JOHNSON, REVERDY (1796-1876). An Ameri can jurist, born at Annapolis. Md., May 21, 1796. He was a son of John Johnson, himself an emi nent lawyer, who became chancellor of Maryland. Reverdy was educated at Saint John's College at Annapolis. studied law in his father's office, and in 1815 was admitted to the Maryland bar. In 1317 be removed to Baltimore. and was succes sively Deputy Attorney-General of Maryland and for four years a State Senator (1S21-25). He gained a high reputation as a profound lawyer, and was frequently employed in arguing impor tant cases before the Supreme Court of the United States. He represented his native State in the United States Senate from 1545 to 1849, when he resigned his seat to enter President Tay lor's Cabinet as Attorney-General. After the death of General Taylor in 1850 3Ir. Johnson continued to practice law in Baltimore. With Mr. Thomas Harris, he edited the reports of the Maryland Court of Appeals from 1820 to 1826. In 1863 he was again elected to the United States Senate. hut before the expiration of his term was
appointed Minister to England in 1868. His nego tiations toward a settlement of the disputed Ala bama claims having proved unsatisfactory to the American Government, and his convention with Great Britain being rejected by the Senate of the United States. Mr. Johnson was recalled in 1869. During the trial of the assassins and conspirators concerned in the murder of Abraham Lincoln, SIr. Johnson prepared an argument in behalf of Mrs. Surratt (afterwards executed for com plicity in the assassination) which the military court that tried the case refused to hear. Though not a master of statecraft nor a great politician, Reverdy .Johnson was a man of great courage and independence of judgment, as well as a eon summate lawyer, and earned a place of great dis tinction in the roll of the American bar. He died at Annapolis. February 10. 1576.