Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-03-23
"a. ~ AT HOME.

The western papers have been sending their
Specials" 10 Greenville, Tennessee. to get up
Johnsonia, in view of the anticipated arrival
of the ex-President at his home. The indus.
trious Knights Of the quill have ransacked the
pretty little village of Green VILE for material
and have altogether pretty faithfully earned
their money by the amount of matter supplied
10 their papers, concerning the antecsdeuts
Of the seventeenth President OF the United
States. ltis somewhat remarkabie considering
the conspicuous position occupied bv Andrew
johnson before the country during his term of
Office that the enterprising Specials have
rot sooner paid visit to Greenville. Andrew
johnson was born at Raleigh, N. G., on the
18th day of December, 1908, and he is conse.
quentiy now over sixty years Of age. His
father died when he was but four years of age.
AT ten years he was apprenticed TO a tailor.
He never went to school q day in his life. but
managed to learn himself TO read after q fash
ION. Just before his time was out he ran away
from his master for no particular reason except
the Johnsonian one that che wanted to-
After wandering about from place to place
in North Carolina for some time, he put his
mother and a little property into a one horse
cart and crossed the mountains into Tennes-
see, halting at Green Vile. He was then eigh.
teen years Of ags. Even at that tine he seems
to have shown the turn for disputsticn he has
displayed so notably in his political career.
Gresnville College IL situated four N les from
the village, and the students AZ that time had
formed q debating club. and held meetings at
the college every week johnson used TO walk
out regularly after his days work at tailor
ing to attend them, and there he first dis
unguished himself. He was self possessed,
pertinacious, with a memory that enabled him
TO make the most Of his moderate stock of
knowledge, and he soon came to be recognized
as q pretty hard customer to deal with in de-
bate. The capacity 10 express himself with
readiness in dispataiIon served to place him
IN the memorable position OF Alderman, and
from thence the public is familiar with the
events of his history.
The dwelling place in GrsenviIle, to which
he retires from the White House, is q modest
two-story brick, and is now occupied by Mrs.
Slower. his daughter. Senator Patterson, his
son-in-Iaw, resides at Henderson, six miles
from Greenville. We believe that Mr.. John
SON left Washir gton worth about S75,O0O; con.
ssquently the ssSpecials'' are some what out in
their vaccinations that he must. perforce, 20
back TO the needle, or write for the New York
Ledger, for livelihood With his moderate
tastes and small family he can manage to live
quite comfortably, in an inexpensive locality
like Green willie, on the interest of his money
well invested.
But certainly there Is too much combatitIve-
ness in his compositIOA 10 permit him TO settle
down 10 the hum-drum life of a Tennessee
village Quite evidently he means to don the
Political harness again. He will contest with
Stokes for the Governorship of Tennessee, and
hopes 10 secure that and make IL the stepping z.
stone for q return 10 the United States Senate
More than that, We happen TO know that before
he left the White House he stated to friends nj.
sincere conviction that he should again b.
returned TO the Presidency. Our Informant
expressed to us the conviction that johnson
must be crazy to entertain such q notion but IL
he is mad, there is considerable method in his
madness.
As regards his chances of an immediate
return to political life they would, doubted
ly, be good but for the stiff franchise law ia
force il Tennessee. His old adversary,
Brownlow, must have had a grim forethought
of purpose IN fashioning that law to spoil the
aspirations of A j for q new swing upon the
political circle from the SOIL of Tennessee
Evidently the ex-President must hide his time
In his two-story brick at Greenviile until
.sIhings work.