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THE   DIARY  OF    JAMES   K.   POLK 

1845-1849 


VOL.    III. 


^'■"■i  A 


THE    DIARY 
JAMES    K.    l-v^i 


T  T  Q   t-ut: 


iRST  PRINTED  FROM  THE  ORIGINAL  MANUSCRIPT 
IN  TP  TIDNS  OF 


MILO  MILTON  QUAIFE 

.SSI.TAKX  PKOFBSS^^Np^^^j.g^l^^.^aPj^^.O.00V 

From  the  original  daguerreotype  made  in  Washington  in  1S4J  or  1848,  being  one 
0]  the  early  portraits  made  by  this  process.     Owned  by  Mrs. 
W  J T .4'«aWi  ^.o(licSelij 0  ii<ts.hvM.le,  Tenn. 

ANDREW  CUNNINGHAM  M7'[  AUGH^  !  >: 

lENT  OF  HISTORY 


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M  c  C  L  U  R 


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TO',"'  (^<^ 


THE    DIARY    OF 
JAMES   K.    POLK 

DURING  HIS  PRESIDENCY,   1845  to  1849 


NOW  FIRST  PRINTED  FROM  THE  ORIGINAL  MANUSCRIPT 
IN  THE  COLLECTIONS  OF 

THE   CHICAGO  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 


EDITED  AND  ANNOTATED   BY 

MILO  MILTON  QUAIFE 

ASSISTANT  PROFESSOR  IN   THE   LEWIS   INSTITUTE   OF  TECHNOLOGY 


WITH  AN  INTRODUCTION  BY 

ANDREW  CUNNINGHAM   McLAUGHLIN 

HEAD  OF  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  HISTORY  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY   OF   CHICAGO 

IN  FOUR  VOLUMES 

VOL.    Ill 


A.    C.    McCLURG    &    CO. 
CHICAGO 

I  9  I  o 


Copyright 

By  a.  C.  McClurg  &  Company 

A.  D.   1910 


Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall,  London,  England 


This  work  forms  volumes  VI-IX  of  The  Chicago  Historical 
Society's  collection,  a  special  issue  of  500  copies  being  printed 
for  the  purposes  of  that  Society. 


PRINTED • AND • BOUND • BY 
THE*  PLIMPTON  •  PRESS 

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THE   DIARY  OF    JAMES   K.   POLK 

1845-1849 


493625 


DIARY    OF 

JAMES  K.  POLK 

III 

Saturday,  Ist  May,  184J. —  This  was  the  regu- 
lar day  of  the  meeting  of  the  Cabinet.  The  attorney 
General  is  absent  from  the  City  on  a  visit  to  his  fam- 
ily in  Maine.  The  Secretary  of  State  &  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Treasury  sent  me  messages  that  they  were 
prevented  from  attending  in  consequence  of  indispo- 
sition. The  other  members  of  the  Cabinet  attended 
at  the  usual  hour.  The  Vice  President  of  the  U. 
States  (Mr.  Dallas)  called  about  11  O'Clock  A.  M. 
This  being  the  day  appointed  for  laying  the  corner 
stone  of  the  building  for  the  Smithsonian  Institution, 
no  business  was  transacted  in  the  Cabinet.  About 
12  O'clock  a  large  procession,  consisting  of  the  mili- 
tary. Masons,  the  order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  citizens 
appeared  before  my  door.  Accompanied  by  the 
members  of  my  Cabinet  who  were  present,  I  took  the 
place  which  had  been  assigned  me  in  the  procession, 
and  moved  with  it  to  the  site  of  the  building  of  the 
Smithsonian  Institution  on  the  public  mall,  south 
of  Pennsylvania  Avenue.  The  Vice  President,  The 
Secretary  of  War,  &  my  Private  Secretary  took  seats 

in  my  carriage.     Delegations  of  the  Masonic  lodges 

I 


2  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i  May 

of  Pennsylvania  &  Maryland  were  present,  as  also  a 
large  number  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  &  the  Odd 
Fellows  of  the  District  of  Columbia.  The  occasion 
on  the  ground  opened  and  closed  with  prayer.  The 
ceremonies  of  laying  the  corner-stone  of  the  building 
were  performed  chiefly  by  B.  B.  French,  Esq'r, 
Grand  Master  of  the  Mason  fraternity  of  the  D.  C. 
The  Vice  President,  after  this  ceremony  was  over, 
delivered  an  address  to  the  multitude  assembled  on 
the  occasion.  A  large  crowd  of  ladies  &  gentlemen 
were  present.  About  2>4  O'Clock  P.  M.  the  cere- 
monies were  concluded  &  I  returned  to  the  Presi- 
dential Mansion.  The  Vice  President  took  a  Fam- 
ily dinner  with  me  to-day. 

About  5  O'clock  P.  M.  the  Masonic  fraternity 
from  Philadelphia,  headed  by  Col.  James  Page,  their 
Grand  Master,  called  to  pay  their  respects.  There 
were  between  20  &  30  of  them.  I  received  them  in 
the  Circular  parlour.  After  spending  half  an  hour 
in  pleasant  conversation  with  me  they  retired. 

I  received  to-day  a  short  letter  from  Charles  J. 
Ingersoll  of  Phila.  in  answer  to  mine  of  the  28th  ult. 
(See  letter  Book.)  In  his  letter  Mr.  Ingersoll  de- 
nies that  he  sought  the  French  mission  from  me.  In 
this  he  states  what  he  knows  to  be  untrue.  I  affirm 
that  he  did  solicit  the  mission  in  private  interviews 
with  me,  and  that  he  was  importunate  on  the  sub- 
ject. He  sought  it  also  through  Vice  President  Dal- 
las. There  was  no  witness  present  &  Mr.  I.  has  now 
the  baseness  to  deny  it.  It  is  also  false,  as  stated  by 
him,  that  I  got  him  to  give  up  the  Russian  Mis- 
sion &  suggested  the  French  mission  in  its  stead. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  3 

Sunday,  2nd  May,  184'/. —  I  was  indisposed  this 
morning  from  the  effects  of  cold,  and  much  fatigued 
by  the  labours  of  the  past  week,  and  remained  quietly 
at  home.  It  was,  moreover,  a  damp  uncomfortable 
day  and  unusually  chilly  for  this  season.  Mrs.  Polk 
&  her  niece.  Miss  Rucker,  attended  church.  The 
quiet  rest  of  the  sabbath  day  is  always  desirable  to 
me,  but  has  seldom  been  more  acceptable  than  on  this 
day.  When  Mrs.  Polk  returned  from  church 
she  complained  of  being  very  cold,  and  it  was  mani- 
fest she  had  a  chill.  In  a  short  time  afterwards  [a] 
re-action  took  place  and  she  had  a  fever.  She  had 
slight  symptoms  of  a  chill  on  friday  last,  which  had 
not  attracted  much  attention  as  she  had  casually  men- 
tioned it,  but  had  not  complained  of  much  indisposi- 
tion in  consequence  of  it. 

Monday,  3rd  May,  1847. —  I  entered  my  office 
this  morning  somewhat  indisposed,  and  entered  upon 
the  laborious  duties  of  another  week.  Before  noting 
any  of  the  events  of  this  day,  I  deem  it  proper  to 
place  more  distinctly  upon  this  record  than  I  have 
heretofore  done  the  conduct  &  course  of  Charles  J. 
Ingersoll  of  Phila.,  in  reference  to  his  application  to 
me  to  be  appointed  Minister  to  France.  This  be- 
comes necessary  in  consequence  of  his  extraordinary 
letter  to  me  of  the  25th  of  March  last,  and  his  reply 
to  mine  of  the  28th  ultimo  (see  my  file  of  letters  and 
my  letter  Book).  I  do  this  also  because  I  am  now 
satisfied  that  any  confidence  I  have  heretofore  placed 
in  Mr.  Ingersoll  was  undeserved,  and  because  others 
who  may  come  after  me  may  have  occasion  to  refer 


4  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  May 

to  the  facts,  as  they  are  known  to  me  to  exist.  Early 
after  my  election  as  President,  Mr.  IngersoU's  desire 
to  go  abroad  in  the  character  of  Envoy  to  some  one 
of  the  Principal  courts  of  Europe  was  made  known 
to  me.  Indeed  before  I  left  Tennessee  I  received  a 
letter  from  him  from  which  his  wishes  in  this  re- 
spect might  have  been  inferred.  During  the  first 
Session  of  Congress  under  my  administration  his 
wishes  were  made  known  to  me  by  Mr.  Dallas  and 
others.  He  professed  great  friendship  for  my  ad- 
ministration and  often  visited  me.  In  the  early  part 
of  that  Session  (I  cannot  call  to  mind  the  precise 
date)  I  cannot  be  mistaken  in  the  fact  that  he  made 
known  to  me  his  wishes  in  a  personal  conversation. 
He  desired  the  French  mission.  Mr.  King  was  then 
the  U.  S.  Envoy  at  Paris,  though  it  was  said  he  in- 
tended shortly  to  return.  I  gave  Mr.  IngersoU  no 
encouragement  to  hope  for  that  mission.  He  con- 
tinued his  visits  to  me  at  short  intervals,  &  professed 
great  zeal  in  the  support  of  my  administration. 
Finally,  the  Russian  Mission  being  vacant  by  the  re- 
call of  Mr.  Todd,  I  concluded  to  let  him  have  it, 
and  informed  him  that  I  would  nominate  him  to 
the  Senate  near  the  close  of  that  Session  of  the  Sen- 
ate. He  repeated  his  preference  for  the  French 
mission,  but  I  told  him  distinctly  that  I  could  not 
give  it  to  him.  Subsequently  he  joined  me  in  one  of 
my  evening  walks  (see  this  diary  of  July  9th,  1846) 
and  personally  again  importuned  me  for  the  French 
mission.  That  upon  these  as  well  as  other  occasions, 
which  I  did  not  deem  it  necessary  to  note  in  this 
diary  not  dreaming  that  it  would  ever  be  of  any  im- 


1847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  5 

portance,  he  solicited  the  French  mission  is  most 
certain.  After  1  had  promised  him  the  Russian  mis- 
sion, he  had  his  quarrel  with  Mr.  Webster,  upon 
which  it  is  unnecessary  that  I  should  remark,  fur- 
ther than  to  say  that  he  got  the  worse  of  that  afifair. 
On  the  3rd  of  August,  1846,  Mr.  IngersoU  called 
(see  this  diary  of  that  day)  to  know  when  I  would 
nominate  him  to  the  Senate  for  the  Russian  mission, 
&  I  informed  him  that  I  proposed  to  do  so  on  the 
friday  or  Saturday  following,  and  mentioned  to  him 
the  danger  of  his  rejection  by  the  Senate.  On  Satur- 
day morning,  the  8th  of  August,  1846,  Mr.  IngersoU 
called  and  requested  me  not  to  nominate  him  to  the 
Senate  as  Minister  to  Russia.  In  my  diary  of  that 
day  I  had  no  time  to  state  his  reasons  for  that  re- 
quest (see  Diary  of  that  day).  These  reasons  I  dis- 
tinctly remember.  They  were  the  belief  on  his  part 
that  if  nominated  he  would  be  rejected  by  the  Sen- 
ate. In  this  I  fully  concurred  with  him.  I  founded 
my  belief  on  information  received  from  members  of 
the  Cabinet,  and  from  conversations  which  I  had  held 
a  day  or  two  previously  with  Senator  Cameron  & 
Senator  Benton,  with  both  of  whom,  as  they  in- 
formed me,  Mr.  IngersoU  had  conversed  &  had  re- 
quested them  to  ascertain  whether,  if  nominated,  he 
would  be  rejected.  I  became  satisfied  from  the  con- 
versation I  had  with  these  Senators  that  he  would  be 
rejected.  Their  information  as  communicated  to 
me  I  gave  to  Mr.  IngersoU.  He  was  himself  satis- 
fied that  if  nominated  he  would  be  rejected,  and  for 
this  reason  he  requested  that  his  name  should  not  be 
sent  to  the  Senate.     Believing  him,  at  that  time,  to 


6  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  May 

be  an  honourable  man,  I  felt  a  sympathy  for  him, 
and  when  he  rose  to  leave  my  office,  I  remarked  to 
him  that  I  appreciated  his  situation,  and  said  to  him 
that  it  might  yet  be  in  my  power  during  my  ad- 
ministration to  gratify  his  wishes  to  go  abroad. 
From  this  general  remark  (for  I  know  of  nothing 
else)  he  must  have  assumed  that  I  had  promised  to 
give  him  the  French  Mission.  Congress  at  that 
Session  adjourned  on  the  loth  day  of  August,  1846. 
On  the  19th  of  August  following,  I  left  Washington 
on  a  short  excursion  to  Old  Point  Comfort.  In  my 
absence  a  letter  was  addressed  to  me  by  Mr.  Inger- 
soU,  which  he  subsequently  requested  should  be  re- 
turned to  him  through  Mr.  Buchanan,  and  which 
was  returned  to  him,  but  which  I  now  regret  I  did 
not  retain  (see  letter  Book  containing  my  note  to 
Mr.  Buchanan  of  October  23rd,  1846).  The  sub- 
stance of  this  letter  was  to  know  whether  I  intended 
to  appoint  him  Minister  to  France.  This  fact  he 
wished  to  ascertain  before  the  27th  of  August,  the 
day  on  which  he  stated  the  delegates  of  his  Congres- 
sional District  were  to  assemble  to  nominate  a  candi- 
date for  Congress.  He  wished  the  information 
because,  if  it  was  my  intention  to  send  him  to  France, 
he  would  not  be  a  candidate  before  the  convention 
for  the  nomination.  He  took  ofifense  that  I  did  not 
answer  this  letter,  and  through  Mr.  Buchanan  re- 
quested leave  to  withdraw  it.  I  accordingly  en- 
closed it  to  Mr.  Buchanan  in  my  note  of  the  23rd  of 
October.  I  now  from  subsequent  developments  see 
that  it  was  important  that  I  should  have  retained 
that  letter,  for  if   I  had  it  it  would  have  contra- 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  7 

dieted  a  palpable  untruth  which  Mr.  IngersoU  in  his 
recent  correspondence  with  me  unblushingly  affirms, 
viz.,  that  he  had  never  personally  solicited  the 
French  mission  from  me.  I  heard  nothing  more  on 
the  subject  from  Mr.  IngersoU  until  after  the  next 
Session  of  Congress  convened.  He  then  repeated 
his  visits  to  me,  &  professed  great  zeal  in  supporting 
my  administration,  and  expressed  himself  in  the  most 
obsequious  manner  as  being  desirous  to  be  personally 
useful  to  me  in  Congress.  On  the  23d  of  December, 
1846  (see  this  Diary  of  that  day)  Mr.  IngersoU 
most  importunately  and  indelicately  again  intro- 
duced the  subject  of  the  French  mission  &  personally 
solicited  it  from  me.  His  conduct  on  the  occasion 
was  so  indelicate  &  annoying  to  me  that  I  made  a 
note  of  it  in  this  Diary  at  the  time.  I  gave  him  no 
encouragement,  for  the  truth  is  I  had  not  then  made 
up  my  mind  to  appoint  him.  His  visits  continued 
to  be  frequent,  and  upon  another  occasion  (after 
night)  he  again  introduced  the  subject,  and  being 
annoyed  at  it  I  promptly  replied  to  him  that  I  pre- 
ferred not  to  converse  with  him  on  the  subject,  & 
remarked  that  I  did  not  know  what  I  could  do  on 
the  subject,  but  would  determine  before  the  end  of 
the  session. 

A  few  days  before  the  close  of  the  Session  I  made 
up  my  mind  to  nom.inate  Mr.  IngersoU  to  the  Sen- 
ate as  minister  to  France,  and  thus  gratify  his  most 
ardent  wishes  as  repeatedly  expressed  to  me.  I  sent 
for  him  &  informed  him  that  I  had  made  up  my 
mind  to  do  so.  He  expressed  his  deep  gratitude  to 
me  for  it.     I  conversed  with  him  on  the  subject  of 


8  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  May 

Mr.  Webster's  probable  opposition  to  him,  &  the 
danger  of  his  rejection.  He  expressed  apprehen- 
sions of  opposition  from  Mr.  Webster,  but  still 
thought  he  could  be  confirmed  by  a  majority  of  the 
Senate.  I  sent  in  his  nomination  to  the  Senate,  and 
on  the  last  night  of  the  Session  and  within  its  last 
hour  he  was  rejected.  I  then  nominated  Mr.  Rich- 
ard Rush  for  the  mission  &  he  was  confirmed.  Mr. 
Ingersoll  called  at  my  office  on  the  4th  of  March 
(the  day  after  the  adjournment  of  Congress)  and  I 
expressed  to  him  my  regret  at  his  rejection,  and  he 
gave  no  intimation  of  any  dissatisfaction  with  me,  for 
he  had  no  cause  to  do  so:  (see  also  this  diary  of  the 
3rd  of  March,  1847).  Mr.  Richard  Rush  called  to 
see  me  a  few  days  after  the  adjournment  of  Congress, 
to  pay  his  respects  to  me  &  thanked  me  for  his  ap- 
pointment as  Minister  to  France,  which  had  been 
unexpected  to  him.  He  expressed  his  regret  at  Mr. 
Ingersoll's  rejection;  and  informed  me  that  Mr.  In- 
gersoll immediately  after  the  adjournment  of  Con- 
gress, had  actually  prepared  a  challenge  to  Mr. 
Webster  to  fight  a  duel,  charging  as  he  did  his  re- 
jection by  the  Senate  to  Mr.  Webster.  Mr.  Rush 
informed  me  that  he  had  advised  him  strongly 
against  it  &  had  induced  him  to  abandon  it.  Up  to 
this  time,  &  until  I  received  Mr.  Ingersoll's  most 
wanton  &  extraordinary  letter  of  the  25th  of  March, 
I  had  no  conception  that  he  was  dissatisfied  with  me. 
On  the  7th  of  April,  1847,  and  after  I  had  received 
that  letter,  but  before  I  had  answered  it,  Mr.  Inger- 
soll to  my  great  surprise  called  at  my  office.  For 
my  interview  with  him  see  this  diary  of  that  day. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  9 

To  Mr.  IngersoU's  letter  of  the  30th  of  April  in  an- 
swer to  mine  of  the  28th  April  I  shall  make  no 
reply.  In  his  letter  of  the  25th  of  March  he  states 
several  palpable  untruths,  among  which  is  his  denial 
that  he  had  solicited  the  French  mission  from  me, 
and  his  statement  that  I  had  denounced  the  Senate  as 
a  faction.  After  all  that  has  transpired  1  am  com- 
pelled to  regard  him  as  a  base  &  unprincipled  man. 
The  Attorney  Gen'l,  Mr.  Clififord,  called  this 
morning,  having  returned  from  his  visit  to  his  resi- 
dence in  Maine,  as  he  informed  me,  on  yesterday. 
I  transacted  official  business  with  the  Secretary  of 
State  and  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  to-day.  I 
opened  my  doors  for  the  reception  of  company  at  i 
o'clock  P.  M.  to-day.  A  number  of  persons  called, 
generally  seeking  office.  I  was  so  much  indisposed 
to-day  that  I  disposed  of  but  little  of  the  business  on 
my  table. 

Tuesday,  4th  May,  184^. —  I  rose  this  morning 
as  usual  about  6  O'Clock,  and  while  I  was  shaving 
in  my  chamber  (for  I  am  my  own  harbour)  Mrs. 
Polk,  who  had  not  arisen,  asked  me  if  it  was  a  cool 
morning  and  complained  of  being  very  cold.  I  an- 
swered her  that  I  thought  it  was  more  chilly  than 
usual.  I  soon  discovered  that  she  had  a  chill,  and 
threw  more  covering  on  the  bed.  Her  chill  con- 
tinued for  more  than  three  hours.  I  have  never  seen 
her  suffer  or  complain  more  than  she  did  for  sev- 
eral hours  after  the  chill  subsided  and  her  fever  rose. 
My  family  physician  (Dr.  Miller)  I  learned  was 
absent  from  the  City,  and  I  sent  for  Dr.  Hall,  who 


10  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [4  May 

is  one  of  the  most  eminent  physicians  of  the  City. 
He  prescribed  for  her.  She  spent  a  restless  &  un- 
comfortable afternoon  &  night  though  her  medicine 
had  its  desired  eflfect. 

The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour,  all  the  mem- 
bers present  except  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
who  was  detained  by  indisposition.  I  have  ob- 
served that  he  has  been  sinking  for  several  weeks 
past  under  the  immense  labours  of  his  Department. 
He  has  not  been  able  to  speak  above  a  whisper  for 
the  last  month,  and  there  is  danger  that  he  may  lose 
his  voice  entirely,  and  that  his  general  health  may 
be  destroyed  and  his  life  endangered,  if  he  continues 
to  apply  himself  as  he  has  heretofore  done  to  the 
very  laborious  duties  of  his  office. 

The  Secretary  of  War  presented  and  read  in  Cabi- 
net the  official  despatches  ^  from  Col.  Donophan  of 
the  Missouri  Volunteers,  giving  an  account  of  the 
battles  he  and  his  brave  forces  had  fought  at  the 
Passo  &  at  Sacramento,  in  which,  in  the  latter  es- 
pecially, he  had  obtained  decisive  victories  over 
vastly  superior  forces  of  the  enemy.  The  battle  of 
Sacramento  I  consider  to  be  one  of  the  most  decisive 
and  brilliant  achievements  of  the  War.  The  de- 
spatches of  Gen'l  Kearney  and  Commodore  Stock- 
ton giving  an  account  of  events  which  had  occurred 
in  California  were  considered.  The  despatches  of 
Commodore  Stockton  had  been  brought  to  the  Navy 
Department  by  Lieut.  Gray  of  the  Navy  some  days 
ago,  and  those  of  Gen'l  Kearney  to  the  War  Depart- 
ment by  Lieut,   (now  Major)   Emery,  a  day  or  two 

^  -S".  Ex.  Doc.  I,  30  Cong.  I  Sess.  497-502. 


1847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  ir 

ago.  It  appears  that  an  unfortunate  collision  had 
occurred  between  Com.  Stocicton  and  Gen'l  Kear- 
ney. Upon  a  full  examination  of  the  whole  of  the 
correspondence  of  both,  I  was  fully  satisfied  that 
Gen'l  Kearney  was  right,  and  that  Com.  Stockton's 
course  was  wrong.  Indeed  both  he  and  Lie[u]t. 
Col.  Fremont,  in  refusing  to  recognize  the  authority 
of  Gen'l  Kearney,  acted  insubordinately  and  in  a 
manner  that  is  censurable.  A  reference  to  the  offi- 
cial Documents  will  show  this.  I  expressed  a  de- 
cided opinion  on  the  subject  to  the  Cabinet.  All  the 
Cabinet  agreed  that  Gen'l  Kearney  [Commodore 
Stockton]  &  Lie[u]t.  Col.  Fremont  had  been  in  the 
wrong,  but  all  agreed  as  I  did  that  they  were  both 
gallant  &  meritorious  officers,  and  all  regretted  the 
occurrence.  None  of  the  Cabinet  censured  Gen'l 
Kearney.  The  two  former  have  subjected  them- 
selves to  arrest  &  trial  by  a  Court  Martial,  but  as 
all  collision  has  probably  been  since  that  time 
avoided,  I  am  disposed  not  to  pursue  so  rigorous  a 
course.  The  Secretary  of  War  thought  in  answer- 
ing Gen'l  Kearney's  despatches  he  ought  to  express 
the  approbation  of  the  Government  of  his  course. 
The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  thought  this  inadvisable, 
because  this  would  be  to  pass  a  censure  on  Com. 
Stockton;  and  he  desired  that  no  opinion  should  be 
expressed  and  that  the  matter  should  be  passed  over 
as  lightly  as  possible.  Such  seemed  to  be  the  incli- 
nation of  the  Cabinet,  and  was  my  own,  as  far  as  it 
could  be  done  with  propriety.  The  subject  was  post- 
poned for  further  consideration. 

Some  other  matters  relating  to  our  Foreign  affairs 


12  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [5  May 

were   presented   by   Mr.    Buchanan   &   considered. 
The  Cabinet  retired  about  3  O'Clock. 

This  being  reception  evening  I  met  the  company 
who  called  in  the  parlour.  An  unusual  number  of 
persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  attended.  Mrs.  Polk 
was  unable  to  be  present. 

Wednesday,  Sth  May,  184J. —  This  morning  Mr. 
McCulloch,  the  ist  Comptroller  of  the  Treasury, 
called  to  see  me  in  relation  to  the  critical  state  of 
health  of  Mr.  Walker,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
He  informed  me  that  he  had  been  present  in  Balti- 
more a  few  days  ago  when  Mr.  Walker  had  con- 
sulted Dr.  Butler,  an  eminent  physician  of  that  City, 
and  that  he  had  learned  from  Dr.  Butler  that  unless 
Mr.  Walker  abstained  from  the  labours  of  his  office 
&  took  some  recreation,  at  the  same  time  submitting 
to  medical  treatment,  he  considered  his  case  not  only 
a  critical  one,  but  that  his  life  was  in  danger.  I 
concur  in  this  opinion  and  said  to  Mr.  Walker  some 
weeks  ago  that  he  ought  to  leave  his  office  &  take 
an  excursion  into  the  country.  He  is  now,  I  learn, 
confined  to  his  house.  I  have  serious  apprehensions 
that  his  health  has  given  way,  and  that  he  may  be 
unwilling  [unable]  to  perform  the  duties  of  his  of- 
fice. This  I  should  deeply  regret  for  he  is  a  very 
able  &  indefatigable  man. 

Mr.  Richard  Rush,  who  is  in  Washington  prepara- 
tory to  his  departure  as  minister  to  France,  called  to- 
day. I  communicated  to  him  the  extraordinary 
course  of  Mr.  Charles  J.  Ingersoll  in  reference  to 
the  French  mission.     I  read  to  him  Mr.  IngersoU's 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  13 

letter  to  me  of  the  25th  of  March  last,  &  my  answer 
of  the  28th  of  April  (see  this  diary  of  the  3rd  In- 
stant'i.  Mr.  Rush  expressed  his  strong  disapproba- 
tion of  Mr.  Ingersoll's  course  and  was  much  aston- 
ished at  it.  Indeed  he  expressed  the  opinion  that  he 
must  have  been  partially  deranged  to  have  written 
such  a  letter  as  he  had  addressed  to  me. 

Mrs.  Polk  was  much  better  to-day.  She  was  vis- 
ited by  Dr.  Hall  and  was  still  under  treatment  ac- 
cording to  his  prescription.  I  transacted  official 
business  with  the  Secretaries  of  War  &  the  Navy  to- 
day. I  attended  also  to  some  of  the  business  on  my 
table. 

I  opened  my  office  at  i  O'Clock  P.  M.  to-day.  A 
number  of  persons  called  and  among  others  Mr. 
Jones  (Gen'l  Benton's  son-in-law)  who  informed  me 
that  it  was  rumoured  in  the  New"  Orleans  papers, 
that  the  Post  Master  of  that  City  was  to  be  removed, 
and  that  he  was  to  be  appointed.  He  said  he  did 
not  ask  for  the  removal  of  the  P.  M.  at  New  Orleans, 
but  if  he  was  to  be  removed  the  place  would  be 
agreeable  to  him.  I  promptly  replied  that  there  was 
no  foundation  for  the  rumour  &  that  I  had  no  inten- 
tion to  remove  the  P.  M.  at  New  Orleans,  that  he 
was  a  faithful  officer  and  I  knew  of  no  reason  to 
disturb  him  in  his  office.  He  then  repeated  the  re- 
quest which  he  had  previously  made  to  me,  to  be 
appointed  Charge  d'  affaires  abroad,  and  wished  to 
know  if  I  could  give  him  any  encouragement.  I 
told  him,  as  I  had  previously  done,  that  I  could  not. 
I  note  the  case  of  Mr.  Jones  particularly  among  the 
numerous  office-seekers  who  annoy  me  daily,  because 


14  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [6  May 

I  predict  that  he  will  violently  oppose  my  adminis- 
tration because  of  his  disappointment.  Some  weeks 
ago  Gen'l  Benton  applied  to  me  in  person  for  the 
appointment  of  Charge  for  Mr.  Jones,  then  just  mar- 
ried to  his  daughter.  I  gave  him  no  encourage- 
ment, and  I  predict  that  he  too  will  be  excited  at  my 
refusal.  Indeed  almost  the  whole  of  my  embarrass- 
ment in  administering  the  Government  grows  out 
[of]  the  public  patronage,  which  it  is  my  duty  to 
dispense. 

Thursday,  6th  May,  184J. —  I  transacted  busi- 
ness with  several  of  the  public  officers  to-day. 
Among  others  the  Secretary  of  War  called  on  busi- 
ness. He  read  to  me  a  draft  of  a  letter  which  he 
had  prepared  to  Gen'l  Taylor  in  reference  to  his 
future  operations  in  the  enemy's  country.  I  sug- 
gested some  alterations,  one  of  which  was  that  Gen'l 
Taylor,  being  second  in  command  in  the  field,  should 
be  subject  to  the  orders  and  directions  of  Gen'l 
Scott,  who  is  first  in  command.  It  is  true  the  re- 
spective columns  of  these  generals  are  operating  sev- 
eral hundred  miles  apart,  but  still  it  would  produce 
infinite  confusion  if  both  were  not  under  the  orders 
of  the  Gen'l  in  chief  in  the  field.  The  Secretary  of 
War  then  suggested  that  if  any  accident  should  hap- 
pen to  Gen'l  Scott  in  conducting  the  operations  of 
the  main  army  from  Vera  Cruz  to  the  City  of  Mex- 
ico, that  Gen'l  Taylor  should  be  directed  to  take 
command  of  it  in  his  place.  The  reason  assigned 
for  this  was  that  it  might  not  be  advisable  to  place 
so  large  a  body  of  troops  under  the  orders  of  Maj'r 


I847J  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  15 

General  Patterson,  who  was  second  in  command  in 
Gen'l  Scott's  column.  To  this  1  objected,  and  told 
the  Secretary  that  I  had  quite  as  much  confidence 
in  Maj'r  Gen'l  Patterson  with  the  aid  of  Gen'ls 
Twiggs,  Worth,  Pillow,  Quitman,  &  Shields  as  I 
had  in  Gen'l  Taylor  &  indeed  much  more.  Gen'l 
Taylor  is  a  good  fighter,  but  I  do  not  consider  him 
a  great  General.  I  feel  perfectly  safe  with  the  com- 
manders who  are  with  Gen'l  Scott,  if  any  accident 
should  happen  to  him,  and  prefer  that  Gen'l  Taylor 
should  remain  on  his  present  line  of  operations. 
Mrs.  Polk  had  another  violent  chill  this  morning 
&  was  quite  sick  all  day  to-day. 

Friday,  yth  May,  184J. —  I  saw  the  Secretary  of 
the  Navy  and  the  attorney  General  on  business  this 
morning.  After  the  business  was  transacted  I  re- 
marked to  them  that,  having  a  trust  fund  for  a  small 
amount  in  my  hands,  I  had  early  in  March  author- 
ized Mr.  Wm.  W.  Corcoran,  of  the  firm  of  Corcoran 
&  Riggs,  brokers  in  this  City,  to  purchase  for  me 
from  the  holders  the  amt.  of  $3,000  in  U.  S.  Stock; 
and  that  on  the  next  day  they  transferred  to  me  on 
the  Books  of  the  Treasury  stock  for  this  amt.  and 
the  certificates  of  stock  were  sent  to  me  accord- 
ing[ly],  and  that  I  paid  them  a  premium  of  one  per- 
cent or  $3,030,  for  the  same.  I  stated  to  them  that 
the  stocks  stood  in  my  individual  name  &  not  as 
Trustee,  though  it  was  intended  as  an  investment  for 
my  ward,  Marshall  T.  Polk,  &  for  the  heirs  and 
devisees  of  my  brother,  Samuel  W.  Polk  deceased, 
for  whose  estate   I   am   Executor.     I    remarked   to 


i6  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [7  May 

them  that  though  I  did  not  doubt  my  legal  right  to 
make  such  an  investment  in  my  individual  name, 
that  yet,  in  view  of  my  official  position,  I  had  come 
to  the  conclusion  to  relinquish  it  to  Mr.  Corcoran 
&  Riggs  by  re-transferring  the  Stock  to  them.  The 
Attorney  Gen'l  said  he  had  been  investigating  the 
question  whether  the  clerks  &  other  officers  of  the 
Treasury  Department  had  the  legal  right  to  make 
such  investments,  and  that  in  this  way  his  attention 
had  been  called  to  the  subject.  He  expressed  a  clear 
opinion  that  there  was  no  legal  impediment  or  re- 
striction which  would  prevent  the  President  from 
making  such  an  investment  if  he  chose  to  do  so. 
Judge  Mason  was  of  the  same  opinion ;  but  both  con- 
curred with  me  in  thinking  that  it  might  be  as  well 
for  me  to  dispose  of  it,  &  thus  prevent  illiberal  politi- 
cal opponents  from  attempting,  as  they  possibly 
might  [seek]  to  do,  to  make  political  capital  out  of 
the  fact  that  the  President  of  the  U.  S.  had  become 
the  owner  of  public  stocks.  I  then  [sent]  for  Mr. 
Corcoran,  and  in  the  presence  of  Judge  Mason  stated 
to  him  the  reasons  why  I  desired  him  to  take  back 
the  $3,000  of  stock  which  he  had  sold  to  me  in  March. 
He  said  he  would  do  so  if  I  desired  it.  He  said  I 
had  paid  him  a  premium  of  one  per  cent.,  and  that 
the  stock  now  commanded  a  premium  of  between 
four  &  five  per-cent.  I  told  him  that  I  wished  to 
make  no  speculation  or  profit  by  the  transaction  and 
that  I  would  not  accept  the  increased  premium  or 
any  interest  which  had  accrued  on  the  stock  during 
the  time  I  had  held  it;  that  all  I  wanted  was  simply 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  17 

to  rescind  the  contract  by  retransferring  the  stock 
back  to  him,  and  to  receive  the  precise  sum  which  I 
had  paid  him  for  it.  He  said  very  well,  but  added 
that  he  would  make  a  donation  of  the  increased  pre- 
mium &  the  interest  to  the  Orphan  Asylum  of  Wash- 
ington. I  told  him  he  could,  of  course,  do  with  it 
what  he  pleased.  At  my  table  I  addressed  a  note  to 
Mr.  Corcoran,  to  the  effect  of  the  foregoing  state- 
ment (see  my  letter  Book).  I  then  transferred  to 
Corcoran  &  Riggs  the  certificates  of  Stock,  which 
transfer  was  witnessed  by  Mr.  Gillet,  the  Register  of 
the  Treasury,  in  the  presence  of  Judge  Mason. 
After  this  transaction  was  over,  and  about  i  O'Clock, 
I  opened  my  doors  for  the  reception  of  Visitors. 
Several  persons  called,  and  while  they  were  in  my 
office  I  received  a  Telegraphic  despatch  from  Fred- 
ericksburg, Va.,  in  advance  of  the  Southern  mail, 
announcing  a  victory  achieved  by  our  army  in  Mex- 
ico under  the  immediate  command  of  Maj'r  Gen'l 
Scott.  The  battle  was  fought  at  the  mountain  pass 
called  Cerro  Gordo,  between  Vera  Cruz  &  Jalappa, 
on  the  17th  &  i8th  of  April,  and  resulted  in  the  tri- 
umph of  our  arms  and  the  total  route  [rout]  of  the 
enemy.  I  communicated  to  the  persons  who  were 
present  the  information  which  I  had  received.  The 
Southern  mail  in  the  evening  confirmed  the  news, 
but  brought  no  despatches  from  the  army. 

This  was  reception  evening.  A  number  of  per- 
sons, ladies  &  gentlemen,  called.  Mrs.  Polk  was 
still  quite  indisposed  &  did  not  receive  the  company. 
I  was  in  the  parlour. 


i8  JA:\IES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [8  May 

Saturday,  8th  May,  1847. —  The  Cabinet  met  at 
the  usual  hour  to-day,  all  the  members  present  ex- 
cept the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  who  is,  I  under- 
stood, quite  unwell,  having  almost  entirely  lost  his 
voice.  Mr.  Buchanan  complained  of  being  indis- 
posed and  remained  but  a  short  time.  Several  mat- 
ters, principally  of  details  connected  with  the  public 
business,  were  considered  and  disposed  of.  The 
Cabinet  adjourned  about  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  I  re- 
quested Judge  Mason  to  walk  with  me  to  the  House 
of  Mr.  Walker,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  as  I 
was  becoming  concerned  for  the  state  of  his  health 
from  what  I  learned  of  his  condition.  We  walked 
to  Mr.  Walker's  house.  I  found  him  in  appearance 
enjoying  usual  health  except  that  his  throat  was  ban- 
daged and  he  had  almost  entirely  lost  his  voice. 
He  conversed  with  me  by  writing  on  a  slate.  In  a 
very  low  &  indistinct  whisper  he  attempted  to  con- 
verse with  me,  but  was  compelled  to  give  it  up.  I 
told  him  that  he  required  rest  &  recreation,  &  advised 
him  to  leave  his  office  &  travel  for  a  few  weeks,  say- 
ing to  him  that  his  Department  could  be  conducted 
in  his  absence  by  Mr.  Young,  his  chief  clerk.  He 
replied  in  writing  on  his  slate,  that  he  thought  he 
would  do  so.  My  opinion  is  that  he  will  live  but  a 
short  time,  unless  he  relaxes  his  labours  in  his  office. 

On  our  return  Judge  Mason  &  myself  called  at 
the  office  of  Gov.  Marcy,  the  Secretary  of  War. 

This  evening  had  been  designated  by  the  citizens 
of  Washington  for  the  illumination  of  the  City,  in 
honour  of  the  triumph  of  our  arms  by  land  and  sea 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  19 

in  the  pending  war  with  Mexico.  I  learned  that 
some  of  the  officers  of  some  of  the  public  Depart- 
ments were  preparing  to  illuminate.  Some  of  these 
buildings,  and  especially  those  of  the  War,  Navy, 
and  State  Departments,  are  not  fireproof,  are  very 
combustible,  &  contain  the  most  valuable  public  rec- 
ords of  the  Government.  I  thought  there  was  dan- 
ger from  fire  to  have  them  illuminated,  and  after 
consultation  with  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  when 
I  visited  him,  and  afterwards  with  the  Secretaries 
of  War  &  the  Navy,  who  concurred  with  me  that  it 
might  be  unsafe,  I  gave  directions  that  none  of  the 
public  offices  should  be  illuminated.  I  illuminated 
the  Presidential  Mansion,  &  each  of  the  Heads  of 
Departments  illuminated  their  respective  residences. 
Many  houses  in  the  City  were  also  illuminated.  Of- 
ficial despatches  giving  an  account  of  the  battle  of 
Cerro  Gordo  were  received  from  Gen'l  Scott  to- 
night. Mrs.  Polk  fortunately  missed  her  chill  this 
morning  &  was  better  to-day. 

Sunday,  gth  May,  1847. —  Mrs.  Polk  has  been 
closely  confined  to  her  chamber  for  several  days  past 
but  [by]  a  violent  attack  of  intermittent  fever.  She 
is  much  better  to-day.  I  attended  the  first  Presby- 
terian church  to-day  and  was  accompanied  by  my 
niece,  Miss  Rucker. 

Monday,  lOth  May,  1847. —  I  sent  for  the 
Secretary  of  War  this  morning  &  conferred  with 
him  in  relation  to  the  military  operations  in  Mex- 


20  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [lo  May 

ico.  He  retired,  and  returned  about  i  O'Clock 
and  read  to  me  a  despatch  which  he  had  prepared  to 
Genl  Kearney,  commanding  in  California.  I  sent 
also  for  the  Adjutant  General  of  the  army  and  gave 
him  an  order  correcting  a  mistake  or  omission  he 
had  made  in  organizing  the  lo  regiments,  authorized 
to  be  raised  by  the  act  of  the  last  Session  [of]  Con- 
gress, into  Brigades  &  Divisions.  He  returned  to 
his  office  &  prepared  a  despatch  to  Gen'l  Scott,  and 
returned  &  read  it  to  me.  I  expressed  my  opinion 
also  that  Gen'l  Scott's  column  of  the  invading  army 
should  be  re-inforced  as  speedily  as  possible  by  send- 
ing to  him  the  new  recruits  &  volunteers  as  fast  as 
they  were  ready  to  move.  This  seemed  to  me  to  be 
proper  if  not  indispensible,  for  the  reason  that  Scott's 
is  the  advancing  column,  with  an  enemy  in  front, 
&  Taylor's  is  to  be,  for  a  time  at  least,  stationary. 
Both  the  Secretary  of  War  &  the  Adjutant  Gen'l,  to 
whom  I  made  the  suggestion,  concurred  with  me  in 
this  opinion.  They  are  to  look  into  the  subject  and 
see  me  in  a  day  or  two.  I  saw  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy  &  the  Atto.  Gen'l  on  business  to-day.  At  i>4 
O'clock  I  opened  my  office.  A  number  of  persons 
called,  chiefly  office  seekers. 

Senator  Yulee  called  to  see  me  to-day.  He  read 
to  me  a  part  of  a  letter  from  the  Hon.  Charles  A. 
WicklifTe  of  Kentucky,  suggesting  that  possibly  he 
might  be  a  candidate  for  Congress  from  his  District. 
Mr.  Yulee,  I  thought,  seemed  to  be  desirous  to  as- 
certain whether  it  would  be  agreeable  to  me  to  see 
Mr.  Wicklifife  in  the  next  Congress.  I  told  him  it 
would  be  so. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  21 

Tuesday,  nth  May,  1847. —  The  Cabinet  met  at 
the  usual  hour  to-day,  all  the  members  present  ex- 
cept the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  who  is  still  con- 
fined to  his  house  by  indisposition.  Some  matters  of 
minor  interest,  introduced  by  members  of  the  Cabi- 
net, were  the  subject  of  conversation,  when  I  brought 
to  the  notice  of  the  Cabinet,  and  particularly  of  the 
Secretary  of  War,  the  importance  of  re-inforcing  the 
column  of  the  army  under  the  immediate  command 
of  Gen'l  Scott,  now  on  the  march  from  Vera  Cruz 
to  the  City  of  Mexico.  I  had  brought  the  same  mat- 
ter to  the  notice  of  the  Secretary  of  War  some  days 
ago;  and  also  to  the  adj't  Gen'l  of  the  army,  and  on 
the  8th  Instant  handed  to  the  latter  a  written  mem- 
orandum, the  object  of  which  was  to  ascertain  from 
the  records  of  the  War  Department  the  precise 
amount  of  force  in  Gen'l  Scott's  column,  and  also  in 
Gen'l  Taylor's  column.  As  Gen'l  Scott's  is  the  ad- 
vancing column  &  must  be  constantly  diminished  as 
it  advances  into  the  enemy's  country  from  causalties 
and  in  order  to  keep  his  rear  open,  and  as  Gen'l 
Taylor  in  one  of  his  late  despatches  gives  it  as  his 
opinion  that  he  cannot  advance  with  his  column  be- 
yond his  present  position  without  at  least  2,000  vet- 
eran troops  of  the  regular  [army],  which  amt.  of 
force  cannot  be  spared  to  him  by  Gen'l  Scott,  I  in- 
formed the  Cabinet  that  I  was  of  opinion  that  all 
our  available  force  should  be  ordered  without  delay 
to  join  Gen'l  Scott's  column,  leaving  with  Gen'l  Tay- 
lor all  his  present  force,  and  such  additions  as  would 
[render]  his  present  position  secure.  The  Cabinet 
concurred  with  me  in  these  views.     I  requested  the 


22  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [12  May 

Secretary  of  War  to  call  on  to-morrow,  and  bring 
the  Adj't  Gen'l  with  him,  who  could  give  in  detail 
the  actual  position  of  each  detachment  of  our  forces 
now  in  the  field,  as  well  [as]  of  those  which  have 
been  recently  called  out  &  are  expected  shortly  to  be 
en  route  for  the  Seat  of  War.  I  impressed  upon  the 
Secretary  of  War  the  importance  of  immediate  ac- 
tion on  the  subject.  Mr.  Moses  Y.  Beech,  Editor  of 
the  N.  York  Sun,  called  and  had  a  long  conversa- 
tion with  me  on  Mexican  affairs.  He  had  recently 
returned  from  the  City  of  Mexico,  where  he  had 
gone  several  months  ago  in  the  character  of  a  secret 
agent  from  the  State  Department.  He  gave  me  val- 
uable information. 

This  was  reception  evening.  But  a  few  persons 
called.  I  met  them  in  the  parlour.  Mrs.  Polk  was 
too  feeble  from  her  late  indisposition  to  be  present. 

Wednesday,  12th  May,  1847. —  I  was  in  my  of- 
fice at  the  usual  hour  this  morning.  Several  per- 
sons called  on  special  business,  or  such  persons  as  I 
could  not  well  refuse  to  see  before  i  O'Clock,  which 
is  the  hour  at  which  I  usually  open  my  office  for  the 
reception  of  visitors.  Between  the  hours  of  12  and 
I  O'clock  the  Secretary  of  War  &  the  adj't  Gen'l 
of  the  army  called  in  pursuance  of  a  previous  ap- 
pointment. The  adj't  Gen'l  reported  the  forces  and 
their  distribution  now  in  the  field  in  Mexico,  and 
also  those  which  are  either  en  route  to  the  seat  of 
War,  or  are  expected  shortly  to  be  so.  This  I  had 
required  with  a  view  to  ascertain  whether  Gen'l 
Scott's  column,  now  advancing  on  the  City  of  Mex- 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  23 

ico,  could  be  re-inforced  without  too  much  weaken- 
ing Gen'l  Taylor's  column.  (See  this  Diary  of  yes- 
terday and  the  day  before.)  Some  additional  forces 
were  ordered  to  Vera  Cruz  to  join  Gen'l  Scott's 
column.  A  Detachment  of  Marines  which  can  be 
spared  from  the  Navy,  as  I  am  informed  by  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Navy,  I  will  also  order  to  join  the  land 
forces  at  Vera  Cruz.  I  held  a  conference  also  with 
the  Secretary  of  War  &  the  adj't  Gen'l  in  relation  to 
retaining  in  service  the  Staflf-officers  of  the  Volun- 
teers now  in  service,  in  proportion  to  the  number  of 
Volunteers  called  out  to  serve  during  the  war.  They 
were  both  disinclined  to  retain  them.  I  thought  the 
act  of  June  i8th,  1846,  under  which  they  were  ap- 
pointed, was  clear  on  the  subject,  and  expressed  my 
opinion  that  they  should  be  retained.  The  Secretary 
of  War  did  not  doubt  that  I  had  the  power  to  retain 
[them]  and  thought  it  was  a  question  of  expediency 
simply.  I  disposed  of  much  of  the  business  on  my 
table  to-day.  The  office-seekers  were  no  doubt  dis- 
appointed for  I  did  not  open  my  doors  to  give  them 
audience  to-day. 

Thursday,  13th  May,  184J. —  The  Secretary  of 
the  Navy  called  early  to-day,  and  introduced  some 
Naval  officers  to  me.  He  also  brought  with  him 
Gen'l  Henderson  ^  of  the  Marine  Corps.  Gen'l 
Henderson  stated  that  6  companies  of  marines  could 
be  spared  from  the  navy  for  the  land  service.  I  gave 
a  written  order  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  to  trans- 

^  Archibald  Henderson,  Brevet  Brigadier  General  1837,  died 
1859. 


24  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [13  May 

fer  them  to  the  land  forces  under  the  immediate  com- 
mand of  Gen'l  Scott.  I  requested  Gen'l  Henderson 
to  execute  the  order  without  delay,  as  I  deemed  it 
important  that  Gen'l  Scott's  column  should  be  re-in- 
forced  by  all  our  available  forces  with  as  little  delay 
as  practicable.  The  Secretary  of  War  called  and  I 
had  a  conference  with  him  in  relation  to  various 
matters  of  detail  relating  to  the  war  &  its  prosecu- 
tion. Indeed  I  find  it  indispensible  to  give  my  at- 
tention to  these  details.  The  Secretary  of  War  is 
greatly  oppressed  with  the  duties  of  his  office,  and 
some  of  his  subordinates,  I  fear,  are  indifferent  and 
are  fully  satisfied  if  they  go  through  the  ordinary 
routine  of  their  offices,  and  seem  to  think  that  they 
have  earned  their  salaries  &  done  their  duties  if  they 
appear  in  their  offices  the  usual  number  of  hours 
each  day.  They  do  not  conceive  that  any  responsi- 
bility rests  upon  them.  On  this  account  I  aid  the 
Secretary  of  War  in  giving  all  the  attention  to  de- 
tails that  my  time  will  permit. 

