Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1844-06-22
James X. Polk, the DcmOCratfC
Candidate for President.

States, was born in MecklcnburRh coanty,t
North Carolina, on the Cd Of November,
1895, and consequently in November next,
win be 40 years ofsEe. Heis descended
from an Irish family. His uncle, Col,
Thomas Polk, was The grand mover in
what is Familiarity termed the Mecklcn-
burgh Declaration Of independence, being
a formal remuneration Of al allegiance 10
Great Britain, made BY the citizens Of that
county, on the Goth Of March, 1875, more
than fifteen months previous ID the declar-
alton by the Congress Of l776. Both the
Chairman and Secretary Of the meeting,
which adopted the declaration, as well as
DR.. Ephraim Brenard, the author Of the
declaration ITSELF were relatives Of Col.
James X. Polk. The whole family Of
Folks were staunch patriots, and during
the war Of the revolntion, did service IN
the cause Of their country. s
The father Of Col. Polk was a farmer OF
plain and unassuming manners; in politics,
democrat Of the school of Mr.. Jefferson.
In 1906, he removcdto Tennessee. Near
the place where his father located, Col.
Polk now resides. i'm 1918, the subject
Of this sketch graduated AZ the University
Of North Carolina, with the highest honors.
In 1919, he entered the Office of Felix
Grundy, as a law Student, and the follow
ing year was admitted to practice.
In 1929, Col. Polk was elected to the
Legislature Of Tennessee, where his elo-
quence in debate, and his talent for bust
ness, at once gained him high reputation.
During the first session, he was instrument
tai in nominating Gen, Jackson as cam
didate for President OF the United States.
In August, 1925, Nc ives elected 10 Con-
gress, and in December Of that year, took
his seat, and remained in that body until
nominated as the democratic candidate for
Governor Of Tennessee. Col. Polk came
into Congress at the close Of that session
which had sanctioned the foul and infa-
nous bargain between Clay and Adams,
by which the former, in defiance Of the
win Of the nation fairly expressed, made
the latter President, and himself Secretary
Of State. A proposition was brought for
ward to amend the Constitution Of the
United States, so as to take the power of
electing President from the House Of
Representatives, and which found IN Col.
Polk anable advocate. Upon this he made
his first speech. He also gained himself
much credit by his opposition to the ridicu.
lous proposition Of Adams relative to send
ing ministers to a Congress Of nations to
Panama. e
In December, 1917, Col. Polk was placed
on the important committee on Foreign At
fairs, and, a short time after, at the head
OF a select committee, to which was refer
red that portion of the Presidents message
relative to a probable accumulation Of the
revenue, and the extinction of the national
debt. As the chairman of this committee,
he made an able report, denying the con-
stitutional power Of Congress to collect
from the people, for distribution, a surplus
beyond the wants of the government, and
maintaining that the revenue should be re-
duced to the exigencies Of the public SER
vice.
In December, 1892, Col. Polk was trans
ferred to the committee Of Ways and Means,
then the most important in the House. 1t
was during this session that Col. Polk, in
behalf of the minority Of that committee,
made his Justly celebrated report against
the Bank Of the United States, and which
atrayed against him, from one extreme OF
the Union to the other, the influence Of
that institution, and the denunciation Of Its
hangers on, feed attorneys and dependents.
Every effort was used 20 defeat him-his
report met with the most unscrupulous de-
lidnciation, and strong efforts were made
to force the belief into the minds of his con-
stituents, that the prostration of the United
States Bank would destroy the credit Of
the Great West. Col. Polk met these
charges at every turn, and fierce as was
the opposition, yet, so efectually did he
expose the sophistry Of the arguments, and
the falsehood Of the charges made against
him, that he was reelected by a majority
Of more than 5000 votes.
In September, 1888, General Jackson
removed the deposits from the Bank Of the
United States. When Congress met, the
democracy deemed it necessary to have at
the head Of the committee Of Ways and
Means, man Of talent and Of nerve; one
who has not to be shaken by the fierce
howl of panic makers and distress memo.
rails, got up to suit the occasion. Such a
man was found in JAMES X. Polk, Of Ten
nessee.
The scenes enacted during that session
Of Congress, known as the first panic ses-
sion, is too deeply impressed in the minds
Of American readers to need recapitulation
here. The conflict was expected to be
fierce-it was even more fierce and des-
perate than was expected. In speaking
of this session, and Of the part Col. Polk
bore in defence Of the course Of Gen. Jack
son, writer in the Democratic Review,
May, 1888, says:
ssThe cause Of the Rank was supported
in the House by such men as Mr.. McDuf-
ie, Adams and Binney, not to mention !
host Of other names. 1t is instructive to
look back in calmer times, to the reign Of
terror known as the Panic Session. The
Bank, with the whole commerce Of the
country at its feet, alternately torturing and
easing its miserable pensioners as they in
creased or relaxed their cries Of financial
agony; public meetings held y every city
with scarcely the intermisaion 0f day, de-
nouncing the President ~ ! tyrant and the
enemy Of his country; populations Aockine
from ia tx~.-,s,s ~ .~fcv< 49,. -.