politician resembles the summer landscape above which the fleecy clouds are constantly flitting-now in the light, and now in the shade-here all sunshine and brightness, and there all darkness and gloom. The gratification of human hopes is always uncertain, and aspirations after public honors are not exempt from the disappointments incident to mortal desires. But this should not deter true merit from treading the path of honorable ambition. Accidental distinctions are rarely worth striving for; but the lasting esteem of a free people is a patent of nobility prouder than was ever granted by kingly favor, and is

"stamped with a seal,

Far, far more ennobling, than monarch e'er set."

At the earnest request, and upon the urgent solicitations of his friends, repeatedly pressed upon him, Mr. Polk consented to become the candidate of the republicans of Tennessee, at the August election in 1839, for the office of governor. It was very evident that none but the strongest man in the party could enter into the canvass with anything like a fair prospect before him; and it was exceedingly doubtful whether he could be successful. The democracy of the state were in a measure disheartened by the disasters and defeats which they had experienced since the secession of Judge White, Mr. Bell, and their friends, from the party; and they needed some leader possessing a powerful hold upon their affections, of popular manners and an able speaker, to place himself at their head, to encourage them by his example, and to animate them by his stirring eloquence.

Such a leader was Mr. Polk. He cheerfully accepted

the nomination, which was tendered to him by the unanimous consent of his republican friends, in the fall of 1838, and at a barbecue in Murfreesborough publicly declared himself a candidate. He immediately took the stump, but was only able to make a few speeches that fall, as it was necessary for him to repair to Washington in time for the opening of the session of Congress.

At the close of the session, in the spring of 1839, he hastened home without delay, and his familiar voice was soon heard uttering its thrilling appeals, that aroused the feelings, and moved the hearts, of those who listened to him, like the notes of a trumpet on the eve of an impending battle. The energies of the party were forthwith revived; unity and harmony everywhere prevailed; and a new spirit seemed to dwell in the bosoms of those who had been languid and faint-hearted, and had already predicted defeat.

The canvass was warm and spirited. The state had for years been in the hands of the opposition, and they now rallied with enthusiasm and alacrity in support of Governor Cannon, the incumbent of the office, who was a candidate for reëlection. The governor was a man of great popularity, well and widely known, and justly esteemed for his high character and talents. He appeared on the stump in person, and a number of the ablest whig speakers in the state labored for weeks in his support. Mr. Polk was favored by no factitious circumstances. On the contrary, everything was against him, and the issue of the contest, as was proved by the result, depended mainly on himself. As a stump speaker he was invincible; and his abilities in this respect were now put to

a severe test. Never did his aptness, his facilité in addressing popular assemblies, appear to greater advantage, or serve him in greater stead. He had reached the turning point of his fortunes-the crisis of his career. If defeated on this occasion it might be impossible to maintain himself in the position he had previously occupied, but if successful, yet higher distinctions might be attained. The prize seemed to be worthy of his utmost efforts. He flew, as it were, from one end of the state to the other. He visited every county and addressed its citizens. He scarcely gave himself time to eat or to sleep, but, entirely indifferent to fatigue, continued his efforts, without pause or relaxation, up to the last hour of the

canvass.

Animated as was the contest, nothing like personal illfeeling was manifested by either of the rival candidates. Governor Cannon, however, was afraid to meet Mr. Polk on the stump. The latter made out a list of appointments in West Tennessee, and invited his opponent to accompany him. The invitation was declined by Governor Cannon; whereupon Mr. Polk set out to fill his appointments, but when he had reached the extreme western limits of the state, he was informed that Governor Cannon had left for East Tennessee, in order to fill some appointments which he had made there. Mr. Polk instantly suspended his own unfilled appointments, and travelled with the utmost speed to Knoxville, which place he reached without having slept in a bed, or pulled off his boots, during the journey. He then met Governor Cannon, and, as was claimed by his friends, defeated him on every occasion. That the people coincided in this opin

ion, was evinced by their expressions of praise and approbation, and by their votes at the polls.

The exertions of Mr. Polk during this canvass deserved the success with which they were rewarded. He was elected over Governor Cannon by upwards of twentyfive hundred majority, and on the 14th of October took the oath of office at Nashville, and entered upon the discharge of the executive duties. On this occasion, he delivered the following address, which is with justice considered to be one of the clearest and ablest documents that ever came from his pen, in the presence of the General Assembly and a large concourse of citizens:

GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS.

Gentlemen of the Senate, of the House of Representatives, and Fellow-Citizens:

Deeply impressed with a sense of gratitude to my fellowcitizens for the confidence they have reposed in me by elevating me to the Chief Executive Office in the State, and duly sensible of the weight of responsibility which will devolve upon me, I enter upon the discharge of its duties firmly relying upon the coöperation of the coördinate departments of the State Government, in all such measures of public policy as may be calculated to maintain the high character of the State, and to advance and promote the interests, the happiness, and prosperity of the people.

A proper respect for public opinion, as well as a compliance with public expectation, seem to require that I should upon this occasion publicly declare the leading principles which I shall deem it proper to be observed in the conduct of the State Administration, so far as the action of the Executive branch may be concerned.

Under our happy system of Government, the ultimate and

supreme sovereignty rests in the people. The powers of government delegated by the people to their public functionaries, are by our constitution divided between the Federal and State authorities. The State Governments are not, as has been erroneously supposed by some, subordinate to the Federal Government. "They are coördinate departments of one simple and integral whole." The States have parted with7 certain enumerated and specified powers, and, by the Constitution of the United States, these are delegated to the Federal Government, and can only be rightfully exercised by that Government. "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." By the partition of powers thus distinctly defined, it is manifes that each government possesses powers which are withheld from the other. And so long as each acts within its legitimate and proper sphere, the system works harmoniously, and affords to the citizen a greater amount of security for life, liberty and property, and in the pursuit of happiness, than is to be found under any other government which has ever existed. When either overleaps the true boundary prescribed for its action, and usurps the exercise of powers properly belonging to the other, the harmony of the system is disturbed, and agitating collisions arise which are calculated to weaken the bonds of union. Whilst, therefore, the States should be jealous of every encroachment of the Federal Government on their rights, they should be careful to confine themselves in their own action to the exercise of powers clearly reserved to them.

It will, I do not doubt, be the patriotic desire of my constituents, as I know it will be mine, in the discharge of the functions to which I am called, that "the support of the State Governments in all their rights, as the most competent administrations for our domestic concerns, and the surest bulwark against anti-republican tendencies," and that the "pres