Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-08-10
ANDY JOHNSON.
The EX-President interviewed by IN
Appeal Correspondent at his
Office in Greeneville.
What the Great Statesman Thinks
Of the Political Condition
of the Country,


Of the Political Condition
Of the Country.
The Cincinnati Baltimore EOVemen
Greeley to Beaf Grant-Sumne
and COngress-The Constitution ans
constitutional Democracy the ONLY
Shield and Safeguard of the People
A special correspondent Of the Memphis
appeal has recently been interviewing Elk
President johnson at his home in Grenee
vile. We extract the following from The
the report of the interview as we find It il
the appeal Of the Sth:
lie was free in giving expression to his
views Of men and things, principles and par
~ ties, and he said he knew he was free, as
he did not wish 10 be misunderstood when
speaking on national affairs. He says he
stands exactly where he stood all through,
on the broad and firm plateau of
CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY,
'not, mind YOU" said he, "a Democracy that
isnothing but wild, ungovernable crowd, or
besotted rabble, swayed by its momentary
passions and flaming prejudices, but
Democracy reyerencing the constitution
and guided by itsa Democracy that knows
its own power, its own rights, its own his
tory, and capable Of controlling its own des-
tiny, acknowledging the supremacy of the
constitution, and willing 10 make progress,
and make reforms, if necessary, according
TO its high and sacred provisions. There is
where stand now. There is where / stood
when Thad Stevens, of infamous memory.
dared the High Court of Impeachment to
vote contrary to the pretended decision of
. Il
the war. There is where | stood during
the war. There is where l shall stand to
the end, for l believe that this country.
containing now forty millions of people, re-
quires that the constitutional guarantees of
their liberties shall be held sacred.o "If
not" continued Mr.. johnson, lowering his
voice to an impressive and solemn KEY and
beetliDg his brOks in an awful manner,
while be stretcfftd himself over toward
Where l sat, in front of him, 'ff not, where
are the foundations Of republican govern
ment?"
INTERRUPTION.
AZ this Juncture some gentleman of the
town called III to borrow paper from the
eX-PTesldellt, and also to inquire the news.
Mr.. johnson was as cordial in his manner
as one farmer could be to another, but all
the time preserved his dignity so naturally
and easy that it did not Impress one till
afterward. When the visitor retired, he re-
sumed his seat again, four or five feet from
my chair; but as be sat down, l rose I'D to
cross the small apartment for a match to
light Villainous cigar (three for quarter) |
which had purchased on the train. | was /
polite enough to ask permission of Mr.. |
johnson to smoke, for my parents always |
taught me to be polite in the presence of the |
great. He sweetly nodded his appreciation |
Ofmy course, and while nonchantly drew |
the match across the table TO produce ig-
milton by friction.
MIR. SOHNSON RESUMED
the discourse. He said, speaking of the |
present aspect of affairs: 81 can only be |
deceived IN one way. If Mr. Greeley acts |
independently of the Republican party, la
bors honestly and faithfully to heal old |
sores, and TO reanChor the drifting ship Of |
state In constitutional depths, frees the ex-
ecutlVe from corruption, and permits all the |
States the enjoyment of their rights, then | |
shall be agreeably disappointed" He said
That The Cincinnati platform was sound |
enough, SO far as it went, but in the course
OF his conversation be elaborated on the /
tariff question and the one-term principle.
lie said that plank, or admission, OF confess
slon,or statement of Greeley upon the tariff |
was false in principle, namely, that he |
would, II elected, refer the matter to the
congressional districts. "My God" ex-
claims MIR. johnson, shave we not the Con-
stltution?' Let us be logical at least.
Inns IS the very point; it is upon this very
principle that the rupture took place be-
tween Congress and myself. Is il not part
ana parcel OF the same ruinous doctrine, |
taught 10y Sumner and the rest, that Con-
Sress shall have all power? Don't you see
bow it comes in? Congress shall do this;
Congress shall do that;
CONGRESS SHALL DO EVERYTHING,
1t tied up the hands of the executive, and
became the executive itself. 1t awed the
Supreme Court into trembling silence,
while 1t became judiciary ITSELF Congress!
IL has come so close down to the everyday
life and workings Of the people that it steps
into the poor mans kitchen TO see how many
dumplings he has for dinner. The hireliags |
of Congress are in every town, in every
BACK alley, In every church, behind every
mans counter. It's hydra-headed tyrant,
with more prying eyes than Argus, and
with such lnquisitorial powers as were new
or exercised III Venice. Refer it TO the
Congressional districts! The Constitution
preScTlOes Tor what purposes revenue may
be raised; protection is in violation of that
instrument. Let US pause" said Mr.. john
son. while he hung his head forward and
slowly Wagged it from side to side: 0Iet
us pause, and not run headlong into the
dark. There are bogs and fogs, aud quag-
mires, and wildernesses about us, and
WE NEED LIGHT.
Let the constitution be our beacon in |
these tTouOlous, dangerous and dubious
times. Observe me; the Constitution pro-
Vldes for the maintenance of the govern
ment IN every possible contingency. Rev
enue Is TO be raised to carry il on, and for |
no other purpose. In raising that revenue
1t may be made apparent, for instance, that |
a tar1H OF seventy five per cent. on iron will !
bring III less money than tariffof fifty per |
cent. You can understand how that is |
without any lengthy explanation from me. |
In a case of that sort Justice and the legit-
mate objects for which the government was
established require that the tariff be lower
nd 10 htty per cent, but for the sake Of pro
tecting this party or that, this interest or
that this section or that, the tariff is kent !
up, and the treasury suffers. That would |
be contrary TO the constitution, and neither
the Executive nor Congress has the power |
to set IL aside. 1t IS a constitutional pro- ;
vision, and it would be the sworn duty of
the President TO veto bill which would af-
ford such protection. Yet
MR., GREELEY
says he would refer the matter to the Con-
gressiOnal districts. 1t is a matter, said ,
Mr.. johnson, already fixed by the consti-
tuition, and until that instrument be ,
amended neither Congress nor the Presi-
dent has power TO make a law contrary TO |
it. You sec now where the habi ual Radi-
cal contempt Of the constitution comes in.
This IS called old fogyism in me. Too late,
when the peoples liberties shall have been
taken away, and the dream OF Sumner
shall have been realized in the consolida-
ton OF the government in the hands of !
Congress, aud every State shall be ruled as
our Legislature rules the counties, the peo-
pie VIII awaken to the dire truth that the !
constitutional old fogyism of Andrew John !
son was The only safeguard of their original
liberties
You viii perceive that Mr.. johnson and ,
were fully into
r. POLITICS OF THE COUNTRY.
S yllinu of NV own ohsa-y.. ;,,,o. ;