Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-10-11
RUTLAND HERALD.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1866.
mr.. johnson and his Sacrifices.

Mr.. johnson, in one of those eestatic
conditions of mind, which characterised
his funeral tour, inquired who had suf-
fered more and made more sacrifices
than he during the war Since the war,
everybody knows that he has suffered
much and sacrificed something for he
has suffered the rebels to be insolent
toward Union men and sacrificed the
respect of those who elected him Vice
President. In this respect his suffering
and sacrifice are greater than those dur
ing the war. Col. Stokes, in his speech
at Columbus, described them as fol-
lows;
"Andrew Johnsons suferings COM
menced in 1861, when he left Tennessee
in good buggy, and drove into Ken
lucky without molestation. From
thence he went TO Washington as a Sen
ator, where he had as finely stuffed
cushion as any of the senators whom he
has since sneered at on that account.
Likewise he suffered there to the tune of
$1,000 a year, his salary as senator. He
remained in Washington until Lincoln
made him Brigadier General, when he
went TO Nashville and was provided
with a home few steps from the Capt.
toll, which also was well furnished.
That was the extent of his suferingS.
As the Confederate Judge was his rela-
tive, he never lost dollars worth OF
property. He never smelt powder, and
never saw battle during all the war. "
But this does not answer Mr.. john
sons question as does poor woman in
Philadelphia, who, before the rebellion,
had a kind husband that provided her
and their four children with all the COM
forts Of life. He was starved to death
at Andersonville by the men Andrew
johnson wants to restore to the full
rights and privileges Of the Government
without any restrictions or guarantees
against the rebellion. One of her broth
ers persisted from exposure at Belle Isle;
another lost his arm at Antietam and
cannot assist her. Her principal de-
pendence is her needle and her wash
tub. OF her sufferings she says:
"The privations and hardships | have
had to endure have so shattered my own
health and strength that | feel at times
unable even to endure the fatigue Of
plying the needle. So that, except my
trust in mercful God, | have sacritic-
ed for my country my all-husband,
brothers, house, home, living-and am
cast beggar on the cold charity Of the
world And all this | owe to the South
ern Shareholders, and to their iniquitous
attempt to murder my beloved country
as they did murder my husband and
brothers"
She cannot see that Mr.. Johnson's lot
is any harder than hers. She says:
"Now, Mr.. Johnson, since you invite
a comparison, what have you suffered ?
Exhibit your scars, wounds and bruises ?
Did you lose leg or an arm, or were
you even so much as scratched or
bruised Where is the blood you shedl
Would it stain a white cambria pocket
handkerchief? How much property did
you lose2 Why, if report speaks true,
during most of the time of the war, you
were living on the fat Of the land in
Nashville, out of harms way, protected
as you were by Union bayonets. Out OF
Uncle Sans overlooking COmmissary
stores you drew plenty to eat and drink
the best of meats, and what was OF
still more consequence to you, the
choicest liquors. Add to this your
handsome salary as military governor
Then the great Union party, whom since
you have so foully betrayed, made you
Vice President, with salary of $4,000
per annum. Then, to crown it all, John
Wilkes Booth made you President, and
there you are yet TO the tune of 1000
a year with fxins.' The rebellion found
you, I learn, comparatively a poor man.
Now you are rich, with sound body
not to speak of your mind, whose sound
ness is not so certain.
"You, Andrew johnson, talk of your
sufferings and your sacrifices, and chal.
lenge a comparison. Fie fle, upon you
Why, sir, on that score l ought to be
Americas queen, and you ought to be
weating over the washtub And now
sir, are your questions as to who suffer.
ed more than you, who sacrificed more
than you by reason of the war, answer
ed I did, sir, and l know hundreds o.
poor women, tossed from affiuence into
the vale of perjury and want, who have
suffered and sacrificed ten Thousand
times more than you, and are making
no ostentatious parade of it either