1 JAMES KNOX POLK AND NORl'H CAroLINA

by Jerry C. Cashion r

JAMES KNOX POLK and NORTH CAROLINA

•

A Re port Prepared for the Historic Sites Division of t he state Department of Archives and History

by Jerry Clyde Cashion

1965 Ral eigh, North Carolina

.. PROPERTY OF -. HISTORIC PRE SER'JATION -... .SECTION

9/;1fH -/-20 • Preface i I The Search ror A Description of The Polk Birthplace 2 II James Knox Polk As A Student At The University of North Carolina 13 III James K. Polk And The Presidential Election of· 1844 In North Carolina 18 IV The Pr esident Returns To His University 26 V The Retirement of The Ex- President 52

VI James K. Polk And The "Mecklenburg Declaration of Independenoe" M VII William Hawkins Polk 57 Appendix 61

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PREFACE The following report contains mat erial relative to James Knox Pol k and his associat ion wi th his native State of North Carolina. The purpose of this report is twofold: t o provide material upon which to base t he reconstruction of the Polk Birthplace; to present material that could be used as a gui de in t he preparation of displays in a pr oposed visitation center to be established at t he Birthplace site. It Is with deep gr atitude that the author recognizes the i nvaluable help of the f ollowing in the comp ilation of this report . A gr eat debt is owed Mrs . Elizabeth 11. Vilborn , starr Hi storian of the State Department of • Archives and History for her patient understanding and invaluable direction. Also many profitable s uggestions • were provided by A.L. Honeycutt, Jr., Re s toration Specialist with the Department of Archives and History. Speci al recognition mus t also go to Mrs . Frank . L. Owsley, Director of the Manuscr ipts Division of t he Tennesse e State Library and Archives, and to William S. Powell , Director of the North Carolina Collection, University of No rth Carolina. I ndeed, Bill bas endured

the aut hor I s "Folking around" fa.r.- above and beyond t he call of duty . Hugh T. Lefler, Kenan Professor of Histor y at t he University of Nort h Carolina has guided the i nexper ienced hand of this writer for many years as a ment or and a friend. I n addition , Pr ofessor Lefler graciously allowed t he author to continue in hi s position at the University whila conducting the research for this report .

• err; Clyde Cashion The University of No rth Carolina September 15, 1965

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THE SE~B CH FOR A DESCRIPTION OF THE POLK BIRTHPLACE

This writer must confess almost complete failure in his attempt to uncover additional material r elative to t he description of the physical structure in wh ich the eleventh Pre sident of the United States was born. Vfuen an historian is unable to find a solution to a s pecifio question after submitting the question t o the accepted methods of historical inquiry he tried to explain the reasons for his failure. In this instance, several reasons pre sent t hemse lves as possible explanations. The writer wishes to stress the word 'poss i ble' as he is dealing with conjecture rather then with fact. • First, and most l ogical; it goes without sayi ng that there was nothing unusual about l og cab ins on the • frontIer. Thus, there was no reason why a log cabin near Sugar Creek south of Charlotte in Meckl enburg County should have created an y par ticular interest until the summer of 1844 when J ames K. Polk became

the first "dark horse" candidate for the Presidency.

This was rorty~nine years after he first breathed the

air of "O ld Mecklenburg. 1t Another f actor which Is all too evident to those of us who are engaged in the writing and preservation of North Carolina history is the almost criminal neglect

which accompanied the recording , C O lle c tln ~ and preser vati on of the early history of t his State. It is not altogethe r colncldentlal that the only description, however i nadequate, of the intact birthplace was made by President Dav id Lowry Swain of the University of North Carolina. In January of 1844, the year prior to Po l kts elevation to the Pre sidency, there appeared a notice i n the Raleigh Register of the proposed establishme nt of The Historical SOCiety ot The University of No rth Carolina. "The f irst Annual Meeting will be held in Gerard Hall , We dnesday, 1 June 5 , 1844 • . .• " Thus was established the first active organization tor the collection and preservation ot the history of the State. 1 Raleigh Re gister, January 26, 1844 • • 4 President Swain also had a more personal interest, • which the former Whig Governor expressed in the following letter to the Democratic President:

U~versity of North Carolina 24. April 184 7 To the President of the United States Sir, I have heard with great pleasure of y our contemplated visit to this institution at our approaching Commencement . It would be unnatural 1n one so newly identified with this University as myself not to regard s o deci ded a manifestation of grateful rembr ances and filial affe ction on this part of the most eminent of her sons with f eeling s of kindness as well as pride. The latter emotion has been awakened in my bosom on this occasion, by considerations very different from those ariSing from mere eminence of station. Although we have never met on any occasion, yo ur whole course of life from the time you entered college has been kn own to me with a particularity that you would scarcely have anticipated even from a native of North Carolina , nurtured upon the borders of Tennessee , five and twenty years ago the roommate in college, and in after years the familiar friend and associate of your brother Marshall. Under such circumstances, I feel that I have almost a right to consider myself an acquaintance and friend, and at all events venture to hope that in the course of a few week s there will exist no reasonable doubt on either head . • • • I am with sincere respect &. est eem Yo ur obt. Serr 2 Devid L. swain. It is evident that after Polk's visit to the University there existed "no reasonable doubt on either head" as to 2. Elizabeth Gregory McPherson, "Unpublished letters from If<)rtnCarolinians to Polk," The North Carolina Historical , XVII (April, 1940), 146. (Hereinafter cited as • erson, "Unpublished let ters") • 5 3 their friendship. Thus, when Swain journeyed to Mecklenb urg • in 1849 , Polk's old homeplace held not only an historical but also a personal interest . There is no evidence that James K. Polk ever returned to the scene of his nativity after his departure as a small boy 1n 1806. If he had returned to Mecklenburg after he had attained national prominence, then no doubt, some reference concerning his birthplace would have been reported in the national press. Invitations were tendered Polk to return, but each time eve nts proved unfavorable tor acceptance. Soon after he received the Democratic nomination for President the "Democracy Of Mec klenburg" passed the following resolve: "That as Meck lenburg is the native

County of James K. polk , that we invite him to visit UB , and attand a public Barbecue to be given in this pl ace 4 .... " Willi am H. Haywood , Jr. of Raleigh , a prime mover in Polk's campaign i n North Carolina counseled the Presidential nominee to "not permit our friends to draw you to Bny public me e ting s either in N. C. or Tennessee or 3 M1lo_M1'l.toniQ.il."~fjj ' , "editor, The ¥WY of James K. Polk during his Presidendy, 1845-.0 9 ~v o l umes~ IChlca'lo: A.C:-McClurg and Company, 1910), III, 44- 49; Worthington C. Ford, "Letters from President Polk to George Bancroft on the Mecklenburg De claration of Independence," Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society, XLIII (October and~ovember, 1909), 101-109 . 4 Ra leigh. North Carolina Standard, July 3, 1844; • McPhe rson, "Unpublished letters," XVI, p . 366 • 6 elsewhere & put your refusal manfully and openly on the ground that it Is not becoming in any man to Beek the • y 0 Presid by personal electioneering. " Polk took the advice of Haywood and wrote the following letter in reply to the invitation: Columbia, Tenn., July 2 1844 Gentlemen: I have had the honor to receive your letter of the 15th ultimo , inviting me on behalf of a publi c meeting of the Democracy of Mecklenburg , to visit North Carolina, and to be present at a "public barbecue" to be given at Charlotte on the 23d instant . Having been nominated by the Democratic National Convention lately assembled at Baltimore as a candidate tor the office of President of the Unit e d States, Bnd having accepted the nomination, I am constrained by a sense of propriety to decline accepting all invitations to attend public meetings during the pendency of the Presidential election. In adopting this course I but follow the example of the eminent men who have precee ded me as candidates for that high station . It would afford me sincere pleasure, I assure you, t o visit once more sceens of my early youth, and "to meet on the consecrated soil where first wa s declared the independence of this country," the despendants of the "illust erous patriots of May , 75," and if in any instance I could depart from the rule of conduct which I have pr escribed for myself in this respect, it would be to visit the people of my native County of Me cklenburg, whom you represent . Trusting, gentlemen, that the reasons which i nduce me to decline your invitation may be deemed satisfactory by yourselves and by my fell ow- citizens of Mecklenburg , I am with great respect, Yo ur obedient 5ervan~, James K. Polk. Polk was again invited to r eturn to Me cklenburg whe n 5 McPherson , "Unpublished letters," XVI, pp. 337- 338 . 6 • Raleigh No rth carolina Standard, August 14, 1844 • 7 7 he attended the 1847 Commencement at the University • • On this occ8sion the invitation was not a partisan one as it had been in 1844, but an invitation on behalf of all the citizens of Mecklenburg . The busy war President took time to write a rather lengthy reply: Wa shington City, May 21, 1847 Gentlemen: I had the honor to receive a few days ago, your letter of the l Oth instant, inviting me to ext end the visit, which I contemplate making to the University of N. Car olina, at the annual commencement In June next , to my native County of Mecklenburg . Though very young when my family emigrated to their new home in the West, I have ever cherished for the State of my birth a strong and natural attachment . After an absence of sever al years , I retu~n:ed to North Carolina and was educated at her University. My native County of Meck lenburg Is especially endeared to me, by many strong personal ties, and there are still living within her borders, many aged persons of whom I recognize some of your number, who were the associates and early friends of my ancestors. In her soil are interred the remains ot many of my kindred . The County of Mecklenburg too is prominently connected with the hist ory and achievements of the American Revolution. It was here that our ancestors made the first formal Declaration, that wa s made in the colonies by a pUblic meeting of citizens, that all allegiance to the British Crown wa s forever dissolved. The citizens of Mecklenburg firmly maintain to this day, the principles of liberty which their ancestors thus boldl y avowed . I need scarcely assure you, gentlemen, of the peculiar pl easure it would affor d me t o revisi t the place of my birth, where so many interesting associations would be revived, but in the pre sent condition ot public affairs, I regret that I cannot with propriety, be absent f rom t he s eat of Governme nt, --beyond the short period I 7 Charlotte J ournal, June 19, 1847 . • 8 have alloted to myself to visit the University • After my official term shall have expired, it may • be in my power to do so, and in that event, the visit could not be otherwise t han most agreeable to me. With the tender of my thanks to the citizens, who I am happy to learn from you, united in t he meeting which you represent, nwithout party distinction," and who have conveyed to me, through you their kind i nvitation. I am with Sentiments of high regard, Your obediertt servant, dames K. Polk To: Messrs. William Davidson) 8 C.J. Fox )Committee, &0. WM . W. Elms ) Charlotte , N.C . J. W. Osborne ) TIm . J. Alexander) Nor did Polk get a chanoe to visit his native county after his retirement trom the Presidency . Scarcely three months after he put aside the heavy burdens of Chief Magistrate , James Knox Polk was dead. Another factor which may enter into our speculation as to why no more adequate description of the cabin remains to posterity is the cabin itself. It has been stated above that there was no reason before 1844 why this particular cabin should have been singled out from \ the multitude as unique. Unfortunately, in 1844 the -fog-cabin' was an anathema to the Democrats still smarting under the defeat of 1840 in the Log- Cabin and 9 Hard Cider campaign of Tippecanoe and Tyler too. 8 Ibid. , July 10 , 1847. 9 Robert Gray Gunderson, The ~g~ - cabin Campaign (Lexington: University of Kentucky Pres~ ); Raleigh RegIster, • May 3 , 1844 • 9 The Whig candidate of 1844, Henry Clay, in his • famous Raleigh visit stated: "Our opponents complain of the means which were employed to bring about that event 'fjhe e l ection of 18497. They attribute their loss of the publ ic confidence to the popular meetings and processions, to the display of banners, the us e of log cabins , the Wh i g songs , and the exhibition of Coons , 10 which preceded the event ot '40 ." The log-cabin campaign t actics of the Whigs were particularly distasteful no doubt to Polk , as he was defeated in his gubernatori al bid of 1841 in Tennessee 11 by these same methods . Thus far only speculative excuses for the failure to recover an exact description of the birthplace have been presented. There are , however, several. positive aspects concerning the Polk birthplaoe which research has uncovered. That indefatigable collector of North Caroliniana, Stephen Beauregard We eks, compiled a ten_volume scrap book containing cl ippings relative to the history and 12 biography of the Stat e. The volumes are presently to Henry Clay, Mr. claf's sreech: delivered in the City of Raleigh , April-r3th,844no place: no pubrrsher, no date) . -11 -- Cora Mi ley, "James ~ . Polk, the First 'Dark Ho rse' Elected to the Presidency," Ame ricana Illustrated, XXIV (July , 1930), 349 . 12 Stephen Beauregard Weeks and Sadie Mangum We eks , compl1er~ "Histor y and Biography of North Carolina Scrapbook," 10 volume~ • North Carolina Collection, Library, University of North Carolina. 10 located in The North Carolina Collection at the University • of North Carolina. In Volume IV, page 224 there appears a clipping with a notation in Week. ' s own hand that it was taken from the Atlanta Constitution of APril 22 , 1890.

