupied some nineteen minutes
IN bis former speech, and delayed the pro-
ceedings beyond all usages. They were
unwilling that they should be any longer
delayed by the incoherent remarks of this
new official. 1t has heretofore been the
custom to close all speeches the moment
that The judges of the Supreme Court and
| diplomatic corps reach the senate cham
Der. Mir. Hamln, in accordance with this
usage, closed his speech in time to give
Mr.. johnson some seven minutes to make
his remarks before The arrival Of the above
dignitares. But NJ. johnson did not
appear TO understand the usage on such
occasions, or else was not inclined to fol-
low them, for the diplomatic gentlemen
heard the bulk Of bis speech, and, unfor-
tuLateiy, the worst part of it. The mo-
ment that the new vice president had been
sileneed, Mr.. Hamlin declared the old SEN
ate adjourned
The new Y elected senators were order
ed TO approach the clerks desk and take
the oath of office as their names were an
nounced. Here Vice President Johnson
made another fur pas He stepped for
ward with the Bible, held it out, and no.
toned to the new senators 10 touch the
! Blole, bow their heads in assent, and then
motioned them away without repeating
the oath IN any form. Most of the sena>
tors left the stand when the muddle was
discovered. The senators were recalled
and Mr.. Forney administered to them the
oath Of office. BY this time it became
apparent that some one besides Mr.. John