Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-04-11
kx-PREsIDENr JOHNsON,s sPEECH

kX-PRESIDENT JOHNSON,s SPEECH
We give this morning a full
photographic report of ex-Presi-
dent Johnson's speech of yester-
day in this city-the most elaborate
he has made since retiring from the
Chief Magistracy. The audience
to which it was delivered was one
of the largest ever congregated on
such an occasion. To say that it
was bold, able, and effective for the
objects had in view, is but TO de.
scribe in general terms an effort
which the listening throng expected
to hear, and those not present ex-
pect to read. 1t may be said of it,
as was once remarked of Henry
Clays mouth-it speaks for itself.
Like Mr.. Johnson's speeches from
the hustings generally, it does not
abound in the Ciceronian graces of
style. His taste does not aspire to
them. If he was, as he is not, re-
piete with the lore of the schools and
trained in the arts. of composition,
his ponderous mental machinery
would not use them. He is an in-
tellectual triphammer. He uses
only illustrations and tropes to en-
force point, rarely ever TO adorn a
period But in such uses of them
he is master; and in earnestness
and action, which we are told is the
soul of oratory, he is, despite of all
criticism, an orator indeed. His
soul-felt vehemence enchains the
attention. His simple and compact
logic carries the thought started by
his particular statement of fact, or
Of proposition, and insures con
viction in the mind Of the nearer.
These qualities, with his fervid man
ifestatiOns ofsympathy for and COM
munity of interest with the people,
are the secrets of his strength on the
stump. And in that faculty, he is
the equal of any man this country
has produced, resembling most the
late Stephen A. Douglas, and when
fully aroused, in no sense his infe
rior. These characterized his eff
fort yesterday. He is called a dem
agogue by the school of fastidious
critics, and abusively by those who
dissent from his views, and disap-
prove his public course. In the
highest sense of the word, he is
one. He is emphatically leader
Of the people. Yet, though turned
of sixty, he is in the vigor of his
strength, and to the close observer,
he continually improves in the at
tributes which qualify him for this
great and responsible position in
free government. He is, and will
be while life lasts, a positive quaint
ty in all our political equations. He
is irresponsible, and he is blind who
does not see it. Unless overtaken
by some most unfavorable coniunc-
ture Of circumstances, he will prove
irresistible. This is the man who
has Just descended from the presi-
Dental chair, as he displayed him
self yesterday in the capital Of
Tennessee. He has prejudices of
various kinds and in Numerically
opposite quarters to combat. He
has the stewardship of an august
station in a most difficult period
to explain and defend. He
has errors, sins as some may think,
TO account for and atone, before he
reads again his title clear to the
public confidence. But he will do
all these as successfully as any man
who ever took up the gauntlet in
the arena of popular debate This
is not lavish praise, as we think, but
a just and discriminating estimate
of the powers and qualities of the
man who has come.
OF the matter of his speech, we
have not space to speak at present
but commend it to a careful read
ing. The elevated position he has
held among his cOuntrymen emit
ties him, in whatever he says or
proposes to do in the present june
ture, to a candid judgment from
the people of Tennessee at least.
We shall not withhold from him a
hearty support in his crusade for
their deliverance, and from the daily
evidences, we shall be mistaken if
they do