The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-03-04
Bad Manners at the White House.

"MACK' has a poor opinion of the
President, and gives these reasons
for it:
There is an cid provcrb, full of truth
and force, which tells us that the Often
der never pardons. 1t is very fire.
qucntly exemplified in the conduct of
the present Executive toward hispre-
decessor. No man was ever guilty of
a more fragrant breach of the rules
of friendship, honor and integrity
against another than was shown in the
conduct of Ulysses ;. Grant toward
Andrew Johnson through the whole
series of events beginning with the
appointment of the former to the tenn
porary charge of the War Department,
and ending only with the administra-
ton of the latter. 1t showed Grant as
colossal statue of littleness, a majes-
tic mixture of lies, treachery and de-
ccit, such as the world has seldom
seen collected in the person of aspir-
ing greatness. One would have
thought that having served as the
mean tool of the Republican party,
and sold what little houor he had for
the cheap tinsel of Presidential NOM
ination. Mr.. Grant would be content
to cease the petty exhibitions of his
malice against Mr.. johnson when the
latter ceased to be a public character.
But not he. That, though presup-
posing only the doubtful degree of
generosity which consists in ceasing
TO bear malice, would be quite too
great display of that virtue for the
small soul of Mr.. Grant. "The Often
der never pardons"-and his present
Excellency, having sullied his honor 10
defame his predecessor, can never for.
give the injury he sustained. Andy!
Il have been his feeble defender often,
his ardent admirer never; yet how he
looms up into the greatness of honest
Misunderstanding, yet noble'-when
placed side by side with the gift-gor-
ged nincompoop who succeeds him.
But | started this paragraph for the
purpose of illustration rather than
homily; and the incident / relate is
vouched for by one who witnessed it,
and whose veracity has the voucher of
long pnblic service and high public
character. About a week ago the
President went to an evening reception
at the residence of an eminent 10y
alist' of this city. While there he
was introduced to a private room in
which number of gentlemen-white
and black, drunk and sober-were be-
ing amused by choice extracts from
the political doggerel of Hosea
Bigclow-something triflc worse,
if possible, than Nasty, besides re-
curing a Yankee twang to give its
vulgar Jokes effect. Most of it related
TO the administration Of President
johnson, which, of course, is grossly
vilified. The President was delighted
with ii, listened intently and laughed
immoderately. Next day there was a
State dinner at the White House. Civ
en- to the Trustees ofthe Peabody Fund
The character of the guests may be
Judged from the fact that Bishop
McIlvaine and lady were two of them:
ex-Gov. Winthrop, of Massachusetts,
and lady two more: and ex-senator
CT believe he is EX-SENATOR Graham,
ofNorth Carolina, and lady two more.
There were others whose names i can
not recall. But those | have men-
toned will indicate the character of
the assemblage. All political parties
especially of the past, were repres-
ented--old line Democrats and sill
ver-gray Wings being in the majority
not one of them less than sixty or
seventy wears old. Well. after dinver,
at the request of the President the
company withdrew to another apart
ment, and what do you think awaited
the venerable Bishopand his venerable
associates? Why. as live, the same
clocutionist who had charmed Grant
at the evening reception, with the
same volume in hand, to read the same
extracts. They all listened-most of
them in the respectful silence of sup
pressed disgust; and all of them in
great wonder at the bad taste which
had insulted them in this way.
That's my story. How does the
reader like it?