Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-09-13
DRUNKEN VICE PRESIDENTS.
The Warning OF tho Past.
The New York Post saws:

The character of the candidate
for the Vice Presidency can never
fail to be a matter of concern to the
inhabitants ofthis country. In the
case of the death of the President
the Vice President takes his place
and exercises all his power during
the term. As Presidents are gen
orally well on in life when they
take Office and their cares and re-
sponsibility far from light, the
chance of Vice Presidents having
to discharge the functions of his
chief is not at all remote. Indeed,
in the last generation we have had
three cases of a succession; Tyler,
Fillmore and johnson all succeeded
to the Presidency, and two of these
men gave the country signal illus
trations of the dangers that may
flow from such accidents. Tyler
deserted his party; Johnson dis
graced himself and the whole coun-
try by appearing at his inaugura-
tion in a condition of helpless
drunkenness. He abandoned his
party also, and by his conccited
obstinacy and ignorance proved
himself quite worthless as politi-
clan, even from mere partisan
point of view. But in this, though
he embroiled the country in need
less " ay, he made a mistake which
many other men might have made
in his place. In his drunken in
auguration scene, however, and his
blasphemous stump speeches after
ward, he exhibited a character such
as had never been seen in an Ameri-
can President before.
The descriptions of johnson by
the Democrats before he became a
Democrat are worth recalling. The
newspapers OF that party bad no
words too abusive for him. He
was low-bred crossroads politi-
clan; he was an ignorant boor; he
was a drunkard; he was everything
that was base and disgusting. There
was good deal of truth in what
they said, too, although they for
got all about it and described the
same as noble martyr after he
went over to their party. It's curl
ous to remember, too, how John
son was nominated. No cxamina-
tion was made into his character or
ability. Nobody thought of in
quiring whether he was sober
man, or whether he was competent,
in any way. to discharge the duties
of the President. He was nomina-
ted because loyal Southerncr was
needed on the ticket to offset Mr..
Lincoln.
In a still more reckless way Mr..
Gratz Brown was recently nomina-
ted at Cincinnoti. In the hubbub
which succeeded the balloting for
President, his name was thrust
down the conventions throat; no
time was given for dcliberation or
inquiry; in fact the convention had
at the time ceased to be dclibera-
tive body, and had resolved itself
into a mob This, as we have Just
now said, was not merely repeti-
tion of the mistake made in select
ing Johnson-it was an exaggera-
ton of it. In Johnson's case little
had been known''either for or against
his character. In Mr.. Browns
case, however, grave doubts had
already been suggested as to his
habits, and among the leaders OF
the reform movement there was a
general feeling that he was an unfit
candidate for this reason.
1t has not surprised us, therefore,
to find Mr.. Brown openly charged
with disgusting act of drunken
ness during his recent visit to New
Haven, no: to find in the local pa
pers circumstantial accounts of his
condition while there, discussions
as to the degree of his drunkenness,
and low jokes about it. The sub
ject is n very disagrccable one, and
we have refraincd as long as posi-.
bic from doing anything to increase
the bitterness of the campaign by
dragging such topic before oul
readers. But as the story has now
been detailed with the most pains
taking minutcness by dozen news
papers, and the Springfield Repubf
can, ono of the most prominen,
supporters of the Greeley move
mcnt, instead of denying, has actu
ally admitted the charge, and de
manded the withdrawal of Mr.
Browns name from the ticket, WI
cannot remain silent any longer
The story must be taken as fact.
1t seems almost impossible tc
believe that the country will run thu
risk of taking a man for Presidcn,
who is asked by his own followers
to retire from the ticket of re
form party on account of his drunk
en- habits. It is useless to dcclaim
upon such a subject; to make heated
arguments about it; to exhort peo.
pie to remember that sobriety is al
essential qualification for public
office; to remind people Of tht
dangers which may come from the
change of drunken Vice Presiden
into a drunken President. There
arc things which are too plain .fol
discussion.
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