Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-10-13
ga. j." IN TOWN.
what he has to Say About the Sur
rat Case, Finance. dc, dc.

avenue, very convenient for making a speech
should one be demanded by bis admirers.
HIS PERSONAL APPEARANCE.
Mr.. johnson certainly holds his years well.
His face is as fresh as a mountain rose and his
complexion fair and transparent. lie is
cheerful in his manners and received our re-
porter with the utmost courtesy. He was clad
in "A full suit of conventional black with coat
cut full in the skirts, and a pair ofro0my panta.
looms, black vest, well starched shirt and stand
ing collar with black necktie. His aC-
ccmpanying him il of rudy healthful color
heavy built and withal a scion the great all
vanced alderman should feel proud of. Upon
entering the room our reporter accoSted Mr..
johnson as follows, after exchanging the civil
ties of the day:
Reporter.-Mr. johnson it has been stated In
newspaper paragraphs that the object of your
present visit TO Washington is to place yourself
right, as you said, as to your
ACTION IN THE sURRATT CASE,
again brought prominently 10 the surface by the
recent letter of Judge Hollis.
Mr.. Johnson.-Well, I came to Washington as
is my custom, at intervals, TO attend to a little
private business. | don't like to answer YOUR
question. Wait a few days, and something in
connection Herewith may develop itself.
ANDY's DEPOSITS.
Reporter.-Is it true, Mr.. johnson, that Won
had $4,000 on deposit in the First National
Bank of this city?
MIR. Johnscn.-Yes, sir; about that amount
Reportcr.-Was it special deposit?
Mr.. Johnson.-Ies, sir, and at small rate Of
interest. / assure you.
Reporter.-That makes You, of course, one OF
preferred creditors, a special depositor?
Mr.. JohnsOn.-les, presume so.
PRESIDENT GRANTS DEPOSITS.
ReForter.-Of course you heard that Presi
dent Grant was a depOstor in the bank?
Mr.. JOhnsOn.-Yes, and they say his account
is Overdrawn. Now, how easy it would have
beeD-Of course don't say / SAID this--but how
easy it would have been for Mr.. Grant to have
drawn a check for the large amount he had ia
the bank the day il suspended, and not knO wing
exactly how much he should check for acct
dentaly Oyerdraw seventy eight dollars. Now
understand me, | don't say this was done; buC
with smiley how easy IL would have been for
lin to have done this.
RepOrter.-Did the financial crash strike you
as precipitate or unexpected?
Nj. JOhnsOu.-Oh, no, | knew il was inevita
BILE, but did not expect it 50 soon. [ thought
sooner OF later it must come, bat did not look
for II for few years.
Rcporter.-Did the failure of the Cookies not
surprise you?
Mr.. Johnson.-well, confess it did. L did
not anticipate that they wOulI be first to &
under. You see Mr. Cooke has been dabblinE
in District politics, and never did believe thai
banking interests and politics could hlrmonizc.
The truth is, our whole banking system Is
wrong.
A.J.Is HARD-cAsH MAN.
Reporter.-In what respects do you consider
it deficient?
Mr.. JohnSon-Well, let's go back a little
before the war we had a floating currency OF
500, 600 900. The war, of course, expanded the
volume. Now, with the war over, we have over
$50 millions. Now all countries, whether Chris
tan or pagan, recognize only one basis, AMI
that is gold. You may have gold in coin, in
bars, in ingots, or in jcwelry, and you offer il
for sale. What Is the effect? Why, all that l.
required is to know how much 1t wei ghs-it will
always. bring its value. How about legal ten
ders? They call them legal tenders-I call them
greenbackS. Go with your legal tenders to bu,
a bill of exchange on LOndon-what DO you buy
it with? Why, gold, or its equivalent in coin
Now, how about national bank notes? Let m
tell you, ii it were not for the fact that the ma
;i]nal bank notes are secured by government
bonds, the present financial crash would have
spread distress in every section of the country
] he full effect, for this asOn, is not now felt
But it is coming. Suppose another war was t.
be precpitated upon the c9untry-where would
be your ational banks? Where would be theil
notes? Why, deprecated fifty fold, and why@
Because government securities would decline
In Old times, when bank failed its notes wen
with II. Now, national bank notes are secured
by government promises to pay, and the full
force of the crash is in a measure impedsd.
Reporter.-Do you believe i'll return to spe-
Gle payments?
Mr. JOhnson.-I think gold and silver is the
only true basis. What a ridiculous attitude the
Government is placed in. IL issues its notes
and then goes into the market and buys them
up at deprecated rate. Why, il shaves its
own notes, and such a transaction, not many
years ago among honorable business men, was
considered disreputable.
AMI ON WALL
Reporter.-Do you think the action of the
Government in relieving Wall street was "a wise
measure?
Mr.. Johnson.-I don't think the Government
had any business to interfere. Ii the GOuerD-
ment is to go to the relief of Wall street every
time Wall street is pinched, it will finally be
come part of Wall street. What a sad com
mentary! The crash depreciates securities, and
the Government, like note shaver, rushes in
and buys its own obligations at a reduced rate
and calls 1T relief. Why, the shoe must pinch
nrnar haTG Il Natt IA
enough gold in this country, and it produces
enough, to return to specie basis. All the
gold is boarded somewhere, and when che tina
crash comes the wealth of the nation will be
held in dozen two reserved places where
gold Is boarded. If we are to have currency let
us have uniform currency, and make il par
with gold. OF course if my greenback is par H.
gold feel better than when carrying the
DIRTY NASTY FRACTIONAL CURRENCY
now issued. This system of initiating the cur
rency is all wrong As currency is inflated god
recedes If looked at in the right light, the
laws governing the circulation of money
whether in gold or its equivalent in paper arc
just as infiexible as natures law with the ebb
and flow of the tides. With DEPRECATED cur
rency a man receives two dollars where with
good sound basis he might only receive one dol
lar per day, but If he buys as much with one
dollar of gold as he does with two dollars o,
deprecated stuff, don't IL show that somethngis
rotten, and that the people know it. why-I
tell YOU young man, there are lots of Young mel
in the country, plenty in Tennessee, who have
never seen a gold coin of their own country, and
would be surprised 10 see the same. Th,
national bank system is all wrong-all wrong.
THE sURRATT CORRESPONDENCE.
Reporter-Mr. johnson, allow me to ask you
direct question as the lawyers term it. D.
you think the publication of the Judge Holi
version of your declining to interfere In Ms
Surratts case was published at the time it was
to in1ure your chances of political prefermeut
In your native state-Tennessee?
HARD ON JUDGE HOLT.
Mr.. JOHNSON, (smiliug and good humored
ly.)-Weil, let me answer that in this wise. Let
me suggest something which may give you an
idea Suppose a man had aspirations to be
placed on the Supreme bench Of the United
states, and that, practically speaking, he had
been lost sight of by the American people
Now, suppose his desire to each the acme OF
his ambition constrained him to use almost any
means and at any expense, how easy it WOULD
be to rake up some old story. II the msstate-
ment of facts in the Surratt case, which, from
the very prominence of events which surround
ed 1t, would give him promin ence, why should
he lot use such means, II they were at his dis
posal. i mean, of course, an INSCRIPTIONS
ambitious man would only do it. If he wanted
to go to the Supreme bench, and it became
necessary to have the people prepared for such
an appointment, he must first make them know
he still lives. The Surratt case afforded him
the opportuity-he used it. You know A bow