The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-16
onlces created by tho Constitution, that, namely,

OF speaker OF the HOUSE OF representatives.
Awaiting ourselves Of some OF tho facts col
lccted by Mr.. Richardson. we note that James
Knox Polk was born in Mecklenburg county.
North Carolina. on Nov. Q. 1905. He was a son
of Samuel Polk. n farmer. whose father. Ezekiel.
and Ezokiel's brother. Col. Thomas Polk. one Of
tho signcrs of the Mecklenburg Declaration of
Independence, were sons Of Robert Polk Tor
| Pollock, who was born In ireland and cmigratcd
to America. Tho mother of the future Presi-
dent was Jane, daughter OF James Knox, q resi-
dent OF Irodell county. North Carolina, and q
Captain in the war OF the Revolution. Samuel
Polk removed TO Tennessee in tho autumn Of
1906, when his son James was IL years old, and
settled in n section that was presently organized
as Maury county. James graduated from the
University of North Carolina in 1918 and was
officially recognized as the best scholar of his
class In both the classics and tho mathcmatics
Two years later he was admitted to the bar and
Immediately obtained success in his profession.
SO popular was his style of oratory that his SER
vices MS a public speaker were in great demand,
and ho soon earned tho title of the Napoleon Of
the stump" His first public employment was
that of chief clerk to the Tennessee House of
Representatives. In 1923 he was chosen a mem
Der OF that body and two years later he was
elected to Congress from the Duck River dis
trict. He remained in Congress for fourteen
years and acquired remarkable distinction
as Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Az
fairs and Chairman Of the Committee on Ways
and Means. lie was chosen Speaker Of the
House of Representatives in December, 1885,
and held that office till 1899, when he became
the Governor OF Tennessee. In the year last
named he was nominated by the Legislatures of
Tennessee and other States for Vice President,
and inlS4 4 he was nominated for President OF the
United States by the National Democratic Con-
ypntiOn Mt Raltimorp and waa elerfpd rareiyinp
40 electoral votes to los cast for Henry Clay.
He declined to become a candidate for re-
election in 1913. and. at the conclusion OF his
term, retired to his home in Nashville, where he
died juno 10. 1s49.
We have previously recalled the fact that tho
Senate declined to ratify the Texas annexation
treaty negotiated by President Tyler. Never
theless. before the %latter's Administration end
ed. Congress passed a joint resolution favoring
the annexation of Texas. 1t remained. however,
TO settle the terms upon which the annexation
should take place: whether those defined in the
unratitied treaty or others. The steps taken to
that end are set forth by President Polk in his
first annual message: In pursuance of the Joint
resolution of Congress for annexing Texas to
the United States my predecessor, on the Sd
day of March. ls45. elected to submit the
first and second sections of that resolution to the
republic OF Texas AZ an overture on the part of
the United States for her admission as a State
into our Union. This election / approved. and,
accordingly, the Charge d'Affaircs of the United
States in Texas. under Instructions OF the 10th
Of March, ls45. presented these sections of the
resolution for the acceptance OF that republic.
The executive Government, the Congress
and the people of Texas in convention
have successfully complied with all the
terms and conditions OF the joint reso-
luton. A constitution for the Government of
the State of Texas, formed by a convention OF
deputies, is herewith laid before Congress. 1t is
well known, also. that the people OF Texas, at
the polls, have accepted the terms of anneXa-
ton and ratified the Constitution. | commune
cate to Congress the correspondence between the
Secretary of State and our Charge d'Affaires in
Texas. and also the correspondence of the latter
with the authorities Of Texas, together with the
official documents transmitted by him to his
own Government. The terms OF annexation
which were offered by the United States having |
been accepted by Texas. the public faith of both |
parties is solemnly pledged to the compact
of their union. Nothing remains to consum-
mate the event but the passage OF an act by Con-
grcss to admit the State of Texas into the Union
upon an equal footing with the original States"
VIII.
In the same message. the President congratu-
NN> va SNhsa tfSA sAS INV shot t"S oNIoio |
ton Of Texas had been a bloodless achievement.
Thus far 1t had been. but it was not destined so
to remain. The Mexican Minister to the United
States had made n formal protest against the
joint resolution passed by Congress for the an
%nexation Of Texas to the United States and had
demanded his passports. Some months after
ward. our Minister to Mexico. finding it
impossible to carry on any official in
tercourse with the Mexican Government,
a, - a. --tsN Ct-.-, C.--- 49, ill., /
Mexico had been organizing armies with the
p~rofcssed intention Of invading Texas. but as
yet no aggressive movement had been made. In.
deed. in November, 1916. the Mexican Govern
mcnt consented to renew diplomatic relations, |
and on the following day a Minister was &C.
credited from the United States to the Mexican
capital. Soon a%fterward. however, another
revolution broke out in Mexico. whereby the
settlement OF the differences between the United
States and that country was postponed; and
demonstrations OF u character hostile TO the
United States caused tho President to keep
nearly two-thirds Of our army on our South
western frontier. A collision between the
forces OF the respective countries presently
occurred on the left bank of tho Rio Grande
del Nortc, and President Polk. In n special
message dated May IL, 1916, announced to Con-
gress that war existed by the act OF Mexico, \
and recommended energetic and prompt meas
urcs for levying a large and overpowering force
as the most efficient and certain means of bring |
ing the contest to a speedy termination. Never
thcless. OH July 81, 1916. President Polk en-.
TO come to terms with Mexico, and, |
had tho overture been accepted, the march
from Vera Cruz TO the Mexican capital would
not have been performed. and the loss of tho
vast territory subsequently, taken from Mexico
might have been averted. This overture,
which, in justice to Polk. ought not
to be overlooked. is described in a spe-
cial message to the Senate. dated Aug. 4,
1916: II herewith communicate to the Senate
the copy OF a letter under date of the 9th ulti-
mo, from the Secretary OF State of the United
States to tho Minister Of Foreign Relations of
the Mexican republic, again proposing to open
and conclude a treaty OF peace
which shall adjust all the questions in dispute
between the two republics. Considering tho rel.
alive power of tho two countries, tho glorious
events which have already signalized our arms,
md fha III atrapf ad condition. 90 Nfoxi.1 Tlra -. |