The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-08-08
Mr. DnRlas's Elllogy on, N1r. Folk


the late President Polk. In a literary
view, every thing from the polished pcn
OF that eminent man is worthy Of careful
reading, while connected with such q
man ns Mr.. POLK it doubly commends
ntselfto public perusal.
Flo wing recently tried the patience OF
our readers, in spreading before them elal.
orate and indispensable documents, we
cannot further try forbearance by pub.
uIsh ing the entire production, though de.
serving, in our estimation, ofnational cir.
cui alton; but shall condense it sufficiently
for correct understanding The charac-
ter Of him it honors:
James K. Polk is introduced MS wei.
coming TO the Presidential office his sue
cessor, on the 4lh Of March, 1910, ut the
capitol, and then "he seemed 10 glide
through extended avenues of approving
and npPlauding countrymcn Just fast
enough 10 secure at his home an unosten.
1alious and tranquil grave. /, is around
that grave, fellow w-citizens, that | wisl,
you to stand with me for while-sufier.
ing me to recall him whom it conccals,
and TO develop, sunmarily buttruthfulIy,
the causes which link that sod of earth
with the freedom, prosperity, glory and
gratitude Of America.
The permanent fame Of eminent men
rests undoubtedly in charge of the unim.
passioncd tribunal of postcri,y. In u
government like ours espccially-whcrc
opposite opinions and an,ngonisiic meas.
nres are ever in ardent conhct-cotem-
porary imparliality, though not wholly
impossible, cannot reasonably be expect
s%sM The tomb itself is no certain sanctu-
ary against the rage Of prejudice which
has not been soothcd, avcrtcd, or extin.
gnished by lapse Of time. feel admon.
ished then TO beware Of incautiously cxci,.
ing the hot. breath Of vi,upcra,ion to see the
over the very turf you would conse.
crate and cherish. And yet so shor,, so
rapid, SO signaized by extraordinary civ.
il achievements, so devoted to The attain
ment Of vast and salutary purposes by no.
bic meanS, SO conspicuously charncteriz.
ed by intellectual and moral energy. SO
eventful in national blessings and rcrown,
and SO blamclcss and unspo,lcd in all the
relations and intercourse of private life,
was the career Of this patriot, that not 10
portray il faithfully, even with the warm
coorng Of personal or political friendship.
would be unjust TO the occasion, unjust to
the living who are here, and unius, 10 the
now forever gone.
Five years ago it may have been cs.
teemcd almost natural and fair to inGurc
"Who is James Knor PoM" but nor
where is thst corner Of the earth SO oh.
scure rs TO need the question answered?
Where is the imperial snecr that did moi
yield to amazcment, as he freely handled
the immense executive power Of his free
country? Where are the suffering mass
es, insensible 10 the rescue Of distant
people from starvation? Where are the
snges Of Political Economy to whom, in
adjusting the equilibrium OF industrial
pursuits, he has taught no lesson?-
Where are the enthusiasts Of human lib
erty, TO whom his voice has not become
familiar? Where are the veterans of mil.
itary science, who still doubt the efficacy
Of American cannon, whose thunders he
opened? And last and least, though still
not little, where are the Rothschilds, or
the Barings, or the Steighlz, or the Hopes,
or the tIotinguers, the golden necroman.
GERS Of finance, who do not appreciate
the master Of that wand Of annexation or
extension which secured the boundlcss
and exhaustlcss treasures Of California;
alludc now thus briefly to the traits of n
national policy which he controlled and
guided, only to venture the assertion, that
the man you mourn, may, as the repre-
sentative chief OF your republic, confront
future ages, unabashed by the imposing
presence OF any predecessor.
If unimportant to the character or mcr-
its Of the deceased, they may nevertheless
he accepted ns somewhat interesting facts,
thni he was descended from an Irish stock
Of sturdy and determined republicans,