These were brave words in behalf of the rights of man, and weighed heavily in Mr. Johnson’s favor. Also in his first public words, after taking the oath as President of the United States, Mr. Johnson referred to the past of his life as an indication of his course and policy in the future, rather than to make any verbal declarations now; thereby manifesting an honorable willingness to be judged by his acts, and a consciousness that the record was one which he need not be ashamed to own.
What better words or greater promises could be demanded? And, moreover, the American people are admirers of self-made men. Indeed, it is the foundation of true republican principles; and those who come to the surface by their own genius or energies are sure to be well received by the masses. But was Andrew Johnson a genius? was he shrewd? was he smart? If not, how could he have attained to such a high position in his own State? Were the people there all fools, that they should send a mountebank to the United-States Senate? Or were they, as well as the National-Republican Convention that nominated him in 1864 for the Vice-Presidency, deceived?
Macaulay, in his Criticism on the Poems of Robert Montgomery, says, “A pious Brahmin, it is written, made a vow, that, on a certain day, he would sacrifice a sheep; and on the appointed morning he went forth to buy one. There lived in his neighborhood three rogues, who knew his vow, and laid a scheme for profiting by it. The first met him, and said, ‘O Brahmin! wilt thou buy a sheep? I have one fit for sacrifice.’—‘It is for that very purpose,’ said the holy man, ‘that I came forth this day.’ Then the impostor opened a bag, and brought out of it an unclean beast,—an ugly dog, lame and blind. ‘Thereon the Brahmin cried out, ‘Wretch, who touchest things impure, and utterest things untrue, callest thou that cur a sheep?’—‘Truly,’ answered the other, ‘it is a sheep of the finest fleece, and of the sweetest flesh. O Brahmin! it will be an offering most acceptable to the gods!’—‘Friend,’ said the Brahmin, ‘either thou or I must be blind.’ Just then, one of the accomplices came up. ‘Praised be the gods,’ said this second rogue, ‘that I have been saved the trouble of going to the market for a sheep! This is such a sheep as I wanted. For how much wilt thou sell it?’ When the Brahmin heard this, his mind waved to and fro, like one swinging in the air at a holy festival. ‘Sir,’ said he to the new-comer, ‘take heed what thou dost. This is no sheep, but an unclean cur.’—‘O Brahmin!’ said the new-comer, ‘thou art drunk or mad.’ At this time, the third confederate drew near. ‘Let us ask this man,’ said the Brahmin, ‘what the creature is; and I will stand by what he shall say.’ To this the others agreed; and the Brahmin called out, ‘O stranger! what dost thou call this beast?’—‘Surely, O Brahmin!’ said the knave, ‘it is a fine sheep.’ Then the Brahmin said, ‘Surely the gods have taken away my senses!’ and he asked pardon of him who carried the dog, and bought it for a measure of rice and a pot of ghee; and offered it up to the gods, who, being wroth at this unclean sacrifice, smote him with a sore disease in all his joints!”
The poor Brahmin was never more thoroughly imposed upon in receiving the dog for a sheep than were the American people in accepting Andrew Johnson as a statesman, or even as a friend of liberty and republican institutions. That he hated the slaveocracy, there is not the slightest doubt; for they were far above him, and all his efforts to be recognized by them as an equal had failed.
But did he like the negro any better than the master? It is said, that while in his apprenticeship, on one occasion, young Johnson was passing along the street with a pair of pants upon his arm, when a well-dressed free negro accidentally ran against him, pushing the tailor into a ditch; whereupon, the latter threw a handful of mud at the black man, soiling his clothes very much. The negro turned, and indignantly said, “You better mind what you ‘bout, you low white clodhopper, poor white trash!” This retort of the negro no doubt touched a tender chord; for it reminded the rising young man of the “pit from whence he was digged,” and it is said he hated the race ever after. But it must be acknowledged that Mr. Johnson is a big man in little things; that he showed some shrewdness in taking advantage of the Union feeling, and especially the antislavery sentiment, of the North, in wiggling himself into the Republican party by his bunkum speeches. After all, what is the real character of the man?
“Great Judas of the nineteenth century,
Foul political traitor of the age,
Persistent speeechmaker, covered with falsity,
Come, sit now for your portrait. I will paint
As others see you,—men who love their God,