Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1844-10-04
THE CANDIDATES--JAME *. POLK
AND HENRY CLAY.

1t is sometimes asked by our Federal oppo
nents, who is James X. Polk What has
James K. Polk done that entities him to the
support of the American people! Now we
have heard this question put on several recent
occasions, by the young popinjay orators OF
the coon party, and put, too, with most tri-
umphant and never-to-be-answered toss ofthe
head. We would also observe, whilst we
think Of it, for the benefit Of our readers who
are not blessed with the darkaess~dispelling
influence of Clay Glee Clubs, that the ques-
ton is always asked Immediately before, and
as kind of a prelude to, the introduction of
stereotyped eulogy on the "Life and char
acter'' of the great ''embodiment'' the
complete " letter writer"
Brother Democrats of N. Carolina, when
you are asked this question you can answer
promptly, proudly, and without fear of contra
diction, James X. Polk is an HONEST
MAN. Can our opponents dof the mantle
of party prejudice-lay their hands upon their
hearts, and say that their candidate is an hon
|
from 1924, when he threw himselfinto the en-
brace of Northern Federalism and Northern
Abolitionism, Cor the sake ofplace and power,
down to this very hour, when, with the cold
and calculating policy of a Talleyrand he is
daily shifting his course, just as he thinks the
popular breeze is blowing from she North or
the South-when he is almost daily and hour
ly issuing forth his bulletins in the shape of
, letters, addressed to different sections of the
! Union, and which any man of plain common
sense must see are written by man who is
, deeply imbued with the spirit of that philoso-
5 ply which utterly disregards the means
: employed, so that the end to be accom-.
plished is desirable-who hesitates not to de-
clare to one section of the Union to day tina,
he is for carrying out the Compromise act,
and Tomorrow declares that the IS Black act
: of '42 is constructed in perfect consonance
. with his own views on that question-whe
/ on question of the most vital importance t
y every portion of the Union, the remuneration
e of Texas to this country, has exhibited a du
> plicity and deception not only unworthy thu
n character of an American statesman, but tina
d ought to bring the blush to the cheek of tn
= sorriest little whipper in the Federal party
- There is such a thing as being too ,OeHknown
e. There is such word in the English languag
Or as notor;ety. The Harrisburg Convention, fou
y years ago thought that Henry Clay was TO
+ well known-was notorious. They were
10 sensible set of men. The members of the lat
ID Coon Convention in Baltimore will, agains
IS the ides of November next, regret from tn
~ very Utmost recesses Of their hearts, that the
te did not pursue the ''safe line of precederts"
May 1914. But who is James K. Polk +
pc Certainly we are willing to admit, and if it
he detrimental to his character, we can't help
to he has never figured on the great theatre of Ii
We as duellist, as the Federal candidate has,
~, ,e He is by no means celebrated as an adept
-, -, the science of political summersets, as Hem
ut Clay is. He has not yet run as candida
nd for the Presidency three or four times al
'ei been distanced every time, as II. Clay has.
He is, however, Democrat not only in nam
but in principle. He has filled three of q
highest and mess responsible Offices in t
Union with the utmost credit to himself al
ist. advantage 10 his fellow-citizens. He h
len been Governor of.he great State ofTennesse
Iey He has been speaker Of the House of Rep
sensatives in the most troublous tincs /