The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1865-06-14
Early Life OF President johnson.
Rnnsz. y. C. saaraar. Ny q. l:es

/ L IS one Of Tie penalties 81 holding ex-
alted public positions, that newsmongers
ley bare 10 the public gaze tile incidents o.
the life Of the incumbent for tie Cratirlca-
ton Of the gOssip-lOviu- pr0pegsities OF
their readers. The higher the position the
more earnest the scare, With this pre-
face by Way OF excuse [ wl. uow proceed
70 inform the readers Of the times tn4t !
have had al interview vith O0e Mr. LiIch
ford. a. old "jour' tailor OF This place,
who was foreman in the -a.lpr--uop where
Andrew Johnson. uow President % the
United States, learned partially the bus.-
ness Of the ninth part OF z man.
Hr. Luchford thinks that il was in ISIS
that Andy as be calls him. vas bound
~ al apprentice 10 J. J. Selby. 10 learn
q bis trade" He was wild. harum-scar-
I'm boy, 10 use AT. LitchiOro's words hut
had 10 unhonorab.e traits about him.
lie was exceedingly restless. aud his activ-
ity ln climbing fences. trees, Sc.. with the
natural sequence thereof OF tearing his
clothing, was great source Of trouble 10
ties u this direction, she once made '6.iif.s
coarse, heavy shirt Of homespun good, and
the young gentleman Tor short time was
obliged 10 wear whole underg garment
Ia 1874 be cut, not because he was sent
10 a cOrn-field 10 work, as some one has
said. but on account of q scrape with a
lady by the name OF Wells. who had two
right smart daughters" With another boy
an apprentice in rival shOp. Andy
"cbilHhed the old ladv's house" one sat
urday night Next day she heard who il
was and threatened 10 'persecute them
OF Monday They heard OF il and cut,
His companions name name was GraysOn
afr ii rIf
now dead
Andy's relations, says Mr. Litchiord
90 are trihing set OF Ramcatters' Now
be il known, that - Ramcat" is a locality a
short distance from Raleigh where " poor
white trash live. | never tells anything
about EN- unless axed. said Mr. Litcht0rd
He knew his \ B C's when he came 10
the shop. but [ think taught him TO read.
Mr.. LitchiOri continued and he deserves
unoOuAded credit, for some people say as
now they lad a grand start. and / reckon
he started underground. After he d" cut
he went TO south Carolina, and returned
q . a --i-' '---t--- --'-'-'- ~it+'r
he had earned his living with his needle.
On his arrival be applied 20 NJ Ltchford
then keeping an establishment OF his own.
for work, but didn't get Il because he had
been advertise" a. q runawav. and the
law prevented any one from harboring him
MIR Selby had, during Andy's absence. sold
out and moved into the country: but with Il
desire 10 make due amende for his misle
ueanOr, the runaway walked twenty miles
10 see him and tried 10 make arran gemeuts
10 pay him for his time Mr.. Selby reQui-
red security and Andy could not get il.
lie told Mr.. LltchiOrd that he wouldn't let
nun be security il he would and so he
slOpeu again, this time going to Tennessee.
Nj. LltchiOrd next heard OF him as a mem
Der OF Congress from that State, but didn't
believe IL was d" his boy Andy" until he saw
II " advertised IN the papers, about the me-
chauics 10 congress, and saw the word tai
lOr after his name" phamphlet copy O
one OF Ills speeches, sent to Mr.. LitchiOrC
under congressional frank, is yet in the pos
session OF the latter Before leavig Tor Ten
nessee. Johnson talked seriously Of going
into business for himself and asked for al
vice. Mr.. LitchfOrd gave it to him. an,
remarked that lie thought " be had g0t int,
business right smart"
-Aitel his first session be returned TO Raj
elgh AMI made speech "pitching int,
Parson BrOwnl0w and 4 man named Gale
r The editor Of the Register" II seems tha
BrowniOw, political appcnent oi johnson
at that time, had sent to Gale for famii.
4ASiur Od4t lu[IlHutQ Lutll ana Icuc
JohusOn's attack Oh him and BrownlOw
The citizens OF Raleigh at that time though
: II something remarkable that the " tailor
; apprentice" Of their recollection should b.
able 10 make such a speech. but johnson
told Mr. Litchf)rd how IL was His vii
had learned him" while he was On the tai
lor's board working for his bread ia Ter
nnssee.
During this Visit, Mr.. Johnson aske
LitchlOrd to show him his fathers grave
e and he did SO. II has but plain era
= stone slab al tie head. and simply marke
= y. j., and is nearly hidden from view 10
= the over growth OF weeds and brambles.
4 The house in which President JohnsO
= was born is still standing. and is an ObieC
= Of no little curiosity TO the many stranger
= who visit Raleigh. Il IS Il small fran
n building, q story and half high, contain
[ ing only two or three rooms. Relic moi
: gers have already commenced tearing o
u the veather-bedten sideboarls.
: When Mr. Johnson returned 10 Tennesse
after his visit 10 Raleigh, he took With hl
r his mother and step-father.
o Mr.. Litchtor1 says he has told "m0re'n
il thousand Yankees about Andy, and think
5 it should be pretty well known North
q this time.-C0r y ]. Tunes.