Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1866-12-04
LINCOLN ON JOHNSON.

AeA-AN 49, w 82AAN4OssE
q Some onesof that eontenptible ere "
who exc out a miserable existence by
eavesdropping the conversations of public
characters and selling them for publica-
StiOn, lately put forth a story, that few
days before Mr. Lincoln $ death he was
detained from pleasure ride with his
A family by ahinterSieg with Mr.. johnson,
Chen Vice President and that on leav-
ing him, he remarked, Z That miserable
mani I cannot anticipate the trouble he
wilI eausem me during my second term of
I Office" -.- s
7 In all probability the story is bald
unsarnished Radical he We have little
doubt that it is. The man who would
| write for the public such an occurrence,
inforination Of which must have obtained
from private sources, would not hesitate
to Manufacture it, But granting its
truth, what of IT'D Because Mr. Lincoln
is dead, was he immaculate on earth, or is
he sainted now, that his opinions Of
Andrew johnson should be set up as a
( standard by which the nation should
judge him2 The fact is that Mr.. Lincoln
and Mr.. johnson differed in character
entirely. If the former had lived, there
would most likely have been an antqgO-
nism between them in public matters.
Mr. Johnson, as Vice President, would
not have been content to be a CIPHER in
the Government. He would have loirckedl
and spurred Mr. Lincoln to be something
else. In the reported interview, it is
possible he may have been urging him to-
cast off the restraints of party, and rise
to the level of true states manship .inI
the great work of restoration; and
the weak man, whose good nature had
been tried and whose ability had been
over~taxed during his first term of ser
Wee, may have felt fretted to be told that
with the close of the war his labors were
not over-that he had to lay q strong
hand upon the Radical element in his
own party, and curb spirit which" in
tended infinite mischief This conyersa-
ton may not only have prevented pleas
ant afternoon drive, but disturbed a fe-
licitous dream, which men of Mr., Linz
coins mould like to indulge, and hence |
came this grabbed remark if it was ever
na&e. {. a 80
Mr.. Lincoln was easy, indecisive and |
plastic. He had neither thorough in
formation, great grasp of mind, nor reso-
lutte will He had, perhaps, good inten-
lions, but little capacity to make them
effective. He had homely good sense,
which in minor matters served him we'll,
and in the exalted station in which he
found himself, passed for more than it
was worth. He was in many respects a
good man, and, being dead, nothingshould
be said of him but the good. When,
however, his remarks in the privacy of
his family circle are given to the public
for party purposes, it is proper to say that
he had few of the elements of a vigorous
and capable Chief Magistrate, and that
his estimate Of Andrew johnson was not
likely to be correct or just. Mr. johnson
is earnest, positive and resolute, far the
superior of his predecessor in ability and
political attainments, and every way
stronger character. He foresaw the
crafty designs of the men who had
managed Mr.. Lincoln during the war, and
knew that the salvation of the country
required that they should be thwarted.
He had the courage to say so and to sd-
wise the President to take the step. When
the duty fell upon him he had the nerve
to meet it. What the condition Of the
country might have been had Lincoln
lived We cannot say. If he had given
loose rein to the destructive radicalism of
the North, which has chafed at the re-
straints which Mr. johnson has attempted
to apply, it might have been worse than it
even is. President Johnson has attempted
to do his duty He has aroused the an
mostly of the men who might have ca
joled or preset Mr.. Lincoln into their
schemes. %. 1t matters little, however,
what Mr., Lincoln thought of Mr.. John
son in the spring of 1865, and this Jenny,
a liners story, whether it be lie or truth,
is trsshs D. @ #stl .It- s.i s,
rs' |
Ak exchange says: The Atlantic ca
BILE seems 70 be working complete reyo-