The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-08-12
THE LATE ANDREW JOHNSON,
Sketch Of his Early Life and Public Curc

Sketch Of his Early Life and Public Career.
Audrew johnson, seventeenth Presi,
don't Nof the United States, whose death
is announced, was born i'll Raleigh, N. g.,
December 20, 1908. Ills father, Jacob
Johnson, who died i'll 1872, was city CON
stable, sexton, and porter of tho State
bank. Extreme poverty prevented An
drow from obtaining any schooling, and
Mt the age of ten he was apprenticcd to a
tailor named Sclby. A gentleman was
i'll the habit of visiting tho shop and
reading to the workmcn, Gcncrally from
tho "American Speaker" and Andrew
became intensely interested, especially
III the extracts from the speeches of Pitt
and Fox. He determined to learn to
read, and having accomplished this he
devoted all his leisure hours to the
pcrusal of such books as he could obtain.
In the summer of 1924, few months
before his apprenticeship expired, he
got into trouble by throwing stones at
an old womanS house, and ran away to
avoid the consequences. He went to
Larens Court House, N. c., and OBJ
tanned work as q iourneyman tailor. In
May, 1926, he returned to Raleigh
Selby had moved into the country, and
Andrew walked twenty miles to sec him,
apologized for his misdcmeanor, and
promised to pay him for tho unfulfilled
portion of his apprenticeship. Selby,
however, required security, which
Andrew could not furnish and in Sep
tember he went to Tennessee, taking
with him his mother, who was dependent
on him for support. He worked for a
year in Greenville, during which time he
married, and, after u vain search for a
more desirable home further West, he
finally settled there. ...
Thus far his education had been lin
lted to reading, but now, under his
wife's instruction, he learned to write and
cipher. He began to take an interest in
local politics; and in 1928 working
mans party, to oppose the so-called
aristocratic element which had always
ruled the town, was formed. Consider.
able excitement ensued, and johnson
was elected alderman by a large NH jor.
| lty. He was reelected i'll each of the
two following years, and in 1880 was
elected mayor, which Office he held fol
three years. From this time forth he
was rising politician, and, as he USED
to boast, rose by successive steps from
the lowest to the highest Offices O.
State; his various contests and cam
paigns being marked with extraordinary
turbulence, obstinacy, and courage OIL
his part.
He was elected to Congress in 1S43
and became Governor of the State o
Tennessee in 1858, and again in 1855
He was elected United States Senator il
1857. He was Democrat, and on tn
question of slavery generally went witt
his party. He accepted slavery as al
existing institution, but believed that
must some day come to an end, and hell
that it must be kept subordinate to tn
Union at every hazard. He at first op
posed the compromise measures of 1856
but finally voted for them. In the cam
paign of 1860 he supported Breckinridg
and Lane.
The Legislature having voted the Stat
of Tennessee out of the Union, Oh Marc
4, 1862, President Lincoln renominate
Andrew johnson to be military governo
of Tennessee. The Senate confirmed til
nomination, and ON the 10Th of tina
month he reached Nashville and assum
ed the duties of the Office.
His election as Vice President on til
ticket with Mr.. Lincoln, the melanchol
death of the latter five weeks after hi
second Inauguration, the accession {
Mr.. johnson to the Presidency, and til
difficulties between himself and Coz
gress while holding that office, will b
well remembered by all who have take
any interest in the politics of rece1
years. Finally, articles of impeachmer
were prepared against him, and his trii
began March 23, 1868, Benjamin
Butler being leading counsel for til