Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-09-08
ANDREW JOHNSON.

The candidacy of Andrew Johnson
to represent Tennessee in the United
States Senate is exciting considerable
interest throughout the country.
Henry S. Foote, a man seventy-four
years old and for forty years more or
less prominent in the politics of the
South, hotly contests his right to the
seat. Andrew Johnson's life is a
splendid example of what may be ac-
complished under the most adverse
circumstances. Born in humble life,
with absolutely no advantages of early
education, clogged in his early man.
hood by the most abject penury, this
man by sheer force of resolution, per-
sistency and well directed energies,
raised himself to a realization of about
the summit of an Americans ambi-
ton.
1t is q fortunate thing that under
Republican institutions obscurity of
birth and the greatest poverty is no
obstacle to mans raising himself to
whatever position his intelligence and
ability may warrant.
At the age of ten years, Mr.. Johnson
was apprenticed to tailor, with whom
he remained seven years. 1t was dur
ing this apprenticeship that he learned
to read, for he never attended school q
day in his life. Then it was he deter
mined to make an effort to educate
himself; and the only hours which he
had to devote to his mental improve
ment were at night after he was
through his daily labor on the shop
board. At twenty, he was elected an
Alderman of the village in which he
lived. He was soon elected Mayor;
then was sent to the Legislature,
where he distinguished himself, and
rapidly rose in the estimation of the
members of the House. He has been
twice Governor of Tennessee, and once
represented that State in the United
States Senate, his term expiring in
1868, and, as everybody knows, has
been Vice-President and President of
the Republic.
The object alike of the bitterest
hatred and warmest admiration, he
has received greater amount of praise
and blame than has been iavished
upon the conduct of all his "illustri-
Gus predecessors put together. 1t
would be unjust to deny him merit,
for merit undoubtedly he has. From
the first act of his official career as
President, he took his stand upon the
Constitution as the rock upon which
his administration should be founded
and great basis upon which alone the
Union could be re-established. Who
shall question the integrity of his mo-
tive in this great endeavor? 1t was
questioned by the very partizans who
had placed him in power, because he
frustrated their selfish schemes, and he
became in their eyes the "obstacle at
the other end of the avenue; the
traitor in the White House." They
impeached and tried to depose him
from his high office; but there was still
virtue enough left in the Republic
to save both him and it from this
great disgrace. 1t has been beauti-
fully said concerning this attempt to
oust Mr.. Johnson, there were "seven
wise menn whose memory will out
last those of Grecian fame, that were
found heroically true to themselves, to
their solemn oaths and to the inter-
ests and honor of their country.
AS stump orator, Andrew Johnson
is one of the most powerful in Ameri-
ca. With splendid elocution, ele-
CANT diction, magnificent presence
and gesticulation always the most per-
tinent and appropriate, he charms the
most fastidious. His eloquence is not
OF the stormy, boisterous kind, but
rather persuasive and conciliatory,
with force and animation. In listen
ing to him one cannot help realizing
Mr.. Burke's idea of fine sentence:
1t is union of thought, feeling and
imagery-of striking truth and
corresponding sentiment - rendered
doubly striking by the force and
beauty of figurative language"
Two years ago, while Mr.. Johnson
was q candidate for Congl ess in oppo-
sitiOn to Gen. Frank Cheatam and
and Horace Maynard, it was my good
fortune to hear the former argue the
preference of his claims. An immense
crowd had congregated around the
speakers stand, and it was some time
before he appeared. During this time
his war record was freely criticised,
receiving the hearty execrations of
perhaps three-fourths of those who
were awaiting his appearance. His
unreliableness, treachery and incon-
sisteney was receiving the warmest
prescription from great many of the
remainder. He soon appeared. This
belligerent and insubordinate throng
he must conciliate. He was equal to
the task. Giving his hand q gentle
wave, he said, in an intensely sympa-
thetic strain: "Come, my fellow-citi-
zens, let us reason together" Every
man, as by one impulse, drew nearer,
feeling that sandy" did really want
to reason with them. He says II