The Shasta courier., 1868-05-02
SHASTA COURIER.
George Alfred Townsend's Interview with
Andrew johnson.

George AlITeu iOWuSeHu'S lnltTFItW Win
Andrew johnson.
WAsHISGroS. March l3th.-You have
read good deal lately about Conversations
between the President and the newspaper
correspor dents | have had my own little
interview of this sort, and revive 1t only that
YOU NAV know what sort OF a figure the
Pres d ent makes when revealing his virtues
and views to journalists
went up to the White House with a
friend. and writing my name on a card, sent
it to A. j. For nearly three hours | waited
in lonesome ante room, and at last, when
nodding in a chair, had my name called
stentorianlv Then was ushered so quickly
before the President that the whole fabric
of questions had meant to ask went up like
a pyramid of mist The President was
dressed in black, had his hair well brushed,
and looked good for thirty years of this life.
His manner was gracious but not demonstra-
tive. | told him | wanted to ask him some
questions, on certain points, and meant to
publish the answers in Republican news
paper.
''What were those questions ?" said A. J.
l told him that couldn't recollect single
one of them, being very sleepy. | said,
however, that they were all leading questions,
requiring direct answers rather than con
OuCa; lOl IL hdu bOCh 7siN W h'O
that if johnson got to speech making he
would 90 like: a music box for four or five
hours. Ifhehad talked half an hour | should
have gone to sleepin the Executive presence.
Therefore | asked two questions, which for
impudence have probably never been equaled
in the presence of any President. ~
il" Do you believe that the Senate, from
your personal knowledge of its members,
can be Just enough TO render fairEerdict
in your cause2'
Answer Well you see, on this pint,
as its Just coming up just at this time,
should have to answer it a little later, you
will perceive, on this pint"
Question: Will you resist by force an
attempt to suspend you during trial %
Answer Well on that pint, also, as
it's about Just coming prominent up, you see.
on that pint shouldn't care just yet to have
my views exactly, as it were, spread before
the people That and the other pint I'll
come to, p'raps, at a subsequent time"
Here the President referred me to some
old message or speech he had sent to some
body. and with sigh | begged to be allowed
to finish the interview when he had more leis
ure and | more patience.
Johnson's conversations are merely closet
stump speeches He takes up lead pencil,
strikes the table with it, says, There - at
every climax, bellows, cries, " My God !"
when at every fifth minute appealing to
Heaven for the nobility of his motives, and
trusts all sorts'of people with the very pri-
vacy of his soul. One of the correspondents
went to see him some time ago, and hearing
him talk about three hours, returned to his
office and wrote a series of questions and
answers, not a twentieth of which, he says,
ever passed between himself and the Presi
dent. He read the manuscript to the Presi-
dent, who replied Why you got me very
faithful !" The fact is Johnson is always
reported with more elegance than he speaks,
and in way to give him better figure be-
fore the country than he makes in private.
lie is a dreary talker- CIeyeldnd Leader.