Andrew Johnson alcoholism debate

Not all alcoholics appear drunk in public, and his relatively solitary existence—his family was almost never with him and he had few friends—was exactly the kind of setup that allowed for unobtrusive drinking that could become a problem in a time of great emotional and physical stress.

"[9] As he set out on his Swing Around the Circle tour as president, a Pennsylvania newspaper summarized the general perception (amongst his enemies, at least) of the intersection of Johnson's drinking and his politics: "From the day that Andrew Johnson took his seat as Vice President of the United to the present moment he seems to have improved every opportunity to belittle himself and disgrace the position he holds, by either bacchanalian revels, or the retailing of vile slang in partisan speeches...His stooping to blackguard private citizens was thought to be lowest depth to which drunken recklessness could drag him down, but a lower depth has been found.

[5] The author, James Graham, argues that "ugly behavior is symptomatic," and states that "It's probable that [Johnson's] alcoholism-driven ego played a more important role in his clash with Congress, which led to the attempted impeachment, than alcoholism-ignorant modern historians realize.

I think I have had sorrow enough without having my bank account examined by a Committee of Congress," referring to Charles, Dan Stover, Robert, and Patterson (a sitting U.S.

"[23] There are also two newspaper reports that William A. Browning, who worked as Johnson's personal secretary for many years, died of alcohol dependence at age 31.

"[27] In analyzing speeches that seemed like the drunken harangues of a half-deranged misanthrope, historians often find as much evidence for self-obsession as inebriation, as determined by audits of Johnson's favorite topic: himself.

For example, in the official transcript of Johnson's vice-presidential inauguration speech, historian Stephen Howard Browne found "extraordinary use of the pronominal and possessive first person.

Now, a certain preoccupation with the self is no doubt to be expected under such circumstances, but as his audiences would learn soon enough, Johnson's phrasing here foreshadows an almost pathological fixation on his personal identity.

"[2] Similarly, lowlights of the notorious Washington's Birthday speech of 1866 included its long duration, apparent ignorance of political reality, persecutory delusions, sullen resentment, thin-skinned "intolerance of criticism," egotism ("Who, I ask, has suffered more for the Union than I have?

"[31] According to historian Greg Phifer, The Boston Transcript summarized Johnson's Swing Around the Circle speeches in the fall of 1866 as "beginning with thanks, continuing with 'my sacrifices, my losses, my policy,' and always including "I, I, I, My, My, Me, Me.'

"[32] According to Mint Juleps with Teddy Roosevelt: The Complete History of Presidential Drinking, "Andy Johnson may not have been a drunkard, but neither was he a stranger to whiskey.

If one reads through his letters and bills, there is ample evidence that Johnson possessed a discernible taste for quality whiskey—and was willing to pay good money to get it.

"[40] The spectacle inspired a song performed at a theater on E Street:[15] And there Great Andy Johnson got And took a brandy-toddy hot, Which made him drunk as any sot, At the Inauguration.

In the end, whether or not he exhibited clinically significant symptoms of alcoholism during his presidency, after the March 4 spectacle at the U.S. Capitol, "it did not much matter what the truth was about his drinking habits.

The truth that mattered was that he had set himself up, made himself vulnerable to charges of drunkenness at virtually every crisis that beset his late political career.

As to the specification and evidence of the first charge of public drunkenness, if common uncontradicted fame speaks truly, and that it does in this instance, the blush at shame which mantles the cheek of every true American when the occurrence is mentioned, is the highest guaranty—then every Senator who witnessed the disgraceful stammering tongue of the Vice President as he mumbled his oath of office, and slobbered the Holy Book with a drunken kiss, will be at once the witness and judge, and to other like public and disgraceful exhibitions almost every depot and station master between Washington and St. Louis can give evidence.

"[42]I do not believe that Andrew Johnson was an opium eater as the New York Sun suggests, but he was a hard drinker and whenever he had indulged to excess for any long period of time the effect upon his temper was strongly marked.

How well Mr. Blair succeeded in his good office I am unable to say but the temper displayed by Johnson or at least the tone of his utterances and some of his official conduct indicate that the whisky devil was not as yet fully exorcised when he came to the Presidency.

His headquarters were at the Maxwell House at that time...A band serenaded him and the street was thronged with an immense crowd, cheering and calling loudly for a speech.

After a long delay the ex-President appeared upon the hotel balcony and acknowledged the compliment, but his condition was such that he was totally unable to speak coherently and, in fact, found difficulty keeping his feet.