The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-08

iud the largeness of view, the patience with |
adversaIies. the temperance OF Speech the for |
getfulness OF self that sell restraint which Is
the hrst and greatest quality of gentleman,
which so uniformly characterized Abraham
Lincoln?
Mr.. johnson is devoured by an eeotism of
which he is painfully conscious, but which IL u
impossible for him 10 repress. Accordingly he
compromises the matter by doubling the num-
Der of his allusions 10 himself first reminding
his audience of his own herOism his sacrifices,
his sufferings, his patriotism. his fidelity 10 his
friends, his long services, his devotion TO the
cause of the masses, and so forth, until, sud
denly CHECKED by just suspicion that his audi
tors are getting satlated, he seeks 30 restore
their equauimtg, and to regain their respect,
by recurring to his humble origin his "plebeian
birth,n his general unworthiness, and by as5u
RANGES that 1.-THE humble individual who now ad-
dresses youp is conscious that he is but a servant
of the dear people, representative of the "toll-
ing Masses" mere citizen-nothng in spite
of his unparalleled sacrifices and services, but
man.
Il am well aware that am the 'umbest per-
son Ro1nR, said Uuah Heep, modestly 'let the
0ere nmbs peysop We vs I'M a "bode
Master Copperfled but we have much 20 be thank
ful for. MY fathers former calling was 'umbIe He
was sexton"
The frequency of Mr. Johnson's references to
his tumble calling" in early life is too great
for sincerity. Like boy whlstlng down ghosts,
the vehemence with which he boasts of his pie
beian origin shows that is sore spot with him,
and the pains which he takes to remind us that
he was tailor only prove that he is constantly
haunted by that unwelcome fact, and tormented
by the conviction that everybody is thinking
about it. His address to the tailors of Philadel
phla was an almost ludicrous illustration of his
discomfort. Such elaborate assurances that he
felt their particular visit to be an honor, such
painful efforts to show that ne was proud of
associations OF which every word showed that
he was at heart bitterly ashamed, make most
ridiculous aud painful passages. Nobody but
Thackeray can do justice TO such magnificent
continuation SOOhs
The delicate touches of the 22d of February
speech, that "triumphanr effort, as Mr.. Seward
termed 1t (taSiDg just then, we imagine, pro-
dgious pinch OF snuff, will not be forgotten.
The satisfied ambition which, having led up
from alderman to President, had no more to
a. k; the presidential back and stomach, which,
we were assured we're content with being re-
spectivey well clothed ana bountituly hlled
the sutlerIngs Of the past, the proffered martyr
dom (alwaNs with well-6lled stomach, for is
not the fattest OK best for the saughter?) for
the future; and, finally, the tears which the
orator promised to she'd 'about that place q. e.,
in that neiehborhood) provided the American
people would gather around to seen-Who is
sufficient for these things?
The more recent speeches of the President
have been mainly extracts from this great ora.
tion, put into language but slightly differing
from the orlglnal. Tneir egotlsm is something
very interesting. Some one who took the
trouble to count, states that the last speech at
WASHINGTON used the pronoun in the first per
son singular one hundred and forty times in
Der of alluslons to the speaker himself in the
halicoumn speech at Philadelphia to exceed
forty. These speeches are also full of the same
boastings over the past, and the same hollow
atectation Of pride in low origin, which have
already excited our comment.
This is painful spectacle for all clear-sighted
and proud-spirited Americans, We. were not
ashamed or afraid of Mr.. JohnsOn's humble
position in early life. We voted for him knowing
perfectly well that he had been a village tailor.
But we all supposed that he had accepted his
lot both IN the past and in the present. with
quiet dignity. Had 1t been ioreseen for
moment that he would humlllate himself and
his cons ,ituents by thus wriggliug under a
matter-ot-course truth, he would never have
| been thus honored.
II is possible that in this mortified vanity may
be found the key to Mr.. JOhnson's eXtraorli-
nary inconsistencies, and especially to his COM
/ plete change OF tone towards his Southern
brethren within the last two years. He has
always writhed under the sense of his plebeiSn-
ism, and under the contempt with which he
knew himself to be regarded by the Southern
gentlemen whom he affected to desplse, but
whom he secretly envied. On his accession to
power his lrst impulse was TO avenge himself
upon this class, and with this idea he excluded
them from the general amnesty, and bitterly,
we had almost said brutally, insulted them
when, as class, they sought TO obtain an eX-
tension OF pardon to themselves.
But 10 a person Of this temper it was the
sweetest triumph of his life when these men, as
iadiU ,dOtGiS, gathered around him crushed,
humiliated, abiect waiting eagerly for his
smile, echoing every sentiment that iell from
his lips pouring delicious flattery into his ear,
and imploring from him personal iavors. Tnen,
tcr the first time in his life Andrew Johnson
felt himself recognized not merely as an equal,
but as a superior, by the men who were his
only ideal of chiyalry and a1stocrdCy, and a
raging envy Of whom had gnawed his heart for
tOfty yeaIs. The temptation to mould his
policy so as to secure the continuance of this
delightful adulaton was irresistible. All obli
cations OF fidelity, consistency. and honor
melted away before the sweet vision OF beCom
ing a recognized Southern gentleman.
| We comment on these things with extreme
4 reluctance. OF course, nothing can be said
4 about them that will not seem intensely per
sOnal, and we have, therefore, retraned, up tC
! the present. from crltiCiZiIg anything IN Mr.
Jobnson's career beyond his public acts. W.
! condemned in strong terms the earlier imputa
tOns cast on him personally by his opponents
and said what we could to soften the effects ever
of the speech of the 22d Of February. We hav
been sincerely anxious all along, not tor hi
sake, but for the sake of the great countr
which he represents, to have whatever either il
his character or manners seemed to render hin
unnoticed, or with as little notice as possible.
He has, however by the tour which he ha
, undertaken, and into which he has been lc
l against the dictates, we believe, OF his oW
e earlier judgment, so completely thrown OFT Off
[ | cial restraint. and displayed so much contempt
not simply for the peculiar political opinion
: of the great mass of the Northern people, bu
e for the ordinary decorum OF civilized lite, tina
] | il viii not do to leave foreign nations or pos
| terity in ignorance of what the Christian publ
, | of this country and this age think and fee
about his sayings and doings. Some of hi
D | Jokes and illusions, as well as those of MI
q | Seward have been OF such a nature as Il
= render it impossible for us any longer to b
silent, and let the world suppose that thps
l. | two gentlemen are far representatives eithe
| Of o1,r oiui1i n roll w "A