The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-11-26
COLU5MBIA..
Thursday Morning Gov. s6. 2 I; . j f6G5. 5ii;;
The Retiring PresItient. !.

The Washington cypress comments
as follows on President johnson: =
President Johnson was once one of
the chief idols of the Republican
party. In looking back to that still
recent period, we are led to note the
rapid changes that have followed.
Who could have believed that the
enthusiastic worshippera of yester.
day would be She ferociors cracifiefs
of to-day? Has the idol changed?
Or is the change in the idolators?
In few months more, President
johnson will retire from his exalted
position. Itna5, with propriety, be
asked, Wherein is he different now
from what he was when he first took
his seat in the Executive .Shair? Is
there not abundant proof that he en-
tered that chair; with the conscien-
tious purpose of carrying out the po-
icy Of President Lincoln2 And is
it not equally clear that they who
sought to impeach President John
son, would have inpeached Presi-
dent Lincoln, if they had possessed
the opportunity? y 49, :,
Let US briefly review the career of
the now retiring President: :
/. He hasshown firm, consistent,
persevering attachmentto the Con-
stltution of the country.
Life hasstriven to mitigate the
severity OF. feeling that is sought to
be kept alivs between different sec
tions
8. He has avoided, like Lincoln,
all self-aggrandizemeIit.
If therebe anything different from
this in the Presidential career of Mr..
johnson, we have yet to see it. Few
men, in allSthe land, and in all stages
of its political history, have been
more bitterly assailed than he.
Washington, Jefferson and jackson
had no more personal assaults to en-
counter. No public man of our
times was ever SO attacked by mean
comparisons, by; low insinuations, by
vulgar caricatnres. His early life,
his former occupation, the names of
the humber Offices he has been
called to fill, have been flung in his
face, with o pertinacity of scurrility
and malice without parallel.
The men who have been guilty of
all this are the very men who. have
lauded the lowly birth of our future
President, and prided themselves on
the fact that they were the admiring
followers of the poor tanner boy.
Instead of holding up fact which,
In q Republican country like ours,
should be an encouragement to the
rising generation. these models of
consistency have indulged in all
sorts of filings at the modest and in
dustrious apprentice of the old North
State. How constantly the Tennes-
see Alderman has been the butt of
their ridicule! What contempt was
poured on the head of the Assembly
man, and Senator, and Governor!
All this has passed now, and, with
it, the scorn, and hatred. and little
ness of sonl, that saw no real merit
in Mr.. johnson as President. He
will be gratefully and affectionately
remembered, however, in many q
Northern home, and in many
Southern one, long after his accus-
ers shall have passed away. ~ e...
We might here refer to President
Johnson's policy in regard to the re-
storation of the Southern States to
ohOAt ioi uCi ctutub III bu0 OQlOn, III
contrast with the Congressional re-
construction scheme but we forbear.
We may, however, venture to sug-
gest that had the real wishes of the
Northern people been carried out at
the close of the war-had that mag
nanimity, candor. and fair dealing
exhibited by President johnson to-
wards the South been displayed on
the part of Congress how much bet
ter would be the present condition of
our country How much pecuniary
loss might have been avoided How
much nearer would we be to that fra
ternal feeling and abiding peace so
much desired by all
History will vindicate Andrew
Johnson's integrity and patriotism.
He will withdraw from Washington
after having PASSED through the
most fiery ordeal to which any Presi-
dent was ever subjected, and feeling
that in oil his actions he was guided
only by what he believed to be his
duty, he may confidently leave the
result with his God.
ELOQUENT EXTRACT. The follow
inp eloouent extract ia taken from on