Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1866-09-07
PETTY EGOTAsM.


g. Nothing betrays a small and narrow
mind, more than a continual parading
of one's-self on every occasion, and O
habit Of harping on ones own merits,
. and ones own achievements. Espec-
Tally is this the case, when the brag
a comes, from q man in high position,
who ought to have sense and modesty
enough, to let his works and his posi-
ton speak for him, instead OF forever
~ sounding his own horn. Only look at
President johnson in this light. What
ia ridiculous figure does he cut before a
laughing world, as he goes about with
his ,interminable lingo, about "0ac''--
ting policy''--what "Ihave done, )" and
all that. .''.r'.'-
.n Hc began most conspicuously thus to
make fool of himself in his notorious
, speech of Feb. 22d. He then had good
chance-and he used ito show how
Fl rattle Drained he is by nature, how
scurrilous he can Ike by practice. One
ofthe chiefcharactcristics of that speech
which filled all sensible people with
modification and disgust, was his bonn
I bastic display of vanity and egotism.
. This it was, that showed us at once
how we had been fooled, in raising to
y high national station comparative
stranger, whom we took to be states
man ofjudgment, but who, as soon rs
he opeued his mouth, turned out to be
70 only q fourth-late pettifogger, mainly
remarkable for his selfconceit. Lest
any one should fear, that we speak too
strongly, we will cite little more par
Nticularly from that scandalous speech:
,'WhO has suffered more than Il
have: ask the question. / shall not
recount the wrongs and the sufferngs
inflicted upon me. -. | came into
power under the Constitution, and with
the appreciation of the people. :.
Having passed through the rebellion,
and given as much evidence of enmity
to it as some who croak a great deal
about the matter, l look back over the
battle field, and see many of those brave
men in whose company / was, in local
tiles of the rebellion where the contest
was most difficult and doubtful, and yet
were patient. . am free to say to
you rs your executive that. / cam
not turn round and give the lie direct to
all that profess to have done during
the last four years. . >. do not waste
: my fire on dead ducks. Though my
: enemies may traduce, Islander, and Vi
tuperate, l may say that has no force.
In addition to this, do not intend to
be governed by real or pretended friends,
nor do intend to be bullied by my en-
/. emies. An honest conviction is my
. sustenance, the Constitution my guide.
.'" What usurpation has Andrew John
son been guilty Of? My only usurpation
has been committed by standing be-
S"SSA thS PSSpAL anu tilc tliCIOlCu-
ments of power. And because l dared
say in a conversation, that such and
such an amendment was all that ought
to be adopted, it was said that 1 had
suggested such usurpation as would
have cost king his head. have
occupied many positions in the govern
ment, going through both branches of
the legislature. =. Cost him his head
usurpation! When and where have l
been guilty of this? Where is the man,
in all the positions l have occupied,
from that of Alderman to. the Vice.
Presidency, who can say that Andrew
Johnson ever made pledge that he did
not redeem, orever made a promise that
he violated, or that he acted with falsi-
ty to the people! -.. &c..
They may talk about beheading;
but when l am beheaded, l want the
American people to be the witness. I
do not want, by inuendoes of an ind;-
rect character in high places, to have
= one say to a man who has assassination
b oiiing in his heart, there is fit sub
jcct,' and also exclaim that the presi-
Dental obstacle must be got out of the
way If my blood is to be shed,
let it be SO. But when it is done let an
altar OF the Union be erected, and then,
II necessary lay me upon it, and the
blood that now warns and animates
my frame shall be poured out in last
. IIhatiOn trihntn tp tha Trr;
let the opponents of this government
remember, that when it is poured out,
the bloc Of THE MARTYR will be the
seed Of the church!
"In this struggle, am your instru-
m mt. Where is the man or woman, in
private or pubic fife, that has not al
MaNs received my attention AID my