The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1868-11-20
Andrew johnson.

The National hteuigencer ofthc 1lth
instant, in the course of anarticle retro
spctvc of the past fouryears, says:
And has not the time now arrived,
when President Johnsons true position
is being understood by the great masses
of his countrymen Has he any enemy
now so bitteras could even wish that his
fame should lie under the mountain of
calumny that party rage has hcaped up
on it? For the sake of our faith in the
nobler qualities which go so far to re-
deem even the worst of men, we would
fain believe that every day of modcra-
ton will be day of sunlight and JUS
! ticc in the hearts of all to the record of
President ,Johnson's motives in his adj
ministration.
History will never forget that instead
of counting the breath Of agitation which
must, if he had famed it, have carried
| him per force into u second term, he
preferred the patriotic labor of justice,
Cancellation. and restoration, on the ba-
| sis of the Constitution of the United
States. rs he understood 1t, to entertain
ing the dogma-to which point Congress
forced him-of dismeinbcrcd Union.
of the Northern part of which lie. who
sworc to be President of the United
States was to consider himself only as
the local Civil Chief Magistrate. His
! tory will soon write down, even in the
souls of all his late detractors. that a
more unselfish and single-heartCd states
man has not lived in our day than is
| Andrew johnson. And so far his party
reward has been the rccompensc that
awaits all public men who have the
courage to stand and put position and
power in the way of Il passionate and
revolutionary party before its force is
spent. Against the absolute power ofa
rcsistlcss party President johnson has
only opposed his pOwcrlcss opinions and
unanswCrablc arguments: unanswer.
able so far as these arguments are based
on the Constitution ofthe United States
which, as its sworn Chief Magistrate
/ he was bound to respect. The Other
view of the subject, "outsidc of the
Constitution" which the late Mr.. Ste
vcns thought justified by the necessit!
of the case. it was impossible for the
| Chief Magistrate of II united people
acting under written Constitution, tc
entertain in time of peace, and whcr
] lllt StNllOllS VI DOlil VI W lllNll ut 10 lllN
solemn guardian, were appealing fol
health aud restoration. And for thi.
discharge Of his duty, la his own blunt
lcsolutc, fearless way, history will hon
or him long before those who have SC
wantonly miSiudged and prosecuted
him have reached that sober secont
thought, which, even in their judge
mcnts, will yet do him justice.
Ben. Buffers Opinion of Grant
Had the following letter, over tn,
sign manual of b. f. Butler appeared
during the late canvass. it would hav,
been regarded simply as an electioneer
ing document; but its reproduction
now has very different significance
There is no doubt about Butler feelin:
wicked toward the President elect:
BAY VIEW. near GAINESVILLE. Mass.
.r... August %. 1867.
Ny Dear Sir: | have read your lette
to Mr.. Smith, upon the proposed nomi
, nation of Grant. with much interest
its criticisms on Grants career are just
but what will YOU do? You cannot &c
it or anything else concerning Gran
that is not Mandatory published. an,
. why? Because both sides are counting
him for the Presidency, and the trut
must not be told. We are, / fear, to IT,
the experiment again that we did wit
johnson, I. e. nominate u man for sup
posed availability without knowing hi
/ fitness. Grants election will be Il mis-
fortune, because it will PIT in ma
without head or heart indifferent to hu
man suffering and impotent to govern
| | am, yours truly,
BENZ. +. BUTLER.
w. JONES. Neenah, Wis. ....s