Johnson Bicentennial: Year-Long Celebration Kicked Off With Saturday Event At Museum
Monday, December 31, 2007
Source: The Greeneville Sun
Festivities Include Period Music And Speech By 'The President'
By AMY ROSE
Staff Writer
Cake, candles, singing, and history lessons were all part of President Andrew Johnson's 199th birthday celebration Saturday afternoon at the Nathanael Greene Museum.
The inaugural event of the year-long Andrew Johnson Bicentennial Celebration followed a well-attended wreath-laying ceremony at Johnson's grave in the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery.
Attending the two-hour birthday celebration were nearly 200 Greene Countians of all ages, including Summer Lawson of Baileyton, a 12-year-old Civil War reenactor. Lawson was dressed as a Confederate sergeant and drummer boy, or, as she put it, "drummer person." She said she was glad to take part in the inaugural event, because she realized that she was "celebrating heritage."
Luther As 'Tennessee Tailor'
A highlight of the birthday celebration was the presentation of "Tennessee Tailor," a presentation written and performed by Daniel Luther, and conceived and directed by James-Ben Stockton.
Luther's portrayal of Johnson included a speech from the end of Johnson's term as president, a reading of Johnson's final amnesty proclamation for Southerners, and the recounting of Johnson's 60th birthday celebration in the White House.
The actual 1868 birthday celebration included 300 of his grandchildren's friends and schoolmates.
The fact that his grandchildren were with him at the White House during his presidency, Luther said as President Johnson, "was the only pleasure I had in occupying the executive manner."
At the end of his term, the presentation indicated, Johnson was glad not to be seeking political office.
"For one who has spent so much time of his life on the stump, my current status is one of much pleasure," Luther said.
More than once, Luther recalled in his presentation, which was drawn from actual Andrew Johnson speeches and writings, how as vice president was suddenly thrust into the presidency after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln -- an office in which Johnson did not feel at home.
Luther said Johnson had tried to represent the interests of the people and had been "devoted to our amazing genius of democracy and its foundation in our Constitution."
He recalled how Johnson was denounced as a traitor for initially killing the secession movement in Tennessee, how he was insulted in every possible way, and received threats against his life.
But those who had denounced him, Luther said, later proved to be loyal to his beliefs in defending the Constitution.
"Give me the Constitution of my country, unimpaired," Luther said.
Luther also spoke about how Johnson made a modest living to support his family and how the "charms" of the White House had not affected him. He said he had strived to speak what he thought with honesty, and his reward was knowing that he had served his country and his family.
"I have done my duty," he said.
The crowd listened intently and responded with laughter during several lighthearted moments in the presentation. One of those moments came when Luther joked that his deliverance from the office of President would be the greatest emancipation. He said he felt more pride in being just an American citizen than in being "President over the ruins of a violated Constitution."
"My desire above all," Luther said in the presentation, "is to restore the country, bind up its wounds and make it once again a union." As he gave the departing speech in Washington, Luther said Johnson wanted to "regain my strength for the service of my home, of which I have been so long absent."
The large audience responded to the lengthy presentation/performance with a standing ovation.
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