The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1879-08-27

ercise until the year 1921. At the !
close of the war he married highly
accomplished and amiable lady,
daughter of DR.. John sibley, of Nat
chitoches.
In the year 1921 Mr.. Johnston was
called upon to serve his fellow-citi- I
zers on broader field, by being {
elected Representative in the Sew
enteenth Congress of the United
States. He served but one term in
the lower House, and at its expira-
ton, in 1923, he was elected to the
Senate;-he was re-ele ted in 1926
and again in 1881, on the latter occa-
sion being chosen by a Legislature in
which the majority were of party
opposed to him, but among whom
the integrity, ability and patriotism
for which he was distinguished, out
weighed all political predilections.-
While Mr.. Johnston was in Con-
gress, he took part in the discussions
of the important topics that occupied
the attention of that body. For sew.
eral years he filed with great ability
} the place of chairman of the Com
mittee on Commerce.
The question of the tariff, OF
course, occupied much of his attcn-
c ton, not merely as a Representative
of Louisiana, deeply interested in a
I question essentially affecting her in
e terests, but as an American states
: man, always regarding anxiously
q those measures which had direct or
! remote bearing on the vital princi-
c Piles of the government of his coun.
IS try. Representing in the Senate a
IS State whose interests in relation to
D. protecting duties are more doubtful
r and more nicely balanced, than those
q. of any other in the Union, it was al
"a WAYS his anxious wish, as he dcclar'
I ed, to preserve the rights of one par
: without sacrificing those of the 9th
N er. He admitted the difficulty O.
e. compromising and reconciling, b!
n legislation, all the conflicting inter
rs ests of nation so extensive, so di
OF versified in soil, climate and produc
he tions, but held it, as he said, "to b
ne the duty of a statesman, upon grea
Nv questions of policy, to cast his fee
Oh ings into the common stock--to loo
NJ to his country, her Constitution, be
"e capacities, her wants, her interests
~ to act for all, as far as is compatib
''a with the rights and interests pec'
a. liarly entrusted to his charge" o.
nc space will not permit that we shou
no. revert to all his acts as public ma
'ar' but it is sufficient to say that lie r
Tue tanned to the last, the fullest con
his dence and the highest esteem
ich those whom he had so long al
the so faithfully served. The life viii
'on' had been SO fruitful of good worl
to and which still gave promise
the many years of usefulness, was III
's'r' tined to an abrupt anil mclancht
ae' termination. On the evening OF Nj
the the 18th, 1888, in company with
'l'h' son, and intending to visit Natchi
tlo'' ches, he took passage on board
Sa'' steamboat Lioness, then owned q
az commanded, until that trip, 10y
oe late Captain William Waters. Alb
per daylight the following morning
ne" the boat was passing the Bon D
afl'' an explosion occurred, occasion
. "e as is supposed by a candle carr
QUIZ into the hold, where was store
De- quantity ofgun powder. Three
arees cessive explosions, followed e.
'hin' other with great rapidity, VII
com we're heard at considerable
lon' lance, and such was their force
VINO the fore cabin, above the boiler,
Tor the hull were torn in fragments
oi al scattered over the water. In a
9 less minutes after the catastrophe
; line hull of the boat sunk, leaving th
United dies cabin floating on the surfat
mper' Some of the passengers were res
little from the wreck. Mr.. Johnston
D thus with the boat, but his body va
II con forwards recovered and interre
9 ana the Cemetery in Pineville. The
daily den termination of a life so valu
nan OF attended with incidents so shoe
Il OF naturally excited unusual symp
nd ne In the organs of public senti
loors a this was strongly exhibited, al
lch nc forded gratifying proof of the
dea 10 place in general esteem whict
It sense he secured bv o life of so mu