The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-07-02
JOHNSON ON GRANT.
The "Little Fellow" Accurately Mea-
sured-An Estimate that hos More
Truth than Poetry about it.

Ex-President johnson evidently doesn't
nince words in expressing his opinion Of bis
successor in the White House. The cores
pondent ofthe New York Herald, with whom
MIR. johnson had a conversation on Sunday, re-
ports him as saying:
You know very we'll, sir, for you were IA
| miliar with my views, while was President,
know of anything that has since occurred that
has caused ms to change my mind the slight
est. know Grant the roughly. had ample
opportunity to study him when / was P1esl-
| dent, and am convinced he is the greatest
tarce that was ever thrust upon apeople. Why,
preston, but can't help pitying hlm-the lit
tie fellow has nothing in him. he hasn't
single idea. He has no pohcy-no conception
Of what the country requires. he don't un.
derstand the philosophy OF q single great
question, and is completely lost in trying to
understand his situation. he is D1endacious,
cunning and treacherOus. He leo to me ne
my whole Cabinet; but that even would have
been tolerable were it the only instance;
but 1t was not. He lied on many other
occasions. tell you, sir, Grant ls nothing
more than bun 'le Of petty spites, jealousies
and resentments. And yet they say Grant is q
you compare blm with Washington or Jeffer-
son where ls he F.? Why he 10 90 small you
must put your finger on hlm. BE, q little up-
start, coward, physically and Intellectually,
to be compared to George Washington Why,
1t makes me laugh. have more pity for the
man than contempt, for have no spite against
hun. But fear for the country when such
man is ikened to the Father Of his Country.
Why, just look at the inaugural of Washington.
He speaks about his fear and trembling IN ac-
ceprng the Presidency, even after all his ex-
perieDce and success, But this little fellow
Grant an upstart. Q mere accident Of the war,
. creature without the ability to comprehend
the philosophy ofa single great question, says,
in hls inaugural. 81 know the responsibility ls
rrt at but accept it without fear." Is that like
Washington or Jefferson? Pshaw It's mon
strous to think OF. Grant, tell you, cir, has
no ideas, no policy. Why, Washington consld-
cred that mans greatness was measured by
his morality, By the standard of his soul. And
have always considered that the more soul 3
intellect within him, the more Godike he be-
came: But, Sir, Grant has nothing. Physlc lily
and mentally and morally he is nonentlty.
Why, slr. bis soul is 30 small that you could
put it within the periphery OF q hazel nutshell
and it might float about tor thousand years
without knocking against the walls OF the sh III.
That's the siz3 Of LIS soul. Just ok at the
man sitting ut Cabiner council. He has 10
idea, no pol cy, no standard, no creed, no iaith.
How can he guide the people bow con he
Impress any great improvements or moral
ideas upon'the nation2 He has no object 10
look forward to, no leading aim to draw the
people towards any particular end. He sits
theie with his Cabinet. One member has
bought him honse in Philadelphia. another
has given him $65 600, another has given him
a carriage, aud so on. It ID degrading 10 the
Office OF President of the United States TO Lave
such q man there. Tbey tax about his gene
ralsbip. Well, he was mere incident OF he
war. Men and arms we're supplied 10 abun-
dance, and his forces were 30 massive that
they simply crushed out the rebellion. 1t
would have been done had Grant never been
born. Therefore he vas o mere incident.
Bot the little fellow has come to think he
is somebody really. ! can't help pity
ing him when 1 think how well I know
him and what an lntintessimal creature
he really is.. I often think that about the Gt.
test place for Grant IS at some place IN the
country where there are cross-roads. have
been at those places and have often noticed
the scenes. At tha.corner perhaps there ia o
blacksmith's shop. At another corner OF the
crossroads there IS grocery store, and at
another house where the squire meets to se.-
tie cases. Well. I have offen noticed at such
q junction of severil roads that when the
squires business is over some fellow will pro-
pose horse race, and to give interest to the
thing barrel OF cider and perhaps o half gal
lon OF whiskey will be staked on the result.
Now Grant is just suited to such o situation.
His ideas are Of the c-oss- roads order, and he
has not thought above that.
Dir. Johnson pays General Butler the COM
plimeut OF having wonderfully correct idea
,of Grant, "He used to come to see me much
at one time, and expressed the rrofoundest
contempt for Grant. His estimate Of Grant
was about the same as my own. BE thought
Grant cou.d be made to do anything, that
he could De made complete tool, and that
il he desired he could have himself invited to
Grants house. 1t happened precisely so. after
ward. just as Butler boas ted"