Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1871-08-09
Ex-President johnson interviewed.

From Greeneville letter TO New York Tribune.
He did not say who was his candidate.
He mentioned Hancock as the probable
Democratic nominee, but said he doubted
the wisdom of nominating a military
man. for the reason that the very exploits
that would be harped upon to give such a
candidate popularity in the North would
damage him in the South. No military
man, therefore, could create enthusiasm in
both sections. He thought the welfare of
the country demanded change of Adj
ministration. What would you gain, "
1 asked, "by turning out Grant and put
ting in Hoffman, for instance, who would
hand the Government over to the control
of the Tammany Ring2n Nothing,
whatever" Mr.. johnson replied. 1--WE
should have only driven away one swarm
of plunderers to give place to a hungrier
one. Unless we can elect a man pledged
TO reform we should gain nothing by the
change. He should be pledged to different
principles from those now controlling the
Administration or there would be nothing
to choose between him and Grant"
Mr.. Johnson spoke of other topics
during our conversation, which / have
space merely to mention. He referred to
the troubles that beset his Administration.
He was surrounded, he said, by horde of
office-holders fearful of being disturbed in
their places, aud was like a man with his
him which ever wayne moved. Then there
was fanatical feeling in. the country
about Lincoln which made everything his
successor might do unacceptable to the
people. He defended the hanging of Mrs.
Surratt. He CONDEMNED the KukluX bill,
which he thought uncalled for and uncon-
stitutional. He did not believe there was
any disposition at the South to prosecute
| the negroes, or keep them from voting as
they chose. Mr.. Johnson expressed his
! opinions with a positiveness that con-
vinces the listener that they are his honest
convictions. He would impress stran-
ger, who should hear him talk without
| knowing anything of his history, rs a man
who works out his own conclusions on all
subjects by dint of hard thinking, accept
| ing nothing as established because approve
ed by the mass of intelligent minds, and
| holding on to his conclusions when arriv-
| ed at, whether right or wrong, sensible or
| absurd, with uncOnquerable pertinacity-
" a man. as Dickens described him, mot
to he turned or tritled with lie looks
better than he did when in Washington
younger and much more placid and good
humored. He said, as | took my leave,
that he had no political aspirations, and
intended soon 10 go abroad and for CON
| siderable time. fEf. EH.
THE DEACoN's REToRT.-The deacon
WAS not very much behind, if the follow
| ing story be true. In a small town On
the SchuykilI river, there is church in
which the singing had run down. 1t had
been led many years by one OF the dea-
cons, whose voice and musical powers had
been gradually falling. One evening the
c eTgyman gave out the hymn, which was
in AN odd measure, rather harder than
usual, and the deacon led off. Upon its
conclusion the minister rose and said:
Brother b will please repeat the
hymn, n | cannot pray after such sing
ing
The deacon very composedIy pitched
into another tune, and the clergyman pro-
ceeded with his prayer. Having finished
he took up the book to give the second
hymn, when he was interrupted by the
deacon gravely getting up and saying in a
voice audible to the whole congregation /:
"Will Mr. make another prayer
1t would be impossible for me to sing
after such a prayer Us that"
Whereas, 1t having been stated that