Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-06-13
From the Baltimore republican.
JA MES *. POLK
OF TENNESSEE.

we lIdNe never known nOmlnatlOl
70 De received with such a unanimou
approval as that of the patriotic, abb
and excellent gentleman whose nam
heads this article. And that there i
good and. sufficient reasons for sucl
unanlmity of feeling towards the nom
NEE, IS to be found in his Whole char
acter, as man, a politician, and ;
Statesman. An account of the histo
fy of this distinguished patriot vii
doubtless, at this time, prove highly
acceptable to our readers, and we
therefore, proceed to the task of giving
such sketch, as our time and limits
will permit.
JAMES K. POLK was born in
Mecklenburg county, North Carolina
on the second day Of November, 1895
and is now in the 49th year of his age
The original name ofhis ancestors was
Pollock;-they emigrated from Ireland
more than century ago, and first set
tied themselves in Maryland, where
several branches of the. family still re-
main. That branch from which oul
candidate more Immediately sprung,
removed first to the vicinity Of Carl
isle, Pennsylvania, and thence to the
western frontier Of North Carolina,
some time before the Revolutionary
war. Thomas Polk, we'll known as
one Of the signers, if not the prime
mover, Of the celebrated Mecklenburg
Declaration of. Independence, was the
grand uncle Of our nominee. Indeed
the whole family were noted for their
uncompromising democratic principles,
and to this day are Characterized for
that sturdiness of independence which
led Col. Thomas Polk with others to
aBsolve themselves under their sigma
lures from all allegiance to Great Brit
ain more than twelvemonth before
the Declaration Of Congress in 1776.
of the people of Mr.. Folks native
county, it has often been said, as an
evidence of their bold and ready patri-
otism, that cat the last war they took
up arms SIX months before, and did not
lay them down till twelve months after
the government A man born from
such ancestors, with his infancy nur-
tured in the atmosphere Of such a re-
gion, can be nothing but Democrat
an unyielding, uncompromising Dem
ocrat; and such a man is JAMES K.
Polk.
Mr.. Folks father was an unassum-
ing but enterprising farmer. He was
the maker of his own fortunes, and a
warm supporter of Mr.: Jefferson. In
1906, he became one of the first pio-
neers of what is now the most flourish
ing and populous portion Of Tennes-
see. In our wilderness settlements,
the opportunities of education, OF
course, are very scanty. Notwithstand-
ing this difficulty, however, our can
didate managed to acquire the ele-
ments of an English education. And
so earnest were his desires for improve
ment, and so ardent his appeals, that
although on account Of his feeble
health, was placed for few. weeks in
a store, with the intent of making him
commercial man, yet the resistance
of his father was overcome, and after
due preparation at an academy, he en-
tered in 1915 the University of North
Carolina, from which he graduated in
1918, carrying off the highest distinc-
ton in his class, and with the reputa.
ton of being the best scholar, both il
the classics and mathematics.
Early in 1919, MIR. Polk commenced
the study of Law with the late Senator
Grundy, and late in 1920 was admitted
to the bar.
In 1922, then in his 28th, year, he
iyas chosen to represent his county in
fhe Legislature of Tennessee. Here
he remained for two successive years
and with pride he looks back to the
opportunity this position gave him tc
adj with othes in calling ANDREW
JACKSON from his retirement, by elect.
mo him to the United States Senate
no this venerable and venerated man
he entertained an early personal anc
nolitical friendship-afr friendship, which
70 this moment, has never known ;
ieshadow of turning"
Tn 1926, then in his Both year, MIR
Dill was elected as member of Con
oress. Bringing with him the sound
est principles of the Democratic school
he soon became known as a republi
CON of the ssstraitest sect" With on