Record Data
Source citation
"Mrs. Swisshelm Guillotined," Chicago Tribune, March 2, 1866
Type
Newspaper
Date Certainty
Exact
Transcriber
John Osborne, Dickinson College
Transcription date
Transcription
The following text is presented here in complete form, as it originally appeared in print. Spelling and typographical errors have been preserved as in the original.
MRS. SWISSHELM GUILLOTINED
Andrew Johnson has caused to be dismissed from a clerkship in Washington, for using disrespectful language toward his inebriate majesty in her newspaper, the Reconstuctionist. Meanwhile the unimpeachable Mrs. Cobb, who professes to draw from pardon brokerage in a week a sum greater than Mrs. Swisshelm would derive from her salary in a year, still has the entree to the White House. Doubless Mrs. Cobb sustains the President's policy.
This is the first time an American Chief Magistrate ever used those offices which belong to the party to punish a woman for adhering to that party. It has been one of the prerogatives of woman to express her thoughts freely. Since she cannot vote, her "widow's mite" of political influence, contributed through pen and tongue, could hardly break down an administration so successful (World) and popular (News) and heroic (Chicago Times) and patriotic (Richmond Examiner) as Mr. Johnson's. Now that Mr. Seward declares that "the Union is a fixed fact," a point which no one would have doubted had he not found it necessary to affirm it, why not let the good lady express her contempt. If Andrew Johnson turns out everybody who despises his recent course, he will have enough left to fill the offices.
