Weekly Trinity journal., 1868-04-18
From the Sacramento Union.
The PickWickian Thomas.

1t seems from the evidence of ad interim Thomas
that the public has been quite mistaken in sup
posing there was anything serious going on at
Washington. ALL threats and attempts at vio-
lence there to be construed in q strictly Pick
wickian sense. The people have been unaware
what subtle humor lurked under that lugubrl-
Gus countenance of johnson with which the
prints have made US SO familiar. He is really a
President of Pickwick Club, and jolly good
fellow after all. When be was swinging round
the circle and talking savagely about Congress
hanging on the verge of the Government, he was
not unconscious of the joke he was perpetrating.
This was manifest to the astute Seward, who let
the cat out of the bag as he and Andy stood on
the tower of Goat Island gazing down into the
Niagara rapids. Don't 60 too near the edge"
saws Seward, silly. "No," responds Andy " it
won't do to 60 too near the verge" So, when
at St. Louis our Pckwickian President boosted
of his proficiency in kicking out office-hold-
ers, though his visage was sour his heart was
sweet His intentions toward Stanton have al
ways been of the most amiable nature. The re-
spect due the Presidential Office has obliged him
to put on a grave face and assume air of COM
mand but he always took humorous view of
things But for lowering that official dignity to
which he has always paid such strict regard,
Andy would himself have chassezed into the
War Office and payfully elected Stanton Vi ct
pedibus-with force ana foot. Deeming it better
to preserve his own fierce official aspect, he sent
Thomas to perform the funny part of the bust
ness. When that individual reported obstruc-
tions in the way, he gravely babe him $50 on !;
obey your orders" Thus enjoined, Thomas jo-
cularly talked to various persons about breaking
doors, - using force if necessary" and all that
entirely in Pckwickian sense. He was not or
dered to do these things he never meant to do
them; they were only the utterances of his play
full spirit rollicking in contemplation of the great
Joke of the season. Hence, when he found him.
self arrested before breakfast, be was surprised
and panied that Stanton should take things so
seriously. Why" said he, 60 Stanton, have
not had my breakfast yet I'm hungry" ''Ah ~
replied the grim old war Minister land there
must have been a twinkle in what Senator Conk
ling calls the red eye of battle as he contemp
lated this risky young fellow of seventy through
his spectacles); "hungry, eh take some of the
milk of old age';" and he pushed forward the
whisky bottle. Having renewed his inspiration
at the original fount, Thomas goes over to the
President to report progress When he tells
about his Imprisonment he is somewhat aston
ished to find Johnson delighted to hear of it.
That was just what he wanted it was part of
the joke. Thomas, however, had not seen it in
that light before. He found he was not fully
posted in the nature of the jeu d etat-the joke
of State. He deemed it best to ask advice of
Robert j. Walker, grave and reverend senior,
III the III anu III IIOllCS VI
potentates. Walker unfolded to him the pecu-
liar nature of the fun which is involved in be-
coming Presidential catspaw. He advised him
that chesnuts could not be got by that game
without some smuggling. Lorenzo was enabled,
after some optical effort, to see the point. 1t
was funny, very funny but not for him. He
concluded not to press the joke any further. 1t
was evidently hurting somebody's feelings. The
best he could do now to make clean breast
of it. There had been a conspiracy of the Pres
idential Pickwicks, but it was all for sport. He
believed, reflection he had talked about call
ing on Grant for military aid he had declared
to Burleigh that he "would kick down the
doors )" he had boosted to Karsner that he
90 would kick that fellow out''-meaning Edwin
NJ. Stanton. But, bless you "these words
were used playfuly y They to be taken in
a pickwickian sense. You must not expect that
a young man of seventy should weigh his words
when on bender, any more than an old man of
seventeen. This view of the case seems to have
affected Butler powerfully. 1t was like stroke
exactly between his two divergent eyes, neither
to be seen nor guarded against. 1t fell him
speechless. What could be said or done to this
venerable old joker, who protested on his honor
that he and Andy had only been having high
old time? The Senate must have been shaken
with "inextingusbable laughter" like that
which convulsed the assembly of the gods when
Mars and Venus returned blushing from the en-
tanplinp nets of old Vulcan.