Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-08-05
RELICS OF THE GREENEVILLE
STATESMAN.
HIS FIRST READER.

found IN his library is a small volume
entitled "The American Speaker, q
selection Of popular, parliamentary
and forensic eloquence particularly
calculated for the Seminaries in the
United States. Fifth Edition. Phila.
delphia-Printed and Published by
Abraham Small, No. 142 Chestnut
street, two doors below the Postofice,
1918"
The original binding of the book
has long been worn off and its place
supplied by back made Of common
writing paper and probably pasted on
by the dead statesman himself. This
volume is of especial interest because
1t is said 30 be the first book ever
owned by Mr.. johnson and to theread-
ing of which be devoted much Of his
time soon after he learned to read.
A HISTORIC BIBLE, AND A HISTORIC
LETTER FROM CHIEF JUSTICE
CHASE.
The Bible upon which he was sworn
into Office as President of the United
States was kept in his private Office at
Greeneville. There are two or three
letters placed between the pages at
which the Bible was opened when he
kissed it. Upon the margin Of the right
hand page is written IN the hand
writing of Hon. Salmon P. Chase, who,
as Chief Justice, administered the oath
OF Office, thefollowing: "Andrew John.
son kissed the book at the passage
marked, when sworn as President,
April Is, 1865" The passage marked
is verse q OF the llth chapter Of Eze-
kiel: But as for them whose heart
waIketh after the heart of their detest-
able things and their denominations, I
viii reeompense their way upon their
own heads saith the Lord God
Among the letters In the book mark
ing the place spoken of, is the follow
ing from Chief Justice Chase:
"WAsHINGTON, April 80, lS65.-My
Dear Sir: l send you the Bible on which
you were sworn into office as President.
You viii see that it belongs 70 the AttOT-
ney Generals office. Il now belongs to
you, if you like to keep it.
Il noted the passage where your lips
touched the page, and made a memoran-
dunn Of the fact. You viii find it in
Ezekiel, ch. XII, verse q. A slip Of paper
marks the page containing the verse l men
toned to you. l wish l could remember
who told me Of the old man who wanted
to have those verses read to the President,
but l cannot.
81 hate to seem impOrtUnate, but l feel
so deeply the importance of prompt action
that I cannot close this note without once
more begging YOU to give the earliest posi-
bic expressions 10 your views concerning
the enrolment Of the whole loyal pOpula-
ton with reference to reorganization.
LIT. Gov. Anderson, Of Ohio, who has
Just returned from Charleston, tells me
that the greatest OUtrages, even murders
being common, are practiced on the col
Ored lOyalists. \ bad state Of things exists
also at Richmond.
The country looks anXiOusly to you.
You can stop all outrases. The shortest
way is to proclaim your intention to regard
all loyal men as citizens and as entitled as
such to protection by the government and
self protection by suffrage. This prOcla-
nation viii give you place in the hearts
of the people beyond the reach Of all polit-
ical continuance now or hereafter.
Faithfully yours,
"The President"
The verses mentioned IN the above
which "the old man wanted read to
the President" are 81 to -, inclusive,
of chapter 20, first book of Kings, as
follows:
81. Aud his servants said unto him, Be
hold now, we have heard that the kings Of
the House Of Israel are merciful kings: let
us, | pray thee. put sackcloth on our lOins,
and ropes upon our heads, and 60 out to
the king Of Israel: peradventure he will
save thy life.
b. So t4ey girded sackcloth on their
lOius. and put ropes on their heads, and
came to he king Of Israel, and said, Thy
servant Ben-hadad saith, pray thee, let
ne live. Aud he said Is he yet alive? he
Is my brother.
B. Now the men did diligently observe
whether Uly thing 1rOujd come from him,
and did hastily catch 1t: and they said,
Thy brother Ben-hadqd. Then he said,
Go We, bring him. Then Ben-hadad came
forth to nin; and he caused him to come
up into the chariot.
81. And Bar-bdddd said unto him, The
cities, which my father took from thy
father, viii restore; and thou shalt make
streets for thee IN Damascus, as my father
made in Samaria. Then said AhGb, [ will
send thee away with this covenant. So he
made a covenant with him, and sent him
away.
50. And q certain man of the sons Of the
prophets said unto his neighbOTin the word
of the Lord, -smite me, l pray thee. And
the man refused to smite him.
30. Then said he unto him, Because thou
hast not obeyed the voice OF the Lord. be-
hold. as soon as thou departed frCm me. a
lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he
was departed from him, lion found hun
and slew him.
81. Then he found another man, and
said, Smite me, pray thee. And the man
smOte him, so that in shifting he wounded
Inn.
IS. So the prophet departed, and waited
for the king by the way, and disguised
himself With ashes upon his face.
80. Aud as the king passed by, he cried
unto the king: and he said, Thy servant
went out into the midst Of the battle; and,
behold. . man turned aside, and brought a
man unto me, and said, Keep this man: il
By any means he be missing, then shallthy
life be Tor his life, or else thou shalt pay a
talent o silver.
10. And as thy servant was busy herr
and there, be was gone. And the king o.
Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment
be; myself hast decided Il.
Al. ALd he hasted. and took the ashe'
away from his face; and the king Of Israe
discerned him that he was Of the prophets
4. Aud he said unto him, Thus saitl
the Lord, Because thou hast let 90 out 0
thy hand a man whom / appointed 70 ute
destruction. therefore thy life shall 90 70
his life, and thy people for his people,
o.- makes one shudder,' Prof. Chad
bor;-re avs, ''to think of the trash whiC