Year: 1875




The interview with Mr.. johnson sent by
one of our Washington correspondents and
printed in the HERALD yesterday will correct
q prevailing misconcepton. It has been
generally expected that Mr.. Johnsons return
to the Senate would bring into that body ON
element Of aggressive pugnacity, and that his
resentful sense of what he endured from the
republican party while President would impel
him to pay off old scores. He takes pains to
disolaim any such purpose. He regards his
Senatorial position as o responsible public
trust to which he would be recreant if he de-
scended to any sort Of bravado or used it to
chastise his old enemies. Nothing could be
in better tone than this statement:-"And
now I want the HERALD to correct one thing
for me. An impression has gone abroad that
1 come here to avenge my private grievances,
to redress personal injuries. 1t is not 30.
have now no wrongs to redress but my coun-
try's- My election settled all personal inju-
ries ever inflicted. I consider that triumph
sufficient and bury all of my grievances
behind it. come now TO deal only with
present issues. Of course, if any Of my acts
while President were attacked it might be
necessary at some time to defend myself; but
that aside, come here not as party man,
but entirely independent"


The course which the ex-President has marked
out for himself is entirely consistent with his
former record as Senator The most hon
orable part of Mr.. Johnson's career is his
service in the Senate. 1t was in that theatre
that he made the high reputation to which
he added nothing while exercising higher
Office. In his speeches as Senator there was
none of the intemperate invective in which
he INDUCED so freely and unwisely in occa-
sional addresses while he was President He
was indeed very decided in his views, very
plain and outspoken in his language, but he
always kept within the limits of parlinmen-
tary decorum and avoided personal contro-
vsrsies. His Senatorial speeches were clear,
logical, cogent and won for him favorable
national reputation. His conduct as Mil
itary Governor of Tennessee during the war
neither added to nor detracted from the pre-
vious high estimate OF his character. When
he was nominated for Vice President, on the
same ticket with Mr.. Lincoln in 1864, the
EUenug Post expressed its opinion that the
Convention would have done better had
it reversed the order of the names
and nominated Mr.. johnson for Pres
ident We recall this circumstance merely
as showing the estimation in which Mr..
johnson was held at that time. Soon
after the assassination of President Lin
coin there was great Unitarian festival in
this city, at which Governor Andrew, of Mas
sachusetts, was the principal speaker. He
spoke quite at length on the then critical posi-
tion of national affairs, and regarded it as an
interposition of Divine Providence that man
of moro vigor than Mr.. Lincoln had been
brought to the head of the government in so
important o conjuncture. Governor An
drew's estimate, like that of the Evening Post,
was founded on Mr. Johnson's career as
Senator. It cannot be disputed that his Pres
idency was q failure; but the fact that his pre-
vious service in the Senate created strong
impression of his eminent fitness for the high
est Office is q strong testimony to his distin-
guished ability as Senator. If he adheres to
the intention which he expressed to our cor
respondent in the interview he will easily re-
cover the good opinion he lost in position
for which he was not 80 well fitted.