Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-03-24
ANDREW JOHNSON REDIVIITS.
Correspondence of Boston journal
WASHINGTON, March %, 1875
THE WHIRLIGIG OF TINE.


Seven years ago to-day proceedings for the i'm
parchment Of Andrew johnson were opened in
the United States Senate. To-day Andrew John
son rehearsed in the United States Senate the
speeches for which seven years ago he was ar
raigned. The Senators and visitors upon the
floor suggested curious historical recoections.
Two members of the impeachment trial were
present as Senators-Logan, who in resting his
case branded Andy johnson as the greatest Grim
ina of the age, and Boutwell,. Morton sat near
Johnson, evidently regretting that Indiana had
first nom mated the latter for the Vice Presidency
Conkling could not forget the bitterness of the
old days enough to remain to listen.
Several members of the 39h and 10th Congress
who voted in the initial proceedings Of impeach-
ment were in attendance. Ten Senators who
voted guilty were interested and amazed listeners.
Fowler Senator from Tennessee, one of the
republican senators who voted to acquit sat near,
listening to every word. Andy johnson studied
to increase the dramatic effect. He varied his
usual custom and waited until after the gavel fell
and prayer was offered, when he entered the
chamber, solemn and dignifod. His face had
that expression Of earnestness and sadness which
has characterized it since his arrival here. The
desks held his books, whitened with reference
marks, beside which was a glass Of water and
lemon The Washington audience that listened
to the 22d of February speech and heard johnson
as President denounce Senators and Representa-
tves in the slang of the stump, could expect that
as Senator Andrew johnson might commit some
Indiscretion. In this they were not disappointed.
THE RULING PASSION.
Five minutes were sufficient to show that he
could not divest himself 70 the impression that
he was speaking to popular audience. He had
himself so far forgotten the past to be willing
to become a member of what he used to charact-
erie 'the coordinate branch hanging on the
verge of the Government" but he had not for
gotten the man at the other end of the avenue.
To him he addressed himself. The speech had
two parts, scandalous attack upon the President
and an arrogant vindcation of My policy" Much
of 1t was beyond the bounds of parliamentary
decorum. No other member of the Senate could
have used such language without having been
ruled TO his seat on point Of order.
A BITTER, ABUSIVE SPEECH.
Seven years ago Congress tried to impeach An
drew johnson for intemperance, infammatory,
scandalous harangues, and on account Of bitter
menaces, well against Congress as against the
laws of nations. His harangue to-day after the
lapse of years, was not less Incorporate or scan
dalous. There was nothing more bitter in any of
the speeches in that famous Swing around the
circle" than is contained in the speech delivered
i'll the Senate to-day.
JoHNsoN's ATTENTIVE AUDITORS.
The Senators who drew the nearest to the man
who used to declare that treason must be made
odous and traitors must be punished and impov-
erished," were the eX-Confederate Generals Cock
rill Gordon and Withers. His grammatical errors
were frequent, ridiculous and humiliating.
The ENGLISH LANGUAGE MURDERED.
lie took the Constitution for his guide, but dis
regarded the language in which it was written.
He spoke the dialect of the village alderman bun
glcd his lenses detied accent and laughed at syn
tax
The CENTRAL FIGURES OF HIS VENOM.
The President was the central figure of the cx-
Presidents spite. Johnson's quarrel with Sheri-
dan at New Orleans could not be forgotten, and
Phil. Sheridan shared with Gen. Grant the i'm
precautions of decade of Andy Johnson's hate.
The ghost of the third term was made to do duty.
johnson declared that we living in "a stert-
ocracv-thc rule of the army. lie grew eloquent
with the old jingle about dictator, usurper, non
hand, mailed heel Of power. He denounced the
President as tyrant, Cesar imperator, whom the
people in the old days would have hurled from
power.
A DISTORTED VISION.
He thought the liberties of the country in dan
ger, saw an empire ahead, and when that time
should come pictured himself standing amid the
ruins of the Capitol gathering up the broken frag-
ments of the Constitution. The ever reoccurring
refrains of the speech were the old glittering
phrases The Constitution is my guide and the
people wear the crown"
OTHER SPEAKERS.
Senator Bogy Of Missouri followed in speech