Weekly Trinity journal., 1868-12-19
From the Oakland Trdnscriptl
Last Will and Testament of A. johnson.

The last annual message of President johnson
IS a! hand Like all Of his numerous State pa
pers, 1t IS very long, pragmatc, dreary ana
egoustical. In view Of the peculiar situation
and remarkable history of that individual, Mr.
Johnsons suggestions will not be generally re-
garded as of exciting importance. Indeed, we
are afraid there are great many very intelii-
gent people who will not take the trouble 10
read his message at all, aud will suffer them
selves to grow old and die in ignorance OF his
peculiar views OF the national situation AT this
time Upon the whole. we believe we shall not
enter upon q lengthy review OF his various prop
ositions, bat will content ourselves with some
reflections on the melancholy event OF his re-
tirement from pubic life.
While bordering ever the lengthy and sorrow
hui epistie, We were at FIRST depressed and sad
dened by the thought that it was the last we
should hear from that great and good man but,
upon reflection, we have reason to hope that
Aaving over two months to run yet be will have
several more occasions to address his admiring
fellow-citizens, at length aud at large; and we
are further comforted by the cheerful expecta-
ton that upon his final retirement, he will issue
farewell address, and give US an opportunity
TO shed few bitter tears, rs the tails of bis ex-
ecutivc coat disappear over the Cumberland
mountains. We persuaded that after an adj
minisuation SO brilliant and popular; after hay
ibg swung round the circle with such sublime
and impressive effect after having battled SO
long Tor the Constitution and seen his policy so
triumphanly established after having so faith
fully led the multitude Of freemen through the
Red Sea and Tie Wilderness-and above ALL af-
ter his emorable and Impressive appearance on
a certain ed of February before the assembled
intelligence of the nation and the ambassadors
of the civilized world-after all this, we are per-
suaded that our beloved President will not tear
himself away abruptly, under the impression
that republics uugrateful.
Perhaps no American President will be more
conspicuous in history than he of whom we are
now speaking in melancholy ca 1ences. None
but himself can have been his parallel. We can
conceive of some historian in an age still remote,
writing passages like these: "At this time there
Andrew johnson, who through the mis-
taken friendship of his predecessor, had been
elected Vice President of the United States. He
was a man of humble origin, of ignobe instincts,
dissolute habits and untempered ambition, who,
being skilled in the arts of the demagogue, had
been rapidly advanced through the various
stages of political life by a rude sort of popular
ity on the border. X At once the real
character of the President began to appear
and the nation, now vocal with the p9ans of
victory, was abashed and COMPOUNDED by the
unseemly condition Of the Executive who
appeared in n state Of scandalOus intoxicaton
and while brawlng like inebriate harlequin,
and while the ruder sort of men were shouting
with delight at the melancholy spectacle of a
Presidential debauch, others went away In NOR |
tifcation and dependency, and for time the
aspect of the nation was that of sorrow and
shame Twenty years after the an
nalist proceeds, among the great throng who
had assembled to celebrate the birthday of the
illustrious Lincoln, was an old man Of melau-
choly aspect, and seemingly fallen from former
high state. He seemed lonely, like lost soul
for little while admitted to Paradise. Though
unnoticed and unhonored by the crowd, his his
tory had been remarkable. Sprngng from the
humblest ranks of society, he had risen i'll rapid
flight to the zenith of rcuown; and becoming
arrogant on the dizzy heights, struck profanely
against the shield Of advancing Freedom, was
transfxed and fell. The people seemed to pity
and called him Andrew Johnson
statesman must have reached very pro-
found depth of disgrace aud infamy when the
truth cannot be told about him without violating
the dccorum of language and shocking the sem
sibiliies of men. If Cicero hestated to mar the
excellence of his sublime Grafton by describing
she turpitude of Cat'ines career, well may the
historian be concerned for the purity of his style,
when he comes to write the history of Andrew
johnson 5 administration.