Among  other  visitors  who  called  to-day  were  the 
Hon.  Mr.  Farran,^  a  member  of  Congress  from  Cin- 
cinnatti,  Ohio,  and  Judge  Greer  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  U.  S.  A  number  of  visitors  called  be- 
tween I  &  2  O'clock  to-day.  They  were  chiefly 
office  seekers.  The  herd  of  such  people  annoy  me 
exceedingly,  especially  when  my  whole  mind  is  de- 
voted to  the  conduct  of  the  War  and  the  other  great 
interests  of  the  country.  I  give  them  but  little  com- 
fort, and  indeed  am  compelled  to  be  almost  rude  to 

^  James  J.  Farran,  Representative  from  Ohio  1845-1849,  one 
of  the  proprietors  of  the  Cincinnati  Enquirer. 


I847J  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  25 

them  to  prevent  them  from  occupying  too  much  of 
my  time.  The  Attorney  General  and  the  Secretary  of 
State  called  on  business  to-day.  I  omitted  to  note 
in  this  Diary  of  yesterday  that  Mrs.  Storms  of  New 
York,  who  accompanied  Moses  Y.  Beech,  who  was  a 
secret  agent  of  the  Government,  on  his  recent  visit 
to  the  City  of  Mexico,  called  to-day.  She  occupied 
my  time  on  yesterday  an  hour  in  giving  a  detail  of 
her  visit.  She  is  an  intelligent  woman,  but  I  con- 
fess when  she  retired  I  did  not  feel  that  I  was  en- 
lightened by  any  information  which  she  had 
given  me. 

Unofficial  news  was  received  from  the  army  to- 
day. The  advance  column  of  Gen'l  Scott's  command 
had  taken  possession  of  Jalappa  &  Perote  without  re- 
sistance. 

Friday,  14th  May,  1847. —  Before  I  rose  from 
breakfast  this  morning  my  porter  announced  to  me 
that  40  or  50  persons,  male  and  female,  had  called  in 
a  body  to  see  me.  I  directed  him  to  show  them  into 
the  parlour.  On  meeting  them  I  learned  from  them 
that  they  were  members  of  a  Baptist  Association  now 
sitting  in  Washington.  They  were  from  several 
States  of  the  Union,  and  belonged  to  the  Old  Bap- 
tists or  the  old  side-Baptists  ^  as  they  are  sometimes 

'  The  "  Old  Side  "  or  "  Old  School  "  Baptists  belonged  to  a 
faction  originating  In  the  latter  half  of  the  eighteenth  century 
which  was  opposed  to  missionary  societies,  Sunday  Schools,  and 
similar  institutions.  They  were  also  called  "  Anti-mission  "  and 
"Anti-effort"  Baptists.  In  1844  the  faction  numbered  61,000 
communicants,  confined  to  the  Southern  and  Southwestern  States; 
since  then  the  membership  has  decreased. 


26  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [15  May 

called.  I  received  them  courteously.  They  had  the 
appearance  of  plain  but  honest  people.  I  spent  some 
time  with  them  and  left  them,  directing  my  steward 
to  shew  them  the  House,  as  they  expressed  a  desire 
to  see  it. 

I  transacted  business  to-day  with  several  of  the 
Heads  of  Departments  and  officers  of  Government, 
but  spent  more  time  with  the  Secretary  of  War  than 
with  any  other.  The  conduct  of  the  War  with  Mex- 
ico devolves  upon  him  and  myself  a  vast  amount  of 
labour.  The  Subordinate  officers  at  the  Head  of 
the  different  bureau[s]  in  the  War  Department  are 
generally  Federalists,  and  many  of  them  are  indiffer- 
ent and  seem  to  think  they  perform  their  duty  if  they 
are  in  their  offices  the  usual  number  of  hours  each 
day.  They  take  no  sort  of  responsibility  on  them- 
selves, and  this  renders  it  necessary  that  the  Secre- 
tary of  War  &  myself  should  look  after  them,  even 
in  the  performance  of  the  ordinary  routine  of  details 
in  their  offices.  I  opened  my  office  at  i  O'Clock 
P.  M.  to-day.  A  number  of  persons  called,  ladies 
&  gentlemen,  some  on  visits  of  ceremony  and  others 
seeking  office.  This  was  reception  evening.  The 
parlour  was  pretty  well  filled  with  ladies  &  gentle- 
men who  called.  Mrs.  Polk  had  so  far  recovered 
from  her  indisposition  as  to  be  in  the  parlour  this 
evening. 

Saturday,  ISth  May,  184'/.— The  Cabinet  met 
at  the  usual  hour  to-day,  all  the  members  present  ex- 
cept the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  who  is  still  con- 
fined to   his   house   by   indisposition.     His   general 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  27 

health  does  not  appear  to  be  seriously  impaired. 
His  throat  and  organs  of  speech  are  so  much  affected 
that  he  has  almost  entirely  lost  his  voice.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan brought  up  several  subjects  relating  to  our 
foreign  relations,  which  were  considered  and  dis- 
posed of.  They  were  not  of  such  interest  as  to  make 
it  necessary  to  note  them  particularly.  Several  sub- 
jects also  relating  to  the  War  &  the  manner  of  con- 
ducting it  were  considered.  The  conference  was 
chiefly  between  the  Secretary  of  War  and  myself. 

Col.  Bankhead  ^  of  the  army  arrived  in  Washing- 
ton from  Vera  Cruz  on  yesterday,  bringing  with  him 
several  flags  of  the  enemy  which  were  captured  at  the 
surrender  of  Vera  Cruz.  They  were  exhibited  to-day 
in  front  of  the  War  Ofiice,  for  the  gratification  of  the 
public.  Col.  Bankhead  called  and  paid  his  respects 
to  me  on  his  arrival  in  the  City  on  yesterday.  He 
was  in  the  siege  at  Vera  Cruz.  I  disposed  of  sev- 
eral matters  of  business  of  minor  importance  on  my 
table  to-day. 

Sunday,  16th  May,  1847. —  Having  been  invited 
several  days  ago  by  Mr.  Towles  and  some  of  the 
members  of  the  Association  of  Old-School-Baptists, 
now  sitting  in  this  City,  to  attend  their  meeting  to- 
day, I  did  so.  The  service  was  performed  at  Shiloh 
meeting-house  in  this  City,  on  what  is  called  the 
Island  near  the  Mall  &  between  the  President's 
House  and  Greenleaf's  Point.     It  was  an  humble 

^  James  Bankhead  of  Virginia,  Colonel  of  the  2nd  Artillery ; 
brevetted  Brigadier  General  for  gallant  conduct  at  the  siege  of 
Vera  Cruz. 


28  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [17  May 

frame  meeting  House.  Col.  Walker,  my  Private 
Secretary,  accompanied  me.  We  arrived  about  1 1 
O'clock  &  found  the  Rev.  Mr.  Barton  preaching. 
After  he  was  done  the  Rev.  Mr.  Beecher[?]  preached 
a  sermon.  The  latter  enforced  the  doctrine  of  pre- 
destination more  strongly  than  I  had  heard  it  for 
many  years,  and  perhaps  in  my  life.  Service  was 
concluded  at  i>4  O'Clock  P.M.  &  was  to  be  re- 
sumed at  2  O'clock.  I  did  not  attend  the  after- 
noon service.  In  consequence  of  her  late  indisposi- 
tion Mrs.  Polk  deemed  it  imprudent  to  attend  church 
to-day. 

Monday,  lyth  May,  184J. —  I  was  engaged  this 
forenoon  in  disposing  of  the  business  on  my  table.  I 
saw  the  Secretary  of  War  and  the  Navy  on  business 
connected  with  their  respective  Departments.  I 
have  desired  very  much  to  gratify  the  wishes  of  Gen'l 
Robert  Armstroag,  now  U.  S.  consul  at  Liverpool, 
to  enter  the  military  service  of  the  U.  S.  Gen'l 
Armstrong  was  a  gallant  young  officer  in  the  war  of 
1 812,  was  under  the  immediate  command  of  Gen'l 
Jackson,  &  was  severely  wounded  (see  my  letters  to 
Gen'l  A.  of  the  28th  &  29th  ultimo,  and  13th  In- 
stant). Gen'l  Jackson  shortly  before  his  death  pre- 
sented to  Gen'l  Armstrong  the  sword  which  he  had 
worn  during  the  war,  as  an  evidence  of  his  high  es- 
timate of  him  as  a  military  man.  Gen'l  Armstrong 
is  my  personal  friend  and  it  would  have  given  me 
sincere  pleasure  to  have  appointed  him  a  Brigadier 
Gen'l  if  I  could  have  done  so  with  propriety. 
When  I  wrote  to  him  on  the  28th  ultimo,  I  thought 


1847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  29 

I  could  have  done  [so].  Since  that  time,  however, 
I  have  become  satisfied  that  the  public  opinion  of  the 
country  is  so  strong  in  favour  of  Col.  Jefferson  Davis 
of  Mississippi,  who  behaved  most  gallantly  ^  in  the 
battles  of  Monterey  and  Buena  Vista  and  was  se- 
verely wounded  in  the  latter  battle,  that  to  appoint 
any  other,  and  especially  one  who  had  not  been  here- 
tofore engaged  in  the  war,  however  competent  and 
worthy  he  might  be,  would  give  great  dissatisfaction. 
To-day  I  appointed  Col.  Davis  a  Brigadier  General, 
in  place  of  Gideon  J.  Pillow  promoted  to  be  a  Maj'r 
Gen'l.  I  received  company  at  i  O'Clock  P.  M.  to- 
day. A  number  of  persons  called.  Most  of  them 
as  usual  were  office-seekers.  Senator  Dix  called  to- 
night. His  family  have  remained  in  Washington 
since  the  adjournment  of  Congress.  He  informed 
me  that  he  would  leave  in  a  day  or  two. 

Tuesday,  i8th  May,  1847.— The  Cabinet  met 
at  the  usual  hour  to-day,  all  the  members  present 
except  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  who  is  still  con- 
fined to  his  house  by  indisposition.  His  general 
health  does  not  seem  to  be  materially  affected.  He 
has  almost  lost  his  voice  from  an  affection  of  the 
throat. 

Official  despatches  from  Gen'l  Scott  received  last 
night,  giving  a  detailed  account  of  the  battle  of  Cerro 
Gordo  and  the  movements  of  the  army  since  that 

^  At  Monterey  Colonel  Davis  charged  Fort  Leneria  without 
bayonets,  and  then  led  his  command  through  the  streets  of  the 
city  in  the  face  of  determined  opposition  almost  to  the  Grand 
Plaza.     At  Buena  Vista  also  his  service  was  brilliant. 


30  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [19  May 

time,  were  read.  They  were  very  interesting  in  the 
minute  details  which  they  gave.  Several  subjects  of 
minor  importance  were  considered  &  disposed  of. 
I  disposed  of  much  business  on  my  table  to-day. 

This  being  reception  evening  an  unusually  large 
number  of  strangers  called.  Among  them  were 
t^venty  or  more  Presbyterian  Clergymen  from  vari- 
ous states,  who  were  on  their  way  to  the  general  as- 
sembly of  their  church,  to  be  held  in  Richmond  in 
a  few  days. 

Wednesday,  igth  May,  184J. —  The  Secretary 
of  War  called  in  pursuance  of  a  previous  appoint- 
ment about  10  O'clock  this  morning,  and  remained 
until  near  i  O'Clock  P.  M.  I  was  considering  in 
consultation  with  him  many  matters,  chiefly  of  de- 
tail relating  to  the  military  service  in  Mexico. 
Among  these  was  the  arrangement  of  the  staff  officers 
of  the  Volunteer  forces,  upon  the  expiration  of  the 
term  of  the  12  months  men.  A  decision  was  neces- 
sary as  to  the  members  of  the  Staff,  who  should  be 
discharged  &  who  should  be  retained  at  that  time. 
Several  vacancies  of  officers  of  the  army  which  had 
occurred,  it  was  necessary  to  fill.  I  had  repeatedly 
for  several  days  past  called  on  the  Secretar\^  of  War 
for  a  list  of  these  vacancies.  He  informed  me  that 
he  had  several  times  called  on  the  adj't  Gen'l  for 
the  list,  but  that  it  had  not  been  furnished,  ^^^hen  a 
vacancy  occurs  in  the  regular  army,  it  is  filled  usually 
by  regular  promotion,  down  to  the  grade  of  2nd 
Lieutenancies,   and  these   are  usually  filled  by  the 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  31 

appointment  of  brevet  znd  Lieutenants  who  are 
graduates  of  West  Point,  though  there  is  no  law 
requiring  this  to  be  done.  I  had  determined  to 
appoint  a  few  private  soldiers,  who  had  greatly  dis- 
tinguished themselves  in  battle.  To  this  the  adj't 
Gen'l  &  the  officers  of  the  army  are  generally  op- 
posed, and  this  I  suspected  was  the  reason  that  the 
adj't  Gen'l  had  failed  to  report  a  list  of  vacancies  as 
he  had  been  requested  to  do.  With  the  assent  of  the 
Secretary  of  War  I  sent  for  him  &  requested  him  to 
furnish  me  with  the  list.  He  was  disposed  to  de- 
bate the  matter  with  me,  and  to  urge  the  claims  of 
the  graduates  at  West  Point.  He  promised,  however, 
to  furnish  the  list.  He  retired  &  returned  in  about  an 
hour,  but  did  not  bring  the  list.  He  resumed  his  ar- 
gument in  favour  of  the  graduates  at  West  Point.  I 
became  vexed  at  his  hesitancy  in  furnishing  me  with 
the  information  which  I  had  required.  His  pre- 
sumption in  with-holding  the  information  which  I 
had  requested  from  me,  and  in  attempting  to  control 
my  action,  vexed  me,  &  finally  I  spoke  shortly  to  him. 
Among  other  things  I  remarked  that  as  I  was  con- 
stituted by  the  Constitution  commander  in  chief  of 
the  Army,  I  chose  to  order  him  to  furnish  the  list  of 
vacancies  from  the  records  of  his  office  which  I  had 
desired.  I  repeated  to  him  that  he  must  regard 
what  I  said  as  a  military  order  &  that  I  would  ex- 
pect it  to  be  promptly  obeyed.  I  cannot  be  mis- 
taken in  his  object.  It  was  to  keep  open  the  vacan- 
cies which  have  occurred  until  the  next  class  at  West 
Point  shall  graduate,  that  they  might  be  filled  by 


32  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [20  May 

them.  My  policy  is  to  appoint  meritorious  private 
soldiers  when  they  are  competent  &  have  distin- 
guished themselves. 

Thursday,  20th  May,  76"^ 7.— Having  some 
weeks  ago  yielded  to  the  request  of  the  Dialectic  So- 
ciety of  the  University  of  N.  Carolina  to  sit  for  my 
portrait,  which  they  wished  to  obtain  for  their  de- 
bating Hall,  Mr.  Sully,^  the  celebrated  artist  of 
Phila.,  whom  the  society  had  engaged  to  paint  [it], 
called  this  morning,  and  commenced  the  portrait. 
I  gave  him  a  sitting  of  i]/?  hours.  Judge  Mason, 
the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  also  gave  him  a  sitting  for 
his  portrait,  which  he  was  taking  for  the  Philan- 
thropic Society  of  the  University  of  N.  Carolina. 
We  both  sit  in  the  red  parlour  above  stairs  in  the 
President's  House.  Judge  Mason  was  a  member  of 
the  Philanthropic,  and  I  was  a  member  of  the  Dia- 
lectic Society  when  we  were  at  College.  The  Adj't 
Gen'l  called  to-day  and  made  to  me  the  report  of  va- 
cancies in  the  army,  which  I  had  given  him  an  or- 
der to  make  on  yesterday  (see  Diary  of  yesterday). 
The  vacancies  were  27  in  number.  This  informa- 
tion I  have  sought  for  days,  but  was  not  able  to  ob- 
tain it  until  I  took  the  decided  stand  I  did  with  the 
adj't  Gen'l  on  yesterday.  I  will  now  carry  out  my 
intention  &  appoint  to  2nd  Lieutancies  such  meri- 
torous  privates  in  the  army  as  have  distinguished 

^Thomas  Sully,  1 783-1 872;  he  resided  at  Richmond  until 
1809  and  at  Philadelphia  from  this  time  until  his  death.  Among 
his  works  are  "  Washington  Crossing  the  Delaware,"  and  a  por- 
trait of  Queen  Victoria. 


i847]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  33 

themselves.  This  is  not  only  just  to  the  gallant 
privates  who  have  distinguished  themselves,  but  is 
sound  public  policy.  At  i  O'Clock  P.  M.  I  re- 
ceived company.  A  number  of  persons  called. 
After  they  retired  I  disposed  of  much  business  on 
my  table. 

Friday,  21st  May,  1847. —  I  gave  Mr.  Sully,  the 
artist,  another  sitting  of  two  hours  this  morning.  He 
is  painting  my  portrait  for  the  Dialectic  Society  of 
the  University  of  N.  Carolina.  After  I  had  sat  for 
him  I  transacted  public  business  with  several  of  the 
Heads  of  Department,  and  other  subordinate  public 
officers  who  called.  At  i  O'Clock  P.  M.  I  saw  com- 
pany. Several  persons  called.  I  disposed  of  sev- 
eral matters  of  business  on  my  table  in  the  after  part 
of  the  day.  About  6  O'Clock  P.  M.  I  took  a  ride 
on  horse  back,  accompanied  with  [by]  my  niece.  Miss 
Rucker.  This  being  reception  evening  a  number  of 
persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

Saturday,  22nd  May,  184'/. —  I  sat  again  this 
morning  for  Mr.  Sully,  the  artist,  who  is  painting  my 
portrait  for  the  Dialectic  Society  of  the  University 
of  N.  Carolina.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour, 
all  the  members  present  except  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  who  is  still  so  much  indisposed  as  to  be 
confined  to  his  House.  The  Secretary  of  War  re- 
ceived by  last  evening's  mail  a  detailed  Report  from 
Gen'l  Taylor,  &  also  detailed  Reports  from  the  sub- 
ordinate officers  under  his  command  at  the  battle  of 
Buena  Vista.     They  were  read  &  were  very  interest- 


34  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [23  May 

ing.  Several  matters  of  public  business  were  con- 
sidered &  disposed  of,  most  of  them  relating  to  our 
military  operations.  I  find  it  to  be  necessary  to  give 
my  personal  attention  to  the  minute  details  of  these 
operations,  as  far  as  the  other  indispensible  duties  of 
my  office  will  permit  me  to  do  so. 

Sunday,  23rd  May,  1847^-1  attended  the  first 
Presbyterian  church  to-day  accompanied  by  my 
niece,  Miss  Rucker,  my  nephew,  Marshall  T.  Polk, 
and  De  Witt  Clinton  Y^ell,  the  son  of  my  lamented 
friend,  Col.  Archibald  Yell,  who  fell  in  the  battle  of 
Buena  Vista.  It  was  a  damp  day  and  Mrs.  Polk 
thought  it  imprudent  to  attend  church.  She  had 
been  indisposed  a  few  days  ago  and  feared  the  ex- 
posure might  bring  on  a  relapse. 

Monday,  24th  May,  184J.—  I  gave  Mr.  Sully, 
the  artist  who  is  painting  my  Portrait,  another  sitting 
to-day.  I  transacted  much  business  on  my  table. 
At  I  O'clock  P.  M.  I  opened  my  ofiice  for  the  recep- 
tion of  visitors.  Several  persons  called,  chiefly 
young  men,  who  from  their  appearance  wxre  able  to 
labour  for  their  living,  wanting  offices.  I  had  no 
offices  for  them  and  disposed  of  them  very  summarily. 
After  they  retired  I  resumed  my  labours  at  my  table. 

Tuesday,  2Sth  May,  184J. —  I  gave  Mr.  Sully, 
the  artist  who  is  painting  my  portrait  for  the  Dialec- 
tic Society  of  [the  University  of]  N.  C,  another  sit- 
ting this  morning.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual 
hour  this  morning;  all  the  members  present.     The 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  35 

Secretary  of  the  Treasury  attended  for  the  first  time 
in  several  weeks.  His  health  is  improved,  though 
not  restored.  He  cannot  speak  louder  than  in  a 
whisper. 

I  brought  before  the  Cabinet  the  propriety  of  is- 
suing an  order  to  Gen'l  Scott  to  send  to  the  U.  S.  as 
prisoners  of  War  all  Mexican  officers  who  may  be 
hereafter  taken,  instead  of  liberating  them  on  their 
parole  of  honour.  All  agreed  that  this  would  be 
proper,  and  especially  so  as  we  learned  that  Maj'r 
Borland,^  Maj'r  Gaines,^  and  other  prisoners  of  our 
army  are  confined  in  prison  in  the  City  of  Mexico, 
notwithstanding  several  hundred  Mexican  officers  & 
several  thousand  private  soldiers  who  have  been  taken 
prisoner  have  been  set  at  large  on  their  parole  of 
honour.  The  Secretary  of  War  was  directed  to 
write  a  despatch  to  this  effect  to  Gen'l  Scott.  I 
brought  also  before  the  Cabinet  the  importance  of 
running  an  express  from  Mobile  to  Montgomery,  in 
Alabama,  so  as  to  gain  a  day  upon  the  regular  mail 
time,  and  thereby  receive  at  Washington  despatches 
from  the  army  as  early  as  the  express  of  the  Balti- 
more Sun  newspaper  obtains  the  latest  news  from  the 
seat  of  War.  After  some  discussion  and  some  dif- 
ference of  views  on  the  subject,  I  directed  the  neces- 
sary steps  to  be  taken  to  have  such  an  express  run. 
It  is  very  important  that  the  Government  should 
have  the  earliest  intelligence  from  the  seat  of  War. 

^  Solon  Borland,  Major  in  Colonel  Yell's  regiment  of  Arkansas 
Volunteers;  member  of  the  U.  S.  Senate  1848-1853,  Brigadier 
General  in  the  Confederate  army. 

^  John  P.  Gaines,  Representative  from  Kentucky  1847-1849, 
Governor  of  Oregon  Territory  1850-1853. 


36  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [26  May 

It  has  happened  several  times  recently  that  the 
Private  express  of  the  Baltimore  Sun  [came]  a  day 
in  advance  of  the  regular  mail  bringing  dispatches 
to  the  Government.  This  should  not  be,  &,  more- 
over, it  may  be  vastly  important  to  the  Government 
to  get  the  earliest  news.  The  Cabinet  after  attend- 
ing to  some  matters  of  minor  importance  adjourned 
about  2  O'clock  P.  M. 

The  Atto.  Gen'l,  Mr.  Clifford,  &  his  wife  (the  lat- 
ter having  arrived  in  Washington  but  a  few  days 
ago)  Mr.  Sully,  the  artist,  Mr.  Ritchie,  &  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan dined  with  me  to-day. 

This  was  reception  evening  but  I  was  so  much  oc- 
cupied in  my  office  that  I  did  not  meet  the  company 
in  the  parlour.  A  number  of  persons,  I  am  informed 
by  the  family,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

Despatches  were  received  from  Gen'l  Scott  to- 
night. 

Wednesday,  26th  May,  184J. —  I  was  much 
occupied  in  my  office  to-day  and  did  not  open  my 
office  for  the  reception  of  Company  generally.  Sev- 
eral persons  were  admitted  on  special  business.  I 
was  disposing  of  the  business  on  my  table  prepara- 
tory to  my  contemplated  visit  to  the  University  of 
N.  C.  Nothing  of  special  interest  occurred  during 
the  day.  I  retired  late  at  night,  somewhat  indis- 
posed &  much  fatigued  from  the  day's  labour. 

Thursday,  2Jth  May,  184J.—  During  this  day  I 
was  busily  engaged  in  preparing  to  leave  on  to-mor- 
row on  my  contemplated  visit  to  the  University  of 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  37 

N.  C.  I  saw  at  different  periods  of  the  day  all  the 
members  of  the  Cabinet,  except  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury.  I  saw  also  several  other  public  officers 
on  business.  I  transacted  during  the  day  much  busi- 
ness. At  I  O'clock  I  opened  my  office  for  company. 
Several  persons  called,  most  of  them  seeking  office, 
but  they  were  promptly  answered  that  there  were 
no  vacancies  to  fill.  At  a  late  hour  at  night  I  closed 
the  day's  work. 

Friday,  28th  May,  1847.— A.\.  8>4  O'clock  this 
morning  I  left  Washington  on  my  visit  to  the  Uni- 
versity 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  of  the  Navy)  and  his  son,  John 
Y.  Mason,  jr.,  and  his  daughter,  Betty,  &  Lieutenant 
Maury  of  the  U.  S.  Navy.  At  the  Steam  Boat  land- 
ing at  the  mouth  of  Aquia  Creek  on  the  Potomac,  I 
was  met  by  a  committee  from  Fredricksburg,  Va., 
who  invited  me  to  spend  a  day  on  my  return  from 
N.  C.  at  that  town.  I  declined  the  invitation.  On 
arriving  at  Fredricksburg  I  was  met  by  the  military 
and  a  large  concourse  of  Citizens.  I  received  a 
cordial  welcome  from  them.  I  did  not  leave  the 
Rail  Road  car,  but  made  my  apology  to  them  for 
not  stopping  longer  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  com- 
mittee of  Citizens  without  distinction  of  political 
party,  who  gave  me  a  cordial  welcome  to  their  City. 
The  military  companies  were  on  parade,  &  a  very 


38  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [28  May 

large  number  of  people  were  present.  I  was  placed 
in  an  open  carriage  and  conducted  by  the  mayor  and 
committee  to  the  Capitol,  where  many  thousand  per- 
sons, ladies  and  gentlemen,  were  assembled.  I  ex- 
changed salutations  and  shook  hands  with  many  hun- 
dreds of  them.  The  artillery  company  fired  a  salute. 
Mrs.  Polk  was  received  by  the  ladies  of  the  City  at 
the  Executive  chamber  in  the  Capitol,  that  being 
the  place  arranged  by  the  committee  of  reception  for 
that  purpose.  After  remaining  i;^  hours  I  was 
conducted  in  an  open  carriage  to  the  Southern  Rail 
Road  depot,  preceded  by  the  military  companies 
and  a  large  concourse  of  citizens.  The  demonstra- 
tion of  respect  at  Richmond  was  without  distinction 
of  party  and  was  highly  gratifying  to  me.  From 
Richmond  I  proceeded  on  the  Rail  Road  to  Peters- 
burg, where  we  arrived  shortly  after  dark.  I  was 
met  by  a  committee  of  that  town  at  the  Rail  Road 
depot.  It  was  a  clear  night  and  the  moon  was  shin- 
ing. I  was  conducted  to  a  Hotel  which  was  bril- 
liantly lighted  up.  I  found  there  a  very  large  crowd 
of  people,  ladies  and  gentlemen.  In  the  Portico  of 
the  Hotel  I  was  received  &  addressed  by  the  Hon. 
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  leading  Whig)  also  addressed  [me],  and  both  he 
and  Mr.  Rives  invited  me  to  spend  the  day  at  Peters- 
burg on  my  return,  which  I  declined.  After  shaking 
hands  with  many  hundreds  of  people,   and  taking 

^  Probably  Francis  Robert  Rives,  Secretar\^  of  Legation  at  Lon- 
don during  Tyler's  administration. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  39 

supper,  I  proceeded  on  my  journey.  My  reception 
both  at  Richmond  &  Petersburg  was  very  cordial, 
and  was  very  gratifying  to  me.  I  was  received  by 
both  political  parties  with  like  cordiality  &  kind- 
ness, which  made  it  the  more  agreeable. 

Saturday,  2gth  May,  184J. —  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  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  wel- 
comed me  to  my  native  State.  I  made  a  brief  re- 
ply to  this  address.  The  committee  was  composed 
of  leading  gentlemcA  of  both  political  parties.  Gov. 
Branch  also  joined  me  at  this  point,  though  he  was  not 
of  the  committee,  &  accompanied  me  on  my  journey. 
After  taking  breakfast  I  proceeded  on  my  journey. 
At  intervals  of  every  few  miles,  &  especially  at  all 
the  Rail  Road  depots,  many  persons,  mail  [male]- 
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  per- 
mit. Near  Warrenton  &  near  the  residence  of  Mr. 
Nathaniel  Macon,-  who  was  greatly  beloved  in  that 
section  of  the  county  up  to  the  hour  of  his  death,  I 

^  John  Davis  Hawkins,  1 781-1858,  a  graduate  of  the  University 
of  North  Carolina  of  the  class  of  1804. 

-Nathaniel  Macon,  1757-1837,  Representative  from  North 
Carolina  1791-1815,  Senator  1815-1828. 


40  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [29  May 

I  met  a  very  large  crowd  of  ladies  &  gentlemen.  I 
observed  many  carriages,  probably  40  or  50  in  num- 
ber, in  which  the  ladies  present  had  come  to  greet 
me.  At  Henderson,  where  I  dined,  several  thou- 
sand persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  old  persons,  mid- 
dle aged  persons,  young  persons,  &  children,  of  both 
sexes  were  assembled.  At  this  place  I  remained 
about  i^  hours  &  was  constantly  engaged  in  being 
introduced  to  the  people  &  shaking  hands  with  them. 
At  Franklinton,  20  miles  before  reaching  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  capital  of  the  State.  I  responded  to  them  also. 
The  Chairman  was  Mr.  McCrea,  accompanied  [by] 
the  Hon.  John  H.  Bryan  &  about  a  dozen  others. 
This  committee  took  charge  of  me  at  this  point.  I 
reached  Raleigh  at  about  5^^  O'Clock  P.  M.  I  was 
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  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,  &  followed  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 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  41 

number  of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  assembled. 
On  entering  the  Portico  of  the  Hotel  I  was  met  by 
Professor  Wm.  M.  Green  ^  &  a  committee  of  Students 
from  the  University  of  N.  Carolina.  Mr.  Green 
delivered  an  address  to  me,  to  which  I  responded.  I 
was  conducted  into  the  Hotel  and  after  being  intro- 
duced to  the  committee  of  the  University  &  a  few 
other  persons,  I  was  informed  that  an  arrangement 
had  been  made  for  me  to  meet  my  fellow  citizens 
generally  at  the  Senate  Chamber  in  the  Capitol  at  8 
O'clock  to-night,  to  which  I  of  course  yielded  my 
assent.  I  retired  to  my  room  much  exhausted  by 
the  fatigues  of  the  day.  At  the  appointed  hour,  8 
O'clock,  I  was  conducted  to  the  Capitol  by  the 
Mayor,  the  committees  of  the  City  of  Raleigh,  &  of 
the  University.  Judge  Mason  accompanied  me.  I 
spent  iy2  hours  at  the  Senate  chamber,  which  was 
crowded  with  ladies  &  gentlemen,  many  of  whom 
were  introduced  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  &  my- 
self. From  the  Senate  chamber  we  were  conducted 
to  the  front  of  the  Capitol,  where  a  very  dense  crowd 
of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  were  assembled. 
The  Street  between  the  Capitol  &  the  Governor's 
House  was  brilliantly  illuminated,  &  there  was  a 
most  imposing  display  of  fire  works.  About  11 
O'clock  I  retired  to  my  lodgings,  much  fatigued. 
From  Gaston  to  Raleigh  was  a  continued  triumphal 
procession.  Salutes  were  fired  at  several  places. 
My  reception  could  not  have  been  more  gratifying 

^William  Mercer  Green,  1798-1887,  first  Episcopal  bishop  of 
Mississippi  1850,  one  of  the  founders  and  later  Chancellor  of  the 
University  of  the  South,  Sewanee,  Tennessee. 


42  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [30  May 

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,  joth  May,  1847. —  Accompanied  by 
Mrs.  Polk,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  &  my  suite,  I 
attended  the  Episcopal  church  in  the  forenoon  &  the 
Presbyterian  church  in  the  afternoon  to-day.  Pro- 
fessor Green  of  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.  Branch  &  Col. 
Hawkins  mentioned  to  me  the  fact  that  Gov- 
Graham  ^  had  failed  to  call  on  me  had  been  observed, 
and  had  given  rise  to  some  excitement  among  lead- 
ing Whigs  and  Democrats,  all  of  whom  condemned 
him  in  strong  terms.  About  dark  Judge  Mason  in- 
formed me  that  he  had  been  inquired  of  by  Ex  Gov- 
ernor Moorehead,-  whether  I  would  see  Gov.  Gra- 
ham to-night,  saying  that  if  I  would  he  would 
bring  Gov.  Graham  to  see  me.  Mr.  Mason  in- 
formed me  that  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  sab- 
bath, he  supposed,  as  I  expected  to  leave  Raleigh  on 
to-morrow  morning,  that  I  would  see  Gov.  Graham 

^William  Alexander  Graham,  1804-1875,  Senator  from  North 
Carolina  1840- 1843,  Governor  1845- 1849,  Secretary  of  the  Navy 
1850-1852. 

-  John  Motley  Morehead,  1 796-1 866,  Governor  of  North  Caro- 
lina 1841-1845,  President  of  the  Whig  National  Convention  that 
nominated  Taylor  for  the  Presidency  in  1848. 


1847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    UIARY  43 

if  he  desired  it.  About  8  O'Clock  Gov.  Graham  & 
Ex.  Governor  Moorehead  called.  Gov.  Moorehead 
had  called  on  last  evening.  I  received  Gov.  Graham 
courteously,  but  with  more  dignified  reserve  than  is 
my  habit.  He  remained  near  an  hour.  I  have  no 
doubt  from  what  I  have  learned  that  Gov.  Graham 
&  Senator  Badger  ^  had  by  consent  determined  not 
to  call  on  me,  &  that  the  latter  was  forced  to  yield 
that  determination  by  the  overwhelming  fear  of  pub- 
lic opinion  among  the  leading  members  of  his  own 
party.  It  was  a  matter  of  perfect  indifiference  to  me 
whether  he  called  or  not.  Senator  Badger  did  not 
call.  During  the  whole  of  the  last  session  of  Con- 
gress he  did  not  call  on  me.  He  is  a  bitter  partisan, 
and  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  story-  concerning  the  Revolutionary 
services  of  my  Grand-father,  Ezekiel  Polk.  His 
own  consciousness  that  he  had  wronged  me  probably 

^  George  Edmond  Badger,  1 795-1 865,  Secretary  of  the  Navy  in 
1841,  Senator  from  North  Carolina  1846-1855. 

-  The  story  asserted  that  Polk's  grandfather  sided  with  the 
Tories  in  the  Revolutionary  War.  Polk  was  extremely  sensitive, 
during  the  campaign  of  1844,  to  the  attacks  made  on  the  Revo- 
lutionary career  of  his  ancestors,  and  supplied  his  friends  with 
facts  to  be  used  in  refuting  them. —  Letter  of  J.  Geo.  Harris  to 
George  Bancroft,  September  17,  1887,  •"  Lenox  Library,  New 
York.  A  Vindication  of  the  Revolutionary  Character  and  Services 
of  Colonel  Ezekiel  Polk,  by  Wm.  H.  Haywood,  was  published  at 
Nashville  in  1844.  The  original  of  the  affidavits  printed  in  this 
pamphlet,  endorsed  in  Polk's  own  hand,  are  preserved  among  the 
Polk  mss.  in  the  Library  of  Congress. 


44  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [31  May 

prevented  him  from  calling  on  me  last  winter  or  on 
my  present  visit  to  N.  Carolina. 

Monday,  31st  May,  i84j.—  Ai  9  O'Clock  this 
morning  I  set  out  with  my  family  &  suite  for  Chapel 
Hill.  I  was  accompanied  by  Professor  Green  &  the 
committee  of  students  from  the  University.  I  was 
accompanied  also  by  Gov.  Branch,  Col.  Hawkins, 
and  several  others,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  making  quite 
a  long  train  of  carriages.  We  stopped  half  an  hour 
at  Mrs.  Jones's,  10  miles  on  the  way,  where  we  were 
overtaken  by  Ex  Gov.  Moorehead,  Gov.  Graham, 
&  others.  I  stopped  at  Moring's  8  miles  from 
Chapel  Hill,  &  took  dinner.  Gov.  Graham,  Gov. 
Moorehead,  &  some  others  did  not  stop  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  composed  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  re- 
maining there  a  few  minutes  was  conducted  on  foot 
to  the  college  Chapel,  where  a  large  assembly  of 
ladies  &  gentlemen  were  collected.  I  was  addressed 
by  the  Hon.  D.  Y.  Swain, ^  the  President  of  the  Col- 
lege, tendering  to  me  a  cordial  w^elcome  on  my  re- 
turn to  the  classic  shades  of  the  University.     I  briefly 

^  David  Lowry  Swain,  1801-1868,  Governor  of  North  Carolina 
1832-1835,  President  of  the  University  of  North  Carolina  1835- 
1868. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  45 

responded  to  his  address.  President  Swain  also  ad- 
dressed Judge  [Mason],  who  made  a  short  reply. 
I  was  then  introduced  to  the  Trustees  who  were  pres- 
ent, to  the  faculty  and  many  of  the  students,  as  well 
as  to  many  others,  ladies  &  gentlemen.  Of  all  the 
Professors  I  had  left  at  the  University  29  years  ago, 
Professor  Mitchell  ^  alone  remained.  He  met  me 
most  cordially,  and  I  was  much  gratified  to  see  him. 
These  ceremonies  being  over,  I  returned  to  the 
[hotel]  where  I  had  the  pleasure  to  meet  many  old 
college  friends  whom  I  had  not  seen  since  I  grad- 
uated in  June,  1818.  Our  meeting  was  delightful. 
Some  of  the  incidents  of  our  college  life  were  at 
once  recited.  After  supper  I  attended  the  chapel 
&  heard  a  sermon  preached  by  Bishop  Ives "  of  the 
Episcopal  church  to  the  students.  An  annual  ser- 
mon suited  to  the  occasion  is  preached  at  each 
Commencement  by  some  one  of  the  Christian  de- 
nominations. After  the  sermon  I  was  kept  from  re- 
tiring to  rest  until  a  late  hour  in  being  introduced  to 
the  crowd  of  persons,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  who 
were  present,  and  in  conversing  with  old  college 
friends,  many  of  whom  had  come  from  a  consider- 
able distance  to  see  me.  I  have  never  spent  a  more 
pleasant  or  delightful  afternoon  &  evening.  I  re- 
tired to  rest  considerably  exhausted  by  the  fatigues 
of  the  day. 

^  Elisha  Mitchell,  1793-1857,  noted  for  his  scientific  attain- 
ments.    Mount  Mitchell  was  named  after  him. 

*  Levi  Silliman  Ives,  1797-1867,  Episcopal  bishop  of  North 
Carolina  1831;  in  1852  he  became  a  Roman  Catholic  and  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  life  in  the  service  of  Catholicism. 


46  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i  June 

I  should  note  also  that  among  the  Trustees  who  re- 
ceived me  at  the  Chapel  on  my  arrival  were  Gov. 
Graham  &  Ex.  Gov.  Moorehead. 

Tuesday,  Ist  June,  184J, —  As  soon  as  I  rose  this 
morning  I  found  a  large  crowd  at  the  Hotel  desir- 
ing to  see  me.  After  Breakfast  I  visited  the  college 
buildings.  They  have  been  greatly  enlarged  and 
improved  since  my  day  at  College.  I  attended  the 
examination  of  the  senior  Class  on  International  & 
Constitutional  law.  They  were  examined  by  Pres- 
ident Swain.  I  visited  the  Dialectic  &  Philanthropic 
Library  rooms.  I  visited  also  the  room  which  I  occu- 
pied when  I  was  in  college.  The  old  chapel  I  found 
had  been  converted  into  recitation  rooms,  and  for  the 
use  of  the  Trustees  when  they  attended  the  University. 
After  dinner  I  took  a  walk  with  some  of  my  old  col- 
lege friends  to  Vauxhall  Spring,  and  through  a  por- 
tion of  the  village.  Many  objects  were  perfectly 
familiar  to  me,  and  brought  up  fresh  to  recollection 
many  of  the  scenes  of  my  youth.  I  was  constantly 
surrounded  by  crowds  of  people,  &  was  introduced 
to  hundreds,  male  &  female.  The  weather  was 
warm,  &  [I]  had  no  rest.  After  night  I  attended 
the  Chapel  and  heard  several  members  of  the  Soph- 
omore and  Freshman  classes  recite  speeches  which 
they  had  committed  to  memory.  I  retired  to  the 
Hotel  when  these  exercises  were  over,  and  was  kept 
from  retiring  to  rest  until  a  late  hour  receiving  com- 
pany and  being  introduced  to  them,  and  in  convers- 
ing with  my  college  friends. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  47 

WeDxNESDAY,  2nd  June,  184^. —  The  crowd  in  at- 
tendance was  much  increased  to-day.  I  was  con- 
stantly on  my  feet,  receiving  &  being  introduced  to 
them.  All  seemed  desirious  to  see  the  President  & 
shake  him  by  the  hand.  At  11  O'Clock  A.  M.  I  at- 
tended the  Chapel  &  heard  Mr.  Osborne  of  Char- 
lotte deliver  a  literary  address  to  the  two  Societies 
of  the  college.  When  his  speech  was  over  I  attended 
a  meeting  of  the  alumni  of  the  college.  Many  of 
them  were  present,  some  of  whom  graduated  as  early 
as  1801.  At  2  O'clock  P.  M.  accompanied  by  Mrs. 
Polk,  Judge  Mason,  &  our  families  who  accompanied 
us,  I  dined  wath  President  Swain.  After  dinner 
Mrs.  Polk  &  myself  paid  a  visit  to  Professor  Green's 
family.  At  Candle-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  mo- 
tion, the  thanks  of  the  Alumni  were  tendered  to 
Judge  Mason  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  was  a 
member  when  I  was  in  college.  At  the  suggestion 
of  Professor  Green  I  made  a  short  address  to  the  so- 
ciety. During  the  day  I  shook  hands  with  many 
hundreds  of  persons.  During  the  day,  too,  Mrs. 
Polk  accompanied  me  through  the  college  buildings, 
the  library  rooms,  and  especially  the  room  which  I 
had  occupied  when  I  was  in  college.  She  was  much 
interested,  and  especially  in  viewing  the  Dialectic 
Hall  and  my  old  room. 


48  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  June 

Thursday,  jrd  June,  1847.— T\\h  was  the  com- 
mencement day  of  the  college/  It  was  to  me  a  most 
interesting  occasion.  The  number  of  persons  in  at- 
tendance 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,  continued  to  receive 
them  and  to  shake  hands  with  them  until  the  hour  at 
which  the  Commencement  exercises  commenced. 
These  exercises  commenced  between  10  &  11 
O'clock.  About  I  O'clock  the  President  an- 
nounced that  there  would  be  a  recess  of  i]/^  hours. 
I  returned  to  the  Hotel  &  took  dinner.  The  crowd 
in  waiting  to  see  me  was  so  great  that  it  was  impos- 
sible that  they  could  all  see  me  if  I  remained  in  the 
House.  Several  of  my  friends  who  thought  the  peo- 
ple present,  many  of  whom  had  come  a  considerable 
distance,  ought  to  be  gratified,  insisted  that  I  should 
go  out  to  the  grove,  &  I  did  so.  I  was  soon  sur- 
rounded by  hundreds  of  persons,  and  for  an  hour  or 
more  was  constantly  engaged  in  shaking  hands  with 
them.  At  the  appointed  hour  the  commencement  ex- 
ercises were  again  commenced.  I  attended.  They 
were  concluded  and  the  Degree  of  Bachelor  of  arts 
conferred  on  27  young  gentlemen,  and  the  whole  cere- 
mony closed  about  5>4  O'Clock  P.  M.  Being  very 
desirous  to  reach  Washington  on  Saturday  evening, 
and  knowing  that  I  could  not  do  so  unless  I  reached 
Raleigh  on  to-morrow  morning  in  time  to  take  the 
Rail  Road  cars,  as  soon  as  the  exercises  were  over  I 

^  For  an  account  of  the  Commencement  exercises  see  Battle, 
History  of  the  University  of  North  Carolina,  I,  504-509. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  49 

took  leave  of  President  Swain  &  the  Faculty  &  Trus- 
tees, 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,  where  we  remained  until  2  O'Clock  in 
the  morning,  when  the  carriages  were  brought  out  & 
we  proceeded  on  the  way  to  Raleigh.  There  was 
moonlight  &  it  was  pleasant  traveling.  We  break- 
fasted at  Mrs.  Jones's  &  reached  Raleigh  at  9>4 
O'clock.  We  were  accompanied  from  Chapel  Hill 
by  young  Mr.  Winburn  ^  who  graduated  to-day,  and 
who  was  one  of  the  committee  of  students  of  the  Uni- 
versity who  had  met  me  at  Raleigh  on  Saturday  last. 
We  were  accompanied  also  by  Gov.  Branch,  Col. 
Jno.  D.  Hawkins,  &  several  others. 

Friday,  4th  June,  184J. —  On  arriving  at  Raleigh 
at  9^  O'clock  this  morning,  we  stopped  at  the  Hotel 
a  few  minutes.  Learning  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  wife 
is  the  daughter  of  the  late  Col.  Wm.  Polk,  and  whose 
health  was  not  such  as  to  enable  her  to  call  on  us. 
Mr.  Raynor  had  called  on  Saturday  evening  &  made 
this  apology  for  her.  Mr.  Raynor  is  a  bitter  polit- 
ical opponent,  but  had  acted  exceedingly  well  on  the 
occasion  of  my  visit  to  N.  Carolina.     Before  I  left 

^  Robert  Henry  Winborne. 

-Kenneth   Rayner,    1 808-1 884,   a  Whig,   Representative  from 
North  Carolina  1 839-1 845. 


50  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [5  June 

Washington  he  had  invited  me  to  make  his  house  my 
home,  and  as  soon  as  I  arrived  on  Saturday  evening 
he  had  called.  While  we  were  at  Mr.  Raynor's, 
the  Hon.  Wm.  H.  Haywood,  jr.,  late  Senator  in  Con- 
gress, called.  He  had  been  absent  from  Raleigh  as 
we  passed  on  to  the  University.  From  Mr.  Raynor's 
we  drove  back  to  the  Hotel,  where  a  number  of  per- 
sons were  collected.  I  got  out  of  the  carriage  & 
they  accompanied  me  on  foot  to  the  Rail  Road  depot. 
I  there  took  leave  of  them,  and  at  12  O'Clock  the  cars 
left.  We  dined  at  Henderson,  and  at  this  point  Col. 
Hawkins  left  us.  We  met  many  persons  at  the  dif- 
ferent depots  on  the  road.  At  Henderson  there  was 
quite  a  large  number  collected.  We  supped  at  Gas- 
ton &  travelled  all  night. 

Saturday,  J/A  June,  184'J. —  We  arrived  at 
Petersburg  shortly  after  day  light  this  morning,  & 
after  being  detained  a  short  time  at  the  Hotel  pro- 
ceeded to  Richmond,  where  we  took  breakfast. 
Proceeding  on  our  journey  we  arrived  at  Washing- 
ton about  5  O'clock  P.  M.  &  thus  ended  my  excur- 
sion to  the  University  of  N.  Carolina.  It  was  an 
exceedingly  agreeable  one.  No  incident  of  an  un- 
pleasant character  occurred.  My  reception  at  the 
University,  and  the  attentions  paid  me  on  the  route 
going  and  returning,  was  all  that  I  could  have  de- 
sired it  to  be.  My  visit  was  wholly  unconnected 
with  politics,  and  all  parties  greeted  &  welcomed  me 
in  the  most  cordial  manner.  Senator  Badger  is  the 
only  leading  man  of  either  party,  of  whom  I  heard, 
who  failed  to  call  and  pay  his  respects.     It  was  a 


i847]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  51 

matter  of  perfect  indifference  to  me  whether  he  did 
so  or  not.  The  impression  among  some  of  my  friends 
was,  that  it  was  his  influence  which  had  prevented 
Gov.  Graham  from  calling  when  I  first  reached 
Raleigh.  The  Governor,  However,  finally  yielded 
to  public  opinion  around  him  &  called  on  Sunday 
evening,  as  stated  in  this  Diary  of  that  day. 

During  my  absence  Mr.  Buchanan,  the  Secretary 
of  State,  wrote  to  me  every  day,  as  I  had  requested 
him  to  do.  Nothing  occurred  during  my  absence 
which  required  my  presence  in  Washington. 

Between  Gaston  &  Petersburg  Judge  Mason,  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  and  his  daughter  left  the  cars 
at  a  point  near  the  residence  of  his  father,  to  whom 
they  desired  to  pay  a  short  visit. 

