The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1871-01-07

Commercial, who recently paid Il visit
to cN-Prcsident johnson, publishes Il
lengthy letter describing the interview.
We mako 4 few extracts:
FINDING MIR. JOHNSON.
Ringn" the door bell, Il servant APP
peared and ,,shered me into the parlor,
Il small room to the left of the hall. 1t
was plainly furnished, its chief attrac-
tions being the books and portraits on
the shelves and walls. There was Lin
coin, Washington, Jackson and John
son, the latter looking as natural as
life. She went away and returned in Il
moment, saying Mr.. Johnson was out;
perhaps | would find him at Mr..
Browns store, as he usually walked up
there every morning. Going up the
street to the store. entered and found
the cN-PrcSidcnt seated alone by the
stove. In i few moments some cOun-
try woman, surrounded by several lit
tie ragged boys, came III to barter but
ter and eggs for sugar and calico. Mr..
Brown and his clerk, young johnson,
appeared to wait upon them, count the
eggs and weigh the butter. Here was
a picture if truly represented on canvas,
would astonish the good people of
England, who draw such fine distinc-
manners and customs in our free and
Independent Republic-manners~ and
customs somewhat different from those
in other parts of the world. Here was
the son and soIl-in-law of a President of
the United States with their sleeves
rolled up, counting eggs, weighing but
ter, and giving in exchange coffee and
calico. Verify, our country is good
and peculiar, without being in the least
gloomy.
GRANT AND Ills MESSAGE.
l asked him what he thought of
Grants message.
"Well,' replied he, s'it's about the
weakest document that was ever under
the necessity of being called Il State
paper. 1t is as weak as water. There
is not point in it. You can't tell half
the time what he is driving at, and it
is doubtful if he knows himself. / see
that a great many Republican journals
are condemning it. The fact is, they
are tired of Grant. He is no more fit
for a President than Il goose. He has
got no ability-nothing but a little low
cunning.''
HIS OPINION OF PARTIES.
In speaking of the present political
condition of the country, Mr.. johnson
said that both parties were in a state of
disintcgratiOn, and that sooner or later
men of the country,' said he, "will
soon take things in hand; the old set
have about played out"
OLD DOCUMENTS ON HAND.
If old documents arc dangerous, he
has a nitro-glycerine mine at hand,
well charged These collections are of
x-nlIo co,onpSino, fln conn
pletest history of the last cventful ten
years in any one mans possession on
the continent.
NOT A BA EE.
A few months ago report was fly
ing around among the papers that Mr..
johnson had started a bank in Green
vile, and would give the evening of
his days to notes, drafts, accounts, and
hard and soft money. | asked him II
he really intended to become banker.
"Nothing is further from my mind,"
he replied. 81 never thought of it I'M
til saw it in the papers. l have been
economical all my life, and my habits
arc not such :,S to require much money
now. ! am getting along very well
with whatI have got. The story Of
my being about to go into the banking
business is something on a par with
the one in last Saturdays New York
Herald, that l was preparing to sup
port Grant, and i'll return for my aid he
was to give me Il Cabinet position in
1872, if he is rcclcctcd-Which he wont
be- Before I would go into Grants
Cabinet, either in 1872 or any other
time, | would get me Il situation as as
sistant hog-,Irovcr, or, as an old man
in the country used say, l would tic II
rope around my neck, and then around
Il tree, and walk off,