Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-10-05
aNoraER FINE EULoGY.

a, Lyrchburg 10 July. We have pe'uSeo WV"
srea, pleasure. is worthy of his slrohs in'Eo'
generous senlimeDs and high reputation. MAJ.
G. havi.g served with Mr.. Polk some years
in Congress. was familiar with hs aoiihses
and lofty Integrity, AID in his poWsr"i re-
view Of The lille and services Of the Distinguish
ed te,eas d, has cone justice 10 his atmnao'e
theme and 10 himself. We regret hit VIC nave
net room Tor The whole Of The enlogy,.. when VIII
rank with The bes. delivered on The subject. our
reacer. will, however, lnd rich fund OF interest,"
and instruction 10 tie concluding columns, as
follows:
On the 4,h Of March, 1915, MIR Polk, in ooe'
dence 10 the commands Of the people, was 'uiy
installed President Of these United States, ana
commenced a career which his friends regard
ga brilliant and destined TO exert most impos>
ing influence upon the future desllnies oil our
bsoyed country aud her free institutions. u
the homes of Mr. Polk and his friends be real
;zed we shall accomplish most benehcent
md glorious destiny; if not, wo is al hand
The progress Of bis administration was attend
ed with moe important and interesting events,
than that of any Of his predecessors all OF
which mas, illustrate the future history of our
conn ~ and exert q controlling Influence upon
its progress.
When he first entered upon the duties OF his
Office, be found the government engaged in an
angry controversy with the British government
in reference 10 tho Oregon boundary, which
was happily adjusted by the aid and advice Of
the Senaie-Mr Polk, periodically deierrins his
own views 10 those of that body. He found The
so called Unconstitutional Treasury law which
had been enacted during MIR Van Burens ad
minis,ra,ion, repealed, and no law for regu>
lating the depostes, safe keeping and dlsourse-
ment of the public money. lie recommended
to Congress the re.enac,ment Of the "consli.
tional" law suggesting some valuable modihca'
lions, which was done, and that law is now un.
dergoing that test of experience which viii
develope it's value as permanent system. So
far il has fully realized the expectation OF its
friend. and modified the objections Of many OF
IFS appopen,s. Of this system, from its recon.
menda,ion to Congress by MIR Van Buren, in
1877 Mr. Polk was the decided and jealous I'D.
yocate.
no OF he mosl important and eventual mea.
sures OF MIR. olh's administration, was The a :
neys,jon OF The Republic Of Texas 10 The United
SAFES, Ii was important as establishing lhf
principle that a foreign State presenting herself
with republican constitution, might be admitted
INTO our Union. X was even'iul, because j
threatened 10 disturb the peaceful relations be
tween The Uailed States and sister Republic
and formidable European power, and added ar
immense territory 10 our already extensive EN-
pire.
Although ibis important measure dill not ori
,ipaie win Mir P, KS administration, yet he va
It's early, decided aud JEALOUS adv, cate, ard bod
" threw il out az al issue in The PIT strniie
| canvass which resulted in his election. Early il
| 1874 ne was in!criCgated by the ciilzens Of Gin
ciunali, opposed 10 The anncYa'icn. a u %
swef 10 Ileir nler!ogativcs, n made the follow
iug noble manly and decided answer:
set Texas be :e annexed. ard The an hort,
ard laws If the Uued aes be esla listed ak
maintained within her limits as also in The Ore
g0n territory aud lei The fixed policy Of cur gov
| erlment be- not 10 permit Giea Bril-. 10 10 plan
a cooay OF hold auminion over any potion o
| he psopl- or territory Of Ell her. These are mi
| opinions; and, without deemirg il necessary Il
| cx!eld this lei or, by assigning the many leasoL
which iufltnce me in The conclusions 10 VIII
come regret 10 he compelled 10 differ % wide
" from the views expressed by yourselves, ant
III. meeting Of ci;iz rs Of Cincinnati, whom yol
represent"
The value of This acquisition apart from ON.
