The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1865-04-29
The New President.

E,a .ss, The New President. ~
Andrew johnson, who, by the death lol
Abraham Lincoln, has succeeded to. the
Presidency of-the United States, was born
in Releigh, n. c., in 1908. Like his lament
ed predecessor, he is emphatically a self
taught man. His father lost his life when
the son was four years of age, from the ef-
fects Of cxertiohs to save q drowning friend,
and bis mother being left in poor circunl-
stauces, was unable to afford young John
son educational faculties. r. He became ap-
prentice to tailor at ten years of age, and
while serving in that capacity, by hard ap-
| plication, acquired the ruditnents Of an
English education His mind was first
aroused in that direction by hearing read
ings, from q volume Of speeches, by gen.
tleman who habitually visited the shop
where be was at work. Hetooku up,the al
phabet without an instructor, and then by
procuring assistance from the journeymen,
and the gentleman whose reading had arous-
ed his faculties, land who finally made him
a present of the book of speeches. and de-
voting some hours Of the NIGHT to study, he
accomplished the groundwork of knowl-
edge. In 1924 he went to Laurens Court
House, South Carolina working there as a
journeyman till 1926 Swnen he returned to
Raleigh, and aftersome months, set out
for Tennessee, carrying withhim his moth
er, who was dependent on him for support.
He was now about nineteen years of age
He settled at GreenVile, Tennessee, still
working at his trade, where he subsequent
ly married an intelligent lady, under whose
guidance he made further and rapid pro-
gress in his studies. Ambitious, industrious
andfenergetic, he soon entered public life,
l. = r AL i
ic party, was successiyely elected BY that
organization to the position of alderman,
mayor, State legislator, governor, member
Of the United States House Of Represen-
tatives, and United States Senator. lie
was always in those positions regarded as
decided democrat in politics and of his
course on public measures, we gather the
following summary from Savage's sketches
OF our representative men:
Mr.. johnson was steady opponent of
United States Bank, Of internal improve.
ments by the Federal government, and ,ofa
the annexation of Texas, the Mexican war,
the tariff of 1876, the homestead bin, (of
which he was one of the originators1 an
economical administration of the govern
ment, the compromise measures Of 1850,
on the X ansas- N ebraska question. He Wig
orously opposed the doctrines of the
know N Nothing" party, and on the demo-
cratic theory Of the uncoHstituhonality Of
such measures on the part Of the general
government, opposed the Pacific railroad
project and river and harborimproyements.
He always regarded the dissolution of the
Union as an impossibility; and held that |
slavery had its foundation and would find
its perpetuity in the Unioh, and the Union
its non-interference with slavery, One of I
his arguments in favor of the annexation
Of Texas was tnat it would prove to be the |
gateway out of which the sable sons of At |
rica are to pass from bondage TO freedom,
and become merged in a population con-
genial with themselves. He. vehemently
opposed secession, and his views and pnb-
lie acts since the outbreak of the rebellion
are well known. s'af ia9 a d3le geR
1t was during the second session of the .
Thirty-seventh Congress hat Mr.. johnson
became so prominent In this connection |
In three successive speeches, in reply to
le, ling Southern Senator's he argued the
faliacy of the doctrine OF secession. On R
the day Of the final adjournment of that
Congress. he boldly assailed the esentiment
then so rife and the movements on foot, in +
a speech from which we quote as reported 1
in the official Congressional debates in the
Globe: .y9as atI
When / was interrupted, Mr.. President,
was making q general allusion to treason,
as defined In the Constitution of the Uni
ted States, and to those who were traitors
and guilty Of treason within the scope and
meaning of the law and Constitution. My
proposition was that if they would show
me who was guilty Of the offenses / have
enumerated, would show them who were
the traitors That being done, were L the
President. Of the United States, / would do
as Thomas Jefferson did in 1906 with Aaron
Burr, who was charged with treason. /
would have them arrested and tried for
the treason, and, ii convicted, By The Eter- /
nal God they should suffer He penalty of The
Lar at the hands of the e.recutlOper. TTrea-
son must be punished, and the extent aud |
depth of the offense be made knowntnla
When in the spring Of 1862, Nashville
was captured by our forces, Mr.. Johnson, /
then still holding bis seat as Senator from |
Tennessee, accepted the position Of militia. !
ry governor OF that State. In the mean
time, he was nominated by the repubican |
national convention in 1864 for Vice Pres |
dent on the ticket with Mr.. Lincoln; but
after the election, continued to discharge
the duties of his military Governorship up
to the date Of his inauguration as Vice |
president, ON the 4th of Masch last.
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