Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-06-06

the faculty of Sc Ifreance an element aferward so
prenticei TO a tailor In RaIeIsh and a few months
before the expiration OF his time of indenture he
left his employment and his native place on account
OF boyish misd-meauOr in which NJ was impli-
Gated. In year or more he returned. having spent
the time AT work at his trade at Laurens Courthouse.
South Carolina. Learning that his former master
had removed some distance f ON Raleigh, he sought
him.. made apology for his misconduct, and ten
dered payment for the unperfOTmed period of service
for which he owed. TOTS honorable offer was not
receives properly and the proud spirit OF the youth
reYolted and he resolved to seek a new home HIS
gaze TUNED westward. and for him. indeed the star
OF empire was brilliant with destiny Having trav-
mother In the fall of 1925 then eighteen years Of
age-he arrived in Greeneville, Tennessee Here he
sat diligently at his trade, approving himself good
workman and acquiring tue confidence of those who
rests by his side beneath that shaft justly sharing
the honors paid TO him. Their temper 'nents were
firing but their union was foTtunat~. ant by her
aid. he was better prepared for the long encounter
school Incited By listening to readings from copy
of The American SLedker-a work of oratorical exer
tered the alphabet. and learned to read. Until his
marriage, his education consisted only In such i'm
perfect reading as the intervals OF toll allowed him.
His wife taught him writing and acknowledgements
sitions which servei TO enlarge the sphere OF MS
capacity and stimulate the sacred thirst for knowl-
ge. Under her instructions, his self education was
pursued cOncurrently with his daily labor, and far
into the night, when other mechanics were accus-
toned to rest. Such the resOlute spirit of the
man, as even at this time his nascent ambition was
His thrift In his vocation. and his studious habits
and active Intelligence were net long in attracting
Of this town. and reelected in the year following.
In $50 he was made mayer, considerable dignity
for young man OF TWENTY-FIVE years OF age This
Office he filled for several years with efficiency. He
was appointed a trustee OF Rhea academy in 1894.
This the year In which the second constitution
for the state was submitted TO the people. He advo-
Gated its adoption, its features In the MAN, We're
more democratic than the instrument Cf 1898,
which II was designed to Super5ede. ThuS In the
1ncipency OF his public life, is observed devotion
to that principle which became its shibboleth-the
In the year following, the first general assembly,
under the constitution, elected and he pre-
sented himself as candidate for presentatlVe.
The division of the people Into parties, afterHard so
lOng Known as Wing and Democratic, was just then
occurring and the instincts and noneS OF thought OF
Mr.. johnson at aligned him with the latter, at
whose head was Andrew jackson. His candidacy,
however, not wholly acceptable to some who
sumed to be local leaders of the party but nothing
caring, he engaged In debate with his popular COM
pettor and sustained himself we'll as silence
all objections In his ranks. He was elected.
and it was in the house of representatives in that
assembly that ylur speaker, as a fellow member,
formed his acquaintance. In that body. though but
few II any, discerned the elements OF character he
afterTard developed, he made more than the
ordinary impression OF member. de was
punctual, labOrl0us but not unduly for sard. He
kept a vigfant eye on the LEGISLATION proposed Ia
m0lding the order OF things under the mes constf.
tuition, and judclousIy participating iG debate. His
but nevertheless ready and pointed. Though plain
clad, and not so robust i'll figure as in later life
we'll, and engaged attention when he to speak.
An important measure OF that session was an act
t tor t ft L th VI sss
the State treasury. Mr.. Johnson'S course In regard
ness, well of tenacious adherence to constitu
ttona limits III legislation, which he consist
section OF the State under the operation of the law,
would derive benefits greatly desired-ready means
0her SECTIONS then Guta dcuIt 1t was therefor 20
Popular in that section and number of its leading
advocates were from East Tennessee. Mr.. johnson
QraVplV doubted
10 impose tax upon the people for an extraordinary
purpose Without their previous consent expressed at
the polls and seriously questioned the abstract right
and pTOpriety of incurring an Indebtedness of the
State; bearing Interest for any object, however de-
sirable or laudable From a fund thus acquired he
vas jealous to apprehend misapplicati0n of its
With these views he strenuousy opposed the enact
IHent of the measure, notwithstanding the expected
advantage to accrue to the people whom he repre-
sented In this early step there was nothing of the
OdOr of demag0gueTy, which since has been errone-
ously charged against him. Indeed, to this manly
independence or the popular desire was, in great
part to be attributed his defeat for reelection in
1887. Two years later, however, he appealed third
time to the people. Some of the consequences of
been observed, and he was triumphantly returned.
