Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-12-06
ANDREW JOHNSON.
An Interview with the Ex.PresIdent.
How He Lives, HSw He Looks and
What He Saws


erly estimate bis character and fix his status
in the galaxy of the nations great, and any
attempt 10 do so now would be premature.
AT present he is over. damned and over
praised-mostly oyer-damned. His enc
mics are not confined to any portion of the
earth's surface, but are scattered about in
profusion in every direction, and are known
in the newspapers as Rebels and Radicals.
1t happens that extremes meet over the
head of A. j., and both ends pummel him
without mercy. This would be a recon-
incubation if both sides were not so strong
that few people are left to see the beauty
Of it.
No matter what may have been John
sons faults since the war, bis omissions and
commissions, his shortcomings and over
goings, it is clear to every unprecedented
mind that the American people owe him an
everlasting debt Of gratitude for his unfinch
ing, unhesitating and unseltsh loyalty to the
cause of liberty and the Republic during the
war. His service to the nation can never
be estimated. From the eastern end of
this State it is no large estimate to say that he
carried twenty thousand men into the Fed
eral army. His influence among the mass
Of the people of East Tennessee was almost
unbounded, and when he declared for his
I
lion blow that they never recovered from,
and have never forgiven. No less a per-
son than the ex-Vice President Of the
Southern Confederacy told me, little over
year ago, that but for Andrew johnson
the South would have gained her indepen- |
dence, and that his great Union speech in the !
Senate at the beginning of the war was the !
most mastery effort ever delivered on earth. !
This may be, and probably is, an over /
estimate, but the fact of Johnson's great |
service at a time when service was needed, |
remains, and the American people should |
not forget it. He may have been a traitor |
to his party, but he was never a traitor to |
his country. He fought for the perpetuily |
and integrity of the Republic at a time |
when the hosts of treason, disunion and Sc
cessiOn were marshalled for its destruction, |
and it cannot be denied but what he did |
herculean service through four long years
| of trial and despair.
JOHNSON IN RETIREMENT.
| Hearing that Mr.. johnson was at home, l
| determined to stop over day and see him.
| He sticks close to his rural home ''among
the Sabine hills" taking no part in political
affairs except to read the papers, and talk
with his neighbOrs.
Late yesterday evening arrived at the
Greeneville depot, and took the only convey
ance at hand for the hotel, namely, a long
plank sidewalk. Greeneville looked drear in
the gathering mists oftwilight, heavy clouds
overhead, muddy streets below, and damp
atmosphere all around. l passed by the
large, red brick house Of Mrs. Williams
where John Morgan passed his last night on
earth, passed the garden where he was shot,
passed the fence that was torn down to take
his body out, and up the long street through
which the cavalry came who killed him.
The only hotel in GreeneVille is kept by
one Mason, genial Irishman, who learned
his trade-that of a tailor-under Andy
johnson. l asked him how Andy was
"He is just as he always is-he is all
right" he replied, and it might be added
that most of the Greeneyille people are of
the same opinion.
JOHNsON's STORE.
l walked up the street toward the large
brick store owned by JOhnson's son-in-law,
and presided over by Johnson's only living
son. The ex-President spends most of his
time in this store, he being the owner of
the building, and perhaps having an inter
est in the merchandise. Through the back
door l saw him in the back room, punching
up the fire with long poker, and evidently
in condition to receive company. He re-
cognized me instantly, offered me chair,
gave the fire few more pOkes, and inquired
the news.
The ex-President appears to be growing
old only in years. To my eyes he does not
look month older than he did two years
ago. His form is as erect, his face as free
from wrinkles, his step as firm, and his eye
as bright as two years ago. His hair is
little thinner and little grayer, and that is
all that indicates the ravages of time.
johnson has a constitution like giant, and
vigor and long life is stamped in every Inca
ment of his full, round face. He is tempe
rate in eating and drinking, reports to the
contrary notwithstanding. 1t is an error to
suppose that he drank all the whisky that
was consumed in Washington City during
his administration. Others occasionally
took little for the stomach's sake, and per-
haps do to this day.
GRANT AND A SECOND TERM.
1t is pretty well understood by this time
that johnson hates Grant and Grant hates
johnson. There has existed an unpleasant
ness between these two distinguished men
for long time, growing out of the fact that
they have repeatedly accused one another
of telling falsehoods.
'Grant," said Mr.. johnson, as he gave
the fire a vigorous poke, ''GranI is entirely
dDSOTDtu III sen. ne Is Dcht OIt HdNlIl8 all !
other term, for he is making a fortune out
of his office, and don't want to give it up.
About four years more will finish his fortune
if it don't the country. He is the first
American President who ever tried the ex-
pertinent of getting rich in Office, and he
wants to make it a success. 1t is humilat-
ing to an intense degree to see the highest
officer of our Government grabbing for
riches like pawnbroker. If the country is
to be afflicted with him another four years,
it would be well to find out how much
money he wants, and make 1t up and give
it to him. Let him set his figures, and let
the people shell out the amount, and, if
possible, stop the bribe-taking, gift-taking,
office-selling and horse speculation propen-
stiles of this little whiffit."
FRED. GRANT SAILING ON THE PEOPLES
MONEY.
"Why sir, as time advances, this little
! horse-jockey gets worse. He either has no
brains at all or else he is lost to all sense of
| decency-perhaps both. Twenty years ago
for a President to have sent his son off to
| Europe at Government expense would have
shocked the country like electricity. The
| principle Of the thing, the feeble attempt
| to ape foreign court customs is damning.
| What right has Fred. Grant to 90 to
| Europe at Government expense any more
than you or l? Who is Fred. Grant?
! The son of worthless horse Jockey Presi-
dent, educated-no, attempted to be educa-
! ted-at Government expense, and now sent
| off on the staff of Gen. Sherman at full
| pay and mileage. Why, sir, it is clear and
a monstrous violation of law, and that, too,
| by man who has sworn to protect the
laws. 1t is deliberate and premeditated
stealing from the pockets of the people
| Going on the staff of Gen. Sherman What
business has Sherman running of to
Europe? Why don't he stay at home and
attend to his business, if he has got any, or
! else resign and go at his own expense?
| The whole thing is fraud and a swindle,
and illustrates the evil times into which we
| have fallen.
at is not enough that the national horse
| jockey should have his entire worthless fam
| lily connections saddled on the government
| from a to q like SO many paupers, but his
son must draw money from the Treasury to
| 60 to Europe on a pleasure trip. Twenty
| years ago it would have been as much as a
| Presidents official head was worth to have
attempted it, but now the people quietly
limit OLE Nla,- IL