Kingsport Spirit

FORTY THOUSAND PERSONS PRESENT—ENTHUSIASM OF THE DEMOCRACY—EAST TENNESSEE SAFE FOR POLK AND DALLAS

I enjoy digging into old newspaper articles, and this snippet from the 1844 Nashville Union is a real treasure.

We often assume Kingsport only began in 1917, but for 156 years before that it was a bustling river port—the highest navigable point in the Tennessee River Valley. Even with today’s successful Marriott convention center, nothing quite matches the scale of that 1844 gathering.

For its first fifty-three years, our young republic was led by East Coast aristocrats. All that changed in 1829 with the election of Andrew Jackson of Tennessee. Jackson—“Old Hickory”—defined the “Age of the Common Man.” He was wildly popular and wielded presidential power like no one before him, yet his legacy is inseparable from both his triumphs (the decisive use of the veto, paying off the national debt) and his darkest acts (the Indian Removal Act and the Trail of Tears).

In the eight years after Jackson, America weathered a severe depression, created the Independent Treasury, and fought bitter battles over tariffs, slavery’s expansion, and territorial claims. Those fights set the stage for another Tennessean, James K. Polk, whose “manifest-destiny” agenda would drive the nation westward. (The phrase itself was coined in 1845 by John L. O’Sullivan to express the belief that America was destined—by Providence—to span the continent.)

Polk’s opponent in 1844 was Kentucky’s Henry Clay. Clay rejected immediate annexation of Texas—fearing war with Mexico—and championed internal improvements over new territorial disputes. Polk, by contrast, ran a laser-focused campaign for Texas, Oregon, tariff reduction, and an Independent Treasury. His clear message and grassroots energy narrowly carried him to victory.

Their running mates perfectly encapsulated each ticket’s character. Clay chose Theodore Frelinghuysen, then NYU’s chancellor, celebrated for a landmark multi-day Senate speech condemning the Indian Removal Act and for co-founding the Congressional Temperance Society. Polk’s pick, George Mifflin Dallas of Pennsylvania, was a hard-core Jacksonian Democrat—an ardent expansionist who even advocated annexing “all of Mexico,” and whose tie-breaking Senate votes secured the Walker Tariff and the Independent Treasury. He later lent his name to Dallas, Texas.

That great Kingsport assembly foreshadowed Tennessee’s lasting reputation as the “Volunteer State.” The nickname dates back to the War of 1812’s Battle of New Orleans (January 1815), when some 1,500 Tennessee militiamen under Jackson earned nationwide acclaim. Tennesseans volunteered in huge numbers in the Texas Revolution (1835–36) and again in the Mexican-American War (1846–48), when Governor Aaron V. Brown’s call for 2,800 men drew over 30,000.

History is complex and often uncomfortable—but it’s hard to imagine today’s United States without the drive of Manifest Destiny. Had Polk lost that razor-thin election, who knows whether we’d need passports to visit Texas or California?

Context: In September 1844, as James K. Polk—a little‐known “dark‐horse” former Speaker of the House from Tennessee—secured the Democratic presidential nomination on a platform of immediate Texas annexation and vigorous Oregon claims, local Democrats in traditionally Whig‐leaning East Tennessee held a “Great Mass Meeting” in Kingsport to demonstrate that Polk’s expansionist message and promises of improved roads and steamboat service could win over even mountain voters. By mustering an estimated 40,000 people, organizing barbecues and speeches, and rallying under the “Tenth Legion” banner, they signaled a dramatic shift in East Tennessee loyalty toward “Polk and Dallas.” This grassroots mobilization helped ensure Polk’s comfortable win in Tennessee—and foreshadowed his narrow national victory over Henry Clay—which paved the way for the 1845 annexation of Texas and the Mexican‐American War. President Polk successfully carried a message of “Manifest Destiny” to the national scene. Polk’s victory ultimately yielded the Mexican Cession (California, New Mexico, Arizona, etc.).

