Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1849-03-23
Nh. POLK

-
rouage OF the government, and thst his ad- |
Is at al end, Is alike hoaorabie 70
the feelings OF the SEsater aad Taa 10 the sab
iect of his ressarks N'iMte alae adamistsa~
ton which has Iust closed, Is assaiIed By sase
iaaesnpSate denuncia1iezss of bigosed. not 10
say, SnarmcTpled otwoaea,s, OF sseeged nj by
&he sycephantsc tsaia Of fawalax office has
teCs, who woNH fam gay she;r court TO The
powers 1asuG be, by Depressing the services,
and InpugaiaS the motives OF their predrces-
sors. such admisstoas rs these, forcsd fe0rR
the cando< OF az honorable political opPosseai,
seeaa ia an especial spaeaee &c fOcesaa&iow eise
verdict al impartial history, aztec the tapse of
siae skaai have allowed Ta<tizza raacox< 10
sabside, a0a a,en be prepared 10 estimate f&ie-
~ the pugity OF the paasim aad tue genius Of
the statesman
The extract is fum the Washington cores
pondent of the n T. Jourszaa If Comurssec>
I do not wonder that Ma PeIk arpeared 80
happy It mast be great EelHf 10 get ckaC of
the huge bardea uaicS he aas had 10 bcav as
President s4.d he allowed 10 retire 70 tlae gR
ct walks OF private lie. Ills aegna of adEpiw-
istrasfou has been q Rsose eventual ore, and
his nayne will stand mere ESrosaineNtly OF the
| pages of history than shat OF aay ottler Pres-
dent we have 1ilas fag had, wS,d the single
exceptlog cF George Washaogron. He has
been q siagsilar1y fortunate nan-if I may
use the language which men are so much in
] the habit OF employing with reference 10 such
matters. DssrinS his term OF four years the
aanexatiou of Texas was consummated, tie
vexed question of the Northern boundary of
Oregon was settled, and the large provinces
of New Mexico and California acre added TO
The United States as the result of a war, that
might possibly have been postponed few
months or probably few years, but which
was in my humble opinion inevitable, howev-
er depiorable the alternatives war that was
carried on with astonishing vigor and unFar-
alleled success, and for the most part with as
much humanity as it is possible 10 carry on
war. The writer of this letter, as you we'll
know, Messrs. Editors, was far enough from
voting for Mr. Polk and Mr.. Dallas, and has
ever dpplored the occurrence of the Mexican
war, (as he would every other wary and has
always said that if the war must he waged,
| he would have wished that it might have been
|
was indsputablY Texas, instead of our march
ling 10 the Rio GIande.- although he has
thought that to be far from sufficient pretext
for doing what they dId-yet he has had no
sort of sympathy with those men who would
DENY to MIR Polk all claims to a high minded
patriotism, and a desire to do his duty to the
country as far as he could ascertain it, He
has no sort of sympathy with those men who
have for four years been ascrbing to him ev-
cry corrupt motive which they could think Of
Mr.. Polk certainly has his weakness, and did
often permit his partialities for some individ
uaIs, and his antpathies for others, 10 do some
things which were injurious to the public in
terests and dshonorable to him-e especially in
the conduct of the Mexican war. But take
his administration ali in all, it was as honest,
as pure, as Just, as effcient,-to say the least
of it,-as any that preceded it, with the ex-
| ception perhaps of General Washington's-
He had the counsel and aid of an able cabinet;
but there was no man in his cabinet ahler than
himself, whatever his enemies may say to the
contrary He is plain, unassumng man, of
cold and ungainly manners; but is notwith-
standing man of great decision and 6rmness
of character, and of far more than ordinary
talents. He may have made some serious mis-
takes, and many small ones, but his admins
tration has been in the main remarkable for
IFS efficiency and IFS wisdom.
AS to personal character, Mr.. Polk is far
superior to the most of the twelve Presidents
we have had. He is man of unimpeachable
private life.
He is no gambler, nor profane swearer. He
has never been known to travel on the Sab
bath, and whilst President he maintained the
honor and sacredness of that day in the Pres
idential Mansion, TO degree that never hat
been witnessed before. He was constan
attendant on public worship, ard set an ex
ample in this respect which all our great mer
l would do well 10 initiate. He was the frient
q of the Temperance movement, and hlmsel
most exact in his compliance with IFS princl
pies. And although he is not what is usual
iy and correctly called a religious man. h
is one that fears God, and has great respect Il
His will and His institutions. And thl
;. Messrs. Editors, is in my opinion a grea
: thing. That the infinite God appreciates sucl
feelings, and makes it manifest that He does
. even enlightened heathens maintained; and
" am quite willing to believe that the characte
=, of Mr. Polk, had something TO do with tn
. success which Heaven evidently accorded Il
his administration. II this be fanaticism,-b
it so.
And what shall say of Mrs, Polk c
: her need say nothing. Her praise is eve
l. in the mouths of her husbands enemies. A
V admit, that never was the honor and purlt
is of the Executive Mansion, so efectually MAR
tanned as during the four years she occupe
{ it, She is a consistent, lovely, christian VIC
man, who charmed every one who came nes
l. her-not by a conformity to the world
those things which religion forbids, but b
- the henevolence of her heart, the simple al
~ unaffected piety of her conduct, and the ell
gance of her manner 1t certainly require
re no little firmness on her part TO resist all IN
IN portunity to allow the scenes of dancing al
revelry, which that House had so often WI
=, messed, during many, if not all, of the form
IN administrations. And yet she was equal to Il
E. occasion, and in that elevated position mai
r.. tanned the same consistency OF life, which s
:, had done in her own comparatively hunt
home, in Tennessee, to which she is now
ol her way. May God go with her, and nrote
and bless her And may her spirit and h
70 example, exert proper influence upon t
ladies who are to succeed her in the 9 VIII
"' House % But am stopping too long at tt
X &c House. let us quit it, and the scenes viii
TO were enacted IN it on the occasion of which
'or have spoken-the LeUee.
"' THE MILITIA.