Los Angeles herald., 1891-11-09
MONDAY NOVEMBER o. 1891.
A MAN TO WHOM THE COUNTRY OWES
MUCH,

Sundays Chicago Tribune has an in
teresting interview with Maj. Ben @.
Truman concerning crucial episodes in
the public career of President Andrew
johnson. There are few persons who
have illustrated the ability of men to
rise from humble station to the pinnacle
of power in more conspicuous manner
than johnson. A great deal was said
about Abraham Lincoln as railsplitter,
and it is very likely that "Old Abe" as
he was affectionately called, welded an
axe occasionally as an incident of his
frontier experiences, but that phase of
his career owes most of its Importance
to the Imagination of his supporters.
Lincoln undoubtedly began life under
humble circumstances, but then all
around him life was primitive in the
extreme. To use homely phrase. no.
body "put on any airs" and log cabin
was about as afistocratic a dwelling as
could be found in circuit of five miles,
in the Illinois of Lincoln's youth. Pow
erty went for nothing in that section.
Account was taken, rather, OF the Drawn
and purpose of the man. The case was
far different with Andrew Johnson.
When he had reached mans estate
he could neither read nor write.
He acquired both of those indispensable
rudiments of education after his mar
riage, and always ascribed his success
in life to his wife, who taught him to
read. 1t was years before he was prof.
Gent with the pen. He lived in an
aristocratic community, or at least in
community where social distinctions OF
very rigorous kind existed. He was a
tailor by occupation, and he was never
ashamed of his calling. Brought up in
region dominated by slavery, Andrew
johnson held his own and made his
way amongst the most lion hearted
people of the United States. Nothing
could daunt him or curb the aspirings of
his indomitable soul. 1t is one of the
most remarkable proofs of the genuine
spirit of democracy which pervades the
United States that man like johnson
could make his way into both branches
of congress, be twice elected governor OF
Tennessee, should be elected president
of the United States and finally occupy
the White house. BUTT must not be
forgotten in considering the last phase
of his career that the Tennesseean was
q famous man before Abraham Lin
coin was ever heard of outside
of the Immediate vicinage of Spring
field. He was the author of the famous
homestead law and he possessed much
the same kind OF popularity amongst the
masses which Lincoln afterwards &C.
quired. He was the master of an I'M
studied and trenchant eloquence, and OF
all the speeches made on the union side
on the floor of the senate just before the
war opened his were by far the strongest
and most convincing.
The career OF johnson has always been
a study of great interest to US, and we
have read Major Humans interesting
memorabilia of him with great interest.
We have been tempted to indulge in
few speculations concerning him slightly
out of the range covered by our late
townsman in the Chicago Tribune. 1t
has always seemed to us that at every
critical stage of its history the United
States has been governed by special
Providence. 1t was OF inestimable ben
eft to this country that man with the
peculiar courage and will power OF john
son-a courage both physical and moral
succeeded Mr.. Lincoln when that
statesman fell beneath the bullet of
John Wilkes Booth. II the Ben Wades
of the Republican party had had
their way at that time it ia
exceedingly doubtful whether a
warp towards despotism would
not have resulted from which our sys-
tenn of free government would never
have recovered. The south would have
been made hell upon earth, and the
splendid revival of prosperity which we
see there now would have been replaced
by desolation as great as that which
followed the legions of Hyder Ali in the
Carnatic. The game of playing at des-
potism in the south would have proved
go fascinating that the temptation to
give the other states of the union
taste of it would have been irresistible.
johnson was cast in the right mold to
meet and defeat this conspiracy. Like
old John Adams, at an earlier date of
our history (and who, by the way, was
the son OF shoemaker), he was the
very man to exclaim:
Thy spirit, Independence, let me share,
Lord of the lion heart and eagle eye!
On this account it is that he has prob
ably been followed by more hatred and
depreciation than any of our public
men. He was as honest as the day is
long. and was the occasion of great as
tonishment al Washington through fail
ing to spend the secret service
fund that was placed at his SER
vice as military governor of Ten
nessee. On account of the calumny
With which be was pursued, the impress
sion OF great masses not only OF his
political enemies but Of his political