The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-07-14
A Half-Told Story

HOW ANDY JOHNSON TURNED THE TABLES on
Gus HENRY.
Correspondence OF the Atlanta Constitu-
ton.
I read in your paper Of a recent date an
article credited to the Knoxville, tTenn.)
Press and Herald. giving graphic account
OF a political discussion between Andrew
johnson and G. A Henry, at Memphis.
where these distinguished statesmen whefe
opposing candidates for Governor Of the
volunteer State aud stating the happy man
ner in which the Eagle Orator" 'sgot
Andy by claiming that the eagle Was
proud bird and would not afeed on carron."
l remember the discussion very well /, for
there was another incident connected with
it which cannot be forgotten. was .
supporter Of Mr.. Henry, and then thought;
With the liberty masses, that Andy John
son was the quintesscnce Of baseness. but
to the discussion at Memphis The Press
and Herald has only told half the story.
give you the other half. which will plain
lily show how Andy got the ..Eagle
Orator.
/ believe it was the late Ialneited and
brilliant WIN. r. Haskell-hinself the
"noblest Roman of them ali''--that point
ed ont to the Wing candidate in the Con-
gressionnl Globe. n vote of Johnsons
against hill making an appropriation
| to send supplies to the starving people of
Ireland during one of the years Of famine
in that oppressed country There were
many Ilishmen in the audience. and their
sympathies were naturally with johnson
as the representative of the Democratic
party. But Henry's glorious eloquence, as
he pictured the starving mothers, sisters,
and innocent babes at the breast in their
native land. and hurled anatliamas at John
son for the beartlessness of the vote lie
, had given in Congress, refusing to send q
J crumb OF bread. g en- to induce the iminor-
! tai spirit to remain in its tenement of ciay,
! left Andy for the moment without an Irish
friend in the audience.
I Finally. ii came Aniy's time to speak
He did SO, and at once took up the 1ues-
ton Of Irish relief. He acknowledged TINT
he had acted as charged ard boldly de-
clared that he would gre the same vote
then If he was in Congress aud the aues-
tion was before that body. lie did not
believe thai Congress had the Constitn
tional right 10 appropriate the public
, money in charities. He was stric. Con
: structionist, and could find no a-shority
5 to make any such disposition of public
!, funds. These funds were collected for a
specific pnrpcse-,he payment the actual
expenses ofthe Government--and he would
have been untrue 10 his official oath if he
! Ind voted to make ans ether, disposition
OF them. Therefore, he could tot. con.
. scientiously, yote for the appropriation in
, question, and he was not mean enough 10
dodge. S
Fl OF course do not pretend Ia quote his
language. but simply Indicate the line o
; argument by which lie defended his nm
popular vote. But the clincher was vel to
/ come. After exhausting his defense d
> that vote, he defantly proclaimed. in sub
stance
/ .Yes, fellow citzeas. did vote NJ
4 charged. would do it again. Il simpI,
}. discharged nm unpleasant duty in so doing
q But it was duty. had no mere right l.
Q put my hands in the public treasury ana
take ont money for tins purpose than Thad
: to pnt it into your pockets and taxa it oul
: for like purpose. Yet ssympath;zed
: deeply with that lamis!,ed people. VI,
heart bled Cor them. And as proof o.
/ my sympathy. although you know me to be
4 poor. man. here state that Andy John
!. son pnt his bands into his own pockets ana
: contributed, GU: Il his own money, fv.
! hundred dollars. How much did you give
: Mr. Henry, with your two plantstionz an.
!, hundreds of negroes? Not cent?
J. This completely turned fhIisas fables o,
y Henry, and Mt once not only restored John
o son to his original position in the affection
! Of the Irish, brt increased it ten-fold.-
Many ofthe W fasgs we're sotnewbat incrcdu
= lous, and Sickedly suggested that Aud.
y lied about the Eve hundred dollars. bu
L they knew that he would find a hundre,
: Democrats to swear to it's truth aud tina