The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-11-17

| me My NoUemoer, le4s, oy a. ". r. NICHOLSON, ~
pursuance Of resolution Of the General assembly Of
Gentlemen Of the General assembly
! and FsiloV-dtizensi
We have assembled together pay the merted tribute
OF respect 10 the virtues OF one OF our deceased fellow
the magnitude OF his public services. and whose name
will ad0rn the pages of history OF the distinguished
beneactors Of his country i is truth, not anmxed
earth whose Judgment to the characters Of distinguished
men can be impartial. and consequently infallibe but
posery must rely for the materials OF its Judgment upon
The evidence oil cotemp0fane0ts Witnesses, and that
account i is due alike 10 the living, the dead and the
unborn that the important events = the lives Of public
benefactors should Be honestly collected and carefully
preserved by their coempofares In dischargiDg this
duty in reference to the life and character OF James X
Polk can, without aectaon, express my regret that the
dd not M upon one Gss, ABLE e 90 2
tons OF the livng At the same me IT is but candid in
10 say, that the choice could not have fallen one
willing than myself dedicate what little ability
possess in attempting to execute the modnfu task, In
the countless hTong Of his personal acquantances there
scarcely outside Of his family. who has had better
opportunities OF learning and understanding the true char
acier Of the deceased than myself and, if possessed
the power to deneate IL should hope TO anticipate
The Judgment Of gosersy and present before you the
picture of James X Polk as il will be viewed in after
lines, when all who now hear me will sleep with him in
the silent dust His father and mine emigrated from the
same State about the same time and acuated by the
same spirit OF enterprise pitched their tents side by side
as deep in The then western wds as civilized men could
venture to live They were neghbors and friends whilst
they lived, My persohal knowledge Of the deceased
senior by several years. association together only
commenced after my majority From that period we
were close neghbos, belonged to the ZANE profession,
identified in the political conflicts of each successive
year. trust, therefore, that speak but naked truth
when lay claim TO thorough knowledge of the true
character Of him OF whose life and public services
called upon TO speak. III
Since our government went into operation under its
present glorious constitution, twelve OF distinguished
patriots have been called fill the Office OF Chief Magis-
irae OF these nine have paid the last debt OF nature
and are sleeping with their fathers; and amongst
these beloved State numbers Of her disn.
the puIseless forms Of both OF them as they lay locked
in the icy arms OF death, and followed them with broken
hearts and fearful eyes to their silent tombs In life
hey were devoted personal and political friends united
by bonds of attachment which no change Of time or
circumstance could break or weaken. Their Judgments
concurred to the means of securing and pepetuatng
the prosperity and glory of their countyfor these they
counselled together and abored together The oil
Jackson and Polk wllustrate the bright pages Of
history and be embalmed side BY side in the hearts Of
all PATRIOTS joint benefacors OF their country and
joint contributors to its lasting fame. II is therefore, fit
ha, the last resting places OF two such patriots should be
50 near each other that when the pilgrim shall visit the
banks of the beautiful Cumberland TO catch fresh insp
raons of patriotism at the tomb OF Jackson, he turn
hard. by for confirmation OF his impressions TO the tomb
Of Polk.
When call to your recollection the fact that from the
time when Mr.. Polk closed his educational preparation to
play his part in the busy affairs OF Ife uau his DEATH
there elapsed less than thirty years. and that OF this Pc
Rod he engaged twenty -four years in the public
vice. it will at once occur 10 you that such unpa alleed
attended his necessarily presupposes
in the habit of awarding TO him In is2i we see him
clerk to the General Assembly; in 1923 he a mem
Der OF that body; in 1925 he member of Congress,
and continued until 1899 in 1885 we him Speaker
Of the House OF Representatives in Congress- and again
filling the same office in 1887; in 1889 we see him Gov
ernor of the State OF Tennessee in 1s44 we see him
- ~ H.ss.I Il.
step by STEP from the private station to the hghes, honor
which be conferred man, has parallel in this
or any other county, II any period OF his life had been
prowess we would at say that he owed his extraor
binary success TO the characteristic gratitude manifested
by our countrymen towards their distinguished military
cheftans But MI. Polk was purely and exclusively a
civilian and statesman, and OF course must have risen
without the help OF mere adventurous circumstances
Looking simply to the various stations which be filled,
without stopping TO consider the manner in which he
filled them, il may well be doubted whether his merits
have heretofore been fully appreciated by those who sup
posed that they knew him best Two causes suggest
themselves in explanation OF this circumstance. He was
the acknowledged leader OF OF the political parties in
our State for many years This circumstance arrayed
against him IL deetm9sd opposition hs members Of The
deprecated by partisan opponents was TO be looked for
IT, indeed, il was not natural and legitimate mode OF
sIiae HIS political Trends were devoted 70 nun a.
which feel for men OF distinguished talents, who are
unknown 10 us except BY reputation. We all knew MT
POk persOnaly associated freely, admired anu
loved him as LEADER and had every confidence in his
intellectual endowments. But appreciation Of his tai
ents lacked the "enehahment which distance lends =
and hence though we loved him the from per
sonal knowledge OF his virtues estimated his talents
lees than others wi knew him only by his public
n il be that the standard OF appreciation applied In
his own State 10 the character OF Mr. Polk has hitherto
been TOO low il becomes the important that The
error should be made manifest and that complete justice
should be awarded to the real merits OF the dead. Hi
reputation is national property constitutes part o.
the honor and glory OF our country; its faithful pfotec
ton and preservation devolve upon us as patriotic du
ties.
James Knox Polk was the eldest OF ten children an,
was born on the I'd Of November 1885, in Meckenbur,
: county North Carolina. His ancestors were emgrant
from Ireland in the early part OF the eighteenth century
They settled upon the eastern shore Of Maryland whe
OF their descendants still reside They brought witt
them from their native land the characters Of energetic
intelligent, and liberty loving men, That branch OF IN
o family from which James X. Polk descended remove
from Maryland into Pennsylvania and from thence, sbou
the middle OF the eighteenth century. TO North Carolina
where they were residing when our revolutionary strug
b gle commenced. The character Of his ancestors will
best illustrated by reference to authenticated hsori
= cal fact connected with our revolutionary struggle IL
now well asceraned that the fret formal and solemn az
OF separation from the mother country that occurred wa
the work OF the people of Mecklenburg county on III
Goth OF May 1775 Amongst the most conspicuous actor
on that memorable occasion two brothers-Thoma
Polk the great uncle, and Ezekiel Polk, the grand
a father OF James X Polk By their resolutions this mob
band OF pioneers in the cause Of independence declare
their eternal separation from the British Crown, and the
purpose to maintain their freedom and independence at
hazards They proclaimed every man traitor WI
N would accept commission from the Crown and Gloss
their declaration Of Independence with this sgnifca
ar resolution;