Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-09-12
"reminiscences of Public Men.
BY BEN PERLEN POORE.
ST NICHOLAS for Septembe

BY BEN PERLEN POORE.
Andrew Johnson was a strange be-
ing, understood by few and incom-
prehensible to the greater number of
those in public and private life when
he Unexpectedly became President of
the United States. The war had
hardly been closed, telegraphic and
postal communication had not been
re-established between the two sec
tons, and the leaders Of the great re-
belliOn were in state of great anxiety
as to what would be done with them
by the Federal authority for their
participation in the rebellion. The
widest rumOrs were circulated of
Federal vengeance to be wreaked at
short notice upon all who had been
prominent in the Confederate cause,
and naturally there was not a little
trepidation among them as rumOr
followed rumor Of drumheads, hang
ings, banishments, and imprisOn-
ments to be meted out to the main
offenders without mercy. This feel
ing was enhanced in contemplation
of the fact that Andrew Johnson had
succeeded to the Presidency. His
well-known applicability, especially
toward those Southern men who had
by resigning their seats in Congress,
made the rebellion possible, was re-
membered with augmented terrOrs,
and great cry went up from scores
of quaking Threats, of "What shall
save us from the dire Nemesis?"
Prominent among those who APP
pretended they knew not what, was
the late Col. Robert w. Johnson, of
Arkansas. 1t had fallen out that in
the spring Of 1861, on the very day
Colonel Johnson resigned his seat in
the Senate of the United States, that
he and Andrew Johnson (whO was
then very bitter in his speeches
against the secessiOnists) had had q
personal alteration on the floor a few
minutes before the Senate was called
to order, which was only prevented
from becoming a serious fisticuff en-.
counter by the interference of by.
ISLANDERS, and 50 the two Johnsons
had parted, exchanging mutual cpl
thets Of hostility. Remembering
this, among other causes Of disquiet
Col. Johnson, who, at the Lee sur
render, found himself in an unenvia
bic situation, stripped Of all his world
ly possessions and practically withou
where to lay his head, bethough
himself that the only way to begin t
rehabilitate himself 50 as to be ablt
to resume his former profession of ;
lawyer was through Presidential
pardon. Coupling in his mind tn,
old personal quarrel with the wilC
stories he heard on all sides that TIL
President of the United States hat
been empowered by Congress to hanl
or shoot the leading men who hat
surrendered, he reflected that hi
chances with his old foe were sin
indeed. But seeing no other cours
open he made up his mind to try tn
venture and take what fate shoult
accord him.
Accordingly Col. Johnson applies
for and obtained pass from the com
mandant of Federal military pos
and journeyed to Washington. Al
irving there in the early evening h
proceeded to the Metropolitan HOte
where he locked himself in his room
fearing to show his head to chanC
of recognition, either by an accidents
old acquaintance, or worse yet, a pre-
vOst marshal. During the night h
tried to consider what would becom
of his expedition, and the cOnclusio
waSanything but hopeful. Arisin
from his sleepless bed in the mornin
he thought over the situation agaiI
and finally determined that he wOul
"face the music" without further dr
lay and end the suspense. So ut ,
early an hour as he could gain admi
lance to the White House he comere
himself out of the hotel and into