Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1866-10-03

Presidential Dignity,

! Some OF the Republican papers. seem to be
/ shocked at what they describe President
J0hnsunS want Of dignity in noticing oppro-
| brious words flung out by persons in the
crowds he addresses, and particularly by a
/ scene Of Ills kind at Cleveland where the
Presidents retorts e1ecIually Silenced rude
imEerliueGce. As coming from Republicans,
criticism Of this kind hardly deserves reply,
since il can hgrdly be honest. A party which
has never complained of Chief Justice Chase
for going about the country making stump
speeches, has suddenly grown lasljdioGs-
The Chief Justiceship is not political Office
and hone of Chief Justice Chase's predecess-
orS ever permitted themselves to make politi-
cal speeches. The Republicans profess a
great veneration for President Lincoln, who,
of oil the Presidents we have ever lad stood
the lowest in the scale of personal bearing
The ingenious youth of the country will. no
doubt lie improved and edited when such a
model o clerical and official propriety as
Parson Governor Brownlow excuses himself
fIom speaking, as he did in Philadelphia, on
the ground that had too much respect for
the dignity OF his position TO 60 about max
ing stump speeches ike foolish fellow that
is President"
As against Brownlow and the Republicans,
it would be ridiculous to make any other re-
ply to such criticisms than to " hold the mir
ror up to nature and let them see their own
image. But as it is easy to suppose animad-
versions might be made on the Presidents
course by persons of more sincerity, it may
not he out of place to observe that the value
put upon stiff sense of official dignity differs
with different persons. We apprehend that
the mass Of citizens like their Chief Magistrate
none the less for his not choosing to speak to
them in a state paper style. We suppose that
President Lincoln broad Jokes were a strong
element of his popularity They showed, in
the estimation Of the honest and hearty work
ing classes, that he was not what they call
d" stuck up" because he happened to hold an
Office. President Johnson's trespasses upon
dignity are of different kind, proceeding
from his straight forward directness of pur-
pose and irrascible temper. There is nothing
in the constitution to prevent the people elect
ing such man to high Office il they please;
and in another Tennessee President that we
once bad. such a temper was compatible with
q successful administration and unexampled
personal popularity.
In 1888 President jackson and his Cabinet
lett Washington, as President johnson and
Cabinet have now done. to lay the corner
stone of a monument While on their way,
President jackson was insulted by young
man named Randolph, lieutenant in the ma
Wy, who had been lately dismissed. Ran
dolph thrust his head into the Presidents
face while he was seated at a table on board
of a steamboat, and tried to pull his nose
General Jackson expressed regret, alter, Ran
dolph had escaped. that he was seated in such
position that be was not quick enough to in
flict a personal chastisement, which he declar-
ed he would have none on the spot, il he had
not been taken at a disadvantage. It might
have been more dignjfed, perhaps, in Presi-
dent of the United States to surrender such
miscreant TO the law instead Of giving him
Gaming; as it might in President johnson to
have taken no notice Of his interrupter instead
of annihilating him by keen retorts. Such
prompti;ude OF address may be against high
official etiquette; but it at least shows a Wig
Oh Of character which is not likely to stop at
small obstacles or be scared by small critic
isns Cromwell and Luther, we believe, had
the same careless intrepidity in such matters
that is evinced by President Johnson.-N Y
W0r7d