The portion of the article relative to the Polk bir~hplace Is quoted below in its entirity:

• • • It wa s in Pineville township eleven miles from Charlotte, where the Polk family lived in 1795, and in which year JamSs Knox Polk wa s there born . The old l og hut built late in the eighteenth century, in which he first saw the light of day, has long since gone to decay, but the front door shutter has been c arefully preserved THE HISTORY OF THE RELIC . This door shutter is the only remnant l eft of the house in which Mr. Polk was born, but that it is a l egitimate representative of the building is certified to by many aged persons now living in the vicinity of Pineville, to whom reliable information was given of its historical value over fifty years ago. The door is DOW the property of Mr . H.H. Hood, of Charlotte. It is made of hard pine, and bears unmistakable marks of age . The Polk family was considered well-to-do, thrifty and of marked influence in this section of t he state, but James presented no qualities in his early life to indicate his prominence in after years . In 1810 Nathan Orr bought the property, the Polk family moving to Tennessee, and he moved the "mansion" four hundred yards down the Camden road, en a more elevated spot . In 1825 , a year of progress with North Carolina farmers, Mr . Orr erected a "modern" residence and converted the Polk house into a granery, and it was used for this purpose till 1845, when Orr died. On the distribution of the Orr estate a daUghter of the deceased, Mrs Jame s Hennegan, became possessed of the "granary," which she used as a storehouse t i ll 1879, when it was torn down, only this door shutter remaining of the building. On account of its history Mrs. Hennegan had it attached to a new house which she built on the plantation, and to which it did good service until it was secured by Mr. Hood and brought to Charlotte a few days ago. Another possible lead concerning the birthplace was • uncovered by A. L. Honeycutt, Jr. of t he State Department 11 of Archives and History. Whi le on vacation, Mr . Honeycutt • visited the James K. Polk Ancestral Home in Columbia, Tennessee. In the Ancestral Home there is a sketch of a log building which is supposed to be the remnants of the birthplace of James K. Polk. Mr . Honeycutt directed 13 this writer to try to ascer tain the origin ot the sketch. Subsequent research in the major cmllections in North Carolina proved futile . Inquiries were also made in Nashville with negative results. After his return from Tennessee this writer was contacted by Mrs . Erank L. Owsley, Director of the Manuscript Division of the Tennessee State Library and Archives. Mr s. Owsley by accident discovered the sketch in a scrapbook. She was able to identify it as being from an article entitled "Home of 'fwD Great Tennesseans"

written by Emma~ook Scott for The Ol ympian, Volume I,

Number 5 of May, 190~and published i n Nashville. Mr s. Owsley wrote that "I have read the article carefully but aside from the picture there is no mention of the 14 birthplace." Mrs . Owsley also informed the wr iter that Miss Evelyn Po lk Norton of Nashville had a copy of the sketch 15 ~ .L. Honeycutt , Jr. to Jer ry Clyde Cashion , July 28, 196~in Polk Correspondence, Historic Sites Division, State Department of Archives and History, Raleigh. 14 Harriet C. Owsley to Jerry Clyde Cashion, August 19, 196~in Polk Correspondence, Historic Sites Division , State Department of Archives and History, Raleigh •

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which is loca~ed in the Polk Ancestral Home at Columbia • Correspondence has been entered into with Miss Norton in • 1 5 an attempt to obtain a copy of the sketch.

15 derry Clyde Cashion to Evelyn Polk Norton, September 4, 1965~ (COpy) in Polk Corres p ondence, ~ Hlstoric Sites Division, State Department of Ap chives and History, Raleigh • • •

JAMES KNOX POLK AS A srUDENl' AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA In oonducting research tor this report a close scrutiny was maintained for inrormation r elative to the student years or the future President . Not only was James Knox Polk educated in North Carolina; but his wife , Sarah Childress Polk, attended Salem Academy . Sarah's studies at the Moravian school were curtailed 1 by the unexpected death ot her father . While some mater ial was disoovered ooncerning this early period in the life of the President, this material 1 Anson and Fanny Nelson, Memorials of Sarah Childress Polk • (New York: Anson D.F. Randolph and Company, 1892), p . l 1-rz:- 14 was found to be included in an article by Professor • Charles Crier Sellers, Jr . entitled "Jim Polk Goes to Chapel Hill." This article appears on pages 189- 203 of the April, 1952 number of The North Carolina Historical Review (vol . 29, no. 2). Professor Sellers also inoluded In his study much material not available to the present res e archer. Since this article Is readily available to the staff of the State Department of Archives and History, a mere repetition and duplication of its contents does not warrant inclusion in this report. It is felt, however, that t hose e ngaged In the preparation of display materials may be aided by the inclusion ot a list ot those students who were the contemporaries of Polk at the University. The Class of 1816 was In its senior year when Po lk entered the University, while the Class of 1822 was 1n its freshman year when he graduated.

2 CLASS OF 1810 Lawson Henderson Alexander Lincoln Co. William Julius Alexander Mecklenburg Co. James Alexander Craig Lincoln Co. Nathaniel Daniel Halifax Co . Uo ses John DeRosset Wi lmington John Edward Graham Richmond Co. .Mark M. Henderson Oxford Charles Applewhite Hill Franklin Co. Joseph Ross Lloyd Tarboro James White McC lung Knoxv ille, Tenn. 2 Kemp Plummer Battle, Histor~ of the univerBitf of North Carolina, 2 volumes . (Ralei gh:dwar~and Brough on, 1907- • 1912), I, 789 • 15 John Young Mason Hicleaford, Va • JuniuB Alexander Moore Wilmington John Patterson Richmond Co. • James Sampson Sampson Co . William Bane Alexander Wallis Stolees Co .

:3 CLASS OF 1817 Richard Henderson Alexander Me<>klenburg Co. Hardy Bryan Croom Lenoir Co. Gooderum Davis Fayettevill e Samuel Thomas Hauser Stokes Co. John Henry Hawkins Warren Co. Hardy Lucian Holmes Sampson Co . William Rainey Holt Orange Co . John Motley Morehead Rockingham Co. James H. Murdock South Carolina James H. Simeson :virginia non- graduates Bryan Grimes George W. Jeffreys Blalee Little Archibald Fairley William K. Fenner Lawrence O'Brien Alexander Wi lliams Abraham Maer Francis N. Waddell

4 CLASS OF 1818 Robert Donaldson Cumberland Co. Thomas Jefferson Green Virginia William Mercer Green Wilmington Arthur Jay Hill Wilmington Hamilton Champerlaine Jones Rowan Co . Henry Jones Warren co . Pleasant Hugh May South Carolina Edward Jones Mallett Fayetteville Elam Johnson Morrison V.e clelenburg Co . Robert Hall Morrison Cabarrus Co.

789 . 789 • • 16

William Dunn MOsley Lenoir Co • Peter Oliver Picot Plymouth James Knox Polk Tennessee • Hugh Waddell Wilmington 5 CLASS OF 1819 Walker Anderson Petersburg, Va. Iverson Lee Brooks Caswell Co. David Thomas Caldwell Me cklenburg Co . William Henry Haywood Raleigh Owen Holmes Clinton Simon Peter Jordan Stokes Co . James N. Mann Nash Co. James Turner Morehead Greensboro J ohn Quince McNeill Wilmington Clement Carrington Read Smithville , Va . James Hipkins Ruffin Rockingham Co . non-graduates George Craighead William J. Harrison

6 CLASS OF 1820 Cyrus Adams Alexander Cabarrus Co . Richard Allison Cabarrus Co. William Horn Battle Edgecombe Co. Archibald Gr ayson Carter Caswell Co. Charles Dixon Donoho Caswell Co. William Hill Hardin Rockingham Co. John Steele Haywood Raleigh William McNeill Lea Caswe ll Co . James Franklin Martin Stoke s Co . Bartholomew Figures Moore Halifax Co . James Hervey Otey Liberty, Va . Matthias Brickell Dickerson Palmer Northampton Co. Malcom Gilchrist Purcell Ropeson Co . Thomas E. Read Smithville , Va . Charles Grandi s on Rose Person co. William Ro yall Virginia Thomas Bog Slade Martin Co. Richard Ivy Smith Csswell Co . Charles George Spaight Newbern John Malone Starke South Carolina 5 !hid. ,Ir' 789. 6 Ibid. ,I p. 789- 790 • • I 17 David Williamson Stone Raleigh "ohn Camillus Taylor Granville Co . Phillip Hungerford Thomas Milton • Henry Christmas Williams Warren Co . Thomas Henry Wright Wilmingt on non- graduates Nash LeGrand "ames p .• Martin

7 CLASS OF 1821 Nathaniel Wa shington Alexander Mecklenburg Co. Samuel Johnston Alves Orange Co . Benjamin Franklin Blackledge Newbern... Robert H . Cowan Wilmington Bryan S . Croom Lenoir Co . Frederick John Cutler Wilmington John Rives Jones Daniel Halifax Co . Micholas John Drake Nash Co . Robert M. Galloway South Carolina Henry Turner Garnett King and ~ueen C.H. Nathaniel Harris Orange Co . William Rufus Haywood Ra leigh George Washington Haywood Raleigh Samuel Headen Uberty. Va . Pleasant Henderson :Chapel Hill Thomas Jefferson Lacey Nelson, Ky . Willis Monroe Lea Leasburg Will iam Kinchen Mebane Orange co . Anderson Mitchell Wilkes Co . Wi lliam Spivey Mhoon Burtie Co. William DeBow Murphey Orange Co . Spencer O'Brien Granville Co . EdWard Griffith Pasteur Newbern "oseph Hubbard Saunders Chewen Co . William Andrew Shaw Raleigh Samuel Henry Smith Granville Co . "ames Stafford Rowan Co . James Harvey Taylor Granville Co . Charles Law Torrence Salisbury non- graduate Henr y McAdin

7 • Ibid. ;r, p . 790 • •

;r AMES K. POLK AND THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1644 IN .NORTH CAROLINA The Whigs of North Carolina in 1644 we re basking in the congenial .and warm security of a decade of 1 unbroken political rule . Howe ver, by 1644 this security wa s more and more threatened by the rising tide of discontent both wi thin the party and within the State.

As Professor Lefler has noted: Its long lease of power stimulated conservatiam, self-confidence, and machine eontrol of t he party . El der statesmen, notably Graham, Mor ehead, Mangum , 1 See Herbert Dsl e Pegg, "The Whig Party in North Carolina, 1834-1861" (Unpublished doctorial dissertation, University of North Carolina, 1932 ) ; Clarence Clifford Norton, "The Democratic Party in North Carolina," The James Sprunt Historical • Studies , = (1930). - 19 and Badger, dominated party machinery and policy , dispensed elective and ap pointive offices , and made the party inhospita\ le and unattractive to young men • with political ambition. The Whi gs relaxed their zeal for the constructive policies which had made them the popular dominanli party and became less sensitive to public opinion.

Si~ more years were to pass before a rejuvenated Democraoy could oust the Whigs from political domination in North Carolina. In the Presidential contest of 1844 both parties were backed by a vociferous and well organized partisan press. The official organ of the Democracy was the Raleigh North Carolina Standard under the editorship of William woods Holden. In 1844 ,Holaen, who had matriculated in the school of hard knocks, wa s a youth of twenty- six. He had only the year before taken over 3 the editorship of the Democratic sheet . Ye t, he attacked the opposition without mercy, and he emerged from this his first Presidential affray an acknowledged master in the art of partisan philippics. The Whig press in North Carolina Vias headed by the 4 Raleigh Register under the editorship of weston Gales . Gales wes the scion of a family of first rank in the 2 Hugh Talmage Lefler and Albert Ray Newsome, North Carol ina; the History of a Southern State . Revised edition, (Chapel Hill: The Universi{Yof Nortli Carolina Press, 1963), p . 356. 3 Ibid. , p . 358. 4 See Robert Neal Elliott , Jr., "The Raleigh Register 1799- 1865," Sprunt Studies in History and Political Science, • XXXVI • 20 field of American journalism. While he was warmly partisan in his attacks, he was much more sedate and • refined in his methods than the youthful editor of the Standard. The Register , like the Wh i gs whom it represented, was resting on its laurels. Whi l e the Register was the acknowledged Official Whi g organ in the state, perhaps the most bitterly partisan sheet in the Whig camp was the small but highly influential Salisbury Carolina Watchman. The announcement that the Democratic Convention

at Baltimore nominated ~ames K. Polk as a "dark horse" candidate took both political parties in North Carolina

by surprise. -The Whigs announced that Polk's nomination "may be looked upon as the dying groan of Loco-focoism 5 in this country." The Carolina watchman felt that Polk wa s "about as well fitted for the office of Pre sident of the United States, as Sancho Panza was for that of 6 Governor of the Island of Barataria. " The Whigs f eared that the popularity of a native son candidate might prove to be SUfficient oause to move the State into the Democratic camp. Almost immediately the Whig press began a bitter attaok on the Democratic nominee . The zenith --or more correctly, the nadir-- of this

attack came in the charges of ~~ryiam against Polk's

5 Salisbury Carolina Watchman, dune 8, 1844. 6 • Ibid., November :30, 1844 • 21 Grandfather, Ezekiel Polk. According to Professor • Sellers, the incident out ot which the charges grew was as follows: With Lord Cornwallis ' s invasion of South Carolina in the summer of 1780 and the disasterous American defeat at Camden in August, the Me cklenburg militia was called out for operations against t he loyalists rallying west ot the Catawb a and tor gallant guerrilla action against the inexorable advance ot the enemy 's main army . Though he t ook the field himself on several occasions, Ezekiel more characteristioally joined the Presbyterian clergy in haranguing the militia and "exhorting them to be true to the ir c ountry ." But when, on September 26, the British Army marched past his farm into Charlotte, Ezekiel's own patriotism failed. Cornwallis had chosen the only painted building in the village , Thomas Polk's "White House," 85 his headquarters, and there Ezekiel went to save his property by "taki ng protection," promising to remain peaceably at home and cooperate with the invaiders . Eleven days l ater fortune again turned against Ezekiel. The annihilation of Cornwallis's left wing at Kings Mo untain forced a British withdrawal, and only Ezekiel' s family connections *aved him from punishment by the resentful Whigs . The charge of Toryism against Ezekiel Polk was not new in the political career of his Grandson . It had been first used against Polk in 1840 by the notorious "Parson" William G. Brownlow , editor ot "t.he most vicious 8 newspaper in this era of vicious political journalism. " In the Presidential canvass ot 1844 the issue wa s first raised in Polk's native State, North Carolina.

