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CHAPTER II.

MR. JOHNSON'S MARRIAGE-HIS PROGRESS IN LEARNING'HIS DEVOTED AND NOBLE TEACHER.

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HE manner of Johnson's first appearance at Greenville was too common in East Tennessee to excite much attention or work to his disadvantage. He was soon engaged at his trade, and it was not long until he had erected the shanty which still exists and bears on its front the inscription, “A. Johnson, Tailor." This little shop is in view of the railroad at Greenville, and is inhabited by a negro family, once, in part, the "chattels" of the tailor. The little old house has two rooms in it, and is partly covered by creeping vines. It is held in considerable esteem as peculiarly illustrative of a nowise uncommon fact in the biographical history of republican America.

In that early and golden day it was the custom of tailors to make long tramps over the country, working in the towns they visited. Before firmly taking root at Greenville, Johnson made, at least, one of these trips. In this way he visited Nashville, Columbia, and other towns in Middle and West Tennessee; but finding Greenville more to his taste he returned to make it his permanent home. He did, however, try his chances over at Dandridge, in Jefferson

County, and perhaps at one or two other points, but both his inclinations and good fortune finally firmly fixed him at Greenville.

Not far from Johnson's little shop lived Eliza McCardle, the daughter of a shoe-maker. To this young woman Johnson was married before he had been in Greenville two years, and before either of them was of age. This proved to be a very fortunate step for the aspiring tailor. Greenville was even then a town of some pretensions, and had what was termed a good school, under the old order of things. McCardle had been able to give his only daughter some education, and this she at once turned to the advantage of the ambitious tailor whom she married. She was naturally possessed of fine traits, and all these were soon felt for good in the life of her husband. And although she was never very stout, she was of incalculable benefit to him, and especially in his earlier struggles to get on in the world. While he worked on the bench, she read to him, and to her he was indebted for his ability to write his own name. He was ambitious to advance, and every effort she bestowed upon him was rewarded by extraordinary success. She was his only school-master (if the unknown reader of "The American Speaker" at Raleigh be left out of the count), and few teachers ever had a more earnest and successful pupil.

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Soon after his marriage Johnson took the care of old Mrs. McCardle, now a widow, and under his roof both his own and his wife's mother died.

Besides acquiring some little of the rudiments of learning, Johnson mainly devoted his efforts to history and politics, the road in which he believed he would gain distinction. This course greatly retarded his progress in acquiring such a knowledge from books as would best qualify him for business, and especially for years did he lose sight of the necessity of the ability to speak his native tongue correctly. This, indeed, he never could do. His wife was deficient in this respect herself, and of course could not be either teacher or incentive. In an age and among a people where good grammar was the exception instead of the rule, and where there was utter indifference on the subject of correct speech, he long neglected this essential element of success in a wide social and political field. He learned rapidly by contact with men of culture, and while the English grammar always remained, to some extent, a mystery to him, he not only became able in time to make a fairly smooth and admirable speech, but also to write a passably correct letter or other paper. Considering the difficulties surrounding his case, his success in letters was, perhaps, the most remarkable thing in his career. Nothing can better illustrate his progress than the two following letters to George W. Jones, written at dates seven years apart, and which are in every way exact copies of the originals now in possession of the Nashville Historical Society :—

"GREENVILLE, December 29, 1836. "DEAR FRIEND,-I Received yours of the 14 of Nomb which affords me no small degree of Satisfaction to think

that you had not forgotten me, to reCeive a letter from one that I Can Call an associate and friend for truth, at all times a source of peculiar pride.

"you seem to be very much elated at the result of the late presidential election. I have no cause to despare as yet. vanburen would have been my second Choice. If he administers the Government as I trust he will & as he has promised, I have nothing to fear. I am more than gratified that the people has settled the question themselves & thereby prevented the election from going to the house of Representatives. I hope we have had the last president made by the house of Representatives. The president should at all times be made by the people and I would prefer an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to that effect so as the people would vote directly for president and vice president.

"In your letter you Count up something like six districts that gave majorities for Mr. V. B. (Van Buren) which would have, under the old district mode of choosing electors, have entitled him to six votes, but by the present mode of Choosing electors he Is possessed (?) of every vote in the state. the general ticket system, as called, I have always opposed to, four years ago when first adopted to secure the entire vote for Mr. V. B. I then believed It to be rong I still think so for I honestly think It violates one of the purest republican principles, and you know I opposed the passage of the Bill by the last legislature (Yet anxious secure every vote for White possible upon fare principles) I think every district should have It In their power to vote for who they pease If it split the State into fifteen thousand parts. I have nothing of importance to write. I may now Consider you as a Candidate for re election to the State Legislature.

"Allthoughh we differ In opinions as to men I think we harmonize In prinCaple And the Idea of your being sustained upon Republican prin Caples Is more than gratifying

to me, May you stand be firm & your Course onwards, for the honest and persevering will always be Crowned with success & I trust you will not faulter & tarry by the way until you reach that proud pinnacle of fame which is your ultimate destiny. I say this not by way of flatery to you, for I have nothing to gain by it-When we parted in Nashville I told you if I ConCluded to Run again for the legislature I would write and let you know. I have not determined as yet whether I will again enter the political arena or not. I am in Clined to think not. A political life is a difficult one, and my pecuniary matters does not permit of my negleCt of my buisiness All to gether My family is young Just Coming up & I must try and save something for a rainy day-and If I keep dabling in politics I shall lose my business & spend what little I have all Ready made. When I think about beComing a Candidate again I see the difficulties I have had & still have to Contend with. I feal as though I had fastened to each extremity a fifty six and to advance further is Impossible apparently at this time. If I should beCome a Candidate I shall have formadable opposition to Contend with. I am InClined to think theire will be two Candidates run, One In the upper & one in the lower County then by creating a division at home giving the Candidate In the upper County double Chances. How this may turn out I Cant tell as yet. these are the sirmises of my friends. My friends are sanguine of success If I Run again, I donte like to be tanted too much by my enemies. I would Rather die In the last ditch than to be scared off the track, but If let alone I will Retire for the present, the great obgect will be my defeat the next Canvass beleeving if I am defeated I will be out of the way here after. If I Run I shall have the Rail Road and Vanburen to carry. It Is true there are some of both these parties that will support me, but the Redd hot will not. A grat many of friends want me to Run for the Senate against Braly of

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