The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-05-17
The "NatiOna1 johnson Club.
IfncOlu---(lal

washington "NatlOnai JOHNSON CluD -
not made mp, as It should have been in our
Judgment, exclusively of original JOHNSON |
men, or those who belonged 10 the "Union
Party so-called; but consisting largely OF
Democrats, few Of whom were consulted in
reference TO II. Among the names of its
officers are the following: BIoN BRADBURY,
of Maine; w. b. LAWRENCE, OF Rhode Is
land w. ID. BIsHoP, of Connecticut; DEAN
RICHMOND, of New York; JOHN Z. STocK-
TON, of New Jersey; ASA PACKER, Of
Pennsylvania; WILLARD SALISBURY, of
Delaware; JAMES l.. ORR, of South Caro-
lima; GEORGE S. HoUsToN, of Alabama; J.
V. MCDONALD, of Indiana; SIS MARSHALL
of Illinois; GEORGE w. MORGAN, of Ohio
JANIS GUTHRIE, Of Kentucky; A. C.DoDGE,
of Iowa; J. w. DENVER, of California, and
RoBERr McCLELLAND, of Michigan. But
the "Club" Is really owned, controlled
aud run by MoSTGoMERY BLAIR, late of
LNCoINs Cabinet and the suppresser, in
1861, of the New York Netcs, Ffeemdn's
Journal, Day Book, and Journal Of COM
merce, and in Western Virginia, of the Co
lumbus Crisis, the paper established and
edited by that true patriot and noble
old Democrat, SAMUEL MEDARY. The
Corresponding Secretary is CHARLES
MASON, of Iowa Chairman of the Demo
cratic National Executive Committee. The
Vice President first announced for Yer
mont, repudiated the Club upon the ground
that he was opposed to President JOHNSON,
and for the same reason, DAVID Ton, who
was originally set down as Vice President
from Ohio, declined to serve The CLUB"
has commenced the distribution of docu-
ments, chiefly under Democratic franks
beginning with an address palpably
from the pen of Mr.. BLAIR. and signed by
him as President. OF the general cIarac-
ter of this Address we do not propose TO
speak. Not one, of the gentlemen whom
we have named above is probably RESPONSE
BILE for it; and all of them will no doubt
learn with some slight surprise, that they
are made to speak the language not only of
defense and respect for ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
but of feulogy falsifyiug the history of the
last five years and stultifying themselves
and the party to which they belong.
Every bastiled victim of his tyranny, will
look with mute amazement on the cool as
surance which could put forth such
a document under Democratic aus
pices, and circulate it under bor-
rowed Democratic franks. This is
outrage enough. But that to which we
meant especially to allude, is the wanton
and scandalous assault upon the memory OF
one of the purest and greatest of deceased
American statesman, JoHN Caldwell CAL
HoUN. Digging up the putrid and long for
gotten slang of the partisan warfare OF
thirty-three years ago, MONTGOMERY BLAIR
coolly denounces Mr.. CALHOUN rs s.tbe CAT
ALINE of the Southl' In the columns of the
old Washington Globe one-third of CEN
tury since, amid the bitter struggles of that
exceeding bitter time, this was scandalous
enough. Butafter 40 many years had passed,
covering with their oblivious mantle, the
falsehoods and calumnies under which each
living age seeks to overwhelm its own great
and good men, to descend into the charnel
house and rake thence and expose to air and
light, the hideous carcasses and skeletons OF
SANDER, is fit work only for an animal which
shall be nameless. Whether Mr.. CALHoUS
were wise or unwise in his public conduct,
and sound or unsound In his political theo-
ries, views and opinions, is a ques-
ton delivered over to the impartial judg-
ment of future age. "aiter some time be
passed" But as to the greatness of his
character and intellect, the purity of his
motives, the patriotism of his purposes and
the extraordinary virtue and integrity OF
his private life, there can be but one opin,
ion, unless among the inheritors of the par
tisan and personal quarrels and conflicts o.
an age and generation long gone by. Ant
who was CATALINE to whom Mr. CALHOUN
Is compared in this Address put forth un,
der the sanction of names of gentlemen who
can themselves read it only with regret ant
notification The leader of an ordinary
armed insurrection, who perished ut thu
head of his band of felons, incendiaries ant
assassins. Let SALLUsT speak:
''His associates were all miserable fell
lows, utterly destitute and desperate from
want even of hope. Cataline promised
them release from their debts, prescription
of the rich, magistrates, priesthoods, plum
der, and all else which war and lust bring
TO the yictors. He denounced all good men
their neediness, their passions, their com
mon danger and common disgrace.n
"Ile himself had been guilty of man,
horrid crimes against chastity with nobi
or vestal virgins, had murdered his owl
son, to crafty the whim of woman VIII
refused otherwise to marry him. Iii
guilty soul at emnity with gods and mer
could find no rest. His chief aim was t
corrupt young men, for some of whom II
procured harlots, for others dogs an
horses, according to their weaknesses an
tastes He taught them, also. to squande
their money, commit perjury, to forg
deeds, 10 lie and to do murder. FroI
youth, he himself delighted in civil war
massacres, plunder and intestine broils an
was expert in all the arts of simnlatio
and dissimulation; greedy of other men
money, prodigal of his own"
And yet this is the wretch with whom M
BLAIR presumes TO compare one ofthe great
est and best of American statesmcn-one e.
pecially who above all his eminent CON
peers, was distinguished for public purit
and private worth. > ~
And who was JOHN c. CALHOUN? Asid