The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-07-23
President johnson and Tammany Hall.

President johnson and Tammany Hall.
If ever without party at his back there
was happy man in the White House it was
John Tyler; if there has ever been man in
the White House who has unnecessarily and
protitlessly kept himself in hot water in
search of party II is Andrew Johnson From
his first message to Congress in December
1865, down to this day he has thus kept him
self in hot water. But there was method in
his madness and an object in his conflict with
Congress from the beginning, which, though
long time mystery to many inquiring minds,
is at length as completely solved as the prob
lens of the sources and the annual overflow of
the Nile. We have only to assume that from
the date of his rupture with "Old Thad
Stevens" Mr. Johnson began to work for the
democratic nomination of 1863 in order to get
perfect solution of his heroic and persistent
struggle for State rights and the constitution
His first positive and unqualified movement
in this direction was in the Philadelphia
johnson conservative experimental national
Convention of August, 1865 (see Mr. Ray
mond's speech), and that was failure. His
next adventure month later, was in that
famous pilgrimage to the tomb Of Douglas,
swinging round the circle and that was
failure for in the State elections which fol-
lowed ''my policy" against the fourteenth
amendment policy Of Congress was voted
down from Maine to California. In 1867 in
consequence Of the departure Of Congress from
said fourteenth amendment and the adoption
of the military and universal negro suffrage
policy Of Southern reconstruction, a popular
reaction set in against the republican party
from Connecticut to the Pacific, and Mr..
Johnson rejoiced greatly thereat in his mes
sages to Congress. He was getting to the
windward of his enemies. In 1868, unani-
mously sustained by the democracy in Con
gress and throughout the country against the
radicals and in the matter of his impeachment,
he had some ground for the impression, with his
acquittal, that the democrats, in casting about
for their most available candidate, would be in
evitably drawn, as their only alternative, to
Andrew johnson, the man who had done
more to bring them out of the Dismal Swamp
and to put them on their legs again than all
| their party leaders and managers put to-
| gether.
| Party conventions, however, like republics,
are ungrateful. The recent proceedings in
| Tammany Hall have thoroughly convinced Mr..
Johnson that this is true The shock how
ever, thus sustained, instead of diverting his
mind to the consultations Of religion or philoso-
phy, seems TO have awakened in the President
something of the direful wrath Of King Theo-
| dorus. He will trihe no longer with pre-
tended friends, but will STAY them right and
| left. certain letter from Washington in
yesterdays HERALD upon the subject shows
that he has no more fish to fry in Tammany
Hall, and that he is no longer in the mood to
turn the grindstOne to grind the axes and
tomahawks of the Tammany sachems 1t ap-
! pears. in short. that Mr.. johnson has not YET
| made up his mind whether to take hand 10
this Presidential conflict or to stand aloof a
neutral spectator, like the Tennessee hunter ia
the deadly struggle between his wife
and the bear. The democratic poll
uneasy at this attitude Of Achilles il
his tent They want him to come out
They had employed several adroit peace
makers to bring him out but all to nc purpose
when, a. the story goes, the anxious San
| Tildcn. Of New York, felt 10 necessary TO come
to the rescue that he accordingly despatche,
to Washington, by the owl train, the discree
and trusty John ID. Van Buren, Ga name which
would gratefully recall that Of the lamentc'
John Van BUREN, TO have a talk with Mr.
johnson. Colonel Van Buren, in due tim
appeared at the White House. aud, having
cleared the way frankly stated that bis objec
was ITO discover what aid the Presiden
would give TO the democratic party TO secur
the State of New York.
This was poser: but what was the Presi
dents answer, According to our correspon
dent in the premises Mr.. Johnson replied =
'Colonel Van Buren, some time ago Governor
Seymour declared that the very best thing tina
could happen for the country would be th
removal of the President by Congress- d
) not forget that, sir; and believe me now, sir
that have no desire to be found flying at th
tail Of Governor seymours kite. To tn
democracy Of New York owe nothing. The.
have been controlled by a newspaper cliqu
which have never been friendly TO me, an
therefore can see no reason why should 6
out of my way to assist them" r
! Now, assuming this report to be substau
tally true (and we have no reason to doubt it,
there Is rupture between the President an
Tammany Hall as complete as that which brok
3 up the old political firm of Seward Weed au'