River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-03-19
The Personal Courage of Andrew
JOhns0n.
[St. Louis Republican,

[St. Louis Republican,
The admirers of Andrew johnson, who
are vastly more numerous now than they
were three weeks ago, are busy resur-
recting anecdotes OF his eyentful career,
the bulk of which relate to those virtues
which are most prominent in his charac-
ter, to-wit: Courage, honesty and in
domitable self.reliance. One is related
which illustrates more forcbly, perhaps,
than any other single episode in Mr..
Johnson's career, his audacity and nerve.
In 1854, according to our informant, the
Know-Nothing party had secured such a
foothold in Tennessee that count of the
voting membership of the lodges through
out tie State showed clear majority of
5000 or 5000. Mr.. johnson was then
Governor, and he was renominated by the
Democratic party without opposition. no
other Democratic leader caring to incur
what seemed the certainty of defeat I'M
der the circumstances. But A. j. hung
his motto, ''never despair" on the outer
wall, and announced that he would smash
know-Nothingism into flinders and carry
the State despite the odds again't him.
AS soon as he was renominated he pre-
pared a speech with which to open the
campaign, which he arranged to do at a
county seat not far from Nashville.
When he had finished his speech, he
called upon several of his trusted friends
and advisers around him, and it was read
and discussed by them. They all object
ed to its exceeding strength and bitter
ness. 1t was not only comprehensive
arraignment Of the theory and spirit of
Know-Nothingsm at large, but it also en-
bodied much savage and scathing denun-
citation Of individual leaders Of that or
ganization-and every one knows what
Andrew Johnson's style Of personal COM
ment is. His friends thought his speech
would be impolitic. They feared it would
not only estrange moderate Democrats
from Mr.. johnson, but that it would &C
tually provoke breaches Of the peace, land
possibly bloodshed. A. ]. was of the
opinion that it would estrange Demo.
Gratis from Know n othingism, instead Of
from himself, while, as for provoking the
Know-Nothings to violence, nothing would
suit him better. So he declared that that
should be the opening speech of the cam
paign.
At the appointed time and place for
opening the campaign, therefore, A. j.
was on hand with his thunderbolt, which
he proceeded to launch forthwith. He
had not uttered dozen sentences before
commotion began in the crowd in front of
him. The stand from which he was
speaking was elevated about 3 feet from
the ground and was in the air. The cause
of the commotion was young man, q
son, we believe, Of one of the objects of
Johnson's fierce invective. The young
man had drawn large knife and was try
ing to get to the stand, ayowing his pur-
pose to "cut Johnson's liver out of him"
As soon as A. J. discovered what was up,
he sprang off the stand into the few feet
Of clear space in front OF it, and, placing
his hand upon pistol, called out to ''let
the fellow come" declaring tnat "by the
time he could get half way to him there
would be one Know othing vote the less
in Tennessee. and that nobody else would
get hurt !"
The fellow was let go, and, as the crowd
surged back, johnson started for him.
Inc young IMAM tooh ohe looh at thVsc
lowering eyebrows and that scowling
face with its fercely-compressed lips and
set jaws, and concluded he had seen
enough. Dropping his knife, he fed
bowling from the scene, and A. j. re-
mounted the stand, expressed the hope
that he would not be interrupted again,
and went on with his speech as if nothing
had happened. That affair. said Mr..
Mckee, broke the back of Know-Nothing-
ism in Tennessee. Whenever A. j. went
after that he drove the Know.Nothings
before him like flock Of sheep. Former
Democrats. who had joined the Know
Nothing lodges, deserted them by thou
sands, and Mr.. johnson carried the State
bv handsome majority. That display
Of personal courage won the heart Of Ten
nessee when all logic and all eloquence
might have failed.