Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-03-30
EX.PREsIDENT JOHNSON.


The telegram summoning DR..
Norris to Greeneville to attend
President Johnson in his late illness,
gave rise to the rumor which pre-
vailed in Washington on the 18th
inst. that the ex-President was
dead. Speaking Of the excitement
which this rumor produced, the
Washington correspondent of the
New York WorI5 says
On the strength of this telegram, the
rum0r spread far and wide through the
city that the ex-President had died, and
it was directly asserted that Senators
BrownlOw and Fowler and Representa-
tive Stokes had received dispatches
saying that the exsPresident had died at
A N day. On the strength Of this
those gentlemen were much worried 10y
inquiries Of them, and their denial5 OF
any adyices only served to intensity the
pozitiyeness and directnes5 Of the re-
ports It seems, however, that nothing
except the first telegram 10 Df. Norris
has been received, and the city has been
left to conjecture and the apprehension IN
the belief that the exSPTesident was
dead The livliest expressions OF surprise
sen,ibiity, and regret were INDUCED,
and, in many instances, Of profound per-
sOnal grief Co the other hand, the re-
port was made the subject of poor Jokes,
brutal fluctuations, and open gloe, 10y not
IA few of the cOarser grain Of politicians,
and by many women who would be INSULT
ed not to be called ladies. In relation to
President JOhnson's present calamitOus,
condition il can he stated that the stroke
of paralysis has been brought about 10y
a complication Of diseases of which lac
was the cheerful and patient sufferer
| While here these complaints were stone
in the bladder, frequently violent vertigo,
| and an almost constant neuralgia in the
nerve ; running along and over the right
| eve These were a daily source OF acute
aud prolonged pain to the eX-PreSident,
vet his robust habit, powerful patience,
and immense energy and endurance con-
| quered, at least, the appearance OF sui
/ icrinw in his case. Late at nights, how
| ever, after the tolls OF his sixteen hours
OF audience to the public were over,
your correspondent often, during the
Tast winter, has ob5ervtd the President
| suffering keenl7, especially from neu~
| ralgia, which TepCse seemed rather
10 argravatc, while active work kept
it down. lie frequently, at such
| times remarked that the whirl of excite
mert and contention suited even his
health better than any rest could, and
thar it was requisite in his case to be
| busy 10 live. On the occasion Of the N
terview Of March !, published in The
| World, he almost propheticaliy remarked
that when he went he expected 10 go ali
at once and nothing first, aud that lac
actually dreaded the results OF retire
ment and rest upon his health, because
attrition had been more for his health
and strength than any other force. lie
SAID that his body would break beioIe
his faculties gave out but that he did not
wish the latter to survive the iormer, rs
his capacity iOr action would be destroyed
then, and he could thiak f 40 m.nr
pitiable object than a ruined hodg hold
ing an active mind Ii is believed here
that Mr.. johnson retirement from the
activities Of the Presidency has brought
on exactly the results he fOresaw.