Johnson Andrew

Johnson, Andrew, the son of humble parents, was born at Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.A., in 1808. He learned the trade of tailoring, and devoted his leisure to self-education and political agitation, being settled at Greenville, Tennessee. At the head of a Democratic working-men's party, he got a seat in Congress in 1843, and ten years later was elected Governor of his state, from which position he passed to that of Senator in 1857. To the indignation of his party, he adopted the Republican views of Lincoln as regards the preservation of the Union, and in 1864 obtained the Vice-Presidency. The murder of Lincoln a few months later raised him to the Presidential chair, where he was welcomed with a cordiality that did not last long. His tenure of office was one long wrangle with Congress, chiefly as to the terms on which the Union was to be reconstituted, and in every point he was beaten. He then attempted to remove Stanton and other opponents from office, was impeached, and narrowly escaped condemnation. He made way for Grant in 1869, and was contemplating a return to public life when, in 1875, he died somewhat suddenly.