The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-03-27

WHY MRS. sPRAGUE THINKS ANDREW JOHNSON
- PERSECUTED MAN.
From the PI.tsburg G..s..e.l ]


A paragraph is going the rounds Of the papers
to the effect that Mrs. sprague is bringing her in
fuence to bear on her husband and father in favor
of President johnson and against impeachment.
There may be more in this than casual observer
would suppose. The question of rank or prece-
dence is not more closely contested in any Euro
pean court than in our republican capital. Col.
Benton and Chief Justice Taney had little feud,
which only ended with their lives, about prece-
dence. Should United States senator rank q
judge Of the Supreme Courts This was the ques-
tion which the naughty persistence Of the eagle.
faced colonel but partially settled in the afirma-
tive; for, although U. s. 8. will not often con-
descend to leave his card for j. s. c., the ]. 8.
Cs. are slow to acknowledge their duty to pay the
respect of q call upon u. S. s. OF course this
is question in which ladies' take an active inter.
est and no one has distinguished herself more in
it than Mrs. Sprague.
In the early days of the war, the young gov
ernor Of Rhode Island. who raised regiment at
his own risk, and went to suppress the rebellion,
was quite hero Of romance Loyal ladies' were
not SO abundant in Washington as after Lees sur
render; and, what with her wit, beauty, gracious
manners, her fathers position, and tee affiacced
of the Rhode Island millionaire patriotic COVER
nor colonel, Miss Chase occupied a very promi-
nent position, and believed herself entitled to pre-
cedence as First Lady, in the government.
She contested her claim with Mrs. Lincoln, who, as
Lady Of the White House." was, by common
consent, awarded that eminence. There had been
several passages at arms between them, and Mrs.
Lincoln felt deeply aggrieved when Miss Chase
was at the White House. either by special invita-
tion, or TO introduce some friends, forget which,
Mrs. Lincoln In an aniable desire to promote lar
mony, reminded her that she had not seen her FOR
some time, and hoped she would call again soon.
Mrs. Spragre hsughtily replied that she had gen.
orally been at home, and that IL Mrs. Lincoln had
wished TO see her she could most probably have
done so by returning her previous call. Ny
informant, a lady who was present at the time,
thought Miss Chase's manner as offensive as the
open claim to equal rank was unjust aud inju-
dleous, and felt that Mrs. Lincoln was fully JUS
titled in ever afterward refusing to treat her With
any pretense of kindness, or to attend her we'd
ding. Those who know the history Of Miss
Chsse's refusal to accord TO Mrs. Lincoln the pre-
cedence TO which she was unquestionably en-
titled. felt that Mr.. Lincoln did wrong in attending
that wedding, and thus giving The naughty bride q
Mrs. Sprague's desire to be "frst lady "
amounts almost to a mania and. no doubt, has
much to do with her fathers presidential aspira-
tons. While Mr.. johnson is president. she will
have little active opposition in her claim to that
dignity in right Of her treble rank Of wealth, wife
Of senator, and daughter of the chief justice; for
Mrs. Patterson is a woman of little or no seif-as
sertion. What with she intemperance Of her hus
band and brother, the care of her invalid mother
and her four children she has little time to attend
to the dignity of her position, and, with the
earnest devotion to her fsther, would defer to
Mrs. Sprague, If by so doing she could win any
support TO that father. On the other hand, Mrs.
Wade will hold any position to which she may
be assigned, and which she accepts. II Mrs.
Sprarue has ever undertaken to assert any
superiority over her, the sprightly and as
pring lady no doubt retired from the con-
hct feeling that she had won no laurels. Mrs.
Wade is very unpretending in dress and manners,
and TO see her and her husband, In q street car,
] have done, returning from hospital visit, after
Senate hours, one might mistake them for a well.
to.do farmer AID his hale old wife; but there Is a
reserved force OF good sense and dignity In her
manner which would make itself felt in the low
est hovel or most brilliant drawing-room. II she
goes into the White House there will be no room
for dispute as to who is " First Lady, in this de-
mocratic land. Hence there is no doubt Mrs.
Sprague would not wish to see her In that posi-
ton, especially as Mrs. Wade. in common with
thousands Of the people of Ohio. must remember.
with grave disapprovai, the youthful folly of the
spoiled beauty who brought public scandal on
her fathers administration. while he was governor
of that State. Even at that school girl age she
had sufficient tact and influence with him TO battle
his wisest connselors, IN their efforts TO remove
her favorite, handsome, dissolute, mar
red man, from bis position under the
government. One morning the city of
Columbus was thrown into great excitement by
the announcement, in the morning papers. that
the governor had undertaken TO horsewhip the
handsome gentleman, end had been shot in the
rencounter; but Miss Kate clutched the helm so
firmly as to carry her little bark through the
storm without throwing her Jonah overheard.
Her influence with her father IL almost unlimited
and to that source was ascribed his active oppo-
sition to increase of salary TO female clerks at
time when they received 5000 a year, and she
paid Just this amount for her wedding veil. y
Mrs. Wade il 80 thoroughly her ropposite--being
heart ard soul interested IN all true efforts to aid
the lowly, while maintaining her own dignity. rem
deriDg honor to whom honor ia due--that there Is
no doubt in my mind but Mrs sprague will strain
every nerve TO prevent ber being placed In po-
stion 10 dispose Of her own claim to the title Of
First Iadv - IANP a owrasurrw