Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-06-11
POLITICAL.
TIE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEES.
T From he Democratic Rcrie,r, Mg, ISIS. !

TIE DEMOCRAllC NoMiNEt'S'
JEyom he Democratic Rcrie,r, Ilfay, ISIS.
JAMES X. POLk
Mr. Polk. who is the Oldest Of ten children. was
born in Meckcuburg county, North Carolina on
the second DAY OF November, l193, aid is conse-
quentiy in the iorty-ihrd year Of his age. His
ancestors. whose original name, Pollock, has, by
obvious transition, assumed lis present form, emf
grated more than century ago from lreland-a
country from which many of our most di>tin-
cuished men are proud 10 derive their origin
They established themselves first in Maryland,
where some of their descendants still soloum.
The branch of the family from which is sprung
the subject of this memoir removed 10 the neigh
borhooi Of Carlisle in Pennsylvania, and thence
to the Western frontier ot North Carolina, some
time before the commencement OF the Revointlon-
ary war Its connection with that evcnul strug-
Gle. is one of rare distinction. On the twentieth
of MAY, l115, consequently more than twelve
month anterior to the declaration OF the Fourth Of
July. the assembled inhabitants OF Mecklcnburg
county publicly absolycd the.nselreSirom their al
leaiancc TO the British crown. and issued formal
manifesto Of independence. In terms oil manly elo-
uuencc which have become familiar az house
hold wonl> 10 the American people, Col. Thos.
Polk the prime mover in this act of noble daring,
and one oiihe signerS Of this first declaration oil
independence, was the great uncle OF the present
speaker, VINO also
dcrS Chairman and Secretary the famous meet,
ing as well as with DR.. Ephraim BreyarI, the au
thor of the Declaration sellt
Mr. Jefferson having. sincerely no doubt, hut
upon merely negative grounds, questioned the
authenticity of this interesting piece 81 history, The
Legislature Of North Carolina with d becoming
prize oil patriotism, caused the evidence establish
ing its validity 10 be collected in a complete shape
and deposited in the archives OF the state The
man. s,a,inch Wings, in The genuine, rcyoluiona-
nv, accewaion Of the term, and have been up to
me present dav remarkable for their ,mwavcring
adherence 10 the Democratic principles. As an
evidence of the sturdy independence which char
ac;crzeS Them il is often pleasantly observed that
at the last war, they took up arms six months be-
fore and did not lay them down until twelve
months after, the Government In t!,e-e, for
independents seT"r.. ~ .. lr Folks relatives dis
iih@u.s;a.i,t Themselves even to the peril Of life.
To be allied 10 such people and lineage. is fit
subject for honorable pride. Liberty does not
.iown upon the Indulgence Of Z sentiment 50 ma
;ural. She does not reject the heritage o; honor,
while refusing To add 10 its social or political dis
,inctons subversive ofequal rights. The Amcri-
can people have always manifested an affection
ate regard for those who bear the names of Tie
heroes or martyrs of The Revolution. They fur
nish no, a prof. OF The aledgsd ingratitude otrc
publics
The father of Mr.. Polk was a farmer, Of I'M
assuming pretensions, but enclprisins character.
Thrown upon his own resources, in early life, he
became the architect of his own fortunes He
was a warm supporter Of Mr.. Jefferson, and,
through life a firm and consistent Republican,
In the Autumn Of 1906. he removed 10 Tennes-
sec where he was among the first pioneers Of
the fertile valley Of Dack River then wilderness,
but now the mos, ilouriShins and pofulolis por-
ton Of the State. The magical growth Of a
country which was but Yesterday redeemed from
Tie sole dominion Of Nature, is phenomenon of
great moral and political interest, and cannot fail
10 impress a character of strength and enterprise
upon the authors and pcrtcipators of the won.
derful result. How can man lan5uah or halt,
when all around him is expanding and advancing
with irrcprcSsiblc energy In this region, Mr..
Polk still resides, so that he NAV he said. literal
", to have grown with It's growth, and strength
cned with lis strength OF course, i'll the infancy
Of lis settlement the opportunities for instruction
;anlage-and the still more formidable one of a
nainfIl affection from which. after years of SUI
icrins he was finally relieved b. surgical ope-
ration-he acquired the elements of 4 good Eng
lsh education Approaching that his constiti-
ton had been too mach impaired 10 permit the
confinement Of study his father determined,
much, however against the will Of the son, 10
make him commercial man, and With this view,
actually placed him with merchant Upon what
slender threads hang the destinics OF lie A li,-
tic more, and the uncompromsing opponen. OF
The Bank of the United States, the Democratic
Speaker oil the House Of Representatives might
have been al this dav. in spite of his origin am!
early tendencies, 4 Wing preacher of panics, Ut
tcring jc7emiads for the fate of that shadow and
intangible thing yclcp. Credit System"
If shape ilmight be called, that shape had none
Distinsuishable in member joint or limb;
OrsubSance might bc called, that shadow seemed.
For each seemed either"
He remained lew weeks in situation ad-
verse 10 his wishes, and Incompatible with his
TASTE Finally his earnest appeals succeeded in
overcoming the resistance OF his father and in
July, 1913. he was placed under the care of the
Rev DR.. Henderson, and subsequently,. at the
academy Of Murfreesborough, Tennessee then
under The direction oil Mr. Samuel p Black lust
IL celebrated in that region as classical teacher
Tn the autumn of 1915, he entered the Universe
IS of North Carolina having, in less than two
years and a halt thoroughly prepared himself TO
commence his collegiate coarse. Ii will he seen,
from this hasty sketch that the history of the
Speaker furnishes an interesting example OF ia
lent and perseverance triumphins over disheart-
eninS difficulties in early life So frequent are
such instances that il would almost seem that true
merit requires the ordeal Of adverse ciicumstan-
Tradition ascribes 10 Thomas Polk the prin-
cipa. agency in bringing about the Declaration
He appears 10 have given the notice for The cleo
ton OF the Convention and (bcing the Colonel OF
The county, 10 have supcrin;cndcd the election in
each Of the militia districts. He had been for
long time engaged in the service of the province
as surveyor, and as member of the Assembly:
and was thus intimately acquainted, not only in
Mecklenburg, but in the counties generally. His
education had been acquired, not within the
classic walls of an English University, bu,
among his own native hills, and amidst the pas
sions and feelings of his counrymen Dr.
Ephraim Brevarj, (the author Of The Declara-
lion and Wraights;;lt Avery, Ghe first Attorney
General of North Carolina were men OF the
highes, classical attainmen.s, and contributing
their enlightened resources to the shrcwd native
enthusiasm Of Thos. Polk, produced a Declara-
ton al that time unrivalled moi Only for the neat
ness OF its style bu for the moral subimiiy offs
conception .Jones's Nefh Carolina.
Finally, the whole proceedings were read dis
tinctlr and audibly, at the Courthouse door, BY
Col Thomas Polk, 10 large, respectable and
approving assemblage Of citizens who were pre-
sent, and gave sanction TO the business OF the day.