National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-04-06
Andrew Johnson,

C''Parson" Brownlow in the Knoxville Chronicle. J
In view of the late stupid, malignant, egotis-
teal, undignIhed speech ofAndreH Johnson in the
Senate Of the United States, people are induir-
ing, what is his object?" Andy has a purpose
in vieW and il is not hard to divine what his pur-
poses are, as q general thing. When he sup
ported John q. Breckenridge for the presidency
in 1850, at q time when It was we'll demonstrated
as anything could be that he was supporting the
secession movement, he was drifting and had q
purpose in view personal to himself But the
Confederate leaders, who, we'll understood his dis
position to either work in the lead or kick out OF
The traces, made q mistake in not showing him
proper attention, aud he became an outspokea
Union man. This was an important move on the
policical chess-board, and those who knew him
best, and knew that he never adopted any course
without q strong personal motive, again inquired,
what neXt3" Time sped on, and we fnd him
Military Governor Of Tennessee, pursuing q
policy Of fierce vindctiveness towards the rebels
Of the State. Cries Of oppression went up from
the neighborhood of Nashville, and If one half
that was said Of him were true, Phil. Sheridan
and Ben. Butler are models OF mildness and hu.
manity compared TO the then Military Governor
Of Tennessee. He was charged with insulting
tected women and children. We do not say that
all this was true, but we do know that his
course met the expectations Of the most ultra and
extreme men of that exciting period. Did he
have q personal end in view? Certainly. He
had studied public sentiment. and knew that ex-
treme measures were popular. He had his eye
on the Republican convention soo1 to assemble
in Baltimore. He wanted to be the nominee OF
that convention for one Of the highest Offices in
the gift Of the people. HereekOned we'll, and was
successful. He was elected. At the inaugura-
tion Of Lincoln for a second term, he disgraced
himself tor ever in the eyes OF all decent people.
So low did he sink that he could not come before
the party which had honored him so highly, and
expect such favoTs again. BY the act of an as
sassin, he became President of the Uuited States,
and straightwRy he began to steer his political
bark in direction Just opposite to that he had
been sailing. He had boosted how he was going
to make treason odious, but he discovered that
he, himself, was too odiOus to place odium upon
anything. The history of his heated contests
with Congress is before the country.
His term having closed at the White House, he
came back to Tennessee, ready to accept any
office he could get. He met with opposition in
interminable struggle with the rebel generals
and colonies" Of this Safe. He fought them with
all the bitterness OF his nature. But in all this
his motive was q selfish one. A seat in the
United States Senate, and not political princi-
pie, was what animated his purposes. He finally
has gone to Washington, and is in his seat in the
Senste-has made q bid for the Presidency of
1879. He concealed his purposes, and was elected
to his present position by Republican votes. Now
he turns his back upon those whose very ieet he
was ready to humbly kiss q few weeks ago, and
70 betray friends stir up strife, bring about agl-
tation, disregard principle, spit upon decsncy,
and to play the role Of the demAgogue generally.
But he win not win.
Johnson's hercest enemies could not have
wished him greater injury than TO see him In
pose his low demagogism, his littlenesss Of
soul, together with his unbridled ambition, be-
fore gazing world. This one effort has sunk
him so low that time will never resurrect him.