Hawkins which would be no trouble My feelings are if I Run to Run over the old traCt. You will write me when you be Come Candidate & the organnsation of parties In your County. I will Conclude this InCoherent sCrowl You must pardon the many blunders, you Know the difficulties that the subscribed has labored under. enough said You will plase give my best respeCts to Col. Robertson to H & B Douglass my old friends, "Nothing at this time But If I know the undesembled fealings of my own heart I Remain your friend and well wisher, A. JOHNSON. "Hon,, Go JONES." The superscription on this letter reads: "The,, Hon,, Geo. Jones Esq Fayettville LinColn County West teennssee (single)." "GREENVILLE February 13th 1843. (Private.) "FRIEND JONES,-I received your letter of the 31st of Janary after a passage of 12 days and by the same mail I received the Knoxville Argus and Nashville Union, containing an account of a public meeting recently held Marshall County, which meeting I see was addressed by Polk, Nicholson and yourself. Which afforded me great pleasure to find that you had again begun to make some moves upon the chequer board of politics. Lincoln owes you a seat in Congress or anywhere else if you desire it, and as to having it in my power to meet you in the Congress of the United States, would be a source of deep satisfaction. I am now a Candidate to represent this district in the United States Congress, subject however to a Convention honestly gotten up, purely Conducted, and truly reflecting the will of the democratic party-Col McCleland it is understood wants to run, who has a large connection in the district, my relations are sCarCe you know and have to rely on main strength and nothing else, what the result will be I can not tell certainly, there is one thing that is certain, that is, the common people by a large majority are for me. Ever since the bill passed laying the State off into Congressional districts, I had but one opinion în relation to you, Senator, and that was, that you were the man that ought to Represent it. I do believe and say it without flattery that you are the honest democrat in the State without exception. There are too many in our ranks that Cant and prate a great deal about democracy that really does not understand one thing about it, and too many of those that do preach one thing to the people and then act out a very different set of principles, We have had too many wolves in sheeps clothing among us for our good-Sir will you permit me to say one thing to you, and that is, press your claims, tell your friends, that you are anxious to serve them, it will not do to be reserved in these days, from all the information that I can learn directly or inderectly you are the choice of a large majority of the people-and if you submit your Claims to a Convention, do it as the last resort, and if then, be sure that the Convention be organized on such principles as will certainly and truly reflect the will of the democratic party. If I was to give an opinion at all it would be (that is, if you intend to submit to a Convention) to declare yourself a candidate for Congress subject to the dicission of a Convention if necessary. You will then have the advantage of having the field first, and if Hop, or any body else is dissatisfied with you, they will have all the trouble and responsibility of getting up a Convention, which will appear to your friends as though the intention is to rule you off, which will make you still stronger-As to Hopkins L. Young you know my opinion, without saying one word in this letter, and Samuel Young his brother, Judas Iscariot, who betrayed his Savior with a kiss, is an angel Comparatively speaking, both of them are sublimely selfish and perfectly mercenary, in my humble opinion. In fine you must so arrange it, that you will be in the next Congress. Please say to my friend Ross that I have been attending to my E. Tenn. friend Scraggs since the adjournment of the Legislature. Give my best respects to him all so. Please give my respects to Mr. Rogers, Please give my respects to my particular friend Robert Furgutuson tell him I should like to hear from him at any time, he would condesend to drop me a few lines-Your fast friend, "A. JOHNSON. "GEO. W. JONES Esq "N. B. Give my respects to B. and H. Douglas. "A. JOHNSON." This wonderfully improved letter is simply addressed: "Geo. W. Jones Esq Fayetteville LinColn County Tennessee." Of Mr. Johnson's literary qualities little can be seen in most of his printed speeches and his official papers, as these passed through hands skillful in grammatical polish. Many of his off-hand speeches show him to advantage, while some of them fall beneath his real ability. A kind of disjointed swagger and repetition discoverable in them the printer could not remove, and about this defect earnest men in troublesome times did not care to concern themselves, or use against a man who was warm and powerful in a patriotic cause. Mr. Johnson's reading, as has been said, was mainly confined to politics and history, and especially the former. No other man, who became President, excepting General Taylor, perhaps, was little acquainted with science, philosophy, and gen SO eral literature. In the characters and lives of the five illiterate Presidents, Washington, Jackson, Taylor, Lincoln, and Johnson, there was little or no similarity. Even as a sol- General Taylor was a soldier simply, and made no pretensions to be anything else. dier he was only "rough and ready." son's pretensions were preposterous, and beyond those of any of these men, or all others who rose to note. His knowledge of affairs and men was good, but about his scientific and literary attainments it would be ridiculous to talk. Washington, while without scholarly acquirements, stood alone in his general knowledge and the exact and orderly methods of his life. Lincoln's attainments were far superior to Johnson's, and, in most respects, to the others mentioned here; but the secret to the greater part of his polish lay in his natural goodness. Jackson's pomp and surface polish led Josiah Quincy, a hero-worshiper, to call him the most polite and dignified gentlemen he had ever met, and secured for "Old Hickory" the title of LL. D. And Lincoln's amiability and patriotism got for him the same ridiculous title. Dr. Andrew Jackson and Dr. Abraham Lincoln! How could such folly be perpetrated in the colleges and among the people of a nation claiming a high state of refinement and honesty? Although it may be second nature in America to say General Jackson, anything before or after these names, any title of distinction, lessens their strength, and detracts from their simple dignity. CHAPTER III. MR. JOHNSON'S EARLY STRUGGLES IN TENNESSEE-IN THE LEGISLATURE-IN CONGRESS. HEN Johnson built his little shop at Green WHE ville, tailoring was a certain and profitable business. The day of ready-made clothing had not yet arrived. Most men who were able patronized the tailor. From the outset Johnson was no spendthrift. He was never a gambler or horse-racer, and, saving in two or three "indiscretions," never squandered his money. His first step was to save his surplus means, however little that was. He soon began to put this into land; and after a time was able to build the little one-story, four-room brick house, in which he lived during the first years of his political success. At a later day he moved into the more pretentious structure which was his home. at the time of his death. Until 1843 he worked regularly at his bench, and was deemed a good and honest tailor. At this time it was he laid the foundation for the fortune of nearly a hundred thousand dollars, which he left to his family. During the intervals of his service in the State Legislature he worked almost constantly at his trade, Tennessee only having a session of the Legislature every two |