JOHNSON, ANDREW, 17th president of the United States of America, was b. at. Raleigh, N. C., Dec. 29, 1808. At the age of 4 years he lost his father, who was drowned in attempting to save the life of a friend; and when 10 years old he was apprenticed to a tailor, whom he served for 7 years, receiving no schooling. A visitor to the shop where he worked used to read aloud from a collection of speeches of British statesmen. This aroused young Johnson's interest and ambition; he learned the alphabet, borrowed the hook, and with the aid of a journeyman learned to read, working at it two or three hours. every night. At the exuiration of his apprenticeship he worked for two years as a jour neyman at Laurens Court-house, S. C.; but a love-disappointment, caused by his hum ble position, induced him in 1826 to emigrate to Greenville, Tenn., where he soon after married, and his wife taught him writing and arithmetic. In 1828 he was elected to his first office—alderman of the village; in 1830 he was chosen mayor, and twice re-elected; in 1835 he was elected to the state legislature, and again in 1839; in 1840 he was a presi dential elector, and canvassed the state for Mr. Van 13nren, the democratic candidate: in 1841 he was elected to the state senate; and in 1843 to the congress of the United States, where for 10 years he supported the policy of the democratic party. In 1853 he was elected governor of Tennessee, and again in 1855. In 1857 lie was elected by the legis lature a member of the U. S. senate, in which he advocated the union policy of the republican party; and on the occupation of Nashville by the federals, 1862, was appointed by president Lincoln military governor of Tennessee. In this position he gave so much
satisfaction to the north that in 1864 he was nominated by the republican party for the office of vice-president, and was elected with president Lincoln, then re-elected for his second term, and took the oath of office Mar. 4, 1865. On April 14, by the assassination of president Lincoln, lie succeeded to the presidency, but soon disappointed his party by taking a moderate, conservative course, scrupulously respecting his oath to support the constitution. In 1866 his policy appeared for a time likely to meet with popular favor; but some indiscreet and violent speeches, during a tour to Chicago and St. Louis, turned the tide against him, and in the congressional elections his opponents triumphed by increased majorities. His vetoes were generally nullified by the two-thirds vote of both houses. In 1867 Johnson suspended Mr. Stanton, secretary of war, who was reinstated by the senate the following year. An attempted coup d'etat to gain possession of the war office during this quarrel led to the impeachment of the president in 1868, but he was acquitted. His term of office expired in 1869; and afterwards Johnson unsuccess fully sought to be governor of Tennessee and U. S. senator. He died in 1875. See Life of Andrew Johnson (New York, 1866); The Trial of Andrew Johnson (official), 3' vols., 1868.