New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-08-03
lPRoM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

GRANT.
IPRoN OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
GREENvILLE, Tenn, July 26.-Wben Andrew
Johnson commenced his remarkable public career by
filling the Office OF Alderman of his native village, his
official duties could not have been laborious for more
quiet peaceable and altogether dull place 1t would be
hard toIfnd in many days travel The stranger on en-
tering the town. is apt however to get contrary i'm
preston. The number Of drinking saloons about tho
railway station each with its sign OF rude representa-
taton Of o black bottle under the words Bar-Room,
suggests to his mind tho necessity Of the exercise OF
considerable municipal authority, and when be arrives
at tho hotel this view is confirmed by glance at the
brief and peremptOry regulations posted In the hail.
which appear to indicate that rude manners and turbu
lent behavior characterize tho requeners Of tho place
These regulations read as follows:
positively no Indecent language or swearing allowed
at the table, No gambling, drinking, or car0asng OIL
lowed IN the house. These rules must ana shau DO TO-
spected."
After sitting for an hour or two upon the piazza, and
looking out upon the main street across the row OF
feather beds hung for airing the railing these
Tennessee people sleep feathers tho year round
the stranger concludes that mis- first impressions were
erroneous that the fequeners OF the barrooms seldom
imbibe too much and that the stringent rules OF the
hotel framed with view to the supposed habits OF
outside barbarians like HIMSELF for in the course OF an
hours observation he will not dozen passersby
and will hear few sounds disturb the drowsy silence
OF the place save the of little stream the talk
of few loungers the Courthouse steps opposite the
tNitter of the birds trees, and the cnk OF the
blachsmith's hammer upon the anvil.
Greenve is credited by the census with 1900 inhaoi-
tnts but they are clearly of retiring disposition and do
not make much stir about the Streets and the farmers III
the neighboring country share this habit and
drive their oxwagons to town only when necessity COM
pes Apart from its having produced President OF tho
United States the place has historic fame 1t was
town long ago 1874, and was tho capital OF Old
Gov Sewers inohoate State Of Franklin. Two sessions
ola Legislature held here In defiance OF the au
thorty OF North Carolina to which the territory then
beOnged the organization Of the State Of Tennessee
after terminated Greenvie's career as capital
1t was here, also. that the famous Rebel raider Gen.
Morgan was surprised and killed.
There little that is peculiar in the town worthy
of description The streets roughly macadamlzed
and the stones show peryerse disposition to lie around
loose instead OF remaining in their proper places There
is an old Court House supplemented with new front
and aspiring cupola. There are few fine houses and
many shabby ones and highly ornamented wooden
gates, painted blue green, seem to be In fashion.
From hill few rods from the village there Is mag
nhcent mountain view Of the high that separates
East Tennessee from North Carolina which the eye follows
for long distance recognizing the peaks that lilo south
Knoxville nearly 50 miles away The chief thing Of in
terest stranger Of course the residence Of Andrew
Johnson 1t stands upon the business street. the front
door opening Immediately upon the Sidewalks plain,
twostory redbrck house, Of moderate sze with white
windowblinds shaded yard at one side, and kitchen
garden IN the sloping to spring sheltered
by three gigantic willows, grown from slips
brought by naval officer from the tomb
OF Napoleon at St. Helena, and planted by Mr.. Johnson
himself 90 years ago. The house simply furnished and
without and within has look OF perfect neaness The
little parlor has window looking upon the street and
another opening upon grassplat back OF the house.
under the shadow of spreading appe-tree The room
has bright tasteful aspect the sofa and few chairs
are covered with clean brown linen; upon tho pretty
papered walls there few picturesa portrait In oil
Of the ex-President, photograph in Masonic frame,
an oil painting of mountain scene in Colorado chrome
likeness of Lincoln Masonic chart and Autograph or
the Sate-House at EashveI and the table holds some
illustrated books set Of silyerware family Bible and
bouquet Of artificial flowers under glass cover With
out knowing anything of the Of the House, one
would take be the home OF village lawyer, DOCTOR
or merchant blessed with good TASTE income Of 81 900
year. and good wife endowed with domestic talents
few steps I'D the street from Mr. Johnsons house is
low one-sory building of two implanted Within
and much weatherbeaten without which he occupies as
an Office and library In the outer there are numer
Gus boxes Of public documents and the inner room con-
tans plain timetable, few splintbottomed chairs
and 900 or 400 books arranged shelves In three sides
Of the aparmen-chieHy works politics. history and
political economy. Mr. Johnsons habits are simple ana
He seldom leaves home except TO go 10 Dis
farm six miles in the country, where his sonlnaw ex
Senator Patterson lives He usually wallis over TO the
depot twice day. exercise when the trains come In
and may almost always be upon the street evenings
sitting in front of the store of another sonEaw, MI
Brown, and talking with his neighbors
The ex-President has modified none OF those we'll
known positive opinions about which he battled with
Congress In long conversation with THE TRIBUNEs
correspondent to-day, he announced his continued ad
hesion to that famous policy upon which he insisted
with such pertnacity while in the White-House, and
said he believed the time would come when public opn-
ion would say in the right. He still believed he
said that the States should not have been punished
but that few leading traitors should
have been tried and hung for their crimes As this was
not DONE the next best thing TO have granted general
amnesty. He regarded itas grave mistake that the
Secession question had not been determined by the
Courts after the The Rebellion raised two questions
had the Southern States the right to secedei and had
they the power The war settled that they had not the
power but the question as to whether they had the
right had never been determined and JEFF. Davis,
stephens and all the other leading men In the South still
believed that they had the constitutional right to go out
OF the Union. II the Supreme Court had decided TINS
question: these could have nothing more
to say. Events, Mr. johnson Thought, had proved
the folly the reconstruction policy OF Congress- IL had
brought all the refuse of Southern society TO the surface
Tho offices were filed with set of adventurers who had
run down South for nothing but plumber, and by the
most unacceptable and worthless class Of the native
population The masses Of intelligent and honest people
were embittered against by this policy and we had
lost the support Of all the better part OF the community
who had acted with the Rebellion, but were willing
when IL ended to honestly aid the Government. The
states should have been admitted he maintained, with
the Governments first organized after the war ended
Speaking Of the Constitutional amendments, Mr. John
son said 1t was unwlse resist them or question their
validity They were adopted in the prescribed form, al
though as he believed in contrary to the spirit
If the Constitution and they should be acQueseed In
until such time they were changed in the proper way
10 I, nh no On would