Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1865-03-25

Andrew Johnson's Drunkenness.

Foremost among the champions of the
Union in its struggle with rebellion, has
stood Andrew johnson of Tennessee, now
Vice President of the United Stnlts
Four years ago be s;osd up in The Senate
faithful among The faitbless, aud bravtIy
answered the drunken WigfalI,' telling the
conspirators that their reasonable plot
wonld fail, and that he ment 10 stand by
the Union. aud would fight till death for
the flag OF his country. Since that time
he has born the most bitter prosecutions
He has been driven from Lis home, his
house burned by traitors, bis property con
hscated, and price set upon bis head. -
And yet amid it all he never wavered, but
spoke brave and eloquent words for the
Union in the very teeth of those who
sought his life. This certainly was not in
,oxication, neither was il for fee or reward
for he saw no hing before him but death a,
the hands of his enemies. To him we art
Indebted for the safely of Nashville at @
lime when. but for bis pluck and resolution,
il would have been surrendered by faint.
hearted general. This was when be
was Military Governor of Tennessee
1t caDpot be denied that be has done more
than sry other man towards leading that
State back 10 10, ,aliy aud allegiance For
these services the loyal mea of the nation
have held him in the highest honor aud
when the lifting time arrived, they Goa
ferred upon him the highest possible token
OF a nations gratitude. Bat 10 an hour
he has fallen, and he whose courage and
faitfulusss had made him the leader Of the
Free Soath, is receiving the hitterest de-
nnnclallons from the press Of both par
ties.
Aud what is the offense that has brougb,
upou bis head this sweeping eondemnation2
Simply that he came into the Senate Cham.
ber, on the 4Ih of March, TO take upou him.
self the high and responsible obligations
OF The nations second officer, in & state of
almost senseless inebriation. H. reeled and
staggered to the Vice Presidents chair,
apd s,anmered and hiccoughed ont silly
maudin speech. He was too stupid TO
utter the solemn oath Of Office, or to irm
the new Senators who presented themselves
10 be sworn. This he d d and this be was
in the presence of all the assembled wisdom
of the nation, aud Of the representatives. of
foreign governments who had gathered to
witness he solemn rites of Inauguration.
All this was on the greatest day the nation
ever saw-the day on which she had risen
TO east off the fetters that had clogged her
progress since her birth, aud TO start out
on new career Of freedom, prosperity and
honor such as never knew parallel. Aud
the man who enacted this dlsgraceful scene
was be who had been chosen TO stand next
to him who was 10 guide the nation up the
6rst steps towards her wonderful destiny
Who could but sme II such man there bsi
Who could but weep II Attieus were he
1t is disgrace to the nation that q
msudlin, drunken man can hold high posi-
tioDs of honor and trust, aud the peculiar
circumstances surrounding this last recorded
scene of drunkenness render the case uu
precedentedly painful and aggravating.
Aud yet few brief references 10 history
will leach us that Drunkenness has not
been an uncommon fault with public and
even great and good men. The famous
aud successful appeal of the condemned
man from Philip drunk to Philip sober,
shows that The most popular prince aud
sblest politician Of his day was given to
his cups I.alah tells MS also that In bis
time lhefe we're men who got mp early aud
sat up late TO drink wine, and we're mighty
men TO mngle strong d'iuk. The aucien'
healbens too were so devoted to the prac-
tice that they raised the most by inebri
ale among ,hem TO the position. sot deity,
and worsbiped him under the name OF
Bscchus. Horace tells us that Cato the
Censor, who lived to the sgs Of eigh,y
years, and wss regarded ss model Of Ro
man virtue, used to got mellow with vine.