Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-08-03

He became President In a moment Q
popular paroxysm. Immense response
bilities were suddenly and unexpected
assumed. 1t was Andrew johnson
fate to meet them. He did it heroic
ally, with an eye single to the best in
terests Of his country, and so histor,
viii record it. He had been an aetiv
participant In the war. Indeed, per
haps but for him it would not have haC
a favorable termination. In his unom
cial capacity he had said a great dea
that bOrdered on malignancy. Blu
from the time he became President
with all its Official responsibilities, every
thing changed The partisan was for
gotten IN the statesman. The great
question was not whether "treaso1
should be punished" but whether the
nation that had been preserved
at such sacrifice should
continue to be maintained in its
conquered territory. That was the
opinion of President Andrew johnson.
In entertaining it he antagonized the
views of the powerful party which
elected him, which included two.t thirds
of both houses of Congress. But his
innate honesty did not allow him to
hesitate a moment. He dared all that
political rage could inhict; and In his
case what could it not do? It could
not take his life, but it could disgrace
him by removing HIM from Office and
disquaiifying him from holding any
position In the Government of the
United States or of any State. Never
theless he stood up bravely and firmly.
He was impeached by a party majority
for pretended high crimes and misde-
meanors. He was acquitted by this
partisan body, but he was doubly &C
quilted by the people IF the United
States. They were nearly unanimous
in his favor.
Years passed away, and he was elect
ed United States Senator, to take his
place In the body which had assumed
to sit in judgment upon him. Great
were the expectations of the usefulness
to be derived from him In that position.
No other President of the United
States had ever been a Senator. But
death has cut short his usefulness.
Unexpectedly, almost in his prime, the
ex- President has been garnered for the
tomb. The great mass Of the people
viii regret this. The passions and the
excitements of the impeachment period
nave long since passed away. He had
begun to be regarded as a great his
torical character, without any feelings
of envy or any violent political emo
tons. The ex-President goes down to
his grave full of years and full of
hOnOrs. The triumphant laurels of
fame viii be scattered over his tomb,
and to the end of time posterlty Will
give its approval to the great measures
Of pacifcation which he advocated
when President of the United States.
Louisville Courier-Journal.
Andrew johnson had no private life.
By nature reticent and secretive, rare
" communicative even to his familiars,
be took the people en- nsasse into his
and talked necessarily to
them of himself, his hopes and schemes,
his motives and purposes. He was the
1nly politician who has appeared in
BUR time whose belief in universal suf-
rage equaled his professions, No man
was so sincere, because no one was so
ISOLATED and so contained as he
was in his reliance upon popular SOW
sreignty. His
life was a constant battle against
odds, which he refused to combat with
)ther than warlike appliances. Even
where there was small reason for a
light, he made one, his experience fall
ng In with his aggressive nature. He
zane to love difficulty for its own sake,
md enjoyed the excitement of bold
and doubtful contro.
7ersies. But he depended solely on
himself and the people, In whom, col
his faith was absolute. He
vas unable to see bow they could de-
,ert him; and he died feeling that, if |
lis name should ever be submitted to a
popular verdict, he would be recalled
% the Chief Magistracy by an over
majority of his fellOw-citi. |
ms. He owed nothing to the poll
icians, and was almost equally indie
pendent of parties. His achievements
we're his own, wrung In every instance /
rom the organizers against their viii.
; -
Away down In his nature somewhere
here was a childlike simplicity; a
5endCr, compassionate and real SYM
1athy for suffering; a rebellious spirit
# resistance to tyranny and wrong,
which, had the circumstances of his
ife been gentler and had his better
rats received early training, might
nave developed a more loveable, as well
Is a more heroic, character. A more
Upright man might not be found;
'udely direct; uncouthly disingeEuous;
to venal approaches; a
true friend Of his country, to the extent
hat he realized its wants and under
stood the duties that should guide a
citizen whose whole soul and mind
we're devoted to the public service.
Cincinnati Gazette.
The deceased was an extraordinary
nan. Born poor and receiving neither
school nor college education, he rose
rom one official position to another
from Alderman, as he told the public,
several thousand times, to the second
highest position in the gift of the
American people, that of Vice.Presi-
lent of the United States. By reason
If the death Of Mr.. Lincoln be became
acting President of the United States.
One thing-the main thing we may
saY-that sustained johnson was public /
confidence in his native ability
md his personal honesty. He
never profted pecuniarially by
my oficehe ever held, beyond
what he was lawfully entitled to, and,
ike mis- immediate predecessor, Lincoln,
ne retired from the Presidency worth
.ess than $4,000. Most of this he lost
BY the failure of Jay Cooke & Co.,
and he therefore died cOmparatsly
poor. As evidence of his personal
one fact viii suffice. When
he was appointed Military Governor of
a considerable sum was
placed at his disposal by the Govern
ment, in this city. He was authorized
to use it In the interests of the Gov
eminent at his discretion, and was not
asked or expected to render any de-
tailed account of it. 1t was, in fact, a
secret service fund, of which he might
have drawn every dollar; but he drew
only small portion of it. and the bal
ance was returned to the Treasury after
be became President.