Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-07-31
uoTATrors AT THE BaANDYsIsE MILLS FOR FLOUR
IN 1aQIa
neutn OF Ex-Pre.idcnt johnson.

The telegraphic dispatch elsewhere printed
announces the death of ex-President Andrew
johnson, at half-past two o'clock this morning
Previous advices (referred to on our second
page,) had stated that he had been dangerously
seized with paralysis.
So well-known n character and career scarcely
need to bo fully reoited, here, in noticing his
death. Born in poverty and ohscurity, at
Raleigh, n. c., in 1908, he had no opportunities
OF education, and never attended school. 1t
was the tradition that he acquired tho alphabet,
after iiis marriage, from his wife. lie learned
the trade of tailor and worked at 1t, for
many years, in Greenvillo, Tennessee, where in
1928 he was elected Alderman, and in 1880, May
or Then he went to the Legislature for several
yoars, and in 1874 to Congress, serving there
ten years. In 1853 and 1855 he was elected Gov
ernor os Tennousee and in 1857 United States
Senator, coming into the Senate just before the
catastrophe of rebellion was precipitated by the
plantation lords who had cracked their whip Of
slavery and secession in that body. There he
remained and, as their schemes developed,
fought them, for though Democrat, as they
pretended to be, he was ''nation-
all Democrat, and not a disnnionist /;
his sympsthies were with tbS laboring whites
from which class he sprang, and not With the
cotton lords who would have trampled all rights
but their own beneath their feet, and in the
name of 4 free republic havo sacrificed the lib
critics of every class but their own.
Appointed military governor OF Tennessee, in
1861, by President Lincoln, and proceeding in
thar office upon the plan that rebels " must take
a back seat in the work Of reconstruction" a
grave error of Judgment made him the nominee
of the Union-Republican Convention, at Balti-
more, in 1864, for Vice President, and upon the
assassination of President Lincoln, in April,
1865, he became President. Drunk at the i'll
auguration of Mr.. Lincoln, he proceeded there
after to pile one folly upon another, and to COM
bine with acts that were simply foolish d "poli-
cy" of throwing the country into the control of
the South and its sympathizors, and of establish
ing party upon tho shoulders of office
holders. Impeached for misdemeanors in
Office, he escaped conviction by a
single vote, (Yeas 35 Nays 19-two-thirds re-
auired,) and remained in oIlice till March, 1869,
with his ability to do harm severely restrained
by the legislative authority. Since then, he has
Dcen 50 iAcih
Tennessee but was beaten by Horace Maynard,
and taking position in opposition to the Ring OF
Confederate generals who had seized the con-
troll of Tennessee. he once more commanded the
respect of real Democrats and truly national men
by that aci, and by his sturdy Independence OF
tho arlsiocratic dictation of the men whom, in
the Senate, and during the Rebellion, he had so
vigorously opposed. Had he shown the samo
spirit during his term as President, the country
would have escaped many severe trials, though
it might have lost some valuable lessons. He
wse finally elected, by Republican votes in the
Tennessee Legislature, to the q. 8. Senate, for
six wears, at the session OF last winter, after a
long struggle, and occupied his seat during the
short special session called at the 4th of March,
With many defects Of character, President
johnson had some qualities upon which popular
government rests. Undoubtedly, he sincerely
loved his country, and that he should lie in his
grave wrapped in the national flag is not an in
appropriate sepulture. He had native yigor
and independence in thought and action, that,
when united with sincere devotion to popular
institutions, make the foundation of an Ameri-
can statesman, who draws from original sources
his inspiration aud faith, and dares, through all
dangers. to steer tho national ship by the stars
which Justice, Honor, and Human Freedom have
set forever in the political heavens.