New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-17
TBEeSTORY OF 4 LIFETIME.

CbiIdress Polk, the good, gentle, Christian Wom-
an who has just passed to her rest DrSb Sa' ~
the seat of honor at the White House as Uie
wife of the eleventh President OF the um'eu
States. Married at nineteen, almost out OF tno
scboolroom, twenty.seven years of welded nie
uncrowned by motherhood, were spent IN close
companionship with her husband IN tne lun
wbirl of the exciting politics of the day ffeSi-
dent Polk outived his term of ONCE only enreo
months. Forty two years his widow has sur,
viyed him. dwelling in peaceful and honoreu
retirement in the dignity, though not always
in the luxury. of his stately home near NASH
villa whore henceforth her ashes are 10 resi-
tIonniIv tbe generous hand of the Nation sou
ened to her later years the ngors ana prlva-
tions that attended the progress OF the war
for the Union. - ,;.o.;ors
The growth of the country in all oirecuohs
from infancy to maturity, from weakness u
no,,.er from poverty to wealth untold, during
the eighty eight years of her life, Is easy 10
arasn Rut how few. even of those living men
thot are old enough to know, can quite realize
tho vast eypanson, the stupendous changes
o,,or Of tbe four decades she has lived in re-
tirement.
The Polk Administration forms IN many
respects a notable landmark in the NaOoh
history. With it the reign OF Jackson came dt
last to an end Just or unjust, the succesSlui
orosocution of the war with Mexico, right or
u,,onp the ACQUISITION of Texas and Callfor-
MIA brought the colonial period to close.
Steam came 10 our aid for the peaceful ana
honorable subsection of the yet richer empire
that lay waiting for the conqueror III Ihe mp
Of the Mississippi. Since then the ste.lnl-ehsine
and the telegraph have changed nos merely
tho business of the world, but even the very
face Of the earth itself. Oregon is now nearer
n London than New-Orleans was to Washing
ION when London discussed with Washington
tho nrecise location of the unsettled and indeed
unknown boundary of Oregon. Thought now
oncircIes the globe in the time then deminueu
for conveying message the length OF REM
sylvania- - nh.
As for the Oregon boundary Itself, the POLK
Administration came into office pledged to sat
isfy the campaign cry of " F1ity-four forty or
6obtu: il went out of office with an agreed
line of forty-nine and without fight. Inc
Democratic party, then as ever since, opposed
70 everything, or at all events to everything
National, was deeply committed against inc
Wing policy Of internal Improvements; accord
ingIy, its Congress passed big Internal I'M
oroyement bill over the Presidents objections.
II surprised itself by enacting the first tariff
for revenue only-and the last. The Wilmot
proyiso against the extension Of slavery INTO
the vast regions newly acquired for the purpose
of extending slavery raised the standard OF
freedom and planted it in the forefront OF the
coming struggle Against it DiSunion IN vain
rallied it's open friends and its secret allies to
save slavery Then slavery seemed, nay was
more firmly rooted in the soil OF America than
the strongest monarchy in Europe Is to-day
Now slavery has disappeared as completely as
the thrones of the lncaS, and with it has per-
ished Disunion 80 utterly and so fagrantly
that il NAV be doubted if in all the land one
person in his senses can now be found who IN
| his heart OF hearts could endure the thought OF
seeing his country divided.
All these things have come to pass in the
| later DAYS of one who was in middle life when
her active career gently ended. What won
ders. then, may not be in store for those OF us
now in middle life whose years shall be equally
prolonged? 1t would need a prophet to say
and wise prophet would wisely hold his peace