The Shasta courier., 1868-04-04

DICKENS INTERVIEW WITH THE PRESIDENT.
MIR. Dickens called upon Mr.. johnson yes.
terday. The telegraph does not tell us ex.
actly what transpired, but it was something
like this:
" You see before you" His Excellency
may have remarked, lone of the most
remarkable men in the country, sir. You
see an impressive lesson to the effete despot-
isms of the Old World in the example which
stands before you of the unbounded facilities
which this country affords for the development
of its citizens. In no other country could G
plebian rise to the highest position. | am
plebian, sir, and am proud of it, My father
was II plebian, and | am of plebian origin.
As | said before, si-, | have risen from
plebian station. | vas tailor, sir. and
occupied low seat. Now, as | said before
| have risen to high one. am proud that
| was "a tailor. The first man was tailor.
The Lord Himself, as you may remember
once said, was a tailor. As | have already
remarked, am an example of the manner in
which citizens of this country can rise from
the lowest. l have gone through the whole
course OF human advancement. l was once
Alderman of my native village
Then my fellow-citizens honored me with
their confidence by electing me to the Legs.
lature. l became Congressman, sir, and
Governor of my State, and Senator in the
United States Senate. Yes, sir, my voice
rose with those of the greatest men of the
land. Then, sir, became a sarap, a military
deSpot IN my native State. | was a first class
despot, as may have remarked to YOU that
was tirst-class country tailor aud Alder
man. put the rebels through, as | am ne W
putting the Radicals through. That was
har I ctr, IL, Al r
the line. Then | was chosen to the second
station IN the ration, sir, as an acknowledge
ment of my devotion to the principles of
American freedom. No one has suffered
more for those principles than have | have
been abused for them | have been threat
ened to be hanged for them, sir. have held
Office for them; have risen, as ! told you
before, from the tailor's shop and Alderman s
seat to the highest position for them. A bull
let made me President for them. | have
reached the highest obiect.o human ambition,
sir. What more can | desire ! have swung
the circle, sir; have filled every office; /
have been in every party have been the
poor mans advocate; | have been a State
rights Democrat; | have been partisan of
slavery have been an abolitionst, rad-
cal Republican. and the leader of the copper
gers, and have tried to take it away from
them. | have seen my enemies on the verge
of the Constitution, aud have been there my
self. L haze struck at both ends of the line.
l am now rounding at the northern end
They both fly back and hurt me- As | may
have remarked, no one has suffered more for
my country than | have. This is a great
country, and am living illustration Of its
greatness, having. as | remarked, risen from
a plebian station to the highest position in
the land, and am proud of it. have swung
the circle, and pounded on both ends of the
line, and now | AN going to pound--the Brit
ish anvil, and teach the aristocrats OF Europe
what an American plebian, which | have
told you am proud to be, can do"
After Mr.. johnson had finished remarks
in this tenor, he consented, having received
free tickets for his whole family to the Dick
ems readings, to waive his purpose of assault
ing the British lion in his interview with
Mr.. Thornton Brooklyn Union.