The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1876-01-19

himself. identified in interest and
: sympathy with the lahoring masses.
: he applied himself with nntiring in
dustry, under disadvantages of 6
most extraordinary character, to the
acquisitioa of an education and to
't preparation for his future wonderful
In 1928 he was elected an alder.
man of the village; was reelected in
1929 and 1880; and was elected to
the Office of mayor in 1880. He was
{, appointed trustee of Rhea Acade-
my about 1881; was elected to the
lower house of the. Tennessee Legis-
ture in 1885. Being defeated in 1887,
he was reelected in 1899. He was
4 elected State senator in 1841, and q
member of this House in 1913, to
i which position.hew was reelected for
the four succeeding terms. He was
elected governor of Tenne ssee in
1858, reelected in 1855, and in 1857
was chosenzas. a Senatorin Congress
from the State of Tennessee for the
term ending March 3, 1863; was ap-
pointed military governor of Ten-
nessee during the late civil war, in
1862 was a candidate for Vice-Pres-
ident on the ticket with Mr.. Lincoln,
in 1864, to which office he was elect
Ell, and by an event never to be for
gotten in the history of the country,
Mr.. johnson, on the 18th of April,
1 1865, became President of the Uni
ted States.
-s OF the events of Mr.. Johnson adj
ministration / shall not speak. The
history of his administration is now
/ part of the history of the country.
Posterity will do him justice. The
great statesmen of the past have
been called to the administration of
| public affairs in times of peace, when
the ship Of state was sailing over a
calm, unruffled sea. Mr.. johnson
/ took the helm in the midst of a
storm lashed into fury unprecedent-
ed in the history of our country by
the angry passions, the bitterness,
and strife of long and bloody civil
conflict. To say that he committed
no errors would be to say that he was
more than human. Now that he has
passed away none can gainsay the
honesty and integrity of Andrew
Johnson, or doubt his unwavering
fidelity to the great principle ofcon-
stitutional liberty.
After the close of his term as Pres
ident. in 1869, Mr.. johnson returned
to his home in Tennessee. He be-
came a candidate for Senator, but
was defeated. In 1872, at the de-
mand of a large number of his peo-
pie, he became candidate for Con-
gress from the State at large, but
was for the third time in the whole
course of his public life again defeat
ed. In january, 1875, at the de-
mand of the people. he was elected
by the Legislature of Tennessee a
Senator in Congress for six years.
His last and only appearance in that
body after his election was at the
extra session in March, 1875. and
with the close of that session termi-
mated Andrew Johnson's public ser
vices.
Such is brief statement of the
public positions held by Mr.. John
son. He was continuously in the
public service for almost forty years.
1t may be well said that his career
was the most wonderful in our his
tory Who, indeed. was ever like
him WHO ever, as he did. proved
his honesty. his aims. his ambitions
by conqnering for them their indis-
putable vindication? Taking the
history of the three score. and seven
! years of Andrew johnson. the pow
erty Of his childhood. the neglect of
his youth, his humble origin, his
growth to manhood without even the
,rudiments OF education, his humble
mechanical pursuit, and then look
| ing to his subsequent remarkable Ca
reer. and we have the outlines of
great man struggling against mis-
fortune, battling against fate. with
bitter opposition at every step of
his progress, finally conquering ev-
cry adverse element, and at last ele-
! waiting hinselfto the highest posi-
! tion in the Republic.
The poor, uneducated youth be-
came q Senator in Congress, the Gov
ernor of great State, and the Chief
Executive of a proud nation; and,
| dying, has embalmed his memory in
| the grateful hearts of millions of his
countrymen and, though his form
has disappeared, Andrew johnson
| lives and will live in the affections
of the people while the principles of
constitutional liberty are cherished,
and honesty, integrity, and patriot
ism, and abilities of the highest or
der are venerated by man. Of him
may be said
| THESE sliaIl resist the empire of decay
| When Time Is oar and worlds have passed away;
! Cold IN the dust the persisted heart may lie,
! Bat that which warmed it once can never die.
Andrew Johnson was but a man !;
he had his faults; he committed err
rors but. looking to the, unfavora-
bic circumstances by which his youth
was surrounded, the bitter and con-
tinuous political battles in which he
was engaged from early life down to
his death. the wonder is that he
committed so few.
He had his enemies, and his life
and history furnishes most striking
evidence of the truth of the poets
sentiment:
He who ascends TO mountain tops shall find
The loftiest peaks most wrapt in clouds and
snow;
He who suTpasses or subdues mankind
Must look down on the hate of those below.
Though high above the sun of glory glow,
And far beneath the earth and ocean spread,
Round him icy rocks, and loudly blow
Contending tempests en- his naked head,