Transcribed by AI from the Tri-Weekly Nashville Union newspaper:

“Kingsport, Sept. 13, 1844.
Dear Sir:—Yesterday and to‐day was held at this place the largest political gathering which has ever been witnessed in East Tennessee, or, as many people think, the largest ever held in the State. The handbill announcing the meeting repeated the war‐cry of Campbell,

“Wave, Munice! all thy banners wave,
And charge with all thy chivalry!”

And never was a call more gloriously responded to. The counties of Hawkins, Greene, Washington, and Sullivan in this State, and the counties of Lee, Scott, and Washington in Virginia, were represented by almost their entire population. The whole road from Rogersville to Kingsport (26 miles) on the day before the assembling of the Convention seemed to be one solid procession; and but a small part of the crowd coming on that road composed the front. It is known that 13,000, by actual count, crossed Ross’s Bridge (now Rotherwood Bridge), on one of the other roads leading to the place of the encampment. Most of the people came on horseback and on foot, yet there were more than 1,000 heavy wagons and carriages on the ground, as I was assured by one of the marshals. Our Greeneville meeting, early in August, was very large, as you may have heard; but it is insignificant in comparison with the one which has just closed here—it almost dwindles into insignificance.

We were disappointed in having no distinguished speakers here from a distance; but their absence was compensated for by the presence of many of our most efficient speakers of Western Virginia and East Tennessee. Colonel G. W. Hopkins, who has so long and so ably represented “Little Tennessee” in Congress, made the first speech, and was followed from the main stand by Colonel Haynes, the talented Elector for the First District. I have no time to give you a description of any of the speeches. At other points of the encampment, addresses were made during the day by Fayette McMullen, a Senator in the Virginia Legislature; by John B. Floyd, a distinguished lawyer from the same State; and by General Jno. Senter. Dr. A. S. Brownlow and several others from Tennessee—the speaking being continued from some four or five different stands until dark.

On Friday morning, a Mr. Duffield, a federal orator, was permitted to occupy the main stand for two hours, and he made a passable federal speech; which, however, was received and effectually demolished by Colonel Andrew Johnson, of Greene.

The barbecue on the first day was of the best kind, and such as to do honor to the sterling democracy of the “Tenth Legion.” Fifty‐four head of beef cattle, admirably done, with “bread and bacon” in proportion, may be mentioned among the substantial items of the spread before the multitude.

I have no time for other particulars, which you will doubtless obtain elsewhere. There must have been forty thousand persons present; which, taking into account the comparative sparseness of our population, you will agree with me made up a meeting worthy of being boasted of.

I can assure you that in East Tennessee all is safe. The enthusiasm for Polk exceeds anything I have ever witnessed at any time. The Harrison excitement in ’40 was nothing to it. Our party will do their whole duty; every man seems to fight as though he regarded the issue as resting on his own individual exertions. With this feeling—which is all we have heretofore lacked—the result in our section of the State cannot be doubted. A majority for Polk in East Tennessee, I regard as being already certain, beyond the influence of all human contingencies. We are thoroughly organized, and will do our whole duty.

Yours,
 ——
Rogersville, Tenn.,
Sept. 14, 1844.

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Rogersville, Tenn.,
Sept. 14, 1844.
Dear Sir:—I have just returned from the largest assemblage of persons that ever convened between the Cumberland and Alleghany. I mean our meeting at Kingsport on the 12th. I am informed by the marshal of the day that one thousand and two wagons were there—four hundred and sixty of them were covered wagons.

The enthusiasm that pervaded this vast crowd was beyond all precedent. Never have I seen such zeal displayed in favor of any man as there seemed to be in favor of Colonel Polk. It was beyond anything of the kind ever exhibited in East Tennessee.

We had fine speaking, and we have no doubt there were at least from 150 to 300 converts made to Polk and Dallas. I do assure you, sir, that nothing can prevent Governor Polk from carrying everything before him in Upper East Tennessee. We will make a gain of at least 500 in Johnson’s district, and many of our friends count confidently on 1,000. We can and will, from this until the election, give them battle at every point; and if you of the West make as good a gain as we will, the State is safe by from 5,000 to 10,000. In this county our gains will be very considerable. How goes the fight in your division?”