7 Charles Grie~ Sellers, Jr., James K. Polk, Jacksonian 1795-1843 (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1957) , p. 16. Se e Sellers, "col onel Ezekiel Polk, Pi oneer and Patriarch," Williame -and Mary quarterl y , Third serie., I (Jan. 1953) , 80-98. • Sellers, Polk, Jacksonian , p . 424 . 22 The charges seem to have originated with the Whig Fayetteville Observer, and more particularly with • 9 the Whig leader, George Edmond Badger. Polk l a ter wrote that "during the Presidential canvass of 1844 he

~ adge ~ did me gross injustice . Among other things he took a leading part in propagating the basely false story concerning the Revolutionary services of my 10 Grand- father, Ezekiel Po lk.~ The Tory charge s oon grew t o be a major issue in North carolina. The charge came at a time when the State was already sorely vexed by the dis putation of the authenticity of t he so-called "Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence.- The Register published the testimony of an old Revolutionary, Thomas Alexander, who stated 11 that Ezekiel had taken British protection. The Democratic State Central Committee r ecountered with the issuing of "A Vindication of t he Revolutionary Character and Services

of the l ate Colonel Ezekiel Polk of Me cklenburg , N.C." by 12 William H. H~ywood, Jr. 9 Concord New Hampshire Patriot, July 4 , 1844 in John E. Haynes, ~omprrer, "Politics in 1844 ..• , " 2 volumes. A scrapbook of political articles concerning the e l ection of 1844 . ' North Carolina Collection, Library, University of North Carolina; Charlotte Journal , July 19 , 1844. 10 Milo ,Diary or "James K. Polk ~~~~~~;! volume~ (Chicago : A. C. ~~ .• U I 43. 11 -Robert Lambert Stansbury, "The Presidential Campa i gn of 1844 as seen through the PreBS" (Unpublished masters thesis, University or North Carolina, 1948) p . 59 12 • Raleigh North Carolina Standard, September 18, 1844. 23 The Standard labeled t he Tory issue as a "foul, 13 • unmanley, and false charge ." Ho lden reprtnted t he testimony ot that darling ot the Mecklenburg Revolutionary era, Captain James Jack. In the testimony Jack indicated that Ezekiel Polk was among those i nstrumental in the promugatlon ot the s upposed document of May 20 , 1775. Holden concluded by remarking : No man can doubt the certiticate of Capt. J ack without at the-S-ame time doubtIng the genUineness of the Me cklenburg DecIaratIOn O?:rndefendence:- The svldence-whICh sustains the DeclaratIOn sus ains 81so the fact t hat Ezekiel Polk was a true Wh i g and a patriot in the Revolution. Let the harpies of pa14Y beware how they tix their claws upon sacred things. Charges were met by counter-Charges. Depositions f ostered depositions . Finally James W. Hampton, the editor of the Democratic Charlotte Meckl enburg Jeffersonian announced another claim which s hows the depths to which the situation reached: '"-'ORE SLANDER AGAINST OUR CANDIDATE , JAMES K. POLK ! Doomed to inevitable defeat, 85 every breeze clearl y proves to them, the federalists are starting s l anders against Jame s K. POlk, _every day, and of eve ry possi ble character. We-nave exposed their base charge of Toryism against his grandfather: we have al so exposed the Q8se forgery and slander started against him by aboliti onists of the north, and r e- echoed by the Whig press in the South, that he branded his negroes , and now we have another of a still mo re gr o ss character to refute . A gentleman of Jefferson, Indians) whose name we have , informed us that it is charged t here that James 13 Raleigh North Car olina Standard, July 19 , 1844. 14 • Ibid. , August 7, 1844 • 24 K. Po l k is a BASTAR D, and that no one can tell who his fatner-wa s! We ll, t his beats alII Fr eemen of Me cklenburg­ freem~ of North Carolina! Honest men of all parties • !Eorqf •. • these acts of rank inj ustice to one whose i l neage 15 well known , and whose moral life challenges re?roach, and wbo has s erved his country faithfull y in ma~y offi ces of high distinction? In Nor th Carolina , James K. Polk 1s the grandson of a Tor y : --In I ndiana, he is a Bastard, and no one knows who hi s father was- how can these charges be reconcil ed? . •. But stop- We have it. Cannot t he federal sdavengers of this region get up Bome certificates and se nd t hem to I ndiana , proving t hat James K. Polk was actually a Bastard? Or , probably they had better get up some certificates , and have t hem sworn to, that James K. Polk's race became exti nct in f ~imm1ng Ramso ur's mill pond during the revolution •• • • The reader shoul d not gain from the above t hat the Democrats were without fault in their c ampaign methods i n 1844 . The Democratic press constantly attacked Clay and his "immorality" in a vein similar to the attacks on Polk. However, i t is beyond the scope of this work to go into that aspect of the campaign in No rth Carol ina. In the gubernatorial election held in August, 1844 the Vfu i g candidate Wi lliam Alexander Graham defeated his Democratic opponent , Mi chael Hoke . After this defeat even the most stalwart of Demo crat s realized t hat Pol k ' s chances of carrying his native State we re al mo st nil. Whe n the final tabulation was made Polk l ost the State 16 by a suprislngl y close margin of onl y 3 , 945 votes . Polk's subsequent national victory caused t he Democracy of No rth Car olina to re joice and to try to 15 ' Oharlotte Mecklenburg Jeffersonian, October 16, 1644 . 16 Robert Digges Wi mber~y Connor, A Manual of North Carolina • (Ralei gh: E.M. Uzzell and Company, State printera, 1913 ), p . 964 25 forget their own recent defeat . The editor of the • Carolina Wa tchman in bitter disillusionment observed: However difficult it 1s for us, and many of our Whi g friends, to believe that James K. Polk is elected President, yet with the figures staring us in the face, and the shouts of Democrats ringing in our ears, we can doubt no longer. It is even so: Jame s K. Polk is the President elect of these United States! An honor far above his most extravagant hopes , has been surprisingly conferred upon him. James K. Polk has beaten Henry Clay! __the greatest statesman living, and an American out-and-out. James K. Polk, the grandson of Ezekiel Polkl is to occupy the seat of the immortal wash f~tonl -the rather of his Countryl--let fall t he Curtain.

17 • Salisbury Carolina Watchman , November 23, 1844 • •

THE PRESIDENI' REl'URNS TO HIS UNIVERSITY "I t was here that I received lessons of instruction, to which I mainly attribute whatever of success or advancement has attended me In subsequent l ife . "

In the Alumni History of the University of No rth Car olina the following brief entr y appears:

POLK , J AME:S KNOX Lawye r Nashvill e , Tenn. ; b . Mecklenburg co . , Nov . 2, 1795; d. June 15 , 1849 ; A.B. 1818 ; A.M. 1822; LL . D. 1845; memo gen . ass em . Tenn., 1823- 25; mem U. S . cong o 1825- 39; Speaker , house of 1 rep . U. S. A. 1835- 39 ; gov. Tenn . , 1839- 41; pres. U. S .A.1845- 49 .

There are many entries 1n the Alumni History of far greater length , yet only in this instance alone is the cryptiC note

"pres . U. S . A." f ound. 1 Daniel Lindsey Grant , Alumni History of the Uni versity of North Carolina (Durham: General Alumni AssocIation of the -­ • University of North Car olina, 1924) , p .498. 27 Polk had a l ways held a deep feeling for his alma mater . • the friendahips that he forme d Vlhile at the University were i n many cases continued throughout life. Whi le

Governor Of Tennessee , Polk expressed his desire to return to Chapel Hill for the Commencement of 1841 .

Howev er, his wish 'las not realiz.ed on that occasi on , 2 possibly because of the political situation in Tennessee . In 1844 before he wa s elected--but after his defeat in the State was almost a certainty--Polk received

invitations of membership from the honorary societi es of t wo private educational institutions wi t hin the

State . The first invitation came from Wake Forest Co llege:

Forestvi£se , N. C. Sept . 14 1844 MY Dear Sir- At a meeting of the Philomathesian Soci ety of Wake Fores t Coll ege, it wa s unanimously resolved that the Hon . James K. Polk be informed of his e l ecti on to the post of Honorary-membership, and also requested to f urnish his name to be enrolled on its Catalogue of Honorary Member s- Permit me , Sir , in behalf of the SOCiety, whose organ, I am to tender you our hi ghest consideration, and to presume t o entertain a hope , that your zeal , for t he cause of l earning everywhere , and particularly in your own native State, may induce you to comply with the wishes of the Society-

2 Archibald Henderson , The Campus of the First State University (Chapel Hill: The universIty of North Carolina Press, 1949) , pp. 91- 92 •. (Hereinafter cited as Henderson, • Campus . ) 28 flith sentiments of high Consideration, I am , Yours very Respectfully, wm . A. Coleman 3 • Cor . Sec Phil Soc Yo . Only two weeks behind the request of their Baptist brethren came a similar inquiry from Davidson College:

Davidson College No Ca 28 Sept . 1844 Hon~ James K. Polk Honor able Sir We a committee tor the Eumenean Society of Davidson College are hereby authorized t o inform you that you have been honourably and duly elected an honorary member of said society and hope you will confer an immediate acceptance of same through the medium of the committee Committee Alexander I . MCKnifht William J. Cooper.

The following year the then President- e lect was informed of his elevation to honorary membership in t he 5 Hermean Society of Caldwell Institut e at Gr eensborough. Although the State had witheld her confidence f r om her native son in the Presidenti al contest , the University bestowed upon him her highest honor by

3 Elizabet h Gregory McPherson, "Unpublished letters from North Carolinians t o Polk," The No rth Carolina Historical XVr[ (Ap ril , 1940) , ~ (Hereinafter cited as leI' scm, "Unpublished letters" ) . 4 Ibid., p. 348. 5 Ibid., p . 432 • • 29 canfering upon him the honorary LL . D. degree in absentia • • At this same Commencement of 1845 similar degrees were granted to John Y. Mason (Class of 1816), then Polk's Attorney General and l ater his Secretary or the Navy , 6 ana the Whig senator, Willie P . Mangum (Class or 1815) .

Early in 1847 the disting uished alumnus received a letter from Chapel Hill which , no doubt, stirred many old memories:

Chapel Hill N.C. Feb . 7th 1847 Hon James K. Polk Sir We take pleasure in informing you that the "Dialectic Soci ety" of which you are a member , have appointed us a committee to take steps In procuring a portrait of yourself, which we wish to s uspend in our debating hall. Trusting that your early recollections of our common and hallowed fraternity "the Dialectic Society" may induce you to consent that the portrait may be taken; and desirous of showing our respect for a distinguished fellow- member we hereby request that you will at the e arliest date inform us whether and when you will consent to sit to have the portrait drawn. fi lth high regards, Sir, we are your fellow members Chss . E. Shober Pres ) 7 b . 1I Howerton )committee . V. C. Barringer )

6 William A. Gr aham to James W. Bryan, June 9 , 1845 in Joseph Gregorie deRoulhac Hamilton, The pa~ers of Wi lliam A. Graham, 4 volume.~ (Ral eigh: North Caro ina Department of Archives and History, 1957-1961 ) , III, 47 . (Hereinafter cited as Hamilton, Graham .) 7 McPherson, "Unpublished le~ters," XVII, p. 65 . • 30 The President gave his consent and the noted Phila'delphia artist Thomas Sully was commi s sione d by • 8 the Soci ety for the task . Sull y was also engaged by the Philanthropic Society of the University to paint 9 their distinguished member, Secretary of the Navy Ma son. As one newspaper noted: "No praise from our pen can add anything to the reputation of Mr . Sully. His name alone, is a sufficient guar ant ee of the f idelity of the 10 portraits, and the beauty of their execution. " It cannot with certainty be said what motivated the President to decide to attend the Commencement of 1847. Perhaps the port rait request of the Dialectic Society was a factor, or the lure of the semic entenlal gathering . Regardless of the reasons, his decision

was applauded by hi s friends. Already the heavy burdens of the dutie s of First Mag istrate had deeply undermined his health . His physical deterioration occasioned notice even among his political opponents, one of ilhom remarked that "President Poll< is turning gray faster than any man 11 I ever sa~. He is very thin, and looks careworn."

8 Milo Mi lton ~uaife, editor, The Diary of James K. Polk during his Presidency, l845 - l 849~ volumes . (chicago : A. C. McClurg and Company, 19~ III, 32- 36. (Hereinafter cited as ~uaife, ed.,Po1k Diary. ) 9 Ibid., III, p . 32. 10 Raleigh North Carolina Standard, May 26 , 1847. 11 James Graham to l/ . A. Graham ,_ Mar ch_13 , .l,846 in .. , J..U , • Hamilton, Graham, III, 109 • 31 In the twenty- seven months of his term which pr eceeded his visit to the University he had been absent from • 12 his desk for only six days . Upon learning of the intended visit, his old friend and political lieutenant , William H. Haywood, Jr .

congrat ulated him on his decision but warned him that "not a stump- not a tree will you pass there that does not tell you of some buried friend- Some broken chord­ some vanishe d dream: and unless one ' s being a President makes a difference your visit will be full of painful yet pleasant sadness- YOQreturn to_your alma mater a 13 greater man- May you leave it a better one." The news of the pending visit initiated a veritable ~ f activity at Chapel Hill and throughout the stat e in preparation tor t he return of the distinguished SOD. The Executive commdttee of the Board of Trustees of the University met on April 21 and resolved:

1) That t he college buildings be rewa shed with a coat of Hydraulic cement and t he doors, windows , posts and sills be repainted. 2) That Girard ~ Hall be enl arged by the construction of additional Galleries , Pews , and Seats according to the plan proposed by the faculty. 3) That the 4 dwelling houses owned by the Univer sity and ocoupied by the President and 3 professors be repainted. 4) That President Swain and Professor Green be appoi~4ed a Commi t tee to oause the improveme nts to be made . 12 Ra l eigh North Carolina Standard, June 9 , 1847. 13 McPherson , "Unpublished l etters ," XVII, p. 150 . 14 • Henderson, Campus, pp . 92- 9S. 32

Work in Chapel Hill was not limited to the University • • In anticipation of the event, Miss Nancy Segur Hilliard, owner of ~he Eagle Hotel and victualizer to countless generations of Carolina students, erected a new addition to her establishment. Above the entrance of the addition

was placed a plaque inscribed:

Erected To Receive Pres. Polk On the Occasion of His 15 Visit ~o His Alma M~ ter.

