American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-04-19
sour New Presiient.'s

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sour New President
Hon. Andrew johnson, who is now
called to the Presidential chair by reason
of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln
was born of humble parentage, in Raleigh
the capital of North Carolina, on the 29th
of December, 1903, and is, therefore, in
the 57th year of his age. He was left al
orphan boy in his fifth year. After serv-
ing his full term as an apprentice to Q
tailor, and having made a trip into South
Carolina, he settled in Tennessee, where
he married. The straitencd circumstances
with which, in early life, he was surround
led, had prevented him from acquiring
even primary education Fortunately
{ Tor him, in his marriage he not only got a
partner, but an help-mate" From hel
he learned to spell and read, and to her
! therefore, in great measure, he owes his
success in public affairs We have not time
here to give detailed account of his
public life. 1t is known to most of our
readers. He was twice elected Alderman
! of the village in which he lived, having
.been put forward by the ,corhing men as
! the candidate identified with their inter
tests. lie was twice elected to the legis
lature Of Tennessee, and afterward to the
Estate Senate In December. 1S43. he
first appeared in the lower hou,e of Con
'gress, to which position he was elected
five times, making service in that house
.of ten years.
He was elected Governor of Ten
,nessee IN 1858, and reelected in 1855.
!after which, in 1857, he was elected to
the United States Senate, where the re-
|bellion found him in 1860. johnson was
always Jackson Democrat in politics !;
was always an able opponent olson of the
'favorite measures of the Whig party; OPP.
posed to a general system of internal i'm
|provements by the general government,
and a supporter of the Mexican war. lie
always acted with the Republicans in IA
'vor of the homestead bill lie sup
ported Breckenridge for Presidentin 1860,
but when he found that he and his friends
had made mp their minds to force the
country into a rebellion, he, like many
other good men of the nation. " conferred
not with flesh and blood" but hastened
to expose and denounce them When, in
the winter of 1861, some one of them
asked him, if he were in the possession of
the Presidential office, what he would do
with them if they would rebel, his reply
was, ] would have you tried for treason :.
and unless jury Of your country found
you not guilty, would hang you" His
State with the rest under the influence
of her then Governor, Harris, rushed into
rebellion. and, at the earnest solicitation of
the President, he accepted the appointment
of Military Governor, and took up his
residence at Nashville; from. which posi-
ton he was calle a few weeks since toI
enter upon a new field of usefulness from
which he has been suddenly ca lie ! to du-
ties ofa still higher character. The DEATH
of Mr.. Lincoln will, as matter of course |
involve the resignation of his Cabinet,
The duty of calling around him constitu-
tional advisors so devolves upon Mr.
johnson. HIS past history is a sufficient
guarantee of his future as a patriot andl
statesman. The eause of the countryl
may well be submitted to his keeping
with entire confidence that no great inter
est of the country will suffer in his hands. |
May the great God grant thai he may bel
spared to the great work before him.