The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-03-18
? published Letter of Ex-Presi-
dent Polk.

Nftm the y. \. Herald.l
81 Put money in thy purse, said Iago;
lu he never laid that down for an official
AKIN. To make money out of public
nc was once thought horrible. They
ah do it now. Andrew johnson refused
. Present Of a carriage and horses. Con
gmss impeached him. Now, what man
u ofice declines any present from any
b0 iy? Shall we ever get back 70 the
nh decencies? We believe it, We be-
IA Re, with living faith, in the Republic.
la e present order will pass away and
l@ Fe the great heart Of the people-the
IA Institutions of the Republic-sound
l4 the core. Fortes ante AgamemnoH.
Ah ere were statesmen of sensitive scruples
Ani nice honesty in Tennessee before
10y. We have seen letter from
lmnes *. Polk (''whose seat another
rs to a banker in Washington, who
lN Oh high in his confidence man of
my virtues-with the soft heart and
ID unbounded charity. Mr.. Polk had
VA cred the purchase of some United
stltes stock Atterward he thought that
MI President ought not to deal In the
auolic securities He ordered the stock
III ana the money he had paid tor it
'Mlaced to his credit The stock had
"a en- and there was profit on the transac-
|Nn. The President would not take it,
III banker would not keep il, and it was
a II to the Orphan Asylum of the District
1F Columbia. We remember in this
81 INJECTION a famous political case that
aA ne into the courts, CCbbett-eXcept
u Rev. Dr. Swift-''the most efficient
|a eller that ever exercised the trade
III Urged William Pitt with making money
af the Stock Exchange Pitt brought
M action for libel British statesmen
HEe been always very sensitive on this
III Int Of character. Cobbett said it was
VI ! libel; that the Prime Minister had
II common right to deal in stocks, only
IN Kas INDIGENOUS and fit subject of cen
= Re- But Mansfield, Pitts old heredi-
~ h foe. asserted for him the true doc
Y pc in public morals He ruled that
N 4 Minister was right; that he could not
y pestly deal in stocks; that it would be
y ing his official knowledge for private
4 nn; that it would be exposing a public
\ hst to be brought in opposition 10 pri-
re interests; that il would be of mis-
Mevous and immoral tendency, and that
action for libel was we'll taken. Such
Mhe high doctrine of true statesmen, Of
y "a of cultivated minds and high and
u Msitive principles. We give the letter
y President Poik-never before in print.
4 Ill 1917 three thousand dollars was
A re sum for Presidents to handle; now
4 3 hardly change to carry in ones
4 Hnket g
WAsHTNGToN CITY, Nay Z, 1917.
pEAR SrR-When l requested you,
awly in March last, to purchase for me
Zee thousand dollars of public stock, l
\ Nbrmed you that l desired to invest that
a ID, held by me as trust fund. On the
a M# following our conversation, YOU trans
fed certificates of United States stock
A me in my own name, and not as trus-
3 for my ward, for which l paid YOU a
A NHmium of one per cent, or the sum OF
y Zee thousand and thirty dollars. l do
doubt my lawful right to make such
#estment; but, in view of my officia
ltion, deem it proper to relinquish
stock by retransferring it to you and
est, the fund in some other mode.
IRE, therefore, to transfer the stock t.
without premium or interest, and re
j that you viii place to my credit tn,
Else sum which / paid you for tn,
y. am, very respectfully, you
#dient servant,
JAMES K, Polk.