The  Post  Master  Gen'l  and  the  atto.  Gen'l  called 
on  me  shortly  after  my  arrival  at  home  this  evening. 

Sunday,  6th  June,  184J. —  I  attended  the  first 
Presbyterian  church  to-day  accompanied  by  Mrs. 
Polk,  her  niece,  Miss  Rucker,  and  Miss  Rachel  Hen- 
rietta Armstrong,  the  daughter  of  Gen'l  Robert 
Armstrong,  U.  S.  consul  at  Liverpool. 

Mr.  Buchanan,  the  Secretary  of  State,  called  to- 
night. 

Monday,  yth  June,  1847. —  During  the  day  the 
Secretaries  of  State,  Treasury,  &  War  and  the  Atto. 
Gen'l  called  on  business.  Several  of  the  Heads  of 
Bureau  and  other  public  officers  also  called  on  busi- 
ness. During  my  absence  from  the  City  various  mat- 
ters of  public  business,  none  of  them  of  much  impor- 


52  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [7  June 

tance,  but  concerning  which  these  officers  desired  to 
take  my  direction,  had  accumulated.  I  disposed  of 
them,  read  my  letters,  and  disposed  of  many  matters 
of  business  on  my  table.  At  i  O'Clock  P.  M.  I 
opened  my  office  for  company.  Many  persons 
called  but  none  of  them  had  any  business  of  impor- 
tance with  me.  The  most  important  business  of 
most  of  them  was  that  they  wished  to  obtain  offices, 
either  for  themselves  or  their  friends.  There  were 
no  vacancies  to  fill  &  I  soon  disposed  of  their  appli- 
cations. Among  others  who  called  was  Mrs.  Fre- 
mont, the  wife  of  Lieut.  Col.  Fremont  of  the  U.  S. 
army,  and  the  daughter  of  Gen'l  T.  H.  Benton.  She 
introduced  to  me  Kit  Carson,^  who  had  been  with  her 
husband.  Col.  Fremont,  and  had  recently  returned 
from  California.  She  informed  me  that  Mr.  Car- 
son had  been  waiting  several  days  to  see  me,  for  the 
purpose  of  conversing  with  me  and  tendering  his 
services  to  bear  despatches  to  California,  if  any  were 
to  be  sent.  Mr.  Carson  delivered  to  me  a  long  letter 
from  Col.  Fremont  which  had  been  addressed  to 
Gen'l  Benton.  It  related  in  part  to  the  recent  un- 
fortunate collision  between  Gen'l  Kearney  &  Com- 
modore Stockton,  and  between  the  former  &  Col. 
Fremont  in  California.  Mrs.  Fremont  seemed  anx- 
ious to  elicit  from  me  some  expression  of  approba- 
tion of  her  husband's  conduct,  but  I  evaded  [making 
any].  In  truth,  I  consider  that  Col.  Fremont  was 
greatly  In  the  wrong  when  he  refused  to  obey  the  or- 

^  Christopher  Carson,  1809-1868,  famous  hunter  and  Indian 
fighter.  He  rendered  important  assistance  to  Fremont  on  the  lat- 
ter's  exploring  expeditions. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  S3 

ders  issued  to  him  by  Gen'l  Kearney.  I  think  Gen'l 
Kearney  was  right  also  in  his  controversy  with  Com. 
Stockton.  It  was  unnecessary,  however,  that  I 
should  say  so  to  Col.  Fremont's  wife,  and  I  evaded 
giving  her  an  answer.  My  desire  is,  that  the  error 
being  corrected,  the  matter  shall  pass  over  quietly 
without  the  necessity  of  having  an  investigation  by 
a  Court  Martial.  I  saw  Kit  Carson  again  after 
night,  and  had  a  full  conversation  with  him  concern- 
ing the  State  of  afifairs  in  California,  and  especially 
in  relation  to  the  collision  between  our  land  &  naval 
commanders  in  that  distant  region. 

Tuesday,  8th  June,  184J. —  The  Cabinet  met  to- 
day, all  the  members  present  except  the  Secretary 
of  the  Navy,  who  is  absent  in  Virginia  on  a  visit 
to  his  father.  Mr.  Buchanan  brought  before  the 
Cabinet  our  relations  with  Brazil,  and  stated  that 
from  intelligence  received  from  Rio,  it  was  probable 
that  the  Brazilian  Government  would  disavow  the 
adjustment  of  the  difficulty  growing  out  of  the  im- 
prisonment of  Lieut.  Davis  of  the  U.  S.  Navy  &  two 
sailors  at  Rio,  which  had  been  made  between  Mr. 
Buchanan  &  Mr.  Lisboa,  the  Brazilian  Minister  at 
Washington.  After  considering  the  subject,  it  was 
resolved  that  Mr.  Tod,  the  successor  of  Mr.  Wise 
as  U.  S.  Minister  to  Brazil,  should  set  out  on  his 
mission  at  the  earliest  practicable  period.  Several 
other  matters  connected  with  our  foreign  relations 
were  considered. 

Information  had  been  received  that  a  Spanish  ves- 
sel with  a  Mexican  commission  &  under  Mexican 


54  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [9  June 

colours  had  captured  an  American  Merchant  Ves- 
sel in  the  Meditteranean,  and  it  was  represented  that 
other  privateers  with  Mexican  commissions  had  been 
fitted  out  to  prey  upon  American  commerce  [and] 
were  in  those  seas.  It  was  determined  to  order  the 
U.  S.  Steam  Ship  Princeton  to  proceed  without  de- 
lay to  the  Mediteranean  for  the  protection  of  Ameri- 
can commerce. 

Various  matters  connected  with  the  operations  of 
our  army  and  navy  in  Mexico  &  the  prosecution  of 
the  War  were  considered.  Among  other  things  it 
was  determined  to  send  Kit  Carson  with  despatches 
to  Gen'l  Kearney  in  California,  &  to  the  commander 
of  our  Squadron  in  the  Pacific.  All  the  Cabinet 
agreed  that  in  the  unfortunate  collision  which  had 
taken  place  between  Com.  Stockton  and  Gen'l  Kear- 
ney, respecting  the  right  to  command  the  land  forces 
in  California,  Gen'l  Kearney  was  in  the  right,  and 
that  Commodore  Stockton  &  Lieut.  Col.  Fremont 
were  in  the  wrong.  One  object  of  sending  the  de- 
spatches by  Carson  was  to  put  an  end  to  this  most 
unfortunate  controversy.  Several  other  matters  of 
minor  importance  were  considered. 

My  Private  Secretary  (Col.  Walker)  was  indis- 
posed to-day  and  was  confined  to  his  room. 

This  was  reception  evening  &  I  met  company  in 
the  parlour.  An  unusually  large  assembly  of  la- 
dies &  gentlemen  called. 

Wednesday,  gth  June,  1S4J. —  I  was  busily  en- 
gaged this  forenoon  in  disposing  of  the  business  on 
my  table.     I  saw  the  Secretaries  of  State  and  War 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  SS 

on  business,  and  also  several  other  persons  whom  I 
was  obliged  to  see.  Among  others  who  called  was 
the  Hon.  Mr.  Giles,  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  from  Mary- 
land. At  I  O'clock  P.  M.  I  opened  my  office.  An 
unusual  number  of  persons,  chiefly  office  seekers, 
called.  Nothing  worthy  of  special  note  occurred 
to-day. 

Thursday,  lOth  June,  184J. —  This  forenoon 
was  chiefly  occupied  in  transacting  business  with 
public  officers  who  called  to  consult  me  &  receive  my 
directions.  The  Secretaries  of  State  and  War  & 
Mr.  Appleton,  the  acting  Secretary  of  the  Navy, 
also  called  on  business.  The  Secretary  of  War  read 
to  me  a  despatch  which  he  had  prepared  to  Brigadier 
Gen'l  Kearney  in  California,  relating  in  part  to  the 
collision  which  has  recently  arisen  between  Gen'l 
Kearney  and  Commodore  Stockton.  At  my  sugges- 
tion he  made  two  or  three  modifications  of  it.  I  di- 
rected Mr.  Appleton,  who  is  acting  Secretary  of  the 
Navy  in  Mr.  Mason's  absence,  to  prepare  a  despatch 
of  similar  import  to  the  commander  of  our  Squad- 
ron in  the  Pacific.  At  i  O'Clock  P.  M.  I  opened 
my  office  to  receive  company  as  usual.  Many  per- 
sons called,  some  on  visits  of  ceremony  and  others 
on  business  &  seeking  office.  After  they  retired  I 
disposed  of  some  of  the  business  on  my  table.  A 
small  party  took  a  family  Dinner  with  me  to-day. 
It  consisted  of  Mr.  Pleasonton,  the  5th  Auditor,  his 
wife  &  daughter,  Mrs.  Watmough  of  Phila.,  and 
Daniel  Graham,  the  Register  of  the  Treasury,  &  his 
wife. 


56  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [n  June 

Friday,  nth  June,  184J. —  This  morning  the 
Secretaries  of  the  Treasury  and  of  War  called  and 
submitted  certain  modifications  of  the  regulations 
of  the  tariff  of  duties  to  be  levied  in  Mexican  ports 
in  our  military  possession  as  military  contributions, 
which  they  proposed.  I  examined  the  modifications 
proposed,  and  after  making  one  or  two  changes  in 
them,  approved  them  and  issued  the  order  accord- 
ingly. Mr.  Mason,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  who 
returned  to  Washington  last  evening,  called  this 
morning.  He  submitted  to  me  a  despatch  which  he 
had  prepared  to  the  commander  of  our  squadron  in 
the  Pacific,  to  be  taken  out  by  Kit  Carson  &  Lieut. 
Beale  of  the  Navy,  as  bearers  of  despatches.  The 
despatch  had  been  prepared  by  Mr.  Appleton  as  act- 
ing Secretary  of  the  Navy,  in  the  absence  of  Judge 
Mason,  under  orders  from  me.  At  my  suggestion 
some  modification  of  the  despatch  was  made. 
MajV  General  Robert  Patterson  of  the  U.  S.  army, 
who  had  recently  returned,  to-day  called  with  his 
aide-de-camp  and  Brevet  Col.  Abercrombie.  At  i 
O'clock  P.  M.  I  opened  my  office  for  company. 
Several  persons  called  to  pay  their  respects,  ladies 
&  gentlemen.  Others  called  seeking  office.  In  the 
course  of  the  day  the  Commissioner  of  the  Gen'l 
Land  Office  and  other  public  officers  called  on  busi- 
ness. Col.  Tod,  U.  S.  Minister  to  Brazil,  and  Mr. 
Young,  commissioner  of  the  Gen'l  Land  office,  and 
his  wife,  dined  with  me  to-day. 

Despatches  were  received  from  Gen'l  Scott  by  the 
mail  of  this  evening. 

This  was  reception  evening.     Many  persons,  la- 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  57 

dies  &  gentlemen,  called.     Judge  Mason  (Secretary 
of  the  Navy)   returned  to  Washington  last  evening. 

Saturday,  12th  June,  1847. —  Maj'r  Gen'l  Rob- 
ert Patterson  of  the  U.  S.  army  called  this  morning. 
He  had  recently  returned  from  Mexico,  where  he 
has  been  serving  for  the  last  12  months.  I  had  a 
long  conversation  with  him  in  relation  to  the  War 
and  our  military  operations  in  Mexico.  He  gave 
me  many  facts,  and  some  interesting  views.  He  re- 
mained until  the  Cabinet  met,  which  was  at  the  usual 
hour,  when  he  retired.  All  the  members  of  the  Cab- 
inet were  present. 

Despatches  received  from  Gen'l  Scott,  dated  on 
the  20th  ultimo,  were  read.  They  were  of  a  highly 
exceptionable  character.  It  appears  that  Gen'l 
Scott  has  taken  offence  because  Mr.  Trist  was  sent 
to  his  Head  Quarters  as  a  Commissioner  invested 
with  Diplomatic  Powers  &  full  authority  to  conclude 
a  Treaty  of  peace.  He  desired  to  be  invested  with 
this  power  himself,  and  although  Mr.  Trist  had  been 
in  his  camp  for  six  days  at  the  date  of  his  despatch, 
he  states  he  had  not  seen  him.  It  is  clear  from  this 
despatch,  as  well  as  one  of  previous  date  enclosing 
a  letter  from  Gen'l  Scott  to  Mr.  Trist,  that  he  would 
not  cooperate  with  Mr.  Trist  in  accomplishing  the 
object  of  his  mission,  the  conclusion  of  an  honour- 
able peace.  His  two  last  despatches  are  not  only  in- 
subordinate, but  insulting  to  Mr.  Trist  and  the 
Government.  I  gave  my  views  on  the  subject,  in 
which  the  Cabinet  unanimously  concurred.  In  ac- 
cordance with  them  I  directed  the  Secretary  of  War 


S8  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [12  June 

to  prepare  a  despatch  to  Gen'l  Scott  rebuking  him 
for  his  insubordinate  course,  and  repeating  the  order 
in  a  peremptory  manner  to  him  to  carry  the  despatch 
borne  to  him  by  Mr.  Trist  addressed  to  the  Mexi- 
can Government  to  that  Government,  and  requiring 
an  immediate  answer,  to  be  returned  by  the  bearer  of 
the  despatch,  whether  he  had  obeyed  or  intended  to 
obey  the  former  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War.  He 
deserves  for  his  conduct  in  this  matter  to  be  removed 
from  the  command.  I  conclude[d],  however,  to  de- 
lay action  on  his  conduct  until  his  answer  to  the  com- 
munication which  I  have  this  day  ordered  to  be  ad- 
dressed to  him  shall  be  received.  The  Secretary  of 
the  Navy  also  read  a  despatch  from  Commodore 
Perry,  commanding  the  squadron  in  the  gulf,  enclos- 
ing a  correspondence  between  Gen'l  Scott  and  Lieut. 
Sims  of  the  Navy,  of  a  highly  insubordinate  &  unex- 
ceptionable [exceptionable]  character.  Lieut.  Sims 
had  been  sent  to  Gen'l  Scott's  Head  Quarters  under 
orders  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  with  a  view  to 
ask  Gen'l  Scott's  co-operation  in  procuring  the  release 
of  passed  midshipman  Rogers,  now  a  prisoner  in 
Mexico.  Gen'l  Scott  arrogates  to  himself  the  right 
to  be  the  only  proper  channel  through  whom  the 
U.  S.  Government  can  properly  communicate  with 
the  Government  of  Mexico  on  any  subject;  which  is 
an  assumption  wholly  unwarrantable  &  which  I  will 
not  tolerate.  The  truth  is  that  I  have  been  com- 
pelled from  the  beginning  to  conduct  the  war  against 
Mexico  through  the  agency  of  two  Gen'ls  highest  in 
rank  who  have  not  only  no  sympathies  with  the  Gov- 
ernment, but  are  hostile  to  my  administration.     Both 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  59 

of  them  have  assumed  to  control  the  Government. 
To  this  I  will  not  submit  &  will  as  certainly  remove 
Gen'l  Scott  from  the  chief  command,  as  she  [he] 
shall  refuse  or  delay  to  obey  the  order  borne  to  him 
by  Mr.  Trist.  My  doubt  is  whether  1  shall  delay 
to  remove  him  until  I  can  hear  further  from  him. 

The  Secretaries  of  War  &  the  Navy  read  de- 
spatches which  they  had  respectively  prepared  to 
our  commanders  of  our  land  and  naval  forces  in  Cali- 
fornia &  on  the  Pacific.  The  object  of  these  de- 
spatches was  to  remove  the  collision  which  had  arisen 
between  the  two  arms  of  the  service  in  regard  to  the 
rank  of  their  officers.  The  Secretary  of  War  also 
read  a  despatch  which  he  had  prepared  to  the  com- 
mander of  our  forces  at  Santa  Fe  &  in  New  Mexico. 
I  approved  these  despatches. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  reported  to  me  that 
he  had  received  information  that  the  Receiver  of 
Public  monies  at  the  Land  office  at  Upper  Sandusky 
in  Ohio  was  a  defaulter  to  the  amt.  of  $7,100.  I  or- 
dered him  to  be  removed  instantly,  and  directed  that 
Purdy  McElvain  ^  should  be  appointed  in  his  place. 
I  also  directed  that  the  defaulting  Receiver  should 
be  prosecuted  criminally  for  a  violation  of  the  Con- 
stitutional Treasury  law.  In  less  than  three  hours 
after  the  case  was  reported  to  me  the  removal  was 
made,  a  commission  issued  for  his  successor,  signed, 
and  the  orders  issued  to  the  U.  S.  Attorney  for  the 
District  of  Ohio  to  prosecute  criminally  the  default- 
ing Receiver,  and  also  to  commence  suit  for  the 

^  Purdy  McElvaine,  nominated  to  the  Senate  as  Receiver  of 
Land  Sales  at  Upper  Sandusky,  Ohio,  December  22,   1847. 


6o  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [13  June 

amount  of  the  default  against  his  securities.  Some 
other  public  business  was  transacted  &  the  Cabinet 
adjourned  near  4  O'Clock. 

Maj'r  Gen'l  Patterson,  his  aid-de-camp,  and  Col. 
Abercrombie  &  the  Secretary  of  War  dined  with  me 
to-day. 

My  Private  Secretary  (Col.  Walker)  his  wife,  & 
Miss  Rucker  set  out  at  noon  to-day  on  a  visit  to 
Phila.  &  New  York.  Mr.  Currin  Whitthorne,^  a 
clerk  in  the  6th  Auditor's  office,  and  who  was  a  law 
Student  in  my  office  in  Tennessee,  took  Col.  Walker's 
place  &  will  assist  me  in  his  absence  in  attending  to 
the  Clerical  duties  of  my  office. 

Sunday,  IJth  June,  184J. —  Before  church  hour 
this  morning  Mr.  Buchanan  called  and  informed  me 
that  this  was  the  last  day  on  which  letters  or  de- 
spatches could  be  mailed  at  this  City  in  time  to 
reach  the  Steamer  which  will  leave  Boston  on  the 
i6th  Instant  for  Europe.  He  stated  that  he  had  late 
on  last  evening  finished  an  important  despatch  to 
Mr.  Saunders,  the  U.  S.  Minister  in  Spain,  and  as 
it  was  very  desirable  that  he  should  get  it  at  the  earli- 
est practicable  period,  he  had  called  to  submit  it  to 
me  for  my  approval.  He  read  it  &  I  approved  it. 
It  related  to  a  recent  capture  of  a  merchant  vessel 
of  the  U.  S.  in  the  Mediteranean  by  a  Privateer 
under  a  mexican  Flag  and  with  a  mexican  commis- 
sion, which  had  been  taken  into  Barcelona,  a  Span- 

^  Washington  Curran  Whithorne,  Representative  from  Tennes- 
see 1871-1891  except  for  a  brief  term  in  the  U.  S.  Senate  1886- 
1887. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  61 

ish  Port,  Mr.  Buchanan's  despatch  ^  instructed  Mr. 
Saunders  to  protest  against  the  conduct  of  the  Span- 
ish Government  in  permitting  such  a  proceeding, 
and  to  call  upon  that  Government  to  interpose  and 
prevent  a  similar  proceeding  for  the  future.  It  was 
an  elaborate  and  very  able  despatch. 

Mrs.  Polk  and  myself  attended  the  first  Presbyte- 
rian church  to-day. 

Monday,  14th  June,  184J. —  Several  public  offi- 
cers called  on  business  this  morning.  Among  others 
Mr.  Buchanan  called  &  read  to  me  a  despatch  which 
he  had  prepared  to  Mr.  Trist.  I  suggested  a  modi- 
fication, which  he  made.  The  Secretary  of  War 
called  and  read  to  me  a  despatch  which  he  had  pre- 
pared to  Gen'l  Scott  in  reply  to  the  extraordinary 
despatch  from  that  officer  dated  the  20th  of  May. 
I  suggested  some  modifications  of  it,  and  after  some 
conversation  on  the  subject  it  was  agreed  that  it  was 
of  so  much  importance  that  it  would  be  proper  to 
submit  it  to  the  Cabinet  on  to-morrow.  At  i 
O'clock  P.  M.  my  office  was  opened  for  the  recep- 
tion of  company.  An  unusual  number  of  persons 
called,  many  of  them  seeking  office.  Gen'l  Patter- 
son of  the  U.  S.  army  called,  and  I  had  a  long  con- 
versation with  him  in  relation  to  military  operations 
in  Mexico.  Among  others  who  called  to-day  was 
Mrs.  Fremont,  the  wife  of  Lieut.  Col.  Fremont. 
Lieut.  Kit  Carson  was  with  her.  She  expressed  a 
desire  that  her  husband  should  be  retained  in  Cali- 
fornia.    I  informed  her  that  the  dispatches  which 

^  Moore,  Buchanan,  VII,  334-343. 


62  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [15  June 

Lieut.  Carson  would  bear  to  Gen'l  Kearney  in  Cali- 
fornia, who  was  the  military  officer  highest  in  com- 
mand in  that  country,  left  it  to  the  option  of  Lieut. 
Col.  Fremont  to  remain  in  the  service  in  California 
or  to  return  to  the  U.  S.  &  join  his  Regiment  (the 
Mounted  Rifles)  now  serving  in  Mexico.  The 
after  part  of  the  day  was  spent  in  disposing  of  many 
matters  of  business  of  minor  importance  which  had 
accumulated  on  my  table. 

Tuesday,  Ijth  June,  184J. —  Maj'r  Gen'l  Pat- 
terson called  this  morning,  and  I  held  a  further  con- 
versation with  him  in  relation  to  the  War  with 
Mexico.  The  Cabinet  met  this  morning  at  the  usual 
hour,  all  the  members  present. 

Mr.  Buchanan  read  to  the  Cabinet  the  draft  of  a 
despatch  to  Mr.  Trist,  having  made  the  modifica- 
tions which  I  suggested  to  him  on  yesterday.  The 
Secretary  of  War  also  read  to  the  Cabinet  the  draft 
of  a  despatch  to  Gen'l  Scott,  having  modified  [it] 
as  I  suggested  to  him  on  yesterday.  After  some  con- 
versation they  were  agreed  to  by  the  Cabinet  unani- 
mously. Mr.  Buchanan  thought  it  better  to  delay 
his  despatch  to  Mr.  Trist  until  he  heard  from  him 
again.  In  this  I  differed  with  him  in  opinion.  On 
the  contrary  I  thought  time  was  important,  and  that 
the  two  despatches  to  Mr.  Trist  and  Gen'l  Scott 
should  be  borne  to  them  with  all  practicable  speed 
by  the  same  messenger.  I  expressed  in  strong  terms 
my  disapprobation  of  Gen'l  Scott's  conduct,  in  fail- 
ing or  refusing  to  communicate  to  the  Mexican  Gov- 
ernment, as  he  had  been  ordered  to  do  by  the  Secre- 


i847]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  63 

tary  of  War,  the  despatch  addressed  to  the  minister 
of  Foreign  aflfairs  of  Mexico  by  the  Secretary  of 
State,  which  had  been  borne  to  him  by  Mr.  Trist, 
and  expressed  my  determination,  if  he  persisted  in 
disobeying  the  order,  to  have  him  arrested  &  tried 
by  a  Court  Martial.  I  expressed  my  disapproval  of 
Gen'l  Scott's  insubordinate  conduct  as  disclosed  in 
his  despatch  of  the  20th  ult.  &  also  in  one  which  pre- 
ceded it,  enclosing  a  copy  of  a  most  extraordinary 
letter  which  he  had  addressed  on  the  7th  of  May  to 
Mr.  Trist.  It  is  manifest  from  these  despatches  that 
he  has  taken  ofifence  because  he  was  not  himself 
clothed  with  Diplomatic  powers  (an  office  for  which 
I  consider  him  wholly  unqualified)  and  that  he  is 
now  throwing  obstructions  in  the  way  of  the  success 
of  Mr.  Trist's  mission.  Such  conduct  is  most  repre- 
hensible, and  I  would  recall  him  without  the  least 
hesitation  if  I  was  positively  sure  that  he  had  not  be- 
fore this  time  reconsidered  his  course  and  obeyed  the 
orders  of  his  Government.  I  have  serious  fears  that 
the  golden  moment  to  make  a  peace  {viz.,  as  our 
army  approaches  the  City  of  Mexico)  may  be  lost 
because  of  Gen'l  Scott's  arrogance  &  inordinate 
vanity,  and  because  of  these,  his  disobedience  of  his 
orders  and  his  failure  to  act  in  harmony  with  Mr. 
Trist.  I  shall  wait  impatiently  to  hear  what  his  de- 
finitive course  has  been,  and  will  then  act  promptly 
in  his  case. 

It  was  finally  agreed  that  the  war  Steamer 
Prin[c]eton,  now  at  N.  York,  should  be  despatched 
without  delay  to  the  Mediteranean  to  protect  Ameri- 
can commerce  in  those  seas. 


64  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [16  June 

Some  other  public  subjects  of  minor  importance 
were  considered. 

This  being  reception  evening  I  attended  with  Mrs. 
Polk  in  the  parlour.  A  number  of  persons,  ladies 
&  gentlemen,  called. 

After  the  adjournment  of  the  Cabinet  to-day  I 
held  another  conversation  with  Maj'r  Gen'l  Patter- 
son &  the  Secretary  of  War  in  relation  to  the  Mexi- 
can War. 

Wednesday,  idth  June,  184^. —  I  sent  a  note  to 
Gen'l  Patterson  this  morning  requesting  him  to  call 
on  me.  He  did  so,  and  I  conferred  with  him  in 
relation  to  the  operations  of  our  army  in  Mexico, 
and  especially  in  relation  to  the  steps  which  should 
be  taken  with  a  view  to  obtain  a  speedy  peace. 

The  Hon.  Henry  Wheaton,  late  U.  S.  Minister 
to  Prussia,  was  introduced  to  me  by  the  Secretary  of 
State.  I  disposed  of  several  matters  of  business  on 
my  table  &  saw  the  Secretaries  of  War  &  Navy,  the 
Atto.  Gen'l,  and  several  other  public  officers  on 
business.  At  i  O'Clock  P.  M.  I  opened  my  office 
for  the  reception  of  company.  An  unusual  number 
of  persons  called  &  especially  of  females  seeking  offi- 
ces for  their  relations  &  friends.  Many  females 
call  on  the  same  business,  under  the  impression,  no 
doubt,  that  their  importunities  may  prevail  when 
those  of  their  husbands,  brothers,  sons,  or  other  rela- 
tions would  not.  Their  applications  occupy  much 
of  my  time  and  annoy  me  very  much.  The  office- 
seekers  have  fared  but  badly  of  late.  There  are  no 
vacancies  to  fill,  &  I  decline  making  vacancies  by 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  65 

removing  better  men  than  the  applicants  to  make 
room  for  the  latter.  Whilst  my  mind,  too,  is  occu- 
pied with  the  war  with  Mexico  and  other  impor- 
tant public  matters,  I  give  but  little  attention  to  the 
applications  of  the  constant  throng  of  persons  who 
besiege  me  for  place. 

Thursday,  lyth  June,  184J. —  I  saw  the  Secre- 
taries of  State  &  War  &  the  Atto.  Gen'l  on  business 
this  morning.  I  saw  also  several  other  public  offi- 
cers on  business.  I  disposed  of  the  current  business 
on  my  table.  At  i  O'Clock  P.  M.  I  saw  company  as 
usual.  A  crowd  of  persons  came  in  as  soon  as  my 
office  was  opened.  Among  them  were  several  ladies, 
who  called  to  pay  their  respects.  None  who  called 
had  any  business  of  more  importance  than  an  ardent 
desire  to  serve  their  country,  provided  they  could  be 
appointed  to  a  good  office.  As  I  had  none  of  these 
to  dispose  of  they  were,  of  course,  disappointed. 

Nothing  worthy  of  special  notice  occurred  to-day. 

Friday,  18th  June,  184J. —  I  transacted  much 
business  of  minor  importance  today.  Several  public 
officers  called,  with  whom  I  conferred  on  public  busi- 
ness. Among  them  were  the  Secretary  of  State,  who 
read  to  me  despatches  ^  which  he  had  prepared  to 
the  U.  S.  consul  and  the  U.  S.  Commissioner  at  the 
Sandwich  Islands.  Mr.  Buchanan  informed  me 
that  he  had  learned  from  Mr.  Lisboa,  the  Brazilian 
Minister,  that  he  had  received  unofficial  information 
from   Brazil   that  the   arrangement  which   he  had 

^  Moore,  Buchanan,  VII,  346-353. 


66  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i8  June 

made  with  this  Government  last  winter  for  the  set- 
tlement of  the  difficulty  which  had  arisen  between 
the  two  Governments  in  consequence  of  the  imprison- 
ment of  Lieut.  Davis  and  two  Seamen  of  the  U.  S. 
Navy  by  the  Brazilian  authorities  at  Rio  de  Janeiro, 
had  been  disapproved  by  his  Government,  &  that  he 
(Mr.  Lisboa)  in  consequence  of  the  settlement  to 
which  he  had  agreed,  would  probably  be  recalled. 
This  rendered  it  [necessary],  in  the  opinion  of  the 
Secretary  of  State  &  myself,  that  Mr.  Tod,  the  U.  S. 
minister  recently  appointed,  should  proceed  to  his 
post  without  a  moment's  delay.  He  is  to  go  out  in 
the  74  Gun  ship  Ohio,  now  at  New  York.  The 
ship  is  now  delayed  in  her  departure,  as  I  under- 
stand, because  he  is  not  ready  to  embark,  &  because 
of  the  additional  accommodations  which  he  requires 
for  the  unusually  large  family  &  attaches  which  he 
proposes  to  take  with  him,  chiefly  females.  I  sent 
for  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  and  after  consultation 
I  directed  the  Secretarv  of  State  to  communicate  to 
Mr.  Tod  (who  is  now  at  New  York)  the  public  im- 
portance of  his  sailing  without  a  moment's  delay,  & 
I  directed  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  to  communicate 
to  the  commander  of  the  Ohio  to  sail  without  delay. 
Mr.  Tod  had  requested  that  the  ship  should  go  by 
the  way  of  Madeira,  probably  with  a  view  to  obtain 
wines.  This  would  delay  him  in  his  arrival  at  Rio 
de  Janeiro  at  least  lo  days,  and  the  request  cannot, 
therefore,  be  granted.  The  communications  to  the 
commander  of  the  Ohio  and  to  Mr.  Tod  were  di- 
rected to  [be]  made  by  Telegraph. 

This  was  reception  evening.     An  unusually  large 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  67 

number  of  persons  attended.  All  the  members  of 
the  Cabinet  &  the  ladies  of  their  families,  except  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  were  present.  Mrs. 
Madison  &  a  large  number  of  strangers  &  citizens 
were  also  present.  Among  others  who  called  were 
Mr.  Wheaton,  late  U.  S.  Minister  to  Prussia,  &  Gen'l 
Leslie  Combs  ^  of  Kentucky. 

Hon.  Wm.  H.  Haywood,  jr.,  late  of  the  U.  S. 
Senate,  called  on  me  to-day. 

Saturday,  igth  June,  184J. —  The  Cabinet  met 
at  the  usual  hour  this  morning,  all  the  members  pres- 
ent except  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  who  was 
detained  at  his  residence  by  indisposition.  I  in- 
formed the  Cabinet  that  I  contemplated  leaving  on 
tuesday  next,  the  22nd  Instant,  on  a  short  tour  to  the 
North,  that  I  would  (if  the  state  of  the  public  busi- 
ness did  not  require  my  return  sooner)  be  absent 
about  two  weeks.  I  have  received  many  invitations 
to  go  North,  &,  among  others,  two  from  the  Legisla- 
tures of  New  Hampshire  and  Maine,  now  in  Ses- 
sion, to  visit  the  Capitals  of  these  states.  I  desire 
to  make  the  tour  at  some  time  during  my  adminis- 
tration, and  unless  I  do  so  now  I  probably  cannot 
do  so  during  my  administration.  The  Attorney 
General  (Mr.  Clifford)  will  accompany  me,  &  the 
Secretary  of  State  (Mr.  Buchanan)  may,  if  the  state 
of  the  public  business  will  permit  it,  join  me  at  New 
York.     I  gave  instructions  to  the  Cabinet  to  keep  me 

^  Leslie  Combs,  1 793-1881.  He  was  an  earnest  Whig  and  a 
friend  of  Henry  Clay,  for  whom  he  made  many  speeches  in  the 
Presidential  campaign  of  1844. 


68  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [19  June 

advised  daily  of  the  State  of  the  public  business,  by 
letters  &  through  the  magnetic  Telegraph,  and  in- 
formed [them]  that  I  would,  upon  receiving  intelli- 
gence that  my  presence  was  necessary  at  the  seat  of 
Government,  return  without  delay  from  any  point  on 
the  tour  where  such  intelligence  might  reach  me.  I 
shall  at  no  time  be  more  than  two  days'  travel  from 
Washington. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  submitted  for  my  con- 
sideration the  manner  of  executing  the  acts  of  Con- 
gress of  the  last  Session  authorizing  the  construction 
of  4  War  Steamers.  The  chief  question  was, 
whether  either  of  them  should  be  built  by  private 
contract,  or  at  the  U.  S.  Navy  yards.  I  decided 
without  hesitation  that  they  should  be  built  at  the 
Navy  yards,  and  not  by  private  contract.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan insisted  that  one  of  them  should  be  built  by 
a  Mr.  Soper  at  Philadelphia.  After  a  discussion  of 
some  length  he  failed  to  convince  me  of  the  pro- 
priety of  this,  and  of  course  my  directions  to  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy  were  unchanged.  In  re- 
gard to  the  floating  docks  to  be  built  a  considerable 
discussion  took  place,  but  the  questions  arising 
were  not  definitively  settled.  The  Cabinet  all  agreed 
that  the  act  of  Congress  on  the  subject  was  an  un- 
wise one,  and  had  probably  been  passed  upon  limited 
information  and  by  improper  influences,  exerted  by 
the  owners  of  the  Sectional  &  balance  dock  pat- 
ents. The  matter  was  postponed  for  the  present. 
Some  other  public  subjects  of  minor  importance 
were  considered.  The  Cabinet  adjourned  about  3 
O'clock  P.  M. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  69 

Sunday,  20th  June,  184J. —  This  was  a  wet 
morning  and  Mrs.  Polk  declined  attending  church 
&  I  remained  at  home  with  her.  My  Private  Se[c]- 
reta[r]y  (Col.  Walker)  and  his  wife  and  Miss 
Rucker  returned  this  morning  from  a  visit  of  a  week 
to  the  Northern  Cities. 

Monday,  21st  June,  184J. —  It  had  become  gen- 
erally known  that  I  contemplated  leaving  Washing- 
ton on  to-morrow  on  a  short  tour  to  the  North,  and 
an  unusual  number  of  office-seekers  pressed  in  upon 
me.  When  I  opened  my  office  at  i  O'Clock  it  was 
filled  with  them.  Applications  were  made  to  me  for 
all  grades  of  office,  from  a  mission  abroad  to  a  mes- 
senger's place  in  one  of  the  public  offices.  The  herd 
of  loafers  who  thus  annoyed  me  seemed  to  act  as 
though  they  had  concluded  that  the  Government  was 
about  to  come  to  an  end  because  of  my  expected 
absence,  and  because  [hence]  in  consequence  of  it 
they  would  loose  their  chance  for  that  time  to  get  an 
office.  I  gave  none  of  them  offices,  but  treated 
[them]  almost  harshly. 

I  transacted  much  business  with  the  Heads  of  De- 
partments to-day,  preparatory  to  my  leaving.  I  left 
instructions  with  them  to  keep  me  advised  daily  of 
the  State  of  public  business,  and  if  any[thing]  oc- 
curred which  in  their  judgment  would  render  my 
return  necessary  before  I  had  contemplated  it,  to 
communicate  with  me  by  Telegraph,  &  informed 
them  that  upon  receiving  such  information  I  would 
instantly  return  to  Washington.  I  was  kept  up  until 
a  late  hour  at  night,  disposing  of  many  matters  of 


70  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [22  June 

the  details  of  business  and  preparing  to  leave  on  to- 
morrow. 

Mrs.  Polk  &  her  niece,  Miss  Rucker,  accompanied 
by  Mr.  Russmann,  will  go  as  far  as  Baltimore  with 
me.  On  Wednesday  morning  they  will  take  the 
Western  train  of  cars  for  Tennessee,  &  I  will  pro- 
ceed North  to  Philadelphia.  Mrs.  Polk  expects  to 
return  to  Washington  in  about  six  weeks. 

Tuesday,  22nd  June,  to  Wednesday,  jth  July, 
184J. —  At  12  O'clock  M.  on  Tuesday,  the  22nd  of 
June,  1847,  I  left  Washington  on  a  tour  through  the 
Northern  and  Eastern  States,  and  returned  to  Wash- 
ington on  the  evening  of  Wednesday,  the  7th  of  July, 
1847.  Mrs.  Polk  and  her  niece,  Miss  Rucker,  ac- 
companied me  as  far  as  Baltimore,  where  they  sepe- 
rated  from  me  on  the  morning  of  Wednesday,  the 
23rd  of  June.  At  7  O'Clock  on  the  morning  of  that 
day  they  set  out  for  Tennessee,  accompanied  by  Mr. 
Russmann,  and  I  set  out  for  Philadelphia.  I  was 
accompanied  by  Mr.  Clifford,  the  Atto.  Gen'l  of 
the  U.  S.,  Mr.  Burke,  commissioner  of  Patents,  and 
Mr.  Appleton,  the  chief  clerk  of  the  Navy  Depart- 
ment, the  latter  acting  as  my  Private  Secretary.  At 
Philadelphia  Commodore  Stewart  of  the  U.  S.  Navy 
joined  me,  upon  my  invitation,  as  one  of  my  suite, 
and  accompanied  me  throughout  my  tour  until  my 
return  to  Philadelphia  on  the  evening  of  the  6th  of 
July,  1847.  On  Sunday  afternoon,  the  27th  of  June, 
1847,  Mr.  Buchanan,  the  Secretary  of  State,  joined 
me,  and  accompanied  me  throughout  the  balance  of 
the  tour  until  my  return  to  Philadelphia,  where  he 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  71 

remained  a  day  &  arrived  at  Washington  one  day 
after  I  did.  Mr.  Appleton  left  me  on  my  return 
journey  at  Portland  in  Maine,  on  the  morning  of 
monday,  the  5th  of  July,  and  Mr.  Burke  left  me  at 
Boston  on  the  evening  of  the  same  day.  The  diary 
of  my  tour  was  as  follows,  viz. 

Tuesday^  22nd  June,  184'/:  Spent  the  afternoon 
at  Baltimore. 

Wednesday,  2Srd  June:     Travelled  to  Phila. 

Thursday,  34th  June:     Spent  the  day  in  Phila. 

Friday,  2Sth  June:    Travelled  to  N.  York. 

Saturday,  26th  June:  Spent  the  day  in  New 
York. 

Sunday,  2yth  June:  Spent  the  day  in  N.  York 
and  went  to  church  three  times,  once  in  the  morning 
with  the  Mayor  to  an  Episcopalian  church;  in  the 
afternoon  with  the  Hon.  Benj.  F.  Butler  ^  to  a  Pres- 
byterian church,  and  in  the  evening  with  Mr.  Oliver, 
the  President  of  the  Board  of  common  council,  to 
the  Dutch  reformed  church. 

Monday,  28th  June:  Traveled  to  Springfield, 
Massachusetts,  spending  some  hours  at  New  Haven 
&  Hartford,  Connecticut,  on  the  way. 

^  Benjamin  Franklin  Butler,  1 795-1 858,  lawyer  and  politician, 
a  close  political  friend  of  Martin  Van  Buren;  U.  S.  Attorney 
General  1833-1838. 


72  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [29  JtmE 

Tuesday,  2gth  June:    Travelled  to  Boston. 

Wednesday,  joth  June:  Travelled  to  Lowell, 
Massachusetts. 

Thursday,  Ist  July:  Traveled  to  Concord,  New 
Hampshire,  &  returned  to  Lowell  the  same  night. 

Friday,  2nd  July:  Traveled  to  Portland  in 
Maine,  which  place  I  left  in  the  evening  &  pro- 
ceeded on  board  the  Steamer  Huntress  to  Augusta 
in  Maine,  the  Seat  of  [government  of]  that  State. 

Saturday,  3rd  July:  Spent  the  day  at  Augusta 
in  Maine  until  5  O'Clock  in  the  evening,  when  I 
set  out  on  my  return  journey,  and  reached  Portland 
between  12  &  i  O'Clock  at  night. 

Sunday,  4th  July:  Spent  the  day  in  Portland 
and  attended  a  Unitarian  church  in  the  morning,  in 
company  with  the  Hon.  John  Anderson;  and  a  con- 
gregational church  in  the  afternoon,  in  company 
with  the  Mayor. 

Monday,  ^th  July:  Left  Portland  at  7  O'Clock 
in  the  morning,  spent  several  hours  at  Portsmouth, 
N.  Hampshire,  and  after  stopping  at  other  cities  & 
towns  for  a  short  time,  reached  Fall  River  at  Night- 
fall and  went  on  board  the  Steamer  Bay-State,  for 
New  York.  The  boat  touched  at  New  Port,  R.  Is- 
land, but  I  did  not  go  ashore. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  n 

Tuesday,  6th  July:  Reached  New  York  at  7 
O'clock  A.  M.,  took  breakfast,  and  proceeded  to 
Philadelphia,  spending  several  hours  at  Trenton,  N. 
Jersey.     Reached  Phila.  at  8  O'Clock  P.  M. 

Wednesday,  yth  July:  Traveled  from  Phila.  to 
Washington,  spending  2  or  3  hours  in  Baltimore,  & 
arrived  at  Washington  at  7^  O'Clock  P.  M. 

My  whole  tour  was  an  exceedingly  gratifying  one. 
My  reception  was  everywhere  respectful  &  cordial. 
Not  an  unpleasant  incident  occurred  to  mar  its  pleas- 
ure. I  saw  many  hundreds  of  thousands  of  my  fel- 
low citizens,  of  all  ages  &  sexes;  I  saw  a  section  of 
my  country  in  New  England  which  I  had  never  be- 
fore visited.  I  am  much  delighted  with  my  tour  & 
do  not  doubt  but  that  I  shall  be  profitted  by  it. 

I  do  not  undertake  to  record  the  history  of  the 
tour.  It  would  require  a  volume  to  do  so.  Mr. 
Appleton  promised  me,  when  I  set  out,  to  keep  a 
regular  journal  ^  or  history  of  it,  and  if  he  has  done 
so  I  will  insert  it  in  this  Diary.  I  will  only  state 
that  no  party  feeling  any-where  manifested  itself. 
On  the  contrary  all  political  parties  received  & 
treated  me  kindly  and  with  marked  respect. 

One  incident  only  will  I  record,  viz:  At  New 
York,  as  I  proceeded  North,  Mr.  Benj.  F.  Butler 
delivered  me  a  verbal  invitation  from  Ex.  President 

^  Polk  left  a  space  of  forty  pages  in  the  Diary  blank  for  the  in- 
sertion of  Appleton's  journal.  It  was  never  copied  into  Diary 
however.  It  remained  in  the  possession  of  Polk's  family  until 
1897,  when  it  passed  to  Judge  J.  M.  Dickinson. 


74 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [7  July 


Van  Buren,  inviting  me  to  visit  him.  I  declined  it, 
stating  that  my  arrangements,  previously  made,  did 
not  contemplate  a  visit  to  that  part  of  the  State.  1 
thought  also  (though  I  did  not  say  so  to  Mr.  Butler) 
that  if  Mr.  Van  Buren  really  desired  me  to  visit  him 
he  would  have  written  to  me  inviting  me  to  do  so, 
and  that  he  would  not  have  postponed  this  verbal 
message,  delivered  through  Mr.  Butler,  to  so  late  a 
period.  I  considered  it  a  mere  act  of  formal  cour- 
tesy, which  Mr.  Van  Buren,  probably,  thought  pub- 
lic opinion  constrained  him  to  extend  to  me. 

The  truth  is  Mr.  Van  Buren  became  ofifended  with 
me  at  the  beginning  of  my  administration,  because 
I  chose  to  exercise  my  own  judgment  in  the  selection 
of  my  own  Cabinet,  and  would  not  be  controlled  by 
him  and  suffer  him  to  select  it  for  me.  I  have  pre- 
served his  most  extraordinary  letter  addressed  to  me 
on  that  subject.  I  made  no  reply  to  that  letter,  and 
since  that  time  have  had  no  direct  correspondence 
with  him  further  than  to  send  him  under  my  frank 
my  two  annual  messages,  &  to  receive  two  notes  from 
him  acknowledging  their  receipt. 

I  leave  a  blank  space  In  this  volume  in  which  to 
insert  Mr.  Appleton's  journal  or  diary  of  my  tour 
to  the  North  &  East,  if  he  shall  furnish  it  to  me  as 
he  promised  me  he  would  do. 

On  my  arrival  at  Washington,  on  the  7th  Instant, 
I  found  my  brother,  Wm.  H.  Polk,  Charge  d'  Af- 
faires to  Naples,  and  his  wife  at  the  President's 
House.  My  brother  arrived  in  the  U.  S.  a  few  days 
ago  on  leave  of  absence.  I  met  him  at  New  York  on 
my  late  tour,  when  he  informed  me  that  he  was  to 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  75 

be  married  in  two  or  three  days  to  Miss  Corse  ^  of 
that  City.  He  was  married  on  tuesday,  the  29th  of 
June,  &  had  come  on  to  Washington  with  his  wife  to 
spend  a  few  days. 

Thursday,  8th  July,  184J. —  Being  much  fa- 
tigued on  my  return  from  my  Eastern  tour  last  even- 
ing, I  did  not  visit  my  office  or  attend  to  any  business. 
The  Post  Master  General  called  after  I  arrived. 
This  morning  on  coming  to  my  office  I  found  many 
letters  and  much  business  which  had  accumulated 
in  my  absence,  none  of  it,  however,  of  much  impor- 
tance, except  despatches  which  had  been  received  by 
the  Secretary  of  War  from  the  seat  of  War  in  Mex- 
ico. I  disposed  of  many  minor  matters  of  business 
in  the  course  of  the  day.  All  the  members  of  the 
Cabinet  called  at  different  hours  of  the  day,  with 
whom  I  had  full  conversations.  Mr.  Buchanan  ar- 
rived from  Phila.,  where  I  left  him  on  yesterday. 
The  Secretary  of  War  sent  to  me  all  the  despatches 
which  had  been  received  from  Gen'l  Scott's  column 
of  the  army  during  my  absence.  I  read  them  care- 
fully, and  resolved  to  call  a  meeting  of  the  Cabinet 
at  an  early  hour  on  to-morrow,  and  so  notified  the 
Secretaries  of  State  and  of  War. 

I  saw  company  at  i  O'Clock  to-day.  A  number 
of  persons  called;  most  of  them  of  course  were  seek- 
ing office. 

Friday,  gth  July,  184J. —  I  convened  the  Cabi- 
net this  morning  at  9^  O'Clock,  all  the  members 

^  Miss  Mary  Corse,  daughter  of  Israel  Corse  of  New  York. 


