The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-08-08
Mr. Dnllns's Eulogy Oh. Fir. Polk

W. DALLAS deiIVerco Euloglum upon
the late Presiden, Polk. In a literary
view, every thing from The polished pcn
OF that eminent man is worthy of careful
reading, while connected with such n
man us Mr.. POLK it doubly commends
atselfto public perusal.
Having recently tried the patience OF
ourreaders, in spreading before them elat.
oratc and indispensable documents, we
cannot further try forbearance by pub.
lish ing the entire production, though de.
serving, in our estimation, ofnatonal cir
cul alton; but shall condense it sufficiently
for correct understanding oflhe charac-
Ter Of him it honors:
James X. Polk is introduced MS wei.
coming 10 the Presidential office his sue.
cessor, on the 4th Of March, ls49, at the
capitol, and then che seemed to glide
through extended avenues of approving
and npplauding coun,rymcn Just fast
enough to secure at his home an unos,cn.
tntious and tranquil grave. |, is around
thai grave, fclow.c citizens, that | wish
you to stand with me for whiIe-suller-
ing me to recall him whom it conccaIs,
and 10 develop, .unmariy buttruthfully,
the causes which link that sod of earih
with the freedom, prosperity, glory and
gratitude Of Americu.
The permanent fame Of eminent mon
rests undoubtedly in charge of the unim.
passioncd tribunal Of postcritv. In a
government like ours espcciall
opposite opinions and antagonislic meas
ures are ever in ardent conhict-cotcm-
porary impariality, though not wholly
impossible, cannot reasonably be expect.
SsM. The tomb itself is no certain sanctu-
ary against the rage Of prejudice which
hns not been soothcd, averlcd, or extin.
guished by lapse Of time. | feel admon.
ished then to beware Of incautiously cxci,.
ing the hot. breath Of vi,upcration to see the
over the very turf you would consc.
crate and cherish. And yet so short, SO
rapid, SO signalized by extraordinary civ.
il achievements, SO devoted to the attain
ment Of vast and salutary purposes by no.
bic means, so conspicuously characterz.
ed by intellectual and moral energy. SO
eventful in national blessings and rcrown,
and SO blameless and unspottcd in ull the
relations and intercourse Of private life,
was the career Of this patriot, TINT not TO
portray il faithfully, even with the warm
coloring ofpersonul or political friendship.
would be unjust to the occasion, unjust to
the living who are here, and un JUS, 10 the
now forever gone.
Five years ago it may have been cs.
teemcd almost natural and fair to inuurc
"Vho is James Knor PoM!" bu, no,c
where is that corner ofthe earth SO Oh.
Scure as TO need the question answered.
Where is the imperial snecr that did not
yield to amazcnent, as he freely handled
the immense executive power Of his free
country? Where are the suffering mass.
es, insensble 10 the rescue Of distant
people from starvation? Where are the
suges Of Political Economy TO whom, in
adjusting the equilibrium OF industrial
pursuits, he has taught no lesson?-
Where are the enthusiasts Of human lib.
eriy, 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 Rolhschilds, or
the Barings, or the Steightz, or the Hopes,
or the tloltinguers, the golden nccroman.
GERS of finance, who do not appreciate
the master fthat wand Of annexation or
extension which secured the boundIcss
and eXhaustlcss treasures Of California;
Iallude 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 mer.
its Of the deceased, they may nevertheless
he accepted ns somewhat interesting facts
that he was descended from an Irish stock
Of sturdy and determined republicans