The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1897-01-21
HOLES IN HISTORY.
Some Interesting information Relating to
Tennessee.

Jonesboro, Tenn. Jan. 9.-Iu the
January number of Munsey's Maya
zine, under the head of prominent
American Families, - is most excellent
articles, devoted to the Polks, an arti-
Gle that is very timely and acceptable
to all East Tennesseans in this, our
Centennial year, when we are trying
to gather together and present every
little scrap of history that relates to
Tennessee or Tennesseans. Therefore,
I trust shall not be considered as pre-
suming too much if | call attention to
and correct one or two little inaccara-
cies and omissions that note in the ar
ticle in question.
On page 4O2. in speaking of Presi-
dent James X. Polk, the writer of that
article says: 'As representative he
served fourteen years, five of them as
speaker, in the national congress.
James X. Polk was elected to the
speakership of the national house of
representatives Dec. 7. 1885, and was
elected to succeed himself Dec. 1887,
serving through the Twenty-sixth and
Twenty seventh congresses. In August
1889, he was elected to the governor
ship of Tennessee, and was inaugura-
ted Oct. Z, 1889.
From the above it will be seen that
James X. Polk was preaker of con-
gress for only four years in ronnd mum
bers, but then it matters but little,
aside from getting at the correct histori-
cal facts, whether James X. Polk served
four or five years as speaker. 1t was q
great honor to him and to Tennessee
that he was elected to the speakershir
twice in succession. 1t may be also
proper to add that Mr.. Polk was de-
feated for the governorship of Tennes'
see by James G. Jones, both in 1S41
and 1843-the only instance on recorG
where a man reached the presidency
after haying been defeated for Govern
or of his own state twice in succession
I also note that there is no mention il
the article Col. William X. Polk
He was the friend and companion o
his distinguished brother, and in 1874
when there was no railway nor tele
graphic lines reaching from Nashville
to Columbia, Col. Polk waited in Nash
will until the arrival of the papers an
nouncing the nomination of Polk ant
Dallas, then drove rapidly in bugg.
to Columbia and was the first to an
nounce the news to his anxious brother
Col. VIM. X. Polk was also quite
distinguished plitician in Tennessee
especially along in the ffties. In 18j
he was elected to congress from tn
Columbia district-the same distriC
his distinguished brother SO often rer
resented in the national congress. An
in 1856 he was an elector for the stat
at large on the Buchanan and Breckir
ridge presidential ticket, canvassin
the state against Hon. Horace Maynard
. one of the most scholarly and abl
: wings in the state. In 1860 he was
candidate for elector for the state-a
large on the Douglass and Johnso
presidential ticket, and in 1851 he We
an unsuccessful candidate for Cove
nor on the union ticket against Go,
Isham G.. Harris.
And while it seems really cruel
l spoil such pretty little story as thi
found on pages 4O4 and 4O5 Of the art
Gle in question. where it is stated tn
> "During the occupation of Columbi
Tenn, by the union troops, Gen. b
ell 'ourteously rendered Mrs. Polk Il
I Presidents widow, then past 65, Il
protection of guard, but the offer w
. courteously declined, 4 cannot acce
d federal protection, she said, 'as n
u sons are in the confederate army.
Il still the truth of history says it mu
go; for on page 4O5 of the magazine t
g writer says President Polk "died
70 his 54th year, without issue," viii
% is true. President Polk was nev
y blessed with any children, nor did /
l. widow ever make her home in Colul
/ bia, it would seem, after her husband
'S death. For, during his term in t
IS white house, Mr.. Bolk purchased t
Polk place in Nashville, where he di
10 in June, 1849, only about three mont
10 after he retired from the president
40 and where his widow lived during
a remainder of her long life, and wht
I'd the Tennessee legislature was wont
De repair in body, at least once duri
each session, and formally pay tn
respects to her as the widow of an
President of the United States.
j. S. MATHEs