76  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [g  July 

present.  The  subject  which  I  submitted  for  consid- 
eration was  the  conduct  of  Gen'l  Scott  &  Mr.  Tiist, 
and  the  angry  personal  controversy  into  which  these 
two  functionaries  had  allowed  themselves  to  be  en- 
gaged. Despatches  from  Gen'l  Scott  to  the  Secre- 
tary of  War,  and  from  Mr.  Trist  to  the  Secretary  of 
State,  received  during  my  late  tour  to  the  Eastern 
States,  were  read.  They  exhibited  a  wretched  state 
of  things.  So  far  from  harmony  prevailing  between 
these  two  officers,  they  are  engaged  in  a  violent  per- 
sonal correspondence.  It  does  not  as  yet  appear  that 
they  have  [had]  any  personal  interview,  although 
Mr.  Trist  had  been  in  Gen'l  Scott's  camp  for  many 
days.  For  a  Statement  of  the  cause  of  their  dif- 
ference, see  statements  contained  in  this  diary,  &  par- 
ticularly of  the  1 2th  &  15th  of  June.  From  the  last 
despatches  received  it  appears  that  the  breach  be- 
tween them  had  been  widened  instead  of  being 
healed.  Gen'l  Scott,  it  appears,  had  returned  to  Mr. 
Trist  the  letter  from  the  Secretary  of  State  addressed 
to  the  minister  of  Foreign  affairs  of  Mexico  which 
had  been  borne  to  him  by  Mr.  Trist,  and  [which] 
he  was  ordered  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  in  a  despatch 
which  accompanied  [it],  to  convey  to  the  Mexican 
Government.  Mr.  Trist  committed  a  great  error  in 
receiving  it  from  his  Aid-de-Camp.  Gen'l  Scott  has 
written  very  foolish  &  bitter  letters  to  Mr.  Trist  & 
Mr.  Trist  has  written  as  foolish  a  letter  to  him.  Be- 
tween them  the  orders  of  the  Secretary  of  War  & 
the  Secretary  of  State  have  been  disregarded;  and 
the  danger  has  become  imminent  that  because  of  the 
personal  controversy  between  these  self  important 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  n 

personages,  the  golden  moment  for  concluding  a 
peace  with  Mexico  may  have  passed.  Gen'l  Scott's 
last  despatch  \o  the  Secretary  of  War  is  full  of  pas- 
sion &  vanity  &  is  highly  insubordinate.  In  view  of 
the  whole  case  &  of  the  present  critical  condition  of 
afifairs  in  Mexico,  I  submitted  to  the  Cabinet  for 
their  advice  whether  they  should  not  both  be  recalled. 
It  is  due  to  Mr.  Trist  to  say  that  the  first  outrage 
was  committed  by  Gen'l  Scott,  who  provoked  the 
controversy  between  them  which  distroys  the  useful- 
ness of  both  and  is  likely  to  defeat  the  conclusion  of 
a  peace.  In  regard  to  the  recall  of  Gen'l  Scott,  I 
called  on  the  Secretary  of  War  for  his  opinion  first. 
He  condemned  the  conduct  of  Gen'l  Scott  in  un- 
qualified terms,  but,  considering  the  present  critical 
condition  of  the  army,  being  now  far  in  the  enemy's 
country,  &  for  other  reasons  which  he  assigned  at 
length,  he  advised  against  his  recal[l]  at  present, 
though  he  was  of  opinion  that  his  conduct  fully 
justified  his  recal[l].  Each  of  the  other  members  of 
the  Cabinet,  being  seperately  asked  for  their  advice, 
concurred  with  the  Secretary  of  War  in  the  opinion 
he  had  expressed. 

I  then  submitted  the  question  as  to  the  recal[l]  of 
Mr.  Trist.  Mr.  Buchanan  was  asked  for  his  opin- 
ion first.  He  expressed  his  decided  disapprobation 
of  a  part  of  Mr.  Trist's  correspondence  with  Gen'l 
Scott,  but  for  similar  reasons  which  had  influenced 
him  in  Gen'l  Scott's  case  he  advised  against  his  re- 
cal[l]  for  the  present.  Each  of  the  other  members 
of  the  Cabinet  expressed  opinions  agreeing  with  that 
given  by  Mr.  Buchanan.     I  then  remarked  that  such 


78  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [9  July 

insubordination  &  unpatriotic  conduct  as  that  of 
Gen'l  Scott,  in  my  opinion  would  justify  his  im- 
mediate recai[l]  and  trial  by  a  Court  martial,  and 
that  I  was  prepared  to  take  that  course.  I  consid- 
ered the  immediate  prospect  of  a  peace  defeated  by 
his  extraordinary  conduct,  and  [said]  that  1  was  pre- 
pared to  take  the  responsibility  of  dealing  with  him. 
As  the  Cabinet,  however,  advised  unanimously  a  dif- 
ferent course,  I  stated  that  I  would  for  the  present 
yield  to  their  views  and  conform  my  action  to  them. 
I  expressed  my  opinion  also,  that  although  Gen'l 
Scott  had  committed  the  first  wrong,  yet  Mr.  Trist 
had  fallen  into  some  gross  errors  in  his  correspond- 
ence with  him,  and  that  if  it  had  been  decided  to 
recal[l]  Gen'l  Scott  I  thought  the  public  good  would 
make  it  proper  to  recal[l]  Mr.  Trist  also.  As  Gen'l 
Scott  was  not  to  be  recalled,  for  the  present  at  least, 
I  concurred  with  the  Cabinet  that  Mr.  Trist  should 
remain  for  the  present.  I  expressed  the  opinion  that 
it  might  be  proper  to  associate  some  distinguished 
citizen  with  Mr.  Trist  in  his  mission,  &  suggested 
the  names  of  Mr.  Soulee  ^  of  Louisiana,  and  Col. 
Jefiferson  Davis  of  Mississippi,  as  persons  qualified 
for  such  a  mission.  The  names  of  others  were  also 
mentioned.  The  Subject  was  discussed  for  some  time, 
but  the  suggestion  being  a  new  one  a  decision  upon 
it  was  postponed.  It  was  agreed  unanimously  that 
the  Secretary  of  War  should  address  a  strong  de- 
spatch to  Gen'l  Scott  reviewing  his  conduct  and 
strongly  condemning   it;   and   that   Mr.    Buchanan 

^Pierre    Soule,    native    of    France,    1 802-1 870,    Senator    from 
Louisiana  1847,  and  1849-1853,  minister  to  Spain  1853-1855. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  79 

should  address  a  like  despatch  to  Mr.  Trist  condemn- 
ing his  conduct;  and  that  both  despatches  should 
command  them  to  cease  their  correspondence  and 
personal  controversy  and  to  act  in  harmony,  each  in 
his  respective  sphere,  in  obeying  the  orders,  and  car- 
rying out  the  views  of  the  Government.  It  appears 
from  Gen'l  Scott's  last  despatch  that  he  has  broken 
up  the  post  at  Jalappa,  and  left  his  rear  unprotected. 
Unless,  being  upon  the  spot,  he  has  military  reasons 
of  which  I  am  not  possessed  for  taking  so  hazardous 
a  step,  I  cannot  approve  it.  It  strikes  me  that  it 
is  all-important  for  him  to  keep  his  rear  open  to 
Vera  Cruz.  His  order  closes  all  communication, 
unless  it  be  by  a  very  strong  force,  between  his  army 
and  Vera  Cruz,  and  between  his  army  and  the  Gov- 
ernment. 

The  Cabinet  adjourned  between  3  &  4  O'Clock 
P.  M.  I  disposed  of  some  small  matters  of  busi- 
ness on  my  table. 

This  was  one  of  the  regular  evenings  for  receiving 
company.  A  number  of  persons,  ladies  &  gentle- 
men, called. 

Saturday,  lOth  July,  1847. —  As  there  was  a 
Cabinet  meeting  on  yesterday  it  was  not  deemed  nec- 
essary to  hold  one  to-day,  this  being  the  regular  day 
for  the  me [e]  ting  of  the  Cabinet.  I  saw,  in  the 
course  of  the  day,  several  of  the  members  of  the  Cab- 
inet at  different  times  and  transacted  business  with 
them.  I  read  to  the  Secretary  of  War  two  letters 
which  had  arrived  in  my  absence,  the  one  from  Pay- 
master Reynolds,  written  at  New  Orleans,  and  the 


8o  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [lo  July 

other  from  Maj'r  Gen'l  Pillow,  written  at  Vera 
Cruz,  both  making  statements  of  enormous  abuses 
in  the  Quarter-master's  &  commissary's  Department. 
The  Secretary  of  War  stated  that  [he  had]  often 
conversed  with  Gen'l  Jesup  on  the  subject  of  abuses 
in  the  Quarter-master's  Department,  &  had  done  ev- 
ery thing  in  his  power  to  have  alleged  abuses  cor- 
rected. He  suggested  to  me  that  it  would  have  a 
good  efTfect  if  I  would  send  for  Gen'l  Jesup  and  Gen'l 
Gibson,  and  read  them  these  letters  and  converse 
with  them  on  the  subject.  I  told  him  I  would  do 
so.  I  accordingly  addressed  a  note  to  Gen'l  Jesup 
&  Gen'l  Gibson,  and  they  called  between  7  &  8 
O'clock  P.  M.  Gen'l  Gibson  called  first  and  I  had 
read  to  him  a  part  of  the  letters  before  Gen'l  Jesup 
came  in.  When  Gen'l  Jesup  came  I  stated  to  him 
that  I  had  received  such  letters  from  two  officers, 
representing  great  abuses  and  frauds  in  his  Depart- 
ment and  in  the  commissar>^'s  Dept.,  at  New^  Orleans 
&  Vera  Cruz.  I  told  him  I  had  sent  for  him  and 
Gen'l  Gibson  that  I  might  read  such  parts  of  these 
letters  as  related  to  the  subject  to  them,  with  a  view 
to  call  their  attention  to  the  facts  stated,  that  the 
proper  corrective  might  be  applied  if  it  was  found 
that  such  abuses  and  frauds  existed.  I  opened  one 
of  the  letters  &  was  about  to  read,  premising  doing 
so  by  stating  that  they  were  from  officers  in  whom 
I  had  confidence,  and  that  it  was  unnecessary  to  give 
their  names.  Gen'l  Jesup  seemed  to  be  excited  and 
spoke  very  petulantly,  and  required  the  names,  and 
seemed  to  be  averse  to  hearing  the  letters  without 
the  names.     I  promptly  replied  in  an  emphatic  and 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  8i 

Spirited  tone  that  I  was  the  judge  of  that,  and  that 
it  was  his  duty,  if  the  President  of  the  U.  S.  gave 
him  information  of  alleged  abuses  by  the  subordinate 
officers  of  his  department,  to  take  prompt  steps  to 
correct  them.  I  told  him  that  the  names  of  my  in- 
formants were  not  necessary  to  enable  him  to  do  this ; 
that  if  false  information  had  been  given  to  me  and 
I  as[c]ertained  the  fact  to  be  so,  I  would  judge  of 
the  propriety  of  arresting  and  trying  officers  who 
gave  the  information.  I  told  him  that  I  withheld 
the  names  because,  if  it  was  understood  in  the  army 
that  any  officer  who  gave  information  to  me  in  un- 
official letters  of  abuses  which  he  had  observed,  was 
to  have  his  name  given  up  before  an  investigation 
could  be  had,  that  many  officers  who  might  not  de- 
sire to  become  accusers,  would  with-hold  the  infor- 
mation. Such  officers,  too,  might  observe  general 
abuses  which  ought  to  be  known,  in  order  to  be  cor- 
rected, but  might  not  be  able  to  adduce  proof  fixing 
the  fault  on  any  particular  officer.  If  the  names 
were  given,  moreover,  they  would  be  persecuted  by 
those  [who]  perpetrated  the  abuses  &  frauds.  I 
spoke  in  such  a  tone  that  Gen'l  Jesup  said  he  was 
satisfied.  I  read  the  letters  and  had  a  full  conversa- 
tion with  Gen'l  Jesup  &  Gen'l  Gibson  in  relation  to 
the  management  by  their  subordinates  of  their  re- 
spective Departments.  I  told  them  that  I  had  not 
sent  for  them  to  find  fault  with  the  conduct  of  either 
of  them,  but  to  place  them  in  possession  of  com- 
plaints which  had  reached  me  against  the  careless 
and  wasteful,  if  not  corrupt  conduct,  in  the  conduct 
of  some  of  their  subordinates.     I  told  them  that  I 


82  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [u  July 

desired  them  to  exercise  vigilance,  &  prevent,  as  far 
as  it  was  practicable,  the  perpetration  of  such  abuses 
as  were  alleged.  They  retired,  &  I  hope  my  in- 
terview w^ith  them  may  do  some  good. 

In  the  course  of  the  day  I  saw  several  persons  who 
called,  and  attended  to  the  business  on  my  table. 

Sunday,  nth  July,  184^. —  I  attended  the  first 
Presbyterian  church  to-day  in  company  with  the 
w^fe  of  my  brother,  Wm.  H.  Polk,  who  is  spending 
some  days  at  the  Presidential  mansion  with  her  hus- 
band. They  were  married  in  N.  York  on  the  29th 
ultimo. 

Monday,  12th  July,  1847. —  I  was  occupied  to- 
day in  attending  to  the  business  on  my  table.  I  saw 
several  of  the  members  of  the  Cabinet  and  other  pub- 
lic officers,  &  transacted  public  business  with  them. 
The  Secretary  of  State  &  the  Secretary  of  War  called 
together  and  read  to  me  despatches  which  the  former 
had  prepared  to  Mr.  Trist  and  the  latter  to  Gen'l 
Scott,  in  pursuance  of  the  resolve  of  the  Cabinet  on 
friday,  the  9th  Instant  (see  this  diary  of  that  day). 
I  approved  these  despatches. 

The  Secretary  of  War  laid  before  me  despatches 
which  he  had  received  from  Gen'l  Taylor  at  Mon- 
terey, of  as  late  date  as  the  i6th  of  June.  In  one 
of  these  despatches  Gen'l  Taylor  repeats  the  opinion 
which  he  had  previously  expressed  that  he  could  not 
march  with  his  present  force  on  San  Louis  Potosi,  and 
advises  that  he  shall  not  attempt  it,  but  occupy  a  de- 
fensive line.     He  states  further  that  he  will  encamp 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  83 

the  forces  not  required  to  maintain  his  present  posi- 
tion at  the  town  of  Muir  [?],  and  intimates  that  a 
part  of  his  forces  may  be  spared  to  re-inforce  Gen'l 
Scott's  column.  I  informed  the  Secretary  of  War 
that  I  approved  this  suggestion,  and  that  I  thought 
an  order  should  be  given  to  Gen'l  Taylor  to  send  all 
the  forces  which  he  did  not  require  to  maintain  his 
present  position  to  Gen'l  Scott's  column.  No  posi- 
tive direction  was  given,  but  I  will  bring  the  subject 
before  the  Cabinet  on  to-morrow.  I  saw  many  visit- 
ors to-day,  office  seekers  &  others. 

I  gave  a  small  dinner-party  to  my  brother  &  his 
wife  to-day.  Mr.  Buchanan,  Mr.  Marcy  &  his  wife, 
Mr.  Mason  &  his  wife,  Mr.  Daniel  Graham  &  his 
wife.  Senator  Downes  of  Louisiana  &  two  young  la- 
dies who  were  with  him  (Miss  Barrett  &  Miss  Mc- 
Caleb)  Judge  Woodworth  of  N.  Y.,  &  Mr.  Arnold 
Harris  of  Arkansas,  were  of  the  party. 

The  weather  is  extremely  warm,  &  after  dinner  I 
transacted  but  little  business. 

Tuesday,  13th  July,  184'/. —  The  Cabinet  met  at 
the  usual  hour  to-day,  all  the  members  present. 
The  Secretary  of  War  read  a  despatch  which  he  had 
prepared  to  Gen'l  Scott,  in  pursuance  of  the  decision 
of  the  Cabinet  at  a  special  meeting  on  friday  last. 
The  Secretary  of  State  also  read  a  despatch  which 
he  had  prepared  to  Mr.  Trist,  now  with  the  Head 
Quarters  of  Gen'l  Scott.  This  was  also  prepared  in 
pursuance  of  the  decision  of  the  Cabinet  at  its  special 
meeting  on  friday  last  (see  this  diary  of  that  day). 
Both  despatches  were  fully  discussed,  and  modified 


84  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [13  July 

in  some  particulars,  not  very  important.  Othier  mat- 
ters connected  with  Mexico  &  the  prosecution  of  the 
War  were  considered.  Gen'l  Scott  has  undoubtedly 
committed  a  great  military  error  by  breaking  up  the 
post  at  Jalapa  &  leaving  his  whole  rear  exposed  to 
the  enemy.  Our  latest  accounts  are  that  Gen'l  Cad- 
wallader  was  marching  with  a  reinforcement  of 
some  1,500  or  1,800  men,  and  that  Gen'l  Pillow  was 
marching  some  days  in  Gen'l  Cadwallader's  rear 
with  a  force  of  1800  or  2000  men,  both  from  Vera 
Cruz,  to  Gen'l  Scott  at  Puebla,  and  that  both  had 
been  several  times  attacked  by  large  guerrilla  parties 
&  were  fighting  their  way  through  them.  The  guer- 
rillas were  undoubtedly  encouraged  to  make  these 
attacks  by  the  fact,  which  was  known  to  them,  that 
Gen'l  Scott  had  left  his  rear  unprotected. 

The  Secretary  of  War  read  a  despatch  from  Gen'l 
Taylor  of  the  i6th  of  June,  in  which  he  represents 
the  impracticability  of  his  making  a  forward  move- 
ment upon  San  Louis  Potosi,  and  recommends  that 
he  should  occupy  a  defensive  line  and  send  all  the 
troops  destined  for  his  immediate  command  to  Gen'l 
Scott's  column.  In  these  views  of  Gen'l  Taylor  in 
this  respect  I  fully  concurred,  as  did  the  Secretary, 
and  the  Secretary  of  War  was  directed  to  prepare  a 
despatch  to  Gen'l  Taylor  directing  him  to  send  to 
Gen'l  Scott's  column  all  the  troops  which  he  did  not 
require  to  [maintain]  the  defensive  line  which  he 
proposed  to  hold.  Col.  Lewis  D.  Wilson  ^  of  N. 
Carolina,  who  is  the  Colonel  Commandant  of  one  of 

^  Louis  D.  Wilson,  Colonel  of  the  Twelfth  Infantry,  died 
August  12,  1847. 


1847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  85 

the  10  Regiments  raised  in  pursuance  of  the  act  of 
Congress  of  February  last,  called  to-day.  He  had 
returned  from  Mexico  a  few  days  ago,  and  was  now 
on  his  return.  Being  engaged  when  he  called,  I 
requested  him  to  call  again  in  the  evening.  He  did 
so  about  8  O'clock  P.  M.  The  Secretary  of  War 
was  present.  I  had  a  full  conversation  with  him  in 
reference  to  the  present  state  of  things  in  Mexico, 
and  communicated  to  him  confidentially  the  facts, 
as  far  as  they  are  known,  of  the  unfortunate  contro- 
versy between  Gen'l  Scott  and  Mr.  Trist.  I  deemed 
it  proper  to  do  this  in  the  hope  that  when  he  arrived 
at  the  Head  Quarters  of  Gen'l  Scott  he  might  be 
enabled  to  interpose  between  them  &  induce  them  to 
act  in  harmony,  with  a  view  to  the  conclusion  of  an 
honourable  peace.  I  expressed  to  him  my  convic- 
tion that  this  unjustifiable  and  foolish  conduct  of 
Scott  in  the  first  place,  and  the  error  of  Trist  in  the 
second  place,  in  his  foolish  correspondence  with  him, 
had  been  the  cause  of  suffering  the  propitious  mo- 
ment for  making  a  peace  to  pass. 

Before  I  concluded  the  conversation  with  Col. 
Wilson  I  was  called  to  the  parlour  to  see  company, 
this  being  my  regular  evening  for  seeing  company. 
After  the  company  dispersed  Col.  Wilson  returned 
to  my  office  &  I  finished  the  conversation  with  him. 
Col.  Wilson  will  leave  here  on  to-morrow  morning, 
&  will  be  the  bearer  of  the  despatch  of  the  Secretary 
of  War  to  Gen'l  Scott,  and  of  the  Secretary  of  State 
to  Mr.  Trist.  He  will  proceed  with  the  least  pos- 
sible delay  to  Vera  Cruz. 

Quite   a  number  of  persons,   ladies   and   gentle- 


86  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [14  July 

men,  called  this  evening  &  I  received  them  in  the 
parlour. 

Wednesday,  14th  July,  1847. —  Col.  Wilson  of 
N.  C.  left  for  Vera  Cruz  this  morning,  bearing  with 
him  the  despatches  from  the  Secretary  of  War  to 
Gen'l  Scott  and  from' the  Secretary  of  State  to  Mr. 
Triste  (see  this  diary  of  yesterday).  I  transacted 
business  in  my  ofBce  until  11 3/2  O'Clock  A.M., 
when,  accompanied  by  the  Atto.  Gen'l,  I  attended 
the  annual  commencement  of  the  Columbian  college 
in  this  City.  I  returned  about  3  O'Clock  P.  M.  and 
found  many  persons  in  waiting  for  me.  They  were 
chiefly  office-seekers.  None  of  them  had  any  busi- 
ness of  importance.  In  the  course  of  the  day  I 
had  official  interviews  with  the  Secretaries  of  State, 
War,  and  the  Navy  on  official  business  relating  to 
their  respective  Departments.  Late  in  the  day  the 
Secretary  of  War  sent  to  me  the  draft  of  a  despatch 
to  Gen'l  Taylor,  prepared  in  pursuance  of  my  direc- 
tions on  yesterday.  I  read  it  hastily,  but  postponed 
a  more  careful  examination  of  it  until  to-morrow. 
At  8  O'clock  P.  M.  Gen'l  Jesup  called,  &  I  had  a 
conversation  with  [him]  in  relation  to  the  business 
of  his  Department,  and  in  reference  to  the  matters 
which  I  had  brought  to  his  notice  on  Saturday  even- 
ing last  (see  this  diary  of  that  day).  He  was  in  a 
pleasant  humour  and  seemed  to  be  desirous  to  cor- 
rect alleged  abuses  and,  so  far  as  his  duties  were  con- 
cerned, to  promote  the  public  interests. 

Thursday,  ISth  July,  184J. —  I  was  engaged 
this  morning  in  transacting  various  matters  of  busi- 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  87 

ness  which  was  [were]  on  my  table,  and  with  sev- 
eral of  my  Secretaries  &  other  officers  of  Govern- 
ment. At  12  O'clock  M.  I  received  Mr.  Bodisco, 
the  Russian  Minister,  who  called  on  an  official  visit, 
in  the  parlour  below  stairs.  He  delivered  to  me  an 
official  letter  from  the  Emperor,  his  sovereign,  an- 
nouncing the  important  event  of  the  birth  of  a  grand- 
child. This  ceremony  which  has  been  often  re- 
peated since  I  have  been  President  by  the  Repre- 
sentatives of  Foreign  [governments]  is  to  a  plain 
American  citizen  a  most  ridicilous  one.  I  said  to 
Mr.  Bodisco  jocosely  that  I  was  sorry  I  could  not 
reciprocate  the  civility  by  making  a  similar  an- 
nouncement on  my  part.  When  Mr.  Pakenham,  the 
Brittish  Minister,  announced  to  me  some  months  ago 
that  Victoria,  his  sovereign,  had  given  birth  to  an- 
other child,  I  congratulated  him  upon  the  fact  that 
there  was  no  likelyhood  of  a  failure  in  the  direct  line 
of  a  successor  to  the  Throne.  He  replied  humour- 
ously, "  Oh !  No  Sir ;  I  have  made  a  similar  announce- 
ment to  this  Government  every  year  since  Her 
Majesty  has  been  married."  I  have  of  course  to 
sign  a  stereotyped  answer  to  all  such  communica- 
tions. Had  I  not  found  such  to  be  the  settled 
practice  I  never  would  have  signed  or  sent  such 
answers. 

Col.  Anthony  Butler,  former  Minister  of  the  U. 
States  to  Mexico,  called  at  12^  O'Clock  and  held  a 
long  conversation  with  me  about  Mexican  afifairs, 
and  with  a  view  to  obtain  from  the  Government  com- 
pensation for  certain  information  which  he  had  ob- 
tained about  a  passage  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to 


88  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [15  July 

the  Pacific  through  the  Istmus  of  Tehuantepec. 
[T]he  conversation  was  of  no  sort  of  interest  to  any 
one  but  himself.  He  occupied  my  time,  however, 
for  an  hour  or  more.  It  is  not  the  first  time  I  have 
been  thus  annoyed.  He  called  on  yesterday,  and  in- 
sisted that  I  should  appoint  a  time  when  he  could 
have  a  private  interview  with  me,  and  I  granted  his 
request  under  the  impression  that  he  wished  to  see 
me  on  some  matter  of  great  public  importance.  I 
revised  with  the  Secretary  of  War  the  draft  of  his 
letter  to  Gen'l  Taylor,  the  rough  draft  of  which  he 
sent  me  on  yesterday.  Some  slight  modifications  in 
it  were  suggested  and  made. 

I  received  a  letter  this  evening  from  Maj'r  Gen'l 
Pillow  of  the  U.  S.  army,  dated  at  Jalapa  on  the  28th 
of  June.  He  was  on  his  march  from  Vera  Cruz  to 
join  Gen'l  Scott  with  re-inforcements  at  Puebla.  He 
disapproves  Gen'l  Scott's  order  breaking  up  the  post 
at  Jalapa  &  leaving  his  rear  unprotected ;  and  recom- 
mends that  additional  re-inforcements  be  speedily 
sent  to  the  army. 

After  night  Mr.  Buchanan  called  and  informed 
me  that  he  had  received  by  this  evening's  mail  a  de- 
spatch from  Mr.  Trist. 

The  Adj.  [General]  in  pursuance  of  my  direction 
furnished  me  to-day  a  statement  of  the  amt.  of  force 
which  had  arrived  at  Vera  Cruz  &  were  in  Gen'l 
Scott's  column  up  to  the  date  of  the  latest  returns  re- 
ceived at  his  ofBce.  They  amounted  to  over  17,000 
men.  Other  forces  have  been  ordered  to  that  column 
&  are  en  route,  besides  the  re-inforcements  which  will 
soon  join  him  from  Gen'l  Taylor's  column. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  89 

Friday,  lOth  July,  184J. —  I  sent  for  the  Secre- 
tary of  War  this  morning  and  conferred  with  him 
upon  the  necessity  of  speedily  re-inforcing  Gen'l 
Scott's  column,  and  especially  of  opening  his  com- 
munication with  Vera  Cruz.  With  this  view  I  sug- 
gested that  the  mounted  Regiment  from  Texas  under 
the  command  of  Col.  John  C.  Hays,  who  has  a  high 
character  as  an  officer,  be  ordered  to  proceed  with- 
out delay  to  Vera  Cruz  to  co-operate  with  other 
troops  in  dispersing  the  bands  of  guerrillas  who  in- 
fest the  road  from  Vera  Cruz  in  Gen'l  Scott's  rear. 
He  concurred  in  the  suggestion,  and  in  the  course 
of  the  day  sent  to  me  the  draft  of  a  letter  to  Col. 
Hays  to  that  effect.  I  suggested  one  or  two  modi- 
fications &  returned  [it].  I  conferred  very  fully 
also  with  the  Secretary  of  War  in  relation  to  many 
other  details  of  military  operations,  all  looking  to 
the  speedy  strengthening  of  Gen'l  Scott's  column  & 
opening  his  communication  with  his  rear,  which  I 
cannot  but  think  he  acted  very  unwisely  in  closing. 

I  sent  to  Mr.  Buchanan  for  the  despatch  which  he 
had  informed  [me]  last  evening  he  had  received 
from  Mr.  Trist.  It  conveyed  very  important  in- 
formation. Gen'l  Scott  &  himself  up  to  its  date 
(13th  of  June)  had  held  no  personal  intercourse. 
Mr.  Trist  had  written  to  the  Brittish  Minister  in 
Mexico,  informing  him  that  he  was  with  the  Head 
Quarters  of  the  army  and  that  he  w^as  invested  with 
full  Diplomatic  Powers  to  negotiate  for  peace,  &  en- 
quiring of  that  Minister  if  he  would  be  the  medium 
of  delivering  the  despatch  from  Mr.  Buchanan  ad- 
dressed to  the  minister  of  Foreign  Affairs  of  Mexico, 


90  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [17  July 

if  it  was  forwarded  to  him.  The  Brittish  minister 
without  the  least  delay  sent  Mr.  Thornton,  his  Sec- 
retary of  Legation,  to  Puebla,  where  Mr.  Trist  was, 
who  took  the  despatch  and  returned  with  it  to  Mex- 
ico. This  was  the  same  despatch  which  Gen'l  Scott 
was  ordered  by  the  Secretary  of  War  to  convey  to 
the  Mexican  Government,  but  who  after  having  re- 
tained it  several  days  after  it  had  been  conveyed  to 
him  with  the  Secretary's  order  by  Mr.  Trist,  had 
failed  to  do  so  &  returned  it  to  Mr.  Trist.  Mr. 
Trist  learned  from  Mr.  Thornton  that  had  it  been 
delivered  at  the  time  Gen'l.  Scott  first  received  it, 
which  was  shortly  after  the  battle  of  Cerro  Gordo, 
there  was  but  little  doubt  that  peace  would  have  been 
made.  The  protraction  of  the  war  may  properly  be 
attributed  to  the  folly  &  ridiculous  vanity  of  Gen'l 
Scott.  He  deserves  to  be  recalled  &  tried  for  his  dis- 
obedience of  orders  in  refusing  to  forward  the  de- 
spatch by  the  first  opportunity  after  he  received  it. 
Upon  this  point  I  have  yielded  my  own  opinion  to  the 
unanimous  opinion  of  my  Cabinet,  at  least  for  the 
present  (see  this  diary  of  the  9th  Instant). 

I  saw  company  at  i  O'Clock  to-day.  A  large 
number  attended.  I  transacted  much  business  in 
the  afternoon. 

This  was  reception  evening.  A  considerable  num- 
ber of  ladies  and  gentlemen  attended. 

Saturday,  lyth  July,  1847. —  The  Cabinet  met 
at  the  usual  hour  this  morning,  all  the  members  pres- 
ent. An  hour  or  more  was  taken  up  in  considering 
measures  relating  to  the  war,  and  to  the  orders  which 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  91 

had  been  issued  within  the  last  three  days  for  with- 
drawing a  part  of  Gen'l  Taylor's  forces  &  strength- 
ening Scott's  column.  I  am  devoting  all  my  time  & 
energies  to  these  matters,  &  am  examining  all  the  de- 
tails of  everything  that  is  done,  as  far  as  it  [is]  pos- 
sible for  me  to  do  so.  The  Secretary  of  War  is  al- 
most overwhelmed  with  his  labours,  seems  to  be  care- 
worn, and  is  almost  broken  down  with  his  great 
labours. 

The  Cabinet  concurred  in  what  had  been  done 
since  the  last  meeting  by  the  Secretary  of  War  with 
my  concurrence. 

Mr.  Buchanan  read  the  despatch  of  Mr.  Trist  of 
the  13th  of  June,  which  I  had  examined  on  yester- 
day. The  Cabinet  were  all  of  opinion  that  the 
golden  moment  for  effecting  a  peace  may  have  been 
lost  by  the  failure  of  Gen'l  Scott  to  forward  the  de- 
spatch of  the  Secretary  of  State  to  the  Mexican  Gov- 
ernment, which  had  been  borne  to  him  by  Mr.  Trist 
and  which  he  was  ordered  to  forward  by  the  Secre- 
tary of  War  as  soon  as  it  came  into  his  possession 
(see  this  diary  of  the  9th  &  i6th  Instant). 

Some  other  matters  connected  with  our  Foreign 
relations,  and  particularly  a  difficulty  which  had 
arisen  between  the  French  consul  in  California  & 
Li[eu]t.  Col.  Fremont,  were  brought  forward  by 
Mr.  Buchanan  &  considered. 

After  the  Cabinet  adjourned,  I  transacted  busi- 
ness as  usual. 

At  6  O'clock  this  morning  my  brother,  William 
H.  Polk,  and  his  wife,  who  have  been  in  my  family 
for  several  days,  left  for  New  York. 


92  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i8  July 

There  was  music  as  usual  on  the  President's 
grounds  this  afternoon,  after  which  Mrs.  Madison, 
Miss  Payne,  Mr.  Buchanan,  Judge  Mason,  Mr. 
Cave  Johnson,  &  his  wife,  took  tea  with  my  family. 

Sunday,  l8th  July,  184-/.—  I  attended  the  Meth- 
odist Church  (The  Rev'd  Mr.  Slicer's)  to-day.  I 
was  accompanied  by  Daniel  Graham,  Esqr.,  of  Ten- 
nessee, now  Register  of  the  Treasury.  It  was 
a  Quarterly  meeting  of  the  church.  Mr.  Slicer  did 
not  preach.  The  Presiding  Elder,  whose  name  I 
did  not  learn,  preached  a  good  sermon  from  the  text 
found  in  the  3rd  verse  of  the  63rd  Psalm. 

The  Secretary  [of  War]  called  to-night  with  a 
despatch  which  he  received  by  this  evening's  mail 
from  Mr.  Dimond  at  Vera  Cruz,  transmitting  a 
printed  copy  in  Spanish  of  Mr.  Buchanan's  despatch 
of  the  15th  of  April  last  to  the  Minister  of  Foreign 
affairs  of  Mexico,  which  was  taken  out  by  Mr.  Trist 
and  which  Gen'l  Scott  has  refused  to  forward  as  he 
has  been  ordered  by  the  Secretary  of  War  to  do  (see 
this  diary).  Gen'l  Scott's  course  is  deeply  to  be  de- 
plored as  the  delay  in  transmitting  that  despatch 
may  defeat  a  peace. 

Monday,  igth  July,  1847,— I  sent  for  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan this  morning,  and  after  consultation  with 
him  it  was  concluded  to  publish  a  copy  of  his  de- 
spatch to  the  Mexican  Government  of  the  15th  of 
April,  as  it  appears  from  a  despatch  received  by  the 
Secretary  of  War  by  last  night's  mail  that  it  has  been 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  93 

published  in  Spanish  in  Mexico  (see  this  diary  of 
yesterday). 

The  Secretary  of  War  called  and  read  to  me  a 
despatch  which  he  had  prepared  to  Gen'l  Scott  in 
pursuance  of  a  previous  consultation  with  me,  which 
I  approved.  1  transacted  other  business  with  the 
Secretaries  of  State,  War,  and  the  Navy  to-day. 

I  disposed  of  much  business  of  an  unimportant 
character  which  had  accumulated  on  my  table.  At 
I  O'clock  P.  M.  I  opened  my  oflice  for  the  recep- 
tion of  company.  Many  persons  called,  but  none  of 
them  had  any  business  of  importance.  Col.  John 
D.  Hawkins  of  N.  C.  happening  to  call  near  my 
Dinner  Hour,  I  invited  him  to  take  a  family  Din- 
ner with  me  and  he  did  so.  Judge  Mason,  who  was 
in  my  office  when  dinner  was  announced,  also  dined 
with  me. 

By  this  evening's  mail  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy 
received  despatches  of  the  4th  Instant  from  Com- 
modore Perry,  who  was  at  Vera  Cruz,  which  I  read. 

Tuesday,  20th  July,  184J. —  I  disposed  of  much 
business  of  detail  which  was  on  my  table  this  morn- 
ing. The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour,  all  the 
members  present. 

Mr.  Buchanan  read  despatches  which  he  had  re- 
ceived from  [the]  U.  S.  ministers  to  Denmark  & 
Constantinople,  and  a  private  letter  from  the  U.  S. 
Minister  to  Prussia.  They  were  not  important. 
Some  other  subjects,  chiefly  relating  to  the  War  with 
Mexico,    were    considered.     There    being    nothing 


94  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [21  July 

very  important  presented  for  consideration  to-day, 
the  Cabinet  held  a  shorter  session  than  usual.  They 
adjourned  between  i  &  2  O'Clock  P.  M. 

This  being  reception  evening  a  number  of  persons, 
ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

Wednesday,  21st  July,  1847.— Th\^  morning 
was  occupied  as  usual  in  attending  to  the  business  of 
my  office.  I  conferred  severally  with  the  Secretaries 
of  State,  War,  and  the  Navy,  and  transacted  business 
with  them.  At  i  O'Clock  P.  M.  I  opened  my  office 
for  the  reception  of  company.  A  number  of  per- 
sons called,  but  they  had  no  more  important  business 
than  to  seek  office.  As  I  had  no  offices  to  fill,  I  de- 
spatched [them]  very  summarily.  In  the  afternoon 
I  continued  to  dispose  of  various  matters  of  business 
in  my  office,  but  nothing  of  much  importance  was  at- 
tended to. 

Mr.  Whitaker  of  N.  C,  a  bearer  of  despatches  to 
Gen'l  Taylor,  left  this  morning  for  his  Head  Quar- 
ters. 

Thursday,  22nd  July,  /c?^/.— Nothing  of  in- 
terest transpired  to-day.  I  attended  as  usual  to  vari- 
ous matters  of  business  with  some  of  my  sec[r]e- 
taries  and  other  public  officers.  Despatches  were 
received  by  last  evening's  mail  from  Gen'l  Kearney 
in  California  and  from  Commodore  Shuberick  ^ 
and  Commodore  Biddle  in  the  Pacific,  from  which 
it  appears  that  the  unfortunate  collision  between  the 

^  William  B.  Shubrick,  on  duty  with  the  Pacific  Squadron  in 
1847. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  95 

officers  of  the  army  and  Navy  in  that  distant  region, 
in  regard  to  their  respective  rank,  had  been  adjusted, 
&  that  they  were  acting  in  harmony.  I  opened  my 
office  at  I  O'clock  P.  M.  when  a  number  of  persons 
called.  None  of  them  had  any  business  of  impor- 
tance. I  disposed  of  several  matters  of  business  on 
my  table  in  the  course  of  the  day. 

Mr.  Lisboa,  the  Envoy  Extraordinary  and  Minis- 
ter Plenipotentiary  from  Brazil,  called  at  12  O'Clock 
and  presented  a  letter  from  the  Emperor  of  Brazil, 
his  sovereign,  recalling  him  from  his  Mission.  The 
cause  of  the  recall  of  Mr.  Lisboa  he  did  not  state, 
but  I  understand  it  to  be  in  consequence  of  the  ad- 
justment made  by  Mr.  Lisboa  with  Mr.  Buchanan 
last  winter  in  relation  to  the  imprisonment  by  the 
authorities  of  Brazil  of  Lieut.  Davis  and  three  sail- 
ors of  the  U.  S.  Navy  at  Rio  in  November  last. 
In  answer  to  Mr.  Lisboa's  speech  which  expressed 
his  kind  feelings  for  the  Government  &  people  of 
the  U.  S.,  &  his  gratitude  for  the  manner  in  which 
he  had  been  received  &  treated  during  his  residence 
here,  I  expressed  to  him  my  regret  at  his  recall,  and 
assured  him  of  the  good  feeling  of  the  Government 
&  people  of  the  U.  S.  towards  him.  I  informed  him 
that  in  answer  to  the  Emperor's  Letter  which  he  had 
just  delivered  to  me  I  would  take  pleasure  in  ex- 
pressing these  opinions.  He  appeared  to  be  much 
affected  &  deeply  grateful  to  me  for  the  expression 
of  these  sentiments. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  (Hon.  Rob't  J. 
Walker)  left  Washington  this  m_orning  with  the  in- 
tention of  spending  a  few  days  on  the  sea-shore  for 


96  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [2^  July 

the  benefit  of  his  health,  which  has  been  for  some 
time  very  feeble.  Intending  to  attend  to  some  pub- 
lic business  during  his  absence,  he  took  two  clerks 
of  his  Department  with  him. 

Friday,  2jrd  July,  184J. —  The  Secretary  of  the 
Navy  called  at  an  early  hour  this  morning  and  read 
to  me  despatches  which  he  had  received  from  Com- 
modores Biddle,  Shubrick,  &  Stockton  in  the  Pacific. 
They  related  to  affairs  on  the  West  coast,  and  partic- 
ularly in  California.  I  read  to  him  a  despatch  re- 
ceived by  the  War  Department  from  Gen'l  Kearney, 
commander  of  the  land-forces  in  California. 

At  I  O'clock  P.  M.  my  office  was  opened  as 
usual  for  the  reception  of  company.  Quite  a  num- 
ber of  persons  called;  almost  the  whole  of  them  were 
seeking  office.  As  there  w^ere  no  vacancies  to  fill  I 
disposed  of  them  quite  summarily.  I  disposed  of 
several  matters  of  business  on  my  table. 

This  was  reception  evening.  A  few  persons, 
ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

The  Secretary  of  War,  I  learn.  Is  confined  to  his 
house  by  indisposition  to-day. 

Saturday,  24th  July,  184/.— My  brother,  Wil- 
liam H.  Polk,  reached  Washington  from  New  York 
in  this  morning's  train  of  cars,  and  took  up  his 
quarters  at  the  Presidential  Mansion.  He  left  his 
w^fe  with  her  friends  in  N.  York  and  is  on  his  way 
to  visit  his  relations  in  Tennessee. 

The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour,  all  the  mem- 
bers present  except  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  97 

who  is  absent  from  the  City  for  the  benefit  of  his 
health,  and  the  Secretary  of  War,  who  is  confined 
to  his  house  by  indisposition.  Some  matters  of 
minor  importance  were  considered  and  disposed  of. 
One  incident  occurred  in  the  Cabinet  which  I  will 
note.  It  was  this. — I  called  Mr.  Buchanan's  atten- 
tion to  a  letter  which  had  been  prepared  at  the  De- 
partment of  State  and  sent  to  me  for  my  signature, 
addressed  to  the  Emperor  of  Brazil,  in  answer  to 
the  Emperor's  letter  notifying  me  of  the  recall  of 
Mr.  Lisboa  as  Envoy  Extraordinary  &  Minister 
Plenipotentiary  to  the  U.  S.  (see  this  diary  of  the 
22nd  Instant).  To  one  part  of  it  I  took  exceptions 
&  remarked  that  I  thought  it  was  unusual  in  similar 
cases  and  improper.  It  was  that  part  of  the  letter 
which  informed  the  Emperor  that  he  might  place 
full  credence  in  whatever  Mr.  Lisboa  might  say  to 
him  in  my  behalf.  I  told  Mr.  Buchanan  that  this 
w^as  usual  in  a  letter  of  credence  given  to  our  own 
Ministers  who  went  abroad,  but  that  I  was  not  aware 
that  it  had  ever  been  done  with  a  Foreign  Minister 
on  his  return  to  his  own  country.  I  told  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan that  that  part  of  the  letter  which  expressed 
my  satisfaction  with  Mr.  Lisboa's  conduct  as  the  rep- 
resentative of  his  Sovereign  near  this  Government, 
and  that  part  of  it  which  expressed  my  respect  for  the 
Emperor  &  my  desire  that  the  most  amicable  rela- 
tions should  exist  between  the  Governments  of 
Brazil  &  the  U.  S.  should  continue,  was  proper;  but 
that  I  objected  to  that  part  of  it  which  informed  the 
Emperor  that  he  should  give  full  credence  to  what- 
ever Mr.  Lisboa  might  say  to  him  on  my  part.     Mr. 


98  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [24  July 

Buchanan  replied  that  the  part  of  the  letter  which 
I  objected  to  was  the  usual  form  of  such  letters  in 
such  cases,  that  it  was  indeed  the  Stereotype  form, 
from  which  Mr.  Hunter,  one  of  his  clerks,  had  pre- 
pared it  for  my  signature.  I  repeated  that  such  was 
not  my  recollection,  and  that  if  it  was  so  it  was 
wrong.  He  insisted  that  he  was  right.  I  then 
jocosely  said  to  him,  I  will  stand  you  a  basket  of 
champaign  that  this  letter  is  not  in  the  usual  form  as 
you  insist,  and  that  the  precedents  in  the  State  De- 
partment will  not  sustain  it.  He  promptly  said, 
Done,  I  take  you  up,  and  rising  in  a  fine  humour, 
said,  now  I  will  go  over  to  the  Department  &  bring 
the  precedents.  I  replied,  very  well.  He  left  my 
office  and  after  some  time  returned  with  a  bound 
letter  book,  remarking  as  he  entered  the  office,  I 
think  I  have  got  you.  He  said,  now  I  will  read  you 
a  letter  from  Gen'l  Jackson  to  the  King  of  the 
French.  When  the  letter  was  read  it  did  not  sus- 
tain Mr.  Buchanan,  and  had  no  such  paragraph  in 
it.  Mr.  Buchanan  admitted  that  they  were  not  sim- 
ilar. He  searched  the  letter  book  for  sometime  and 
could  find  no  such  precedent.  He  seemed  to  be  con- 
founded &  disappointed  &  said,  Well,  if  I  don't  find 
such  a  precedent  to-day,  I  will  send  you  the  basket 
of  champaign.  I  smiled  and  told  him  I  would  not 
accept  it,  and  that  I  had  been  jesting  when  I  pro- 
posed [it],  and  had  done  so  only  to  express  in  an 
earnest  manner  my  conviction  that  I  was  right.  But, 
he  said,  if  I  had  won  it  I  would  have  made  you  pay 
it,  &  I  will  pay  it  to  you.     I  repeated  that  I  would 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  99 

not  accept  it.  I  record  this  incident  for  the  pur- 
pose of  showing  how  necessary  it  is  for  me  to  give 
my  vigilent  attention  even  to  the  forms  &  details  of 
my  [subordinates']  duties.  The  truth  of  the  matter 
is  that  Mr.  Buchanan  had  trusted  the  preperation 
of  the  letter  to  his  clerk,  in  whom  he  had  confidence, 
and  concluded  that  it  was,  of  course,  in  the  usual 
form.  The  Clerk  no  doubt  made  the  mistake  be- 
cause Mr.  Buchanan  [said]  that  I  desired  in  my  let- 
ter to  the  Emperor  to  express  my  satisfaction  with 
Mr.  Lisboa's  conduct  as  minister  of  Brazil  since  I 
had  been  President.  The  members  of  the  Cabinet 
laughed  heartily  at  this  incident.  Mr.  Buchanan, 
after  the  Cabinet  adjourned,  took  the  draft  of  the 
letter  back  to  the  Department  and  had  another  pre- 
pared omitting  the  exceptionable  paragraph,  and 
sent  it  to  me  and  I  signed  it. 

I  disposed  of  some  unimportant  business  after  the 
Cabinet  adjourned. 

Sunday,  2Sth  July,  184J. —  I  attended  the  first 
Presbyterian  church  to-day  and  was  accompanied 
by  Mrs.  J.  Knox  Walker  and  her  little  daughter 
and  by  Mrs.  Daniel  Graham.  The  clergyman  who 
preached  was  a  very  young  man.  His  name  was 
Dashield.  He  is,  I  understand,  the  son  of  a  clergy- 
man of  that  name  who  had  a  congregation  for  some 
time  at  Franklin,  Tennessee,  and  who  now  has  a  con- 
gregation at  Shelbyville,  Tennessee.  I  knew  the 
father  when  he  resided  at  Franklin.  The  son,  I  un- 
derstand, has  just  finished  his  course  at  one  of  the 


100  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [26  July 

Theological  Seminaries  at  the  North,  and  has  just  ob- 
tained orders  to  preach.  His  sermon  to-day  was  a 
fair  one  for  a  man  of  his  age. 

MOx\DAY,  26th  July,  184J. —  Nothing  of  much 
importance  transpired  to-day.  Before  10  O'Clock 
A.  M.  I  was  called  upon  to  know  what  decision  I 
had  made  on  the  application  of  a  man  named 
Krouse[?]  of  D.  C,  convicted  of  an  assault  with  in- 
tent to  kill,  for  a  pardon.  On  the  papers  before 
me,  I  had  on  Saturday  night  declined  for  the  pres- 
ent to  grant  the  pardon,  and  so  endorsed  on  the 
papers.  The  Mayor  of  Georgetown  called  about  12 
O^'Clock,  and  made  an  earnest  appeal  to  me  to  inter- 
pose. I  still  declined,  thought  [though]  not  with- 
out some  doubts.  The  Mayor  (Mr.  Addison)  left 
me  &  in  the  course  of  one  or  two  hours  returned 
with  a  note  from  Judge  Crawford,  who  had  tried  the 
case,  somewhat  modifying  the  views  expressed  in  a 
letter  addressed  to  me  on  Saturday  last.  I  then  re- 
quested him  to  go  and  request  Judge  Crawford  and 
Mr.  Key,  the  U.  S.  Attorney,  to  call  on  me.  They 
did  so,  &  I  held  a  personal  conversation  with  them, 
the  result  of  which  was  a  change,  in  my  decision  on 
the  case  made  on  Saturday,  &  I  granted  the  pardon. 
I  have  endorsed  on  the  papers  the  reasons  for  the 
action  which  I  finally  took.  I  note  this  case,  among 
the  hundreds  of  applications  for  pardons  which  are 
presented  to  me,  because  I  became  satisfied  upon  a 
personal  conference  with  the  Judge  &  U.  S.  Attor- 
ney, and  with  the  Mayor  [of]  Georgetown,  that  the 
ends  of  the  law  had  been  vindicated  in  this  case,  and 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  loi 

being  satisfied  of  this  I  did  not  hesitate  to  change  my 
first  decision  &  grant  the  pardon. 

I  opened  my  office  for  the  reception  of  company  at 
I  O'clock  P.  M.  to-day.  An  unusual  number  of 
persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  called;  and,  what  is  not 
usual,  most  of  them  had  no  business  but  to  pay  their 
respects  to  me.  A  few  of  them  wished  to  obtain 
office.  The  Secretaries  of  State  and  of  the  Navy 
called  in  the  course  of  the  day  on  business.  I  dis- 
posed of  the  business  on  my  table,  but  none  of  it  was 
of  such  importance  as  to  require  special  notice. 

