Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-05-16

Private Life of the President.
We are informed by the Courier de
Etats Unis, of New York, that an init
mate friend of President johnson, witt
has known him for many years, and VIII,
has followed him from Tennessee Il
Washington, has communicated to 1
| journal of the West some interesting de
tails respecting his domestic life. Wha
journal it is that has enjoyed the ad
vantage of receiving this valuable infor
nation, is not stated by our French con
temporary, and we are therefore com.
PEELED to lay the facts before our readers
with such danger of inaccuracy as results
| from the process of translating back from
the French what was first written in
English. But as the Courier is not only
an original and consistent defender OF
the South, but also, of late, Jealous
friend of the President and his policy, we
have little fear as respects the substantial
accuracy of the important report we now
proceed to reproduce.
From October lst to April lst, Mr..
johnson gets out of bed at 7 o'clock in
the morning, no matter at what hour he
may have retired the night before. From
April lst to October lst, he gets up at 6
o clock. He never looks at the clock,
but settles his mind of the time of day by
means of fat silver watch, or, as he
calls it, an onion, which he carried when
he was still tailor, and which always
hangs at the bedside. The first garment
which Mr.. j. puts on in the morning-so
his most intimate friend testifes---is a
pair of flannel drawers, after which he
puts on his socks, which are generally
of gray yarn, then his slippers and a pair
of fustian pantaloons. Whether he also
puts on dressing gown, or in what man
ner his neck and manly chest are pro-
tected we are not informed However
that may be, he now goes into the bath
room, where he shaves and performs his
ablutions, lasting generally about half
an hour. He takes extreme care of his
teeth, which are very handsome, and
of his finger nails, which, though short,
are rose colored and are cut pointed.
Having got on his clothes and pared
his.rose colored nails, the President re-
tires to his private apartment, where he
reads the newspapers and writes those
remarkable messages which he commu-
nicates from time to time to his friends,
the Radicals" There he remains till 10
o clock, with no company except coffee
pot, holding gallon, which he drinks in
great swallows without sugar, and big
black cat, favorite of its master, which
always sits gravely on the desk, at the
left of the inkstand. From 10 to ii
o'clock visitors are received At ii Mr..
johnson breakfasts with his family. AN
egg, boiled potato, sardine and few
peanuts constitute his whole repast
Whether the peanuts are devoured raw
or roasted, the intimate friend fails to tell
us; but he says that during this frugal
repast ''the President is very gay, and
does not allow anybody but himself to
talk. At noon precisely, the table is
abandoned for the Cabinet meeting, or
for the reception of delegations. At 3
O clock in the afternoon Mr.. johnson
goes out to walk, either in the grounds
of the White House or the streets of
Washington. He has rapid gait which
is more like a trot than walk; there are
few persons whom he would not leave be-
hind in foot race. 'He has corn on
the little toe of the left foot, which causes
him much agony, but the painful results
of this infrmity are palliated by his
wearing on that foot larger boot than
on the other he always smokes as he
walks; but "since be has been President
he has not permitted himself to chew.
Such is his delicate sense of the proprie-
ties of his high station
At o'clock he comes in to dinner.
This is the hearty meal of the day, and
in order to get up his appetite, the Presi-
dent drinks stout glass of whiskey be-
forehand. He spends the same length
of time at dinner as at breakfast, but
with an interesting difference. As we
have seen, in the morning he monopo-
Lies the conversation; in the afternoon
his familiars recount to him the incidents
and rumors Of the day, the sayings and
doings of Congress, and so forth. He
eats little meat, especially pork, since
the invasion of the trichin9, "but he
adores crabs, processes high esteem for
fried oysters, and is animated with an
passion for rice pudding
He eats more bread than most Americans
and in summer he stuffs himself with
green corn and water crosses, which he
considers to be favorable to the renova-
tion of the blood" At o'clock the
dinner is ended with few glasses of
port and sherry, and "a great bowl Of
black coffee, which he imbibes at almost
a single swallow"
Now he returns to bis private room,
where he reads the newspapers and his
favorite books. The authors he prefers
are Plutarch, Mr.. Punch, Robinson Cru
soc, the Arabian Nights, and Young's
Night Thoughts Ats o'clock be takes
tea, and at goes back to work again,
when he generally makes himself com
Portable in his shirt sleeves. The coffee
pot is now brought in once more, and at