general considerations 10 which shall present.:
adyer:, must BIZ apparent TO all, when we consi
&c. that Texas was large and fertile coIe:Di
nous IefI,ory. tavofab'y and imposingly locaet
upon The Nor shore OF the Gull ot Mexico at
Ess. bank # the Ru Gfande, capable oi sustain
ing population OF thirty millions pi people, an
they likely 10 be our own kindred, and that unte
tie irf Jence OF foreign power or hostile gov
m m unl hscDme a
commercial rival, but musl dangerous enemy
bat, being thus early induced inin our Union
nurtured by our tree institutions, and Instructed
in our principles, from interest and affection, she
will abide our destiny.
isiralion, which is destined TO operate a mos
powerful influence upon The future progress o.
our system and not less imponau, or even;iu
Than h. annexation Of Texas, was the acQri.i
ton Of New Mexico and California. The vie W.
oil that administration were not bounded by the
Rio Grand on the Yves; -believing that cor
linnous territory from the Atlantic TO the Pacific
Ocean, would 60! only secure our federal system
against The Influences Of dcnaeos uesm and fac
lion, make il impreguable 10 foreign aggression
and advance The great principles oil civil and re-
ligous Liberty. but. would place our commercial
prosperity, foreign and domestic, upon an impe.
rith able basis.
By the annexation OF Texas and The acqusi.
tion OF New Mexico and California, our Union
has acquired an additional territory OF near
million OF square miles, combining great va.
rie;y Ut soil and cllnae, Ot immense mineral
wealth, and has opehed pass.way through our
own territory between The Atlantic ard Pacih.
Oceats, over which the most valuable trade vi
Europe and Asia must pass When these terri
tories shall be divided out into free, indepen denl
and sovereign States, with governments adapted
10 their domestic condition, ieemiGs with popu
iation Of viruous, intelligent and enlerprising
citizens, and united with This Union upon the
principles OF The Constitution ard for the great
objects OF the ConIeteracy, then will The sa3aci.
~ which saw The value, and the wisdom which
made these acquisitions, be acknowledged and
admired.
leel no dispt s;Iion, my counlrymen, 10 dis.
guise the facI that many, very many of our
wisesi, most sagacious, mos. accomplished and
patriotic statesmen, differed with MIR. Polk Is to
The whd'm aud policy OF these acquisitions
They apprehenGed, no doubt honestly, that our
territory was already too large Tor The success
ful operation oil our free Institutions and In al IN
extension would be fatal to them. These appre-
hchsions are moi lew. The very probability that
our territory might he extended beyond lis then
boundary, excied terror in The minds of mapy OF
the members OF The Convention thai fra med The
Constitution. The acquisition OF the louisiana
territory, by Mr.. Jeff:rsons Administration, e1
cited The most painful totcbodings, ard Ii. most
disastrous consequences were .cdicled; but lhf $.
predictions, 81 far from being verified have
been utterly ialsi6ed and the wis iom of that
acquisition acknowledged by all.
Mr.. Polk IS not without the very highest au,
lhority in support OF his views in making these
acquisitions. AS early as 1859 the illus rou,
Madison, who is acknowledged 10 have been one
OF the wisesI purest, most accomplished and
mos! patriotic statesmen OF his day, seemed 10
anticipate The acquisition OF new territory 10 our
Union and 10 augur most iavorablY from it. 10
The l4h number Of that great work, Tire Fede.
raisi," b. thus expresses himself upon hi, sub.
Jecl:
"Thal the immediate object OF
The federal constitution is 10 SECURE the Union OF
Inc thirteen primitive States, which we know to
be practicable; and 10 add 10 hem such Other
Sales as may arise 10 their own bosom., or in
their neighoorhoods, which we cannot doub, 10
be equally practicable"
The immortal Jefferson, The very mention CT
whose name mus, inspire The heart OF every