The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-05-05
THE DEATH OF JAMES Z. POI
From the Southport Telegraph. July 8, 1919

From the Southport Telegraph July 6, 1919
The telegraph this morning bring :
US the impressive intelligence that tn +
| illness by which ex-President Polk ha
been afflicted for some days past. ha
terminated fatally. He died at Nasl 8
vile on the 18th inst, in the 51st yea
| of his age. 1t is but about tire =
months since Mr.. Polk laid down Ell !
honors and the duties of a Presiden :
and set out from the seat of goYerr :
ment for his home in Tennessee. III :
was taken before he arrived there. an :
has not been well since.
James K. Polk was born in Meckler :
burgh County, North Carolina. an i
was of Irish lineage. His parenfl a
moved to Tennessee in the fall of 1Sasl
He graduated from the University Il
North Carolina in 1918 with distins
ton. Commenced the study of the laS I
the following year in the Office of III
Hon. Felix Grundy. and was admitfalI
to practice at the bar of Tennessss
near the close of the year 1920 a,
was elected a delegate to the LegisI9
ture in 1923, where he was retained II
his constituents for two suceessirp
terms, and during the period assist
in electing General Andrew jackson 10
the Senate of the United States n
August, 1926, Mr.. Polk being then In
his thirtieth year, was chosen to ranIa- |
sent his district in Congress, and folk |
his seat in the House of Represents |
tiyes at Washington the year follow
ing, he then being in the thirty-frst
year of his age.
Mr.. Folks first speech was in favor
of a proposition to amend the constitu-
ton in such manner as to prevent
the choice of President of the United
States from devolYing on Congress in
any event. At the same session the
subject Of the Panama mission was
brought before Congress, and the pro-
ject was opposed by him.
He continued to oppose the admins.
tration of Mr.. Adams until it's termina.
ton, and during the whole period of
Gen. Jackson's terms he was one of his
most unquestioning supporters. Tn
December, 1927, he was placed on the
committee of foreign affairs, and some
time after, as chairman of a select
committee, he made report on the
surplus revenue, denying the constitu-
tional power of Congress to collect
from the people, for distribution. a
surplus beyond the want of the govern
ment, and maintaining that the revenue
should be reduced to the exigencies of
the public service. In 1880, he defended
the act of General Jackson in placing
his veto on the Maysvi4le road bill, and
upon the system of internal improve
ment by the general government, which
had been entered upon by Congress.
In December, 1892, Mr.. Polk was
| transferred to the committee of WAYS
and Means, and at that session present
ed the report of the minority of that
committee with regard to certain
charges which had been made against
the United States Bank.
The course of Mr.. Polk arrayed
against him the friends of the bank.
and they held meeting at Nashville
to denounce his report. His re election
to Congress was opposed; but after a
violent contest he was reelected by a
majority of more than three thousand.
Towards the close of the memorable
session of 1884, Mr.. Speaker Stevenson
resigned the chair, as we'll as his seat
in the House. The majority of the
democratic party preferred Mr.. Polk
as his successor, but in consequence of
division in it's ranks, the opposition
united with the democratic friends of
John Bell, of Tennessee, and thereby
succeeded in electing that gentleman
then professed friend, but since a de.
cided opponent of the President and
his measures.
In December, 1885, Mr.. Polk was
elected Speaker of the House of Repre-
sentatives, and again chosen to that
station, in 1887, at the extra session
held in the first year of Mr.. Van
Buren's administration. In the twenty
fifth Congress, over which he presided
as Speaker at three sessions, commenc-
ing in September, 1887, and ending in
March, 1910, parties were nearly bal
anced, (Mr. Folks majority for Speaker
being only eight and the most exciting
questions were being agitated during
the whole period. At the close of the
term, Mr.. Gilmore, of South Carolina,
moved that the thanks of the House
be presented to the Hon. James X.
Polk; for the able, impartial and digni-
fed manner in which he has presided
over it's deliberations, and performed
the arduous and important duties of
the chair On this resolution, a long
and excited debate arose which was
terminated by the previous question,
when the resolution was adopted by "a
in the affirmative, to 81 in the mega
tive.
After a service Of fourteen years in
Congress, MI. Polk, in 1899, declined a.
reelection, and was then taken upby
the friends Of the administration in
Tennessee, as a candidate for Gov
ernor, to oppose Newton Cannon, who
was then Governor of the State and
supported by the Wing party for re-
election. After an animated canvas,
during which Mr.. Polk visited the diff
ferent counties of that extensive state,
and addressed the people on the poll
tical topics of the day, the election took
place in August, 1889, and resulted in a
majority for Mr.. Polk of more than
$500. At the ensuing session of the
Legislature, Governor Polk was nomi-
mated by that body for Vice President
of the U. S., to be placed on the ticket
with Mr.. Van Buren,. He was after
wards nominated for the same Office in
several other states, but at the election
of 1910 he received one electoral vote
only for Vice President, which was
given by one of the electors in Vir-
ginia.
Having served as Governor of Ten
nessee for the constitutional term of
two years, Mr.. Polk was candidate