Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-12-15
How Jamie K" Borrowed $4,000
From a Rich Old Uncle in
Memphis,
And very soon Had 20 Pay 10
Back.

clQlly with drfnt, nepotlsm was the I
rule OF their administration, and was
pushed BY them to the extreme Of ap-
pointing their relatives Of every de-
gree Of kinship TO Office These re-
heciions remind the writer Of an in |
cident related to hin by AIr! Kemp
Holland, az Mississippi, an Intimate
personal friend Of President Polk,
soon alter it happened; that is, about
1915 or 1916. Said Mr. Holland;
Just before President Polk vent
on TO Washington to be inaugurated,
he visited Memphis en- route, aud met
there wealthy uncle of his-vOaptain
William Polk, Of ArkansAw---a very
eccentric old gentlemAn, whose chief
enjoyment in Iifc was found in lamsss-
ing wealth Still he was very proud
of his successful nephew, the Presi
dent elect, aud finding that Jimmie
X as he called him, was very much
in need OF money at that time, he
generously offered to advance him any
sum that he might need preparatory
to his triumphal march to the national
capital his Inauguration and assump-
tion Of the duties of his high office.
Captain Billy had just sold his large
cotton crop in Memphis, and the two
we're walking out together, early in
the morning, on the bluffs in front Of
the city, when the old man pulled out
bis plethoric pocketbOok, and, hand.
ing it tohis nephew, said, in MS deep,
pompous tones: Attl'
There, jamie, l hear you stand
in need OF money; open that pocket
book aHd take out Of that roll Of $500
billsaiy sum that you may require.
You had better do this than to bor-
row rem the banks. You can repay
me QUO 81 yeur salary, without inter
est. at your convenience.
THE President, knowing the old
man as be did, you may well believe,
was much moved as well as surprised,
by this astounding mark Of confidence
and esteem on the part Of one who
was so noted for close dealing, and
who. it was said, many years before,
had refused to send his own father q
supply OF corn without first receiving
the cash 10 hand. The pooketbook
contained thirty or forty thousand
dollars, however, the President would
accept ouly 5000 as loan, even on
such liberal terms, hl.Esy profuse /.
+ his expressions Of gratitude for the
l signal favor conferred.
! "Time rolled on The President
/ elect proceeded by easy stages t
Washington, making By the way q
4 each Of the oyations rendered him
e those brief. but eloquent and fAmoul
speeches which outlined the pole,
OF his administration and we're in ex
+. act accordance with what have beef
0 Democratic principle, policy and prac
tice-strict economy, anti-bank, anti
monopoly, tariff for revenue only etc
-for sixty years-iu fact, ever sine
Mr.. Jefferson was elected the frs
time A few weeks after the insugu
tion, Thomas Polk, young farmer 0
, Missouri, and son of Captain VIII
liam Polk, made his appearance a
Washington, and was most hospitabll
received and entertained BY his cousin
the President, at the White House
But, few days after his arrival, b.
J made known to the President that h
4 was there as an applicant for the yer,
S lucrative Office Of Receiver Of Publ
e Moneys at the GoVernmentIand Ofie
of Northern Missouri. The Presiden
being well posted in all Democrat
principles and usages, and thers
G fore stem anti-nepotist, a
Q all consistent Democratic Presi
s dents and other Office holders ar
b bound to be, was compelled firmly, bu
!, kindly to refuse Toms application
Q backed as it was by his father reQues
and influence. Anything else in tn
= world" be said, that he could do 70
him he would do most oheerfully-
s anything but that Of giving a near rel
ative-a first cousin, indeed, Of IN
c same name-an Office; that woul,
!, bring serious and damaging reproacl
I upon his administration at the outset
G Besides, if be did so, it wouldn't be
. month before hundreds Of the kindre,
q scattered all over the South and Yves
9 would be thronging TO Washington
in quest Of Offices, which, If they be,
o them, would in the long run do then
more harm than good. Thus argue,
t the President, but Tom couldn't an
+ preciate his scruples. couldn't begil
!. to see it in that light; got mad a
d blazes. and, leaving Washington in
huff, went straight TO che old gentle
3 man, his father, in Arkansaw, an,
c laid before him the story Of his sa,
: disappointment. The old man ais
took lire. Neither Of them could Sc
i any sense in having live President il
I. the family, unless. like Wings an,
j Federalists, he was willing to shar
c with his relatives the fat Offices a
r his disposal-and this, too, the NOR,
especially in view Of that wonder
fully generous loan of 5000 in hart
cash, without interest So the Of,
man straightVay sat down and wrote
a very curt order on the President 70
the money, and handing it TO Tom
told him to go straight back to Wash
ington, collect and bring it to him
D Tom nothing 10th ,obeyed instructions
and" concluded Mr. Holland) "th,
s President himself told me that beforl
+. his first quarters salary was due h
: had 10 run around all over Washing
e ton among his friends in order to Dor
1 row that money to pay his irrate OLE
) nab0b Of kinsman down in Arkan
a saw. But he said he felt be had acte,
E upon principle which every Chic
Executive ought strictly 10 observe
!. and though he regretted the old gen
}, tleman's aud Toms anger aud disap
D pointment, he hoped that 10 due time
alter mature reflection, they would Sc,
{ that he was right and do him Justice
b That the Democracy and the peopl,
at large would do him justice he hat
v no fears"
3 Ia another conversation, Mr.. Hol
y land said there was an impression
y abroad IN the same quarters, that tina
4 great and good man, President Polk
bad appointed his brother, William
d Ii. Polk, charge d'afairs to Naples
e tut that was a mistake, as upon an ex
+, animation OF the records Of the Stat
y Department nd Of Congress, he ha,
y found that that appointment was thI
( very last act Of President Tyler belor
the expiration OF his term Of Office
that the appointment was sent in AZ tn
last moment, but, OF course, not acte,
upon and confirmed by the Senat
q until after Mr.. Tyler's successor Mr
= Polk, was inapgurated."
o Mhnrn ihnrn 4. . ,ronl.no.. Oen.n-