The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1866-12-27
rHEPREsIDENT,s HABITS.

1 week DeIofe iaSI we tnouSng proper
to censure, In as mild terms as we could,
the habit Of 4 visitipg clergyman in per-
sistcntly praying for the President in
such manner as might induce his au-
dience to believe that the charge of ha-
bitual intemperance made by the Radi
Gals against him was true. The Sentinel
takes us to task for this, appearing to
be surprised that we are so far behind
the times as to venture to deny the
charge, and brings forward, as evidence
to prove it, extracts from two articles
published in the late :. Democrat" of this
place, dated in March and April 1865,
1t does not, however, inform us that it
was for the publication of these very
articles, more than any thing else per
haps that an Infatuated mob, few days
thereafter, excited by the assassination
of President Lincoln, utterly destroyed
the Office of the Democrat" and at
tempted to Danish its Editor which
lied, in a few days, to his violent death.
These charges the &,tincl and its whole
party protested to regard as monstrous
at the. time; but now We find it repub-
fishing the same with apparent gusto,
as evidence TO back It's conversion to
the same BELIEF, and as late as in Octo-
Der last VIC find them marching in pro-
cession behind a transparency represent
ing the President taking glass of
whiskey, labelled t'My Policy" Verify
they have swung round to the opposite
side of the circle in very short time;
and yet the Sentinel, in its late article,
ventures to talk about 'sour consistency
We never approved of the remarks of
the democrat" now reproduced for
the same purpose; but, under the ex-
lstlng circumstances, they were not half
so bad as the same charges; made, at this
late day, by the former supporters of
President johnson, without adducing a
particle of eyiderc, to sustain it, except
the single instance alluded to by the
Democrat. That instance we will
now proceed to explain, since the course
of the Sentinel has rendered it neccssa-
ry. The facts are, as then. fully ex-
planned by the Republican press, and
correctly too, as we have always bcliev-t
ed, as follows After his election as
Vice President in 1864, Mr.. johnson
had severe spell of sickness in Ten
nessee. His constitution was so much
impaired that his Physicians advised
him not to attempt to como to Washing
ton by the 4th of March He persisted
in coming, and was only enabled to do
SO BY the aid of opium and stimulariss.
On the day Of Inauguration, as was gen
orally believed, he exhibited evidence
OF being under the influence OF some
stimulant OF drug undoubtedly admin
istered to sustain him under tsying
circumstances. As soon as he was all
lowed the necessary repose, and his ply
slcal strength was restored, we heard of
no more such exhibitions onllli{ pat.
from that day to this !; at all events, |
nothing more than unfounded slanders
like the one in question, put out by
those who know nothing about what
they were saying, but who believed the
public mind was prepared to swallow it |
without question. We do not know
that President johnson is SO much of a |
temperance man as to refuse to taste all
kinds of stimulants, though it may be SO, 1
yet we 9cnture to affirm that during his
whole life, when in proper condition of
body and mind, he has had as much
command over himself, in that, respect,
as most most public men. We think, more
over, that any newspaper press, before
it gives currency to such harsh charges.
and any preacher before he ventures to
petition the Throne of Grace for his re-
# rmation in that regard, oughtto inquire
into the actual facts of those who have
the opportunity to know, and not to
trust to unfouuded SANDERS circulated |
by INSCRIPTIONS politicians. se M
~ Acquitted.
r., / L. =