Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-01-24
A. ]. AND THE ORANGES.

A friend suggested, the other day,
that. to be consistent, we would have
to take ground against the Oranges,
because Andy johnson has taken
ground for them. Consistency re-
uuires that we perseyere in advocating
truth, justice and the general welfare
such having ever been our intention,
no matter how far we may have fallen
short of success. Nor do we know of
any clause in the code of ethics that
will sanction the doing wrong be-
cause an habitual wrong-doer happens
to do right. When we read the re-
ported remarks of Mr.. johnson, on
the subject of the oranges, our first
impulse was to exclaim--well done J
soreheadl But remembering that one
swallow does not make a summer, and
that one good deed does not make a
life of patriotic virtue, we concluded
''to wait for the wagon, and see that
it did not bring along some Interior
motive of self-advancement, that
would more than counter-balance the
deed itself.
Our opposition to Mr.. johnson is
not cf personal nature, having never
exchanged a word with him, and we
oppose him as politician because he
has always impressed us as being
supremacy selfish, inordinately am
bltious of preferment and criminally
indifferent as to the means. We have
long believed also, that nature made
him tyrant, and these impressions
have become indelibly fixed by his
history during the war. We have
never opposed him as Andrew John
son. the man, but as Andrew johnson
the embodiment of hostility to the
South. as well as of those passions
and prejudices which, though born of
his own treason to the Democratic
party, were developed into arbitrary
power, as military Governor and as
President of the United States. Prior
to the war, as the self-appointed friend
of the people and apostle of popular
liberty. his missionary labors were
confined to no section of the State,
and his oracular voice was heard wher-
ever two or three were gathered to-
gether to hear its utterances of patri-
otto wisdom, mellowed by undying
love of liberty and the dear people,
But when the army of lawless invas-
ion planted its banners upon the soil
of Tennessee, this beloved apostle of
popular liberty shrivelled into the
willing tool of the despotic invader
and wrote, in blood and tears, his
name and deeds upon the page that
records the moral. political and mate
rial desolation of his beloved people
and adopted State.
Did his career as President atone
for his tyranny and insult as military
Governor? Far from it. Succeeding
to the despotic power of his predeces-
sor. he out Heroded Herod, in his
lawless abuse of that power, in depos-
ing Governors of States and filling
their seats with the corrupt miniOns
of New England's assumed superior
ity in morals, religion and politics. In
his malignity towards the South, he
not only crushed its constitutional
rights, but heaped insults upon its
people, until even Grant stepped for
ward and assured him that the people
were not as black as his malignity
painted them. To make treason obi
Gus. he not only outdid himself, but
SURPASSED the bitterest northern haters
of the South. The scaffold and the
hangman were his favorite agencies;
a poor, defenseless woman the first
victim he offered up on the altar of
loyalty. and Lee and Davis were res
cued from the halter, and his grasp,
mainly through the Engagement of
Salmon 2. Chase and slow reaction
in northern feeling.
Others may forget these monstrous
crimes against liberty and the COnsti-
tuition, but we cannot, and would not,
if we could. But he has repented,
say some, and ought to be forgiven
He has proclaimed before the people,
that all he did was right, and he would
do so again under the same circumstan
ces. We have forgiven him however,
and wish him 10 harm, but would
never forgive ourselves, were We TO
trust him again with the vital interests
of the people. Mr.. johnson is, We
belive, honest in money dealings
shining virtue in this age of prOmls-
cuous stealing-that he is a man of
great ability, We have never denied,
but swayed as he is, by selfish ambi-
ton. the greater his ability the more
dangerous he is because the more po
tent for mischief. Those who love
him, may worship him as their idol
but we belong TO neither class, and
whilst we have no desire TO revive the
antipathies of the past, We do not in
tend that the grounds of our Opposi-
ton shall be mistaken or miscOn-
strued.
AN exchange says the two things
grangers have to fear are monopolies
and politicians. A politician, in its
l;I,.. ,,,oan;rO iS ono who Is nOSted