Tuesday,  2yth  July,  1847. —  My  brother,  Wil- 
liam H.  Polk,  left  this  morning  on  a  visit  to  his 
mother  and  other  relations  in  Tennessee.  He  left 
his  wife  with  her  relations  in  New  York  a  few  days 
ago. 

This  was  the  regular  day  for  the  meeting  of  the 
Cabinet.  All  the  members  attended  at  the  usual 
hour  except  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  who  is 
absent  from  Washington  for  the  benefit  of  his  health, 
and  the  Secretary  of  War,  who  has  been  confined  to 
his  house  for  several  days  by  indisposition.  As  soon 
as  the  Cabinet  assembled  I  informed  them  that  I 
had  nothing  of  importance  to  lay  before  them  to- 
day, &  enquired  of  them  if  either  of  them  had  any- 
thing requiring  attention  to  submit.  Each  answered 
that  he  had  not.  I  then  informed  them  that  I  had 
accepted  an  invitation  to  attend  the  annual  com- 
mencement of  Georgetown  College,  D.  C,  to-day,  if 
my  public  duties  would  permit,  &  that  I  would  leave 
them  in  my  office,  unless  they  would  accompany  me. 


102  JAMES    K,    POLK'S    DIARY  [28  July 

They  all  declined  except  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy, 
who  did  accompany  me.  The  exercises  at  the  Col- 
lege were  quite  interesting.  The  young  gentlemen 
who  delivered  speeches  acquitted  themselves  well. 
Mr.  Semmes,  an  alumnus  of  the  college,  delivered  an 
able  address.  At  the  request  of  the  President  of  the 
College  I  took  a  seat  with  him  on  the  elevated  plat- 
form after  the  speaking  had  closed,  and  delivered 
the  Diplomas  to  the  graduating  class,  and  the  medals 
&  premiums  to  those  who  had  distinguished  them- 
selves in  their  respective  classes.  I  returned  about 
3>^  O'clock  P.  M.  The  Hon.  John  Blair  &  Mr. 
Boyce  of  Tennessee  dined  with  me  to-day. 

This  was  reception  evening.  A  number  of  ladies 
&  gentlemen  called. 

Wednesday,  28th  July,  i84J.—  ^\\^  Summer 
Session  of  the  Georgetown  College  closed  its  Ses- 
sion on  yesterday,  and  DeWitt  Clinton  Yell,  the  son 
of  the  gallant  Col.  Yell  of  Arkansas,  who  fell  at  the 
battle  of  Buena  Vista,  came  from  the  college  where 
his  father  had  placed  him  and  remained  at  the  Presi- 
dential mansion  last  night.  He  left  this  morning  to 
visit  his  relations  in  the  West,  and  would  proceed 
directly  to  his  Uncle,  Gen'l.  William  Moore's,  of 
Lincoln  County,  Tennessee.  I  gave  him  $50  to  bear 
his  expenses,  and  wrote  a  letter  to  Gen'l  Moore  (see 
my  letter  Book). 

I  transacted  business  with  several  of  my  Secre- 
taries &  other  public  officers  to-day,  and  also  dis- 
posed of  several  matters  of  business  on  my  table; 
but  nothing  of  much  importance  occurred. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  103 

The  Secretary  of  War  called  at  my  office  to-day 
for  the  first  time  in  several  days,  having  been  de- 
tained at  his  home  by  indisposition. 

Thursday,  2gth  July,  184^. —  I  transacted  busi- 
ness as  usual  in  my  office  this  morning.  Between  1 1  & 
12  O'clock  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  called  on  busi- 
ness, and  shortly  afterwards  the  Post  master  Gen- 
eral &  the  Secretary  of  War,  the  latter  having  been 
indisposed  for  several  days  past.  The  subject  of  a 
publication  of  a  letter  of  the  Rev.  Wm.  McCalla  in 
the  newspapers,  relating  to  the  employment  of  two 
Catholic  Priests  to  attend  the  army,  was  one  of  con- 
versation. The  letter  of  Mr.  McCalla  contains  a 
positive  and  absolute  falsehood,  to  wit,  that  in  con- 
versation with  him  I  had  informed  him  that  I  had 
sent  them  to  the  army  nominally  as  chaplains,  but 
really  as  spies.  It  was  stated  that  the  letter  Vs^as  at- 
tracting much  public  attention,  would  likely  produce 
some  excitement,  and  the  question  was  whether  the 
falsehood  should  not  be  contradicted  in  the  news- 
papers. Upon  this  point  there  was  doubt.  The 
Statement  made  by  Mr.  McCalla  I  knew  to  be  false, 
but  whether  the  President  of  the  U.  S.  could  with 
propriety  enter  into  a  controversy  with  him  upon  a 
point  necessarily  involving  a  question  of  veracity, 
was  very  questionable.  I  sent  for  the  Secretary  of 
State,  who  thought  no  notice  should  be  taken  of  it, 
but  if  there  was,  it  should  be  a  very  positive  but 
short  denial  of  his  statement  by  the  Editors  of  the 
Union.  The  matter  was  finally  left  open  &  unde- 
cided.    The  conduct  of  Mr.  McCalla  in  this  matter 


104  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [29  July 

is  of  the  basest  character.  He  called  on  me  some 
time  ago  and  applied  to  me  to  appoint  him  a  chap- 
lain in  the  army.  I  had  not  before  known  him,  & 
treated  him,  as  I  do  all  persons  who  call  on  me,  cour- 
teously. I  told  him  I  could  not  gratify  his  wishes. 
He  wished  to  know  why  I  had  appointed  two  Cath- 
olic clergymen  to  attend  the  army  in  the  character 
of  Chaplains.  I  told  him  that  by  law  I  had  no 
power  to  appoint  &  commission  chaplains,  but  that 
there  were  always  many  employes  in  an  army,  such 
as  teamsters,  labourers,  bearers  of  despatches,  couri- 
ers to  bear  &  bring  back  information,  &C.  I  in- 
formed him  that  early  after  the  war  with  Mexico 
broke  out,  great  efforts  had  been  made  to  impress 
the  mexicans  with  the  belief  that  our  object  was  to 
destroy  their  churches  &  make  war  upon  their  re- 
ligion; that  if  this  false  impression  should  prevail 
generally  among  the  mexicans,  it  would  make  the 
war  one  of  ferocity  &  fanaticism.  I  told  him  that 
for  the  purpose  of  satisfying  the  mexican  people 
that  such  was  no  part  of  the  object  of  the  War,  it 
was  deemed  prudent  to  employ  these  Catholic 
Priests,  who  professed  the  same  religion  with  the 
mexicans,  to  accompany  the  army,  that  they  might 
disabuse  their  minds  on  this  subject,  &  thereby  not 
only  mitigate  the  horrors  of  the  war,  but  facilitate 
peace.  Mr.  McCalla  manifested  in  the  conversa- 
tion much  excitement,  &  a  spirit  of  persecution  and 
religious  fanaticism  against  the  Catholics.  Indeed 
he  seemed  occasionally  to  speak  like  a  deranged  man 
on  the  subject.  He  left  my  office,  having  failed  to 
get  the  office  which  he  called  to  seek,  and  after  the 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  los 

lapse  of  several  weeks  had  the  baseness  to  state  this 
falsehood,  in  answer  to  a  letter  of  P.  A.  Brown/  a 
leading  Native  American  of  Phila.,  &  his  letter  is 
published  in  the  newspapers.  I  cannot  adequately 
express  the  horror  I  feel  for  a  man  who  can  be  so 
base  as  to  veil  his  hypocrasy  under  the  cloak  of  re- 
ligion, and  state  the  base  falsehood  he  has  done.  If 
I  were  a  private  citizen  I  should  have  no  hesitation 
in  exposing  him  to  the  world,  but  it  is  doubted 
whether,  as  President  of  the  U.  S.,  I  should  descend 
from  my  station  to  notice  him  at  all.  His  object  is 
to  produce  a  religious  controversy  in  the  country. 
He  is  a  Whig  &  a  religious  fanatic,  and  from 
his  publication  it  is  clear  to  my  mind  that  he  is  un- 
principled. 

I  transacted  business  with  other  public  officers  & 
disposed  of  business  on  my  table,  but  nothing  worthy 
of  special  notice  occurred. 

The  Hon.  Mr.  Hopkins,^  Charge  d'  affaires  of  the 
U.  S.  to  Portugal,  called  this  evening,  and  spent  an 
hour  or  two  with  me.  He  is  on  his  way  to  Portugal 
to  enter  upon  the  duties  of  his  mission. 

Friday,  30th  July,  184J. — A  telegraphic  de- 
spatch was  received  about  8  O'Clock  this  morning 
from  Richmond,  Va.,  communicating  later  intelli- 
gence from  the  army,  which  if  true  is  of  great  im- 
portance. It  is  to  the  efifect  that  Gen'l  Pierce  had 
had  an  engagement  with  the  enemy  in  considerable 
force  at  the  National  Bridge,  and  had  routed  them; 

^  Peter  A.  Browne  of  Philadelphia. 
^  George  W.  Hopkins  of  Virginia. 


106  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [31  July 

and  that  Gen'l  Pillow  had  had  an  engagement  with 
the  enemy  at  a  pass  in  the  mountains  beyond  Jalapa, 
and  had  routed  them,  and  had  overtaken  &  joined 
Gen'l  Cadwallader's  command  at  Perote,  and  that 
the  Mexican  Government  had  appointed  three  com- 
missioners to  meet  &  treat  with  Mr.  Trist  at  a  place 
8  leagues  beyond  Puebla.  The  telegraphic  despatch 
also  communicated  the  intelligence  of  an  engage- 
ment of  a  body  of  our  forces  under  Col.  Derussy, 
who  had  formed  a  part  of  the  garrison  at  Tampico, 
with  a  vastly  superior  number  of  the  enemy,  the  re- 
sult of  which  was  that  Col.  Derussy  lost  30  men 
killed  &  wounded  &  that  the  enemy  lost  270  men 
killed  &  wounded,  and  the  enemy  fled  to  the  chap- 
perel. 

The  mail  of  to-night  brings  despatches  from  Vera 
Cruz  of  no  later  date  than  the  13th  Inst.  They  in 
part  confirm  the  telegraphic  news.  Other  portions 
of  this  news  were  brought  by  the  vessel  which  left 
Vera  Cruz  two  or  three  days  later.  The  news  may 
be,  and  probably  is,  substantially  true,  but  it  rests 
mainly  on  the  unauthenticated  rumours  which  had 
reached  Vera  Cruz.  All  communication  between 
Vera  Cruz  and  Gen'l  Scott's  army  had  been  cut  ofif, 
except  by  strong  bodies  of  troops. 

Saturday,  31st  July,  1847. —  The  Cabinet  met 
at  the  usual  hour  to-day;  all  the  members  present, 
except  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  who  is  absent 
from  the  City  for  the  benefit  [of  his  health].  No 
very  important  subject  of  public  policy  was  consid- 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  107 

ered.  Several  questions  of  some  importance,  chiefly 
connected  with  our  military  operations  in  Mexico  & 
the  prosecution  of  the  war,  were  considered  and  dis- 
posed of.  One  of  these  related  to  the  relative  rank 
of  Volunteer  officers  in  the  service  of  the  U.  S. 
Gen'l  Scott  had  decided  in  the  case  of  the  Palmetto 
S.  C.  Regiment,  that  they  should  take  precedence 
of  rank  according  to  the  priority  of  their  being  mus- 
tered into  the  service  of  the  U.  S.  The  com- 
mander ^  of  the  PalmiCtto  Regiment  insisted  that 
Volunteer  officers  should  take  rank  according  to  the 
date  of  their  respective  commissions  from  the  States. 
The  question  was  attended  with  its  embarrassments 
&  difficulties.  After  some  discussion,  there  was 
some  division  of  opinion  in  the  Cabinet,  but  it  was 
finally  deemed  to  be  inexpedient  to  disturb  Gen'l 
Scott's  decision  for  the  present  at  least,  he  (Gen'l 
Scott)  having  organized  the  Volunteer  forces  under 
his  command  according  to  the  decision  which  he  had 
made,  &  the  army  was  now  acting  under  it. 

Others  questions,  chiefly  relating  to  details,  were 
considered  and  disposed  of. 

I  disposed  of  several  matters  of  business  on  my 
table  in  the  course  of  the  day. 

The  Southern  mail  of  this  evening  brought  no 
further  news  from  the  seat  of  War,  except  something 
of  details  in  relation  to  the  vague  &  unsatisfactory 
news  of  yesterday. 

Sunday,  Ist  August,  184^. —  I  was  somewhat  in- 
'  Pierce  M.  Butler,  killed  at  Cherubusco  August  20,  1847. 


io8  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [2  Aug. 

disposed  to-day  and  did  not  attend  church  as  is  my 
usual  habit.  I  rested  and  remained  quiet  through 
the  day,  seeing  no  company.  I  had  taken  some  cold 
&  was,  moreover,  wearied  by  my  unceasing  labours 
&  responsible  duties  in  my  office. 

Monday,  2nd  August,  184J. —  Monday  is  usually 
a  busy  day  with  me,  and  to-day  has  been  so.  During 
the  morning  &  before  my  usual  hour  for  receiving 
company,  several  persons  who  wished  to  see  me  sent 
in  their  names  &  I  could  not  refuse  to  see  them.  I 
saw  the  Secretaries  of  State,  War,  &  Navy  &  the  Post 
Master  Gen'l,  &  transacted  business  with  them.  I 
also  disposed  of  several  matters  of  business  on  my 
table.  At  i  O'Clock  P.  M.  I  opened  my  office  for 
the  reception  of  company.  An  unusual  number  of 
persons  called,  most  of  them  to  pay  their  respects,  but 
some  as  usual  seeking  office.  Nothing  of  much  in- 
terest transpired  to-day. 

Tuesday,  ^rd  August,  184J. —  I  was  in  my  office 
as  usual  at  an  early  hour  this  morning.  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour;  all  the  members  present  except 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  who  is  absent  from  the 
City  for  the  benefit  of  his  health ;  and  the  Post  Master 
General,  who  left  the  City  this  morning  on  a  visit  to 
Old  Point  Comfort  for  the  benefit  of  his  health.  No 
subject  of  general  importance  engaged  the  attention 
of  the  Cabinet.  Upon  conferrence  with  the  Secre- 
tary of  War,  I  made  several  military  appointments  to 
fill  vacancies  which  had  occurred.  Several  other 
matters  of  minor  importance  were  disposed  of.     At 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  109 

6  O'clock  P.  M.  I  took  a  ride  with  Judge  Mason  in 
his  buggy. 

At  8  O'clock  P.  M.  Mr.  Buchanan  called  &  re- 
ported to  me  an  interview  which  Mr.  Lear/  the 
acting  Charge  d'affaires  of  Brazil,  had  sought  &  held 
with  him  this  afternoon.  The  substance  of  Mr. 
Lear's  communication  was  that  he  was  instructed  by 
his  Government  to  make  known  that  the  adjustment 
of  the  difficulty  in  relation  to  the  imprisonment  of 
Lieut.  Davis  &  two  American  sailors  at  Rio 
d'Janeiro,  which  had  been  made  between  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan &  Mr.  Lisboa  some  months  ago  had  been  dis- 
avowed by  his  Government;  and  that  his  Govern- 
ment would  refuse  to  receive  &  accredit  Mr.  Tod  as 
Minister  of  the  U.  S.  in  Brazil,  unless  he  went  out 
clothed  with  authority  to  treat  of  an  adjustment  of 
that  difficulty.  Mr.  Buchanan  informed  me  that  he 
told  Mr.  Lear  that  this  was  too  grave  a  matter  to  be 
the  subject  of  a  verbal  conferrence  alone,  &  desired 
him  to  communicate  in  writing  the  orders  of  his  Gov- 
ernment. Mr.  [Leal]  replied  that  he  would  either 
do  [so]  in  a  note,  and  would  furnish  him  with  a  copy 
of  his  instructions. 

This  was  reception  evening.  Several  persons, 
ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

Wednesday,  4th  August,  1847. —  On  going  into 
my  office  this  morning  I  found  on  my  table  a  Tel- 
egraphic letter  received  at  Washington  at  "  4 
O'clock  &  40  minutes  "  on  yesterday  as  follows,  viz : 

^  Senor  Dom  Felippe  Pcreira  Leal,  charge  d'affaires  ad  interim 
of  Brazil  at  Washington  1 847-1 849. 


no  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [5  Aug. 

"Wheeling,  August  3rd,  1847. 

For  his  Excellency 
James  K.  Polk: 
Mrs.  Polk  arrived  here  a  few  minutes  since.     She 
may  be  in  Washington  to-morrow  night 

S.  RUSSMANN." 

It  seems  that  this  communication  was  laid  on  my 
table  last  night,  but  my  attention  was  not  called  to  it 
by  my  messenger.  At  7  O'Clock  P.  M.  I  rode  in 
my  carriage  in  company  with  Mrs.  Walker  &  my 
nephew,  Marshall  T.  Polk,  to  the  Rail  Road  depot 
and  awaited  the  arrival  of  the  cars,  but  Mrs.  Polk 
did  not  come.  She  probably  rested  instead  of  travel- 
ling last  night,  which  was  what  I  would  have  de- 
sired her  to  do,  though  I  was  very  anxious  to  see  her. 

The  Secretary  of  State  (Mr.  Buchanan)  and  my 
Private  Secretary  (J.  Knox  Walker)  left  at  12 
O'clock  to-day  on  a  visit  of  a  few  days  to  Old  Point 
Comfort.  I  transacted  business,  but  not  of  an  im- 
portant character,  and  saw  several  public  officers 
on  business  in  the  course  of  the  day.  At  i  O'Clock 
P.  M.  I  opened  my  office  for  the  reception  of  visitors, 
when  quite  a  number  of  persons  called;  a  due  pro- 
portion of  them  as  usual  were  seeking  office. 

Thursday,  j;th  August,  184'/. —  I  was  engaged 
as  usual  in  my  office  to-day.  I  transacted  business 
with  public  officers  and  disposed  of  several  matters 
of  official  details  on  my  table.  I  saw  company  at  i 
O'clock  P.  M.  The  Secretaries  of  War  and  of  the 
Navy  called  on  business  in  the  course  of  the  day.     I 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  in 

had  anxiously  hoped  to  receive  intelligence  from 
the  army  by  this  mail,  but  none  was  received.  Mrs. 
Polk  arrived  at  Washington  this  evening  on  her  re- 
turn from  her  visit  to  Tennessee.  I  met  her  with  my 
carriage  at  the  Rail  Road  depot  about  7  O'Clock. 
She  is  in  good  health,  but  much  fatigued  by  the 
journey. 

Friday,  dth  August,  184J. —  Nothing  worthy  of 
note  transpired  to-day.  I  was  in  my  office  as  usual, 
and  transacted  business  on  my  table  and  with  public 
officers  who  called.  I  saw  company  at  i  O'Clock 
P.  M.     It  was  a  wet  day  and  but  few  persons  called. 

This  was  reception  evening,  [but]  being  wet  & 
dampj  but  few  persons  called. 

Saturday,  Jth  August,  184J. —  This  was  the  reg- 
ular day  for  the  meeting  of  the  Cabinet.  The  At- 
torney Gen'l  called  at  the  usual  hour  of  meeting  and 
requested  to  be  excused,  as  he  was  much  engaged  in 
his  office  in  closing  the  examination  of  claims  under 
the  Peruvian  Treaty,^  this  being  the  last  day  of  the 
period  limited  by  law  for  that  purpose.  He  was  ex- 
cused and  retired.  The  Secretaries  of  War  and  the 
Navy  were  the  only  members  of  the  Cabinet  who  at- 
tended. The  Secretary  of  State  and  the  Post  master 
General  are  absent  on  a  visit  to  Old  Point  Comfort, 
and  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  on  a  visit  to  Rock- 
away,  N.  Y.,  for  the  benefit  of  his  health.  I  held  a 
long  conversation  with  the  Secretary  of  War  and  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy  on  many  points  connected 

1  U.  5.  Stat,  at  Large,  IX,  815-817. 


112  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [7  Aua 

with  the  War.  The  question  of  calling  out  5,000 
more  volunteers  was  discussed,  and  it  was  finally- 
concluded  to  postpone  making  such  a  call  until 
further  information  should  be  received  from  Gen'l 
Scott,  which  we  are  expecting  daily.  It  was  decided 
to  order  Brigadier  Generals  Marshall  and  Lane  of 
the  Volunteers  to  proceed  at  once  to  Vera  Cruz  & 
join  Gen'l  Scott's  army.  It  was  agreed  further  that 
Maj'r  Gen'l  Butler's  services  were  much  needed  in 
Gen'l  Scott's  army,  if  the  State  of  the  wound  re- 
ceived at  Monterey  and  his  general  health  were  such 
as  to  enable  him  to  resume  his  command  in  the  field. 
I[t]  was  agreed  that  I  should  write  an  unofficial 
letter  to  Gen'l  Butler  on  the  subject.  I  wrote  the 
letter  after  night  (see  Letter  Book).  Gen'l  But- 
ler['s]  presence  with  the  army  is  desirable  for  many 
reasons,  and  among  them  are,  first,  that  he  would  be 
2nd  in  command,  &  2nd,  contingencies  may  arise 
soon  that  would  require  the  chief  command  to  be  de- 
volved on  him,  &  3rd,  if  any  accident  should  hap- 
pen to  Gen'l  Scott,  or  he  should  leave  the  army  or 
be  recalled,  a  question  of  rank  might  arise  in  the 
camp  between  Maj'r  Gen'l  Pillow  and  Brev[e]t 
Maj'r-Gen'l  Worth.  Gen'l  Pillow  would  undoubt- 
edly be  entitled  to  the  command,  but  I  learn 
unofficially  that  Gen'l  Scott  has  without  authority 
assigned  Gen'l  Worth  to  his  Brevet  rank,  and  the  Sec- 
retary of  War  apprehends  that  in  the  event  of  the 
absence  of  Gen'l  Scott  a  question  of  rank  might 
arise  in  the  camp,  which  might  be  very  embarrassing 
to  the  service.  If  Gen'l  Butler  is  there  this  would 
be  avoided.     I  have  great  confidence  in  Pillow,  but 


i847]  JAIvIES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  113 

he  is  young  in  the  service  &  the  country  do[cs]  not 
know  his  merits  as  well  as  I  do. 

Sunday,  8th  August,  184J. —  I  attended  the  first 
Presbyterian  church  to-day  accompanied  by  Mrs. 
Polk  and  my  nephew,  Marshall  T.  Polk.  The 
youngest  child  of  my  Private  Secretary,  j.  Knox 
Walker,  named  Sarah  Polk,  has  been  very  ill  for 
several  days,  and  is  considered  by  Dr.  Miller,  the  at- 
tending physician,  to  be  in  a  very  critical  condition 
to-day.  This  afternoon  the  child  was  baptized  by 
the  Rev.  Mr.  French  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  At 
the  suggestion  of  Dr.  Miller,  he  was  requested  to 
call  in  Dr.  Hall  as  a  consulting  physician  to-night. 
I  wrote  to  J.  Knox  Walker  (who  is  at  Old  Point 
Comfort)  on  f riday  night  last,  informing  him  of  the 
extreme  illness  of  his  child  and  advising  him  to  re- 
turn to  Washington  immediately. 

Monday,  gth  August,  184^. —  I  was  in  my  office 
at  the  usual  hour  this  morning.  Between  8  &  9 
O'clock  A.  M.  a  Telegraphic  despatch  was  received 
from  Richmond  to  the  efifect  that  Gen'l  Scott's  army 
after  an  engagement  with  the  enemy  had  entered  & 
taken  the  City  of  Mexico.  On  the  arrival  of  the 
mail  this  afternoon  the  same  information  was  con- 
tained in  the  New  Orleans  [papers].  Though  it 
may  be  true,  it  comes  in  a  questionable  shape  and  re- 
quires confirmation.  No  official  despatches  were 
received.  I  saw  company  today  at  i  O'Clock  P.  M. 
as  usual.  A  number  of  persons  called,  some  to  pay 
their  rcs^iects  and  others  seeking  office.     Learning 


114  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [lo  Aug. 

that  the  Secretary  of  War  had  been  taken  quite  ill  on 
yesterday,  I  called  at  his  house  this  afternoon  to  see 
him,  and  found  [him]  in  bed  with  a  fever.  This 
morning  I  wrote  again  to  my  private  Secretary,  J. 
Knox  Walker,  informing  him  that  his  sick  child  was 
no  better,  but  was  dangerously  ill,  and  requesting  him 
to  return  to  Washington  immediately.  The  child,  I 
fear,  will  die.  Col.  Walker  is  at  Old  Point  Com- 
fort, having  gone  down  with  Mr.  Buchanan  to  spend 
a  few  days  at  that  place.  I  transacted  business  in 
my  office  as  usual  to-day,  but  nothing  of  much  in- 
terest occurred. 

The  Secretary  of  War  was  taken  quite  ill  on  yes- 
terday. I  called  to  see  him  at  his  house  this  after- 
noon and  found  him  in  his  bed.  He  was  better  than 
he  was  yesterday,  but  was  still  quite  sick.  I  re- 
ceived to-day  a  despatch  prepared  by  Mr.  Buchanan, 
who  is  spending  a  few  days  at  Old  Point  Comfort, 
to  Mr.  Donelson,  the  U.  S.  Minister  to  Prussia.  He 
sent  [it]  to  me  for  my  approval.  I  approved  it  and 
directed  Mr.  Derrick,  the  acting  Secretary  of  State, 
to  transmit  it  to  Mr.  Donelson. 

Tuesday,  lOth  August,  184'J. —  My  Private  Sec- 
retary, J.  Knox  Walker,  returned  from  Old  Point 
Comfort  this  morning.  His  child  is  still  very  sick 
and  its  recovery  doubtful. 

This  was  the. regular  day  for  the  meeting  of  the 
Cabinet.  The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  &  the  Atto. 
Gen'l  were  all  who  attended.  The  Secretary  of 
War  is  confined  to  his  house  by  sickness.  The  Sec- 
retary of  the  Treasury  is  at  Rockaway,  N.  Y.,  for 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  ns 

the  benefit  of  his  health,  &  the  Secretary  of  State  and 
the  Post  Master  General  are  at  Old  Point  Comfort. 
No  business  of  importance  was  transacted.  I  saw 
some  of  the  subordinate  officers,  and  transacted  busi- 
ness with  them.  I  also  disposed  of  many  matters 
of  detail  which  had  accumulated  on  my  table. 

This  was  reception  evening.  Quite  a  number  of 
persons,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  called. 

Wednesday,  nth  August,  184J. —  This  morning 
I  sent  my  nephew,  Marshall  T.  Polk,  to  a  school 
on  the  heights  of  Georgetown  of  which  the  Rev'd[s] 
Mr.  Whittingham  and  Spencer,  are  Principal[s]. 
I  have  had  him  at  Georgetown  College  for  the  last 
two  years.  He  is  idle  &  inattentive  to  his  studies, 
&  indeed  has  made  very  little  progress  in  that  time. 
It  gives  me  great  pain  to  find  that  he  has  disre- 
garded my  repeated  admonitions  &  is  so  inattentive 
to  his  studies.  It  is  now  vacation  at  the  college,  and 
I  conclude  to  give  him  another  trial  at  the  school  to 
which  I  now  send  him.  If  I  find  that  he  does  no 
better  than  he  has  done,  I  must  send  him  home  to  his 
mother.  I  transacted  business  in  my  office  as  usual 
to-day,  and  saw  an  unusual  number  of  visitors. 
Nothing  transpired  which  is  worthy  of  being 
noted. 

I  omitted  to  note  in  this  diary  of  yesterday  that 
among  other[s]  who  called  was  the  Hon.  Mr. 
Leake,^  a  member  of  the  last  Congress  from  Vir- 
ginia.    He    desired    to    obtain    an    appointment    as 

^  Shelton  F.  Leake,  Representative  from  Virginia  1 845-1 847, 
and   1859-1861. 


ii6  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [12  Aug. 

charge  d'affaires  abroad.  There  was  no  place  va- 
cant. Such  personal  applications  are  extremely  em- 
barrassing and  painful  to  me. 

Thursday,  12th  August,  184J. —  This  morrxlng 
I  directed  my  porter  to  admit  no  company  before  2 
O'clock,  unless  they  were  officers  of  the  Govern- 
ment, or  persons  who  might  represent  that  they 
vv^ished  to  see  me  on  important  public  business.  Sen- 
ator Bagby  and  a  few  others  were  admitted  before 
that  hour.  I  gave  this  order  because  much  of  my 
time  is  very  unprofitably  consumed  by  the  unceasing 
calls  of  office-seekers  &  persons  who  have  no  business 
with  me.  I  wished  to-day  to  commence  the  prep- 
aration of  my  reasons,  to  be  communicated  to  the 
next  Congress,  for  withholding  my  assent  to  a  Har- 
bour Bill,  presented  to  me  on  the  last  day  of  the  last 
Session  of  Congress,  and  which  Bill  I  retained  in 
my  possession  for  want  of  time  to  assign  my  reasons 
for  not  approving  it.  I  deemed  this  a  more  leisure 
[leisurely]  tim.e  to  prepare  my  message  than  I  would 
have  as  the  next  Session  of  Congress  approaches.  I 
commenced  my  paper  and  made  some  progress  in  it. 

At  2  O'clock  P.  M.  I  opened  my  office,  but 
few  persons  called.  The  Secretary  of  War  is  still 
confined  to  his  house  by  sickness.  I  called  to  see  him 
this  evening  &  was  glad  to  find  him  better  than  he 
had  been  for  several  diys  past.  I  transacted  busi- 
ness with  the  adj't  Gen'l  of  the  army  to-day,  which 
would  have  been  transacted  with  the  Secretary  of 
War  had  his  health  permitted  him  to  attend  to  it. 
I  disposed  of  several  matters  of  business  which  had 


1847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  117 

accumulated   on   my   table.     Yesterday   and   to-day 
have  been  very  warm  days. 

Friday,  13th  August,  1847. —  I  l^ept  my  office 
closed  until  2  O'Clock  to-day.  I  saw  officers  of  the 
Government  and  a  few  other  persons  before  that 
hour.  Among  them  were  MajV  General  Patter- 
son of  the  U.  S.  army  and  his  aid-de-camp,  Col. 
Abercrombie.  Gen'l  Patterson  came  to  Washing- 
ton, as  I  presume,  to  receive  orders  for  further 
service.  He  has  been  at  home  at  his  residence  in 
Philadelphia  since  the  discharge  of  the  12  months 
volunteers  in  June  last.  Nothing  of  much  impor- 
tance occurred  to-day.  I  transacted  business  in  my 
office  as  usual. 

This  being  one  of  the  regular  evenings  set  apart 
for  the  reception  of  company,  a  number  of  persons, 
ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

I  called  to  see  the  Secretary  of  War  this  evening 
and  found  him  much  better.  He  has  been  confined 
to  his  house  for  several  days  by  indisposition. 

Saturday,  14th  August,  1847. —  This  was  the 
regular  day  for  the  meeting  of  the  Cabinet.  All  the 
members  were  present  except  the  Secretary  of  State 
&  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  who  are  still  ab- 
sent from  the  City.  The  Post  Master  General  re- 
turned from  Old  Point  Comfort,  where  he  had  spent 
a  few  days,  last  evening.  The  Secretary  of  War  had 
so  far  recovered  from  his  illness  as  to  be  present  for 
a  short  time.  Several  matters  of  business,  chiefly 
of  detail  but  not  of  general  importance,  were  con- 


ii8  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [14  Aug. 

sidered  and  disposed  of.  I  saw  die  adj't  Gen'l  on 
business.  After  obtaining  information  from  tiim 
as  to  the  present  disposition  of  the  volunteer  forces 
in  Mexico,  I  called  in  the  afternoon  to  see  the  Sec- 
retary of  War  at  his  house,  and  after  consulting  with 
him,  it  was  determined  to  order  MajV  Gen'l  Patter- 
son to  proceed  to  Vera  Cruz,  report  to  Gen'l  Scott, 
and  resume  his  command.  I  sent  for  Gen'l  Patter- 
son after  night  and  informed  him  that  orders  to  this 
effect  w^ould  be  issued  to  him  on  Monday  next.  He 
said  that  was  what  he  desired,  and  that  he  w^ould 
proceed  to  the  seat  of  War  as  soon  as  he  could  re- 
turn home  and  attend  to  some  private  business,  which 
might  require  possibly  a  wreck's  time.  I  had  a  full 
conversation  wdth  Gen'l  Patterson  in  relation  to  the 
War  and  the  operations  of  the  army  in  Mexico. 
Despatches  were  received  from  Lie[u]t.  Col.  Wil- 
son, Military  commander  at  Vera  Cruz,  Col.  Louis 
D.  Wilson  of  the  12th  Infantry,  and  Mr.  Dimond 
of  the  Quarter  master's  Department  by  this  even- 
ing's mail,  bearing  date  as  late  as  the  ist  Instant. 
No  despatches  were  received  from  Gen'l  Scott.  We 
learn  from  the  despatches  from  Vera  Cruz  that 
Gen'l  Scott  was  still  at  Puebla  on  the  30th  of  July, 
and  that  he  w^ould  probably  march  upon  the  City 
of  Mexico  in  a  day  or  two.  Gen'l  Pierce  w^as  at 
Perote  on  his  march  to  join  him,  and  as  soon  as  he 
reached  him  Gen'l  Scott  would  probably  move  for- 
ward. The  prospects  of  peace  w^ere  still  uncertain. 
No  steps  had  been  taken  by  the  Mexican  Govern- 
ment to  meet  &  negotiate  wath  Mr.  Trist,  though  it 
was  rumoured  thev  w^ould  do  so,  rather  than  suffer 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  119 

the  American  army  to  enter  their  Capital.     All  this 
however  rests  on  rumour  and  may  not  be  true. 

Sunday,  ISth  August,  184J. —  I  attended  the 
First  Presbyterian  church  to-day  accompanied  by 
Mrs.  Polk,  Mrs.  Daniel  Graham,  &  my  nephew, 
Marshall  T.  Polk.  We  took  Mrs.  Graham  into  the 
carriage  on  our  way  to  the  church. 

Monday,  16th  August,  1847. —  Mr.  Buchanan, 
the  Secretary  of  State,  called  this  morning,  after  an 
absence  of  several  days  from  the  City  on  a  visit  to 
Old  Point  Comfort.  The  Secretary  of  War,  I  learn, 
is  again  confined  to  his  house  by  sickness.  I  had  im- 
portant business  with  him,  but  learn  that  he  [is]  so 
ill  as  to  make  it  prudent  for  him  to  see  no  company. 
I  sent  for  the  adj't  Gen'l  and  gave  him  directions  in 
regard  to  a  part  of  the  business  about  which  I  wished 
to  see  the  Secretary  of  War.  I  saw  also  some  other 
public  officers  on  business,  and  transacted  business 
as  usual  in  my  office.  I  saw  company  at  2 
O'clock  P.  M. 

The  information  for  several  days  past  has  indi- 
cated the  probable  defeat  of  Gov.  A.  V.  Brown  ^  and 
of  the  Democratic  party  in  the  Tennessee  election. 
This  is  contrary  to  the  information  which  I  had  re- 
ceived from  many  sources  before  the  election.  I  at- 
tribute this  result  mainly  to  the  following  causes, 
viz.,  I  St,  The  Taylor  feeling,  which  the  Democratic 

^  Aaron  Venable  Brown,  1795-1859,  Governor  of  Tennessee 
1 845-1 847,  Postmaster  General  during  Buchanan's  administra- 
tion. 


120  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [17  Aug. 

party  have  been  afraid  to  meet  boldly  by  taking  the 
ground  that  they  would  oppose  him  or  any  other 
man,  who  refused  to  avow  his  principles,  and  who 
was  not  the  regularly  nominated  candidate  of  his 
party.  This  was  the  mistake  committed  in  the  can- 
vass in  Tennessee. 

2nd,  The  dispensation  of  the  patronage  of  the 
Federal  Government,  and  especially  in  the  appoint- 
ments to  military  offices,  has  given  ofifense  to  many 
leading  men  in  the  State,  who  have  been  lukewarm 
&  inactive.  All  the  leading  men  in  Tennessee  know 
me  personally,  and  many  of  them  aspire  to  high  com- 
mands in  the  army  who  could  not  be  gratified.  It 
illustrates  beyond  doubt  the  truth  of  the  opinion 
which  I  have  long  since  formed  that  the  Patronage 
must  necessarily  [weaken]  any  President.  Many  of 
the  leading  [men]  of  the  Democratic  party  whose 
political  principles  hang  loosely  about  them,  and 
who  have  sought  office  from  me  and  have  been  dis- 
appointed, not  [only]  in  Tennessee  but  throughout 
the  Union,  have  taken  ground  &  led  ofif  in  favour  of 
Gen'l  Taylor.  They  have  no  higher  object  than  to 
have  another  chance  for  getting  an  office  if  he  should 
be  elected. 

3rd,  Another  cause  of  the  result  in  Tennessee,  [is] 
the  over-confidence  of  the  Democratic  party  in  their 
strength,  and  the  consequent  failure  to  make  the 
proper  exertion  in  the  late  contest. 

Tuesday,  Ijth  August,  l84'/.—  Beiort  the  hour 
for  the  meeting  of  the  Cabinet  to-day  Senator  Ben- 
ton called.     He  returned  to  Washington  from  the 


1347]  JAAIES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  121 

West,  he  informed  me,  two  or  three  days  ago.  After 
some  general  conversation  of  a  pleasant  character 
he  introduced  the  subject  of  the  ditBculty  between 
Col.  Fremont  (his  son-in-law)  and  Gen'l  Kearney 
in  California.  He  remarked  that  he  had  some  time 
ago  addressed  a  letter  to  the  Adj't  Gen'l  demanding 
that  Col.  Fremont  should  be  recalled  and  a  Court  of 
Inquiry  organized  in  his  case,  as  due  to  the  Col's 
honour  &  military  character.  I  replied  that  I  had 
read  his  communication,  but  that  it  had  not  been 
deemed  necessary  to  take  any  action  upon  it.  I  told 
him  that  there  had  been  some  difficulty  between  the 
officers  in  California,  which  I  much  regretted,  and 
that  I  had  hoped  it  might  not  be  necessary  to  insti- 
tute any  trial  by  a  Court  Martial.  I  also  made  a 
general  remark  to  the  effect  that  I  had  not  deemed 
it  necessary  to  do  so.  Gen'l  Benton  to  this  re- 
marked in  substance,  I  am  glad  to  hear  from  you. 
Sir,  as  President  of  the  U.  States,  that  there  has 
been  nothing  in  Col.  Fremont's  conduct  which  re- 
quires a  Court  Martial  in  his  case.  I  instantly  said 
to  him  that  he  must  not  understand  me  as  expressing 
any  opinion  in  reference  to  the  difficulty  which  had 
arisen  between  Col.  Fremont,  Gen'l  Kearney,  & 
Commodore  Stockton  in  California;  but  that  what 
I  meant  to  say  was  that  I  hoped  that  the  difficulty 
upon  the  arrival  of  the  instructions  of  the  5th  of  No- 
vember last  had  been  settled,  that  they  would  act  in 
harmony  in  carrying  out  the  views  of  the  Govern- 
ment, and  that  it  might  not  be  necessary  to  institute 
proceedings  by  a  Court  Martial  in  reference  to  the 
matter,  &  that  I  desired  to  avoid  doing  so  if  it  could 


122  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [17  Aug. 

be  done.  To  this  Gen'l  Benton  said  there  was  of 
course  no  commitment  on  my  part.  I  told  him  cer- 
tainly not,  that  if  proceedings  by  Court  Martial  did 
take  place,  I  would,  in  a  certain  contingency,  have 
to  act  officially,  and  ought  not  &  could  not  with  pro- 
priety decide  or  express  an  opinion  in  advance  in 
reference  to  the  matter.  He  said  he  did  not  desire 
me  to  have  anything  to  do  with  it,  unless  it  should 
come  regularly  before  me  for  my  official  action;  that 
he  had  addressed  his  communication  demanding  a 
Court  Martial  to  the  adj't  Gen'l,  and  not  to  the  Sec- 
retary of  War  or  the  President,  that  he  had  done  so 
purposely  that  the  case  might  take  the  usual  course, 
according  to  military  usage  &  law.  He  then  re- 
marked that  he  was  a  Senator  &  I  was  President,  & 
that  each  would  act  officially  in  his  place,  without 
reference  to  any  former  friendships  between  us;  and 
added  he  should  introduce  a  resolution  into  the  Sen- 
ate institution  [instituting]  a  full  investigation  into 
this  w^hole  California  business.  I  answered  him 
with  some  spirit  that  so  far  as  the  administration  was 
concerned  I  had  nothing  to  fear  from  the  most 
searching  investigation,  and  indeed  that  [I]  would 
court  such  an  investigation  as  he  proposed  to  insti- 
tute. He  remarked  that  he  did  not  propose  it  in 
reference  to  the  conduct  of  the  administration,  but 
that  investigations  before  Courts  Martial  were  tech- 
nical and  limited,  but  in  the  Senate  they  could  be 
broad  &  full  &  embrace  transactions  &  matters  which 
a  Court  Martial  could  not  take  cognizance  of.  I  re- 
peated that  I  could  have  no  objection  to  the  fullest 
and  broadest  investigation  which  might  be  instituted. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  t^i 

He  said  such  investigations  were  usual  in  the  Brit- 
tish  Parliament,  where  all  matters  could  be  spread 
before  the  public.  I  then  said  to  Gen'l  Benton  that 
he  could,  if  he  wished,  have  access  to  all  the  official 
correspondence  between  the  War  &  Navy  Depart- 
ments with  Com.  Stockton  &  Gen'l  Kearney,  and  to 
all  the  records  of  the  action  of  those  Departments  in 
relation  to  difficulty  which  had  occurred  between 
our  officers  in  California.  I  told  him  that  I  thought 
he  ought  to  see  them  before  he  took  action  in  relation 
to  the  Court  of  Enquiry,  &  that  I  desired  that  he 
should  do  so  if  he  desired  it.  I  told  him  that  every 
facility  would  be  afforded  him  at  the  War  &  Navy 
Departments  for  that  purpose,  if  he  desired  to  do  so. 
He  thanked  me.  He  was  evidently  much  excited, 
but  suppressed  his  feelings  and  talked  in  a  calm  tone. 
While  we  were  conversing  on  the  subject,  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan came  in  &  shortly  afterwards  Mr.  Johnson, 
&  the  conversation  ceased.  Gen'l  Benton  retired  & 
I  communicated  what  had  occurred  to  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan &  Mr.  Johnson,  and  whilst  I  was  doing  so 
Mr.  Mason  came  in,  and  afterwards  Mr.  Clifford. 
This  was  the  regular  day  for  the  meeting  of  the 
Cabinet;  all  the  members  present  except  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Treasury,  who  is  still  absent  from  the 
City,  &  the  Secretary  of  War,  who  is  confined  to  his 
house  by  sickness. 

I  submitted  to  the  Cabinet  whether  more  volun- 
teers should  be  called  out  for  the  Mexican  War.  The 
situation  of  Gen'l  Scott's  army  &  the  whole  subject 
was  fully  considered.  Each  member  of  the  Cabinet 
present  individually  expressed  his  opinion  that  the 


124  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIAR^  [17  Aug. 

additional  force  should  be  called  out.     Of  the  50,- 

000  volunteers  authorized  by  the  act  of  May,  1846, 
there  remains  6,000  who  have  not  been  at  any  time 
during  the  war  called  into  the  service.  The  Cabinet 
advised  me  to  call  for  this  force.  I  concurred  in  the 
opinion  that  it  would  be  prudent  to  do  so.  The 
state  of  the  Treasury  to  meet  the  additional  expense 
was  mentioned,  &  after  a  short  conversation,  in 
which  the  opinion  was  expressed  that  there  could  be 
no  doubt  on  that  point,  I  remarked  that  I  would  send 
for  Mr.  McClintock  Young,  the  Chief  Clerk  &  act- 
ing Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  and  inquire  of  him  on 
the  subject,  in  order  to  be  perfectly  sure.  I  did  so, 
&  Mr.  Young  called.  He  represented  that  a  con- 
siderable part  of  the  loan  had  not  been  called  for,  & 
that  the  receipts  at  N.  York  had  been  very  large 
lately,  and  that  the  Treasury  was  in  good  condition. 

1  requested  Mr.  Young  to  furnish  me  with  a  state- 
ment of  the  available  means  in  the  Treasury  &  also 
with  the  balance  unexpended  of  the  appropriations 
for  the  War  Department,  and  especially  under  the 
head  of  the  Pay,  Quarter  Master's,  &  Subsistence 
Departments.  He  said  he  would  do  so  on  to-morrow 
morning. 

Mr.  Buchanan  informed  me  that  he  had  received 
from  the  Charge  d'afifairs  of  Brazil  the  instructions 
sent  by  that  Government  disavowing  the  settlement 
made  by  their  Minister,  Mr.  Lisboa,  with  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan, in  relation  to  the  imprisonment  of  Lieut. 
Davis  &  two  sailors  of  the  U.  S.  Navy  by  the  Brazil- 
ian authorities  at  Rio  de  Janeiro.  Mr.  Buchanan 
read  a  translation  of  the  instructions.     The  subject 


1847]  "  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  125 

was  discussed  &  it  was  agreed  by  the  Cabinet  that 
Mr.  Buchanan  should  prepare  an  answer. 

This  was  reception  evening.  A  number  of  per- 
sons, ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

Wednesday,  i8th  August,  184J. —  Shortly  after 
I  entered  my  office  this  morning  Mr.  Buchanan 
called  &  informed  me  that  he  had  called  to  see  Gov. 
Marcy,  Secretary  of  War,  last  night,  and  that  from 
what  the  Secretary  of  War  had  said  he  had  some 
apprehensions  that  the  appropriations  for  the  War 
Department  might  not  hold  out  until  the  meeting  of 
Congress,  if  the  additional  volunteer  force[s]  agreed 
in  Cabinet  on  yesterday  to  be  called  out,  were  called. 
This  struck  me  with  great  astonishment,  and  [I]  at 
once  said  that  this  could  not  be  possible,  for  the  ap- 
propriations had  been  made  for  the  fiscal  year,  which 
would  not  end  until  the  30th  of  June,  1848.  I  said  to 
him,  however,  that  Mr.  Young,  the  acting  Sec.  of  the 
Treasury,  as  he  knew,  would  Report  to  me  this  morn- 
ing. About  10  O'clock  the  Secretary  of  War  sent  his 
messenger  to  inform  me  that  he  was  better,  but  was 
very  feeble,  &  that  he  would  leave  to-day  at  12 
O'clock  for  New  York  &  desired  to  see  me  before  he 
left.  He  had  informed  me  some  days  ago  that  as  soon 
as  he  was  able  he  would  go  to  the  North  for  the  ben- 
efit of  his  health  and  to  see  his  mother,  who  was  in 
bad  health.  I  went  immediately  to  his  house,  & 
found  him  quite  feeble,  but  still  he  thought  himself 
able  to  travel.  I  told  him  that  I  would  appoint  Mr. 
Mason,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  the  acting  Secre- 
tary of  War  during  his  absence  from  the  seat  of 


126  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i8  Aug. 

