Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-06-18
JAMES POLK.

.I...rrcs Polk, tho eleventh pressidetlt sloli
lilo United States, died. POLK was N Z,
chief executive Of this country hprafE
ono. ot. the most important periods OF
III HISTORY, He concluded the treat
ar peace With Mckee which gave 70
tbis country California, New Mexico
Nevada. Utah, Arizona and part OF
Colorado and Wyoming. he settled wy
Oregon, boundary controversy VIII
Great Britain, and saw Iowa, B Florida q
md WISCONSIN, added to the Union. TUG
independent treasury act and the ware
housing act we're passed during ,ht'
limo 1f his occupancy OF the White
lIouse. He. compelled the replacing ot
thu tariff act of sac. q protective meas
= Ire by one based on the ptincipie
~ tariff for revenue only which re-
manned In operation for eleven years
While he was president. over u opooo
fnllare miles OF territory were added " "
1SsftSlljs country. And vet be is all but Tor
gotten. The writer referred to says.
85..It lis a. strange fact Of history that
8ths fame of President Polk has been
greatly obscured and that he mas Y no y
seen remembered as the head of an az
Il 1r,flistration which dealt with events as
y big as any which have engaged the at
Il tention ar American statesmen II rs
strange. 3s5.
4 But Polk does not appear TO ad-
vantage iii the history of this coun-s
try, though he had exccpt oppor ''a
a.. 3 e - . - WI s,.1
mites. He played IL dual role, HIS m
tentions from the first We're to add to-
the Union the enormous belt Of terri
tory from the Gull to the Pacific, and
III turn the greater part OF It over
slavery. He instructed the American
Y consul at Monterey to induce the ma
lives of California to revolt Az t lFIe
same time he sent an ambassador 70
\ Mexico to purchase Call ornia, put
Without waiting to learn the osultsi o.
$this mission. he ordered General Taylor
TO advance on the Rio Gitarde aud close
the river trade. Finally the MeSicans
made an attack upon q body OF Am ~
erican cavalry, and Polk sent a mes
Z safget TO Congress declaring that wan
! exists. Notwithstanding all our efforts
8 To avoid it,, Isut the war was hardy
begun before he asked Congress LOT
4 $4,000. 600 for negotiations, undoubt-
+ eddy in the hope of being able to l'ir (
chase peace Polk does not appear TO
great advantage during this time,
though the war resulted In a treaty
adding animmense area to the country.
n polk had IA glorious opportunity OF
syfndicatiug American principles, which
hos neglected, III 1s45 committee,
headed by Brigham Young, in behalf Of
{ The Church. sent him n communication,
setting forth the wrongs they had suf-i
fered in Missouri and Illinois, asking
MIN to advise them as a father and a
/ friend" what to do The letter lis
4 5 5rsemarkable appeal to the chief execu-
{ tive OF a great nation In behalf Of 10y.
4 al citizens ostraclzed by. nobs under
the flag of freedom. These are some
para grap hs:
.SWe say we are U tisfranrhised
people we are privately told by the
highest authorities OF this State. that
it's neither prudent nor safe tor us
to5yote at the polls still we have con-
tinucd to maintain our right to vote,
tintif the blood of our best men has
been shed. both In Missouri and Illinois,
With irnpunity. 53f'. HI 5.5 ].
5.She missouri has already used the
military OF the state with the executive
at their head to coerce and surrender
4 lip our best men to unparallelecl muir
der, and that too under the most sa-
t,rea pledges OF protection and safety.
AS "a saIVo for such unearthly perhdy
and guilt, she told lis through her hig
q est executive officers, that the iRNfs
should be nnagnled and the murdsrsrs
brought to Justice; but the blood OF
her innocent victims had not beer
wholly wiped from the floor OF the a,w-
ful arena, where the. citizens of q, soyer-
elgn state bounced upon two defenseless
servants Of God-our Prophet and owl
Observation-Disclosures the senate OF thai
state rescued one of the indicted actors
III That rnournful tragedy from tbs
Sheriff of Hancock county and gave
him an honorable seat in her hall OF
Z legislation, and all who We're indicted
by tho grand jury Of Hancock county
Tor the murder of Generals Joseph and
HSruln Smith are suffered TO roam al
large watching for further prey.
with these facts before you. sir, vii
Won write to us without delay as a
father and friend. and advise us what
u to do We arc members of the sarne
great 5confederacy Our fathers, yea
some of us. have fought and bled for
our country. and we love her consti-
tuition dearly"
The letter of which these paragraphs
are quoted. We're sent not only to
President Polk and 10 every governor
in the Union. bat oislyt from one. Cow
error Thomas s. Drew of Arkansas,
was a reply received. Governor Drew
advised the Saints TO so West, and
& added:
Should the Lattcr-day Saints mi.
CRATE 10 Oregon, they will carry with
them The good will of philanthroplsts
and tie blessings OF every friend Of
humanity. If they are wrong. thelt
wrongs will be abata1 with many
grafton will afford an opportunity tc
make it manifest in due season to the
whole civilized world.
President Polk. when appealed to ii
behalf of a prosecuted people. could
haee taken a bold stand for the main.
teiianes ~ American institutions
against fanatic mobs and coward,
poiit!elsFlsy Tfslz he failed to do. H,
was not asrai 70 the G. He wa.
NOT tbs man 81 the hour. I'D he taker
bald hta1a for the right he woult
have. won fame and hannr, for histor,
alSass In tiie long run. gives a true ans