The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-06-19
White House "reminiscences.

VICTIMS OF INTEMPERANCE AND INSANITY.
The telegraph announced, few days ago, that
| while Andrew johnson, late President of the
| United States, was at Athens, Alabama, on his
way to Pulaski, where he was to make a speech.
he received intelligence Of the death OF his son,
Colonel Robert Johnson.
| Andrew johnson always exhibited the tender
! est affection Tor this son, on whom he had be-
| slowed AN excellent education. He was a Young
man of superior abilities and remarkably pleasant
| manners. he had been o member of the Legis-
| !ature OF Tennessee, and the upward path touse-
fulncss and distinction lay open and easy before
him. One only besetting sin forever blighted
all his bright prospects he had an uncontrola-
bic thirst for strong drink. The last we heard
OF him previous to the news of his death, he Was
somewhere in an inebriate asylum.
The announcement of Robert Johnsou's decease
carries us back to the White House in the first
days of Andrew Johnson's administration. Rob-
ert was then of his fathers private secretaries
Col. William A. Browning was another Brown.
ing was one OF the handsomest men in the world
tall, muscular, finely formed, with an open,
pleasing countenance, and complexion as clear
| and skin as fine as Ireland or Nantucket gives
| to the fairest OF women. He had graduated at
Yale College, and was fine bellies lettres scholar,
| and man of fine accomplishments. He had
been with Mr.. johnson in Tennessee for several
years, and went with him to the White House.
But his stay was of short duration. He received
the appointment OF Secretary Of Legation to
Mexico. He never left the country, however.
The same habit which has now carried off young
| johnson did its fatal work with him more
speedily. He was extremely popular and the
! idol OF women. Yet we have seen him turn from
the oveiest Of smiles, and from the gayest scenes
! OF festivity. and quietly remark: "My heart is
broken-I have no wish to live"
| MIR. Browning was married when quite young
| to beautiful girl, who lived but short time
| after her marriage. He never seemed to recover,
| in any degree, from the shock of her death. On
the contrary, the pain of the separation seemed
to deepen and grow more poignant in his heart.
The last time We met him was in Washington,
only short time before his DEATH In the course
| OF brief conversation, he said II have lust
parted with the most beautiful woman in Amer
lea, but my heart is buried in my wife's grave,
and want to die"
Soon afterwards he shut himself up in room,
and deliberately drank whiskey until it killed
him.
AT the beginning of the time of which we
| speak, another inmate of the White House was
Preston King. How jolly he looked and felt
and how his hearty laugh shook his great, heavy
sides. King, though mild hammered man. and
a lawyer by education, had been an athlete and
| hghter III his young days, and always a bit of
dandy, weighing, we would say, upwards of
an eighth OF u ton. He used to receive at the
White House, arrayed in white pants and vests,
and wearing something like the old fashioned
pump shoes, highly polished--such as Prosper
M. Wetinore used to wear when he called on
Secretary of State Marcy.
As we have said, Mr., King felt very Jolly now
he was the Presidents other self, and had things
his own way. He considered that he had been
snubbed and badly treated by the Seward men,
in the election OF Morgan to supersede, when he
had served only one term in the Senate but
now he was greater than Seward for was he not
almost as good as President, while Seward was
only Secretary of State:
Alas that very elevation to power was the
cause Of Mr. Kings awful and untimely death.
His infuence-his ascendency at the White
House was felt to be altogether too great by the
jealous and envious politicians with whose pur-
poses it intsrfered. They cunningly contrived
to Danish him to honorable exile, by making him
collector Of the port Of New York, an Office for
which he had neither taste nor adaptation. Its
perple1ing, complicated and harrassing duties
and, we have always thought, the discovery Of
the trick which had been practiced upon him