The Richmond palladium., 1868-03-26
IS PRESIDENT JOHNSON INSANE!
Esr WHISKY OR OPIUM.

The New York Sun has started q GU
some singular statements touching Mr..
johnson and the cause Of his conduct
1t starts out with saying, that "the ex-
planation of bis eccentricities may be
found short Of the conviction that he is
guilty of deliberate, wilful, wicked
attempt to overthrow the government
which explanation "is furnished by the
theory that he is, and long has been
partially INSANE. This is the plea which
as a last resort, is usually put in in be-
half of persons accused of crime, and as
often with success as any other. 1t is
not however to clear Mr.. johnson on
unreal grounds that the Sun has sug
gested insanity as the explanation of his
conduct It refers to what it regards as
facts, going to establish the probability
that he has for some time been, and is
now, partially insane, Such parts ofthe
SUMS article as bear on this point we
quote: 4 ss-e- r.s-..r re.- -..s -
presented on the occasion of Mr.. J John
sons inauguration as Vice President, the
world is familiar. Our own citizens, as
well as the representatives of foreign
governments who were present, lnoked
upon it with astonishnent. But there
prevails almost univ ersally, outside of
those who were eye witnesses mis-
taken notion Of the circumstances of that
event. According to- the most trust
worthy evidence, Afr. Johnson was not
AS he is generally supposed to have
been-iitoxicated when he took the
oath of office and made his Inauguration
speech. Gen. Banks and other 6istin-
guished public men, who were very
near to him, and had the best possible
opportunity of seeing everything that
pas ed. have stated that the manner of
Mr.. johnson gave no indication what
ever, that he had been drinking. This
fact soaly- increased the surprise and
wonder at his most inappropriate and
incoherent remarks. The late Preston
King said that he had been with Mr..
johnson that day, and that Mr.. johnson
had taken hut single glass of wine; he
was sure of this: he had been so con
staptly in his presence that Mr.. John
son could not have taken more without
his knowing IT, Mr. King said that Mr..
Johnson's mind was impaired by the
great excitement to which he had been
subjected; and that was the reason that
a single glass Of wine effected him SO
much. But as we have stated, others,
who were very near him, saw no effect
of the wine upon his manner or delivery
at ALL
His speech of February 22d, 1866.
from the steps Of the White House, in
which he characterized Mr.. Forney as u
..dead duck" seemed too low piece Of
buffoonery to emanate fro :. q sane Pres
ident. But that afforded much less
clear evidence of insanity thanhis de-
nunciation of Charles Sumner and Thad
deus Stevens, as men who sought to
compass his death BY assassination
This was clearly an Illusion, this was
nnmistakahle insanity.
About the time that this occurred. and
for some time afterwards, there was
rumor generally prevalent in Washing
ton, that Mr.. johnson was laboring un
der an insane apprehension that he
would be poisoned; and that for this
and to guard against such dan
ger, he caused all his food to be very
carefully examined before partaking
of it.
The whole country remembers his
swinging around the circle. fthat was
not an exploit of an insane man, what
was it?W ould any President in his sober
senses, travel through the breadth Of the
land, denouncing a CO ordinate branch ,
of the government in such harsh. vulgar /
and abusive language as Mr.. johnson |
applied to Congress2 Would
an, sane President, instead of making .
a removal of such officers as he had !
right to remove, precede an ordinary t
exercise Of executive authority by |
journey away out to St. Louis, to pro-
claim to an astonished crowd, Il will !
kick them out gust as fast as can. al
What has caused Mr.. Johnson's in
sanity? nc2s5g g abaola 5e /
He has been subjected to intense and |
long continued excitement. Wine may /
have had its part; and the disreputable |
pardon brokerage business points to /
other indnlgencies; while those who are !
with the signs of thai most /
seductive of all agencies of excitement |
and Of madness, fancy that they see in /
the peculiar roll, and glare, and frenzy T
Of the eye, the expression Of opium.
4ss# o*5savT 4so rt*fe5ta O. = e II |
We see no probability that any de- /
fense except that of insanity. can be
made. If acquitted on this
ground, the President could be removed
for inability to perform the duties Of
his office That would be better for
him, preferable on account of his family
and friends. and pleasanter to major
itv Of the people. than that he should
be adiudged gnilty of high crimes and
1t would be melan.
choly, but not a national disgrace.
Whatever may be the result, this
business will soon he over;
tile country will have repose, and will
move steadily on its career of greatness
and glory. sr,sg,. l4,. .,,......s.;-. .srs-