Evening journal., 1913-06-28
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
How Mrs. ReVerdy Johnson
Dispersed a Mob
By HoIiand

Reverdy Johnson. Of Maryland.
gained. in the course Of long and
very active life-he died in 1876 in
his eightieth year-one of the great
est of American regulations, for he
was not only very successful law
yer, but was influential and prominent
in public life in his State and after
ward in the nation. There was no
lawyer Of his time to whom the Su-
preme Court at Washington listened
with greater attention than It did to
the arguments Of Mr. Johnson. Zach
airy Taylor had in some way become
so strong an admirer of Mr. Johnson
that at the beginning of his term as
President he called Mr.. Johnson TO
his cabinet as attorney general. Al
ready Mr. Johnson had served four
years as United States senator from
Maryland. In 1863 Mr. Johnson was
again elected United States Senator
and five years later President Andrew
johnson, appointed him minister TO
Great Britain Again he resigned his
seat in the Senate to accept official
appointment.
Great as Mr.. Johnson's reputation
was both as a lawyer and as a public
officer, nevertheless those who knew
him we'll were inclined to think that
perhaps his highest quality was very
great physical as we'll as moral cour-
age, a certain independence of judg-
ment which sometimes caused him to
disagree with his party and once led
him TO take a stand in opposition to
President Johnson, although the per-
sonal relations between the President
and Senator Johnson were very close.
The quality of very high courage
and his reputation Of being one of the
most profoundly able lawyers of the
American bar will probably cause Mr..
Johnsons name to be. remembered
long after his public service as sena-
tor and attorney-general has been for
gotten.
There occurred in the time when
the Know-Nothing faction was at its
hight throughout the United States
a fine illustration OF the reputation
which Mr. Johnson had gained as a
man of unhinchine physical and moral
courage. The incident was related to
me by the late William T. White, of
Maryland, who was for some years
Reverdy Johnson's colleague in the
United States Senate.
"Reverdy Johnson, from the begin
ming Of the Know-Nothing excite
ment. took a very strong position in
opposition TO the Know-Nothing
party. That organization as you
doubtless know, had for its purpose
the exclusion from public o ce In
the United States or in any State Of
any person who was Of foreign birth
or descent. II was a secret organi-
zation, and from its secrecy became
known as the Know-Nothing party.
"Reverdy Johnson was always a
Whig-a Maryland Whig---and 1t was
as a Whig that he entered President
Johnson's cabinet. But he had reason
to suspect that a good many Wings
we're also Know-Nothings, and Il was
for that reason that he left the Whig
party and supported James Buchanan
for President in 1856 Johnson was
known to everybody in Maryland. and
especially to everybody in Baltimore
as a man Of undaunted moral and
physical courage.
AT one time when Mr.. Johnson
was away from the city a turbulent
organization which was called the
Bloody Tubs started out with the in
tention of doing damage TO Mr. Iohn-
sons house. This organization was
made up OF a very rough element.
II was in alliance with the Know
Nothings. A great mob marched up
the street toward Mr. Johnson's
house. II was just after twilight.
Some OF the mob carried torches. II
was evident that the mob intended
some violent act
Mrs. Johnson, who was a woman
OF as heroic character as was her
husband, heard the mob coming. She
looked out of the window and saw
the desperate-minded crowd OF ruff
fans gathering in front of the house
She knew at once what the mob pur-
posed doing.
Instantly Mrs Johnson opened heI
front door and stood out upon the
porch. silent for a moment, but res.
olute When the mob saw her stand
ine there II became for the moment
quiet. Then, speaking in clear. dis
tinnt tones, she said:
You men are towards You have
i come here when you knew that wal
alone II Mr.. Johnson were at homi
and we're to appear before you, yol
would not dar TO lift a hand agains
him or his house. nor would yol
dare hurl insulting epithets at him
/ I stand here I'm his place
For an instant the mob stood wav
ering AT last the leaders turnel
and within FIVE minutes the stree
was serted"