On the same day t hat the Executive Committee of the Board ot Trustees met, 'he Standard informed its subscribers that "We are pleased to learn that the President of the United States expects to visit North Carolina in June next, and to be present at the University dur i ng 16 1Commencementl ." With the bitter partisan struggle of 1844 all t oo reoent in the memories of many North Carolinians, Holden pleaded tor a cessation of factional alliances tor the occasion of the visit. "With a matter of this sort party spirit can have nothing to do, and therefore it is that we invite the people generally to unite in tendering the hospital1 ties of the State 'to the 17 Chief Magistrate of the Union." The Whigs did not 15 Henderson, Campus, pp. 95-96. Plaque now in University Archives according to Henderson. 16 Raleigh North Carolina Standard, pril 21, 1647 . 17 • Ibid. 33 immediately embrace t he invitation, and the Register • remained conspiciously silent on the ensuing event. The first "official" notice of the Presidential visit appeared in the following announcement :

University of North Carolina) April 24th, 1847 ) As the Exeoutive Committee of the Alumni Association, We take pleasure in remarking the great and general interest excited by the approaching Commencement . The first Class of the University having graduated on the 4th duly, 1778 li79§/ the fiftieth in regular succession will receive the usual honors on the third day of next dune. The President of the United States is expected to honor this semicentennial with his presence, and the Secretary of the Navy has consented to deliver the annual address before our Association. All the graduates of the University are cordially invited to attend. The Alumni of 1816, 1817, and 1818, will be espeoially welcome; the first having been the classmates of the Hon. Secretary of the Navy-- the

second J of the President of the Alumni Association , and the third, of the President of the united States. William H. Battle) dohn DeB. Hooper) Executive Commit tee William M. Green ) 18 Charles Phillips, Secretary.

Tlord Q.uickly spread that the University had invited the President to attend the exercises . -The University wishing not to offend the President immediately stipulated

that "His re~urn to his Alma mater is voluntary, and i s a graceful and grateful tribute of af fection and respect 18 Raleigh North Carolina Standard, April 28, 1847 • • 34 for the Institution, the more to be appreciated because • rendered without solicitation. An invltati~n from the Aut horities of the University would, under the circumstances, have been unprecedented, and might, for this reason be 19 properly declined. "

Finally on May 21, the Register broke its silence by briefly announcing the pending arrival of the Chief Exe cutive in Raleigh, and observed that "we are to have 20 Q.uite a gala day on that occasion. " still no hint of guarantee that partisan differences would be suppressed was offered. Meanwhile , the people of the State continued to prepare for the visit. The citizens of Franklin, Granville, and V'arre n Counties formed a committee to escourt the

President from Gaston, near the ~l r g~nia _i~ne; tO ~ Ra~e1gh . This committee was headed by the venerable old Colonel, John D. Hawkins . Some insight into t he great detail 1n which plans we r e laid for the tour can be seen in the following correspondence from Colonel Hawkins to Secretary Mason:

Henderson, Gran~!lle County No . C. Ap ril 17 1847 Dear Sir: 19 Ibid., May 19, 1847 . 20 • Raleigh Register, May 21, 1847 • 35 Of this date a committee delegated from a meeting of the Citizens of Franklin, Granville and Warren have addressed you and invited you to accompany the President • in his proposed visit to the University of Np. Ca. to attend Commencement next June. In addition to that letter it is advised & desired that I should write you , and in the way, I pr opose to address you. And I will premise by telling you great excitement, of the most respectful character obtains, as far as I can leern, throughout the Broad extent you will travel that the President a nd his suite maeke the visit. And that a nxiety is in some sort increa sed to know before hand who will accompany him, that ever y accomodation may be In readiness. I know of no one, nor does our commdttee, upon whose goodness we can throw oursel~es for information like yourself . I hope then you will excuse the freedom with which I ask your informat ion before hand who will accompany the President, so that everything necessary for the transit may be in Readiness . We desire to know how many , assuring that the more the merryer. To Baleigh from Gaston there will be no difficulty, because ample Tr ains Extra will be in waiting. But from Raleigh to Chapel Hill where carrages will be used- it is very desirable to know something before- hand how many to provide for, with this knowledge there will be no difficulty. I was at Raleigh a few days ago attending to some business and much conversation was had upon this subject, and to gratify the solioitude, I promised to write to you in this way, and when I heard from you to hand over the information .•• •• NOW, Sir, I make no doubt that the President &~is Lady and you and your l ady and daughter and any other Ladies who may accompany you, will have a very pleasant time of it. As to them, I mean the Ladies, it will be full of novelty. Where every effort will be made to render them agreeable attention. I heard in Ra leigh that l~ . Wm. H. Haywood should have said Mrs. Polk had decided to go to Chapel Hill. Whe ther he said so or not I did not hear him, but in a circle of l adies I assured them she would come, because I heard her say she WOUld. Now, Sir, you will pardon my suggestions and they are these. The President and his suite should neach Ga ston Friday before Commencement, unless he chooses to come sooner, not later, stay there Friday ni ght leave there aft er breaKfast, t ake e arly Dinner at Henderson, and get to Raleigh in the evening Saturday, remain in Ral ei gh Sunday and go to Chapel Hill Monday &c. May I expect ~o hear from you?

I am mo st respectfully Your Humble Servt, • Jno. D. Hawkins 36

The Honb1e 21 • John Y. Mason. The distinguished assemblage l eft the Federal City

at e:30 a.m. on Friday, ~~ y 26. Included in the Presidential delegation were Presidant and Mrs. polk; Sarah Rucker, Mrs. Polk's nieoe; Secretary and Mrs . Mason and t hier two children, John end Betty; Colonel Walker, the President's private secretary; and a young Kavy officer, Ma tthew Fontaine Maury, who had been invited by the University to r eceive the LL . D. degree. The Presidential train passed through Fredericksburg, Richmond, and Petersburg r eceiving at all places the warmest of tributes and hospitality from the citizens of the Old Dominion. Atter jolting in the railroad oars for what must have seemed an eternity, the President reached Gaston,

North Carolina)at about ~ : OO a.m. on the morning of Saturday, May 29. "I retired to a room in the Hotel, shaved, & dressed. About sun-rise , on entering the parlour below stairs, I was received by a committee of Citizens of North Carolina, & was addressed by Col . John D. Hawkins, their chairman, who welcomed me to my 22 native state." 21 J~hn D. Hawkins to John Y. Mason , April 17 , 1647, in Hawkins Papers and Books, the Southern Historical Colle ction, University of North Carolina. 22 • Quaif., ed., Polk Diary, III, 39. 37 MR . PRESIDENT : Many of your fellow-citizens of the Counties of Franklin, Granville, and Warren, having heard that you proposed to visit the University of • North Carolina at its next Annual Commencement in June, called a general meeting of the citizens of the three counties to select a Committee to meet you, and to receive you at the border of the State and tender you its hospitalities. That Convention was held and the Committee raised, who now stand around you; and I am selected as its organ. I must add, moreover, that I have been requested by some of the Trustees of the University to meet you here . In behalf of all , Sir , I greet you with a cordial welcome to the State of North Carolina, the land of your birth and e ducation. Your visit to the University affords us the pleasure ta meet you here, and it Is hoped that visit wIll be attended with pleasing reminscences; but, Sir , it must be in some sort clouded when you come to reflect how many of your old associates, as well as the then exalted President of t he College, Dr . Joseph Caldwell, have gone down to the grave since you bid them farewell , and gave them the cordial embrace at the f eet of your Alma Mater. Ne arly thirty years have passed by since that day, and vast and important have been the changes during that period over the whole world. More has been added to the Arts and Sciences, to inventions and i mprovements, during that period, thab the whole wor l d received for the three hundred preceeding years . Mr . President, I we ll remember, thirty years ago, when visiting the University as a member ot the Board of Trustees and a member ot the Board of Visitation, to have seen you there then as a student; and, Sir, little did I then think it would fall to my lot now to address you as the President of the United States. This certainly evidences great and important change s, and furnishes to my mind a theme for strange but pleasant reflections . I was then comparatively a young Trustee; now I am the oldest Trustee as to date of commdssion , except one; and I can safely say the Trustees have extended a fatherly care over that Institulion. They have watched over its destinies with unceasing assiduity, hoping and relying that upon the tuture efforts of the students would rest as the ground pillars of our national strength , the welfare, the grandeur, and the perpetuity of our excellent form of Government , as well as the happiness of our beloved countrY. PleasiDe t hen indeed is it to the guardians of that Institution, to witnesa , ~ time after time , the rise and progress of its sons to greatness and to usefulness; and particularly pleasing is it to behold you now, Sir, filling the first and greatest • station in the world. 38 And here , Mr. President, I cannot forbear to say I behold in your Suite (turning to Judge Mason) a gentleman likewise a favorite son of the University. He too • imbibed at that Institution the foundation of his knowledge as a Graduate, which by his prudent cultivation and great urbanity , he has reared himself with honor and dignity , as well 8S great usefulness to the nation, to till important stations in his native State, as well 85 aome of the most important offices under the Federal Government . These, Mr . Pre sident, are ripe examples, furnishing to the Trustees the most beautiful illustrations , oompensati ng them for all their cares , and enabling them with the happiest effect to say to all the Alumni , go and do likewise . Sir , we tender you and your Suite a hearty welcome to the Old North State, and we hope to facilitate you in your progress to the University. We hope, likewise , in your journey as well as your sojourn in our State , all your movements .ill be attended with pleasant re sults. Such a fulfilment will oomplete the wishes of this Commdttee, and all those who sent 2 us her e w111 thereby have all their purposes accomplished. 3

The President replied with extemporaneous remarks in which he expressed his gratitude to Colonel Hawkins and to the Committee . He also spoke of his "abiding attachment to the place of his birth ••• and the scene s of his early associations, which were among the most 24 pleasing recollections of his life . " The Pres ident also spoke of his pleasure at seeing in the gathering "a distinguished friend." This friend was old Governor John Branch, Governor of both North Carolina and Florida, and Andrew Jackson ' s first Secretary of the Navy. Po lk recalled that when he was a student

23 Raleigh North Carolina Standard, June 9, 1847. 24 • Ibid • 39 at the Univer sity, Branch "was at that time Governor of North Car olina , and, as such, ex officio President of • t he Board of Trustees. If my memory is correct , he wa s present whe n I graduated and his name is att ached to 25 the Diploma which was granted to me . 1I The party l eft Gaston by way of the r ecent l y completed Ra leigh and Gaston Ra ilroad. The weary president , however, found no rest on the journey. nAt intervals of every few miles, & especially at a ll t he Rail Road depots, many persons • • • we r e assemb led to s ee me . At mo st of these places I descended from the cars and 26 shook hands with a s many of them a s my time would permit ." The Presidential t r ain passed t hrough Warren Co unty , and near the home of Nat hani el Macon, t he man who - --although the undisputed political czar in Nor th Carolina when Polk was a student--"was gr eatly beloved in that 2 7 section ..... up to the hour of his death •.•. " Di nner wa s s erved t he Pre sident at Hender son where 28 "several thousand persons .•. were assembled . 11 After a delay at Henderson the train moved on to Franklinton .

Here the President was received by a Committee from r.- Baleigh which esco~ted him to the Capital. ~ 25 Ibid. 26 ~uaife , ed., Polk Diary, III, 39 . 27 Ibid. 28 • Ibid., III , p . 40 • 40 After the day long journey from Gaston the President • arrived in Raleigh at 5:30 p .m. "I wos met at the Rail Road depot by the Intendant or mayor of the City (Mr . Wm . Dallas Haywood) the military on parade, & a large

concourse of citizens. I was we lcomed to the City and

returned my thanks i n a brief reply. I was taken in

an open carriage accompanied by the Mayor , Judge fussoD , & Col. Hawkins , & followed by the military and citizens, and aft er passing through the principal streets of the City was taken to the Hotel where Quarters had been 29 provided for me . II

Upon his entrance into Colonel Yarb~ough ' s Hotel ,

the President was r eceived by his old classmate and friend Professor Wi lliam Mer cer Green, on behalf of

the University.

MR PRESlDEl1I' : Your "Alma Mater" Bends you her affectionate greetings , anaJnas selected for that purpose one who takes pleasure in saluting you not only as Chief Magistrate of the nation, but as a friend and classmate . She remembers we> l the faithfulness of your College course ; she has wat ched with parential pride the successive steps by which y ou have risen from her Scholastic "forms" to the Executive Chair ot your courtry and with becoming feeling she acknowledges the tribute of this unsolicited return to the dome stic root . As a relief from the pressing cares of State you fly not to the festive wat ering-place or the crowaed City, where the acclamations of the multitude would await you; but with tilial love you turn to that retired spot which witnessed the successive struggles of your young ambition , and to that Institution which was pleased

29 • Ibid • 41 to crown you with her highest honors . A cordial we lcome awaits you amid her classic halls and time honored ' groves. ~ny changes huve passed over the place sinoe , twenty- nine • years ago, you bid adieu to t he peaceful shades . The same noble oakes spread their broad shadows OYer the walks which you were wont to tread , the same f ountains pour forth their healthful streams and the same bracing atmosphere invigorates the frame of the youthful student; but of those honored Instructors at whose feet you sat, a patient and attentive l earner, not one remains t o hall the return of him who was ever pr ompt to bow to their authority and to respect their f e elings .

The head of the revered a nd beloved CALD ~LL sleeps on the spot where day and night, for for t y years, he t oiled for the good of the youth entrusted to his care . ~ith him also have sunk to rest a large number of the youthful hearts that once beat r e sponsive to your own . l~ ny however remain, who will rejoice to meet you on that soil sacred to early friendships, and will gr a sp your hand again with all the warmth of undim1shed af fection . or our belove d classmates few , r fear , will be permitted to mingle their greetings and reminiscences with yours . Though Death has but thrice broken in upon our numb er, yet the vioisitudes of fortune have scattered the remainde r from Rhode Island to Florida . But from these saddening recollections we turn with pleasure, to felicitate you and every other native son of North Carolina, on the growing prosperity of our University . It may not , perhaps, become me to sound her praise; but having once sat in her halls as a learner, and now sharing in the task of i nstruction, ample opportunity has been afforded me of witnessing her rapid progress from al most infantile weakness to a stability and usefulness e njoyed by few of our sister Institutions, and which time seems de s tined to increase . Another able head and kind heart presides over her interests and directs her e nergies. Wi th an endowment unincumbered, and all-SUf ficient for present wents, she is daily cheered by seeing her sons stepping into the highest places to VThich their country cah ~ call them, and repaying , by their ability and faithfulness, her labors and prayers for their future usefulness . Among t hose sons she proudly reckons you, and holds up to successive classes the example of your invariable punctuality, your untiring diligence, and your rea dy Bubmission to her laws. That a wise Providence may direct all your labors to the good of our beloved country, • and your retirement from public life may be oheered by 42 an approving conscience , will be her constant prayer. Permit me, once more, for myself and those young • gentlemen associated with me , to assure yogothat a oordial welcome await s you in Chapel Hill.

