The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-10-01
W A S Hi N G. 7 @ N.
TUESDAY EVENING, oCT'R l, 1914.
COL. POLK'S DEMAGOGUEISM.


of Tennessee making speeches against and ridi-
culing General Harrison, whom he called /" Gen
eral Num- the Mum Candidate" &c, because,
he said, and in the most sneering manner too,
with his face covered all over with those farccal
grins which are SO peculiar to him,-General
Harrison had refused to answer the inquiries
which respectable gentlemen and committees
had addressed to him; he had no opinions for the
public eye!
Now how changed! James X. Polk is a can
didate himself for the Presidency-and he is fifty
times as mum and dun, as was the noble old Gen.
eral whom4he SO abused, belied, and slandered, in
1910! He answers no inquiries addressed to
He has no present opinions for the public eye
What deceptive, tricky demagogue!
But this is not ALL We learn, from the Nash
vile wing papers, that although Mr.. Polk has no
opinions for the public eye which he. will furnish
under his own name, yet he can furnish data in
{ abundance for the most outrageous misrepresent-
atoms Of and attacks upon the Wing party in gen.
eral, and Governor Jones in particular, through
the columns of his confidential organ, the Nash
vile Union. @ @..x. ..t..
~. That paper is edited by Samuel Laughlin, a
man who lost all the character he ever had long
ago, and who for years past has been "lying out
OF every pore OF his hide" He has recently, by
the aid Of the subject Of his euogy, given to the
world most fulsome and untruthful Bograph of
the Locofoco candidate for the Presidency, which
has been most beautifully and elegantly rddled
by the able editor of the Nashville Wing. We
know not when we have seen piece of work SO
thoroughly and genteely executed. We doubt
not Colonel Polk most devoutly wishes that the
j Biograph had never been commenced. We OBJ
of Colonel Polk, from this same Nashville Union,
which contains two or three statements which we
will notice.
II /. II claims great merit for Colonel Polk, be-
cause he wrote to Mr.. Grundy, member of the
Baltimore Convention in 1910, not to press his
name for the Vice Presidency, if it should be
found to be in the way of harmonious action.
Most gentlemen, whose names are before Con-
vention, do this without claiming merit therefor.
But what were the facts in regard to Col. Polk.
His papers in Tennessee had all hoisted his name
at the mast head as their candidate for the Vice
Presidency. Two or three papers in other States
had done the same. And this was all. There
was not the slightest chance of his getting the
nomination. He saw this, as every body else
did, and hence his uery dsnterested letter to Mr..
Grundy!
3 1t claims credit for Col. Polk, because, in
the exciting contest Of 1910, he declared himself
a candidate for reelection as Governor. Now
,ohen did he do this, and how came he to do it
He did it the 4th Of July, at Knoxville, after he
had been three months in the field making cleo
tioneering speeches, whilst the people were call
ing upon him in all directions TO come out and
say candidly whether he was running for re-
election as Governor, or for Vice President, or
for both stations In many instances, scores OF
freemen who had voted for him the year previous,
signed their names to loud calls upon him to de-
fine his position and acknowledge what place he
was running for His name was still flying in
all his papers as candidate for Vice President
AT last the times became too hot for him, and he
was forced, literally compelled, to speak out, as
he did at Knoxville, and take his position. He
received one vote for Vice President
g. 1t claims credit for Colonel Polk, for having,
after being beaten 10 l84l, by Gov. Jones, when
the Wings had the majority in the Legislature,
declined being considered candidate for the
United States Senate-to be beaten, of course
He told his friends that he had fallen, and would
20 TO his home--he would go back TO the people,
and if he rose again, would rise from the people.
All very fine, seeing he was down fiat, and very
much after the style of the demagogue. But did
he 20 home, to the people, and be quiet! Far
from it. He saw that he had no chance for the
United States Senate from the Legislature then
in power; but if the election Of Others could, by