The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1908-03-22

Gear III ali ms paragraphs. Nor
IS this the worst OF IT. Al more
places than one he calls In his afflu-
ent imagination TO the aid of poverty
stricken memory. His story, for ex-
ample. about gong with the chief
justice to Mr.. Johnson's apartments
al an early hour in the morning.
waking him out of drunken sleep
and administering TO him THE oath of
office IS absurd on the face OF ii.
Mr. Lincoln was shot on the evening
CT April II. bat did not die until z.22
the next morning. Immediately there
after the cabinet addressed to Mr.
Johnson an official note reciting the
recent occurrences, and SAYING: by
the death OF President Lincoln the
office of president has been devolved,
under the constitution upon you. The
emergency demands that YOU should
Immediately qualify. according to the
requirements of the constitution. and
enter upon the duties OF the presi-I
dent OF the United States If you will
please make known your pleasure
such arrangements as you may deem
proper will be made" Mr. Johnson
accordingly expressed the wish that
thc ceremony Should take place III
his rooms in the kirkwood house at
10 a. IN. There were present at that
time. besides tho chief justice, all the
members OF the cabinet except MIR
Seward. Il number OF senator's and
Jew other gentlemen With all due
-olemnitv. his hand resting upon an
open Bible al Proverbs x>sii:22. Mr..
johnson took the oath prescribed,
and was inducted into his high office.
That Andrew Johnson was born
J., ti,a+
he passed the period or his youth
without even the slightest educational
advantages: that he contracted a sort
Of aversion toward those who were
mere fortunate in their circumstan-
ccs than himself; and that to the end
OF his career his character bore some
Of the marks Of his bitter early years
ali Of these Things are to be freely
admitted 1t must be confessed also
that at about the time OF his election
To the vice presidency he was given
10 the too free use OF strong drink.
But that he was an ignoramus,
cheap demaeogue, a time serving
politician. and common sot. Is as
false and slanderous as any allega-
tvn could be
Before he had passed his twenty
first year, he had acquired a taste
/ for the reading OF books. and OF such
books As really count. 1t may sur
prise some persons to know that he
bought and studied Piato's 'Repub
/ lie" With the political history OF
the United States he made himself
entirely familiar. No man kept up
better WITH the newspapers. which all
must agree are an invaluable vehicle
/ f education II sought from the be-
ginning the society OF intelligent men.
His shop grew 10 be a center of de
/ bate and discussion. Naturally vigor-
Gus in intellect. and always eager for
/ snOwlegde he made the most OF his
opportunities. and grew in strength
and compass from the beginning
: First and last he went upon the
t hastings with nearly every man OF
great prominence In Tennessee. and
! held his own with them all With
the possible exception of Thomas \.
/ r Nelson. who was man OF superb
native gifts and large and accurate
attainments. it Is doubtful ii any OF
/ his antagonists ever fully measured
/ ZIP to him John A. Aiken, William
/ G.. Brownlow. Oliver F. Temple, Ma
tflauicl O. TAYLOR. Landon C HAYNES
GuStavus 4 Henry, MEREDITH F. Gen
try and Horace Maynard. one after
another found themselves more than
matched BY this plan. straightfor
ward tailor whose power over pop
ular audiences was due. not to the
graceS OF oratorv but 10 the sledgc-
hammer vieor with which he droy,
home his points Mr. Henry. "Ghs
! Eagle Orator" once said OF fla.r
The harder YOU press him. the high
or he is sure 10 rise Frequently
chosen TO the state legislature. fivs
times elected to the lower house d
congress, and twice to the senate
and elevated IN succession TO the
vice presidency and presidency OF tbt
United States, il IS folly to intimate
that he was lacking III intellectua
force
The intimation that Mr. johnson
usas in tie habit OF dressing like
tramp and behaving like clown, !:
pure action rs knew the value .
good clothes. and 1t is doubtfp
whether anybody ever saw him whc1
his garments were not OF the best ma
terial and made to fit lie had alst
great dignity OF manner. / was no
Ariught up TO admire him. My PEG
. pie were Old Line Wings OF tin
straightest sect: and as boy, | hat
grave difficulty in believing that
democrat could be the right sort o
! man But | shall never be abb
to forget the deep impression tia
Mr. Johnson made upon me-. Ate
: bis retirement from the presidency
{ met him frequently in GreenvillS
where I was then a young ministe
and once | spent pleasant afternool
/ at his home At that time, whateve
may have been the case when he hrs
: came before the public. there va
nothing lacking OF the well-bre'
!, gentleman in his derneanor. 1t IS
6 matter Of common tradition that dur
! ing his stay in the White House h
: bore himself with as much ease !
r The presence OF foreign representa-
4 tives "a If he had been born III tn
purple. Visitors from abroad ncve
failed TO carry away pleasant recol
g lections OF him The late DIR. Wi
9 nan, editor of the best edition G
Gibbons Rome, was eulog1stie !
speaking of him, and Charles Dick
ems wrote that he had comnandin
: presence, a splendid shaped head an
every sign Of an extraordinary MAJ
To those whose who knew NJ
II Johnson Senator Stewards stor
, about frightening him and eausin