The President replied t o his "esteemed classmate

and personal friend," and concluded by expressi ng his "sincere thanks for the kind terms in wh ich you have been plea sed to express ••• on my approach to the 31 University ." Atter a brief respite from t he ever present multitude of we ll-wishers , t he President was the honored guest at a public reception held in the Senate Chamber of the capitol. Later the President was conducted to the front of the Capitol from which he viewed a massive fireworks disp1sy which lit up t he entire capital city. Finally the f estivities of the evening were concluded.

About 11 O'Clock I returned to my l odgings, much fatigued. From Gaston to Raleigh was a cont i nued triumphal procession ••• • My reception could not have been more gratifying than it has been. I observed not the slightest party feelings, but on the contrary I was r eceived in the most distinguished manne by both political parties as the guest of t he State. 32

Yes, Holden's plea to bury the factional hatchet

had been almost universally accepted. In fact, on this 30 Ra leigh North Carolina Standard, June 9, 1847. 31 Ibid. 32 • Quaife, ed., Polk Diary, III, 41-42 • 43 one occasion it seemed as if botb of t he Raleigh editors • • were trying to see who CQuid heap t he most comp lpments upon the shoulders of t heir grother journalist . Holden even t hrew open his oolums "to the graphic pen of the Editor of the Register . . . to describe the scene" at the 33 time of Polk's arrival in Ral eigh. On another occasion the Standard again carried Gales' narration of events, and Ho lden remarked "that we will adopt as our own every word from the pen of the Editor tendering to him at the same time our thanks for having relieved us from the 34 task of attempting what he has so handsomely performed. " No doubt, many thought that the words of the Prophet Isaiah had come to pass, " .•• and the lion shall eat straw like the ox." At least t wo Whig lIons had no intention of ruminating

straw. They were George EdmOnd Badger, United state Senator from No rth Carolina and long time bitter enemy of Polk, and William Alexander Graham, the Governor of the state . On the night of the reception for Polk, wh ile t he city wildly celebrated regardless of party , and "rfrewarks turned night into day, Governor Graham remained clolstured in the Governor's Mansion at the f ar end of Fayetteville Street.

33 Raleigh North Carolina Standard, June. ?, 1847 . 34 I bid • • 44 The absence of the State's Executive was glaringl y • evident to all, and even the most stalwart Wh igs were mortified by Gr aham's behavior. The powerful V& i g ohieftain, former Governor dohn Motley Morehead i nterceced to prevent the incident from growing into larger proportions. Morehead sought and was granted an audience on Sunday night wi th the Fresident to present to hi m at that late time the Governor of North Carolina . Polk recalled t hat he "received Gov . Graham courteously , but with more dignified r eserve than is my habit .••• It was a matter of perfect Inaifference t o me wh ether he called 35 or not .ft Polk felt that Gr aham bad been "forced to yeild ••• by the ovarwhelming fear of public opi ni on 36 amo~ t he leading members of his own party. " Earlier on Sunday, the President had attended Mo rning Prayer at t he Episcopal church . In the afternoon he attended services in the Pr esbyterian church . At 9: 00 a . m. on Monday , May 31 the party left Raleigh in a caravan of carriages for the t wenty-seven mile journey to Chapel Hill. It was not until 6 :00 in

the evening that they reached the~ittle villag~ liter ally bursting at t he seams. One Northern r eporter wrote that "the little village of Chapel Hill is overflowing with 35 ~uaife, ed., Polk Diary, III, 43 . 36 • Ibid • 45 people and they continue to pour in from all quarters, • a number ot persons having arrive d all the way from Tennessee. There are tent s pitched and wag ons occupied 37 by visitors, as at a camp meetlng . ... ft After briefly visiting their quarters in The Eagle Rotel, t he Pre sidential group was escourted to Gerard,'" Hall- the chape1_ where they were greeted by David L.

Swain, the President of the Uni~erslty:

MR . PRE SIDENT: Nearly the period which marks a generation 1n history has elapsed since your departure from this Institution. On that day it was your duty, as the Roman of your Class, to welcome the friends ot the College, as it 1s now my duty to welcome you. That high ' distinction, the evidence of diligence and success in the pursuit ot knowledge, or rarely paralleled punctuality and fideli ty in the discharge of all the duties of Col1egla~e life, stands unreversed by subsequent events .

I have s&d that t he interval between your departure and return- between your yesterday and to-day- compresses a generation. And that generation--has it its parallel in history? What miracle in arts and arms, in all that serves to improve and embellish human existence, has i t not produced? The population of our country has more than doubled- its wealth has increased five-fold. Your adopted State, the fairest portion of which was then the hunting ground of savage tribes, has more than shared in the tlooa tide of wealth-and population; and Tennessee now occupies the comparative pre-eminence in the Confederacy which North Carolina then held . I make this admission as a Nor th Carolinian, without malign and almost without regret. I allude to this fact, from t he apprehension that your hopes of the success and improvement of your Alma Mater may have excited anticipations not to be realized, perhaps not warranted by a just appreciation of the influences which control our destiny. I must not be understood, however , as intimating that either the State or University has remained stationary during 37 • New York Herald, June 5, 1847 • 46 the long period of nearly thirty years . On the contrary, the opinion t hat the progress of both , though not rapid, has been regular, constant, decided. Since your day, the range of preparation and Collegiate studies has been • greatly extended and improved. Additional material of Education has been accumulated, additional instructiors provided: and there is believed to be no dimunition of the zeal or ability with which instruction was imparted and discipline maintained. With reference to the Literary Society of which you were an acti~and zealous member, and which is still an object of your deep and affectionate solicitude, I venture to express the hope that when you enter the penetralia you Will find the fire blazing upon the altar wIth ve.tal purity and brightness; t hat pure priests minister in the temple, and true vojarles kneel at the shrines. But, Mr. President, I forbear. You stand in t he midst of the scenes which speak to the eye and to the heart, with a power compared with which the intonations ot my voice fall feebly upon the ear. The companions and friends of other days are around you; and the dead-­ are they present only in imagination? The great man who stamped his image upon you, as upon others In early life, whose remains, at t he expiration of halt a century trom the day he first stood at our head, we hava l ust removed to their final resting place-- is he. absent in spirit on an occasion like this? Is he to witness the success of his children in the attainment of noble end, by noble means?

M~y I not be permitted, then in behal f of the present and t he absent--of the living and the dead,--in behalf of the citizens of your native State,--in behalf of the good people of the county of Orange and village of Chapel Hill, as the i mmedi ate representative of your Alma Mater. and these your younger brethren , to welcome you in the scenes of your3 ~arli est , the precursors of your subsequent triumphs.

The President thanked Swain for=his greeting , and

recalled t hat "it was here •.• that I spent ~e ar three I t was here t hat I received lessons years of my lite. u 38 Raleigh North Carolina Standard, June 9 , 1847 • • 47 of instruction to whic h I mainly attribute whatever ot Buccess or advancement has attended me in subsequent • 39 life. " He looked forw~ to seeing the old faces of long ago and renewing old fri endshipa. "In our youth, ••• we were friends j and though in the vicissitudes of human life our destinies have been cast on different theaters , and we have been long and widely separated, 40 we are still friends , and I greet them as brothers. " Only ODe professor remained at the University who had taught him, Dr. Elisha Mitchel l , whom he greeted warmly . He paid a mOving tribute to President Caldwell, and was "happy • •• tc recognize ••• so abl e and worthy a 41 successor in the Presidency of the College . "

Later, the President attended a sermon by the Reverend Levi S . I ves , Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of North CaroliBa. "Att&r the sermon I was kept from retiring to rest until a late hour in being introduced

to the crowd of persons ' •• J and i n conversing with old college friends , many of whom had come from a considerable di stance to see me . I have never spend a more pleasant or delightful afternoon & evening. I retired to r est 42 considerably exhausted by the fatigues of the day. "

39 Ibid. 40 Ibid. 41 I bi d. 42 • ~uaite, ed. , Polk Diary , III , 45. 48 Tuesday morning after breakfast the President • attended an examination on International and Constitutional Law. He toured the University buildings visiting his old r oom in South Buildi ng . "After dinner I took a wall with some of my old college friends • . •. Many objects were perfectly familiar to me , and brought up fresh to 43 recolle ction mapy of the scenes of my youth . " In the evening he again attended exercises in the chape '. "The we at her was warm , & tt1 had no rest •• • and was kept from retlr~ng to rest until a late hour re~vlng company and being introduced t o them, and in conversing with 44 my coll ege friends ." On Wednesday "the crowd In attendance was much increased .... I was constantly on my feet, receiving & being introduced them. , All seemed deslrlous to see 45 the President & shake him by the hand. " Later, there was an address by James W. Osborne , Class of 1830 , on nCaUBes tending to retard literary taste and excellence in the United States. " At 2:00 p.m. the Polks and the Ma sons dined with President Swain. Th et night Secretart Mason presented his address to the Alumni Association meeting. At the meeting Mason suggested--with Polk's approval--that the alumni subscribe to a fund to erect

43 Ibid. , III, p. 46. 44 Ibid. 45 • Ibid. , III , p . 47 • 49 a monument on the campus to the memory of President Caldwell.

• On this day too, the proud ~usband was able to steal away from the throng with his wife, who "was much interested, and especially in viewing the Diale ctic 46 Hall and myoId room . W

Thursday was Commencement day. The President was surrounded by even larger erowds than on the previous

days of his visit . The sleepy academic haven was transformed into what must have in many ways resembled the gold rush towns which appeared two years later in California. A New York reporter who attended the

Commencement wrote for his re~ders the following description:

The procession formed at 10 O' clock a.m., and the Chapel being filled to the extent of its capacity, the residue of the multitude, as tar the open windows would permit a n opportunity of hearing, surrounding the building to a number equal to that within doors . The forest trees afforded a shelter from the sun, and the windows of the chapel being all taken out , the interior was well ventilated, notwithstanding the pres sure of the peOple. 47

The Valedictory Addres s was delivered by nineteen­

year old James Johnston Pett~grew . The youth had ~en of spedial interest to the distinguished visitors, and he

46Ibid• 47 ~ New York Herald, June 9 , 1847 • • 50 was immediately offere d a federal position wh ich he 48 • 8'ccepted . It was predicted that he would be outstanding in his service to his nation. So he was . It was Pettigrew' s brigade t hat carried t he banner of their nation to its fartherest penetration at Gettysburg . Sixteen years after he delivered his Valedictor y Address before the President of the United States, James Johnston Pett i grew, Brigadier- General, C.S.A. lay dying in a bl ood­ soaked fie ld i n Virginia.

The exercises we re concluded by 5 : 30 p . m. The President bid adieu to the officers of the University, and after briefly returning to The Eagle Ho tel, departed for Ral e i gh . The Presidential entourage arrived in Ralei gh at 9 : 00 the following morning. It was learned that the train would not be ready for departure tor Washington

before noon, sO t he President took advantage ot the delay to visit the ailing daughter of his old kinsman, Colonel William Polk. The daughter lived in the old Po l k home , the same home In which James had spent many days while a student. The old Colonel' s daughter had married one of the most outstanding ihig leaders in the State , Kenneth Rayner, then a membe r of Congress . Rayner placed his duty to his wife ' s relative above

48 Kemp Plummer Battle, History of the University of North Carolina , 2 volumes . (Raleigh: Edwards and Br oughton-,- 1907- • 1912J, t, 307 . 51 politics, and the President noted t hat "before I l eft • Washington he had invited me to make his house my home , and as soon as I arrived on Saturday evening, he had 49 called. tt Upon his departure from the Rayner's and his r eturn

to Colonel Yarbrough ' s Hotel , he VIas surrounded by an ever-increasing ~Of followers. It! got out of the carriage & they accompanied me on foot to the Ra il Road 50 depot . I there took leave of them •••• " They slowly retraced their route , and a lit t l e after dusk the jolting and jerking t rain carried its distinguished

passenger out of No r th Carolina. "& thus ended my excursion

to the University ot N. Carolina . It was an exceedingly agreeable one . No incident of an ump leasant oharacter

occured. My reception at the University, and the attention

padd me on the route going and returning, was all that I 51 could have desired it to be . ft The trip had been a pleasant one , and no doubt an enjoyable one , but the tired Ghief Executive returned to Washington a more exhausted man than when he left .

49 ~ua ife , ed. , Pol k Diary, III, 49- 50 . 50 Ibid., III, p . 5O . 51 • Ibid • •

THE RETIREMENr OF THE EX-PRESlDENl'

March 5 , 1849--for the first time in four years, James K. Polk was not encumbered with the burdens of the office of the Presidency. The ailing Polk anticipated a leisurely tour through the South returning to Nashville by way of Charleston and New Orleans. When these plans became known many towns Bent invitations to him. One such invitation came from Wilmington, North Carolina:

Wilmington , February 20th 1849 To His Excellency James K. Polk President of the United States At a recent meeting of the commissioners of Wilmington, • we were appointed a Committee to tender to you the 53 hospitalities of our Town-, and to solicit your sojourn among us on your w~y homeward, as long as you may be able to linger here. We assure you that it affords • pleasure to discharge the duty which as the organ of the people of Wilmington has been devol ved upon us, and we hope that it will in no way conflict with your convenience , to afford our citizens generally, the gratification of your presence . We are with the hightst respect Your Excellency's Ob . Servants James T. Miller L.H. Marsteller 1 Joshlj. G. Wright.

Polk arrived in Wilmingt on on March 7 . He spoke to the people who had assembled to greet him only briefly. He told them of his l ove for North Carolina and how "be cherished, and would ever cherish, a warm and affectionate 2 regard for her honor and prosperity. " The returning native son was a dying man . Even the Carolina Watchman--heret ofore not known for its kindness to Polk--commented that "Mr . Polk looks broken ••• , his hair having become quite white , and to look at his worn face, marked by the lines of care, is enough to convince anyone that the honors of office are but a poor compensation for the anxieties and toils 3 incident to public station. "

1 Eliz~beth Gregory McPherson, nUnpublished letters from North Carolinians to Polk," The North Carolina Historical Review, XVII (July, 1940), 264 . 2 Salisbury Carolina Watchmap, March 15 , 1849 . 3 Ibid. , April 19 , 1849 • • •

JAMES K. POLK and t he " MECKLENBURG DECLARATION OF I NDEPENDENCE ."

