Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-06-19
Andrew johnson.

of a larger portion of the people, or been
the object Of more hatred than ANDREW
JOHNSON, of Tennessee.
He entered the arena at an early stage of
the rebellion the friend of the South, and
one of its boldest defenders. l ] 1, ~ Il
AS the storm approached he counted
the boats" and calculated his chances until
he matured bis plans, and then with bold
ness Characteristic of the man, created a
sensation by announcing himself the in
veterate foe of his former friends. He won
the confidence of the Republican party as
speedily as he embraced its cause, and be-
came one of its most embittered leaders.
His speeches were of that class indulged
in by all politicians who desired to win the
applause of the people by exciting the Bit
terest passions of which man is capable.
His studied efforts were made up of epi-
thets, and appeals to the baser passions and
prejudices of the people, keeping ever in
view the immense sacrifices and intense suffer-
ing of one of the nations most prominent and
gifted soas-ANDREw JOHNSON, of Ten
nessee. His knowledge ofthe South and its
people was acquired by having mingled
with all classes. The public mind was in
a condition to hear his personal narratives,
and received his defamation with hearty
approvals and loud applause. The exile''
was feasted, honored and applauded, until
he imagined that the hearts of the people
were as obedient to his will as those of the
inmates of his own household. His future
appeared to him like one lifelong ovation
of an admiring people, whose greatest
pleasure would be to honor the object of
their admiration.
At one time he fancied that he was not
only statesman who was attracting the
greatest attention of any of the republic,
but also that he possessed military genius
which would win for him upon the battle
field military renown as imperishable as
that of Napoleon. ecsstr
He meditated over the dangers of the ex-
pertinent, and the irreparable loss to the
country if his misgivings should be real
ized, and abandoned his aspirations for the
commenced warfare against free speech,
free press, and free thought, that won for
him the nomination of his party for the
Vice Presidency. He had aspired to this
position long ago, and its acquisition af-
forded him latent feeling of qualification,
when he compared his condition with that
of few years previous. Then again imag-
lining himself greater than LINCOLN, he felt
that humiliation that drove him to excesses
at his Inauguration, that stript him of that
official dignity necessary to inspire the
confidence of those who had elevated him
to power. Since which time in his princi-
Piles, aspirations, and conduct, he has ex-
hibited all the characteristics of an
alderman, a legislator, politician,
governor, a military despot and Presi-
dent. In fact, his whole life has been made
up of fortunate combination of circum-
stances for him. .
He has personated in the political arena
every shade of political character.
Wing and Democrat, the advocate of
State rights, he accepted and executed the
Office of military Governor of the State of
Tennessee.
He denied the right of Congress to coerce
State, and yet advocated the extermina-
if they refused to yield obedience to the
edicts of Congress. The apologist and de-
fender of slavery, he became the "MosEs'
of the Africans, to lead them from bond
age to the ballot. The defamer of Demo-
crats,-the traducer OF private characters.
the honored enthusiast of the Radicals
of the North, he took the Constitution in
his hand and called his COP to witness that
he had proven these same Radicals to be
rebels and traitors to the Government from
the beginning.
The champion of constitutional rights,
and the sworn enemy of military tribunals,
he sanctioned the formation of q military
Commission in direct and positive viola
ton of the organic law OF the land, and
permitted the execution of an innocent
woman to crafty the passions of a rabble.
We write in no spirit of resentment or
revenge. We reveal historical facts, such
as should be understood by the people, and
whilst all must admit that during all these
vicissitudes ANDREW JOHNSON has done
many noble acts, and exhibited traits
of character worthy of imitation, yet he
has been guilty of many Inconsistencies,
and has done many things that has inf1ict-
ed much harm upon us and our posterity.
His resolutions differ with those of the
immortal JACKSON only in this one material
point: They lack the ''by the Eternal"
and decisiveness of character sufficient
t. secure for them the least probability OF
success.
He grappled with the usurpations Of an
illegal Congress, and then covered at the
threats of his own illegrl impeachment.
He swore eternal fidelity to the Constitu-
tion, and pledged his life to its preservation,
and yet continued in office as his Cabinet
men who have in his immediate presence,
and by virtue of his own delegated pow
ers, trampled upon its most sacred guaran-
tees. In his boldness he has denounced
the usurpation of military despots, and yet
in silence permitted Governors of States to
be illegally deposed by those of his own
appointing.
Whilst ANDREW JOHNSON deserves to be
remembered and honored for every patri-
otic act he has performed, yet before he
deserves or receives the confidence of the
conservative people of the country, he
must rid himself of evil counselors, main
tain the Constitution and defy the power OF
those who would by usurpations deprive
him of powers and duties conferred upon
him by the people.
If he had complied with his resolution
to maintain inviolate the Constitution,
1.-The by the Eternal' of a hero that never
faltered, and exhibited a fixed determina-
ton of purpose when the violent hands of
usurpation dared to desecrate the power of