Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-01
Andrew Johnsou's Memory.
Nashville American)

Senator William f. Chandler has, I'm
signed article 90 the press. traduccd the
memory Of one of the truest types OF
American manhood and one of the great
est and bravest spirits the state OF Ten
nessee ever pr0duced-Andrew Johnson.
He says that. "Mr Johnson betrayed
and abandoned the party which elected
him. his treachery was condemned hy
am right-minded mon and he went out
Of office without 20 party and without a
friend"
Senator Chandler errs. Andrew John
son returned 20 Tennessee. and after one
Of the most intense political struggles ever
witnessed I'm Tennessee was elected 10 the
Senate of the United Stat-5-an event
which struck terror into tne hearts or
those senator's who bah -,ted Tor John
sons Impeachment The rankings and
the pangs engondered by those times have
passed away now. and when the name of
Andrew Johnson BIS assaulted hy such a
uarr0W-minled ard hleote1 partisan as
Ch1ilier of New Hampshire. we are
proud TO refute The SANDER and revive
in the minds of Tennossaans of to-day
the virtues possessed by Johnson. With
an of his austerity positiveness, and
brusQuoness Of manner. he had a tender
heart and would cry Ike % child at the
msfortuucs of friends Tie was a Demo-
crlt iu tae hrOadest meaning of the term
lie cherished an abiding and un-
shaken belief in the Judgment Of the
people lie contonlel that they might
Doe switched off for a time, but would
come out ON the straight road at last
Never in the course of JOhns0n's long and
varied life did De forsako this faith or
Def it depart from him. If there was ever
JeficrsOni8n Democrat in iis fullest
sense Andrew Johnson was that man.
He made the people his conhiants and
no one else. His tacitnCss concerning
his speeches or his line of political con-
duct prior 20 the immediate time of ace
ton was one of his peculiaritics. Friends
would often try TO eXtOrt from him am
expression MS TO what his utternces
would be- but 10 no avail. Tie told the
people and let them Judge of his actions
at first hand.
At the rear Of the Johnson residence
there is a little clump of trees IL was
among these that Johnson and his
widowed mother with no covering bat
the clouds spent the first night after
reaching Tennessee soil. Tie could not
read nor write then, but in after years
be told some friends that ne had vowed
that every night TO some day own those
trees They are now a portion of the
estate. Down i'm the slope there is a
small cottage. almost o. cabin; 10 Is. In
fact. little better than "a hut a sign
over its door bears the inscription "a.
Johnson. tailor stepping forth from
chat hut he broathcl deep into his lungs
the afr of truth. ana from that rude
cabin door began that march which
ended at the naUon's Capitol Tailor
Governor. Senator President what n
span from the poor dwelling in the vail
ley 10 the chiefe-t home I'm am rho land'
Neither Jackson nor Lincoln were self
made more than this man. possess'ug
n0 advantages with few friends. the very
people in his State hostile and not even
master Of his own appetlJes De trampei
almost unaidel 90 the highest goal lie
knew but one creed, the truth. lt must
prevail. The sentiments Of the people
speaking out were 10 him the law of
nature itself Ie thought and felt, and
before he laid down his life ho knew
that their combined wisdom was greater
than that OF any single man. sleep on.
Andrew Jackson" as Governor Taylor
has said Of him. wrapped in Thy coun-
trys flag and plllowed upon thy country's
Constitution"