The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-07-07
THE PRESIDENT.

ton at the most momentous period in
its history perhaps there never was a
man who was SO little understood in his
character by all parties as Andrew John
son. He is now filling position, which,
in the widest dreams of his imagina-
ton he never anticipated that he would
be called upon to occupy; and, had the
Baltimore Convention which nominated
him, ever supposed that such an emer-
there was, probably, scarcely q member
but would have paused to consider ere
he cast his vote In favor Of Andrew
johnson as the probable successor to
Abraham Lincoln. There was nothing
in his antecedents, it is true, that did
not go to prove him an original and rep
resentative man. The story of his birth,
his contests with those twin jailors of
daring minds, poverty and want of influ-
ence, was we'll known, as also how by his
indomitable will, untiring energy and
great industry, he finally succeeded in
raising himself from his humble condi-
ton to be the peer of any in the nation.
His youthful struggles to secure to
himself liberal education, while he was
compelled to toll for his daily bread,
furnish bright example to the youth Of
our country, of what they may accom-
plish by the same means, and prove that
all who have the will possess the power
to overcome any obstacle fortune may
have placed in their pathway. History
is full Of examples of self-made men;
but among all these none will shine
brighter than that of the tailor's poor
apprentice, working in an insignificant
shopin Raleigh, North Carolina, to master
a trade for the future support of himself
and those dependent upon him. The
second chapter in the romance finds him
advanced to mans estate, with his hum
BILE bundle on his back, trudging to-
wards the West, led by that cleaning
star of empire which has been Hespe-
rus to 80 many of our greatest minds.
Working at his calling for years as a
poor journeyman, at the age of thirty,
when most men have begun to consider
their fortunes settled and the meridian
Of their lives passed, we find him mar
rying wife, who was true woman.
From her he now, in his leisure
moments, learns the germs of an
English education; but nature had
long before implanted in his breast
the germs of greatness. He soon
became marked man in his commune
ty, studied law, and step by step rose in
the confidence of the people, until he
came to be looked upon as their great
Tribune. Chosen Governor of the State,
as the staunchest Democrat in Tennes-
see, he passed successfully to Congress
andthe Senate, where we find him when
in 1851 the rebellion broke out. Despised
by the Southern aristocracy, because he
was not one of their privileged number,
and had risen from what they were
pleased to style "the poor white trash"
he lived to repay their scorn with con-
tempt. Too late they tried to WOO him
to take part in their treason. He had
the firmness to repel all their advances,
and soon stood forth in the Senate the
great representative of his class in the
South, and the denouncer of the traitor
GUS plotters, who were bent on DESTROY
Ing the country-ruining, SATAN like, be-
cause they could not rule. His speech
in the Senate, occupying two DAYS, was
one of the most remarkable since the
day when Cicero, in the Roman Senate.
hurled his terrible denunciation at the
head of Catiline. This speech, too, like
that of Cicero, was directed against an
arch-conspirator, and Davis like Cati-
line withdrew from the Senate, with
tears in his eyes, to head great conspi-
racy against the liberties of his country.
But unlike the Roman, Davis and his
followers did not die in Z" the last
ditch.o
johnson remembered all the bitter
wrongs and contumely that had been
heaped upon him by the proud aristocra-
cy of his native Southland although he
loved his section, he despised the privi-
legged class, that had so long ruled her.
The stand he took in favor Of his co1n-
try and the poor of the South, had the
effect to open all the batteries Of his en-.
emies and the enemies of the people,
upon him from both sections, and he
soon found himself assailed from all
quarters, the press, the pulpit, and the
rostrum joining in the cry. Every spe-
Giles OF invective was used against him,
and the tculest epithets coupled with his
name. He was hunted down like ra-
bid dog, from one end of the land to the
other, and did not escape even personal
violence at the hands of some rude
Southerners, while on his way home
from Congress through Virginia. But
he smiled at their invectives and
their threats did not appal him.
Undeterred by their abuse he pur-
sued the even tenor of his way, and
continued the patriotic course duty had
marked out for him-believing in the
ultimate triumph of right, but willing
and ready to accept the fate that failure
would consign him to. 1t is unnecessary