The Russellville Democrat., 1885-11-05
DEMOCRATIC TICKET.

drew Johnson and the men who were determined just after the war 10 con centrate the power Of the govern ment at Washington, let come whatl would. The controversy was aroused by the relating by Chauncey Depew, of a conversation which he claims to have heard on the part of Gen Grant in regard to the matter as between himself ard the President The partisan papers have seized upon this story and kept adding to it in order to keep alive the sectional fires so necessary in certain quarters to help along the schemes of designing men who are always ready to stir any matter that will reach the prejudices of men in order to forward their own ends. It is fact now known that constitutional liberty trembleu in the balance just about the time that this controversy refers to, and that the broad, loving, breast of Andrew Johnson was barred to receive the shafts of the enemies of ceDstitu- tional liberty. That is, that he stood between the public and the powerful centralizing forces that threatened destruction to our form of govern ment. As the Gazette recently said, Andrew Johnson could have been the ideal of these bold, reckless plot ters against the governments life blood just as easily as not. If the man had had any ambition for pow CT, If he had been dominated by any other than the very highest motives of patriotic duty, no finer opporturi- ty ever offered itself to mortal man than to him. But like Moses, he choose to suffer affiictIon with the people in order to preserve to them the great boon of freedom handed down to them by their forefathers. To any one conversant with the times, it IS matter of surprise that so much of our beloved institutions were preserved from the stormy ele- ments which ragged around the seat of government, and the results must of necessity be largely set down in all time to come to the indomitable will and great courage of Andrew Johnson. The manly words of Gen. Sherman on this subject will go far to set the matter right before the pub lie, and his country will remember his own services with a greater de- gree of gratitude, seeing his honest effort to. yindicate the reputation of a man than whom no man living or dead ever loved his country better, or did it a greater service. Gen. Sherman being interviewed gave his views as follows:
 never understood Gen. Grant to express any fear that Mr. Johnson contemplated any violence. Mir. Johnson firmly believed that the con stitution and laws then existing were all sufficient for the reconstruc- tion of the southern states. Con gress thought otherwise, and in the quarrel between congress and the president, Grant was Tn danger of being made tue scape goat.
 l think the papers arc making too much of this controversy. It is sim ply an effort to re kindle the embers of fire that has long died out. l do not believe Mir. Chauncey Depew in tended to do more than repeat from memory statement made by Gen. Grant at dinner table. He is a very honorable gentleman, but he no doubt though there was something in this matter. But there was noth- ing more in Mir Johnson's attitude than the ordinsry political difieien- ces which will exist between men Of different par,ies. l repeat again, there was no violence intended. Ev- erybodv was sick and tired of war. Nobody thought of fighting, except on paper. After Stan,on was re- moved 1 wanted President Johnson to nominate Gen. John D. Cox as secretary of war, and his confirma- tion would have settled the whole controversy. Mir. Reverdy Johnson eoincided with me in this particular, but tue president would fight it out in his own way. As l have already said, Mir. Johnson was impressed with the belief that wi.h the constl tuition and the law he could success fully reconstruct the south. Mr. Lincoln, .hink, was of the same opinion. Congress, however, wanted to provide the machinery and die tate the terms upon which the states had seeded might be readmltted into the union. Between congress and the president, Grant had very unhappy time of it for about year.
 GEN. George B. Mcclellan, one of