, 1865-03-16
Dcft nse Of Vice Presldens johnson.


York Commercial Ad.xrtiser writes as follows
Mr. johnson is at t.Silver Spring." the sub
urban residence ef Francis p. Blair, WHARF
the Vice Presidents Senatorial Giend, Prcsi.
dent king, Is also guest. It Is hoped that
lrcsh a1r and quiet will recuperate and restore
tic mental faculties Of Mr.. johnson, which
have been eadly deranged By the constant ex.
citement attendant on his administration Of
affairs in Tennessee, and BY recent severe
illnese, with other cauBes.
The EeW~York Sun Is ont with defense OF
pailiation Of the condition Of Vice President
johnson at the ceremony Of the Inauguration.
We quote the article entire:
While deprecatfng, In common with every
American citizen. who is keenly alive to the
honor and dignity of his country, the conduct
Of Vice President johnson at the inauguya-
tion on the fourth ct March, We would re-
sspectfully submit that the spirit In which 1t
Ia commented npon In public and private ID
scarcely less reprehensible than the offense
which has been committed: Although We
are kecnly sensitive Of the breach Of proprt-
ety, good taste and sound Sense that has been
committed By the magistrate Holding the sec-
ond office in the United States Government,
and can realize to some degrec the aid aud
comfort thatit will afford to foreign enemies
and domestic traitors, yet It Is due to truth,
II not to charity, to remember that there
are not wanting some circumstancea In
ject of 50 many 1elce assaults INN attitude
suggestive as much Of pity as Of condemna-
ton. Though fur from agreeing with many
Of the political views Of Andrew johnson,
VIC: recognize that there Is not In The Uni
ted States g. man who has rendered more
effective service to the Union cause. He
hoe been In the very depths and whirlpool o.
secession, and held bis ground, from hrst to
last, like man. At time when all mems
hearts forsook them, and when the treache7y
Of Mr.. Buchanan, and the scarcely disguised
vacillatfon Of President Lincoln and some
Of hts advisers, and the course Of q large
portien Of the pnblic press, headed Dy:; the
extremely doubtful whether any active oppo-
sition would be offered TO the formation Of a
slave confederacy, Andrew johnson, of Ten
nessee, IN his place In the United States Sem
ate, denounced JEFF. Davis and the other
Southern traitors to their faces, and main
submit to disunlon and dismembermeut. He
resisted all the blandiahments of the chiyatry,
and abandoned house, home, property, and
everything for the Union, and he has ever
been true 10 his record. AS Governor Of Ten
neesee he inspired our Generals there with
itabe ths sayd1E spE sSf and st1onc G1 his x ina0T
is no Secret t that At one % time Nashville
won1d hare been eracuated but for his oppo-
sition TO the opinion Of well known Gener-
al, who maintained that 1t should be aban-
dOned. In strictly strategIcal point Of view
1t should have been, for 1t had been hauked
by Bragg's army. But pluck trfumphed, and
Nashville is ours to this day, and was the base
ior all she1man's glorious successes. We
who 1iye peaceably at home cannot realize
the fierce excitement and peril to which
Border State Uniouist is or VAS subjected,
who dares to stand up for his principles.
Still Less can We comprehend the tremen.
dous strain upon a leader Of even Andrew
Jobnson's stalwart frame and robust mind:
last. The strong man succumbed In his hour
OF of-triumph. At the moment when his ser
vices had been recognized By the American
people, the Vice President elect Was stricken
down With an illness from which 1t was long
doubtful whether he could recover. he did
not die, but he has never been the same man
since. We have no heart to recount the old
sad story, Of resort to stimqlants, to re-
crnit the shattered energies which had been
wasted in The noblsat Of all causes parln. |.
t,.,is ons best, and Ehat nov appea5s. most quiet
broke down many Of the strongest men.
As compared with European Statesmen, our
public men do not live out half of their days
But now, when the events OF a hundred years
are crowded within the scope Of q few months,
who can tell the wear and tear Of Drawn and
UIA1u u lAuht WHO Struggle III tue neat ana
thick Of the contest? II is, perhaps, his mis-
fortune, rather than his fault, that Andrew
johnson did not pas5 the ordeal pnscathed.
TR excitement Tint produced his sickness
ft1lowed him through his convalescencc, and
he resorted to strong drink to drown the
clamor Of Office holders, that haunted Presi-
dent Taylor to his death. It still remains to
be decided whether Vice President johnson
has survived the period of his usefulness. or
whether bis removal from his high position
may not be necessary to the honor md dig.
nifty Of cur country. But in the future the
memory Of his services will eclipse his faults,
ard We who reap the benefit of his labor
should not prejudice ourselves before poster
ity, By judging too harshly man whom we
owe SO much.
To this, the Baltimore Antrkan adds:
"We we're present in the Senate In 1861
when Andy johnson made his memorable
speech alluded to by the Sun. He spoke
fiem the desk adjoining that occupied by JET.
Davis, and almost shaking his finger in the
face Of the arch traitor, be exclaimed ~
utre President Of the United Stdles pould ar.
rest YOU as traitors--1 trou1d Try you as traitors
-nnd # eonrieted, I .eould, oy the Eternal, hang