Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-04-06
MIR, johnson susfains Senator
SPrague's Indictment OF
ieaIism.
From the Knoxville Press and Herald

From the Knoxville Press and Herald-l
FsrTiavs pssL. the chief topic OF CON
,zsrsatio6 on the streets OF Rockville
and in al the country srOunoi was TIE
exnsctsd arrival Of Andrew Johnson
a. 6ur Andv," SIS he is familiarity called
nv his home friends and scquaintances.
The latter constitute nearly all the aDie-
bodied white men of East Tennessee
wha. notwithstanding some OF them nave
been lately led by designing knaVes 70
fhouRhtlessIy speak i'll OF him, yet hls
F,resenee in their midst has renewed tae
feeling of proprietary interest @nlch ali
the ciTizens OF this end OF the State Ieel
in " Andy johnson"
At an early hour the frlends OF tx
President johnson gathered into Knox
willie from the country for scores OF miles
around the city. On foot and on horse
hack. in wagons Snd on TsilTosa tralnsI
tine sturdy yeomanry of East Tennessee
sSFarmed into our city to greet again, al
tex eight years Of absence, the fTlen9 OF
tbe slsople and the supporter OF the FED
ersl Constitution.
Cav street was indeed gay with the
numerous ladies, who, taking advantage
of the pleasant wea-hers turned out eh
mssse 10 add their smile to the appfoV-
inc cheers Of their husbands, s0ns ana
brothers. lEe windows Of the OdiolLss
on beth sides OF the street were grsceu
with the beauty OF t6e city, Ia ANXIOUS
exnectsnev OF the eX- President, salOtlng
him As be passed by in g bsredche, WIN
every Manifestation of delight 10 Nhlch
Mr.. Johnson gracefully responded.
At eleven O'Clock an, the speelAl
train from GreeneviiIe arrived &C The de-
nOt. AS Mr.. Johnson slighJed ne was
received with desfening cheers Dy the
tnoussnds who stODd in sXpscJant walt
ing. Mr.. johnson, accom- panied oy non
FAR Nelson, and Col. John M. Flem-
ing- cf the Press and Herald, were es-
eofted to 3 barouche in waiting, ana
preceded by the Knoxville brass DanI
and followed by the multitude, proceeded
down Gay street to the Lamar house.
After few minutes, Mr.. Johnson, with
q number Of frieISis, took seats on the
platform erected in front Of the hotel.
NIB NELSON'S SPEECH
TIE Hon. I. A. r. Nelson, Introducing
Mr.. johnson, said:
almost supeIfluous duty, has been as-
signed to me, of presenting citiz5n VINO
is well known 10 you all by reputation
and who is acquainted with ysU, person.
aIlv. In the performance OF this duty II
is iL5possible for me to forget the past or
to forego the opportunity Of adyerIng 10
.aireumstspces which are we'll known TO
many OF Won, but OF which | have, per.
hans, 8 batter knowledge than any living
man circumstances which have never
been mentioned by sDy biOgrspher OF
our distinguished fellow citizen, and tne
mention Of which, while he Wss Ia oflee
and power, might have been attributed
20 motives that cannot now be lm puteO
4 aNGar rrla
Most Of you are fsmilisr with the fact
that there was almost lifelong differ
sDee of sentiment Between the Ex Pres
ident and myself Ia regard tG political
Affairs he being Rdistink uished and prom
fpeut leader OF tie Democratic party
and 1, in 3 much less conspicuous posi-
ton being we'll known TO the people Ct
Tennessee as an ardent supporter OF the
Wing doctrines and principles. We had
scarcely ever sgreed In any one political
opinion, hat il 50 happened that when
the whole country was convUlsedi ~
I660-6l, by the agitation OF the great
questions which then divided the puelle
mind, we conceded IN opinion as TO the
necessity OF maintaining and preserving
the integrity OF the American L DiOn.
Holding sentiments in common on this
absorbing question, We were brought To-
Rether by mutual friends st 3 public
meeting which was held ct GreenevllleI
10 the fall Of 1850, aud after the ad-
jaurnmeDt Of Congress ia the spring OF
1851, we were, through the same lbna-
encs, induced to Canvas together the
greater BART Of East Tennessee, and t.
urge the people, by every argumsnt snd
appeal within our - CT, to avol1 civil
war and remain steadfast 70 the Y Mon.
1t was in the course Of that canvass thai
] became belt scq1z'n.ed with the eX-
President than l had ever been before
and that the circumstances occurred
10 which / viii now advert. Au
excitement, unparalleled ia the pre-.
vious history of cur country, prevailed
10 every town, village and neighbOT-
hood. The trains were filled with SOL
diers rushing from the States south Of
Us. and from the middle and western dl-
visions OF our own State, to the scenes
of expected COZ & ct IN Virginia. Among
them and with many Of our Own citizens,
the most sDgry and embittered faeling
had been aroused against the ex Presi
dent. His position IS Senator in Con
gress wzs much more prominent than
my own, as = then recent Rapresente-
tive, and while, on the psrt OF many,
there was 10 sympathy with either, 3
large class entertained and expressed to-
relenting personal hostility. Our p0lii
csI assem- blies were often interrupted by
violence. Threats were cOnstsnty made
against both, but most strongly against
the ex President. Hs WAS 0 ten pointed
oat to the iniuriated s0sGisTy, as q d
subject OF summary vengesuce, and pur-
suea the canvass 10 its close 81 the imn1i-
pent he zard of his life. l was with him
and by his side on several occasions
when his life was actually threatened,
when insults we're CffsTed apd weapons
were Displayed. Many Of you will re-
member an occasion in this town, on
fhiestreet, and gitblp 2 few PAGES OF the
nlaee where We now Stand, when q mili-
tarv force threatened hs life and were
actually preceding 10 bseak Up an as
aemblv to whom the ex-Pfesident wRa
making an address, and how they were
nreyeuted by the active End energetic
interfarence Of q gallaBt rebel offlcer
who a now no more Not 20 sdvert tC
either instane 6 L deem it proper TO OBJ
serve that, in tae midss oi many scenes
of danger and trial, i was profoundly
fmDressed by the cool and determined
courage of the ex President and the in
AexibIe purpose be manifested, on thes'
and other occasions, to hazard his lie
and his all IN the vindicatiOn OF the grea
asuse to which be had devoted them
Rut Iforbea ar tosll1de to these cicunnstsD
oes With any greater minuleness o. detail
How The ex-President was assailed as hs
crossed the Cumbeland mountain; how
his utmost exertions were employed &
send speedy relief to the Union popula
tjon of East Tennessee how be arouseC
The dropping spirits Of the Nation afte
our first great disaster in battle how b
came back to Tennessee, rushed 10 th'
front of danger and ssiEed the helm OF
divided State how he steered tue strog
oIipg vessel and refused to surrender 80
state Capital how be remained 81 Man
vile and stimulated the patriotism Oh II