Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1875-03-25
THERUTLAND HERALD,
THURSDAY, MARCH a5, 1875.
ANDREW JOHNSON.

When Andrew johnson was elected
70 the United States Senate-after hay
ing filled every office in the gift OF the
people, from alderman of his village up
to the chief magistracy of the nstien, -.
the majority of the people, We think,
regarded his temperance inpubic life
more as joke than anything else. He
had made while swinging around the
circle" a good deal of fun for the boys,
and it was thought that certain gro
tesoueness of character which he bears
would still be prominent in his public
acts. There were sone people, how
ever, who looked upon him in a more
solemn and dignifed way. These peo-
pic expected that he would bring some
thing important and useful into the con-
duct of legislative affairs. Everybody
was at least curious to hear what he
would say, and it is no wonder that the
Senate chamber was thronged when it
was announced that he would speak on
Louisiana affairs. But bis speech, which
we have not room to publish to-day, has
been delivered and is generally regarded
as failure. 1t shows that the opinion
of the majority regarding his election TO
the Senate was very nearly correct.
This was, as we said at the time, ''a ter.
rible clap" His speech is divided a
good deal like one of Dean Swift's ser
mons, in which it was proposed, In the
first place, to tell some things which the
preacher knew and the people did not
know in the second place, some things
which the people knew and the preach
er did not know, and in the third place
some things which neither of them
knew. 1t took him about two hours to
tell it. He managed, of course, to in
troduce large amount of personal mall
ice, Of egotisnl and the constitution.
The Boston Gl06e, which had expected
something great from the ex- President,
confesses that it is disappointed and
says ''there has certainly been weakness
enough in the management of Southern
affairs to afford Mr.. johnson an cppor-
tunity for display of dignity and sound
reasoning, such as would have shown
that he had some claim to the high pc
sition which he holds. Seldom has a.
public man in this country had so good
an opportunity to gain the nations con-
6dence, and seldom has an example Of
such total failure been presented"
1t was impossible for Andy to speak
without showing his animus toward
President Grant, who was the special
subject of his criticism and.vituperation.
1t is said that it was not so much the
matter as the manner of his speech
which was offensive and vulgar The
tone of his voice was vindictive and
sneering. The abundant illusions, at
the close of his remarks, to the Consti-
tuition, afforded much amusement to
those who were familiar with his old
speeches while he was President
1t must be discouraging to those who
have been looking for some assistance in
the settlement of the vexed questions in
the South to the Democratic party, to
find, at the close of this long and dreary
discussion, that this party has nothing
of interest to suggest. 1t is the same
old story of fault finding and personal
abuse, as told by all the representatives
of that party. We did not expect any
thing different from this from Mr.. John
son, and therefore are not disappointed.
He is almost always fault-fnding and
reactionarY when he is not grotesque
and absurd.