The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1875-08-12


We all know the character and duration
of the political struggle which went on for
years bet Ween Mr. Webster and MI alhoun;
and yet, when death had doneits WORK uI'on
the body of the great South CaToilhiah-
Massachusetts great statesman, stan Ding
over the PROSTATE form of his once mlghty
antagonist, did not hesitate tC speak OF the
incorruptible purity of his character, and to
lee lsre on the floor OF the Senate that we
should congratulate ourselves that we have
lived in his day, that We have seen hIi"-
known him. heard him.
Examples like these should admonlsh Us
how fitting 1t Is that death should wipe from
the memory all the bitterness ard aspeHtles
which the struggles OF ills life are TOO apt 10
We ali know AMI feel how difiicdlt it is
for men, constituted as they are, TO form
correct and impartial views OF the puohc
acts of a man like Andrew Johnson. mere
is perhaps not q single man within tho SOUND
of my voice, who he's not at some Time OF
his life, been the warm and deFo ed sup
porter OF the EX- President. and At another
time, his bitter ami earnest opponent
He has IN his day opposed the hlgS, the
Americans the Democrats and the hcpHo-
icaus. Each in its turn has ielt tho J" &
er Of his opposi ton. and yet he has received
the warm and enthusiastic support OF thcm
all. an 0reu and ayowed opponent Of each
and all these political organizations, yet he
ha- held almost every office IN the gift ~ his
tOunlrNUGU rom Al'lGi l-ls4tA ~ u Nl'te-~ ~
PresIGsnt Of the United States.
These facts think Justify she remark that
Andrew johnson was not strictly Ii party
man. lie went with parties or against them
according TO the view which he took OF their
tendencies and vet lie won NOR victories
and had fewer defeats than almost any man
who occupied the political stage of his coun-
try.
lie was elected to the Presidenc, bv the
Republican party, and vet whilst ia the OK
.H.gN hat
party face to face because IA believed they
were acting outside of the Constitution, and
thus arrayed them IL solid phalanX against
himself. And how we'll 90 we all reInen-
Der that dark and threatening time when
he was impeached by the power Of the
/ Government for high crimes aud mIsde-
meanoTs, those crimes and misdemeanofs
consisting in vindication of the oppressed
people Of Tennessee and the South!
How well do all remember the anxiety
felt by all classes of our countrynen IN tbs
South during that evenJtUl time: Every
mail was looked to with anxiety, and every
message which was borne upon The wires
was seized with eaTuestness to learn the event
! of the great trial; and when ut last 1t was
known that the President acc uitted, all
hearts throbbed with delight. and new hopes
were inspired in The breasts OF the friends
OF TIE Constitution.
With him all these things hgve passed
forever. after life's ftful fever is over he
sleeps well, ana no SOUND OF praise OF GGAsul e
can reach the dull. cold ear Of death lie
rests among the people who knew MIN in
his young days, and Who were the first wit
nesses of his manly struggles The breezes
of heaven which coming from the slopes Of
the mi ghty Pacific, sweep across the great
Republic and DIP their wings N the Allan
tic, in their passage across the Contiuen t,
will kiss no more beautiful or appropriate
spot for his last resting place than the one
in sight Of and under the shadow Of the
grand old Unica Mountain; looking down as
1t does in solemn grandeur upon the nils
and valleys whore he his earliest rri-
umphs over poverty snd adversely.
By many persons he was regarded Is Il
! follower and tiattereT of the people, whilst
we know that thousands of his own coun-
| trymen, and thousands outside of his own
| county, esteemed him as the best and truest
friend of the people and OF popular rights
which the American Republic ever pro
duced.
Well do ! remember the first time l ever
met Mr. johnson. 1t was my first visit
+ to this place, and Mr.. johnson was a candI-
/ date for Governor Of Tennessee. l had but
Il short time before that been placed in
nomination as candidate for Congress. l
was very young man, just entering upon
political life. 1t happened that on leaving
this place we travelled together and spent
the night ut the house of a friend. Mr..
johnson said to me, sir, you seem to be
quite young man, and may expect me to
give you some advice touching your future
political lite. 1 can sum up all l desire 90
say in single sentence: Stand by tie peQDle
and they 1Cit StIHd by you."
Mr.. Chairman, 1t rests with the future
historians Of his country to settle the con
tiicting questions touching the merits and
dement's of our deceased Senator, and on us
his fellow citizens aud citizens of the great
State indissolubly connected with lis name
and fame, TO await with patience the YER
dict of pOsterity.
IN his life and success Us d public man is
to be found beautiful illustration Of our
free institutions. His life affords constant
encouragement TO the young men OF our land.
1t teaches that poverty and obscurity aud
want Of early advantages are not insur-
mountable obstacles in the pathway to honor
and fame. All these he had to encounter
ana ali these he Overcume. his sudden and
unexpected tall in the fUllneSs OF manhood
and in the very midst of hOnOTs, admonishes
how vain and foolish is ambition, and
how truil is our tenure upon the things Of
this world.
At best, sir, we are bit poor groveling
worms of the dust; our lives - fr;uil, fleet
ing and uusubstantiul as the shadows VI
the clouds which pass over our our fields
and then 90 away and are remembered no
more forever.
THE boast Of heraldry, the pomp Of power
And all that beauty. all that wealth e'er gave,
Await alike the inervitab.e hour,
The paths Of glory lead but to the grave
The good that men do should live after
them; it is best that the evil should be in
tered with their bones. So let it be with
Andrew johnson.