Year: 1873

| uaugnc.


kEPoRTsR-As I understand you then, sir. .
representative democratic government, In the
nterai meaning or the term, Is what you consider
th he esse1ta en- ,or preserving and perpetuatng the
theory OF republican government


4 Mr JoHNs0N-That Is my meaning The trainers
Of the constitution made the government limited,
THB DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR OWN AND THE
ANCIENT REPUBLICS.


In the latter the individual was absorbed In the
State. which prescribed his religion and controlled
| his activity. The American system rests on the
assertion Of the equal rights OF every to lile
liberty and the pursuit OF happiness to freedom OF
conscience to the culture and exercise OF his acu-
| ties. Az consequence, the state government Is
terests of union; as to the Individual citizen In
the interest Of freedom. Without States one great
branch OF the legislative government would be
constitution to the character OF our country. It's
capacity for comprehending within It's jurisdiction
States.


REPoRTER In the event that there is really a
settled plan for q third term, what steps do you
think Will be taken to bring about the consum-
nation OF the objects


Mr.. JoHNsoN-The thing might be done in many
ways, but it would be the work OF the mOnOpollsts,
whO one and all, naturally favor Capitalization.
Among the many rings OF mOnop0lies may be men.
toned the land grabbers, who, bv Congressional
enactment, have been awarded millions OF acres OF
the public domain, which should have been the heri.
tage ofiuture generations. Then comes the railroad
monopoly, whose iron bands penetrate throughout
the country from ocean to ocean and from the
lakes to the Gull, growing in wealth and power





people as heavy as their own rails That these
powerful corporations are constantly increasing IN
hands OF decreasing lew, is We'll known, ana their
rottenness and corruption Is clearly evidenced by
the Credit Mobller and Fremont scandals. Next are
THE BONDHOLDING RING, THE WHIsKEY RING, THE


IRON RING AND THE MILITARY RING


OF which latter Grant is the head. Thus, In the
hands OF the leaders OF these rings, representing
the great interests OF the nation Is more than I'm
pcrlal power, and to retain the power they now
a
ierlpg with their plans and the carrying out their
selfish ends. Capital and power go hand in hand,
lection upon power With igurehead tor a
President and q subsidized Congress, how easy 1t


ne to 81 Jaw a IN ae
and pass law continuing the President In his
seat for an Indefinite term, or during the pleasure
REPoRTER-But Mr.. johnson, the late civil war
has made us nation OF soldiers, and II such usur
pie rise IN their might and tear down their alSe
idols


Mr.. JoHNsoN-steps would be taken beforehand
by skiful statlOnlng OF troops to Overawe any
attempt OF the kind; yet granted that the effort
was made, what could an unarmed mob accom-
plish against disciplined sodiery well armed and
with abundant war material and a full treasury to
sustain them sherman would carry out such
VIII W.T., ayS and the prestige oi IS
the oppression, most of whom realize what the ter
rOrs OF civil war are from sad experience. The
military government, and the transition TO a more
arbitrary assumption OF power will III all proba-
bility be so gradual as to cause alarm until the
shackles are riveted upon our limbs.
ANOTHER GREAT AID TOWARD CAPITALIZATION
Is an inflated paper currency for the people and
Understanding gold bonds for the monopOists.
He regarded this as one OF the most dangerous
elements Of power and showed by statistics that
our mines was in excess Of the currency in ctrcu-
laton, yet, except the small amount held in the
the peope had none Of it'anc yet 1t Was some
where perhaps where 1t would ''do the most gOod
wnen wanted. With the rings in power and CEN
tralized government 1t would be an easy matter
for Congress, by special act to deprive the people
OF even the currency, by rendering 1t valueess and
with the gold Of the Western mines in Its vaults,
buy a lease OF power which would satisfy the wild
est dreams Of an avowed imperialist-
REPoRrER-What class OF politicians do you
suppose most earnestly desire the bringing about
OF this Capitalization or C@sarism-the old rebel
democratic element which boasts that 1t is not yet
dead or the ultra republicansf


Mr.. JOHNsoN-Neither and both. The sycophants
who now cluster around Grant would be glad to
see him elected third time knowing that is their
sole dependence for continuing in office. They
are OF both classes, and 1t is noticeable that every
prominent ex-rebel who has iawned upon Grant
has been rewarded with position OF some Kind.
In this connection Mr.. Johnson mentioned Henry
s. FoOte, of Tennessee. who had been lOunging
around waiting a Sr crumo IN Ss o.
had lately been rewarded by an appointment to
south America, which, occurring shortly after o
bitter personal attack upon himself (Mr. JOhnson)
he considered as significant OF the Presidents
hostility toward him.





Mr.. Johnson In response to a question on this
subject, said that there were at the commence


OF the 1--WE W n the Wig and
ton Tor constitutional liberty, IN which was in
cluded States rights, though not the right to
up arms against the government, and the pro-
fessed devotion OF the men who did to the prin-
cipes OF those old and honorable party organza-
party now. Jefferson Davis in again trying to
.'fre the Southern heart' was great misfortune
tn la far thnU 70 Rnn thA
ments OF the Southern people, while IN fact they
were endorsed by an insignificant few OF the st.


He denounced General Holt in very severe terms
Tor writing letter recently published, containing
statement IN regard to the trial OF Mrs Surratt
latlOn thereto. He said that the proceedings OF
that memorable trial were published under the
supervision Of a government official who testified
to their correctness and ulness The publication OF
General Holt claimed to be part OF the proceed
ings which If true showed that the manuscript had
been tampered with aud at the same time raised
question OF veracity between him Holt and
Colonel Burnet, the censor OF the report OF the
trial. as he certified to what was not true III that
event.


Cesarism was not new idea and the failure of
the first organ In advocacy OF the measure was no
indication OF Its abandonment. In the Inpe1tdlist
OF July B. 1853, files of which paper he has hand,
macncent destiny '"e Of this nation is predeter
mined and inevitable, and it Is borne to empire on
the resstless current Of fate"


FALSE EDUCATION.


Mr.. Johnson thought our system OF education was


false one, and contrasted it with that OF Prussia.
There the youth were trained to labor as well as
acquiring an educational knowledge, and taught TO
reverence and protect their country and King. In
this country the idea OF education seemed obe to
live without work. A great deal was said about
skilled labor, intelligent labor and all that, but it
was impracticaple in great measure. VINO ever
heard OF q man possessing good education pur-
suing severe manual labor as a means OF obtaining
livelihood from choice. Did any one suppose
that skilled labor built the pyramids OF Egypt or
the Appian Wayp Certainly not. Intelligence and
skull supervised the work, but the lab0rers were
ignorant as the same class OF men In more modern
times.


Uur children should not be taught that labor was
degrading, and that as soon as a few removes from
illiteracy had been attained by education they
must look for some position which would enable
them to live without soiling their hands. In ad-
ditIon TO what was taught already q love OF cOun-
try should permeate and underlie our whole system
of instruction, knowledge OF the constitution and
OF liberty should also be acquired for the OBJ
servance OF the doctrines contained in that instru-
ment depended the salvation OF republican insti-
tutons on this Continent


AS will be seen, toward the last the conversation