Land sakes alive! It is above my huckleberry to describe a maneuver not performed since John Quincy Adams declined to attend the inauguration of Andrew Jackson, President Andrew Johnson is today doing the like. As it were to confound sober men the peaceful transfer of power has customarily been accomplished these 40 years heretofore.
A flummoxed Mr. Johnson had not been duly nominated by his Democratic party to seek office against Mr. Grant in the 1868 election this past fall due to the ignominy of his impeachment on February 24, 1868 and his dwindled popularity.
President-elect Grant stated most assertively that he would not share a carriage with his predecessor on the path to his swearing in, but that President Johnson be in a following carriage. At that final affront Johnson refused to mollycoddle the incoming president's petition but instead show his absence entirely.
In all my born days I have not seen a befouled state of affairs as now resides in our nation's capitol but I pray that at least 152 years will transpire before any semblance of this discord and shambles is today's equal.
