Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-01-02
BRAINS UNDER HIS HAT.

A city contemporary, in disparagement
Of other candidates for the United States
Senate, frequently calls attention to the
fact that one Andrew johnson has
.'brains under his hat" We suppose
that is true. 1t will be understood OF
course, that Edwin II. Ewing, John G.
Brown, Isham G. Harris, VIM. Quarles,
General Bate, Landon G. Haynes, VIM.
II. Stephens, 7. W. Brown, Gustavus A.
Henry and such others as have been
named for the office. are so many brain
less individuals. Johnson was second
rate as a Senator in former years. He
was therefore at the head Of the giants
Of those days as certainly as two is more
than one. The great men Of the coun-
try have all made their big brood marks
on the line of its history, That is just
what johnson has done. 1t is true that
his speeches on the stump always ex'
celIed his efforts in theSenate. But then
he has been known for thirty years az
standing at the head oil his class-the
very prince among all the demagogues
Of the country. How could he or
any mar have more efectually
placed himself in the front? He was
the first President who ever dared a
drunk on the occasion Of his Inaugural
ton, and the only one who, in the name
Of the dear people, ever succeeded by
an amnesty proclamation in bringing the
wealth, talent and influence Of a whole
section to his own dominating feet. Ger.
tainly those who have his pardons in
their pockets. and the non-combatant
Unionists, the widows and women who
possessed more than twenty thousand
dollars of property Of doubtful value,
must acknowledge that he had brains
nnder his hat" When Mississippi bowed
in humiliation before the throne, and
framed her laws and elected a Governor
in pursuance OF bis advice, and with his
sanction, could her people doubt any
more that johnson had the brains Of
Richelieu, Talleyrand and Cromwell all
combined under his one hat, when they
saw their Governor displaced, the State
RENTED to a territory, and a mil
itary Governor placed over it? Sup
pose be had trusted the honor Of
Mississippi. Tennessee, Virginia and
other States. that they would
return in good faith TO the support of a
government by the United States under
the Constitution, had admitted their
representatives to Congress. and, with
the nerve Of a jackson or a Cesar, had
declared them to constitute a part Of the
representative body, would he not have
shown an utter imbecility in trusting
such people, and that, being no seer Il
the beauties Of reconstruction, he hal
little " brains under his HAITI" Besides
how wise was he to avoid danger B.
taking no such ventures leading TO in
parchment. and escape the halter BY re
fusing to fight all wind mills. and abar
doning all pretense Of being called
flower Of chivalry aud the Knight Q
the Lions" Was it not wiser to kee
within the bomb-proof fortress, and, i
safety, issue forth bulletins for the ex'
cution of innocent women and the col
fscation of the goods Of others, than I
advance like O hare.brained knight int
the very midst of the iron hail and dal
ger Of papsr pelIsts2 If prudence
the better part Of vslor, was it nj
bravery which rushed 10 inebri
ton to excuse the necessity
any great exhibition Of wisdom at h
Inauguration, aud sas it not proof
brains hat he saw the necessity? Thl
he has brains under his bat is emp
proved by the fact that he loves the pc
pie 80 much, is so inclined to be j
duIgent, and yet ruled them With Il
inHexible iron of Q despot and q tyre
when be had the power as Governor ov'
them. A good father will not spare u
rod and spoil the child. Even spanie
honor more the regal rule Of the people
friend. He never stole anything. Pc
haps some of his opponents have. :
Who has never stolen bis sheep and WI
has brains under his hat" should [
Senator. We 60 FOR Andy. The peop'
instructed us to 20 for Andy. The R
publicans are for Andy against Brow
and all other hard.shelIed Democrat
aud so are We for the only mas of brain