AMERICA.

Timaru Herald, Volume IV, Issue 97, 23 March 1866, Page 4

AMERICA.

« [From the Tlme>? correspondent.] Ppiladelphia, Nov. 21. The President of the United States is one of the hardest worked men m America. Although he has the highest station among us, under the unfortunate system that compels him to do so much drudgery that should he committed to clerks and secretaries, his is one of the most unenviable positions m the Government. President Johnson is a model of industry, and is one of the most laborious men who ever filled the Executive office. In these doubtful times his power is enormous, and it may readily be imagined that a legion of sycophants and favour-hunters are continually importuning him. He rises at six o'clock, and during- an hour and a half reads the papers, and then takes his breakfast, immediately afterwards going to the Executive office and beginning the labours of the day. He reads huge bundles of letters, and dictates replies to his secretaries. Applications for appointments, promotions, discharges from the army and navy ; political advice ; petitions for Executive clemency, averaging 200 a day, and innumerable other documents, are rapidly disposed of ; but before the. labour is half ended, visitors have begun to flock into the antechambers and thrust their cards upon him. Pardon seekers, politicians, and owners of confiscated estates, pace uneasily before the President's door, and women, with indescribable effrontery, insist upon immediate admission. The attendants before long announce their inability to keep the throng out, and, susspending his labours, the President permits the visitors to enter one by one. Then begin new perplexities, and" until two, or three o'clock, the President is kept busy by visitors, when, the hour growing late, he fortifies himself with a couple of secretaries, and orders the doors to be thrown open to all. The throng- presses towards him like a crowd into a theatre, and one by one he disposes of them, telling each m a few courteous words his decision upon the application made to him. The secretaries record these decisions as rapidly as made, and after nearly an hour's " baiting" the throng is disposed of and dismissed, and with a sigh of relief the President at four o'clock goes to dinner. After dinner he returns to his office and remains until eleven o'clock, still disposing of the myriads of documents on his table. His habits of labour are regular, and he alwaj^s retires about eleven. In addition to all these duties there are constant audiences of distinguished visitors. Representatives of foreign Courts, Governors, Congressmen, and Generals are alwa3's admitted whenever they present themselves. Everyone has some subject to talk of that requires care and deliberation by the President, and over all towers the great and perplexing problem of reconstruction. Although his demeanour is always kind and pleasant it cannot be denied that these hard and m man}' cases needless labours are gradually wearing him away. Unless some subordinate officers are interposed to break the force of the current that sets so strongly against him, it is feared the task of attending to so many minor matters, increased tenfold since the war ended, will incapacitate the President for giving proper attention to questions of State policy; and by causing hasty and improper decisions will give endless trouble. It was so with Buchanan and Lincoln, and unless Johnson permits his subordinates to dispose of subjects of comparatively little moment, he will find the sunshine of popularity that now surrounds him soon obliterated. The condition of the South and of the finances alone are sufficiently important to demand his exclusive attention, could he give it.