Government,  to  which  he  agreed.  I  informed  him 
of  what  Mr.  Buchanan  had  told  me  of  his  conver- 
sation with  him  last  evening,  in  relation  to  the  ap- 
propriations for  the  War  Department,  &  expressed  to 
him  my  surprise  that  there  should  be  any  deficiency, 
if  the  fact  was  so,  in  the  second  month  of  the  pres- 
ent fiscal  year.  He  replied  that  Mr.  Buchanan  had 
probably  not  understood  him,  &  expressed  the  opin- 
ion that  there  would  be  no  deficiency  before  the 
meeting  of  Congress.  I  enquired  particularly  about 
the  appropriations  for  the  Quarter  Master's  Depart- 
ment. He  replied  that  the  appropriations  were  12 
or  13  millions,  and  that  he  had  signed  requisitions, 
he  thought,  for  about  6  millions.  I  then  asked  him 
his  opinion  about  calling  out  6,000  additional  Vol- 
unteers, and  informed  him  of  the  views  of  the  Cab- 
inet as  expressed  on  yesterday.  He  concurred  in 
opinion  that  they  should  be  called  out.  I  returned 
to  my  office  &  sent  for  Judge  Mason  &  appointed 
him  acting  Secretary  of  the  Navy  [of  War].  I  re- 
quested Judge  Mason,  on  taking  charge  of  the  War 
Department,  to  examine  the  amount  of  unexpended 
appropriations  under  each  head  of  the  app[rop]ria- 
tion,  &  to  ascertain  the  probable  expenditure  per 
month,  if  the  6,000  additional  Volunteers  were 
called  out.  After  he  left  Mr.  Young,  the  acting 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  [called]  and  submitted 
to  me  a  statement  of  the  condition  of  the  Treasury, 
from  which  it  appeared  that  there  was  now  available 
between  9  &  10  millions  of  dollars,  inclusive  of  the 
balance  of  the  loan  not  yet  called  in.  He  submitted 
also  a  statement  of  balances  of  appropriations  for 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  127 

the  War  Department  which  remained  unexpended. 
I  was  astounded  when  I  saw  the  amount  which  had 
been  expended  in  the  Quarter-Master's  and  Com- 
missaries' Departments,  and  had  great  apprehensions 
that  the  balances  remaining  would  not  last  until  the 
meeting  of  Congress.  I  immediately  sent  for  Judge 
Mason,  the  acting  Secretary  of  War,  and  gave  him 
the  information  I  had  received.  He  informed  me 
that  he  had  called  on  the  Bureau  &  Clerks  in  the 
War  Department  for  a  statement  of  the  amount  of 
expenses  under  each  head  and  of  the  balance  re- 
maining of  the  appropriations  for  the  present  fiscal 
Year,  and  was  surprised  to  find  that  there  was  no 
balance  sheet,  such  as  was  kept  in  the  Navy  Depart- 
ment, which  would  show  at  a  glance  the  informa- 
tion which  was  wanted.  He  said  he  could  obtain 
the  information  at  the  2nd  Comptroller's  Office  but 
that  each  Department  should  keep  its  own  accounts, 
as  was  done  in  the  Navy  Department,  as  a  check 
upon  the  accounting  officers  of  the  Treasury.  The 
greatest  confusion  and  largest  expenditure  is  in 
the  Quarter  Master's  Department.  Gen'l  Jesup,  the 
Head  of  that  Bureau,  is,  I  learn,  absent  from  the 
City.  He  is  wholly  unfit  for  his  place.  I  sent  for 
Gen'l  Gibson,  the  Commissary  Gen'l,  and  conversed 
with  him  on  the  subject.  I  am  greatly  troubled 
upon  the  subject.  I  had  not  given,  as  I  could  not 
give,  my  personal  attention  to  these  expenditures, 
but  took  if  [it]  for  granted  that  the  Secretary  of 
War  had  kept  an  eye  to  them,  and  that  all  was  right. 
I  have  serious  apprehensions  that  the  appropriations 
for  the  Quartermaster's   Department  may  not  last 


128  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [19  Aug. 

until  the  meeting  of  Congress.  The  Secretary  of 
War,  I  suppose,  has  been  so  much  occupied  with 
other  duties  that  he  has  not  looked  to  the  expendi- 
tures. I  requested  Judge  Mason  to  write  to  Genl 
Jesup  to  return  immediately  to  Washington.  I  will 
put  a  check  upon  him,  and  hereafter  give  all  the 
attention  to  his  operations  which  I  possibly  can, 
in  the  midst  of  my  other  constant  &  most  respon- 
sible duties.  The  truth  is  that  Gen'l  Jesup  and 
some  others  of  the  subordinate  officers  are  wholly 
reckless  and  seem  to  act  as  though  he  [they]  had  no 
responsibility. 

Thursday,  igth  August,  184J. —  Judge  Mason, 
the  Acting  Secretary  of  War,  called  over  this  morn- 
ing &  again  expressed  his  astonishment  at  the  large 
expenditures  which  had  taken  place  in  the  Quarter 
master's  Department,  &  [said]  that  unless  a  check 
was  put  upon  Gen'l  Jesup  the  whole  fund  appro- 
priated by  Congress  for  the  fiscal  year  commencing 
on  the  I  St  of  July  last,  w^ould  not  last  more  than 
a  month  longer.  I  told  him  a  check  must  be  put 
upon  his  reckless  extravagance.  I  directed  him  to 
write  immediately  by  Telegraph  to  Gen'l  Jesup  at 
New  York,  where  I  understand  he  is,  ordering  him 
immediately  to  Washington.  None  of  his  clerks 
seem  to  be  able  to  give  any  explanation  of  the  ex- 
traordinary development  of  the  probable  deficiency 
of  his  funds,  and  I  will  upon  his  return  require  him 
to  explain  it  &  hold  him  to  a  strict  accountability. 
Judge  Mason  informed  me  that  in  case  of  necessity 
there  were  yet  unexpended  about  a  million  &  an  half 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  129 

of  the  Mexican  hostility  fund,  which  had  been  as- 
signed to  the  Navy  Department,  being  a  part  of  the 
10  millions  appropriated  by  Congress  in  May,  1846, 
which  he  could  transfer  to  the  War  Department. 
This  relieved  me  somewhat,  as  it  may  enable  me  to 
avoid  calling  Congress  together,  though  it  does  not 
excuse  Gen'l  Jesup.  It  is  possible,  &  I  think  it  can- 
not be  otherwise,  that  the  large  amts.  drawn  from 
the  Treasury  by  the  Quarter  Master's  Department 
may  be  in  the  hands  of  disbursing  officers  at  New 
Orleans  and  elsewhere,  and  may  not  have  been  ex- 
pended. I  hope  it  may  turn  out  to  be  so.  It  is,  I 
think,  impossible  that  so  large  an  amt.  can  have  been 
expended  in  so  short  a  time.  When  Gen'l  Jesup  ar- 
rives he  will  be  able  to  explain  how  the  matter 
stands.  The  accounts  are  badly  kept  in  his  office,  or 
his  clerks  would  be  able  to  give  more  satisfactory 
explanations  of  their  actual  condition.  The  funds 
appropriated  by  Congress  on  every  head  or  branch 
of  the  service,  except  the  Quarter  master's,  &  per- 
haps the  Commissary's,  are  more  than  sufficient  to 
last  until  after  the  meeting  of  Congress.  This  sub- 
ject gives  me  great  anxiety.  I  have  postponed  mak- 
ing a  call  for  additional  volunteers  until  I  can  see 
Gen'l  Jesup,  and  learn  more  satisfactorily  the  con- 
dition of  the  State  of  the  funds  of  the  Quarter  mas- 
ter's Department. 

Gen'l  Benton  called  to-day  to  introduce  Col. 
Campbell  of  St.  Louis.  He  was  pleasant  and  agree- 
able. I  mention  this  because  after  my  conversation 
with  him  on  tuesday  last  (See  this  diary  of  that  day) 
I  was  not  certain  how  this  would  be.     I   handed 


130  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [20  Aug. 

to  Gen'l  Benton  a  letter  which  had  been  addressed 
to  him  by  Col.  Fremont  and  which  was  handed  to 
me  by  Kit  Carson  on  the  8th  of  June  last.  Mrs. 
Fremont  had  written  to  me  from  Missouri  request- 
ing me  to  return  the  letter. 

I  opened  my  office  at  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  to-day  for 
the  reception  of  company.  Several  persons,  male 
and  female,  called.  Some  of  them  as  usual  were 
office  seekers. 

Friday,  20th  August,  1847. —  Judge  Mason,  the 
acting  Secretary  of  War,  called  to-day  and  commu- 
nicated to  me  a  Report  from  the  2nd  Comptroller 
of  the  Treasury,  shewing  the  balances  of  appropria- 
tions remaining  unexpended  for  the  War  Depart- 
ment for  the  present  fiscal  year.  This  Report  I  had 
called  for  two  days  ago,  and  especially  as  related  to 
the  Quarter  master's  and  Commissary's  Depart- 
ment[s].  It  exhibited  an  astonishingly  large  amt. 
in  these  two  Departments  as  having  been  drawn  from 
the  Treasury  within  the  last  two  months.  An  ex- 
planation from  Gen'l  Jesup,  the  Quarter  master 
General,  is  indispensible.  This  matter  continues  to 
give  me  great  anxiety.  Gen'l  Jesup  has  not  yet  re- 
turned to  Washington,  but  has  been  addressed  at 
New  York  by  telegraph  requiring  his  immediate 
presence  here.  I  disposed  of  much  business  on  my 
table  to-day.  I  was  frequently  inter[r]upted  by 
calls  through  the  day.  I  saw  and  transacted  business 
with  several  of  the  public  officers.  At  2  O'Clock 
P.  M.  I  opened  my  office  for  the  reception  of  visit- 
ors.    Many  persons  called,  but  none  of  them  had 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  131 

any  business  of  more  importance  than  to  solicit  me 
for  ofHce. 

This  being  reception  evening,  quite  a  number  of 
persons,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  called. 

I  saw  McClintock  Young,  chief  Clerk  and  acting 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  to-day,  and  directed 
him  to  write  to  Robt.  J.  Walker,  Esqr.,  the  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury,  informing  him  that  I  deemed  it  im- 
portant that  he  should  return  to  the  Seat  of  Govern- 
ment at  his  earliest  convenience.  The  prudent 
management  of  the  finances  require[s]  it. 

Saturday,  2Ist  August,  1847. —  The  Cabinet  met 
at  the  usual  hour,  all  the  members  present  except  the 
Secretaries  of  the  Treasury  and  of  War,  who  are 
both  absent  from  the  City  for  the  benefit  of  their 
health.  I  explained  to  the  Cabinet  the  unexpected 
embarrassment  which  had  come  to  my  knowledge 
since  the  last  meeting,  in  relation  to  the  exhausted 
state  of  the  funds  in  the  Quarter  master's  Depart- 
ment, and  that  for  that  reason  I  had  postponed  mak- 
ing the  call  for  additional  volunteers,  as  the  Cabinet 
had  decided  would  be  proper  at  their  last  meeting. 
The  subject  was  discussed,  and  all  were  surprised 
at  the  enormous  amount  which  had  been  drawn  from 
the  Treasury  within  the  last  two  months.  Judge 
Mason  informed  me  that  Gen'l  Jesup,  the  Quarter 
Master  Gen'l,  had  returned  to  Washington,  and  had 
informed  him  this  morning  that  a  large  amnt.  which 
had  been  drawn  from  the  Treasury  was  yet  unex- 
pended in  the  hands  of  disbursing  officers  at  New 
Orleans  &  in  Mexico.     There  being  nothing  else  of 


132  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [21  Aug. 

importance  before  the  Cabinet  I  immediately  sent 
for  Gen'l  Jesup,  that  I  might  receive  his  explana- 
tion in  person.  All  the  members  of  the  Cabinet  re- 
tired except  Judge  Mason,  the  acting  Secretary  of 
War.  Gen'l  Jesup  called.  I  exhibited  to  him  the 
2nd  comptroller's  Report  received  on  yesterday, 
showing  the  very  large  amounts  which  he  had  drawn 
from  the  Treasury,  and  the  comparatively  small  sum 
appropriated  for  the  Quarter  master's  Department 
which  yet  remained  in  the  Treasury,  and  asked  an 
explanation.  He  stated  that  on  the  ist  day  of  the 
present  month  there  was  unexpended  in  the  hands 
of  Quarter  masters  at  New  Orleans  &  in  Mex- 
ico upwards  of  four  millions  of  Dollars,  and  after 
the  expenditures  of  the  present  month  were  made 
there  would  still  be  in  their  hands  a  large  sum.  I 
enquired  of  him  why  so  large  a  sum  had  been  placed 
in  their  hands  at  one  time  &  so  long  before  it  was 
needed.  He  stated  that  Gen'l  Scott  had  estimated 
that  he  would  require  for  his  line  of  operations 
alone  a  million  of  Dollars  per  month,  and  that  he 
had  placed  the  funds  where  they  would  be  available 
to  meet  the  requisitions  from  the  army  in  Mexico. 
I  then  told  Gen'l  Jesup  that  I  had  contemplated 
calling  out  5,000  additional  volunteers,  but  that  dur- 
ing his  absence  from  Washington,  upon  discovering 
the  exhausted  state  of  his  funds,  I  had  postponed 
doing  so  until  he  could  return  to  Washington  and 
give  an  explanation  of  the  matter.  I  told  him  that 
on  applying  to  the  subordinate  officers  of  his  De- 
partment in  his  absence,  they  could  give  no  explana- 
tion of  the  matter,  and  expressed  to  him  my  sur- 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  133 

prise  that  the  accounts  were  kept  in  such  way  that  his 
books  would  not  at  all  times  show  the  amount  of  ap- 
propriations &  expenditures  under  each  distinct 
head.  He  said  this  could  be  learned  at  the  2nd 
Comptroller's  office.  I  replied  that  each  Depart- 
ment should  be  a  check  upon  the  other,  and  that  the 
accounts  of  the  Navy  Department  were  so  kept  as 
to  show  at  a  glance  the  information  which  I  had  in 
vain  sought  to  obtain  from  his  office.  I  then  told 
him  that  I  wished  to  know  whether,  if  I  called  out 
5,000  additional  Volunteers,  he  would  have  funds 
enough  in  the  Quarter  master's  Department  to  de- 
fray expenses  of  the  army  with  this  additional  force 
until  after  the  meeting  of  Congress  in  December 
next.  He  replied  that  he  would  by  making  con- 
tracts to  be  paid  after  that  time.  He  said  there  was 
an  exception  in  the  act  of  1820  which  prohibited  such 
contracts  as  a  general  rule,  by  which  the  Quarter 
master  Gen'l  might  make  such  contracts.  I  told  him 
I  would  not,  unless  in  a  case  of  great  emergency, 
sanction  such  contracts  in  advance  of  appropriations 
made  by  Congress,  by  which  the  faith  of  the  Govern- 
ment would  be  pledged.  He  said  that  Congress  had 
cut  down  and  reduced  his  estimates  for  his  Depart- 
ment at  its  last  session,  and  appropriated  much  less 
than  he  had  asked  for.  I  asked  him,  if  a  million  of 
Dollars  of  the  10  millions  appropriated  for  Mexican 
hostilities  in  May,  1846,  was  transferred  from  the 
Navy  Department  to  the  Quarter  master's  service, 
if  the  funds  of  his  Department  would  last  until  after 
the  meeting  of  the  next  Session  of  Congress.  He 
said  he  thought  the  fund  would  be  sufficient  to  do  so. 


134  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [22  Aug. 

I  then  told  him  that  I  desired  before  I  made  a  call 
for  additional  volunteers  to  know  certainly  that 
there  would  be  no  deficiency  of  funds  in  his  Depart- 
ment, and  directed  him  to  examine  the  subject  &  Re- 
port to  me.  I  told  him  to  base  his  Report  upon  the 
number  of  troops  now  in  the  field  and  an  addition 
to  that  number  of  5  Regiments,  say  4,500  men.  I 
told  him  that  I  would  not  call  for  this  additional 
force  until  I  received  his  Report.  Gen'l  Jesup  is 
a  gallant  officer,  but  I  consider  him  unfit  for  the 
office  of  Quarter  master  General. 

I  was  engaged  during  the  afternoon  in  disposing 
of  the  business  on  my  table. 

After  night  my  brother,  Wm.  H.  Polk,  came  in, 
having  just  returned  from  his  visit  to  Tennessee. 
He  informed  me  that  my  nephew,  Sam'l  P. 
Walker,  and  my  niece,  Jane  Barnett,  and  her  hus- 
band had  accompanied  him  from  Tennessee  &  had 
stopped  at  Coleman's  Hotel.  My  brother  took  up 
his  quarters  at  the  President's  house. 

Sunday,  22nd  August,  1847. —  This  morning  I 
sent  my  carriage  to  Coleman's  Hotel  for  my  rela- 
tives, Sam'l  P.  Walker  &  Mr.  &  Mrs.  Barnett,  who 
arrived  last  night  with  my  brother,  Wm.  H.  Polk, 
from  Tennessee,  and  brought  them  to  the  President's 
House,  where  upon  my  invitation  they  took  up  their 
Quarters. 

I  attended  the  first  Presbyterian  church  to-day 
accompanied  by  Mrs.  Polk.  This  afternoon  my 
brother,  William  H.  Polk,  left  for  New  York,  where 
his  wife  is. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  135 

Monday,  23rd  August,  184J. —  The  attorney 
Gen'l  called  this  morning  on  official  business,  and 
after  disposing  of  it  we  entered  into  a  conversation 
about  the  mexican  war.  He  expressed  the  opinion 
strongly  that  I  should  immediately  call  an  additional 
volunteer  force  into  the  field;  and  also  that  if  the 
war  was  not  closed  before  the  meeting  of  Congress, 
it  should  be  prosecuted  with  the  whole  strength  of 
the  nation  if  necessary.  He  was  utterly  opposed  to 
with-drawing  our  forces,  as  destructive  of  National 
character  &  interests,  as  well  as  destructive  of  the 
Democratic  party  &  of  the  administration.  He 
thought  there  was  but  one  course  to  pursue  and  that 
was  to  fight  boldly  through,  holding  all  the  places 
w^e  have  conquered  until  there  is  an  honorable  peace. 
In  this  respect  he  differed  from  the  views  of  Mr. 
Buchanan  as  several  times  expressed  by  him  in  Cab- 
inet. Judge  Mason,  the  acting  Secretary  of  War, 
called  and  held  a  further  conference  with  me  in  rela- 
tion to  the  contemplated  call  on  the  states  for  an 
additional  volunteer  force  of  5  Regiments  of  men. 

I  sent  for  Gen'l  Jesup  and  Gen'l  Gibson,  and  con- 
ferred further  with  them  in  relation  to  the  adequacy 
of  the  funds  in  their  respective  Departments  to  de- 
fray the  expenses  until  after  the  meeting  of  Con- 
gress. They  both  assured  me  that  I  could  safely  call 
forth  the  additional  force  proposed,  and  that  the 
money  on  hand  unexpended  would  be  sufficient  to 
defray  the  additional  expense.  I  am  greatly  vexed 
by  the  looseness  with  which  Gen'l  Jesup  has  kept  an 
account  in  his  office  of  the  funds  for  the  Quarter 
Master's  Department,   and   am   resolved  that  there 


136  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [24  Aug. 

shall  be  a  reform  in  this  respect.  I  disposed  of  much 
business  on  my  table  to-day.  At  2  O'Clock  P.  M. 
I  opened  my  office  for  the  reception  of  visitors. 
Many  persons  called,  most  of  them  seeking  office. 
Among  them  were  several  females  asking  office  for 
their  husbands  &  relations.  The  practice  has  be- 
come quite  common  for  men  to  send  their  wives  to 
importune  me  for  offices  for  them.  I  have  no  offices 
to  confer  without  turning  out  better  persons  than 
those  who  apply,  and  therefore  my  answer  was  a 
very  summary  one.  The  annoyance  to  me  of  the 
loafers  who  hang  about  the  City  teasing  me  for 
office  is  very  great.  Nine  out  of  ten  of  them,  I  have 
reason  to  believe,  are  actually  unworthy. 

I  took  a  ride  on  horseback  in  the  afternoon  with 
my  nephew,  Sam'l  P.  Walker  of  Tennessee,  who  is 
on  a  visit  to  me. 

Tuesday,  24th  August,  184J. —  This  was  the  reg- 
ular day  of  the  meeting  of  the  Cabinet.  The  Sec- 
retaries of  State  &  the  Navy  and  the  Atto.  Gen'l  at- 
tended. The  P.  M.  Gen'l  left  this  morning  for 
New  York  on  official  business  connected  with  his 
Department.  The  Secretaries  of  the  Treasury  and 
of  War  are  still  absent  from  the  City.  About  the 
time  the  members  of  the  Cabinet  present  had  assem- 
bled Gen'l  Jesup,  the  Quarter  master  Gen'l,  called, 
and  I  stepped  into  my  Private  Secretary's  office  & 
saw  him.  He  informed  me  that  on  examination 
with  his  clerks  last  night  &  this  morning  of  the 
accounts  and  records  of  his  office,  he  had  discovered 
that  there  was  of  the  appropriation  for  the  Quarter 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S   DIARY  137 

master's  office  about  Two  millions  of  Dollars  unex- 
pended more  than  he  had  reported  to  me  on  yester- 
day and  on  Saturday.  He  stated  that  this  difference 
of  the  amt.,  as  stated  to  me  on  yesterday  &  Saturday 
&  now,  grew  out  of  the  fact  that  about  Two  millions 
which  had  been  drawn  out  of  the  Treasury  had  not 
yet  reached  the  Disbursing  officers  at  New  Orleans 
and  elsewhere,  but  was  in  transitu,  and  that  he  had 
discovered  this  fact  from  a  private  memorandum 
which  he  had  kept.  I  told  him  that  I  was  aston- 
ished that  the  accounts  of  his  office  were  kept  in 
such  a  manner  that  there  should  be  any  difficulty  at 
any  time  in  ascertaining  the  true  amt.  of  the  appro- 
priations under  each  head  which  had  been  drawn 
from  the  Treasury,  and  in  what  disbursing  officer's 
hands  it  was.  I  told  him  that  I  had  been  for  several 
days  endeavouring  to  as[c]ertain  the  true  condition 
of  the  funds  of  the  Quarter  Master's  Department, 
and  that  it  seemed  to  be  almost  impossible  to  get  the 
true  information.  He  said  that  he  and  one  of  his 
clerks  had  been  absent  from  the  City  when  I  called 
for  the  information.  I  told  him  that  his  books  should 
be  kept  in  such  manner  that  any  one  familiar  with 
accounts  should  be  able  on  inspecting  to  see  at  once 
the  amounts  drawn  from  the  Treasury,  in  whose 
hands  the  funds  were,  and  the  amounts  remaining 
undrawn,  and  should  not  be  left  to  rest  upon  the  per- 
sonal knowledge  of  himself  and  his  clerks,  or  upon 
any  private  memorandum  which  he  might  keep.  He 
said  that  much  of  this  information  could  always  be 
obtained  at  the  2nd  Comptroller's  office.  I  replied 
to  this  that  the  War  &  Navy  Departments  should 


138  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [24  Aug. 

keep  their  own  accounts  in  such  a  manner  as  to  be 
checks  on  the  accounting  officers  of  the  Treasury.  I 
told  him  that  since  I  had  instituted  this  investigation 
I  had  as[c]ertained  that  the  accounts  of  the  Navy  De- 
partment were  so  kept,  and  that  a  balance  sheet  was 
made  out  in  that  Department  at  the  end  of  every 
month  by  each  Head  of  Bureau,  and  laid  on  the  Sec- 
retary's table,  by  which  he  could  at  a  glance  at  any 
time  tell  the  amt.  available  under  each  head  of  appro- 
priation at  the  beginning  of  every  month.  I  told 
him  that  I  learned,  also,  that  the  same  practice  had 
been  followed  in  the  War  Department  until  some 
time  in  the  year  1843,  when  it  had  been  discontinued, 
and  that  to  this  cause  I  attributed  the  great  difficulty 
and  delay  which  had  occurred  in  furnishing  me  with 
the  information  which  I  had  called  for  several  days 
ago.  I  told  him  the  accounts  must  be  so  kept  here- 
after. He  said  he  would  require  more  clerks  in  his 
office  to  do  it.  I  told  him  that  was  comparatively 
a  small  consideration  &  there  must  be  a  reform  in 
this  respect  in  his  office.  Yesterday,  I  informed 
him,  he  had  reported  to  me  the  amt.  of  available 
funds  for  the  Quarter  master's  Department,  and  to- 
day he  had  reported  to  me  two  millions  more,  and 
that  such  looseness  in  the  manner  of  keeping  his  ac- 
counts must  be  corrected  immediately.  I  called 
Judge  Mason  out  of  the  Cabinet  room  into  my  Pri- 
vate Secretary's  office,  and  he  heard  a  part  of  this 
conversation.  On  my  return  to  my  office  I  reported 
to  the  members  of  the  Cabinet  present  the  conversa- 
tion which  I  had  held  with  Gen'l  Jesup,  and  ex- 
pressed strongly  my  dissatisfaction   at  the  state  of 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  139 

things  existing  in  relation  to  the  public  accounts  in 
both  the  War  &  Treasury  Departments.  In  view  of 
all  the  information  we  had  members  of  the  Cabinet 
were  still  of  opinion  that  I  should  call  for  5  addi- 
tional Regiments  of  Volunteers,  as  had  been  agreed 
upon  at  a  former  meeting.  I  ordered  it  to  be  done 
accordingly,  viz.,  i  Regiment  from  Indiana,  2  Regi- 
ments from  Tennessee,  &  2  Regiments  from  Ken- 
tucky, all  to  be  infantry. 

After  the  Cabinet  adjourned  I  sent  for  McClin- 
tock  Young,  Esqr.,  chief  Clerk  of  the  Treasury  De- 
partment, and  informed  [him]  of  what  Gen'l  Jessup 
had  told  me,  but  could  get  no  satisfactory  informa- 
tion from  him.  I  asked  him  if  he  had,  as  I  had  di- 
rected him  a  few  days  ago,  requested  Mr.  Walker, 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  by  Telegraph  to  return 
immediately  to  Washington.  He  said  he  had  done 
[so].  I  directed  him  to  send  another  Telegraphic 
despatch  to  him  forthwith,  and  inform  him  that  I 
desired  his  immediate  return  to  the  Seat  of  Govern- 
ment.    He  left  me  saying  that  he  would  do  so. 

Gen'l  Benton  called  at  3  O'Clock  P.  M.  &  in- 
formed me  that  he  would  leave  this  afternoon  for 
the  West.  I  gave  [him]  a  statement  of  the  unfortu- 
nate collision  between  Gen'l  Scott  &  Mr.  Trist  in 
Mexico,  &  [said]  that  in  consequence  of  it  the  golden 
moment  to  conclude  a  peace  with  Mexico  had  prob- 
ably been  suffered  to  pass,  and  expressed  the  opinion 
that  the  duration  of  the  War  might  be  indeffinite.  I 
informed  him  of  the  amt.  of  force  in  the  field,  and 
of  the  present  condition  of  things,  &  that  I  had  re- 
solved to  call  out  an  additional  force.     He  fully  ap- 


140  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [25  Aug. 

proved  it,  &  advised  that  the  additional  force  should 
be  called  out. 

Wednesday,  2Sth  August,  184J. —  Immediately 
after  breakfast  this  morning,  Gen'l  Jesup,  the  Quar- 
ter Master  General,  called  at  my  office  and  informed 
me  that  he  desired  to  make  a  confidential  communi- 
cation to  me,  but  that  he  desired  me,  after  I  heard  it, 
to  consider  it  as  confidential  or  not.  He  then  w^ent 
on  to  state  that  since  his  conversation  with  me  on 
yesterday,  he  had  been  investigating  and  tracing  the 
two  additional  millions  which  had  been  drawn  from 
the  Treasury  and  had  not  been  expended,  of  which 
he  informed  me  on  yesterday.  He  stated  that  on  the 
17th  of  June  last  Mr.  Young,  the  chief  clerk  of  the 
Treasury  Department,  called  on  him  in  company 
with  Mr.  Corcoran  of  the  banking  house  of  Cor- 
coran &  Riggs,  and  requested  him  to  draw  a  requisi- 
tion on  the  Quarter  Master's  funds  for  Two  Millions 
of  Dollars  to  be  transferred  to  New  Orleans,  and  that 
he  had  done  so,  and  that  in  the  first  statement  he  had 
made  to  me  this  amount  had  not  been  included,  as  it 
had  not  been  paid  over  to  the  Quarter  Master  at 
New  Orleans.  He  stated  that  he  had  not  required 
the  Transfer  to  be  made,  but  had  drawn  the  requisi- 
tion at  the  request  of  the  Treasury  Department  made 
known  to  him  by  Mr.  Young,  the  Chief  Clerk.  He 
stated  that  the  Two  Millions  of  Dollars  had  been 
drawn  out  of  the  Treasury  about  the  17th  of  June 
and  that  on  the  27th  of  July  Four  Hundred  Thou- 
sand Dollars  of  it  had  been  paid  over  to  the  Quarter 
Master  at  New  Orleans,   and   that  the   remaining 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  141 

Sixteen  Hundred  thousand  Dollars  remained  in  the 
hands  of  Corcoran,  or  Corcoran  &  a  Banker  in  New 
York  named  Morgan.  He  stated  further  that  he 
had  learned  that  Five  Hundred  thousand  Dollars 
of  it  would  be  paid  at  New  Orleans  during  this 
month,  which  would  still  leave  Eleven  Hundred 
Thousand  Dollars  in  their  hands.  He  stated  further 
that  these  Bankers  had  been  and  were,  as  he  under- 
stood, using  the  money  in  speculations  in  stocks.  He 
said  he  had  seen  the  2nd  Comptroller,  who  agreed 
with  him  that  this  was  all  wrong.  I  told  him  I  was 
astonished  at  what  he  told  me,  and  that  the  informa- 
tion was  of  such  a  character  that  I  could  not  &  would 
not  regard  [it]  as  confidential,  but  that  I  would,  on 
the  contrary,  cause  the  matter  to  be  immediately  in- 
vestigated. He  said  at  once  that  he  had  no  objection 
to  this  course  and  that  I  could  use  his  name  for  the 
information  which  he  had  given  me.  I  expressed 
in  strong  terms  my  unqualified  disapprobation  of  the 
transaction,  &  my  determination  to  probe  it  to  the 
bottom  forth-with.  Gen'l  Jesup  seemed  to  be  much 
concerned,  &  said  he  may  have  erred  in  drawing  the 
requisition,  but  that  he  had  done  so  at  the  instance 
of  the  Treasury  Department  as  he  had  stated,  and 
that  he  had  obtained  the  information  as  to  the 
use  which  had  been  made  of  the  money  last  evening 
&  had  felt  it  to  be  his  duty  to  communicate  the  facts 
he  had  learned  to  me,  &  leave  it  to  me  to  consider  it 
confidential  or  not.  I  told  him  it  was  the  last  thing 
on  earth  which  should  be  regarded  as  confidential. 
Gen'l  Jesup  left,  and  1  immediately  sent  for  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan and  told  him  all  Gen'l  Jesup  had  communi- 


142  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [25  Aug. 

cated  to  me.  He  was  greatly  surprised  at  it.  I  ex- 
pressed to  him  my  utter  astonishment  at  it,  and  told 
him,  as  the  fact  was,  that  I  had  not  been  so  much 
troubled  since  my  administration  began,  &  that  it 
had  almost  made  me  sick.  I  told  him  that  I  could 
not  rest  until  it  was  investigated  and  explained.  I 
told  him  that  I  had  caused  two  telegraphic  de- 
spatches to  be  sent  to  Mr.  Walker,  the  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury,  within  the  last  two  or  three  days,  re- 
questing his  immediate  return  to  Washington,  but 
that  he  had  not  yet  come ;  but  that  when  he  did  ar- 
rive I  should  communicate  the  whole  matter  to  him 
and  require  an  explanation,  and  that  I  hoped  he 
might  be  able  to  explain  it  satisfactorily.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan concurred  with  me  in  the  determination  I 
had  expressed,  and  in  the  hope  that  the  matter  might 
be  satisfactorily  explained. 

Mr.  Buchanan  then  informed  me  that  he  had  pre- 
pared the  rough  draft  of  a  letter,^  in  answer  to  an 
invitation  which  he  had  received  to  attend  the  Har- 
vest Home  celebration  in  Berks  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, on  Saturday  next,  which  he  wished  to  read  to 
me.  It  was  in  favour  of  the  election  of  the  Demo- 
cratic candidate  for  Governor  (Gov.  Shunk)  and  in 
favour  of  extending  the  Missouri  compromise  line 
on  the  subject  of  slavery  West  to  the  Pacific  ocean, 
over  any  territory  that  the  U.  S.  might  acquire  from 

^  Moore,  Buchanan,  VII,  385.  This  letter  defining  Buchanan's 
position  on  the  question  of  the  disposition  of  the  territory  ac- 
quired from  Mexico  with  respect  to  slavery,  really  constituted  his 
bid  for  the  nomination  of  his  party  for  the  Presidency  in  the  fol- 
lowing year. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  143 

Mexico.  The  trend  of  the  letter  was  to  satisfy 
Northern  Democrats  that  that  Compromise  line 
should  be  adhered  to.  I  made  some  suggestions  to 
him  with  a  view  to  make  it  more  acceptable  to  the 
South.  They  were  not,  however,  very  material,  but 
such  as  to  prevent  his  views  from  being  misunder- 
stood or  misconstrued.  I  do  not  know  whether  he 
will  adopt  my  suggestions  or  not. 

Shortly  after  12  O'Clock  M.  Capt.  Whitfield, 
lately  of  the  army  in  Mexico,  Mr.  Sam'l  Williams 
of  Hickman  County,  Tennessee,  and  one  or  two  oth- 
ers called.  While  they  were  in  my  office  Judge 
Mason  called  &  they  retired  shortly  afterwards. 

I  commenced  telling  Judge  Mason  the  astounding 
disclosures  which  had  been  made  to  me  by  Gen'l 
Jesup  this  morning,  when  Mr.  Robert  J.  Walker,  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  was  announced.  He  had 
returned  in  the  12  O'Clock  train  of  cars  to-day.  His 
health  has  greatly  improved  since  he  left  about  a 
month  ago.  After  some  general  conversation  I  told 
him  I  was  very  glad  he  had  returned;  and  proceeded 
to  detail  to  him  the  vexation  and  trouble  I  had  had 
for  a  week  past  in  endeavouring  to  ascertain  the  state 
of  the  funds  appropriated  by  Congress  for  the  prose- 
cution of  the  Mexican  war,  and  particularly  in  rela- 
tion to  the  appropriations  for  the  Quarter  Master's 
Department,  being  the  same  vexation  and  trouble 
which  is  detailed  &  recorded  in  this  diary  during  the 
past  week  (which  see)  and  informed  him  of  the 
disclosure  which  Gen'l  Jesup  had  made  to  me  to-day, 
&  told  him  I  wished  the  whole  matter  explained.  I 
told  him  that  it  seemed  very  large  sums  of  money  had 


144  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [25  Aug. 

been  drawn  from  the  Treasury  which  had  not  been 
needed  for  disbursement,  and  which;  according  to 
Gen'l  Jesup's  statement  to  me  to-day,  were  in  the 
hands  of  bankers  who  were  using  it  [them]  in  stock 
speculations,  and  that  this  I  could  not  approve.  He 
said  that  he  had  objected  originally  to  make  transfers 
at  all  for  the  War  Department,  but  had  finally 
yielded  &  done  so.  That  he  had  effected  the  trans- 
fers from  New  York  to  New  Orleans  in  several 
modes;  ist,  by  authorizing  Bills  to  be  drawn  at  New 
Orleans  on  New  York,  but  if  these  could  not  be  sold 
at  par,  then,  2nd,  by  having  the  actual  specie  carried 
from  New  York  to  New  Orleans  at  great  risk  & 
expense,  and  3rd,  by  making  arrangements  with 
Capitalists  to  pay  them  the  specie  in  New  York  & 
contracting  with  them  to  place  it  in  New  Orleans 
at  short  dates.  He  said  he  had  spent  sleepless  nights 
on  the  subject  when  the  actual  specie  had  been  sent, 
until  he  heard  of  its  actual  arrival,  and  that  the  3rd 
mode  had  been  the  one  attended  with  less  risk  and 
which  he  had  adopted.  I  remarked  to  him  that 
without  undertaking  to  decide  at  present  whether 
that  mode  was  proper  or  the  best  mode,  it  certainly 
could  not  be  right  to  have  so  large  an  amt.  as  that 
drawn  from  the  Treasury  on  the  17th  of  June  last,  as 
stated  by  Gen'l  Jesup,  for  so  great  a  length  of  time 
out  of  the  Treasury  and  in  the  hands  of  bankers  who 
used  it  (if  such  should  turn  out  to  be  the  fact)  in 
stock  speculations,  or  otherwise  for  their  own  private 
purposes.  He  seemed  to  have  no  distinct  recol- 
lection of  the  requisition  of  two  millions  drawn  from 
the  Treasury  as  long  ago  as  the  17th  of  June  last. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  145 

He  said  the  time  usually  given  was  20,  30,  or  40 
days.  I  told  him  that  1  had  made  to  him  Gen'l 
Jesup's  statement  to  me,  &  that  I  was  greatly  con- 
cerned about  it.  I  told  him  that  I  regarded  it,  in 
the  first  place,  to  be  illegal  to  take  money  out  of  the 
Treasury  and  place  it  in  the  hands  of  individuals 
for  long  periods  for  their  private  use;  and  secondly, 
that  I  hoped  my  administration  would  be  saved  from 
such  an  explosion  as  occurred  in  the  defalcation  of 
Swartout.^  He  said  it  was  necessary  to  resort  to  this 
mode,  &  that  the  guaranty  of  capitalists  rendered  the 
funds  more  secure  than  they  could  be  if  the  actual 
specie  was  transferred  by  a  messenger  or  officer  of 
the  Government.  He  said  if  such  an  explosion  took 
place  he  would  be  blown  higher  than  anybody  else, 
and  made  a  remark,  the  words  used  I  do  not  retain, 
in  reference  to  his  continuing  to  hold  the  office  of 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury.  I  told  him  that  I  made 
no  such  intimation  as  that  he  should  retire,  but  that 
I  desired  the  astounding  disclosure  made  known  to 
me  by  Gen'l  Jesup  this  morning  to  be  immediately 
investigated  &  explained;  and  that  if  it  was  true  that 
Mr.  Corcoran  or  Morgan,  or  both,  had^held  in  their 
hands  $2,000,000  drawn  from  the  Treasury  on  the 
17th  of  June,  and  yet  held  $1,600,000  of  it  in  their 

^  Samuel  Swartwout  of  New  York,  1 783-1856,  was  appointed 
Collector  of  the  Port  of  New  York  by  Jackson,  which  office  he 
held  until  into  Van  Buren's  administration.  His  defalcation  of 
over  a  million  dollars  occasioned  a  great  political  scandal  which 
entered  into  the  Presidential  campaign  of  1840.  An  account  of 
the  affair  is  given  by  Von  Hoist,  Constitutional  and  Political 
History  of  the  United  States,  H,  350-360. 


146  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [25  Aug. 

hands,  that  they  must  forthwith  pay  it  over.  I  told 
him  that  the  thing  was  wholly  wrong  in  itself  and 
that  I  had  had  no  knowledge  of  any  such  transaction 
having  been  made  at  the  time;  that  I  could  not  rest 
easy  while  the  matter  remained  in  its  present  condi- 
tion; that  bankers  were  rich  to-day  and  poor  to-mor- 
row, &  might  blow  up,  honestly  or  dishonestly,  any 
day,  and  that  the  money  they  held  must  be  forthwith 
paid  over.  He  said  he  had  never  made  such  ar- 
rangements except  when  the  War  Department 
wished  funds  transferred.  I  repeated  to  him  Gen'l 
Jesup's  statement  to  me.  He  said  if  he  abandoned 
this  mode  of  transfer  it  would  derange  the  money 
market,  produce  a  pressure,  bring  the  Independent 
Treasury  into  odium,  &  greatly  diminish  the  receipts 
of  revenue  at  the  Custom-houses.  I  told  him  the 
first  duty  of  the  Government  was  to  execute  the  law 
as  it  was,  and  that  no  money  should  ever  be  drawn 
from  the  Treasury  except  as  it  was  needed  for  public 
use,  and  when  it  was  to  be  disbursed  at  distant  points 
from  those  at  which  it  had  accumulated  it  should  be 
drawn  out  only  a  sufficient  time  in  advance  to  make 
the  transfer  of  it  to  the  place  where  it  was  foreseen 
it  would  be  wanted.  I  told  him  I  could  not  con- 
ceive anything  to  justify  the  drawing  so  large  [an] 
amt.  from  the  Treasury  and  suffering  it  to  remain  for 
more  than  two  months  in  the  hands  of  individuals. 
The  conversation  continued  for  a  considerable  time, 
Judge  Mason  being  present  and  hearing  it  all. 
Finally  I  repeated  to  Mr.  Walker  my  request  that  he 
would  immediately  investigate  the  matter  &  Report 
to  me  on  the  subject.     The  matter  troubles  me  very 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  147 

greatly.  The  President  of  the  U.  S.  is  compelled  by 
his  other  indispensible  duties  to  leave  the  perform- 
ance of  all  these  details  to  the  Departments  and  their 
subordinate  officers  charged  with  them,  and  cannot 
possibly  give  them  his  personal  attention.  I  had 
every  confidence  that  all  was  right  and  that  this 
branch  of  the  service  was  going  on  in  the  usual  & 
legal  way,  until  the  events  and  developments  of  the 
past  week,  and  especially  that  made  to  me  by  Gen'l 
Jesup  this  morning,  have  awakened  my  suspicions 
that  all  may  not  be  right.  I  am  resolved  to  have  an 
immediate  &  searching  scrutiny  into  the  whole  mat- 
ter. Mr.  Mason,  the  acting  Secretary  of  War,  read 
to  me  requisitions  which  he  had  prepared  on  the 
Governor  of  Indiana  for  one  Regiment  of  Infantry; 
on  the  Gov.  of  Tennessee  for  tw^o  Regiments  of  In- 
fantry; and  on  the  Gov.  of  Kentucky  for  two  Regi- 
ments of  Infantry.  Mr.  Walker  approved  the  reso- 
lution of  the  Cabinet  made  in  his  absence  to  call  for 
this  additional  Volunteer  force. 

Thursday,  2dth  August,  1847.— Tht  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury  called  this  morning  and  introduced 
a  friend.  He  informed  me  that  he  was  causing  the 
investigation  to  be  made,  which  I  directed  on  yes- 
terday, and  would  report  to  me  soon.  I  told  him 
that  I  was  impatient  to  have  the  Report,  as  I  desired 
to  learn  the  true  condition  of  the  public  money  which 
had  been  drawn  from  the  Treasury  by  the  war  De- 
partment, and  especially  for  the  service  of  the  Quar- 
ter master's  Department.  I  told  him  I  wished  to 
learn  in  whose  hands  such  portions  of  it  as  had  not 


148  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [27  Aug. 

been  expended  was,  and  how  long  it  had  been  in 
their  hands  (see  this  Diary  of  yesterday).  He  said 
that  no  transfer  of  funds  had  been  directed  by  the 
Treasury  Dept.  for  the  service  of  the  War  Dept. 
except  upon  the  solicitation  and  request  of  the  latter 
Dept.  I  told  him  I  wished  to  see  the  Official  Report 
of  the  whole  matter. 

I  transacted  business  with  Judge  Mason  relating 
both  [to]  the  War  and  Navy  Departments  to-day. 
I  saw  other  officers  on  official  business.  I  also  trans- 
acted much  business,  chiefly  of  details,  on  my  table. 
I  saw  company  at  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  A  large  num- 
ber of  persons  called,  seeking  office  as  usual.  Among 
others,  three  females  called.  One  of  them  had  an 
infant  in  her  arms,  which  she  said  she  called  James 
K.  Polk.  She  asked  me  for  a  present  for  the  child. 
I  gave  her  a  half-eagle.  The  other  two  wanted  pres- 
ents also. 

Maj'r  Gen'l  Patterson  called  on  yesterday.  He  is 
on  his  way,  under  orders  from  the  War  Department, 
for  the  seat  of  War  in  Mexico. 

Friday,  2Jth  August,  184J, —  My  brother,  Wm. 
H.  Polk,  and  his  wife,  arrived  this  morning  &  took 
lodgings  in  the  President's  House. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  called  this  morning 
and  informed  me  that  he  was  busily  at  work  in  hav- 
ing the  Report  prepared  which  I  had  requested  on 
yesterday  and  the  day  preceding.  I  told  him  that 
it  was  strange  to  me  that  the  information  I  wanted 
could  not  be  furnished  in  an  hour  from  the  Books  of 
his  Department.     I  told  him  what  I  most  wished 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  i49 

to  know  was,  how  much  money  had  been  drawn  from 
the  Treasury  upon  the  requisitions  of  the  Quarter 
master's  Department,  when  it  was  drawn,  and  in 
whose  hands  it  was,  and  upon  what  contract  or  ar- 
rangement it  was  held;  &  I  repeated  to  him  the  state- 
ment which  had  been  made  to  me  by  Gen'l  Jesup  on 
monday  last.  Mr.  Walker  presented  a  written  state- 
ment from  Mr.  Young,  his  chief  Clerk,  to  the  effect 
that  no  money  had  been  drawn  from  the  Treasury  on 
account  of  the  War  Dept.  but  upon  a  requisition  of 
that  Department.  I  told  him  that  might  be,  but  still 
that  was  not  information  which  I  had  called  for.  I 
told  him  I  wanted  to  know  upon  what  contract  or 
arrangement  the  $2,000,000,  which  Gen'l  Jesup  had 
informed  me  had  been  drawn  on  the  17th  of  June, 
had  been  made.  I  told  him  I  desired  to  know 
whether  it  or  any  part  of  it  was  in  the  hands  of  Cor- 
coran &  Riggs,  or  any  other  Bankers,  and  if  so  how 
long  it  had  been  in  their  hands,  &  what  amt.  they 
still  held.  I  again  expressed  to  him  my  disapproval 
of  the  transaction  as  it  had  been  communicated  to  me 
by  Gen'l  Jesup,  and  that  I  must  have  an  official  Re- 
port on  the  subject.  I  expressed,  as  [I]  had  done 
on  monday  last  (see  this  diary  of  that  day)  my  ap- 
prehension of  defalcation  under  such  a  practice. 
Late  in  the  evening  Mr.  Walker  addressed  me  a 
communication,  enclosing  one  from  Mr.  Young,  his 
chief  clerk,  purporting  to  give  the  information  in 
part,  but  it  is  not  satisfactory.  To-morrow  I  will 
peremptorily  require  the  report  which  I  have  de- 
manded. 
Judge  Mason,  the  acting  Secretary  of  War,  called 


ISO  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [28  Aug. 

to-day  and  spent  two  or  three  hours  in  my  office  on 
official  business  connected  with  the  War  in  Mexico. 
Whilst  he  was  in  my  office,  Maj'r  Gen'l  Patterson 
called,  and  I  held  a  conversation  with  him  on  the 
same  subject,  Judge  Mason  being  present  and  engag- 
ing in  the  conversation. 

I  opened  my  office  for  company  at  2  O'Clock 
P.  M.  &  but  few  persons  called,  which  is  not  often 
the  case.  I  transacted  much  business  on  my  table 
to-day.  This  was  the  regular  evening  for  receiving 
company  in  the  parlour.  Quite  a  number  of  per- 
sons, ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

Saturday,  28th  August,  1847. —  The  Cabinet  met 
at  the  usual  hour  to-day;  all  the  members  present 
except  the  Secretary  of  War  and  the  Post  Master 
General,  who  are  absent  from  the  city.  The  Sec- 
retary of  the  Treasury  stated  that  the  Report  which 
I  had  required  to  be  made  to  me,  in  relation  to  the 
amt.  of  funds  drawn  from  the  Treasury  on  account 
of  the  War  Department  to  be  transferred  to  New 
Orleans  and  which  had  not  yet  been  paid  over  at 
N.  Orleans,  was  not  yet  completed.  He  stated  that 
$600,000  of  the  $2,000,000  drawn  on  the  requisition 
o'f  the  Quarter  master's  Department  on  the  17th  of 
June  last  remained  yet  to  be  paid  over,  and  that  the 
balance  of  the  original  sum  had  already  been  paid 
over  at  New  Orleans.  He  stated  that  by  the  con- 
tract the  remaining  $600,000  was  to  be  paid  by  Cor- 
coran &  Riggs  on  the  15th  of  September  next,  and 
that  it  would  be  paid  on  that  day.  I  expressed  the 
opinion  that  if  the  mode  of  transfer  adopted  was 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  151 

legal  and  proper,  the  time  given  had  been  too  long 
and  the  amt.  too  large,  for  the  safety  of  the  funds. 
Mr.  [Walker]  Insisted  that  he  had  never  drawn  for 
any  amt.  except  upon  the  requisition  of  the  War 
Department,  and  read  some  communications  to  him 
from  the  War  Department  to  establish  that  fact.  I 
told  him  I  wishe[d]  to  see  the  full  report  when  it 
was  ready,  &  that  my  only  object  in  making  the  en- 
quiry I  had  done  was  to  be  satisfied  that  the  trans- 
action was  legal  and  the  public  money  safe.  Mr. 
Walker  suggested  that  the  legality  of  the  mode  of 
transfer  which  he  had  adopted  had  probably  [bet- 
ter] be  referred  to  the  Atto.  Gen'l  for  his  opinion. 
Mr.  Clifford  suggested  that  as  the  mode  had  already 
been  adopted  and  practiced  upon,  that  his  opinion 
would  be  unnecessary,  and  after  some  conversation 
among  the  members  of  the  Cabinet  it  was  not  insisted 
upon  by  Mr.  Walker.  Mr.  Buchanan  was  clearly 
of  opinion  that  the  mode  of  transfer  which  had  been 
adopted  was  clearly  legal.  The  policy  of  laying  an 
export  duty  on  specie  in  the  ports  of  Mexico  in  our 
military  possession  was  considered,  as  was  also  the 
practicability  of  furnishing  the  army  in  Mexico  with 
specie  by  means  of  Bills  drawn  on  the  U.  States.  It 
was  agreed  that  Mr.  Walker  would  consider  of 
the  subject,  and  Report  at  the  next  meeting  of  the 
Cabinet. 

