Litchfield enquirer., 1849-06-28
M-PRESTDENT POLK,

tinguished man from among the living.
Though the public were aware Of his
Illness. the tidings Of his death fell with
startling effect upon the ear of the nation.
1t is no easy matter to realize that one
who but yesterday occupied so large a
place in the public mind, and who held,
as it were, the interests of great nation
in his hand, has passed forever from the
scene of his labors and triumphs.
Its a pleasant and redeeming feature
in our fallen nature, the desire to think
and speak well of the dead. To all right
minded men, the intervening grave will
bury tie petty animosities and heart
burnings of partizsns, and the intenser
hate Of personal enmities. Henceforth
the name and deeds Of James X. Poll
are matters of history. 1t has been our
lot to differ widely from him in our ideas
Of public policy, and the principles and
measures which pertain to the general
welfare but, while we still adhere to our
original political faith, we can hold here
after no warfare with linn. Far less
would we assail his naotives-for why
should soe sit in judgment upon one who
has ere this stood face to face with his
Final Judge? AS statesman, his fame
should be cherished by every American
as a good citizen, and as christian, let US
emulate his virtues.
JAMES KNOX Polk was born in Meek
lenburgh Co., North Carolina, Nov. 2,
1895, and at the time Of his disease was
So years and Z months old. His father
is, we think, still alive--he was farmer,
and removed to Tennessee in 1906, when
James X. Polk was in his eleventh year
James K. is the Oldest Of ten children
acquired the rudiments of an English snd
classical education near his home, and
after years Of suffering from very pain
full complaint was relieved by surgical
operation. He gained high honors at
the University Of North Carollna-was
persevering, and regular in his
attendance-a good mathematical and
classical scholar. In 1919, he began to
study the law with the celebrated Felix
Grundy of Nashville, was admitted as
member of the bar of Tennessee in 1920,
and was we'll employed in his line. He
served as Clerk to the Tennessee Legis-
lature, was next member for Maury,
his place of residence, and in 1925, in
his 3oth year, elected to Congress. If
he was opposed to national Bank, he
hesltated to express that opinion for the
first two years in which he sat in Con-
gress, but after Mr.. Van Buren, went to
Washington as Secretary, to wit, in Au-
gus, 1880, Mr.. Polk began to give the
Tennesseeans some hints about "the
monster"
Andrew jackson stated, in 1914, that
he had known James X. Polk, from his
boyhood, ard that "a citizen more ex-
emplary i'll his moral department, more
punctual and exact in business, more en-
ergetic and manly in the expression Of
his opinions, and more patriotic, does not
live."
Upwards Of twenty -four years since he
married the daughter of Joel Childers,
Esq, a merchant Of Rutherford County,
Tennessee. Mr.. Polk had no children
was transformations, quiet, domestic and
reigioas-not fond of show, dancing, dis
sipation and late hours. Mr.. Polk was
member of the Presbyterian Church.
1t is greatly to his credit that he has the
reputation of being no duelist, no gam
bier, but a steady opponent to specula-
ton. He was fourteen years in Congress,
and two or three of these years Speak
err, having been chosen in December.
1886, and in September, 1887: No
more thorough going party man could be
found than Polk-he was very industri-
GUS, and while on the floor of Congress
was reported never to have missed vote.
As he received vote Of thanks at the
close of the session of 1887, for his i'm
Partially as Speaker, it may be inferred
that he had great control over his tenn
per. He was ready debater; deliver
ed long and animated speeches. and was
one Of the few hard working Legislators
in his day. In his intercourse with the
public he was affable and courteous; his