The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-07-01

liourneymen were Mt work. lie wa
IAN excellent reader, and lIis favoritt
book was a volume of speeches. prin.
lcipally of British statesmen. John.
lson hceame Interested, aud bis first
ambition was to equal him as a rea.
der and become familiar, with those
lspceches. He took up the alphabet
without an instructor; but Ivy apply.
ling to the jourueymen with whom he
worked, he obtaind little assistance
Having acquired knowledge 0!
the letters, he applied for the loan oil
the book which he had so often heard
read. The owner made him pres.
cnt Of it, and gave him some instruc-
ltion on the use Of letters in the form
alton of words. Thus bis first eXer.
ciscs III spelling were in that book.
Bv perseverance lie soon learn Il to
read, and the hours which he devoted
to his education were at night after
he was through his daily labor upon
the shop board. Tie now applied
himself TO hooks from two to three
hours every night, after working from
ten to twelve hours at his trade.
Having completed his apprentice.
ship in the autumn Of 1924, he went
to Laurens Court House, S. c where
( he worked as a journoyman for near
ly two years. While there he became
engaged to be married, but the match
was broken Off by the violent oppo-
sition of the girls mother and friends.
the ground of objection being Mr..
IJohnson's youth and want of pecuni-
ary means. in May, 1924, he return
ed to Raleigh, where he procured
Journey work, and remained until Sep
tember. He then set out to seek his
fortune in the West, carrying with
him his mother, who was dependent
on him for support. lie stopped at
Grcenvllc. Tenn. and commenced
work as journcyman. lie remained
there about twelve months, married,
and soon afterward went still farther
westward; but failing TO find suit2-
hlc place to settle, he returned to
Greenville and commenced business.
Up to this time his education was
limited to reading, as he had never
had an opportunity Of learning to
write or cypher; but under the in
structions of his wife he learned these
and other branches. The only time,
however, ne could devote 10 them
was in the dead OF night. The first
office that ever held was that Of Alder.
man of the village, 10 which he was
elected in 1898. lie was re elected
TO the same position in 1879. and
again in 1880. In that year he was
chosen Mayor, which position he held
for three years.
In 1885 he was elected to the Leg
islature. In the session OF that year
he took decided ground against a
scheme of internal improvements,
which he contended would not only
prove q failure, but entail upon the
state a burdcnsomc debt ] he meas
nrc was popular, however, and ut the
next election 1897 he WAS defeated.
He became n candidate again in 1889. {
By this time many of the evils lie
las predicted from the internal i'm
policy, which he had op
posed four years previous, were fully :
demonstrated, and he was elected by |
, large majority. ... !
In 1910 he served as presidential [
'lector for the State at large on the |
ticket. lie canvasscd ,
argc portion of the State, meeting ,
lpon the stump several OF the lead ,
ng Whig orators. In lSil he was
elected to the State Senate In lS43
he was elected to Congress, where,
by successive elections he served un-
ill lS4S. During this period of SER
vice he was conspicuous and active
in advocating, respectively, the bill
for refunding the fine imposed upon
Sen. Jackson ut New Orleans, in 1916
the war measures Of Mr.. Folks adj
and homestead bill
In 1853 he was elected Governor
)f Tennessee, after an exciting car.
rass, in which he was opposed by
Gustavus A. Henry. Hew re elec-
ted in 1853, after another active con
lest, his competitor being Meredith
p. Gentry. Al the expiration of his
second period as Governor, in 1857
he WAS elected u. 5 Senator for Il
full term, ending March 3, 1868.
Ever since the outbreak Of the
rebellion. Gov. Johnson has been the
stern and uncompromising enemy "f
The slave oligarchists. AS Senator
Of the United States, as public spea'
ier in behalf of the Union, and for
,hese many months past rs Military
Governor of his own State, he has
and efficiently wrought in
,nr holy cause, and scored his name
high among the earnest workers on
behalf of the imperilled Republic
Tribnne. , l.
HANGED HIMSELF TO SAVE EXPENSE.
The Chicago Tribune puts the issue