Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-03-04
Blaine on Johns0n's Administration


gins with the period of Andrew John
sons accession to the Presidency. Mr..
Johnson's earlier life is dwelt upon
quite infinitely, and he is given full
credit for that courage which, degen-
Grating later into obstinacy, was his dis
tinguishing characteristic. His primal
attitude of intense hostility to the re-
bellion and to all who participated in
or who aided and abetted it was en-
phasized. The change in his temper
and policy, as his Presidential term adj
vanced, is attributed largely to Mr..
Seward. The latter, it is SAID, effectu-
ally persuaded him that policy of an
ger and hate and vengeance could lead
only to evil results; that the one su-
preme demand of the country was con-
| tidence and repose; and that the ends OF
| justice could be reached by methods
and measures altogether consistent
with mercy. The whole scheme of
Johnsonian reconstruction is said to
have been originated by Mr. Seward,
but he was disappointed grievously by
the conduct of the South under it. Mr..
! Blame says:
There are good reasons for believ-
| ing that Mr.. Seward desired some mod
itication of the Presidents policy of re-
construction after he comprehended
the spirit which had been exhibited by
the Southern Legislatures. His phil
anthropic nature, the record of his pub
lie life, his great achievements in the
anti-slavery field, all forbid the con-
clusion that he could knowingly and
willingly consent to the maltreatment
and the permanent degradation of the
freedmen. If he had no higher motive,
the selfish one of preserving his own
splendid fame must have inspired him
He felt it his duty, in spite of this, to
continue in the Cabinet, and though he
lost his popularity by the act, he was
moved by the best motives in the course
| TAKEN
The contest between johnson and
Congress is related at length up to the
time of his defeat in the elections of
| 1886:
at is well known that the President
felt much cast down by this result. He
had, as is usual with Presidents, been
surrounded by flatterers, and had not
been advised of the actual public
opinion. Political deserters, place
seekers and personal sycophants had
constantly assured the President that
| his cause was strong and his strength
irresistible. They had discovered that
one of his special weaknesses was an
mbition TO be considered as firm and
heroic in his administration as General
Jackson had proved in the Executive
chair thirty years before. He received
NIT 4,
slant adulatien of comparison be-
tween his qualities and those of Gener-
al Jackson, and he came to fancy that
he would prove, in his contest for I'M
conditional readmission OF Southern
States to representation, as mighty a
power in the land as Jackson had
proved in his struggle with the bank
monopolists and with the disunionists
of South Carolina. But those who had
studied the character of johnson knew
that aside from the possession of person.
al integrity, he had few qualities in
common with those which distinguished
jackson. Johnson was bold and flu
ent in public speech, irresolute and
procrastinating in action; Jackson
wasted no words but always acted with
promptness and courage. johnson
was vain, loquacious and Extensively
egotistic; Jackson on the other hand,
was proud, reserved and with such
Astounding self-respect as excluded ego
tism. The two men, instead of being
alike, were, in fact, signal contrasts in
all that appertains to the talent for adj
ministration, to the quick discernment
of the time for action, and to the prompt
execution of whatever policy might be
announced"
In dealing with the impeachment of
President johnson, Mr.. Blaine takes
occasion strongly to express his disbe-
lief in recent stories of reasonable de-
signs on his part through the aid of
General Grant, and in regard to i'm
parchment he admits that the sober re-
Election of later years has persuaded
many that it was not justifiable on the
charges made. and that its success
would have resulted in greater injury
to free institutions than Andrew john
son in his utmost endeavor was able to
infiiet.