The controversy surrounding the "Mecklenburg Decl aration of Independence" has affixed i t self as an albatross about the neck of North Carolina history . It Is necessary to comment on this suppos ed document only in so far as i t is r elated to the study of President Polk. According to tradit i on , Polk's great uncle , Thomas Polk, was a draftsman of the "Decl aration." His gr andfather, t he cont roversial Ezekiel, supposedly was a signer . Therefore, it is not suprisi ng that the eleventh President was an adamant believer and defender of t he May 20 "Decl aration. " • Evidence to this effect has already been presented above i n 55 Polk's replys to invitations to visit Mecklenburg 1 • County. However, the t ollowiug material contains a more exact statement ot Polkts feelings concerning the "Declaration." Upon his ascension to the Presidency, Polk appointed to his Cabinet t he Massachusetts historian, George Bancroft as Secretary ot the Navy . Later , Bancroft resigned his Oabinet position to become the United states Minister to the Court ot Saint James. Cited hereinafter are excerpts from two letters eIchanged between this son of Mecklenburg and the M4ssachusetts historian:

••• To me the subject ~~ckl enburg Declaration ot Independence] is peculiarly interesting, tor though the vile slander which was heaped upon the memory of my Grandfather. in the Presidential canvass of 1844, has been sufficiently refuted by other testimony, yet, anything which establ ishes the authenticity ot the Mecklenburg proceedings, will tend -still more clearly to put to shame the revilers ot his memory . I have in my possession a printed copy ot the Journal of' "The Provincial Congress" of S.C. held at Charles Town in June, 1775, at which Ezekiel Polk (my Grandfather) was a member. By that Congress he was appointed a ca~ln and I have in my possession his original Co ssion on parchment, under which he served in the Revolutionary War. He represented a District in "The Provincial Congress" ot S.C. adjoining Me cklenburg , and was present at Charlotte, and was among those who Bdited "the Declaration of Independence" ~ o lk's quotations on the 20th of May , 1775. The copy ot the Journal whic I have , was sent to me by an aged man in N. Carolina, since I have been President, who stated to me In a letter which accompanied it, that he had f ound it among the old papers of his f ather , who was a member of the Provincial Congress .

1 • See above pp.4-8 •

, 56 He sent it t o me as containing a conclusive r efutation of t he slander -bleh t he re cklessness of party had i nvented against the memory ot Ezekiel Polk , for the • purpose of inj uriously affecting his Grandson, whe n a candidate f or the Pre sidency • • • • Wa shi ngt on City, June 17, 1848

My Dear Sir,- The accompanying papers and printed VOlume, have been t ransmitted to me by Ex Governor Swain ot N. Carolina, now President ot the UnIversity of t hat state , with a request that I would toward t hem to you. Mr . Swain has been for some time e ngaged in making r e searches into the early history ot the t wo Carolinas . The Declaration of Independence by the people of Me cklenburg on the 20th of May , 1775, and their Resolve s passed on the 31st ot the same month are interesting events . Mr. Swain whom I ~a. a year ago, when on a visit to the University of N. C., thinks it more than prob~ble that the Reports or the Colonial Governor (Martin) to this {nis?} Gov ernment, may be found among the archives of the Brittish Government. It he is right in thiS, and you could obtain copies, or the substance of t hese Reports, t hey would be very interesting, e s pecially to the people of the t wo Carolines • • • • I am rejoiced that I shall soon retire from the incessant labours, cares and anxieties of my office, which as you know have been very great during my whole term. With the respectful salutations of Mrs . Polk and MY self to Mr s. Bancroft: I am, my de ar sIr; Your f r iend, etc., e tc. James K. polk.

P.S. As Me cklenburg N. C. is my native County , I take a lively inter est in all that concerns the early hist ory of that part of N. C. 2 J .K.P.

2 Worthington C. Ford, editor, nLe tters from Pre sident Eolk to George Bancroft on the Me cklenburg Declaration of Independence ," PrOCeedings of the Ma s sachusetts Historical • Society, XLIII (Oct. & Nov.-,-1909), 101-109. •

WILLIAIi! HAWKINS POLK

Today there is within the bounds ot North Carolina . only one family directly related to President James K the Polk . This family , now residing in Warrenton, -are descendants of Wi lliam Hawkins Polk. William Hawkins Polk, ninth child and next to the 6n youngest son of Samuel and Jane Knox Polk, was born May 24, 1815 in Maury County, Tennessee. After the death ot Samuel Polk in Novemb er ot 1827, James K. Polk accepted the role as guardian for William and his younger brother, Samuel Washington Polk. In accordance with the tradition already established made • by his brothers James and Marshall, arrangements were 58 to enter William in the University ot North Carolina • • William was sent in 1832 to Bingham Academy in Orange County, North Carolina to prepare for entrance in the University. James, fearing that the headstrong youth wo uld need more immediate supervision t han he could give, solicited and received the aid ot his kinsman, Colonel William Polk ot Raleigh to whom he entrusted 1 the youth's college funds . The youth attended the University for t wo years . Later, William received the A.B . degree from the University ot Tennessee. We hear nothing more ot William till 1838, when he was involved in an event t hat could have had serious consequences, not only on his own future but also that

of his polltlclan~roth e r, James. Sellers recites the incident as tollows:

Bill had horsewhipped a young Columbia attorney for calling him a "drunken tellow," and his victim had threatened to kill him. When the two met on Columbia's main street to shoot it out, Bill had escaped unschathed, but t he other man was fatally wounded. The tamily, and especially Bill's recent bride, Belinda, was distraught . He s old his farm and moved back to his mDther ' s house , while his brothers -l n-la. ~ tried to prevent an indictment ror murder lj.K.P. wa s in Washington, o.c-l. The gr and jury tinally decided 1 See letters trom~ol . William Polk to J. K. Po lk in Elizabeth Gregory McPherson, "Unpublished letters from North Carol inians to Polk," The North Carolina Historical Review, XVI (January, 193 9 ),~-77 • • 59 by a split vote that Bill had a cted in self- defense, but he was trie d for assault and sentgnced to six • weeks' imprisionment and a 750 fine . This unfortunate occurence, however, did not seem

to greatly imp~the future of the younger Polk. In the fol lowing year, 1839 , William was admitted to the Tennessee Bar, and he was elected for two successive terms in the Tennessee Legislature in 1841 and 1844. In 1842 William entered into a law partnership with his brother, James . After his election as PrSsident of the United States, James appointed his brother to the position of Minister to the Kingdom of Naples. William served in this position 3 from March 13, 1845 till April 31 , 1847. He resigned his ministership in 1847 to return to the United States to aid in the War with Mexico . He was appointed t o the rank of Major in the 3rd Dragoons, U.S. Army .

Wh ile serving In Mexico , Major Polk ' s command was detailed for some special s ervice, and in the execution of that service, accidentlally crossed the trail of General Santa Anna, ver y nearly capturing that distinguished Mexican . News wa s br ought to Ma jor Polk that General Sant a Anna and a numb er of his officers were in a certain building, Major Polk surrounded the the building with his command, but Ge neral santa Anna 2 Charles Grier Sellers, Jr., James K. Polk , Jacksonian 1795-1843 . (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1957}, p . 33~ 3 Clifford P . Reynolds, compi ler, Biographical Directory of the American Congresses 1774-1961 (Washington: United • State s Government Printing Office:-I96l), p. 1468 • • 60 4 made his escape, leaving behind his hat, cork l eg and gold headed cane. • • • The _oaile was a ,-very handsoD:ItJ one, an ivory staff, surmounte d by a gold head set with • jewels. In the center ot the head was a large topaz , 5 which Major Poik presented to his brother, the President.

In 1650 William was a delegate to the Nashville Convention, called by the tire-eaters but controled by

Southern moderates. The followIng year be w~s elected for one term in the United states Congress. William was opposed to the secession of Tennessee and he made many speeches in opposition to disunion. He did not actively participate in the ensuing conflict. William

died in Nashville on December 15, 1662, and was b~ed _ 6 at Columbia, Tennessee. William Hawkins was thrice married. His first wite

was Bellnda~ . Dickerson of Tennessee. His second , wife

W? B Mary Corse of New York. His third marriage was to Lucy Williams of War ren County, North Carolina.

4 Now in ~he Musejum ot History, Raleigh, North Carolina 5 Anonymous, wTasker Polk," in of America (Washington: B.F. Johnson, 1915), 6 See also Mary Polk, The ... ~~ ~~ . (Wi nston-Salem: • John F. Blair, 1962), pp:-34- • •

APPENDIX THE PRESIDENT ' S DIARY ENTRIES RELATING TO HIS TRIP TO 1 THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAR OLINA

1 From Milo Mi lton QuaIte, edItor, The Diery of James K. Polk during his Presidency, 1845-1849-;--4" volumes.- (ChIgago: • A.C. McC l urg and Company, 1910), III, 37-51 • 62

FRIDAY , 28th May, 1847.- ~t 8i O'Clock this morning I left • Washington on my visit to the University of N. Carolina. I was accompanied by Mrs. Polk & her niece, Miss Rucker, and Col. Walker, my Private Secretary, of my own family; by Judge Ma son (the Secretary ot the Navy) and his son, John Y. Mason, j r., and his daughter, Betty, & Lieutenant Maury of the U.S. Navy. At the Steam Boatl landing at the mouth of Aquia Creek on the Potomac, I was met by a committee trom Fred.ricksburg, Va., who invited me to spend a day on my r return from N.C. at that town. I declined the invitation. On arriving at Fre~ioksburg I was met by the military and a large concourse of Citizens. I received a cordial welcome trom them. I did not leave the Rail Road car, but made my epology to them for not stopping ~anger with them. About 5 O'Clock P . M. I arrived at Richmond. I was met at the Rail Road depot at that City by the Mayor & a committee of Citizens without distinction of political party, who gave me a cordial welcome to their Oity. The military companies were on parade, & a very large numver of peopl e. were present . I was placed 1n an open carriage and conducted by the mayor and c o~ttee to the Capitol, where many thousand peDpons, ladies and gentlemen, were assembled. I eKchanged salutattons and shook hands with many hundreds of them. The artillery company fired a salute. Mrs . Polk was r e ceived by the ~adi e s of the City at the Exe cutive chamb er in the Capitol, t hat being t he place arranged by the committee of reception for that purpose . After remaining Ii hours I was conducted In an open carriage to the Southern Rail Road depot, preceded by the military companies and a l arge concourse of citizens. The demonstra­ tion of respect at Richmond wes without distinction of party and was highly gratifying to me . From Richmond I proceeded on the Rail Road to Petersburg , where we arrived shortly after dark. I was met by a committeeeof that town at the Rail Road depot . It was a clear night and the moon was s shini ng . I was conducted t o a Hotel which wes brilliantly lighted up . I found there a very large crowd of people , ladie s and gentlemen. In the Portico of the Hotel I was received & addressed by the Han. Francis E. Rives , the chairman of the committee, to which I made a brief reply. Mr Rives addressed Judge Mason also, who made a reply. Judge May (a l eading Whig) elso addressed tm~, and both he and Mr . Rives invited me to spend the day at Petersburg on my return, which I declined. After shaking hands with many hundreds of peopl e, and taking supper I proceeded on my journey. My recepti on both et Richmond and Petersburg wes very cordial, and was .ery gratify ing to me. I wa s r e ceived by bot h political partie s with like cordiality & kindness, • whi ch made it t he mo re agreeable • 63

SATURDAY, 29th May , 1847.- Proceeding on my journey from Petersburg, Va., in the Rail Road cars, I arrived at Gaston, • N. Carolina, at about 4 O'Clock this morning. I retired to a room 1n the Hotel, shave d, & dressed. About sun-rise, on entering the parlour below stairs, I was received by a com­ mittee of Citizens of North Caro~lna, & was addressed by Col. John D. Hawkins, their chairman, who welcomed me to my native State. I made a brief reply to this address. The committee was composed of leading gentlemen of poth political parties. Gov. Branch also joined me at this polnt, though he was not of the committee, & accompanied me on my journey. After taking brealtast I prodeeded on my journey. At intervals of every few miles, & especially at all the Ra i l Road depots, many persons, mail [mal~ and female, were assembled to see me . At most of these places I descended from the cars and shook hands with as many of them as my time would permit. Near Warrenton & near the r e sidence of Mr. Nathaniel Macon , who was greatly beloved in that s ection of the county ~ up to t he hour ot his death, I met a very l arge crowd of ladies & gentlemen. I Observed .any carriages , probably 40 or 50 in number, in which the l adies present had come to greet me . At Henderson, where I dined , several thousand persons , young persons , & children, of both sexes were assembled. At this place ~ remained about Ii hours & was constantly engaged in being introduced to the pe op le & shaking hands with them. At Franklinton, 20 miles bef ore r eaching Raleigh , a very large crowd of Ladies & gentlemen were also assembled. I regretted that I could remain with them but a few minutes. I was met by a committee of Citizens of the place & its vicinity, who made a short address to me, to which I briefly responded. I was met at this place also by a committee of Citizens of Raleigh, who welcomed me on my approach to the Oapital of the State. I res20nded to them also. The Chairman was Mr. McCrea, accompanied LbI! the Hon . John H. Bryan & about a dozen others. ~his committee took charge of me at thi s point . I reached Raleigh at about 5io'Clock P .M. I was met at the Rail Road depot by the Intendant or mayor of the City (Mr. wmL Dallas Haywood) the military on parade, & a large concourse ot citizens. I was welcomed to the City and returned my thanks in a brief reply. I was taken in an open carriage accompanied by the Mayor, Judge Mason , & Col . Hawkins, & tollowed by the military and citizens, and after passing through the principal streets of the City was taken to the Hotel where quarters had been provided for me. At this point I found a very large number ot persons, ladies and gentlemen, assembled. On entering the Portico of the Hotel I was met by Profe ••or ~ . M. Green & a committee of Students from the University of N. Carolina. Mr. Green delivered an address to me, to whioh I responded. I was conducted into the Hotel and after being introduced to • the committee ot t he UniTersity & a tew other persons, I was 64

informed than an arrangement bad been made tor me to meel my tellow citizens generally at the Senate Chamber in the • Capitol at 8 O'Clock , I was conducted t o the Capitol by the Mayor, the committees ot the City of Raleigh, & ot the University. Judge Mason sccompanied me. I spent It hours at the Senate chamber, which was orowded with l adies & gentlemen, many of whom were introduced to the Secretary of the Navy & myself. From the SeDate chamber we were conducted to the f ront ot the Capitol , where a very dense crowd ot pernsons , ladies & gentlemen, were assembled. The Street between the Capitol & the Governor's House was brilliantly illuminated, & there wa~ a ombst imposing display of fire yorks . About 11 O'Clock I retired to my lodgings , much fatigued . From Gaston to Raleigh was a continued triumphal procession. Salutes were tired at several places. MY reception ,auld not haTe been more grat i f ying than it has been. I observed not the slightest party feelings, but on the contrary I was received in the most distinguished manner by both political parties as the guest of the State.

