Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-03-11

II NAV be recollected that in an editorial
communication to The State Journal written
from Washington on Saturday, disparaglng
allusion was made to the speech OF wee
President Johnson. We were at the time
wholly at loss as to the occasion that
should call forth remarks of such tenor,
from such source. InThe journal OF Thurs
day, we gave synopsis OF the CLOSING
scenes in the Senate, CLEANED from Eastern
papers, including report OF the speech I'M
puted to Mr.. johnson on the occasion. III
that report, we failed 10 discern 9ccasloi y. ~, "
Justify the degree of censure Implied IN our
Editorial Correspondence, and gladly re-
produced it, as an act OF simple justice TO the
Vice President. Right glad would we be,
could we find it consistent with our sense OF
duty as faithful chroniclers, to rest the mat
Ter there. But fame, with its thousand
tongues. has already proclaimed the fact that
the second officer in the Government, the
Vice Presidentof the United States, humlll,
,ated his friends, disgraced his country, ana
degraded himself, by appearing before IN Gne
President, Supreme Court the heaus oI De-
Dartments, the Senate of the United States,
the Representatives of the People, and the
Representatives of Foreign Countries, TO
take upon himself the high responsiveness
of his office. in a condition OF Wretched ue-
bauch in which he had been indulging Tor
two weeksl Itis now quite evident that the
speech of the Vice President as given by us
on Thursday, has been eXpurgated, ana
fitted up in the best style of parliamentary
reporting, to spare the friends OF the vice
President the deep mortiication OF d ilGeral
rendering. The misfortune is. tnat. dH tne
reporters present could not 'pe OrouSeC W
adont tbis course: and the shameful facts
are how natent TO the world. Wehad never
until now, heard the shame of drunkenness
Imputed to Andrew Johnson; and rlghC
glad would we be could we now, IN the lace
ot the evidence before us, still indulge III
credulity respecting ikCOhio State j ourndt'
So, it seems that tle inaugural speech OF
Mr.. JOHNSON we published was put into
a sort of presentable shape by reporters
The Cincinnati Gazette is anxious that Mr.
JOHNSON should resign his position, and
now regrets exceedingly that it did not ex-
pose his drunkenness when he was at Gin
cinnati, en- route for Washington. This man
JOHNSON, who is pronounced by leading
Administration journals, as disgrace to
the position he now occupies, has been the
Governor of East Tennessee, by the grace
of Mr.. IINCoLN's appointment, for near
ly four years. He has been con-
sidered qualified to discharge the du-
ties of Governor of that State; his
drunkenness did not seem to work dis
qualification. We do not know that it re-
quires higher degree of morality, or more
sobriety, to preside over the deliberations
of the United States Senate-''four per
cent.n of whose members, according to the
statement of Washington correspondent
of The Cincinnati Commercial" had been
dead drunk for several months" and 'ten
per cent" of whom were sin hourly dan
ger of delirium tremens," than to ofllciate
as the Governor of a great State that was
being sought to be retained by the rebels?
Is it not a mockery-is it not offensive to
heaven-for religious men to labor for the
election of such men to great offices and
then ask the Lord to bless their Adminis-
tration? How eminently superior, in all
the elements that go to make up the man
and the Statesman. was Mr.. JoHNsoN's
competitor for the Vice Presidency
Hon. GEORGE II. PENDLEToN, who by
nature is gentleman, and whose
ability and requirements eminently qualify
him to adorn any position. Clergymen, in
the late political campaign, held that re-
hgion and patriotism could alone be pro-
NOTED by the election of LINCOLN and
JOHNSON over Nc CCLELLAN and PENDLEToN.
When did the Democratic party ever give
to the country a retailer of low jokes for
the Presidency and a besotted drunkard for
the Vice Presidency? 1t is indeed humil-
iation that the affairs of the adhering States
should be managed by such men, while the
rebellious States are presided over by a
President and Vice President whose morali-
ty and sobriety are known Of all men. Is
it because of this condition of things that
the LORD has been pleased not 10 answer
fully the prayers of either side? If ithither-
to has influenced Him in the answering of
the prayers of either side, we may reason
ably take it for granted that He will not
bless us with Union and Peace until our
people shall put into the various depart
ments of the Federal and State Govern
ments men who are at least moral and tenn
perate. In the absence of political excite
ment, it will be well for religious men to
give to this matter such consideration as
shall lead to the adoption of a course that
will speedily work reform. 1t is not tprob-
able that the LORD will thank them for as
sisting to elevate to place and power idiotic
men, and men wanting in craftsmanship,
and drunkards, and then call on Him to
bless the country, through them, with
benefcent government. For Him to do SO
will undoubtedly require the performance
OF miracle; and, if the expounders Of
theology are not at fault, this is not the age
of miracles.