|
Dromo's Den
|
|
[Up] [Dromo's Den] Cave Johnson Biography JOHNSON,
Cave (1793-1866). An American politician. He was born in Robertson Co.,
Tenn., received an academic education, studied law, was admitted to the bar, and
practiced successfully at Clarksville until his appointment to the bench of the
State Circuit Court in 1820. He resigned his judgeship in 1829, upon his
election as a Democrat to the Twenty-first Congress. By successive reëlections
he served until 1837, when he was defeated by the Whig candidate, but was again
elected in 1839 and continued to serve until 1845. He was a ready debater and a
staunch supporter of Jackson and opposed with spirit the nullification movement
and the United States Bank. In 1845 he entered the cabinet of President Polk as
Postmaster-General, serving throughout the administration and favoring the
President's Mexican policy, though with little enthusiasm. From 1850 to 1859 he
was president of the State Bank of Tennessee and on the outbreak of the Civil
War, although an old man, threw himself with energy into the movement to keep
Tennessee in the Union, spoke frequently in opposition to secession, and
supported and advised Andrew Johnson. In 1863 he was elected as a Unionist to
the State Senate of Tennessee, but ill health prevented his taking any part in
legislation. The New International
Encyclopaedia, Vol. XII
(New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1920)
738. |