The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-04-28
A Little I ellington Critic.

FfOH We W ora.
The Independent makes puerile effort to be
smart at Presden Johnson's expense by run
ming long parallel between hun and Mr. Glad
stone in point of graceful and eloquent speak
ing. The INDEPENDENT is so pleased with this
sprawling ineptitude that it distinguishes it by
double leads, and gives it the most conspicuous
place in its editorial columns. Such oompari-
sons are a cheap ub,titute for satire, since bad
taste and indecorum are the only talents requisite
for making them. BY this method it would be
quite as easy TO prove that President Lincoln
was not a model OF cultivated manners, or that
Chief Justice Chase is not model OF judicial
propriety, or Me. Theodore Tllton of good sense
and compression as a writer, rs to prove that
Andrew johnson iN not man of varied class-
cal accomplishments. All these points, we take
it, are 80 evident US to render any attempt at
proof supertluous.
The editor of the Independent sets out by say
ing that he has been employing himself in
studying recent 3 ecimens oil public speaking.
We think II q pity that he did not include the
address OF Carlyle IN the number. From it he
might have learned to rate ready knack at
elegant phrase-ma.,ing at the low value placed
upon II by men OF sound culture. Carlyle, in that
a0dress, ranked Phocion higher than Demos
themes. We suppose that Cromwell and John
Knox, WHOM he singled out for especial eulogy
from among all the great men hitherto
produced in the British Islands, would
have stood a comparison with Gladstone, in
vantage as Mr.. Johnson. Knox, as the Inde-
pendent must know, though more eloquent, in
his rough way, than Cromwell, treated oppo-
nents with as little ceremony as Luther, GER
tainly with less than Andrew Johnson. What
contempt would not the Independent itself feel
for small literary twaddler VINO should try to
make his readers merry over the rough energy
and outspoken rudeness of the Reformers or the
Roundheads ! When Miss Martineau was in this
country she wrote book in which she animad-
yerted upon General Jackson's ungrammatical
English. Bnt Mr.. johnson speaks quite as cram.
matically, and with infinitely more point, energy,
and condensation than the editor of the Igtde-
pendent writes.
The Independent makes an unsuccessful effort
to be satirical over the boasting and egotism of
the Presidents speech TO the soldiers. The edi-
tor of the Independent is lin profession) Chris
tian. There are two whole chapters in one of
st. Paul's epistIes, in which that energetic
preacher does nothing but boast. He declares
that he is not whit behind the very chietest
OF the apostles, and goes into long recital
and comparison OF claims to prove it. He was
justified by the vIrnleut assaults of his enemies
This tone ls always pardonable in selfdefense.
The greatest speech of the worlds first orator
is in strain OF egotism from beginning to
emo. But who was ever noodle enough to
consider the Grafton on the Grown ridiculous?
The pertinent question in relation to Mr..
Johnson's bOastine, is, whether it is true? What
dld he boast of? OF knowing Greek like Glad
stone! or iumblng in libraries, like Sumner?
No. he inviied comparison on no such trivial
same kind OF merit which belonged TO the hardy
soldiers and sailors he was addressing. Like
them, he had sacrificed his ease, exposed his
person, held his he cheap; and unlike them,
had perilled al that is dear to man on earth
family, property, friends, reputation among
his neighbore-in the service OF his country.
We put il TO the Independent we put il to
every body if this claim OF the Presidents
is not well founded? Who, OF all his reyilers,
dares challenge a compar ison with him in re-
spect TO sacrifices made and dangers encoun-
tered for the Union? What are all the stilted
phrases that Sumner called and maTshalled in
safety during those terrible four years in com
parison with the manly energy OF johnson in
the forefront OF danger? What would the Llde-
pendent think of small pedant who should
rdicule the heroic youth who deserted our col
leges 70 face deata IN battle, because they can
not sustain q comparison in classical learning
with those who STAYED behind? Such ridicule
would be ~ more shallow, no more contempt
bic than that which the Independent aims aC
the President. Such attacks are doUbly
contemptible when 1t is considered that Mr..
johnson could not read TILL he was grown man;
that without ever having passed day at any
school, ne made himself at an early age we'll
informed statesman, and vigorous, logical
debater; that in the Senate, with Seward, Chase,
and Sumner, as antagonists, he sbrank from no
encounter, and was never oyermatched. When
a religious newspaper tries to turn such man
INTO ridicule, religion, in that establishment,
must be at low cob.