Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-08-04
ANpnEw JOHNSON DEAD.

the lamentable assassination of Abra.
hamLincoln, President from the latter
date until March A, 1869. when he was
succeeded by President Grant.
Andrew johnson inherited nothing
bnt . strong mind, a powerful will,
towering ambition, and heroic moth
er. Under the instructions of his
mother and his wife, he was taught to
read and write, while he was keeping
the wolf from the door of those house.
hold deities by daily toll on the tailors'
bench.
That he should have filled all these
distinguished positions with no small
share of credit to himself and to his
country, is about the highest need Of
praise which can be awarded to Andrew
johnson. 1t 10 q lesson that should
not DO lost to tho yonng men of our
times who may be struggling through
poverty for honorable places in the
temple of renown. His life illustrates
perhaps more thoroughly than that Of
any other famous man Of our day, that
in America there 10 no royal road to
fame and high station.
Prior to the war he was chiefly
known on account of his championing
the homestead measure in Congress.
His efforts in behalf of the commonality
of the people, and his Plebian lineage.
pnt him under the surveillance of the
sristocratic Hotspurs Of his section, and
there was always . hearty and mutual
distruat existing between them. 1t
was perhaps owing to this fact that he
was never taken into the confidence
of the Catalines of the South when
they were plotting the overthrow Of
the Government. Hence, ut the open.
ing of the war, he warmly espoused
the side of the Union, for which Mr..
Lincoln made him military Governor,
with the rank of Brigsdier General,
which position he held until June 7th,
1864, when he was put on the Repub-
lican ticket with Mr.. Lincoln as a
compliment to the heroic Southern
Unionists' who had stood up manful-
ly for the government of their fathers.
His subsequent history is more IA
miliar, and need not be repeated here
in exteneo.
His msudlin harangue at his inaug.
uration as Vice President; his brcak
with the party which elevated him to
power his impotent efforts after be-
coming President, to assume all legis.
lative as we'll as executive power in
reconstructing the South, and his final
lapse into the hands of his ancient en-
emies, and into the bosom of that
traitorous and pro slavery democracy
which he had asssiled during the best
period of his life, with unequalled bit
terncss, are oil matters of recent occur.
renee. It would be better for tho
memory of Andrew johnson If they
could all be obliterated from his his
tory.
In spite of the defects in his early
education, he was an orator second to
but very few of his contemporaries.
He was obstinate to q pre-eminent
degree, and ambitious without limit.
1t was generally supposed that the
close of his Presidential Administra-
ton which he retired from with the
odium and disgust of both parties,
would be the end of his political
career, but nevertheless he entered in-
to the filthy pool of Tennessee politics
with the zeal of his earlier years, and
finally fortune emiled upon him again
last winter, when he was elected Sem
ator from Tennessee for six years, re-
ceiving the support Of the more re-
spectacle Democrats and few Re.
publicsns, in prolonged and memoir
able conflict.
1t has always been claimed for An.
drew johnson that he was personally
inoorruptible, and this may be the
verdict of the impartial historian,
although owing to his poor knowl-
edge Of mon, and utter want of ad.
ministrative ability, the most powerful
and corrupt ring of plunderers grew
up and around him, which has ever
disgraced any administration in the
history Of the country.
His death leaves Grant ~ the only
man living who has filled tie Presi-
dontial chair, and Affords us An addi-
tionsl reminder of the brevity of hu-
man life, without regard to its charac-
ter or station.
YOU PAY'a YOU MONEY AD TAKES