His bearing and legislative service at this session
gave evidence OF enlarged information on questions
meriting public attention, and of ripening powers
single defeat had not discouraged him, nor in the
candidate, for the State at large, for Presidential
e!ector on the Democratic ticket and appeared in
opposing ticket. His experience in speaking before
the people, and in the halls Of legislation, had be-
~ informet upon the current questions and princ-
piles at issue. and in these forensic struggles he bore
himself the equal of any whom he met. Those who
witnessed them perceived that he Was in sphere in
which he Was qualified to become eminent. He was
elected memUer of the State Senat3 in the year fol-
lowing The period was one of Intense political an
tagonism The Wing party, successful in the Fed
eTa elections, had suffered disaster In the early
death of President Harrison, and the allesed defec
ton of his successor to its principles in impOr
a Bank of the United States. Mr. Johnson was
then, as ever aftsr~ard, determined opponent of
fiscal corporations, holding them to be inimical to
the rights and interests of the mass of the people,
and pTOmotiye of public corruption. He felt 1t to be
the ascendancy in Congress Of the party ADVOCATING
this measure In great part this question entered
which then devolVed upon the general assembly, and
Mr.. Johnson was one of the Democratic majority of
the e as e imma al
to act Jhwarted an election. This produced angry
contest. and the arguments In attack and defense
were or a mixed legal and partisan character. At
this session Mr.. johnson was the author of a bill
prSyidlng for scheme OF internal improvements,
which he held to be safely practicable and not OBJ
noxious to the objections he had urged to the
ure of a previous Legislature He had row achieved
reputation eo-extensiye with the state In his six
gears OF service the general assembly he had ex
hibited interchangeable industry astuteness and skill
in debate a candid record upon all issues, and
bending courage He aspired to wider field of ac
ton, and announced himself a candidate for the
Federal house OF representatives. and after an ard-
GUS canvass was elected, and entered that body In
the thirty Of his age. TWAS the fortune of
your speaker TO enter simultaneously, and TO serve
with him during the ten years of his membership.
In that forum then containing number of distin,
guished men OF long exp rience i'll the national
councils. and receiving ut that time number also
of those who afterwaId acquired high renown, the
ambitious member from the hrst Tennessee district
doubtless felt painfully the grip OF those twin jail
er5 of the daring heart-''low birth and iron for
tune'-which had condemned him to educational
deficiency. But nothing daunted, he assiduously
addressed himself TO attaining whatever could bet
ter qualify MIN for the position. He mad neither
taste nor natural aptitude for enjoying what many
esteem the recreatiye honors of membership in con-
gress. He regarded 1t as theater of high and i'm
poTtant duty-an arena of public useful
ness in which the qualification OF a just am
that body he was diligently attentive the business
TRANSPORTING in the intervals he discharging duty
on committees, orfntenty seeking Information from
the library and every source at his command. He
knew no idle hours, but was necessarily equipping
for the discharg4 OF the functions which the people
had committed to his trust, aud the making for
himself an honorable fame. He was somewhat SEN
sitive on one point and quickly resented deroga-
tory auSion In his first session. in the course or
discussion the tariff, colleague from this State
made reference to Ills mechanical oe:iIpaton Mr.
Johnson INSTANTLY interrupted nina and demanded to
know II he spoke cOntemptuOuSly The intention
that ne was accustomed to artfully Introduce this
feature of his life to proptiate public favor Neither
he ashamed OF 1t, but quietly proud rather and
ptouder still of the free Institutions which foSteTed
the effort to rise from humble station. During the
long period OF his service in the lower house of
gress he was frequent partaker in the debates on
all the leading questions before that body. The two
great parties aternated in predominance. and the
lines OF division were distinctly drawn. As rule,
he acted with his political associates but there was
vein of independence in his course, which, on oc-
and, when moving in concert, his reasons were al
ways his own. This ingredient of character early
attra ted the notice of the eminent and SagaciouS
john . nney Adams, so long ornament of the
Ii Use, who spoke of him acute and original
thinker, and fOresaw the distinction of which he
was capable Out of this element in his compost
ton grew a number OF frank utterances which pro-
lced criticisH among his political friends at home
and cost hun several severe contests for the reten
ton OF his seat-those of lS47 and 1851 will be
remembered. Before the people, however, the
formidable diSaffectiOn in party ranks notwith-
standing he was lnvincble. His first effort in con-
gress was speech In favor of the bill refundIng the
fine imposed on General Jackson by Judge Hall in
1915. H. spoke also on the measure tor the an
neXatiOn of Texas; and during its course, in num-
Der of speeches defended the business of the war
with Mexico. His speeches on tariff revision, which
resulted in the law of 1916 exhibited thorough re-
search and knowledge Of that intricate subject The
erection OF special industries into monopOles By a
protective tariff system he held to be partial and I'M
just and grossly injurious TO the interests of the
most numerous classes OF the people, and, more
over, In contravenon of the cardinal principles OF
free government. In regard to the Oregon boundary
line, and the threatene1 difficulty with the British
government, he sustained the policy of President
Polk. He was strenuous advocate OF retrenehment
I'm the expenses of the government, which he per-
ceived to be unnecessarily and inordinatey large
many features, chiefly so In extraordinary and use
less Offices and large salaries. He favored simple