The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-02-12
Two MIN FhczgN TO DrArH.
NOR or IGNORIE BIRIH.
Andrew Johnson IA 4rr Stood High in
Wake,

GRAHAM, n. C., Feb. u.-Speclal-
That Andrew Johnson, seventeenth Presi-
dent of the United States. was born at
Raleigh. y. g., is unquestionab true
bat the reports Of his gnobe birth and
the iliteracy of his carry manhood are
certainly without foundation, though. per-
maps, found IN some OF the histories that
are regarded as authentic.
4 prominent lawyer. reared and edu-
Gated in that part of North Carolina, and
who knew well some of the he snbOrs
of Johnsoh's father, furnishes undlspIta-
bic evidence Of the falsehoQd of state
menIs that originated at the time OF
that statesman's great unpOpuiarity IN his
native State. The gentleman who Is my
authority for what | am about TO say
has a strong aversion 10 having his name
appear in print, but stands high in the
estimation Of the public as man OF
integrity, having held for four years, by
vote of the Democratic party of the
entire State, one Of the most important
Offices In the gift Of the people, and
would have been reelected had not the
Fuslonists triumphed. He IS not Il man
whose credulity would cause him TO be
easily imposed upon.
,ND-fw', sasHER STOOD HIGH
He says that i'm ls57 he boarded for sew
eral months with Captain Simon Smith
IN Wake county. who was a IcIr neigh
Dor Of Johnson's father before he moved
to Raleigh. Smith told him that An
drews father was man who stood high
I'm the community, az a man of moral
character and respectabiity. He believes
that Smith himself would have resented
any insinuation rejecting on the purity
OF Mrs. Johnson.
10 m
the Capital where Andrew was born, the
elite Of Raleigh had gone into the country
for a days outing, to pond near where
the Johnsons lived. one of Folks daugh-
ters fell from boat into the water. and
the elder Johnson promptly plunged In
and rescued her. To reward him for this
act OF Kindness, rather than Of heroism,
FOR the danger seems not to have been
great, Polk, after learning that he was
trustworthy. secured him position as
sort OF iantor I'm the bank AT Raleigh,
where afterwards he made his home.
Here the future President was born and
reared Here he went 10 school, and
received the same school advantages that
were usually given to poor boys in town.
Ny informant also tells me that }. j.
Iitchford says that he worked i'm the
same shop with Johnson, and that the
story of his vifes having to teach him
the alphabet is utterly false.
THAT PERVERTED UTTERANCE.
Jonathan Murray, another tailor who
worked with Johnson, and who was well
known IN this part Of the state as Il
man Of veracity, stated, in the presence
of a competent and reliable witness, that
Andrew Johnson was great reader while
i'm Raleigh.
About 1866 the President was invited to
Raleigh. when a stone or monument was
TO be placed to mark the last resting
place of his fathers remains. The loca-
ton. of the grave could not be positively
ascertained. Johnson in his speech used
the expression: THE supposed grave OF
my father" which was perverted by his
enemies into 1.-The grave of my supposed
father." which no man Of his sense would
have used. even II he had been informed
by his mother that his real aud MS re-
pllted father were not the same.
| am no great admirer of Johnson ana
being a Virginian myself, a feeling or
state pride would not impel me to write
i'm his defence, but justice TO him. anu
Justice 10 the great country oNr" whose
destinies he at one time presided Wouid
reouire that his name shoulG not 80
down to succeeding generations associated
with such falsehoOds