Mr.  Buchanan  read  a  long  despatch  ^  which  he 
had  prepared  to  the  Charge  d'Affaires  of  Brazil,  on 
the  subject  of  the  imprisonment  of  Lieut.  Davis  and 
three  American  sailors  at  Rio  d'  Janeiro  in  October 

^  Moore,  Buclia?mn,  VII,  388-404. 


152  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [28  Aug. 

last,  and  also  on  the  subject  of  the  complaints  of  the 
Brazilian  Government,  of  the  conduct  of  Mr.  Wise, 
U.  S.  Minister  at  that  Court.  It  was  an  able  paper, 
&  was  approved  by  the  Cabinet. 

A  telegraphic  communication  was  received  from 
Richmond  this  morning,  and  an  official  despatch 
from  Lieut.  Col.  Wilson,  commanding  at  Vera  Cruz, 
dated  on  the  15th  Instant,  announcing  that  Gen'l 
Paredes,  Ex.  President  of  Mexico,  had  arrived  at 
Vera  Cruz  in  the  Brittish  mail  Steamer  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  14th  Instant  in  disguise  &  under  an  as- 
sumed name,  and  had  made  good  his  passage  through 
Vera  Cruz  before  it  was  known  to  the  commander 
or  officers  of  the  U.  S.  forces  that  he  had  been  there. 
This  was  most  unfortunate,  as  the  return  of  Paredes 
to  Mexico  may  protract  the  War. 

Maj'r  Gen'l  Patterson  of  the  U.  S.  army  called  to- 
night, &  I  had  a  further  conversation  with  him  about 
afifairs  in  Mexico. 

I  deeply  regret  to  learn  by  the  despatches  from 
Vera  Cruz  that  Col.  Louis  D.  Wilson  of  N.  C,  com- 
manding the  1 2th  Regiment  of  Infantry,  died  at  that 
place  and  was  interred  on  the  14th  Instant.  He  was 
a  patriotic  and  excellent  man.  He  was  a  patriotic 
&  highly  intelligent  man,  and  was  my  personal 
friend.  He  left  this  City  about  a  month  ago  to  as- 
sume the  command  of  his  Regiment.  I  had  a  full 
and  free  confidential  conversation  with  him  on  the 
subject  of  the  War  &  the  operations  of  the  army  in 
Mexico,  &  gave  him  my  views  fully.  He  was  the 
bearer  of  despatches  to  Gen'l  Scott. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  153 

Sunday,  2gth  August,  184'/. —  I  attended  the  first 
Presbyterian  Church  to-day  accompanied  by  Mrs. 
Polk,  the  wife  of  my  brother,  Wm.  H.  Polk,  and  my 
nephew,  Sam'l  P.  Walker  of  Tennessee. 

Intelligence  reached  the  City  to-day  of  the  sudden 
death  by  apoplexy  of  the  Hon.  Silas  Wright,^  late 
Governor  of  New  York.  He  was  a  great  and  a  good 
man.  At  the  commencement  of  my  administration 
I  tendered  to  him  the  office  of  Secretary  of  the  Treas- 
ury, which  he  declined  to  accept.  I  was  intimate 
with  him  when  he  was  in  Congress.  He  was  my  per- 
sonal and  personal  [political]  friend,  and  I  deeply 
regret  his  death. 

Monday,  30th  August,  184J. —  This  was  a  very 
busy  day.  I  transacted  much  business  with  public 
officers,  and  saw  more  company  than  usual.  Though 
I  did  not  direct  my  office  to  be  open  for  company 
until  2  O'clock  P.  M.,  many  persons  were  intro- 
duced by  public  officers  before  that  hour.  Maj'r 
Emmory  of  the  3rd  Dragoons  notified  the  adjutant 
Gen'l  today  that  he  declined  to  accept  the  office  of 
Major  in  that  Regiment,  being  unwilling  to  relin- 
quish his  commission  in  the  Topographical  En- 
gineers which  was  a  permanent  position,  whereas  the 
3rd  Dragoons  was  [were]  to  be  discharged  from  serv- 
ice at  the  end  of  the  war  with  Mexico.  My  brother, 
Wm.  H.  Polk,  who  has  repeatedly  pressed  me  to  give 
him  a  position  in  the  army,  was  very  desirous  to  be  ap- 
pointed to  the  majority  relinquished  by  Maj'r  Em- 
mory.    Upon  a  full  view  of  the  subject  I  concluded 

^  Died  at  his  home,  Canton,  New  York,  August  27,  1846. 


154  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [31  Aug. 

to  gratify  his  wishes.  He  will  have  to  resign  his 
mission  as  charge  d'affaires  to  Naples,  and  1  will 
commission  him  as  Maj'r  of  Dragoons  on  to-morrow. 
Maj'r  Gen'l  Patterson  called  twice  to-day.  He  will 
leave  for  Vera  Cruz  on  to-morrow,  but  will  be  de- 
tained a  day  or  two  at  Norfolk,  Va.  My  brother 
will  leave  for  Vera  Cruz  to  join  his  Regiment  on 
thursday  next,  and  his  arrangement  is  to  join  Gen'l 
Patterson  at  Petersburg  or  some  other  point  on  the 
route  and  accompany  him  to  Gen'l  Scott's  army. 

Tuesday,  31  st  August,  184J. —  The  Cabinet  met 
at  the  usual  hour  to-day,  all  the  members  present 
except  the  Secretary  of  War,  who  is  still  absent 
from  the  City.  I  submitted  to  the  Cabinet  a  legal 
question  whether  I  possessed  the  power  under  the  act 
of  June  1 8th,  1846,  to  appoint  in  the  recess  of  the 
Senate  the  Staff  of  the  Quarter  master's.  Commis- 
sary's, and  medical  Departments  to  serve  with  the 
new  Regiments  of  Volunteers  lately  called  into  serv- 
ice. The  facts  are  these:  when  the  12  months  vol- 
unteers were  called  out  I  appointed,  with  the  advice 
&  consent  of  the  Senate,  the  requisite  number  of  these 
staff  officers.  When  the  term  of  the  12  months  men 
expired  in  May  or  June  last  (and  since  the  last  ses- 
sion of  the  Senate)  a  portion  of  the  staff  officers  were 
disbanded,  retaining  only  a  sufficient  number  for  the 
Volunteers  at  that  time  in  the  service  for  the  War. 
Since  that  time  several  Regiments  of  Volunteers 
have  been  called  out,  &  the  question  was  whether  I 
could  legally  re-appoint  the  same  officers  of  the  staff, 
having  once  discharged  them,  or  to  appoint  others 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  155 

in  their  place.  Mr.  Walker  and  Mr.  Mason  were 
of  the  opinion  that  they  were  vacancies  happening 
in  the  recess  of  the  Senate,  and  that  I  could  appoint 
them.  Mr.  Clifford  and  Mr.  Buchanan  thought 
otherwise.  Mr.  Johnson  inclined  to  concur  with 
them  in  opinion,  but  advised  me  to  make  the  ap- 
pointments, as  they  were  indispensible  for  the  organ- 
ization of  the  new  Regiments.  I  expressed  the  opin- 
ion, which  I  had  formed  after  careful  examination, 
that  I  possessed  the  power,  but  disliked  to  exer- 
cise [it]  when  my  Cabinet  were  so  equally  divided. 
The  subject  was  fully  discussed,  when  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan said  there  was  in  [his]  mind  some  doubt  on' 
the  subject,  but  the  necessity  for  these  staflf  officers 
was  very  great,  and  therefore  he  advised  me  to  make 
the  appointments.  Mr.  Clifford  said  that  entertain- 
ing his  opinion  he  was  bound  when  called  upon  to 
express  it,  but  that  if  he  entertained  the  opinion 
which  I  had  expressed,  he  would  advise  me  to  make 
the  appointments.  At  one  time  I  intimated  that  I 
would  desire  the  written  opinion  of  the  atto  Gen'l 
before  I  decided,  but  I  reconsidered  in  [the]  further 
progress  of  the  discussion.  Before  the  Cabinet  met, 
Senator  Bagby  had  called  at  my  office  &  I  had  sub- 
mitted the  question  to  him.  He  expressed  the  opin- 
ion that  the  office  still  existed,  had  been  once  filled, 
and  had  become  vacant,  and  he  had  no  doubt  I  had 
the  power  to  fill  it,  subject  to  the  confirmation  of  the 
Senate  at  the  next  Session.  This  was  my  own  opinion 
and  my  only  reason  for  hesitating  grew  out  of  the 
divided  opinion  of  the  Cabinet.  I  finally  concluded 
that  the  public  necessity  for  the  services  of  these  staff 


156  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [31  Aug. 

officers  was  so  great  that  I  would  make  the  appoint- 
ment. Mr.  Buchanan  &  Mr.  Johnson  advised  me  to 
do  it.  Mr.  Walker  and  Mr.  Mason  were  clear  that 
I  was  bound  to  do  so;  and  Mr.  Clifford  repeated  the 
opinion  that  with  my  opinions  he  would  certainly 
do  so,  remarking  at  the  same  time  that  the  opinion  on 
the  question  of  power  which  he  had  expressed  was 
an  off-hand  opinion,  and  not  one  formed  upon  ma- 
ture examination. 

I  next  submitted  to  the  Cabinet  the  propriety  of  is- 
suing positive  orders  to  Gen'l  Scott  to  exact  military 
contributions  [from]  the  Mexicans,  and  especially 
if  he  should  take  and  occupy  the  City  of  Mexico. 
I  stated  that  such  instructions  had  been  heretofore 
given  to  both  Gen'l  Taylor  and  Gen'l  Scott,  but  leav- 
ing to  them  a  discretion  on  the  subject,  and,  as  the 
Cabinet  knew,  neither  of  them  had  made  such  ex- 
actions. I  thought  that  the  orders  to  Gen'l  Scott 
should  now  be  more  peremptory  and  stringent,  and 
that  nothing  should  prevent  him  from  levying  such 
contributions  upon  the  wealthy  inhabitants  of  Mex- 
ico to  defray  the  expenses  of  his  army,  unless  he 
should  find  that  by  adopting  such  a  policy,  his  army 
could  not  be  subsisted.  The  subject  was  discussed. 
Mr.  Buchanan  expressed  some  doubts,  upon  the 
ground  that  the  wealthy  inhabitants  were  under- 
stood to  be  favourable  to  peace  and  that  such  a  policy 
might  make  them  change  their  policy.  I  thought  if 
they  were  made  to  feel  the  burthens  of  the  War  they 
would  be  more  likely  to  be  sincere  in  their  desire  to 
bring  about  a  peace.     The  other  members  of  the 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  157 

Cabinet  concurred  in  the  policy  of  levying  such  con- 
tributions, or,  in  other  words,  in  favour  of  quarter- 
ing upon  the  enemy. 

My  brother,  William  H.  Polk,  was  commissioned 
as  Maj'r  of  the  3rd  Dragoons  to-day,  and  imme- 
diately received  orders  to  proceed  and  join  his 
Regiment,  under  the  command  of  Gen'l  Scott  in 
Mexico. 

This  was  reception  evening.  Many  persons, 
ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

My  brother,  William  H.  Polk,  upon  being  ap- 
pointed Maj'r  of  Dragoons,  resigned  his  mission  to 
the  King  of  the  Kingdom  of  Two  Sicilies. 

Wednesday,  ist  September,  184'/. —  I  was  in  my 
office  as  usual  at  an  early  hour  this  morning.  I  saw 
several  public  officers  and  transacted  public  business 
with  them.  I  disposed  of  much  business  which  had 
accumulated  on  my  table.  I  opened  my  office  at  2 
O'clock  P.  M.  Several  persons  called.  The  busi- 
ness of  most  of  them  was  to  seek  office.  It  was 
known  only  on  yesterday  that  my  brother,  Wm  H. 
Polk,  had  resigned  his  mission  to  Naples  and  ac- 
cepted the  commission  of  Maj'r  of  Dragoons  in  the 
army;  and  to-day  I  had  three  applications  for  his 
place.  My  nephew,  Samuel  P.  Walker,  and  my 
niece,  Jane  Barnett,  and  her  husband,  who  had  been 
in  my  family  for  the  last  ten  days,  left  for  New  York. 

This  was  a  very  busy  day,  in  attending  to  very 
many  details,  and  I  did  not  retire  to  rest  until  a  later 
hour  than  usual. 


158  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [2  Sept. 

Thursday,  2nd  September,  184J. —  At  8 
O'clock  this  morning  my  brother,  Wm  H.  Polk, 
left  for  Vera  Cruz  via  Pensacola  to  join  his  Regi- 
ment as  Major  of  the  3rd  Dragoons.  He  left  his 
wife  with  my  family.  She  will  remain  for  some 
weeks  and  then  return  to  her  friends  in  New  York. 
Judge  Mason,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  and  also 
acting  Secretary  of  War  during  the  absence  of  Judge 
Marcy  from  the  Seat  of  government,  received  infor- 
mation last  night  of  the  dangerous  illness  of  his 
father  in  Virginia,  and  left  by  the  Southern  boat  this 
morning  to  visit  him.  I  appointed  Mr.  Buchanan 
to  be  acting  Secretary  of  War,  and  Mr.  John  Apple- 
ton,  the  chief  clerk  of  the  Navy  Department,  to  be 
acting  Secretary  of  the  Navy.  My  Private  Secre- 
tary, J.  Knox  Walker,  left  this  morning  on  a  visit 
to  the  North.  Mr.  W.  C.  Whitthorne,  a  clerk  in  the 
6th  Auditor's  office,  took  his  place.  Mr.  Whit- 
thorne was  a  law  student  in  my  office  in  Tennessee 
before  I  was  elected  President.  I  was  very  busy  to- 
day. I  opened  my  office  as  usual  at  2  O'Clock,  and 
several  persons  called,  and  all,  I  believe,  were  seeking 
office  either  for  themselves  or  their  friends.  It  is 
very  annoying  to  have  my  time  taken  up  by  such  peo- 
ple. I  sometimes  almost  loose  my  patience  and  good 
temper. 

Friday,  Jrd  September,  184J, —  I  was  much  oc- 
cupied in  my  office  to-day  though  nothing  of  special 
importance  transpired.  During  the  absence  of  the 
Secretary  of  War  much  of  my  time  is  occupied  with 
the  details  of  the  War  Department  connected  with 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  159 

the  Mexican  War.  I  saw  the  adj't  Gen'l  &  the 
Quarter  master  Gen'l  to-day  &  conferred  with  them, 
and  gave  directions  in  reference  of  [to]  many  of 
these  details.  I  saw  also  several  other  public  officers 
and  transacted  business  with  them.  1  disposed  of 
much  business  on  my  table.  No  intelligence  from 
the  army  was  received  by  the  Southern  mail  to  day. 
I  am  waiting  with  great  anxiety  for  the  next  news. 

Thi[s]  was  reception  evening.     Quite  a  number 
of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

Saturday,  4th  September,  184J. —  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour  to-day;  all  the  members  pres- 
ent except  the  Secretary  of  War  and  the  Secretary 
of  the  Navy,  who  are  both  absent  from  the  City. 
After  the  transaction  of  some  business  of  minor  im- 
portance the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  who  had  been 
requested  at  a  former  meeting  to  examine  &  Report 
upon  the  policy  and  propriety  of  levying  an  export 
duty  on  specie,  as  a  military  contribution  in  the  ports 
of  Mexico  now  in  our  military  possession.  He 
made  a  verbal  Report  and  recommended  that  an  ex- 
port duty  on  specie  be  levied  of  the  same  amt.  which 
had  been  levied  by  the  Mexican  laws  before  the  War 
commenced.  The  Post  master  Gen'l  and  the  Atto. 
General  were  in  favour  of  the  measure.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan was  opposed  to  it  and  assigned  his  reasons  at 
some  length  for  his  opinion.  Mr.  Walker  enforced 
his  views  in  favour  of  the  measure.  The  other  mem- 
bers of  the  Cabinet  participated  in  the  discussion. 
My  opinion  had  been  decidedly  in  favour  of  the 
measure  and  I  had  so  expressed  myself.     The  views 


i6o  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [4  Sept. 

presented  by  Mr.  Buchanan  were  plausable,  if  not 
sound,  and  struck  me  with  some  force.  I  finally 
informed  the  Cabinet  that  I  would  consider  the 
subject  further,  and  would  not  decide  the  question 
to-day. 

I  brought  before  the  Cabinet  the  importance  of 
uniting  the  forces  of  Gen'l  Taylor  with  those  of 
Gen'l  Scott,  except  a  sufficient  number  to  hold  Mon- 
terey and  the  line  of  the  Rio  Grande.  This  had 
been  in  effect  ordered  by  the  Secretary  of  War  under 
my  direction  after  consultation  in  Cabinet,  in  a  de- 
spatch to  Gen'l  Taylor  dated  July  14th,  1847.  I  sent 
to  the  War  Department  for  that  despatch  and  read 
it  to  the  Cabinet.  We  have  no  answer  from  Gen'l 
Taylor,  and  do  not  therefore  certainly  know  that  it 
has  reached  him.  It  was  sent  out  by  Mr.  Whitaker 
of  N.  C,  a  special  bearer  of  despatches.  Mr.  Whit- 
aker wrote  to  the  Secretary  of  War  from  Camargo 
on  the  9th  of  August.  He  was  at  that  place  on  his 
way  to  Gen'l  Taylor,  who  was  af  Monterey.  I  ex- 
pressed the  opinion  that  a  more  stringent  and  posi- 
tive order  should  be  sent  to  Gen'l  Taylor.  In  this 
the  Cabinet  concurred,  but  it  was  concluded  to  post- 
pone sending  a  second  order  for  a  few  days,  in  the 
expectation  that  further  intelligence  might  be  re- 
ceived from  Gen'l  Taylor. 

I  remarked  to  the  Cabinet  that  it  was  time  we  were 
considering  what  was  to  be  done  and  what  distinct 
policy  I  should  recommend  to  Congress,  if  the  war 
should  continue  until  the  meeting  of  that  body.  I 
remarked  that  we  should  deliberately  settle  upon  our 
plans  &  policy  and  be  prepared  to  maintain  them, 


1847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  i6i 

before  Congress  met.  I  remarked  that  I  called  the 
attention  of  the  Cabinet  to  this  most  important  sub- 
ject to-day,  not  for  the  purpose  of  asking  a  decision 
upon  it  at  this  time,  but  to  draw  the  attention  of  the 
Cabinet  to  it  with  a  view  to  have  the  aid  of  their 
matured  advice  when  it  did  come  up  for  decision, 
which  must  be  before  long.  I  then  went  on  to  state 
my  present  impressions,  which  were  in  brief  that  we 
should  unite  the  two  columns  of  the  army,  except  a 
sufficient  force  to  hold  Monterey  and  the  line  of  the 
Rio  Grande,  and  press  the  war  upon  the  capital  and 
vital  parts  of  Mexico  by  all  the  means  which  the  na- 
tion could  command,  until  a  peace  was  obtained.  I 
expressed  the  opinion  further  that  as  our  expenses 
had  been  greatly  enlarged  by  the  obstinacy  of  Mex- 
ico in  refusing  to  negotiate,  since  Mr.  Trist's  instruc- 
tions were  prepared  in  April  last,  if  a  treaty  had  not 
been  made  when  we  next  heard  from  Mexico  that 
his  instructions  should  be  modified.  I  remarked 
that  if  we  were  compelled  to  continue  the  war  at  so 
great  expense  I  would  be  unwilling  to  pay  the  sum 
which  Mr.  Trist  had  been  authorized  to  pay,  in  the 
settlement  of  a  boundary  by  which  it  was  contem- 
plated the  U.  S.  would  acquire  New  Mexico  &  the 
Californias;  and  that  if  Mexico  continued  obsti- 
nately to  refuse  to  Treat,  I  was  decidedly  in  favour 
of  insisting  on  the  acquisition  of  more  territory  than 
the  provinces  named.  I  repeated  that  these  were 
my  present  impressions,  and  that  they  were  thrown 
out  now  that  the  Cabinet  might  reflect  upon  them 
by  the  time  it  would  be  necessary  to  decide  upon 
them.     No  formal  expression  of  opinion  was  made 


i62  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [5  Seft. 

by  the  Cabinet,  but  there  seem[ed]  to  be  an  acqui- 
escence in  these  views. 

After  the  Cabinet  adjourned  I  transacted  business 
on  my  table.  When  I  retired  at  night  I  was  much 
fatigued,  having  passed  a  week  of  great  labour  and 
responsibility,  and  of  great  solicitude  &  anxiety. 
With  me  it  is  emphatically  true  that  the  Presidency 
is  "  no  bed  of  roses." 

Sunday,  5/A  Septetnber,  184J. —  I  attended  the 
First  Presbyterian  church  to-day  accompanied  by 
Mrs.  Polk. 

Monday,  6th  September,  184J. —  Nothing  of 
much  importance  transpired  to-day.  The  adjt. 
General  of  the  army  spent  a  considerable  time  with 
me  in  consultation  in  relation  to  various  details  con- 
nected with  the  military  operations  in  Mexico,  and 
in  filling  the  staflf  appointments  for  the  new  Regi- 
ments of  volunteers  recently  called  into  the  service. 
The  Secretary  of  State  called  on  business.  At  2 
O'clock,  when  my  office  was  opened  for  company, 
several  persons  called,  all  of  them  seeking  office  ex- 
cept one,  and  he  was  a  hale,  stout  looking  young  man, 
who  was  begging  money.  I  had  neither  offices  nor 
money  to  give,  and  got  rid  of  them  as  summarily  as 
possible. 

Judge  Mason  returned  from  his  visit  from  [to] 
his  father  this  evening.  He  had  been  absent  since 
thursday  last  (See  this  Diary  of  that  day). 

Tuesday,  yth  September,  1847.— Tht  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour  this  morning;  all  the  members 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  163 

present  except  the  Secretary  of  War,  who  is  still  ab- 
sent from  the  seat  of  Government. 

I  stated  to  the  Cabinet  that  1  had  considered  of  the 
proposition  which  was  discussed  at  the  last  meeting 
(see  this  diary  of  the  4th  Inst.)  to  levy  an  export  duty 
on  specie  in  the  ports  of  Mexico  in  our  military  pos- 
session, and  that  I  felt  so  much  doubt  upon  the  sub- 
ject that  I  would  postpone  any  decision  on  the  sub- 
ject at  present. 

I  submitted  for  consideration  to  the  Cabinet, 
whether,  as  the  Mexican  Government  had  contin- 
ued stubbornly  [to  refuse]  to  enter  upon  negotia- 
tions for  peace  for  several  months  after  they  had  been 
notified  that  Mr.  Trist  was  with  the  Head  Quarters 
of  the  army  clothed  with  full- diplomatic  powers,  and 
as  the  U.  S.  had  been  subjected  to  great  expense  since 
Mr.  Trist's  instructions  were  given  to  him  in  April 
last:  whether  under  the  changed  circumstances  since 
that  time  the  instructions  to  Mr.  Trist  should  not  be 
modified.  The  distinct  questions  submitted  were, 
whether  the  amt.  which  Mr.  Trist  had  been  author- 
ized to  pay  for  the  possession  of  New  Mexico  and 
the  Californias  and  right  of  passage  through  the 
istmus  of  Tehuantepec  should  not  be  reduced,  and 
whether  we  should  not  now  demand  more  territory 
than  we  now  did.  All  seemed  to  agree  that  the  max- 
imum sum  to  be  paid  for  the  cessions  above  described 
should  be  reduced.  Mr.  Buchanan  suggested  that 
this  sum  should  be  reduced  from  30  to  15  millions, 
&  that  the  cession  of  the  right  of  passage  through  the 
istmus  of  Lower  as  well  as  Upper  California  &  New 
Mexico  should  be  made  a  sine  qua  non.     He  suggested 


i64  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [7  Sept. 

also  that  the  line  should  run  on  the  parallel  of  31°  or 
31°  30'  of  North  Latitude  from  the  Rio  Grande 
to  the  Gulf  of  California,  instead  of  on  the  parallel 
of  32°  which  Mr.  Trist  had  been  authorized  to  ac- 
cept. Upon  the  question  of  acquiring  more  territory 
than  this  there  was  some  difference  of  opinion.  The 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  &  the  Attorney  General 
were  in  favour  of  acquiring  in  addition  the  Depart- 
ment or  State  of  Tamaulipas,  which  includes  the  port 
of  Tampico.  The  Secretary  of  State  was  opposed  to 
this.  The  Post  master  Gen'l  and  the  Secretary  of 
the  Navy  concurred  with  him.  I  expressed  myself 
as  being  entirely  agreed  to  reduce  the  sum  to  be 
paid  from  30  to  15  millions,  and  to  modify  the  line 
as  suggested  by  Mr.  Buchanan.  I  declared  myself 
also  as  being  in  favour  of  acquiring  the  cession  of 
the  Department  of  Tamaulipas,  if  it  should  be  found 
practicable  to  do  so.  The  subject  was  fully  dis- 
cussed &  at  full  length.  The  Secretary  of  the  Navy 
stated  an  objection  to  the  modification  of  Mr.  Trist's 
instructions  until  we  could  hear  again  from  the 
army.  He  thought  if  the  instructions  should  be 
modified,  and  before  they  reached  Mr.  Trist  he 
should  have  concluded  a  Treaty  upon  the  basis  of 
his  first  instructions,  it  would  embarrass  the  admin- 
istration in  approving  and  ratifying  it.  He  thought 
if  any  Treaty  could  be  made  it  would  probably  be 
accomplished  before  Gen'l  Scott's  army  entered  the 
City  of  Mexico,  and  he  suggested  that  we  had  better 
wait  a  few  days,  as  we  were  in  daily  expectation  of 
hearing  the  result  of  Gen'l  Scott's  advance  upon  the 
City  of  Mexico.     The  Cabinet  finally  concluded  not 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  165 

to  decide  the  question  submitted  to  them  to-day,  but 
to  wait  a  few  days,  and  until  we  should  again  hear 
from  the  army.  In  the  course  of  the  discussion  The 
Attorney  Gen'l  expressed  the  opinion  that  if  an 
army  took  possession  of  the  City  of  Mexico,  and  the 
Mexicans  still  refused  to  make  peace,  that  Mr.  Trist 
should  be  recalled,  and  that  Mexico  and  the  world 
should  be  informed  that  we  had  no  further  prop- 
ositions of  peace  to  make,  and  that  we  should  prose- 
cute the  War  with  the  whole  energy  of  the  nation 
and  over-run  and  subdue  the  whole  country,  until 
Mexico  herself  sued  for  peace.  The  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury  expressed  his  concurrence  in  these 
opinions.  I  dissented  from  the  opinion  that  Mr. 
Trist  should  be  recalled,  but  concurred  with  the 
Atto.  Gen'l  in  his  views  in  all  other  respects.  I 
thought  we  should  still  keep  our  minister  with  the 
Head  Quarters  of  the  army  ready  to  receive  any 
propositions  of  overtures  of  peace  which  Mexico 
might  have  to  make.  The  Post  master  Gen'l  ap- 
peared to  concur  with  the  Atto.  Gen'l  in  his  views. 
The  Secretary  of  State  and  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy 
were  not  distinct  in  the  expression  of  their  views.  It 
was  finally  concluded  to  postpone  the  whole  subject 
until  we  could  hear  again  from  the  army. 

Some  minor  matters  were  considered  &  disposed 
of  in  the  Cabinet. 

This  was  reception  evening.  Many  persons, 
ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

Judge  Mason,  having  returned  from  his  visit  to 
his  father  last  evening,  resumed  his  duties  as  Secre- 
tary of  the  Navy  and  also  as  Acting  Secretary  of 


i66  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [8  Sept. 

War,  this  morning.  Mr.  Buchanan,  who  had  been 
acting  Secretary  of  War  during  Judge  Mason's  ab- 
sence, desired  that  Judge  Mason  should  resume  the 
duties  of  that  office. 

Wednesday,  8th  September,  184^. —  I  was  very 
busily  occupied  to-day  with  public  officers,  and  in 
transacting  various  matters  of  official  business,  but 
none  of  them  of  great  importance,  I  spent  two  or 
three  hours  with  Judge  Mason,  the  acting  Secretary 
of  War,  &  the  adjt.  Gen'l  of  the  army,  in  filling  up 
vacancies  which  had  occurred  in  the  army,  and  in 
appointing  the  staflf  of  the  Quarter  master's,  com- 
missary's, and  medical  Departments,  rendered  neces- 
sary by  the  increased  volunteer  forces  recently  called 
to  the  field.  I  disposed  also  of  much  business  on  my 
table. 

Thursday,  gth  September,  184J. —  This  morn- 
ing I  directed  no  one  to  be  admitted  into  my  office 
until  2  O'clock,  desiring  to  devote  myself  to  the  ex- 
amination and  preparation  of  a  message  which  I 
design  to  send  in  to  the  next  Congress,  assigning  my 
objections  to  the  Harbour  Bill  which  passed  on  the 
last  day  of  the  last  Session,  and  from  which  I  with- 
held my  approval.  Public  officers  and  other  per- 
sons on  special  business  called  in  such  numbers  that 
I  was  unable  to  make  any  progress  in  the  paper. 
The  Secretary  of  State  and  Judge  Mason,  the  acting 
Secretary  of  War,  occupied  a  considerable  portion 
of  my  time  on  business  connected  with  their  respec- 
tive Departments.     I  disposed  of  some  business  on 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  167 

my  table.  A  letter  was  received  by  the  Southern 
mail  this  afternoon  from  F.  M.  Dimond,  ass't  Quar- 
ter master  of  the  army,  dated  at  Vera  Cruz,  Aug't 
27th,  1847,  and  addressed  to  the  Secretary  of  War, 
giving  unauthentic  information  in  which  Mr. 
Dimond  had  confidence,  to  the  effect  that  the 
army  under  Gen'l  Scott  had  on  the  20th  of 
August  met  the  Mexican  forces  under  Santa  Anna 
and  Valencia  and  defeated  them,  that  they  had  re- 
tired into  the  City,  asked  a  truce,  and  called  the 
Mexican  Congress  to  assemble  to  consider  of  Mr. 
Trist's  terms  of  peace.  The  rumour  at  Vera  Cruz 
seems  to  be  well-founded.  I  sincerely  hope  that  a 
Treaty  of  peace  may  have  been  concluded  and  signed. 

Friday,  lOth  September,  184J. —  Nothing  of 
much  importance  transpired  to-day.  I  transacted 
business  in  my  office  as  usual.  I  saw  company  at  2 
O'clock.     Several  persons  called. 

This  being  reception  evening  I  saw  company  in  the 
parlour.  A  number  of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen, 
called. 

Saturday,  nth  September,  1847.— Tht  Cab- 
inet met  at  the  usual  hour;  all  the  members  present 
except  Gov.  Marcy,  the  Secretary  of  War,  who  is 
still  absent  from  the  City.  In  consideration  of  the 
information  received  from  the  army  since  the  con- 
sultation in  Cabinet  at  the  last  meeting  on  tuesday 
last,  in  relation  to  the  proposed  modification  of  Mr. 
Trist's  instructions,  that  subject  was  not  brought  up 
to-day.     The  information  from  the  army  received  on 


i68  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [12  Sept. 

the  9th  Instant  (see  this  diary  of  that  day)  renders  it 
probable  that  if  an  adjustment  with  Mexico  could 
be  concluded  a  Treaty  has  probably  been  concluded 
before  this  time,  &  therefore  I  will  await  further  in- 
telligence from  Mr.  Trist  before  deciding  upon  the 
modification  of  his  instructions  as  to  the  terms  of 
peace. 

No  subject  of  general  importance  was  considered 
to-day.  Several  matters  of  minor  importance  were 
disposed  of.  While  the  Cabinet  were  in  Session, 
Brigadier  General  Kearney  of  the  U.  S.  army  called. 
Gen'l  Kearney  returned  recently  from  California. 
I  received  him  in  my  office  &  introduced  him  to  my 
Cabinet.  He  stated  that  he  had  arrived  in  Wash- 
ington this  morning,  and  had  called  to  pay  his  re- 
spects &  to  report  himself  to  me.  I  received  him 
kindly,  for  I  consider  him  a  good  officer.  He  has 
performed  valuable  and  important  services  in  his 
late  expedition  to  New  Mexico  &  California.  He 
remained  but  a  few  minutes.  I  invited  him  to  call 
again. 

My  nephew,  Sam'l  P.  Walker  of  Tennessee,  re- 
turned from  New  York  to-day.  Mr.  John  T.  Leigh, 
who  resides  near  my  plantation  in  Mississippi  and 
at  whose  house  I  have  been  very  hospitably  enter- 
tained, called  with  his  son  to-day.  I  invited  them 
to  take  a  family  dinner  with  me,  and  they  did  so. 
Judge  Mason,  who  is  an  old  acquaintance  of  Mr. 
Leigh,  also  dined  with  me. 

Sunday,  12th  September,  184J. —  This  was  a 
damp  wet  day,  &  was  so  uncomfortable  that  Mrs. 


i847]  JAxMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  169 

Polk  declined  attending  church  and  we  remained  at 
home  &  spent  a  quiet  day.  My  nephew,  Sam'l  P. 
Walker,  who  arrived  here  from  New  York  on  yes- 
terday, left  this  afternoon  for  his  residence  in  Ten- 
nessee. 

Monday,  13th  September,  184J. —  I  gave  direc- 
tions to  my  messenger  this  morning  to  admit  no  com- 
pany and  to  bring  no  cards  from  any  one,  except 
members  of  the  Cabinet  or  Officers  of  the  Govern- 
ment on  public  business,  until  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  I 
occupied  the  day  until  that  hour  in  preparing  my  ob- 
jections to  the  Harbour  and  River  Bill,  which 
passed  Congress  at  the  close  of  the  last  session.  The 
Secretary  of  War,  the  Secretary  of  State,  and  some 
other  public  officers  called  before  that  hour.  I  dis- 
posed of  the  current  business  on  my  table  and  at  2 
O'clock  I  received  company.  Many  persons  called, 
some  to  pay  their  respects  &  other[s]  to  seek  office. 
Mr.  Barnett,  who  married  my  niece,  Jane  Walker, 
returned  this  morning  from  New  York  and  took  up 
his  quarters  in  the  President's  house. 

Tuesday,  14th  September,  1847. —  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour  to-day,  all  the  members  present 
except  Gov.  Marcy,  the  Secretary  of  War,  who  is 
still  absent  from  the  City.  Several  matters  of  minor 
importance  were  considered  and  disposed  of,  but 
none  of  general  interest  was  considered.  Judge 
Mason  and  Mr.  Walker  remained  after  the  other 
members  of  the  Cabinet  had  retired.  The  question 
of  organizing  the  Batallion  of  Volunteers  raised  in 


170  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [14  Sept 

the  District  of  Columbia  &  Maryland  into  a  Regi- 
ment was  brought  up  by  them.  It  had  been  for  some 
time  contemplated  to  give  this  Battallion  a  Regi- 
mental organization  as  soon  as  a  sufficient  number 
of  companies  to  compose  a  Regiment  should  be 
raised.  Indeed  this  was  contemplated  before  Lieut. 
Col.  Hughes,  who  commands  the  Battallion,  left  for 
the  seat  of  War.  It  appears  that  3  companies  have 
been  raised  in  the  D.  C.  and  3  companies  in  Mary- 
land, and  are  now  in  Mexico;  and  that  i  additional 
company  has  been  organized  in  Maryland,  and  2  ad- 
ditional companies  are  in  progress  of  being  raised  in 
the  D.  of  C.  Judge  Mason  and  Mr.  Walker  advised 
me  to  give  the  corps  a  Regimental  organization  at 
this  time,  by  adding  to  it  detached  companies  from 
other  states;  and  to  promote  Lieut.  Col.  Hughes  to 
the  command  of  the  Regiment  and  to  appoint  Lieut. 
Emmory  of  this  District,  of  the  Engineer  corps, 
Lieut.  Col.  in  Col.  Hughes's  place.  I  expressed 
doubts  whether  I  could  legally  and  with  propriety 
appoint  both  the  Col.  &  Lieut.  Col.  of  the  regiment, 
if  so  organized,  until  there  were  more  than  3  com- 
panies from  the  D.  C.  They  thought  I  could  and 
advised  me  to  do  so.  I  told  them  I  would  look  into 
the  subject  further.  I  should  observe  that  I  have 
heretofore  appointed  the  Lieut.  Col.,  and  the  Gov- 
ernor of  Maryland  has  appointed  the  Maj'r  of  the 
Battallion  now  in  Mexico. 

The  Southern  mail  of  this  evening  brought  intelli- 
gence (which  had  been  conveyed  a  part  of  the  way 
from  New  Orleans  by  a  Government  express)  of  two 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  171 

battles  ^  between  the  forces  under  the  command  of 
Gen'l  Scott  and  the  Mexican  army,  before  the  City 
of  Mexico.  They  were  fought  on  the  19th  and  20th 
of  August,  and  resulted  in  decisive  victories  of  the 
American  arms,  though  with  heavy  losses  on  both 
sides.  An  armistice  was  entered  into  between  the 
two  armies  after  the  battles,  which  had  been  followed 
by  the  appointment  of  commissioners  by  Mexico  to 
meet  and  negotiate  for  peace  with  Mr.  Trist.  A  de- 
spatch was  received  from  Mr.  Trist,  dated  on  the  29th 
Aug't,  stating  that  he  had  had  two  meetings  with 
the  Mexican  commissioners  as  [and]  was  to  meet 
them  again  on  the  next  day,  the  30th  of  Aug't. 

This  being  reception  evening,  the  company,  ladies 
and  gentlemen,  had  assembled  in  the  parlour  for 
some  time  before  I  met  them.  I  had  been  detained 
in  my  office  examining  the  despatches  from  Mr.  Trist 
and  the  unofficial  information  received  from  officers 
of  the  army  in  letters  addressed  to  persons  in  Wash- 
ington. Official  letters  were  also  received  from  Vera 
Cruz,  but  none  from  Gen'l  Scott.  When  I  met  the 
company  in  the  parlour  I  communicated  to  them  the 
substance  of  the  information  which  had  been  re- 
ceived. 

Wednesday,  isth  September,  /<?^ 7.— Further 
details  of  the  battle  before  the  City  of  Mexico  were 
received  to-day  through  the  New  Orleans  papers,  but 
no  official  Report  has  come  to  hand.  I  fear  Gen'l 
Scott  has  agreed  to  an  armistice  for  two  [too]  long 

^  Contreras  and  Cherubusco. 


172  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [15  Sept 

a  time.  Judging  at  this  distance,  I  would  think  he 
should  have  improved  his  victories  by  pressing  the 
Mexican  Government  to  an  immediate  decision  upon 
the  terms  of  peace  which  Mr.  Trist  was  authorized 
to  offer  to  them,  and  if  they  refused  these  terms  I 
think  he  should  have  taken  immediate  possession  of 
the  City,  and  levied  contribution  upon  it  for  the  sup- 
port of  his  army.  I  fear  the  armistice  was  agreed 
to  by  the  Mexican  Commander  only  to  gain  time  to 
re-organize  his  defeated  army  for  further  resistance. 
The  battles  were  fought  on  the  19th  and  20th  of 
August,  and  it  appears  that  on  the  29th, ^  from  Mr. 
Trist's  Despatch  of  that  date,  that  no  decision  had 
been  made  upon  the  terms  of  peace  which  had  been 
proposed  by  him.  I  shall  wait  very  anxiously  for 
further  information  from  the  army. 

Judge  Mason  and  Mr.  Walker  called  together  to- 
day and  renewed  their  recommendation  that  I  should 
give  to  the  D.  C.  &  Maryland  Battallion  a  Regi- 
mental organization,  promote  Lieut.  Col.  Hughes 
to  be  Colonel,  and  appoint  Lieut.  Emmory  to  be 
Lieut.  Col.  (see  this  Diary  of  yesterday).  I  re- 
peated the  doubts  which  I  had  expressed  to  them 
on  yesterday  but  said  as  soon  as  the  2  additional  com- 
panies now  being  raised  in  this  District  were  mus- 
tered into  the  service,  I  was  inclined  to  do  so,  if  on 
an  examination  of  the  law,  which  I  had  not  yet  had 
time  to  make,  I  should  think  that  I  could  do  so  le- 
gally and  properly.     Judge  Mason,  who  is  at  present 

^  The  phrase  "  that  on  the  29th  "  has  been  crossed  out,  after 
having  been  written,  in  the  Diary. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  i73 

the  acting  Secretary  of  War  in  the  absence  of  Gov. 
Marcy  from  the    seat  of  Government,  informed  me 
that  men  enough  had  been  raised  to  form  i  of  the 
additional  companies  in  this  District,  which  would 
make  4  companies  from  the  District  &  4  companies 
from  Maryland,   and  that  he  thought  it  important 
that  they  should  be  formed  into  a  regiment,  by  at- 
taching 2  companies  from  other  States  to  them.     He 
urged  too  there  was  a  propriety  in  my  appointing  the 
Col.  and  Lieut.  Col.  from  the  D.  C,  inasmuch  as  the 
gov.  of  Maryland  had  already  appointed  the  Major 
of  the  Battallion  now  in  the  field,  and  inasmuch  as 
he  had  appointed  the  Lieut.  Col.  of  the  Battallion 
of  12  months  men  raised  in  Maryland  &  the  D.  of  C. 
shortly  after  the  War  broke  out.     Mr.  Walker  con- 
curred in  these  views  and  urged  them.     They  both 
expressed  the  opinion  that  I  possessed  the  clear  legal 
authority  to  do  so.     I  told  them  I  would  examine 
the  subject  this  afternoon.     After  they  retired  I  sent 
for  the  Atto.  Gen'l,  who  came  to  my  office,  and  Mr. 
Buchanan  who  had  called  on  other  business.     I  sub- 
mitted the  question  to  them,  stating  to  them  all  the 
facts,  and  also  what  had  occurred  on  yesterday  and 
to-day  between  Judge  Mason,  Mr.  Walker,  and  my- 
self.    The  Atto.  Gen'l  turned  to  the  acts  of  Congress 
relating  to  the  Militia  of  the  D.  C.  and  after  some 
conversation  both  he  and  Mr.  Buchanan  expressed 
a  clear  opinion  that  I  possessed  the  legal  authority 
to  give  the  Battallion  a  Regimental  organization,  and 
to  appoint  the  Col.  and  Lieut.  Col.  to  command  it, 
and  they  advised  me  to  do  so. 


174  JAMES     K.     POLK'S     DIARY  [i6  Sept. 

I  disposed  of  much  business  on  my  table  to-day, 
saw  several  public  officers  on  business,  &  saw  com- 
pany as  usual  at  2  O'Clock  P.  M. 

Thursday,  16th  September,  184J. — I  sent  for 
Judge  Mason,  the  acting  Secretary  of  War,  to-day, 
and  informed  him  that  after  having  consulted  the 
Atto.  Gen'l  &  Mr.  Buchanan  on  yesterday,  I  was  sat- 
isfied that  I  possessed  the  legal  power  to  organize  the 
Battallion  of  volunteers  from  the  D.  C.  and  Mary- 
land into  a  Regiment,  and  to  appoint  the  Col.  and 
Lieut.  Col.,  and  that  I  would  do  so  as  soon  as  the  4th 
Company  from  the  D.  C.  was  mustered  into  the  serv- 
ice of  the  U.  S.  I  sent  also  for  Mr.  Walker,  the  Sec- 
retary [of  the  Treasury],  and  stated  the  same  to  him 
(see  this  diary  of  yesterday  and  the  day  before). 
Mr.  Walker's  anxiety  on  the  subject  arose  from  the 
fact  that  he  desired  Lieut.  Emmory,  who  is  his 
brother-in-law,  to  be  appointed  Lieut.  Col.  He  was 
perfectly  satisfied  with  my  decision. 

I  received  by  the  Southern  mail  this  evening  a 
letter  from  Lieut.  Col.  Wilson,  Governor  of  Vera 
Cruz,  enclosing  a  short  note  to  him  from  Gen'l  Scott's 
ass't  Adj't  Gen'l  dated  at  the  Head  Quarters  of  the 
army  near  the  City  of  Mexico,  Aug't  28th,  directing 
Col.  Wilson  by  order  of  Gen'l  Scott,  to  have  a 
Steamer  in  readiness  to  carry  despatches  to  the  Gov- 
ernment, which  he  expected  to  transmit  to  him  in  two 
or  three  days  afterwards. 

I  saw  public  officers  &  transacted  business  to-day 
as  usual.  I  saw  company  at  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  A 
number  of  persons  called. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  175 

Brigadier  Gen'l  Kearney  [of  the]  U.  S.  army 
called  to-day,  and  [I]  had  a  conversation  of  more 
than  an  hour  with  him,  in  relation  to  his  late  expedi- 
tion to  California  and  to  afifairs  in  that  country.  He 
is  a  good  officer  &  an  intelligent  gentleman.  He 
gave  me  much  valuable  information  in  relation  to 
afifairs  in  California,  and  the  Military  operations  in 
that  country.  No  conversation  took  place  in  relation 
to  his  recent  difficulty  w^ith  Commodore  Stockton  & 
Lieut.  Col.  Fremont.  Col.  Fremont  is  under  arrest, 
charges  having  been  preferred  against  him  by  Gen'l 
Kearney,  &  I  preferred  not  to  converse  with  him  on 
that  subject.  I  did  not  introduce  the  subject,  and  I 
was  glad  that  he  did  not.  My  conversation  with  him 
was  a  pleasant  and  interesting  one. 

Friday,  IJth  September,  184'J. —  I  saw  and  trans- 
acted business  to-day  with  the  Atto.  Gen'l,  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Navy,  and  some  other  public  officers. 
Being  engaged  in  my  office,  I  directed  no  one  to  be 
admitted  until  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  At  that  hour  I 
opened  my  door,  and  quite  a  number  of  persons 
called.  Most  of  them  were  on  the  patriotic  business 
of  serving  themselves  by  seeking  office.  I  had  no 
offices  to  bestow  and  dealt  with  them  in  a  very  sum- 
mary manner.  Some  beggars  for  money  were  also 
among  the  number.  To  one  poor  woman  I  gave 
something.  I  also  made  a  donation  towards  the 
building  of  the  Washington  Monument.  No  news 
was  received  from  the  army  to-day.  Mr.  Barnett, 
who  married  my  niece,  Jane  Walker,  left  for  his 
residence  in  Tennessee  to-day.     This  was  reception 


176  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i8  Sept. 

evening.     A  number  of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen, 
called. 

Saturday,  l8th  September,  1847. —  Gov.  Marcy, 
the  Secretary  of  War,  returned  from  his  visit  to  New 
York  this  morning.  He  had  been  absent  from  the 
seat  of  Government  about  a  month. 

The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour  to-day,  all  the 
members  present.  The  War  and  the  operations  of 
our  arm}/-  in  Mexico  were  the  chief  topics  of  conver- 
sation. I  informed  the  Secretary  of  War  of  the  chief 
events  in  relation  to  our  military  operations,  and  the 
action  which  had  been  taken  upon  them  by  the  Gov- 
ernment during  his  absence.  Mr.  Buchanan  read  the 
last  despatches  received  from  Mr.  Trist,  the  last  of 
them  dated  August  29th,  '47.  No  action  was  taken 
upon  any  specific  proposition. 

I  learned  last  evening  that  Lieut.  Col.  Fremont 
had  arrived  in  this  City.  Brigadier  Gen'l  Kearney 
had  arrested  him  and  ordered  him  to  report  to  the 
Adj't  General  at  Washington.  Gen'l  Kearney  filed 
charges  against  him  with  the  Adj't  Gen'l  some  days 
ago.  I  was  informed  in  the  parlour  last  night  by 
Mr.  Jones,  the  brother-in-law  of  Col.  Fremont,  that  it 
was  the  Col's  desire  to  be  absent  for  a  few  days  to 
visit  his  sick  mother  in  Charleston,  S.  C,  but  that  he 
had  desired  him  to  say  to  me  that  he  wished  to  have 
his  trial  speedily  and  that  he  would  be  ready  in  30 
days.  I  also  received  a  letter  from  Senator  Benton 
on  the  subject  this  morning.  Col.  Fremont's  case 
was  the  subject  of  conversation  in  the  Cabinet.  The 
Secretary  of  War  sent  over  to  his  Department  for  the 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  177 

charges  which  were  exhibited  against  Col.  F.  by 
Gen'l  Kearney.  They  were  brought  over  &  were 
read  in  Cabinet.  I  requested  the  Secretary  of  War 
to  examine  the  charges  and  report  to  me  as  soon  as 
practicable,  whether  in  his  opinion  the  charges  pre- 
ferred by  Gen'l  Kearney  were  of  such  a  character  as 
to  make  it  proper  to  order  a  Court  martial  for  the 
trial  of  Col.  Fremont,  or  whether  he  would  deem  it 
better  to  order  a  Court  of  Enquiry  in  the  first  in- 
stance. No  other  business  of  importance  was  con- 
sidered in  Cabinet.  I  transacted  some  business  on 
my  table  as  usual  to-day. 

