Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-04-16
ANDREW JOHNSON.
His speech Yesterday ON Main
street Fifteen Hundred Per.
sens Present.
Personal Remfnfseenee OF Moses"
We Leave Him ON Pfsgah

Andrew johnson Moses) made a
speech yesterday afternoon at the corner
of Main and Poplar streets to crowd OF
about fifteen hundred people, including
all who came and went. A few colored
persons were present, perhaps one hum
dred, but they exhibited no symptoms OF
enthusiasm. A very slight platform had
been constructed for the use Of the
speaker, with table large enough for
two reporters, yet nearly dozen people,
including some ladies, fonnd foot-room
on this narrow place, and disputed the
position with great zeal.
Mr.. johnson was introduced to the
crowd at half past two clock by Mayor
| Leftwich, and he then proceeded very
deliberately to make long speech, re-
viewing the history of parties, the acts OF
Congress, and the latter part Of Andrew
Johnson political life. tits substantially
the speech made in Knoxville and
Nashville recently, and whole columns OF
it, as printed this morning, are the same,
word for word We cannot, in our lin.
tied space, undertake even synopsis.
As an orator, if Mr.. Johnson may be
called such, he has improved some since
he stumped the State the last time, but
his old friends, as we'll as opponents, all
agree that be is the same Andy"
His hair, which was form erly very black,
is now iron gray; he is slightly bent,
but that is more than compensated by
his en- bon point In the face he is
fuller than in former years, and the in
ference is that the cuisine of the White
House has been for the last four years
well administered.
The last time we had heard him speak
was in April, 1861, at Maryville, East
Tennessee. He spoke over three hours,
in grove west of the town, to an i'm
mense crowd of truly loyal East Tonnes
seeans, and seemed not the least fatigued.
On that day it was as much as South.
ern mans life was worth to admit his SEN
timents in that crowd, although Confed-
crate troops were passing up the railroad
daily by the thousand. The writer of
these lines listened to that fearful speech,
and another from Hon. Tom Nelson net
much milder, with the most respectful
attention it was not healthy to do other.
wise. Shortly after that time Mr.. John
son went North through Cumberland Gap
and we took the opposite shoot. Times
have greatly changed since then, but Mr..
johnson holds his own remarkably well.
He is now sixty years old, just half as
old as the original Moses was when he
had swung around the circle from the
Red Sea to Mount Pisg ali, where he ended
his career. Our modern Moses may not
live sixty years longer, but he bids fair TO
live and work ten or fifteen at least.
His effort yesterday was devoted, in
great measure, TO posthumous defense
of his political life, which is the best proof
that it is dead and the speech should be
preserved for the use of the future biog-
rapher. At present it is dead letter,
and it fell upon the crowd without
effect. Mr.. Johnson will find that be is
not 1.-THE" man that is wanted at this
time by any particular class of the dear
people. 1t may be all we'll enough to
treat with consideration and respect the
man who has held such distinguished
places of public trust, but his services
can be of no avail at present. The
burthens of the people can not be thrown
off by a revolution, nor can our wrongs
be redressed in a day. All this must be
the work of time, and each citizen by
obedience to the laws, industry and pa
tience can contribute just as much to
relieve the State as Mr.. Andrew Johnson.
He stands on his Pisgah to-day, and his
circle is made. Nothing remains for
him but the shackles of retirement, and
the sooner he recognizes the fact the bet
ter it will be for him and the people. The
reconstruction of Tennessee must be
done by the rising generation, and it will
depend upon their virtue, intelligence
and liberality Of sentiment. They may
be permitted to cross into the promised
land of peace and milk and honey, but
Moses can only look over Jordan and
see the fat things of the land in the dis
lance. We 20 on to take our chances.
Mr.. johnson, adieu