Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-04-02
JOHNSON.
what he Thinks Of the Political
Situation.
He viii probably VeEtilaie our
state Affairs.

! Correspondence ofthe Cincinnati Commercial ]
GREENYILLE, March ., 1863.
AsI have previously stated, A. J. re-
1 ceives 3 great many callers, and talks
! freely to all, concerning his past life and
the condition Of the country. He says
| be is out of public life for the present,
and il, what be has not been in a long
! time free man. In conversation he
/ frequently slludes to himself as " freed
man,
OF the public debt, ha says that it is to
be funded. 1t will be like every other
national debt in the world, never paid /;
but that the people viii be heavily taxed
to pay the interest from year to year,
without diminishing the principal. He
says the talk about a national deOt being
q national blessing is sil humbug, as it
is no more blessing than an individual
debt is to the debtor.
He regards Tennessee as particularly
unfortun ate, with her bad men in high
places, forty million dollar debt, militia
eating up the substance of the people,
and two thirds OF the tax-pRying whites
disfranchised, Such q government, he
says, can only be supported by force.
Or the franchise law now in the Su-
preme Court Of the United States, he
says that he does not fesr the case upon
It's merits, but it may be lost on ques-
ton of jurisdiction. II the Court are OF
the opinion that they have jurisdiction,
ne believes that, inasmueh as SUCH law
is in plain violation Of the Constitution,
il will be so declared, and that We shall
have free bsllot in Tennessee.
He thinks that the Constitution Is in
danger at the hands of dOmineering
Congress. In old Wing aud Democratic
times We used to meet together, and dis
cuss quSEsoBs in regard TO the eOnstTUc-
ton OF the Constitution one would con-
tend for rigid, and the other for 8 libe-
Tsl, construction. That is not the ques-
ton now before the American people,
but it is Rs to whether we have got any
Constitution at ell or not. He thinks the
next two years will decide the fate OF
that venerable instrument, and mas great
nope that it will come out triumphant.
he says the American people do not sp-
preciate the danger we are in /; that we
aRre continually drifting toward central
Ration, and losing sight Of the COnstitu-
ton, instead OF keeping it always in
view,
As to his future course he Is not dis
posed to be very communicative, and
will not say definitely whether he will
take the stump or not this summer, but
intimRtss pretty strongly that If the peO.
pie Of the State want him to, he will
He says be is not so old but what there is
8 good deal cf life in him yet, snd to the
people Of Tennessee he owes all that he
IS, and will do ali he can to remove their
burdens from them.
johnson Aseems to have q very COM
Portable It'd in his quiet home bus the
knowing Ofes sag that private lie will
be to him what dry land &c to fish. l
tslksd to an old acquaintance and per. I
sohei friend Of JOhnsOn's about this mat 1
~ and he s@id at you knew Andy as
well as 90, EOu would have no doubt as I
to his future course. was 10 10 81 e him
LAST night, and I.neveF knew him &c look 4
more stout and healthyin my lie, thougssT
have kROWn him ever since he came /
over the mountain, and uDIoaded mis- /
cart here In. .Greenviile. Il Is now the /
picture Of intellectual strength and sObust 1
msnhOOd. 4 mSn with as sctive mind 4
as lis can't be still-thst is, il mis- body /
is able to carry him shout. He hss now !
no employment, and Greenvllle fs too 4
small pisce 10 contain so large msn.
OF course he will remain here q while, /
but marx what tell you, be will be heard
from before many m3Oths. he Will re-
main still till DO becomes well posted: as /
to The way the RadiOsls sre managing
the affairs OF the Stale, and thea es vii
turn hose on them when they least sz-
pectit. He killed Know Nothingism too
0esd to kick in this State mauy years
ago, and he'll 90 for the Lssgues the
same way"
II A. J. should take s notion to veuti-
late the affairs OF this State, there i no
room te doubt but that he would create
quite a stir, aEd / believe he will do it.
D. J. L. p1n !
and turn his entire attention to Fennes-
see, where there is plenty of material for
him to work up. Besides this, the ranks
Of the Radicals are not in very good
condition to receive a charge frem him,
for they are torn and weakened by inter-
nsl brOiis and fsuds. They will have 30
let "by-gOnes be by-gOnes," in earnest,
and turn against the common enemy, or
be OveTthroWB.