didate for governor in 1841 who could "get after Polk" as they expressed it; and for this task they selected James C. Jones* as the Whig nominee for

GOVERNOR JAMES C. JÓNES

governor.

In personal appearance Jones was very striking. He was six feet two inches in height and weighed only one hundred and twenty-five pounds; he had a very prominent nose and a very large mouth. He was called "Lean Jimmy Jones." He walked like a soldier on parade, and had a serious ap- He pos

pearance.

sessed a scattering general knowledge of

things but was in no sense an educated or mentally trained man. He knew he was no match for Polk in serious debate, and he made no attempt to answer Polk's arguments. Polk had overwhelmed and de

* James C. Jones was born in Davidson County in 1809. As a child he had been taken out of school on account of his weak constitution. He was put to work on the farm, and through hard labor there his health was restored. He was elected to the legislature in 1837 and again in 1839. He was elected governor in 1841 and reelected in 1843. In 1850, he moved to Memphis and became president of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. He was elected to the United States senate in 1842, and served one term as a member of this body.

feated Cannon by his wit and humor and ridicule, and now he tried them against Jones when they began their joint canvass of the state. But somehow they lost their effectiveness. Jones was so comical in appearance with his big mouth and pug nose and slim, gaunt form that the crowd began to laugh as soon as he rose to speak. In addition to this he was himself a master in the use of ridicule, wit, and anecdote. When he couldn't think of anything to say in his debate with Polk, he would turn and look at Polk, and this was done in such a comical way that he convulsed his audience. He defeated Polk in 1841 and again in 1843.

JAMES K. POLK, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

In 1844, the Democrats nominated James K. Polk for president of the United States. The nominee of the Whig party this year was Henry Clay of Kentucky. The chief issue in this campaign was the annexation of Texas to the United States. Polk was strongly in favor of annexation and the slogan of the Democrats in this campaign was, "Polk, Dallas and Texas." Dallas was the Democratic nominee for vice-president. Clay's position on the annexation of Texas was indefinite. Polk received one hundred and seventy electoral votes and was elected. Clay received one hundred and five electoral votes. However, Polk lost Tennessee. Clay carried Tennessee by one hundred and thirteen majority.

THE MEXICAN WAR

War was declared against Mexico during President Polk's administration. The war began in 1846 and closed in 1847, when the city of Mexico was taken by the American troops. Tennessee took a very prominent part in this war. When the call was made for 2,800 volunteers from Tennessee, 30,000 responded. Since that time Tennessee has been known as the "Volunteer State." Among those from Tennessee who performed distinguished service in this war, were William B. Campbell, Gideon J. Pillow, William Trousdale, B. F. Cheatham, W. T. Haskell, and William B. Bate. General Bate fought through the Mexican War as a private.

As a result of the war with Mexico, California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and parts of other western states were added to the United States.

James Knox Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, November the 2nd, 1795. He was the oldest of ten children. His father was a plain farmer. He moved to Tennessee and settled on Duck River when young Polk was eleven years old. When he was eighteen years old, young Polk was placed in a country store as clerk by his father, who hoped to make of him a merchant. But he' didn't like his position, and remained in it only a few months. He entered the University of North Carolina as a student in 1815 and graduated with honor in 1818. He began to read law in the office

of Felix Grundy in 1819 and was admitted to the bar at Columbia, Tennessee, in 1820. He represented Maury County in the legislature in 1823. Before this he was a clerk of the lower house of the legislature. In 1825, he was elected to Congress, where he remained till 1839, when he was elected governor. He distinguished himself as an able debater in Congress. In 1834, he was defeated for the speakership by John Bell, another distinguished Tennessean. He defeated Bell, however, for the speakership in 1835, and was elected again to this position in 1837.

President Polk was a man of great ability, and furthermore was a man of conviction and courage. On account of his great friendship for Andrew Jackson and close alliance with him throughout his political career he was represented by his political enemies as a subservient tool in Jackson's hands. This was a very great injustice to Polk, who was a man of independence of thought and action. But so widespread was this opinion that he has failed to receive the place in history that rightfully belongs to him.