The North-Carolina standard., 1849-07-04
]. X. POLK.
Born NOVEMBER, 1895,
Died ,Itfne Is. ISi9,

The body lies in state to-day. The noble draw
ing-roo shrouded in black, and every window
in mourning with black searfs of Grape. The tail
white columns of the majestic portico, facing the
south, are completely shrouded in black, giving a
soemny majestic and funeral aspect to the presden-
tial mansion.
The funeral took place at four o'clock this after
noon, masonic ceremonies being first performed In the
drawing room over the body. / saw the body be-
fore it encofined The features are In noble
composure. Death has impressed upon them the seal
of majesty In his life his features never wore that
impress of command and intellectual strength, that
seemed now chiselled upon their marble outline. he
was habited in plain suit of black, and copy OF
the constitution of the L nited States was placed at
his feet. Before being taken TO the cemetery, the
body was hermetically soldered within copper con
From the house the funeral cortege, which was
very large all places of business being closed, by or
der of our go~ whig mayor, proceeded to the Meth
odist Episcopal Church, where, after services per-
formed bv the Rev. Mr.. M'FerTen, it was conveyed
to the cemetery, followed by vast of cit
iZens The body was deposited in the Grundy vault,
temporarily but it will be removed to vault
the lawn of the ex-presdential mansion, where a
willow now stands, and over it will be erected a
stately marble cenotaph-thus the body of the Pres
dent from Tennessee will lie cntomed in the heart of
its capital Mr. Polk by will the evening before his
DEATH gave the lawn to the State, in perpetuty, for
this purpose.
Mr.. Polk sent for the Rev. Dr. Edgar, of the Pres
byeran church, seven days before his death, desiring
TO be baptized by him. He said to him impressvely
6 Sir, if had suspected twenty years ago that
should come to my death-bed unPrepared, it would
have made me wretched man; yet am about to die,
and have not made preparation. have not even been
baptized. Tell me, sir, there be any ground for
thus situated to hope!''
The Rev. Doctor made known to him the assuran-
and promises of the gospel that mercifully run
parallel with mans life.
Mr.. Polk then remarked, that he had been preven-
ted from baptism in infancy by accidental oc-
curence; that he had been several times strongly in
hah hapt cd 1nrin aiuic huf
that the and perpexities of public life hardly
gave him time for the solemn preparation requisite
and procrasnation had ripened into inacton, when
almost to late to act. In his conversation
with the reverend clergyman, Mr. Polk evinced great
knowledge of the Scriptures, which, he said, he had
read great deal, and deeply reverenced. divine
truth in word, he was, theoretically, Christian.
The conversation fatiguing Mr.. Polk too much for
him to be then baptized, it postponed, to take
place the next evening; but in the interval, the
President recolected that when he governor and
lived here he used to hold many arguments with the
Rev. Mr.. McFerren, the talented and popular Meth
odist minister of the place, his personal and
political friend, and that he had promised him that
when he did embrace Christianity, he, the Rev. Mr..
McFerren should baptize him. He therefore sent for
the Rev. DR.. Edgar, made known his obligation, and
expressed his intention to be baptized by his friend
the Methodist minister. The same day the venerable
Mrs. Polk, mother of the ex-Presdent, very pious
Presbyterian lady, arrived from her residence, forty
miles distant, accompanied by her own PASTOR hoping
that her distinguished son would consent to be bap-
tized by him. ~.
"Mother," said the dying x-President taking her
affeconately by the hand, IS have never in my life
dsobeyed you, but you must yield to your now.
and crafty my wishes. | must be baptized by the
Rev. Mr. McFerren.''
His mother, wise she is pious, did not hesitate
to give her consent; and in the presence of the Rev
DR.. Edgar, and the Rev. Mr.. Mack of Columbia, the
ex-President received the rite of baptism by the
hands of the Rev. Mr.. McFerren.
| Mr.. Polk has died worth aho1ton hundred fhous
and dollars, the bulk of which is settled upon his
amiable lady who, it is to be hoped, will long make
this city her abodean ornament to its society 70
/" all lips do praise her, ..- ~ -