The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-09-27

had expected that some frlendis w ~
temporary of her husoanu piro
make use Of the papers Iel' md
to write an account of MS NE an
administration, but this was nesei ieo
allied. George Bancroft, late III -
took up the project but Wen, E
Their than to have Transcripts
the diary and of a onslderap,e nu
Der Of the letters ana ms hu Ms
papers placed at his disposal ny ~
Polk. 1t was not until 1908 tnal enes
came into the hands Of the late flol.
Charles w. Mann. OF chicago ~
devised a plan to have the Diary pilhef
ed and entered upon the Woih -
editing the diary, but in the MIDST O
his work he died and lt was ~
p!eted by Prof. Quaife, who dedicaleu
il to the memory Of Professor CnalleS
Wesley Mann ito whose scholarly en-
thusiasm the publication OF thIs W. W.
is due" The Introduction to the
Diary by Andrew Cunningham NC.
Laughlin, head Of the Department. %
History Of the University Of Chlcago'
is an interesting treatment OF the
life Of President Polk.
w are now able says Dr. Nc
Laugnlin, .t~ look behind the scenes
Of the drama of sixty-fve years ago.
and even into the mind OF a man
who, despite his real simplicity, must
~freauentlv have puzzled the statesmen
of his day
Tnis Diary has no self-affected con.
e~cio1sness, and Ices not read as II
written for future historians. 1T IS
plain that not through the pubic
documents, the customary ard ma
tarial for historical study not through
the passionate defamation of Con-
gress, but through the quiet, keen
words Of this silent President can one
get the most knowledge of the real
course Of events and Of the men VINO
played their parts. The cOpiOus
entries show that Polk was straight
forward, and moved straight ahead
with d~irectness, following his course
u~nfiinchingly, guided by the light OF
by a prejudice or q partisan anti
pathy which one can easily detect,
says President Mclaughlin, and he
goes on to say: The Presidential Of
flee was still governed by the prece-
dents Of JeffersOnian simplicity and
Democratic unreserve; sight-seerS and
public ministers ottce-seekers ana
Congressman and beggarS for aims
found their way to the executive S
presence. And though Polk fretted at
the interruptions n at the thought
less importantly of callers, it does
not seem to have occurred to him
that he could initiate remotely the
exclusive seclusion of an European
pOtentate. That America should b
simple and free, that it must avoid the
ostentation and reserve of Europe
were ideas SO typical of thought and
practice in the first Of the nineteenth
century-which firmly held him" Mr..
Mclaughlin shows that Mr.. Polk was
a man who had the courage of his
convictions by this incident: His
determination not to sign the appro
priation bill if it contained a claus
embOdying the principle Of the VIII
mot ProvisO shows a strain of deter
mination and decision which appear t
be characteristic of the man
The Diary shows hat Mr.. Polk was
4 real disciple Of Mr.. Jefferson as he
was a protege and friend of "Old
favOrite with Andrew Jackson, of his
State, and jackson helped to secure
him a place in Congress where his
abilities made him both Chairman o.
the Ways and Means Committee anG
Speaker of h House-honors thai
do not come to a man who is wanting
in ability of a high order. Polk no
only professed the J~effersonian prin-
ciples-he believed in and acted upor
them. Like Jefferson. he felt that tn
liberties Of the people were e%ndanger
ed through loose construction Of tn
constitution by Federalistic judges
He determined through his appoint
ments to the Supreme Court bench
not to be a party to the changing O
the character Of our Government
through the courts. On Decembe,
IS, 1S45, as his dairy tells us, he dis
overs that Buchanan lis in a pet
because the President does not nomi
| nate as Justice, the mar whom tn,
Secretary Of State desired. Polk write
l in his dairy that the court must no
f be allowed Ito relapse into the broa,
Federal doctrines of Judge Marsha
1 and Judge Story every care must h
taken to see that men OF original
: native and pure Democracy are ele
waited to this position of decisive in
%f1uence. Il AVE never known an in
/ stance of a Federalist," he writes
2 who had after arriving at the age @
thirty protested to change his opin
s ions, who was to be relied on in hi
constitutional opinions. All Of Their
who have been appointed to the s,
t preme Court bench. after having Sc
cured a place for life, become yer,
soon broadly Federal and latitudi
g marian in all their decisions jpyol,i,