SUNDAY, 30th May, 1847 .- Accompanied by Mrs . Polk, the Secretary otthe Navy, & my suite, I attended the Episcopal church in the forenoon & the Presbyterian church in the afternoon to-day . Professor Green at the University & a number of other gentlemen accompanied me in the morning. In the afternoon Gov . Branch and others accompanied me . In the course of the evening Gov. Bran & C'l. Hawkins mentioned to .. the fact that Gov . Graham had fail ed to call an me had been observed, and had given rise to some excitement among leading Whig s and Democ rats, allot whom condemned him in strong terms. About dark Judge Mason informed me that he and been inquired of by Ix Governor MODrehead, whether I would see Gov. Graham to- night, saying that if I wnuld he would bring Gov. Graham to see me . Mr . Mason informed me t hat he had replied that I was not hide bound or strict in regard to the sabbath; & that, though I was in the habit of keeping the sabbath, he supposed, aa I expected to leave Raleigh on to- morrow morning , that I would see Gov . Graham if he desired it. About 8 O'Clock Gov. Graham &nEx. Governor MO orehead called. Gov . Moor ehead had called on last evening . I received Gov . Graham courteously, but with more dignified r eserve than is my habit. He r emained near an hour . I have no doubt tram what I have learned that Gov . Graham & Senator Badger had by consent determined not t o call on me, & that the latter was forced to yield t hat determination by the overwhelming fear of public opinion among the leading members of hie owm party. It was a matter of perfect infifference to me whether he called or not . SenatoD Badger did not call. During the whol e of the l ast session of • Congress he did not c~ l on me . He is a bitt er partisan, and 65

is no doubt sensible that during the Presidential canvass of 1844 he did me gross injustice. Among other things he took • a leading part in propagating the basely false .to concerning the Revolutionary services of my Grand-father, Ezekiel Polk. His own consciousness that he had wronged me probably prevented him from calling on me last winter on on my present visit to N. Carolina .

MONDAY, 31st May, 1847 . - At 9 O'Clock thi s morning I set out with my family & suite f or Chapel Hill. I was accompanied by Pro f es5 ~ r Gr een & the committee of students trom the University. I was accompanie d also by Gov. Branch, Col. H~.kina, and several others, ladies & gentlemen, making quite a long train of carriages. We stopped half an hour at Mrs. Jones's l~~ mlles on the way, where we were overtaken by Xx Gov. MOorehead, Bov. Graham & others. I stopped at Mbring's 8 miles trom Chapel Hill, & took dinner. Gov . Graham, Gov. MOorehead, & some others did not atop for dinner, but proceeded on to Chapel Hill in advance of me. At about 6 O'Clock P.M. I reached the village of Chapel Hill. On approaching the Hotel at which quarters had been provided for me, I was received by a procession compose d of the faculty & students of the college & citizens. I was conducted into the Hotel .by professor Green & the committee of Students who had met me at Raleigh, and after remaining there a few minutes was conducted on foot to the college Chapel, wh ere a la~ge assembly of ladies angentlemen were oollected. I waa addre8sed by the Han. D. Y. Swain, the President of the College, , tendering to me a cordial welcome on my return to the classic shades of the University. I briefly responded to hi. addresa. President SWain also addressed Judge /kasonJl, who made a short reply. I . as then inttioduced to the Trustees who were present, to the faculty and many of the students, as well as to many others, ladies & gentlemen. Of all the Professors I had lett at the University 29 years ago , Professor !~ tchell alone remained. He met me most oordially, and I was much gratified to see him. These oeremonies being oTer, I returned to t he Lhote~ where I had the pleas ure to meet many old college triends whom I had not seen since I graduated in June , 1818. Our meeting was delightful. Some of the incidents of our college lite were at ODce recited. After supper I attended the chapel & heard a s ermon preached by Bishop Ives of the Episcopal church to the students. An annual sermon Buited to the ocoasion 1s preaohed at each Commencement by some one of the Christian deaominations. After the sermon I was kept from retiring to r e st until a late hour in being introduced to the orowd at personsJ~ laiies & gentlemen, who were p~esent, and in oonversing with old • college friends, many of whom had oome trom a considerable 66

distance to see me. I have never spent a more pleasant or • delightful afternoon & evening. I retired to ~eat considerably exhau.t-e. by the fatigues of the day. I should note also that among the Trustees who received me at the Chapel on my arrival were Gov. Graham ~x. Gov. Mo orehead.

TUESDAY, 1 st June, 1847.- As soon as I rose this morning I found a large crowd at the Hotel desiring to see me. Af~er Breaifast I visited the college buildings. They have bee been greatly enlarged and improved since my day at College . r attended the examination of the senior Class on International & Constitutionsl law. They were examined by President Swain. I visited the Dialectic & Philanthropic Library rooms. I visited a1ao the room which I ocoupied when I was in college. The old chapel I found had been oonverted into recitation rooms, and tor tJlhe use ot the Trustees when they attended the Uniyersity. After dinner I took a walk with some of my old oollege friends to Vauxhall Spring, and through a portion of~he village. Many objects were perfectly familiar to me, and brought up fresh to recollection many of ~he scenes ot my youth. I was constantly surrounded by orowds 01 people, & was introduced to hundreds, male ~ female. The weather was warm, & ill had no rest. After night I attended the Chapel and heard several members at ~e Sophompre and Freshman classes recite 8)eeches which they had committed to memory. I retired to ~he Hotel when these exercises were over, and was kept from retiring to rest until a late hour receiving company and being intruduced to them, and in converdng with my college friends.

WEDNESDAY, 2nd June, 1847.- The crowd in attendance was much increased to-day. I was constantly on my teet, receiving & being introduced to them. All seemed desirious to see the President & shake him by the hand. At 11 O'Clock A.M. I attended the Chapel & heard Mr. Osborne of Charlotte deliver a literary address to the two Societies of the college . When his s peech was over I attended a meeting of the alumni of the college . Many of them were present, some of whom g graduated as early as 1801. At 2 O'Clock P . M. accompaltfed by Mrs . Polk, Judge Mason & our families who accompanied us, I dined with President Swain. After dinner Mrs . Polk & myself paid a visit to Professor Green's family. At Cand1e­ lighting I attended the Chapel & heard Judge Mason's speech delivered to the Alumni of the college . It was an able & • admirable speech • . It received universal applause. On motion, 67

the thanks of the Alumni were tendered to Judge Ma son and a • copy of the speech requested for publication • . After the speech was over I attended a meeting of the Dialectic Society, of which I Tas a member when I was in college. At the Buggestion of Professor Green I made a short address to the society. During the day I shook hands with many hundreds of p ersons. During the day,too, Mrs . Polk accoppanied me through the college buildings, the l ibrary rooms, and expeoially the room which I had occupied when I wasi in .alleg e. She was much interested, and e5p~clally in viewing the Dialectic Hall and my old room.

THURSDAY, 3rd June, 1847.- This was the commencement day of the college. It was to me a most interesting occasion. The number of peD~ons in attendance was greatly increased. Hundreds from the adjoining country had come in. As soon as I left my room in the morning I was surrounded by them, and except while at breakfast, oontinued to ~ecelve them and to shake hands with them untill the hour at which the Commencement exercises commenced. These exercises commenced between 10 & 11 O'Clock. About 1 O'Clock the President announced that there would be a receSB of I i hours. I returned to the Hotel and took dinner. The crowd in waiting to see me was so great that it was impossible that they could all see me if I remained in the Ho use. Several of my friends who thought the people present, many of whom had came a donalderable distance, ought tobe gratified, insisted that I should go out to the gro!e, & I did so. I was soon surrounded by hundred. of persons, aDd tor an hour or more was oonstantly engaged in shaking hands with them. At the appointed hour the commencement exercises were again commen ced. I attended. ~ey wwre concluded and the Degree of Bachelor of arts conferred on 37 young gentlemen, and the whole ceremony closed about 5i O'Cleck P .M. Being very desirous to reach Wa slington on Saturday evening, and knowing that I could not do 50 unless I reached Raleigh on ~o-morrow morning in time to take the Rail Road cars, as soon as the exercises were over I took l eave of President Swain & the Faculty & Trustees, went to the Hotel where our carriages were in waiting, & set out for Raleigh. We set out about 6 O'Clock, and reached Moring's Tavern, 8 miles on the road, whe re we remained until 2 O'Clock in the morning, when the carriages were brought out & we proceeded on the way to Ralei@. There" 85 moonlight & it _as pleasant traveltng . We breakfast ed at Mrs. Jones's & reached Raleigh at 9i O'Clock. We wbre accompanied from Chapel Hill by young Mr. Winburn who graduated to-day, and who wa s one ot the committee of students of theUniversity Yhbchad met me at Raleigh on Saturday last. We were accompanted also by GOv. • Branch, Col. Jno. D. Hawkins, & several others • 66 •

FRIDAY , 4th June, 1647.- On arriving at Raleigh at 91 O' Clock this mornlng , wwe stopped at the Hotel « few minutes. ~earning • that the Rail Road cars would not leave before 12 O'Clock. Col. Hawkins, Mrs. Polk, Col. Walker (my Private Secretary) and myself, at the special request of Col. Hawkins, visited the house of the Hon . K. Raynor, whose .ire is the daughter of ~he late Col. wm . Polk, and whose health Ias not such a s to enable her to callan us . Mr . Raynor had called on satur­ day evening & made his apology for her. Mr . Raynor is a bitter political opponent , but had acted exceedingly well on the occasion of my visit to N. carolina. Before I left Washington he had invited me to make his house my home , and as soon as I arrived on Saturday evening he had called.

Whi le we were at Mr . Raynor's, the Han . Y.m . H. Haywood, jr' J late Senator in Congress called. He had been absent tram Raleigh as we passed on to the UnlYerslty. From Mr . Raynor ! s we drove back to the Hotel, where a number of persons were oollected. I got out of the oarriage & they accompanied me on toot to the Rail Road depot. I there toot leave of them, and at 12 O'Clock the cars l eft . We dined at Henderson, and at this point Col. Hawkins lert us. We met many persons at the different depots on the road. At Henderson ther e was quite a large number collected. We supped at Gaston & travelled all night.

SATURDAY, 5th June , 1647 .- We arrived at Petersburg shortly after daylight this morning, & aater being detained a obort time at the Hotel proceeded to Richmond, where we took breakfast. Proceeding on our journey we arrived at Washington about 5 O'Clock P.M. & thus ended my excursion to the University or N. Carolina. It was an exoeedingl y agreeabl e one . No incident of an unpleasant character occurred. MY reception at the University, and the attention paid me on the route going and returning , was all that I could have desired it to be . h~ visit wes wholly unoonneoted with politics, and all parties greeted & welcomed me in the mos t cordial manner. Sehator Badger is the only leading man of either party, of whom I heard, who failed t o call and pay his respects. It was a matter at perfect indifference to me whether he did so or not . The impression among some of my friends was, that is was lis influence ~lch had prevented Gov. Graham from calling when I first reached Raleigh . The Governor, Howe ver, finall y yielded to public opinion around him & called on sunday evening, as stated in this Diary of that day. . .. • 69 BIBLIOGRAPHY • PRIMARY SOURCES MANUSCRIPrS Battle Family Papers, Series A. 7 boxes. Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina Hawkins Papers and Books. 53 boxes. Contains correspondence relating to President Polk's visit to the University ot North Carolina. Southern Historical Collection, Univer sity of North Carolina.

Minutes ot the Executive Committee ot the Board of ~ Trustees, University Papers . Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina .

Polk , James Knox, visit to ~he University of North Carolina. Manuscript copy of letters Of the "Doctor" to New York Herald, issues June 5- 12, 1847, referring to President Polk's visit to Chapel Hill. 1 volume. Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina. Trist, Nicholas P. Papers. Contains Trist's Commission to negotiate peace with Me xico, signed by Polk, 1847. Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina. NEWSPAPERS Charlotte Journal, August 15, l843--January 3, 1845; May 20 , 1847--June 24, 1847; March 2, l849--July 27 , 1849 . Charlotte Mecklenburg Jeffersonian, June 6 , 27 , Oc tober 10, 17, 24, December 2, 1843; January 6, 27, February 3, 17, March 8, Ap ril 26 , June 28 , July 5 , August 16 , Ootober 18 , November 1, Deoember 13, 1844; January 3 , l845--June 27, 1845. Haynes, John E. Compiler, "Politics in 1844 , being a ohoioe seledtion of the most important points contended for throughout the campaign ••• which finally resulted in the election of James K. Polk •••• It 2 volumes . Concord, New Hampshire. A scrapbook of clippings of political articles. North Ca rolina Collection, University of North Carolina. New York Herald, June 5--12, 1847 • • 70 Ralei gh North Carolina Standard, March 27, l 644- January 6 , 1645; April 22 , 1B46-June 10 , 1646 ; April 7 , l 647- June. 9 , • 1647 . Ralei gh Registe r and North-Carolina Gazette, J anuary 2 , 1644- Decemher27, 1644; April 12 , 1647 - June 25, 1647; March 3 , 1649- Jun~ 25, 1649 . Salisbury Wet ehman, January 7, 1843- January 4 , 1645; 1849-Jul y 5, 1649 ; April 30 , 1647- June 25, 1647 .

