THE NEW PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXI, Issue 2501, 26 July 1865, Page 6

THE NEW PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

(FBOU THE "ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS," MAY 6.) Mr. Andrew Johnson, who was litely elected Vice-president of the United States, and who has succeeded to the presidency upon the death of Mr, Lincoln, was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, December 29, 1808. When ho was four years of ago he lost his father, \s ho died from the effect of exertions to save a friend from drowning. At the aj.e of ten he was appi enticed to a tailor in his native city, with whom he served seven years'. His mother was unable to afford him auy educational advantages, and he never attended school a day in his hfe. While learning hi 3 trade, however, he resolved to make an efforb to educate himself. His anxiety to be able to r«ad was particularly excited by an incident which is worthy of mention. A gentleman of Raleigh was in the hatiit of going into the tailor's shop and reading the appi entices and journeymen were at work. Ho was an excellent reader, aud his favourite book wa« a volume of speeches, principally of Britiih statesmen. Johnson became interested, and hi 9 first ambition was to equal lam as a reader aud become familiar with those speeches. He took up the alphabet without an instructor ; bub, by applying to the journeymen with whom he worked, he obtained a littlo assistance. Having acquired a knowledge of the letteri, he applied for a loan of the book ■which he had so often heard read. The owner made him a preient of it and gave him some instructions on the use of letters in the formation of words. Thus, his first exercises in spelling were in that book. By perseverance he soon learned to read ; and the hour.-) which he devoted to his education were at night, after he had finished his daily labour upon the shopboard. lie now applied himself to books from two to thrcd hours every night, after working from ten to twelve hours at hi» trade. Having completed his apprenticeship in the autumn of 1824, he went to Lam-ens Court-houso, South Carolina, where lie worked as a journeyman for neatly two years. While there he became eng.iged to be married, but the match was broken off by the violent opposition of tho gill's motker and friends, tho ground of objection being Mr. Johnson's youth and the want of pecuniary mean*. Iv May, 1826, be returned to Raleigh, where he procured journey-work, and remained until September. He then set out to setk his foituuc in the We«t, carrying with him his mother, who was dependent upon him for suppoi t. He stopped at Greenville, 'JVunesseo, and commenced woik as a journeyman. He lcmamcd there about twehe montiiH, married, and soon nftotw.irds went still farther westwards ; bub, failing to liud a suitable place to settle, he lcturued to Urcenville and commenced business. Up to this time his education was limited to reading, a> he had never had an opportunity of learning to write or cy[ hei j but under the instructions vi Jus wife, ho learned these and other accomplishments. 'J he only time, however, ho could devjto to them was in tho dead of tho night. Ths first office whioh ho ever held was that of alderman of the village,* to which he was elected in 1828. Ho was re-olectcd to tho same portion in 1529, and again iv JS3O. In that year ho was chosen Mayor, which position he held threo years. In 1835 ho was elected to tho Legislature. In tho sc«ion of thufc jear ho took decided grouwd agaiimt a scheme of internal improvements, which he contended would not only prove a failure, ( bnt entail upon the State a bimlensonie debt. Tho measure was popular, however, and at Iho next glcction (1837) ho was defeated. He became a candidate again in 1839. By this time many of tho evils he had predicted were fully demoiutrated, and he was elected by a large majority. In 1840 ho served as meiideutvil elector for tho State at largo on the democratic ticket, Ho canvosied a large portion of the State, meotiug upon this tour -several of tho tedding Whig orators. Ju 184 L ho ■wa« eleoted to the state Senate. - In 1843 he «aa eleoted to Oongrew, where, by successive elections, , he served until 1853. During this period of service lie -wan conspicuoiu «nd aclive iv advocating tho bill , for refunding the fino impoiedupon General Jackson, \ t New Orleans, in 1816, the annexation of Texas, •\ttia fariff of 1846, the war measures of Mr. Polk's 'Administration, and a liomestoad bill. In 1853 he

wa« eleoted Governor of^Tehnesaee,. after aifeiiifcing' canvass; "Ho was" "re-elected , in 18j36/ynftor«spoth"or active contest. "At the expiration ,of hiif second' period as Govoruor, ' iv 1857» -he -was eleete'd'JDilited* Statos gonator for a full tonn, ending March 3,;1868;' At the last Ptosidontial election he vat madoTidePresideut, aud took tho oaths of, office on tho 4th of March. - '■ ' , ~