The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1866-09-28
@isfellaueuns.
HAsBY WITH TIE PRESIDENT.
At the BipDLE HousE,
(which is in Detroit. Michigan,) |;
Sentpmi,er the A l8ff.

At the BipDLE HousE, J
(which is in Detroit. Aiichigan,)
September the 4, 1866. }
Step by step ! am ascendn' the ladder
Of fame step by step ! am climbin' to I
proud emanence. Three weeks ago wa.
summoned to Washington by that eminent
ly great and good man, AndroO Johnson
to attend a consultation as to the proposed
Western tour, which was to be undertaker
for the purpose of arOusing the masses o
the West to sense of the danger which
was threatenin' Of 'em in case they per
sisted in cen,ralizin the power Of the gov
enment into the hands Of Congress, in
stead Of diffiisin' 1t throughout the hands
of one man, which Is Johnson. ] got ther
too late to take part in the first Of the dis.
cussion. When arrovo they had every
thing settled, 'cepting the nppintment Of q
chaplain for the excursion. The President
insisted upon my film that position, bu
Seward objected. lie wanted Boccher
but Johnson was inHexible agin him. I" ]
atn deterinined," says he, "to carry on,
my policy, but ] have some bowels left
l'eecher has done enough already, consid.
erin the my he got. No no he shall be
spared this trip-inteed he shall"
every good, said Seward, "but at leas,
find some clergyman who indorses us with.
out having p. NJ. to his honored name. II
would look better"
81 know il would" replied johnson,
{" hut where kin we find sich one? I have
swung around the entire circle, and haven I
as yet seen him. Nasty Il must be-"
There was then lively discussion rs ia
the propriety, before the procession started
of reinovin' all the Federal office-holders
on the proposed route, and appintin' men
who believed in us johnson Beechcr and
mel, that we might be sure Of suitable
reception at every point at which we was
to stop. The Amounted was in favor Of It.
Says he, "Them as won't support my pol.
ICY sllan't eat my bread aud butter" Ran.
dali and DooliuIe cli,ned in, for it's got to
he part of their religion TO assent TO what
ever tho President says, but mildly pro
tested owe n duty to the party, and I'm
determined to do 1t. t
"Most High" says ], "a sottin' hen
which is lazy makes no fuss; cut its head
off and It flops about for awhile lively,
l.incoln's oilice-holders are setin' hens.
They don't like you nor your policy, bu,
while they are on their nests they will keep
moderately quiet. Cut off their heads and
they'll sqrI1 their blood in your face. As
to bein assured of a reception at each point,
you need fear notllin. Calculatin' mOder-
ately. there is at least twenty-five or thirty
patriots who feel call for every Office in
your disposal. So long, Your Highness,
rs them Offices is held Just where they kin
see 'em, and they don't know which Is to
git 'em, you may depend upon the entire
enthusiasm Of each, Individually and COL
lectively. IN short, if there's four Offices
In town and you make the appointments
you have secured four supporters; ill you
make the appointments you have the hum
dred who expect to get en-"
The President agreed with me. that un-
til after the trip the gullotine should stop.
Secretary Seward suggested that clean
shirt would improve my personal appear
ance, and accordingly circular was sent
to the clerks In the department, assessn'
'ein for that purpose. Sich of 'em us re-
fused to contribute their quota was Instant
ly dismissed for dsloyalty.
At last we started. and ] must say we
was got up in highly conciliatory style.
Every one Of the civilians Of the party
wore bosom pins, etceten, which was pre-
sentcd to 'em by the Southern delegates to
the Philadelphia Convention, which was
made Of the bones Of soldiers which had
fallen ut various battles. Some of 'em
were particularly valuable rs antiques, hav-
in been made from the homes Of the first
soldiers who fell ut Bull Run.
The New York reception was a gay af
fair. ] never saw His Imperial Highness in
better spirits. and he delivered his speech
to better advantage than ever heard him
do il before, and believe I've heard II a
hundred times. We leit New York sadly.
Even now as write the remembrance Of
that procession, the recollection Of That
banquet, fingers around me, and the taste
Of them wines is still In my mouth. But
we had to 90. We had mission to per-
form, and we put ourselves on steamboat
and started.
ALBAEr.-There was an immense crowd,
but tho Gar Of all the Americas didn't get
off his little speech here. The Governor
welcomed him, but he welcomed him rs
the Chief Magistrate Of the Nation, and
happened to drop in Iincolns name. That
struck chill over the party, and the Presi-
dent got out Of II as soon as possible. Be
ing received as Chief Magistrate, and not
rs the Great Iaciicator, ain His Excelen.
cy's best holt. It was unkind Of Gov. Fen.
ton to do il. If he takes the papers he
must know that His Mightiness aint got
but one speech, and he ought TO have made
such reception as would have enabled
him to have got il off. Wo shook the dust
off of our feet and left Albany in disgust.
RoME.-liere we had a splendid recep
ton, and never heard Ills Majesty speak
so felicitously. He mentioned to tho audi.
ence that he had swung around the South.
ern side Of the circle, and was now swing.
ing around the Northern side Of il, and that
he was fightin' tnitop on oil sides He
LEFT the Constitution in their hands and bid
'em good bye.
LocxPoRr.-The President 10 improvin'
wonderfully. lie rises with the occasion.
At this pint he mentioned tliat no was sot
on savin' the country which had honored
him. As for himself his ambition was
more than satisfied. He had swung around
the entire circle Of offices, and all 10 want
ed now was to heal the wounds Of the ma
lion. lie felt safe in leavin' the Constit,i-
ton in their hands. As he swung around
the circle
AT this pint interrupted him. told
him that he had swung around the circle
once In this town, and useful as The phrase
was, II might spile by too much use.
At Cleveland We begnn to get into hot
winter Here Is the post TO which the devil
Of abolitionism is chained, and his chain 10
long enough to let him range over nearly
the whole State. am panied to state that
the President WASH I treated hero with the
respect due his station. He commenced
delivcrin' Ibis speech, but was ma,io Tho
subject Of rilald laughter. Scarcely had
he got 10 the pint Of swingin' around the
circle. when a foul mouihed nigger.lover
yelled Veto" and another vocifemied New
Orleans" and another remarked .Mem-
phIs md one after another interruption
occurred, until His Highness was complete
Iy turned ofT ths tr>.k .nJ -, ,,;lJ lie