CORRESPONmNCE

Ford, Worthi ngton C., edito~, "Letters from President Polk to George Bancroft on the Meoklenburg Declaration of Independence," Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society, XLIII (October and Novemb er, 1909), 101- 109 .

Hamilton , Joseph Gregorie deRoulhac, edlto~, The Papers of William A. Graham. 4 volumes . Raleigh : NoFtn Carolina­ Department of Archives and History. 1957-1961 . Hawkins , John DaVis, Let ter to the Honor able John Y. Mason, Se cretary of the Navy , concerning President James K. Polk ' s visit to Chapel Hill. No rth Carolina Collection. Uni ver sity of North Car olina . McPherson, El izabet h Gregory, "Unpublished l ett ers from North Carolinians to Polk, " The North Carolina Historical Revi ew , XVI (1939 ), 54-79 , 174- 200, 329- 357 . 428- 45&; XVII (1940 ), 37- 66 . 139-166 , 249- 266 . Parks, Joseph H., editor , "Letters from James K. Polk to Alfred O.P. Nicholson, 1835- 1649 ," Tennessee Historical Qparterly, III, (l~rc~, 1944), 67 - 60 . --.-::c=' editor, "Letters from James K. Po lk to Samuel H. Laughlin. 1635-1644," East Tennessee Historical Society's Publication, XVIII (1946), 147-167 . Polk , James Knox , Letter to Francis E. Rives, Petersburg, Virginia, outlini ng his plans for a visit t o the University of No rth Car olina and inviting his company. Nor th Carolina Collection. University of North Carolina.

Reeves , Jesse S., editor, "Letters of Gi deon J . Pillow t o James K. Polk , 1844." The American Historical Revi ew, • XI (July, 1906 ). 632-8437 71 White, Robert H. , editor, Messages of the Governors of Tennessee 1835-1845. Volume three. Nashville: Tennessee Historical Commission, 1954 . • Richardson, James n., editor , A compilation of the Messages and Papers of the l'residents 1798- 1897. 10 volumes . Washington: United State·s Government l'rinting Offi ce, 1897 .

OTHER l'RHIARY SOURCES anonymous, "Jame s Knox Polk , Ex- President of the U. S .," ~uarter1y Register and Lmgazine, June, 1849, 487-490 . __=' "James K. Polk of Tennessee," Democratic Review, May , 1838.

, Sober second thou~htJ extra for the presidential campai!!!! or 1844. Ne,,"ork: Danier-E:-1iickles, 1844. , The Life and Public Services of the Hon. James --Kn=ox--pol"l<-;"",Vitila compendium of hIS speeChes on varroUSPubIIillleasures. Baltimore: N. Hicklnan, 1844 . , The Political and Public Character of K. --pno~·lk , of Tennessee:--Boston: no publ isher, Carter , A. G. , To the free- holders of Rowan and Davie Counties. s a"I'I'Sbury: no publlsner , 164~

L61ay, Henry] , Mr . Clay's Speech: delivered in the ri~y of Raleigh,-Xpril 13th, 1844 . No place; no pUbl s er, no date. - --

Clingman, Thomas L., Speech ~ the late presidential eledtion delivered in the House or Represent atives , U. S ., January ~ , 1845. No place:no pub lisher, no date .

Denison, Mrs. C. W. , nMrs James K. Polk," Sartain's Magazine, (February, 1850), 154-155 .

Dixon, h~s . J . E. , Excerpts from the diary of the wife of the United states Senator from Connecticutt ror the year 1846, concerning a visit to Pre sident Polk at the White House . Typescript copy owned by Mrs . c . p . Hat cher , Columbia, Tennessee .

Foote, Henry Stuart, Eulogy upon the Life and Character of James ~. Polk, late presldent-oT the u1l:rte d dtates delivered at waSEIngton City, July, 1849 . Washington: • Thomas RlcETe, 1849 . 72 Hall, Allen A., The Counterfeit Detector , or the leaders of .,~ iartt' exposed. Nashville: RepiiOlrcBn Banner Office, 839 . • McRae, Alexander , To the freemen of ew Hanover County . Wilmington: nopuiiTIsher , 1844."-

Po lk, ~ame s Knox, Address of James Knox Polk to the people of Tennessee , April 3 ,-rS39 . Colllmbra;-Tennessee: J .B. Tompson , 1839 . - ----

Quaife, Milo Milton, editor, The Dla~ of Polk during his Presidency, 1845- to 1 9:-4 Chicago: A. C. Mc Clurg and Company, 1910 . Smith, James Sturdwick, To the voters of Yake , Person and Orange . BillsborOUgh:-by-fhe author, !B44. Tennessee- State Democratic Central COmmittee, Vindication of the reVolutiona~ character and services of t he late c:;Yonel Ezekiel Po of l!ecklen'bUrg, N. C. NaSh"vIITe:- Beiss, 1844(7}. ------

Woodbury , Levi , Writings Of Levi WOOdbur~ , LL . D. 3 'iOlumes . Boston: Llttle,Brown and~p any, 182 .----

SECONDARY SOURCES

INTERVIElVS Author's interview with Mrs . Clarence A. Whelchel, President of the James Knox Pol~ Memo rial Auxiliary , August 18, 1 9, 1 965.in Columbia, Tennessee.

Author ' s interview Vii th Mrs . C. F . Hatcher, a charter member of the dames Knox Polk Memorial Auxiliary, August 18, 1 9 , 1965 in Columbia, Tennessee . Author's interview with Mrs. Frank L. Owsley, Director of the Manuscripts Division of the Tennessee State Library and Archives, August 16, 17, 18, 1965, in Nashville , Tennessee . Author ' s interview with Mr . James Knox Folk; 1tts . Frank Gibbs (nee Mary Tasker Polk); Mrs. John G. Mitchell (nee Fairfax Po lk), July 2, 1965, in Warrenton, North Carolina . Author·s int erview with Mrs. Inud Ba@8oe, President Emeritus of the Jame s Knox Polk },~emoria1 Auxiliary , August 18 , • 19, 1965, in Columbia, Tennessee . 73 Author's interview with Professor Herbert Uea ver, Chairman of the Department of History, Vanderbul1t University , • Aubust 17, 1965, In Nashville , Tenne ssee. GUIDES Anon ymou s, Calendar of the Tennessee and King's Mo untain Papers of the Drifer-collection of Manuscripts. Madison:- wiscons n Historical Society, 19Z9.

, 1964. Historical Records Survey, Works Progress dminlstratlon , A Guide to the Manuscript Collections in the Duke "4iilfVersitY rIiirar!, Durham, N. C. Ralelgh: Historical Records Survey, D visIon of Professional and Service Projects, Works Progress Administration, 1939. North Carolina Historical Records Survey Proje ct, "Guide to the Manuscripts in the Southern Historical Collection of the University of North Carolina ," The James Sprunt Studies in Histor y and Political Scien~ XXIV (1941).

OTHER SECONDARY SOURCES

Reminescences of the Past Sixty Years . Charlotte : --OR""a'y Printing Compeny;-r90~ , The History of Me cklenburs County from l740- to --1r.9~OO:--Charlotte:-Observer Printing House , 1902.-

anonyjous , "A Great Tennesean," in Memph is Commercial Appeal, June 14, 1932.

_~~,"James K. Polk," North Carolina University Magazine X (February, 1861), 321-33Z . __;;-,' "Tasker Polk," 1n Makers of America, Washington: • B. F. Johnson, 1915 • 74

__=, ' "The Polk Family Tr.ee, II typewritten manuscript dated July , 1916. North Car:lina Collection, University of North Carolina. • _--,=,' "Visi t by PresidBnt Polk didn't excite everybodY , "in Raleigh News and Observer, March 15 , 1942 . Bartholomew, Robert H. , "Jame s K. Polk made his mark while at UNC," in Charlotte Observer , October 12 , 1 952 .

_ _ ~' "N . C. President had benlflt of University Education , " in Durham Mor ning Herald, March 4 , 1 956 . Battle , Kemp Pl ummer, Histor y of the Universi ty of North Carolina, 2 volumes . RaleIgh : Edward s and Broughton, 1907-1912 .

Caldwell, Mary Frencl;1 (Mrs ~ James E.) J "Patr ioti c lomen Compose Po l k Memor ial Association," in Nashvil le Tennessean, De c ember 31, 1931. __= ' "Polk did much to increase Nation ' s Pr estige , " in Nashville Tennessean, Decemijer 31 , 1931 .

t "The Polk 1~nsion in Tennessee , Commemorating the ----'d~omestic and of ficial l ife or President Polk and hi s Wi fe , " The Ment or. , XVII (March , 1929) , 27- 29 . Connor , Robert Digges Wimberly , A Manual of North Carolina. Raleigh: E. M. Uzzell and Company, Stat e printers , 1913 . Dean , Earl , "Folk Forgotten Man of U. S . History, killed s e lf at job," in Charlotte Observer, January 23 , 1955. Elliott , Robert Nea l, Jr., "The Raleigh Re gister 1799- 1863," James Sprunt Studies in History and Political Science , XXXVI (1955). Folmsbee, Stanley J ., Robert E. Corlew, and Enoch L. Mit chell , History of Tennessee . 4 volumes . New York: Lewis Historical puolishing Company, Incorporated, 1960 . Frost, John , The President s of the United States: from From Wa shIngton to Pie r c~ ~s t on : Philips, Sampson and Company , 1 85~ Gi dding s, Reverend E.J . , "James Knox Polk," in Christian Rul ers . New York ; no publ isher , Goodman , Hattie S. , The Knox Family: A Geneal ogical and Biogra~hi c a l Sketch of the Descendants of John Knox of Rowanounty, North C'irOI'Ina and other lrno"i'e'S":" R IChmomd: • Ylliittet and Shepperson, 1905. 75 Goodpasture, Albert Virgi l, "The Boyhood of Presi dent Polk," Tennessee Historical Magazine, VII (April, 1921), 36- 50 . • Grant, Daniel Lindsey , Alumni History ot the Uni versi t y of North Carolina. Durham : General AIillDni Association O? t he unI versi ty of North Caroli na , 1924. Groome , Bail ey, "James K. Folk 1s well known at Pineville ," in Charlotte Sunday Observer, VBr ch 28 , 1926 . Gunderson , Robert Gray , The Log-Cabin Campai gn. Lexington: University or Kentuc~Press , 1957 . Henderson, Archibald, "Jas. K. Polk Least Appreciated Tar Hee l, Says Dr . Henderson," Raleigh News and Observer , January 16, 1938 .

__~~ . ' The Camuua of the First State University. Chapel H ill~he Uni versity of North CarolIna Press, 1949 . Henderson , Peter , Jr . , ItJames K. Polk as a St udent," in Gre ensboro Daily News , April 6 , 1930 . Henry . Robert Sel ph, The story of the 1;.exican Uar . New York: The Bobbs- Merrill CompanY:-Inc. , 1950:- Hoffman, l1illiam S. , North Carolina in the exican War , 1846-1848 . Raleigh: North CaroIina Department-of Archives-and History, 1959 . Lambert, Robert Stansbury , "The Presidential Campaign of 1844. as seen through the Press. tI Unpubl tshed Masters thesis, University of North Carolina, 1948. Lefler, Hugh Talmage and .Al bert Ray Ne,,/some, North Car olina; the History of a Southern state. Revised edition. Chapel Hill: The Universi ty of North Carolina Pras s, 1963. Lefler , Hugh Talmage , History at North Carolina, 4 volumes . New York: Lewis Historical-PUb1lshing Company , I ncorporateq 1956. McCoy , Charles Alan, Polk and the Presidency. Austin: Un iversity of Texas Press , 1960 .

t~ dry, R. W., "Polk Visit Was Event at U. N. C., " in Winston­ Salem Journal and Sentinel , June 5 , 1949 .

kaley, Cora , "James K. Polk, the First ' Dark Hors~ t Blected to the Presidency, " Americana Illustrate d, XXIV (July , • 1930 ), 342- 369 • r

75 Mi tche ll, Robert Stewart , "Four Lege nds about Pres ident Polk ," Ameri can An~iquarlan Soci ety Proceedings, XLV (Oc tober, 193 5), 25 7- 287 . • Mo ore , Louis To , "Polk visits St at e , " in Gr eensboro Dail y News , January 30 , 1927 . Nels on , Anson and Fanny , Memorials of Sar ah Childress Polk. New Yo r k : An son D.F. Randolph and Company , 1892. No rton , Cl a renc e Clir tord , "The Democratic Party i n Nor t h Caroli na ," Jame s Sprunt Historical Studies , XXI (1930 ) . Parham, J . M. , "President Polk , as St udent , Wal ked Si x 1tlles to Aboid Eat i ng in Univer s i ty Di ni ng Ro om, " in Ral ei gh ---News and Ob server, Ap ril 4 , 1929 . Patrick and Vinmont , "Mr . President , " in Greensboro Daily News , May 29 , 1960. Pegg , Herber t Dale , "The Whig Party i n North Carolina , 1834- 1861 ." Unpublis hed doctorial dissert at ion I Univer sity of Nort h Carolina, 1932 . Polk Bir thplace Correspondence , Hi storic Si tes Divi s i on , North Car olina Depar tment o f Ar chi ves and Hi stor y . Polk, Mary , The way we were . Winston- Sal em : John F. Bl air , l~ . -- -- Polk , Wi lliam Harrison , Polk Family and Ki nsman. Louisville : Bradley , In2 .

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____~ , ' "Our EleVenth President w8 s Nat ive of carolina and Tennessee Resident," in Charlotte Observer, March I, 1931.

__~ "",' "President James Knox Polk and Co l. John Rowan , " in Charl otte Observer, October 16, 1932 . Weeks, Stephen Beauregard and Sadie Mangum Weeks, compil ers, "History and Biogr aphy of North Carolina Scrapbook ," 10 volumes . A collection ot 2 , 269 articles collected by the Weeks ' and assemb l e d in Bal timore , 1887-1894 . North Carolina Collection, university of Nor th Carolina •

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