▁of ▁new com ers , ▁did ▁not ▁want ▁a ▁change ▁in ▁the ▁established ▁pe ck ing ▁order ▁among ▁staff , ▁and ▁dis lik ed ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁particularly ▁dark - sk inned ▁African - American . ▁Until ▁that ▁point , ▁all ▁servants ▁of ▁the ▁White ▁House ▁were ▁light - sk inned . ▁It ▁was ▁clear ▁within ▁the ▁first ▁week ▁that ▁an ▁employ ment ▁change ▁was ▁needed ▁for ▁Johnson . ▁Lincoln ▁first ▁wrote ▁to ▁the ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Navy ▁G ide on ▁W elles , ▁but ▁a ▁suitable ▁position ▁was ▁not ▁found . ▁In ▁the ▁meant ime , ▁Johnson ▁continued ▁his ▁position , ▁running ▁err ands ▁some ▁days ▁that ▁would ▁take ▁him ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁m ansion ▁for ▁part ▁or ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁day . ▁To ▁calm ▁the ▁disc ord , ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Tre as ury ▁Sal mon ▁P . ▁Ch ase ▁gave ▁him ▁a ▁job ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 8 6 1 , ▁first ▁as ▁a ▁labor er , ▁and ▁soon ▁after ▁as ▁a ▁mess enger . ▁▁ ▁If ▁Lincoln ▁needed ▁Johnson ' s ▁assistance ▁for ▁err ands ▁or ▁tasks , ▁he ▁would ▁send ▁a ▁message ▁to ▁his ▁super visor , ▁Samuel ▁Y or ke ▁At ▁Lee , ▁at ▁the ▁Tre as ury . ▁Before ▁working ▁at ▁the ▁Tre as ury ▁each ▁work day ▁morning , ▁Johnson ▁went ▁to ▁the ▁White ▁House ▁and ▁sh aved ▁and ▁dressed ▁Lincoln , ▁which ▁provided ▁extra ▁income . ▁▁▁▁ ▁Besides ▁both ▁men ▁having ▁felt ▁free ▁to ▁ask ▁fav ors ▁of ▁one ▁another , ▁it ▁is