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


Ex-President johnson evidently doesn't
mince words in expressing his opinion Of bis
successor in the White House. The cores
pondent ofthe New York Herald, with whom
MIR. johnson had conversation on Sunday. re-
ports him as saying:
You know very we'll, sir, for you were ia
miliar with my views, while I was President,
what my estimate Of Grant was; and don't
know OF anything that has since occurred that
has caused ma to change my mind the slight
est. know Grant tho roughly. had ample
opportunity to study him when was Presi.
dent, and am convinced he is the great est
talce that was ever thrust upon apeople. Why.
preston, but can't help pltying him-the lit
t!e fellow has nothing in HIM. He hasn't a
single idea. He has no pollcy-no conception
OF what the country requires. He don't un-
derstand the philosophy of a single great
understand his situation. He is mendacious,
cunning and .treacherous. He iea to me
mngrah6y maj nhdIs cog;na,. b{ and convicted him by
been tolerable were it the only. instance;
but It was not. He lied on many other
occasions. l. tell. you. sir, Grant ls nothing
more than bnn3le CT petty spites, jealousles
second Washington. Only think Of il, when
you compare him with Washington or Jeffer-
son where is he2 Why he Is 80 small you
must put your finger on him. He, q little up-
to be compared to George Washington WIN
1t makes me laugh. 1 have more pity for the
mao than contempt, for have no spite against
nun. But fear for the country when such q
man ma is hkened to the Father Of bis Country.
Why, just look at the inaugural Of Washington.
he speaks about his fear and trembling IN ac-
ceprDg the Presidency, even after all his ex-
pos. perleace and success. But this little fellow
Ians r&ns, an upstart; mere accident OF the war,
!he phlosophy OF single great question, says,
in his inaug ural, II know the re.ponslbilitv IA
Sreat, but accept It without Fear" LIS that like
washington ono OF Jefferson? Pshaw It's mon
no ideas, no policy. Why, Washington consid-
cred that mans greatness was measured bv
b's morality, by the standard of his soul. And
! nave always considered that the more soul a
intellect within him, the more Gotllilke he be-
came. But, sir, Grant has nothing. Phys,c lily
and am mentally and morally he is q nonentlty
why; s1r: his soul is so, small that you could
put 1t within the periphery OF hazel nutshell
and it might float about tor u thousand years
without knocking against the walls of the sh III.
! mats the size OF Ills soul. just look at the
man sitting ut Cabinet council. He has TO
How can he guide the people ? How can he
impress any great improvements or moral
ideas upon the nation? He has no object 10
snns LOOK forward to. no leading aim to draw the
there with his Cabinet. One member has
bought him house in Philadelphia another
has given him $65 600, another has given him
q carriage, aud SO on. 1t Is degrading TO the
office of President of the United States to Lave
such man there. They tax about his geno-
ralsbip.. Well, he was a mere incident Of he
war. Men and arms were supplied 10 abnn-
aance, aud his forces were SO massive that
they simply crushed out the rebellion. It
would have been done had Grant never been
born. Therefore he was a mere incident.
But the little fellow has come to think he
ing hlm when i think how wen I know
him and what an lnfinitessimal creature
he really is. often think that about the ft-
test place for Grant Is at some place IN the
a. nose Pieces and have often noticed
shop. At another corner of the
cross-roads there is grocery. store, and at
tie cases. Well, I have often notice at such
Q junction of sever Il roads that when the
squlre's business is over some fellow will pro-
pose horse race, and to give interest to the
tnlng I'M Darrei OF c,der and perhaps o half gel
lon OF wiiskey 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 a thought above that
MIR. Johnson pays General Butler the COM
pliment of having Wonderfully correct idea
Of Grant. 'He used to come to see me much
ct one time, and expressed the rrofoundest
for Grant. His estimate of Grant
was about the same as my own. He thought
Grant could be made to do anything, that
he could De made a complete tool, and that
II he desired he could have himself invited to
Graut's house. 1t happened precisely 30. after
ward, just as Butler boasted."