The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-12-17
THIRTY.FIVE YEARS AGO.
"Reminiscences OF tho incoming 81
EsSlkss Administration.
Ben Perley Poore, in Atlantic Montbl

lben Ferley Poore IN Atlantic Monthly.1
President Polk was nearly 90 wears O
age when lie was inat1gitrated, and wa.
no novice In public life, having served
Tor fourteen consecutive years in Con
gress and for two years as Governor o.
the State of Tennessee. He was {
spare man, of unpretending appearance
and middle, stature, with rather small
head; full, angular brow; penetrating,
dark gray eyes, and a firm mouth. Hit
hair, which be wore long and brushed
behind his ears; vas toiiched with silver
when he entered the White House. and
gray when he left it. He was worthy
and weli-qualifed member of the fra.
ternity of Free Masons, and believer
in the creed Of the Methodists, although.
out of Difference to the religious opill,
lons OF lis wife, he attended worship
with her at the Rev. Mr.. Sprole's Pres
byterian Church. Calm, cold and in
trepld in his moral character, he was To-
norant of the beauty Of moral upright.
ness In the conduct Of public affairs
ambitious of power, and successful in
the pursuit of it. He was very method
ical and remarkably industrious, always
finding time to listen to the stories of
those who came to him as petitioners
for patronage and place. But his ardtl-
GUS labors impaired his health and short.
ened his life. Before his term of office
had half expired, his friends were panied
to witness his shortened and enfeebled
step and the air of languor and exh.us-
ton which. sat upon him.
Mrs. Polk was strict Presbyterian
and she Stunned what she regarded as
"the vanities of the world whenever Il
was possible for her TO do SO. She did
not possess the queenly grace of Mrs.
Madison, or the wafm-hearted hospital
ity of Mrs. Tyler, but she presided oEer
the White House with great digniF,
She was of medium height and size, with
very black hair, dark eyes and complex
ion, and formal yet graceful department
At the Inauguration of her husband she
wore black-silk dress, long black
velvet coat, with deep cape, trimmed
with fringe and tassels, and purple
velvet bonnet, trimmed with satin rib.
bon. She would not permit dancing at
b16 Willie mousse, DuU Sn6 Q1Q all In l0l
power to render the administration of
Mr.. Polk popular. One morning lady
found her reading. II have many books
presented to me by the writer's, /" said
she, "and I try to read them all: at
present this is not possible; but this
evening the author of this book lines
with the President, and I could not be
so unkind as to appear wholly Ignorant
and unmindful of his gift. ~ At one Of
her evening receptions gentleman re-
marked: MADAM, you have very gen.
teel assemblage tonight" "Sir, re-
pied Mrs. Polk, with perfect good humol
but very Significantly, 81 never have
seen it otherwise"
John G. Calhoun had expected to re-
main in the Cabinet as Secretary of
State, and he. did not hesitate to say that
he was sacrificed to appease the wrath
of Mr.. Van Buren,. Accordingly, James
Buchanan became Mr.. Folks Secretary
of State, and Mr.. Calhoun soon returned
to the capital as Senator from South
Carolina.