Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-06-27

With a chip on his shoulder. The very
first crowd he me knocked it off without
ceremony. 1t soon became clear the peo-
pie were in r%esentful mood, and after two
or three clashes some of Mr.. JohnsOn's
best friends recommended a change Of
programme. Many believed that the pres
ident, seeing the mood of the people,
would yield, but they didn't know the
man. I had seen him face all sorts of
crowds while he was military governor OF
Tennessee; l had heard him scold the
leading citizens of Nashville as he would
a lot of school children: had seen him,
when a mob threatened his life, stride out
into the street and march the full length
of the city at the head of a procession.
carrying the Stars and Stripes, and !
knew that he would relish keenly a scrap
with those who defied him.
At one point a crowd of $4,000 people
had gathered, mainly to see Grant, Far
ragut and Seward. There was tremen-
dous enthusiasm over the party, and the
president was elated. But when he rose
to speak the crowd hooted and Kissed, anC.
set up a great shout for Grant. The PEG.
pie had seen through the presidents
scheme. and We're turning the tables on
him by using Grant and Farragut to hui
initiate and punish him. The presidents
saw the strategy of the move, and he was
as furious as he was helpless. In every
interval of quiet he would attempt to
speak. but every word he uttered would
be lost in the thunder of the shouts for
Grant. 1t was a painful spectacle, and
everybody was embarrassed. The crowd
would not listen to the chairman or n
other local celebrity. .
General Custer, then at the height of
his popularity. stepped forward, in his
dramatic, imperious a believing that
he could quiet the tumult. The CROWD
wa friendly, but it howled him down, and
the dashing cavalryman took his seat,
with the remark that he would like to
clear the grounds with a brigade of his
cavalry. Johnson, looking down on the
tumult. saw smiling, contemptuous faces,
but no hatred. He turned to Grant, who
had retired to the rear Of the platform.
and said, petulantly: General, you will
have to speak to them" General Grant
said, decisively: Il will not" Then the
president said, more graciously: Won't
YOU show yourself, general?' Grant
stepped forward, and, after a round Of
cheers, the people We're as quiet as a
church in prayer time. Waiting an in
stan., Grant raised his hand, made a
gesture toward Johnson, and said. clear
ly: THE president of the United States
The incident was a simple one, but it
spoke volumes. Grants face was full of
indignation and reproach, and the crowd,
accepting his rebuke, listened to the pres
ident for an hOur And the president die
not spare the people. He scolded them to
his hearts content, replied to all their
taunts. talked back to every man that
opened his mouth, and seemed to enjoy
the performance as a war horse would a
battle. The people took the scolding in
good part, and realized that hey had come
in contact with a new sort of president.
They heard him in respectful silence, but
they disapproved of him, as the president
knew when the votes were counted at the
elections that fall.
Stewards face at such meetings was a
study. The wound in his neck was only
fairly healed, and the people took a defer
entail attitude toward him. But still
everybody wanted to see him and shake
hands with him. Farragut, In cross ne
the otunda Of the capitol, came upon
a group Of ladies, one Of whom turned
toward him and eagerly inquired: Are
you Mr.. Seward?" Farragut answered
without a moments hesitatIon:t mo; 1
am a handsomer man thar Seward. My
name is Farragut.'