Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-10-03
JAMES K. POLK.
The True History of His Nom
nation.
The Master Hand of Old Hickory Turn
ed The Political Tide in His
Favor-Not An Accident.


The Birmingham Age Herald, dis
cussing Mr.. Henry Watterson's let
ter in the North American Review
in reference to the situation between
Cleveland and Hill in New York
and the probable outcome of the
next Democratic convention in nom.
mating some unknown or unthought
of man for the Presidency, and cit.
ing the history of many conventions
of both parties which resulted in &c
cidental nominations, falls into the
common error so often repeated
that President Polk was an acci.
dent.
The Age-Herald quotes from
what purports to be an old letter
written by Mr.. Polk two months be-
fore the convention, in which ne
regarded himself as a remote posi-
bility for the second place on the
ticket
Now the fact Island in justice to
Mr.. Folks memory it should be
known-that Mr.. Polk was a candi-
date for the Presidency and expected,
or at least hoped for the nomination
which he received at Baltimore, and
that Gen. Jackson was an advOcate
of Mr.. Folks for the position and was
opposed to Mr.. Van Buren,. Mr..
Polk was warm friend of the Hon.
Cave johnson, of this place, after.
wards a member of his cabinet, and
many of his letters to Mr.. johnson
have been preserved. From these il
appears that Gen. Jackson fell out
with Mr.. Van Buren, on the Texas
question, and he (Gen. Jackson) was
the first to suggest that Mr.. Polk
should be candidate for the Presi.
dental nomination, insisting that
Mr.. Van Buren, had ruined himself
by his open letters opposing the an.
nexation of Texas. Mr.. Polk in one
of his letters to Mr.. Johnson, dated
Nashville, May 10, 1874, says:
"At the the urgent solicitation OF
Major Donaldson, General Arm.
strong, and one or two other friends
who wrote to me, l came to this place
yesterday. To-day General A. and
myself visited the Hermitage. On
our way up we met Donaldson with
a letter from General jackson for
publication in the Union, reaffirming
and reiterating his views on the
subject of the annexation of Texas.
n n He speaks most affection
ately of Mr.. Van Buren,, but is COM
PEELED to separate from him on the
question, and says that both he and
Mr.. Benton have by their letters cut
their own Threats politically"
Again, on May 18th, Mr.. Polk
writes:
"Gen. Jackson has written a
private letter to Mr.. Van Buren,,
and also to Mr.. Blair, in which he
has spoken frankly and plainly. He
is of the opinion that Mr.. V. b see
ing the impossibillity of his election
even if nominated, will and ought to
be withdrawn He thinks
the candidate for the Presidency
should be an annexation man and
reside in the Southwest, and he
openly expressed the opinion that i
would be the most available man."
Many other passages show clear
~ that Gen. Jackson favored Mr..
Polk for the nomination, and was
opposed to Mr.. Van Buren,. Mr..
Polk himself, until just before the
meeting of the convention, was a
for the Vice Presidency,
but he certainly was hoping for the
nomination and expect
ing it when he received 1t, as his let
ters to MIR. johnson abundantly
show. The communication of Gen.
Jackson to the Union was withheld
for prudential reasons, as we learn
from another letter written by
Mr.. Polk to Mr.. johnson.
All the statements to the effect
hat Mr.. Polk was not aspiring to
he Presidency and was an accident
ire erroneous. Mr.. Polk relied OH
his reputation as speaker of the
House, and on the strong arm of old
Hickory to secure his nomination
md felt reasonably sure oft. Gen.
Jackson used his friends very much
ike Mr.. Lincoln secured Andrew |
Iohnson's nomination Tor the vice.
presidency.
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