Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-04-10

medical FehtifWen are nov enkAttd IN
examing this case thoroughly, snd vher
their labors are eoupls,sd ss ale rTon'is-
ed their written opiuiops. soooeFning The
siIsir.
ls President Johnson Inssne2 Whlsky
or Opium. 6
The New York Sun has started euri.
Gus speculation accompanies With sans
singular statements touching Mr.. Joha-
son aud the c.use ~ bis conduct. I,s,st,s
oat with saying, that the explanation Of
his.eecentricilies may be found short Of
the conviction that he 70 gnilty Of . de-
libersle, williul, wicked attempt 10 over
throw the government" which esplsus.
ton sis furnished By the theory thsthe
is. and long has been psriislly issAkx.
This Is the plea which, - last resort, IL
ususlly put in In behalf of persons accus.
ed of crime, aud - oftec with success -
any other. IL is not however 10 clear Mr.
johnson on unreal grounds that the sun
has suggested insanity a. the explanations
OF his conduct. Ii refers 10 what IL re-
CARDS US facts going 20 establish the prob
ability that he hes for soae time been,
aud is nov, partially insane. Such parts
of the Suns article A. bear on ihis point
we quote: s g.a. .taa't saD
"Wiih the exirsordinsty spectacle pre-
sented on the OCCASION of Mr.. Jphnson's
Inauguration as Vice President, the world
is familiar. Our oen citizens, IS we'll a.
the representatives of foreign governments
who were present, looked spon it with az
tonishmept But there prevails almost
universally, outside Of those who were eye
Witnesses, mistaken notion Of the cir.
cumstsnces OF that event. According to
the most trustworthy evidence, Mr john
son was not -ss he is generally supposed
to have been-intoxicated when be took
the oath Of office aud made his ipaugura-
tion speech. Gen. Banks aud other dis.
tinguished public men, who we're very
near to him, and had the best possible
opportunity of seeing everything that
passed, have stated that the manner of
Mr. johnson gave no indication whatever
that he had been drinking. This fact
ouly increased the surprise aud wonder at
his most inappropriate and incoherent re-
marks. The late Preston King said that
be had been with Mr. johnson that day,
and that hr. johnson bad taken but a
single glass of wine; be was sure of this;
he had been SO constantly in bis presence
that Mr.. Johnson could not have taken
more without his knowing il. Ar. King
said that MIR. Johnsons MUD was i'm.
paired by the great excitement to which
he had been subjected; aud that was the
reason that single glass of wine affected
him 30 much. But, as we have stated,
others who were very near him saw no
effect of the wine upon bis manner or de-
livery at all.
His speech of February ed, 1896,
from the steps Of the White House, in
which he characterized Mr.. Forney as
dead duck, seemed too low piece Of
buffoonery to emsnate from n sane Presi-
dent. But that afforded much less clear
evidence of insanity than his denuneia-
tion of Charles Sumner and Thaddeus
Stevens, as men who sought to compass
his death BY assassination This was clear
y an illusion, this was unmistskable in
sanity.
About the time that this occurred, and
for some time afterwards, there was n
rumor generally prevalent in Washing.
ton, that Mr. Johnson vas lsboring un-
der an insane apprehension thst he would
be poisoned; aud that for this reason. and
TO guard against such danger, lie caused
all his food TO be very carefully examined
before parIaking Of it.
The whole country remembers his
swinging around the circle. If that was
not an exploifs of an insane man, what
was il? Would any President in his sober
senses, travel through the breadth of the
land, denouncing ca. ordinate branch or
the government in such harsh, vulgar aud
abusive language as Mr.. johnson con-
stantly applied TO Congress? Would any
sane President, instead of making a re
moval Of such officers as he had a right
to remove, preeede an ordinary exercise
of executive authority by journey away
out to st. Louis, to proclaim 20 an aston
ished crowd. II will kick them out just as
fast as | can"
= \ =
What has caused Mr. Johnson's in ,
sanity?
lie has been subjected TO intense and
long continued excitement. Wine may
have had its part; aud the disrepuisble
pardon brokerage business points TO other
indulgences, while those who sre sc-
quainted With all the Signs Of the most
seductive Of Agencies Of exsi;ement
and of madness, fancy that they see in
the peculiar roll, and glare, and freuzy OF
the eye, the expression Of opiuml
X \ X
We see no probability that any de-
tense except that Of insa nifty, eau be sue
cessfully made. IL acquitted on this
ground, the President could be removed
for inability TO perform the duties Of his Z
Office. That would be better for hims
preferable on account Of his family aud
friends, and pleasanter TO n majority of
the people, than thar no should be sd-
Judged guilty of high crimes and misde-
meanors II would be melancholy, but
not national disgrace.
Whatever may be the result, this i'm.
peachment business will soon be over; the
country will have repose. and will move
steadily On IT, career ~ greatness aad
ylorv sa