Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-01-18
rFrom the NASHVILLE Press and Time.

From the Nashville Press and Times
Some ten days since, when the telegraph
stated, on authority of General Strong, q
Federal officer stationed in Texas, that
William johnson, brother of the President
and Collector of the port of Valasco, Texas,
and IN old mar in his sixty-eigth year,
had died in consequence of the refusal of
rebel physicians to give him professional
attention, basing the refusal on the ground
that he was a Union man and a brother of
the President, this seemed SO incredible
that we hesitated at first. to copy it. 1t re-
vealed a barbarity and brutality which we
rejoice to believe were not usual during
the war.
The medical profession has always been
one OF ~humanity-we had almost said
above all others; and that all the physi-
clans within the vicinity of Valasco should
carry their rebellious feelings to such an
extent as to allow an aged man, nearly
seventy years old, to die for lack of atten-
ton, simply because he differed from them
in politics, seemed to disgrace humanity
Itself. But the card which was sent to US
yesterday, without our solicitation, by the
sons of the deceased, and the confirmation
of the original statement, by the widow
and daughter, of William johnson, estab-
fishes its truth beyond all controversy.
We republish the material portion of the
card of Andrew and James johnson, who
are officers ofthe Tennessee penitentiary {:
General Strong makes a statement that
cur father, Mr. William johnson, was &C.
cidentally shot by the discharge of his own
gun, and that a number of surgeons in
Ua1oroo To-, -yhoua A. ooosla-k 10
CURED, were applied to for assistance.
Ali refused, and not only refused, but
based their refusal upon the grounds that
Johnsonwas a brother to the President,
&c. In addition we will state that the
above are facts, and that our father had
to send to ColumbiR, Texas, a distance of
one hundred miles, for q Federal Surgeon,
before getting any assistance. DIR. Seads
is the gentleman who came to our fathers
assistance from Columbia, but, fourteen
days having elapsed, was too late to ave
his life, and DR.. Seads says our father
died from neglect, and the medical faculty
generally of Valasco stated that there
we're too many Johnsons now"
Within four hours ride Of Valasco,
where Mr.. johnson lived, there were no
less than twenty physicians, yet not one
would go tothe relisfof the suffering man.
Even the one who had been their family
physician in times past refused to attend
upon him. Mr.. Johnson's offense was
that he and his family we're decided I'm
ionists and relatives of the President. He
was a quiet industrious citizen, and al.
though positive in his adherence to the
Government, gave p~roYocation to no man,
and that was a crime not to be pardoned
this side Of the grave by wretches who
would make 10 soruple of asking pardon
from the President, and demanding resto-
ration of political power to their hands, SO
that they might bring the Union citizens
of Texas under proper discipline. The
rebels at Valaseo say that they will wait
quietly until the departure of Federal
troops from the State, and then they will
manage things to suit themselves. The
loyal citizens are justly alarmed at the
prospect, and dread being given up to the
power of rebels who ruled the country
with a rod of irsn during the rebellion.
We can easily understand how loyal
men at the South sometimes grow heart
sick and despairing when they contemplate
the sudden reclamation of their State af-
fairs by the rebels. Let them take cour-
age at the thought that the loyal millions
of the North are determined to see that
justice and protection are guaranteed to
them perpetually. There are many of the
late partisans of the rebellion who intend
to be good citizens, but there are many
others who seem given over to judicial
blindness, and are rushing rapidly to their
own ruin. The power is with the nation
to build up OIL crush out, and it will pro-
tect its friends.