ing the alphabet, which he soon mastered; and then he asked the loan of the book, that he might learn to spell. The owner, instead of loaning, gave him the work, and also instructed him in the formation of words. Through perseverance and patience, aided by a strong resolution to surmount all obstacles, success crowned his efforts; and to his great delight he found himself able to read the speeches to which he had only a short time before been an interested listener.

The term of his apprenticeship having expired in 1824, he went to Laurens Courthouse, S. C., where he worked as a journeyman until May, 1826, when he returned to Raleigh. There he remained until September of that year, when, in company with his mother, he removed to Greenville, a small town in Eastern Tennessee, at which place he obtained work. Not many months elapsed after his settlement in Greenville before he married a young woman, whose mental attainments and devoted affection exerted a very beneficial influence on his future life. Sympathizing in the desires of her husband to acquire an education, and in his ambition to rise to distinction, scarcely had the marriage ceremony been performed before this estimable woman commenced instructing, by her conversation, and reading to him when employed on his work-bench, thus lightening his labor by her constant oral instruction. At night, when the day's work was done, the instructions were continued by lessons in

writing and arithmetic. Stimulated by ambition, by unceasing perseverance and an indomitable will the poor tailor boy soon became proficient in reading, writing, and arithmetic, and was not long in ripening into a thorough English scholar. While this romantic part of their history was in progress, Mr. Johnson, thinking to better his condition by removing West, left Greenville; but after an absence of some months he returned to his former home, where he permanently settled. The broad and enlightened views of the more liberal British statesmen, engrafted on his mind by the readings in the old workshop, and by his future studies of the principles of republican government-a government of the people, by the people, and for the people-formed the basis of that system of political philosophy which has rendered Mr. Johnson conspicuous among the most enlightened statesmen of his country.

From the very commencement of Mr. Johnson's career he devoted himself to the interest and welfare of the toiling and laboring masses. From their ranks he had sprung, and upon them in reality rest the hopes and glory of our country. He soon became known as the most able advocate of the working men in Greenville. To advance the true interest of the masses of the people, he used his influence to assert their right to representation in the town councils. In 1828 the young tailor was triumphantly elected alderman in Greenville, which position he held until

1830, when he was elected mayor, and served in that capacity for three succeeding years, at the same time holding the position of trustee of Rhea Academy, to which he had been appointed by the County Court. In 1834 he bore a conspicuous part in the adoption of the new Constitution of Tennessee, and established his reputation as one of the foremost men of his State.

In 1835 he was elected a member of the House of Representatives of the State, for the counties. of Green and Washington. He distinguished himself in that body more particularly by his earnest opposition to a grand scheme of internal improvement, which he contended would prove a failure; and also denounced it as a base fraud, tending to impoverish the State treasury and cripple the resources of the commonwealth. This opposition rendered him unpopular at the time, and prevented his re-election in 1837. The passage of the bill he had opposed proved, as he had predicted, a useless burden to the people; and in 1839 he was again returned to the Legislature.

In 1840, in the contest between General Harrison and Martin Van Buren, Mr. Johnson was one of the Presidential Electors on the Democratic ticket, and canvassed the State for Mr. Van Buren,--not unfrequently meeting upon the stump some of the most able orators of the opposition, with whom he not only competed successfully, but excelled the ablest of them in the force and

power of his reasoning. In 1841 he was sent to the State Senate from Green and Hawkins counties, and, while in that body, introduced some excellent and judicious projects for internal improvements in Eastern Tennessee. In the Senate, as in the lower branch of the Legislature, he proved himself a foremost member; ever advocating all that he believed to be right, and fearlessly denouncing that which he deemed wrong.

The people, feeling entire confidence in his abilities and appreciating his services, resolved to extend his sphere of usefulness; and in 1843 he was nominated for Congress in the First District of Tennessee, embracing seven counties. His opponent, Colonel John A. Asken, a United States Bank Democrat, a gentleman of prominence and ability, he handsomely defeated, and in December of the same year took his seat in the House of Representatives at Washington, retaining the position, by successive elections, until 1853.

His State was redistricted previous to 1853, and that portion in which Mr. Johnson resided was so districted as to place him in a district having a large Whig majority; and thus he lost his seat in Congress. Gustavus A. Henry, who was at that time Whig candidate for governor, used his influence to effect this party trick, and Mr. Johnson, in return, determined to defeat the man who had resorted to such a measure to shut him out of Congress. After an exciting canvass,

Mr. Johnson was chosen governor. In 1855 he was re-elected, defeating one of the ablest Whigs in the State, Meredith P. Gentry. The duties of his administration were performed without regard to party, and it was confessed that he was one of the ablest and most impartial governors ever elected in that State.

In the year 1857, Mr. Johnson was elected by the Legislature of Tennessee United States senator for the full term of six years; and he brought to this high position the same indomitable energy, talent, and devotion to the people's welfare which had distinguished his whole public life. He was regarded as one of the ablest members of the Senate, and faithfully stood by the interest of his State until it joined the Confederacy, when he stood by the old Union, and was appointed Military Governor of Tennessee in 1862.

Mr. Johnson was a representative of the people. Born of the people, and at an early age thrown upon his own resources, he grew up amongst the people, becoming familiar with their lives, their wrongs, their wants, and their rights. Proud that for the knowledge he possessed he was indebted solely to his own exertions, he stood in the halls of Congress-Andrew Johnson, Tailor and Statesman, the equal of any member of either House. Modestly appreciating the dignity of his position, he never permitted a scoff at his calling, or an indignity at the laboring classes,