Bishop  Otey  ^  of  the  Episcopal  church,  who  resides 
at  Columbia,  Tennessee,  and  his  wife  and  daughter 
(Mrs.  Minor)  ^  dined  with  me  to-day.  Judge  Mason 
and  his  wife  also  dined  with  me.  Bishop  Otey  was 
with  Judge  Mason  and  myself  at  College  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  N.  Carolina  30  years  ago. 

Mrs.  Polk,  the  wife  of  my  brother,  Wm.  H.  Polk, 
who  has  been  a  part  of  my  family  since  her  husband 
set  off  to  Mexico  as  a  Major  of  Dragoons,  left  this 
morning  on  a  visit  to  her  mother  and  other  relations 
in  the  City  of  New  York. 

No  further  news  was  received  from  the  army  in 
Mexico  to-day. 

^  James  Hervey  Otey,  1 800-1 863,  first  Episcopal  bishop  of 
Tennessee,  founder  of  Columbia  Institute  (Tennessee)  and  one 
of  the  founders  of  the  University  of  the  South  at  Sewanee. 

'  Virginia  Maury  Minor  was  the  daughter  of  James  Hervey 
Otey  and  the  wife  of  Benjamin  Blake  Minor,  editor  of  the 
Southern  Literary  Messenger  1 843-1847. 


178  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [19  Sept. 

Sunday,  igth  September,  1847. —  It  rained  this 
morning  and  the  day  was  so  inclement  that  Mrs.  Polk 
declined  attending  church.  I  took  my  carriage  and 
drove  to  the  residence  of  Mr.  Clififord,  the  atto.  Gen'l, 
and  Mr.  Daniel  Graham,  the  Register  of  the  Treas- 
ury, who  took  seats  with  me  and  accompanied  me  to 
church.  We  attended  Trinity  church,  and  heard  a 
very  eloquent  and  able  sermon  delivered  by  Bishop 
Otey  of  the  Episcopal  church. 

The  Southern  mail  this  afternoon  brought  nothing 
beyond  Georgia,  and  of  course  no  further  intelligence 
was  received  from  the  army  in  Mexico. 

Monday,  20th  September,  184J, —  Nothing  of 
sufficient  interest  to  be  noted  occurred  to-day.  I  was 
busy  in  my  office  as  usual,  transa[c]ted  business  with 
public  officers,  disposed  of  business  on  my  table,  and 
at  2  O'clock  P.  M.  saw  company. 

Tuesday,  21st  September,  1847. —  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour  to-day,  all  the  members  being 
present.  No  business  of  importance  was  transacted. 
Several  subjects  of  minor  interest  were  considered. 
The  Cabinet  dispersed  at  an  early  hour  and  I  gave 
my  attention  to  the  business  on  my  table.  This  was 
reception  evening.  A  number  of  persons,  ladies  & 
gentlemen,  called. 

I  had  some  conversation  with  the  Cabinet  to-day, 
in  which  I  directed  that  the  annual  estimates  of  ap- 
propriations for  the  next  fiscal  year  should  be  pre- 
pared at  as  early  a  period  as  practicable.  I  directed 
the  Secretaries  of  War  &  the  Navy  to  make  their  esti- 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  179 

mates  upon  the  basis  of  the  military  and  naval  force 
now  employed. 

Wednesday,  22nd  September,  184'/. —  I  was  en- 
gaged to-day  chiefly  in  preparing  a  message  which  1 
design  to  send  to  the  Ho.  of  Repts.  at  the  next  Session 
of  Congress  assigning  my  reasons  for  with-holding 
my  approval  of  a  Bill  making  appropriations  for 
Harbours  and  Rivers,  which  was  presented  to  me 
near  the  close  of  the  last  Session  of  Congress  and 
which  I  retained.  I  have  at  different  times  since 
the  adjournment  of  Congress  given  some  attention 
to  the  subject,  had  investigated  it  and  written  some 
paragraphs.  I  now  design  to  put  my  views  into 
form  while  I  have  leisure,  and  before  it  shall  be 
necessary  to  give  my  attention  to  the  preperation  of 
my  annual  message  to  be  communicated  at  the  open- 
ing of  the  next  Session  of  Congress. 

At  2  O'clock  P.  M.  I  saw  company  as  usual. 
Quite  a  crowd  of  persons  called,  some  to  pay  their  re- 
spects, some  seeking  office,  and  one  man  with  one 
leg  begging  money.  To  the  latter  I  contributed 
something.  In  the  evening  I  remained  in  my  office 
until  a  late  hour  at  night. 

No  news  was  received  from  the  army  in  Mexico 
to-day. 

Thursday,  23rd  September,  184J. —  I  continued 
the  preperations  of  my  paper  on  the  subject  of  Har- 
bours and  River  appropriations  to-day,  upon  which 
I  was  engaged  on  yesterday,  and  nearly  completed 
it.     I  transacted  business  with  public  officers  as  usual 


i8o  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [24  Sept. 

and  disposed  of  the  business  on  my  table.  I  saw 
company  at  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  A  number  of  persons 
called,  most  of  whom  were  seeking  what  I  had  not 
to  give  —  offices.  The  applications  for  place  are  un- 
ceasing. No  news  was  received  from  the  army  in 
Mexico  to-day.  My  anxiety  to  hear  from  the  army 
is  very  great.  Nothing  of  any  general  interest 
transpired  today. 

Friday,  24th  September,  184J. —  This  was  a  wet, 
gloomy  day,  and  but  few  persons  called.  Gen'l  Rob- 
ert Armstrong,  U.  S.  consul  to  Liverpool,  who  came 
over  in  the  last  Steamer  from  England,  called  to- 
day. I  transacted  business  in  my  office  and  saw  pub- 
lic officers  on  business  as  usual.  Nothing  of  impor- 
tance transpired.  This  was  reception  evening.  It 
was  a  stormy,  wet  night,  and  but  three  or  four  persons 
called. 

Saturday,  2Sth  September,  184J. —  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour  to-day;  all  the  members  pres- 
ent. Several  subjects  of  minor  importance  were  con- 
sidered and  disposed  of.  No  recent  news  having 
been  received  from  the  army,  no  further  [measures] 
were  deemed  necessary,  in  reference  to  military 
movements,  in  the  absence  of  later  intelligence  from 
the  seat  of  War.  I  am  waiting  with  great  anxiety 
for  the  next  arrival  from  Mexico.  Shortly  before 
the  meeting  of  the  Cabinet  this  morning  Lieut.  Col. 
Fremont  called.  Col.  Fremont  is  under  arrest  but 
had  [made]  no  allusion  to  that  fact  or  to  his  case 
while  in  conversation  with  me. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  i8i 

Among  other  matters  before  the  Cabinet  to-day, 
the  Secretary  of  War  submitted  a  list  of  officers  to 
compose  the  Court  Martial  in  Col.  Fremont's  case. 
I  informed  him  that  I  had  not  sufficient  knowledge 
of  the  officers  named  to  form  an  opinion  as  to  their 
fitness  to  compose  the  Court,  &  that  I  left  the  selec- 
tion to  him. 

The  Secretary  of  War  also  stated  a  disagreement 
which  had  occurred  among  the  surgeons  and  [at] 
Vera  Cruz,  viz.^  between  Surgeons  Barton  &  Mc- 
Farlane  on  the  one  hand  &  surgeon  Porter  on  the 
other  hand.  After  hearing  the  papers  read  I  di- 
rected that  Dr.  Porter  should  be  ordered  to  serv- 
ice elsewhere,  and  Drs.  Barton  and  McFarlane 
should  be  retained  at  Vera  Cruz.  The  Secretary 
of  War  did  not  seem  to  concur  in  this  opinion,  but 
I  had  no  doubt  on  the  subject  &  issued  the  order 
accordingly. 

About  the  time  the  Cabinet  retired  (between  2  and 
3  O'clock  P.  M.)  I  felt  symptoms  of  a  chill,  and 
soon  discovered  that  I  had  one.  It  was  not  severe, 
but  I  had  some  fever  after  it  was  over  and  spent  an 
uncomfortable  and  restless  night.  The  day  was 
chilly  for  the  season,  and  I  was  uncertain  whether  it 
was  a  regular  attack  of  chills  and  fevers,  or  the  ef- 
fects of  a  change  of  weather.  I  took  some  simple 
medicine,  and  will  wait  until  I  see  whether  I  have  a 
second  chill  before  I  send  for  a  physician. 

Sunday,  26th  September,  184'/. —  I  felt  too  un- 
well to  attend  church  to-day.  Mrs.  Polk  [and]  Col. 
&  Mrs.  Walker  attended  Trinity  Church  to  hear 


i82  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [26  Sept. 

Bishop  Elliott^  of  the  Episcopal  church  preach. 
The  Bishop  and  his  wife  called  on  yesterday.  Mrs. 
Elliott  was  Miss  Charlotte  Barnwell  before  her  mar- 
riage, [and]  is  an  old  acquaintance  and  friend.  She 
spent  a  winter  in  the  same  boarding  house  in  Wash- 
ington with  Mrs.  Polk  and  myself  some  fifteen  years 
ago.     Her  husband  is  the  Bishop  of  Georgia. 

Gen'l  Robert  Armstrong  called  about  12  O'Clock 
and  spent  the  balance  of  the  day  with  me.  I  rested 
on  a  Sopha  in  my  office.  Gen'l  Armstrong  in  the 
course  of  our  long  familiar  conversation  upon  vari- 
ous subjects  inquired  of  me  how  Mr.  Charles  J.  In- 
gersoll  of  Phila.  stood  affected  towards  my  adminis- 
tration. I  told  him  that  Mr.  Ingersoll  had  become 
very  hostile  to  me,  and  had  written  to  me  a  very 
exceptionable  letter,  complaining  of  me  because  after 
he  was  rejected  by  the  Senate  as  minister  to  France 
I  had  not  renominated  him,  or  kept  the  office  vacant 
from  the  end  of  the  last  to  the  beginning  of  the  next 
Session  of  Congress,  so  as  to  give  him  another  chance 
to  be  confirmed.  I  told  him  that  I  had  answered 
his  letter,  and  that  I  thought  Mr.  Ingersoll  would 
never  venture  to  publish  the  correspondence.  Gen'l 
Armstrong  then  told  me  that  Mrs.  Maury  (an  Eng- 
lish woman  who  visited  the  U.  S.  a  year  or  two  ago 
&  after  her  return  to  England  had  published  a  Book 
on  her  travels  and  observations  in  the  U.  S.)  had 
shown  him  a  letter  addressed  to  her  by  Mr.  Ingersoll, 
complaining  of  me  because  I  had  not  appointed  his 
(Mr.  Ingersoll's  son)  to  an  office  in  the  army  of  the 

^  Stephen  Elliott,    1 806-1 866,  appointed  first  Episcopal  bishop 
of  Georgia  in  1840. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  183 

U.  S.,  that  he  had  applied  to  me  to  do  so,  and  that 
I  had  refused.  I  note  this  fact  because  it  shows  the 
want  of  discretion  and  principle  on  the  part  of  Mr. 
I.,  an  American  Representative,  when  he  can  so  far 
forget  the  proprieties  of  his  position  and  his  own  self 
respect  as  to  be  making  known  his  complaints  of  his 
own  Government,  and  his  personal  griefs  and  dis- 
appointments, to  a  gossipping  woman  of  a  Foreign 
Kingdom.  Doubtless  he  calculated  to  have  the  sym- 
pathies and  condolence  of  this  English  woman  &  her 
English  friends  with  him  in  his  sore  troubles  & 
griefs. 

Monday,  2yth  September,  184"]. —  I  went  to  my 
office  at  the  usual  hour  this  morning.  About  10 
O'clock  I  discovered  that  I  was  taking  a  chill.  It 
continued  upon  me  for  two  or  three  hours  and  was 
succeeded  by  a  considerable  fever.  I  sent  for  Dr. 
Hall,  who  called  and  prescribed  for  me  about  2 
O'clock  P.  M.  I  requested  him  to  invite  Dr.  Miller 
to  call  with  him  in  the  evening.  I  retired  to  my 
room  and  took  the  medicine  which  Dr.  Hall  had 
prescribed.  In  the  evening  Drs.  Hall  and  Miller 
called.     I  spent  a  restless  night. 

Tuesday,  28th  September,  1847. —  This  morning 
I  was  under  the  operation  of  Medicine  &  was  quite 
unwell.  The  physicians  called  &  made  a  further 
prescription.  I  was  closely  confined  to  my  room, 
and  about  4  O'Clock  P.  M.  had  another  chill.  The 
physicians  called  frequently  and  continued  to  pre- 
scribe.    I  had  fever  and  spent  a  bad  night. 


i84  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [29  Sept. 

Wednesday,  2gth  September,  184^. —  I  was 
closely  confined  to  my  bed  during  the  whole  day,  and 
was  very  sick.  The  physicians  called  frequently. 
At  night  I  was  very  ill  and  had  no  rest. 

Thursday,  30th  September,  1847. —  I  was  closely 
confined  to  my  bed  to-day,  but  suffered  less  than  I 
did  on  yesterday.  The  Physicians  called  frequently 
in  the  course  of  the  day.  I  rested  something  better 
to-night  than  I  had  done  for  the  two  preceding 
nights. 

Friday,  Ist  October,  184J. —  I  was  better  this 
morning,  but  was  still  closely  confined  to  my  bed. 
I  continued  to  take  medicine  through  the  day,  and 
at  night  rested  better  than  I  had  done  before.  I  had 
been  clear  of  fever  during  the  day. 

Saturday,  2nd  October,  1847. —  I  was  clear  of 
fever  this  morning  and  was  much  better,  but  was 
feeble  from  the  effects  of  medicine.  I  continued 
quietly  on  my  bed  during  the  day.  I  sat  up  about 
half  an  hour  in  the  course  of  the  day.  My  disease 
is  broken,  and  with  care  I  hope  to  resume  my  official 
duties  in  a  few  days.  I  have  transacted  no  business 
of  any  kind  since  monday  morning  last.  I  rested 
well  at  night. 

Sunday,  3rd  October,  184J. —  I  was  clear  of 
disease  this  morning,  but  felt  very  feeble.  I  re- 
mained on  my  bed  most  of  the  day.  I  sat  up  two  or 
three  hours  in  the  course  of  the  day.  I  rested  well 
at  night. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  185 

Monday,  4th  October,  184^. —  I  felt  much  better 
this  morning,  but  was  still  feeble.  I  continued  to 
take  some  medicine.  I  rose  &  dressed  myself  about 
10  O'clock,  and  wrapping  myself  up  walked  to  the 
office,  but  was  so  feeble  that  I  returned  to  my  cham- 
ber in  a  few  minutes.  I  sat  up  most  of  the  day,  and 
transacted  some  business  with  the  Secretaries  of  State, 
the  Treasury,  and  War,  whom  I  saw  in  my  chamber. 

I  resolved  to-day  to  recall  Mr.  Trist  as  commis- 
sioner to  Mexico,  and  requested  Mr.  Buchanan  to 
prepare  the  letter^  of  recall. 

I  directed  the  Secretary  of  War  to  prepare  another 
letter  to  Gen'l  Scott,  directing  him  more  stringently 
than  had  been  done  to  levy  contributions  upon  the 
enemy,  and  make  them  as  far  as  practicable  defray 
the  expenses  of  the  war. 

Tuesday,  5M  October,  184J. —  I  continued  to  feel 
better  this  morning.  I  walked  to  the  office,  but 
after  being  there  but  a  few  minutes  I  deemed  it  pru- 
dent to  return  to  my  chamber. 

When  the  Cabinet  assembled  In  my  office  at  the 
usual  hour,  I  requested  my  Private  Secretary  to  in- 
vite them  to  meet  me  in  my  chamber.  They  did 
so;  all  the  members  were  present. 

Mr.  Buchanan  read  the  letter  of  recal[l],  which 
he  had  prepared  to  Mr.  Trist.  All  the  Cabinet 
agreed  that  it  was  proper  to  recall  him.  The  letter 
was  discussed  at  some  length,  and  by  my  direction 
some  modifications  were  made  In  It. 

Gov.  Marcy  read  a  draft  of  the  letter  to  Gen'l  Scott 

^  Moore,  Buchanan,  VII,  425. 


i86  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [6  Oct. 

which  I  had  requested  him  to  write  on  yesterday. 
It  was  not  finished,  but  he  said  he  would  complete  it 
this  evening. 

The  unofficial  information  received  shows  that 
Mexico  has  refused  to  treat  for  peace  upon  terms 
which  the  U.  S.  can  accept;  and  it  is  now  manifest 
that  the  war  must  be  prosecuted  with  increased  forces 
and  increased  energy.  We  must  levy  contributions 
and  quarter  on  the  enemy.  This  is  part  of  the 
object  of  the  letter  to  Gen'l  Scott.  Mr.  Trist  is 
recalled  because  his  remaining  longer  with  the  army 
could  not,  probably,  accomplish  the  objects  of  his 
mission,  and  because  his  remaining  longer  might, 
&  probably  would,  impress  the  Mexican  Govern- 
ment with  the  belief  that  the  U.  S.  were  so  anxious 
for  peace  that  they  would  ultimate[ly]  conclude  one 
upon  the  Mexican  terms.  Mexico  must  now 
first  sue  for  peace,  &  when  she  does  we  will  hear  her 
propositions. 

The  Cabinet  remained  upwards  of  three  hours, 
and  when  they  adjourned  I  found  myself  much  ex- 
hausted &  fatigued. 

Wednesday,  6th  October,  184'j. —  This  was  a 
damp  &  gloomy  day,  and  from  this  cause,  as  well  as 
from  over-fatigue  on  yesterday,  I  did  not  feel  so  well 
as  I  had  done  on  yesterday.  In  the  course  of  the 
day  I  saw  the  Secretaries  of  State,  War,  &  the  Navy 
on  business.  The  Secretary  of  War  read  his  draft 
of  a  letter  to  Gen'l  Scott.  I  suggested  some  modi- 
fications which  were  made. 

The  Secretary  of  State  submitted  to  me  his  re- 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  187 

vised  draft  of  his  letter  to  Mr.  Trist.     I  suggested 
one  or  two  modifications  of  it  which  were  made. 

I  sent  my  nephew,  Marshall  T.  Polk,  to  a  school 
in  Alexandria  to-day.  Mr.  Benjamin  Hallowell  is 
the  principal  of  the  School.  My  Private  Secretary 
went  to  Alexandria  with  Marshall,  and  on  his  re- 
turn gave  a  favourable  account  of  the  school  as  far 
as  he  was  enabled  to  judge  of  it. 

Thursday,  yth  October,  1847. —  The  weather 
continued  to  be  damp  to-day,  and  I  remained  all 
day  in  my  chamber.  I  saw  the  Secretaries  of  State 
and  of  War  &  the  Post  Master  Gen'l  in  the  course  of 
the  day,  and  transacted  business  with  the  two  former. 

I  was  occupied  a  part  of  to-day  in  reducing  to 
writing  my  views  &  policy  in  relation  to  the  Mex- 
ican War.  These  paragraphs  may  be  of  use  to  me 
when  I  come  to  prepare  my  next  annual  Message  to 
Congress. 

Mrs.  Polk  was  unwell  this  evening,  &  thinks  she 
had  a  slight  chill. 

Friday,  8th  October,  1847. —  I  remained  the 
greater  part  of  to-day  in  my  chamber,  having 
walked  to  the  office  two  or  three  times  &  remained 
there  for  a  short  time.  I  felt  much  better  than  1 
had  done  since  I  was  taken  unwell.  I  saw  the  Sec- 
retary of  State  and  the  Secretary  of  War  &  trans- 
acted business  with  them. 

Mrs.  Polk,  who  was  taken  ill  on  yesterday  after- 
noon, continued  to  be  unwell  today.  She  rested 
on  the  sofa  and  get  [sat]  up  through  the  day.     She 


i88  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [9  Oct. 

was  unwilling  to  send  for  a  physician,  hoping  that 
her  indisposition  might  pass  off.  She  did  not  pass  a 
comfortable  night. 

Saturday,  gth  October,  184J. —  Mrs.  Polk  had 
another  chill  this  morning,  when  I  sent  for  Dr.  Mil- 
ler, who  prescribed  for  her.  Her  chill  was  followed 
by  a  high  fever. 

I  met  the  Cabinet  in  my  office  to-day  at  the  usual 
hour,  all  the  members  being  present.  Several  sub- 
jects of  minor  importance  were  considered  and  dis- 
posed of.  Upon  returning  to  my  chamber  I  found 
Mrs.  Polk  quite  sick,  and  fear  she  may  have  a  severe 
attack. 

Sunday,  lOth  October,  184J. —  I  spent  this  day 
in  my  chamber  until  about  4  O'Clock  when  I  took  [a] 
short  ride  in  my  carriage  for  exercise.  I  drove  to 
the  House  of  the  Post  Master  Gen'l  who  joined  me 
in  the  ride.  I  am  still  very  weak  from  my  late  at- 
tack, and  felt  fatigued  on  my  return  from  my  ride. 
Mrs.  Polk  was  no  better  to-day.  She  had  another 
chill  and  suffered  much  and  rested  badly  through 
the  day  and  night.  The  physician  (Dr.  Miller) 
called  several  times  in  the  course  of  the  day  and 
after  night,  and  prescribed  for  her.  She  is  very 
nervous  and  restless,  had  fever  in  the  latter  part  of 
the  day,  and  I  thought  her  very  ill. 

Monday,  nth  October,  1847. —  Mrs.  Polk,  hav- 
ing spent  a  restless  and  uncomfortable  night,  was 
quite  ill  this  morning.     The  physician  called  at  8 


i847l  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  189 

O'clock  A.  M.  and  several  times  during  the  day  and 
night.  At  night  he  pronounced  her  better,  but  I  did 
not  perceive  much  change  in  her  situation  for  the 
last  two  days,  except  that  she  is  becoming  more  de- 
bilitated. The  Physician  left  between  8  &  9 
O'clock  P.  M.  having  prescribed  for  her  during  the 
night. 

I  was  much  better  to-day  and  visited  my  office  on 
business  for  short  periods  several  times.  I  remained 
chiefly  in  the  room  with  Mrs.  Polk  and  assisted  the 
servant  maid  in  waiting  upon  her.  I  saw  the  Sec- 
retaries of  State,  War,  and  Navy  and  some  other 
public  officers,  &  transacted  business  with  them  in 
the  course  of  the  day. 

Tuesday,  12th  October,  184J. —  I  met  the  Cab- 
inet to-day  in  my  office,  all  the  members  present. 
No  business  of  General  importance  was  considered 
and  definitely  acted  on.  I  communicated  to  the 
Cabinet  [my]  views  in  regard  to  the  future  prosecu- 
tion of  the  War  in  Mexico.  I  cannot  undertake  to 
state  these  views  in  detail.  They  were  in  substance 
that  the  war  should  be  prosecuted  with  increased 
energy,  that  I  was  opposed  to  withdrawing  the  army 
altogether,  or  retiring  to  a  defensive  line,  but  that  I 
was  in  favour  of  holding  all  the  ports,  towns.  Cities, 
and  Provinces  which  we  had  conquered,  of  pressing 
forward  our  Military  operations,  and  of  levying  con- 
tributions upon  the  enemy  for  the  support  of  our 
army.  I  was  in  favour,  also,  of  establishing  more 
stable  Governments  than  those  established  over  the 
Cities  or  Provinces  which  we  have  conquered,  by  the 


190  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [13  Oct. 

right  of  conquest.  I  was  in  favour,  also,  of  avowing 
in  my  message  to  Congress  in  December  next  that  the 
Provinces  of  New  Mexico  and  the  Californias 
should  be  retained  by  the  U.  S.  as  indemnity,  & 
should  never  be  restored  to  Mexico,  and  that  in  these 
Provinces  permanent  territorial  Governments  should 
be  established.  The  Cabinet  were  unanimous  in 
concurring  with  me  in  these  views.  I  then  told 
them  that  I  would  prepare  shortly  a  rough  draft  of 
my  message  to  Congress  upon  the  subject,  embody- 
ing these  views,  &  would  submit  it  to  them  for  con- 
sideration. 

Mrs.  Polk  continued  to  be  quite  ill  to-day,  and  I 
left  the  Cabinet  two  or  three  times  during  its  session 
to  visit  her  in  our  chamber.  The  physician  thought 
her  better  than  she  had  been. 

This  was  the  regular  evening  for  the  reception  of 
company,  but  none  was  received.  Neither  Mrs. 
Polk  nor  myself  have  been  in  the  parlour  on  recep- 
tion evenings  since  I  was  taken  ill  on  the  25th 
ultimo. 

Wednesday,  13th  October,  184J. —  I  visited  my 
office  on  business  several  times  for  short  periods  to- 
day. I  saw  several  public  officers  on  business.  I 
am  free  from  disease,  but  am  still  weak  from  my  late 
attack.  I  commenced  preparing  today  the  para- 
graphs of  my  message  in  relation  to  Mexico  &  the 
Mexican  War.  I  occupied  a  room  near  to  Mrs. 
Polk's  chamber.  I  could  not  remain  in  my  office 
without  being  subject  to  constant  interruptions  from 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  191 

visitors.     I  saw  several  public  officers  on  business  to- 
day. 

Mrs.  Polk  is  better  to-day,  and  I  hope  will  speed- 
ily recover.  The  physician  thinks  her  disease  is  re- 
moved. 

Thursday,  14th  October,  184'J. —  I  attended  in 
my  office  occasionally  to-day  when  called  there  on 
business.  The  greater  part  of  the  day  I  spent  in  my 
room  near  Mrs.  Polk's  chamber,  and  was  engaged 
in  preparing  my  views  to  be  communicated  to  Con- 
gress on  the  subject  of  our  relations  with  Mexico, 
and  the  Mexican  War.  Mrs.  Polk  continues  to  im- 
prove &  is  decidedly  better  to-day. 

The  Secretary  of  State  called  &  sent  me  a  message 
that  he  had  come  with  the  Hon.  Henry  A.  Wise,  late 
U.  S.  Minister  to  Brazil,  who  desired  to  pay  his  re- 
spects. I  went  to  my  office,  and  a  few  minutes  after- 
wards the  Secretary  of  State  and  Mr.  Wise  came  in. 
Mr.  Wise  appeared  at  first  to  be  somewhat  embar- 
rassed. I  received  him  courteously,  and  he  was  soon 
apparently  at  his  ease.  He  very  soon  returned  to 
me  his  thanks,  and  expressed  his  gratitude  to  me  for 
my  kind  treatment  to  [of]  him  while  in  Brazil.  He 
said  he  desired  to  express  to  me  his  personal  grati- 
tude as  well  as  [that  of]  a  public  functionary.  I  en- 
tered into  a  free  conversation  with  him  in  regard  to 
affairs  in  Brazil.  No  allusion  was  had  to  his  former 
hostility  to  me,  and  his  unprovoked  and  unjustifiable 
assaults  upon  me  when  I  was  speaker  of  the  Ho. 
Repts.  in  1836  &  1837.     He  and  Baylie  Peyton  were 


192  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [14  Oct. 

then  acting  a  part  for  John  Bell,^  who  used  them  for 
his  own  malignant  purposes.  I  can  never  justify  Mr. 
Wise's  course  at  that  time,  but  it  has  long  since  passed 
&  I  forgive  it.  He  is  now  very  grateful  to  me  for 
not  having  recalled  him  from  Brazil,  and  for  having 
approved  his  conduct  in  the  recent  difficulties  in 
which  he  was  involved  with  the  Government  of  that 
country.  I  learn  that  he  returns  to  the  U.  S.  my 
friend,  &  his  expressions  of  gratitude  to  me  to-day 
were  as  strong  &  decided  as  human  language  could 
make  them,  so  that  I  have  lived  to  conquer  the  hos- 
tility of  at  least  one  of  my  political  opponents  & 
persecutors.  This  I  have  done  by  performing  my 
duty  in  a  magnanimous  and  liberal  manner.  Mr. 
Buchanan  was  present  during  my  whole  interview 
with  him. 

To-day  I  continued  the  preparation  of  my  views 
in  relation  to  the  Mexican  War.  It  is  an  important 
subject  &  I  desire  to  have  the  first  draft  of  it  pre- 
pared &  submitted  to  the  Cabinet  before  I  shall  be 
pressed  w^ith  other  duties  as  the  meeting  of  Congress 
approaches. 

^  Henry  A.  Wise  and  Bailie  Peyton  had  been  law  partners  for 
a  brief  time  in  Tennessee,  but  meeting  with  no  success  the  part- 
nership was  dissolved.  Wise  returned  to  Virginia  and  Peyton 
went  into  politics.  John  Bell  of  Tennessee  was  a  Representa- 
tive in  Congress  1827-1841,  and  Senator  1847-1849.  In  i860 
he  became  the  nominee  of  the  Constitutional  Union  party  for  the 
Presidency.  He  supported  Jackson  in  the  Presidential  election 
of  1832  but  turned  Whig  the  following  vear,  and  in  1834  was 
elected  over  Polk  Speaker  of  the  House.  Henceforth  he  was  the 
bitter  opponent  of  Polk  in  the  field  of  Tennessee  politics. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  193 

Friday,  i^th  October,  184J. —  I  attended  to  busi- 
ness in  my  office  occasionally  to-day.  I  saw  several 
public  officers  &  transacted  business  with  them. 
Mrs.  Polk  was  so  much  better  that  she  set  [sat]  up 
most  of  to-day.  I  continued  the  preparation  of  my 
views  in  relation  to  Mexican  affairs  to-day  and 
finished  the  first  draft,  which  I  will  submit  to  the 
Cabinet. 

Nothing  worthy  of  being  noted  occurred  to-day. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  left  the  City  to- 
day to  be  absent  for  three  or  four  days  as  he  informed 
me.  He  informed  [me]  he  was  going  to  Rockaway 
to  accompany  his  wife  and  children,  who  had  been 
spending  the  summer  at  that  place,  back  to  Wash- 
ington. 

Saturday,  idth  October,  184'/. —  I  attended  the 
meeting  of  the  Cabinet  in  my  office  to-day,  all  the 
members  present  except  the  Secretary  of  the  Treas- 
ury, who  was  absent  from  the  City,  and  the  Secretary 
of  State,  w^ho  was  detained  in  his  office. 

I  read  to  the  members  of  the  Cabinet  who  were 
present  the  draft  which  I  had  prepared  within  the 
last  few  days  of  my  views  of  our  relations  with  Mex- 
ico, and  our  future  policy  in  the  conduct  of  the  War. 
They  all  expressed  their  approbation  of  it. 

No  business  of  importance  was  transacted. 

In  the  evening  I  sent  the  draft  of  my  views  on 
Mexican  afifairs  to  Mr.  Buchanan,  for  his  examina- 
tion and  any  suggestions  he  might  have  to  make. 

Mrs.  Polk  continues  to  improve  in  her  health. 


194 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [17  Oct. 


Sunday,  17th  October,  /(S*^/.— Neither  Mrs. 
Polk  nor  myself  had  sufficiently  recovered  from  our 
late  attacks  of  fever  to  attend  church  to-day.  Mrs. 
Polk  set  [sat]  up  most  of  the  day.  I  consider  my- 
self well,  but  have  not  yet  recovered  my  strength. 

Monday,  l8th  October,  184J. —  I  was  in  my 
office  almost  the  whole  day;  saw  several  public  offi- 
cers on  business  &  transacted  business  on  my  table. 
Senator  Yulee  called.  He  had  been  on  a  visit  with 
his  wife  to  Kentucky  and  was  on  his  return  to 
Florida.  In  the  course  of  our  conversation  he  sug- 
gested some  modification  of  the  boundaries  which 
Mr.  Trist  had  proposed  to  the  Mexican  commission- 
ers, &  which  had  been  rejected  by  them.  His  sug- 
gestion was  that  the  Rio  Grande  should  be  the  line  to 
near  the  Southern  boundary  of  New  Mexico,  and 
that  the  Mexican  settlements  on  the  River  and  near 
it,  on  both  sides,  should  be  left  to  Mexico.  He  was 
in  favour  of  acquiring  the  whole  of  Upper  Cali- 
fornia. I  told  him  that  the  acquisition  of  Upper  Cal- 
ifornia would  be  a  sine  qua  non  with  me,  in  any 
Treaty  that  might  be  made.  He  said  he  was  glad 
to  hear  it.  I  had  a  full  conversation  with  him  on 
Mexican  affairs. 

At  2  O'clock  P.  M.  I  opened  my  office  for  the  re- 
ception of  company.  Quite  a  number  came  in,  all 
of  whom  but  three  were  seeking  office,  and  one  of 
the  three  was  begging  money.  This  was  the  first 
day  I  had  received  company  generally  since  I  was 
taken  sick,  more  than  three  weeks  ago.  I  concluded 
that  if  no  persons  had  called  in  that  time  who  had 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  195 

more  important  business  than  those  who  had  called 
to-day,  that  the  public  had  lost  nothing  by  my  ab- 
sence from  the  office. 

Tuesday,  igth  October,  184J. —  The  Cabinet 
met  to-day  at  the  usual  hour,  all  the  members  present 
except  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  who  was  ab- 
sent from  the  City.  Nothing  of  much  importance 
was  considered  to-day.  I  transacted  business  with 
public  officers,  and  at  2  O'Clock  took  a  ride  in  my 
carriage  with  Mrs.  Polk,  who  had  sufficiently  recov- 
ered to  take  some  exercise. 

Wednesday,  zoth  October,  184J. —  At  an  early 
hour  this  morning  information  was  received  by  Tel- 
egraph from  Petersburg  that  the  Steamer  Fashion 
had  arrived  at  New  Orleans  from  Vera  Cruz,  bring- 
ing dates  [despatches]  from  the  City  of  Mexico 
[bearing  date]  as  late  as  the  i8th  of  September. 
This  intelligence  is  that  our  army  was  in  peaceable 
possession  of  the  City  of  Mexico;  that  Santa  Anna 
had  resigned  the  Presidency;  &  that  Pena  y  Pena  ^ 
who  had  succeeded  him,  had  convened  the  Mexican 
Congress  to  meet  at  Queratero"  on  the  5th  Instant. 
A  state  of  great  confusion  prevailed  in  Mexico. 
The  names  of  many  officers  who  were  killed  and 

^  In  1847  Pena  y  Peiia,  as  president  of  the  supreme  court,  took 
charge  of  the  executive  branch  of  the  government,  retaining  it 
until  the  congress  elected  a  provisional  president.  In  1848  he 
again  assumed  charge  of  the  executive  department.  He  died  in 
1850. 

-  The  capital  of  the  province  of  the  same  name,  situated  1 50 
miles  northwest  of  the  city  of  Mexico. 


196  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [21  Oct. 

wounded  in  the  late  engagements  before  the  City  of 
Mexico  are  given,  some  of  them,  indeed  I  may  say 
all  of  them,  very  valuable  officers.  Among  the 
v/ounded  are  Maj'r  Gen'l  Pillow  severely,  and  Brig- 
adier Gen'l  Shields.  I  waited  with  much  anxiety 
for  the  arrival  of  the  Southern  mail  in  the  afternoon, 
and  was  much  disappointed  that  no  official  de- 
spatches were  received  from  Gen'l  Scott.  Letters 
were  received  from  the  army  and  navy  at  Vera  Cruz. 

Thursday,  21st  October,  184J. —  I  was  occupied 
in  my  office  as  usual  to-day;  saw  several  public  offi- 
cers on  business,  and  saw  company  at  2  O'Clock  P.  M. 
Nothing  of  much  interest  occurred.     By  the  South- 
ern Mail  this  evening  despatches  were  received  from 
Mr.  Trist  from  Mexico,  of  as  late  date  as  the  28th 
of  Sept.,  giving  an  account  of  his  negotiations  with 
the  Mexican  Commissioners  which  had  resulted  in 
a  failure  to  come  to  any  agreement  with  them.     Mr. 
Trist  had  exceeded  his  instructions,   and  had  sug- 
gested terms  to  the  Mexican  commissioners  which  I 
could  not  have  approved  if  they  had  agreed  to  them. 
I  can  never  approve  a  Treaty  or  submit  one  to  the 
Senate,  which  would  dismember  the  State  of  Texas, 
and  Mr.  Trist's  suggestion,  if  agreed  to,  would  have 
done  [this]  by  depriving  that  State  of  the  country 
between    the   Nueces    and    the    Rio    Grande.     Mr. 
Trist  in  other  respects  had  in  his  conferences  departed 
from  his  instructions  and  the  simple  duty  with  which 
he  was  charged,  which  was  to  submit  and  inforce  the 
ultimatum  of  his  Government.     He  had  no  right  to 
depart  from  his  instructions,  and  I  disapprove  his 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  197 

conduct  in  doing  so.  He  proposed,  it  is  true,  if  they 
agreed  to  his  suggestions,  to  submit  it  to  his  Gov- 
ernment before  he  would  enter  into  a  Treaty,  but 
in  this  he  has  committed  himself  and  embarrassed 
future  negotiations.  His  course  is  much  to  be 
regretted. 

No  official  despatches  were  received  from  the 
army,  but  many  details  were  contained  in  the  New 
Orleans  papers. 

Friday,  22nd  October,  184J. —  I  was  in  my  office 
at  the  usual  hour  this  morning.  I  had  many  calls 
by  public  officers  through  the  day.  Many  other 
persons  also  called,  and  among  them  was  Senator 
Benton,  who  returned  to  the  City  from  the  West 
last  evening.  I  had  a  long  &  pleasant  conversation 
with  him  about  the  War  and  upon  other  topics.  He 
finally  introduced  the  case  of  Lieut.  Col.  Fremont, 
who  is  under  arrest  at  the  instance  Of  Gen'l  Kearney. 
Mr.  Benton  made  a  long  statement  of  events  which 
had  occurred  in  California  in  which  he  thought  Col. 
Fremont  had  been  badly  treated  by  his  superior 
officers.  He  said  that  he  had  written  me  a  letter 
some  time  ago,  stating  that  events  had  occurred  in 
California  which  the  Government  ought  to  know, 
and  he  insisted  that  in  his  approaching  trial  before 
a  Court  Martial  all  the  events  &  facts  to  which  he 
had  alluded  should  be  investigated  and  exposed. 
This  he  said  could  not  be  done  under  the  present 
charges  against  Col.  Fremont,  and  that  Col.  Fremont 
would  on  monday  next  apply  in  writing  to  the  Secre- 
tary of  War,  asking  that  other  charges,  some  of  them 


198  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [22  Oct. 

having  been  published  at  the  instance  of  officers  of 
the  army,  should  be  preferred  against  him,  so  as  to 
make  the  investigation  a  full  and  complete  one.  He 
said  if  this  was  not  done  there  would  be  four  other 
Court  Martials,  in  order  to  bring  out  the  whole  of 
the  facts;  one  against  Gen'l  Kearney,  one  against 
Capt.  Emmory,^  one  against  Capt.  Turner,-  and  one 
against  Capt.  Cook.^  He  said  if  a  full  investigation 
could  not  be  had  on  his  (Col.  F.'s)  trial,  he  would 
file  charges  against  these  officers,  but  that  he  did  not 
wish  to  do  so  if  the  facts  could  come  out  incidentally 
on  his  own  trial.  Mr.  Benton  became  excited  &  ex- 
hibited much  deep  feeling  on  the  subject.  He  spoke 
of  the  bad  treatment  of  Col.  Fremont,  and  said  that 
his  (Col.  B.'s)  deepest  concern  in  this  life  was  to  see 
justice  done  to  Col.  Fremont  in  this  matter.^  I  was 
careful  to  say  as  little  as  possible,  but  listened  atten- 
tively to  all  Mr.  Benton  said.  I  finally  said  to  him 
that  I  would  act  justly  in  the  matter;  that  I  regretted 
the  whole  [affair]  but  had  had  no  agency  in  produc- 
ing the  difficulty.  He  said  he  knew  I  w^ould  act 
justly.  He  left  in  a  good  humour  towards  me,  as 
far  as  he  expressed  himself  in  relation  to  any  action 
of  mine  in  the  matter. 

I  immediately  sent  for  the  Secretary  of  War,  and 

^  William  Helmsley  Emor}'.  He  went  with  Kearny  to  Cali- 
fornia in  1846  and  became  a  participant  in  the  Fremont  contro- 
versy. 

-  Henry  S.  Turner,  Captain  in  the  ist  Dragoons. 

^  Philip  St.  George  Cooke,  Captain  in  the   ist  Dragoons. 

*  Benton's  account  of  the  Fremont  controversy  is  given  in 
Thirty  Years'  View,  H,  715-719. 


1847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  199 

communicated  to  him  the  substance  of  Col.  Benton's 
conversation.  Mr.  Buchanan  came  in  whilst  1  was 
relating  the  conversation. 

I  transacted  business  as  usual  in  my  office  to-day. 

After  night  Hon.  Rob't  Owen  of  Indiana  called. 

I  received  by  this  evening's  mail  a  letter  from 
Maj'r  Gen'l  Pillow,  dated  at  the  City  of  Mexico  on 
the  8th,  and  another  on  the  28th  of  September,  but 
no  official  despatches  were  received  from  Gen'l 
Scott. 

No  official  despatch  has  been  received  from  Gen'l 
Scott  of  later  date  than  the  4th  of  June  last.  1  di- 
rected the  Secretary  of  War  to  address  him  a  letter 
requiring  him  to  forward  duplicates  of  any  de- 
spatches he  may  have  sent,  &  which  may  have  mis- 
carried. 

Saturday,  23rd  October,  1847, —  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour  to-day,  all  the  members  pres- 
ent except  the  Post  Master  Gen'l,  who  is  detained  at 
his  house  by  indisposition. 

The  official  despatches  which  had  been  received 
at  the  Department  of  State  from  Mr.  Trist  as  late  as 
the  28th  ult.,  giving  an  account  of  his  negotiations 
with  the  Mexican  commissioners,  were  read  by  Mr. 
Buchanan.  Mr.  Trist  has  managed  the  negotiation 
very  bunglingly  and  with  no  ability.  He  has  done 
more.  He  has  departed  from  his  instruction  so  far 
as  to  invite  proposals  from  the  Mexican  commission- 
ers to  be  submitted  to  his  Government  for  its  de- 
cision upon  them,  which  [can]  never  be  accepted  by 
the  United  States.     These  proposals,  if  made  and  ac- 


200  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [23  Oct. 

cepted,  would  require  the  U.  S.  to  surrender  to  Mex- 
ico the  country  between  the  Nueces  and  the  Rio 
Grande,  now  a  part  of  the  state  of  Texas,  which  he 
had  ought  to  have  known  could  never  be  acceded  to. 
He  departed  from  his  instructions  also  in  intimating 
to  the  Mexican  commissioners  that  the  U.  S.  might 
not  insist  upon  the  whole  of  California  as  indemnity, 
but  might  surrender  its  Demands  for  a  part  of  it.  I 
expressed  in  strong  &  decided  terms  my  disapproba- 
tion of  his  conduct.  The  Cabinet  concurred  with 
me  in  my  opinions.  I  directed  Mr.  Buchanan  to 
prepare  a  despatch  expressing  in  strong  terms  my 
disapprobation,  and  to  repeat  his  order  of  the  6th 
Instant  for  his  immediate  recal[l].  This  despatch, 
with  that  to  Gen'l  Scott,  which  I  directed  the  Secre- 
tary of  War  to  prepare  on  yesterday,  J  directed  to  be 
forwarded  by  a  special  messenger.  It  is  very  impor- 
tant that  the  official  despatches  from  Gen'l  Scott 
should  be  received  before  the  meeting  of  Congress, 
and  equally  important  that  Mr.  Trist  should  not  en- 
ter into  terms  of  a  treaty  which  I  could  not  approve. 
Mr.  Trist  had  a  plain  duty  to  perform  &  that  was  to 
submit  the  ultimatum  of  his  Government,  if  he  could 
not  obtain  better  terms,  and  there  he  ought  to  have 
stopped.  He  has  chosen  upon  his  own  responsibility 
to  go  further,  and  has,  I  apprehend,  greatly  embar- 
rassed any  further  negotiation  with  Mexico.  Mex- 
ico will  hereafter  claim  terms  equally  as  favour- 
able as  those  he  has  suggested,  &  these  terms  I  can 
never  approve,  &  if  a  Treaty  were  signed  &  rati- 
fied by  Mexico,  I  would  not  submit  it  to  the  Senate. 
I    am    much    embarrassed    by    Mr.    Trist's    course. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  201 

I  thought  he  had  more  sagacity  and  more  common 
sense  than  to  make  the  propositions  he  has  made. 

Some  other  subjects  of  minor  importance  were 
considered.  « 

The  Hon.  Mr.  Payne/  a  member  of  the  last  Con- 
gress, called  to-day.  The  Cabinet  adjourned  at  near 
4  O'clock  P.  M. 

In  the  evening  I  attended  to  some  of  the  business 
on  my  table. 

Sunday,  24th  October,  184J. —  This  was  a  damp, 
uncomfortable  day;  neither  Mrs.  Polk  nor  myself 
felt  sufficiently  recovered  from  our  recent  attacks  of 
fever  to  attend  church.  We  remained  quietly  at 
home  during  the  day. 

Monday,  2^th  October,  184J. —  I  transacted 
business  with  the  Secretaries  of  War  &  the  Navy, 
and  with  some  other  public  officers  this  forenoon.  I 
occupied  some  time  in  revising  the  rough  draft  of  my 
views  on  Mexican  affairs,  which  I  had  prepared 
some  days  ago.  It  was  prepared  with  a  view  to 
make  it  a  part  of  my  Message  at  the  opening  of  the 
next  session  of  Congress. 

A  special  messenger  left  this  morning  as  bearer  of 
despatches  to  Gen'l  Scott  and  Mr.  Trist.  The  de- 
spatches which  he  bore  were  those  which  I  directed 
to  be  prepared  in  the  Cabinet  meeting  on  the  23rd 
Instant  (see  this  diary  of  that  day) . 

At  2  O'clock  P.  M.  I  opened  my  office  for  the  re- 

^William  Winter  Payne,  1807-1847,  Representative  from  Ala- 
bama 1841-1847. 


202  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [25  Oct. 

ception  of  company.  Five  or  six  persons  came  in 
as  soon  as  the  door  was  [opened],  and  among  them 
was  John  Randolph  Benton,  the  son  of  Senator  Ben- 
ton. I  received  him  pleasantly  and  kindly.  In  a 
manner  somewhat  excited  he  said  to  me  that  he 
wanted  an  appointment  of  Lieutenant  in  the  army, 
and  asked  me  if  he  could  get  it.  I  told  him  in  a 
mild  tone  that  I  could  not  promise  to  appoint  him, 
that  there  were  embarrassments  in  the  way,  which  I 
commenced  explaining  to  him.  He  interrupted  me 
&  in  a  manner  still  more  excited  than  at  first,  he 
said  he  wished  to  know  distinctly  whether  he  was  to 
be  appointed  or  not.  I  told  him  that  in  the  first 
place  I  knew  of  no  vacancies,  &  that  if  there  were,  as 
a  general  rule  I  gave  the  preference  to  privates  who 
were  in  the  ranks  in  Mexico  (some  of  whom  had 
been  wounded  and  otherwise  distinguished  them- 
selves, and  all  of  whom  had  sufifered  great  privation) 
when  they  were  equally  well  qualified,  over  citizens 
who  had  remained  at  home,  and  had  never  been  in 
the  service.  I  told  him  that  I  observed  this  as  a  gen- 
eral rule,  but  that  there  might  be  cases  of  exception 
to  the  rule.  He  rose  to  his  feet,  &  was  impertinent 
and  still  excited.  As  he  was  young,  and  on  his 
father's  account,  I  still  spoke  in  a  mild  &  kind  tone, 
&  told  him  to  be  patient,  &  that  I  would  talk  to  his 
father  &  the  Secretary  of  War  on  the  subject.  He 
said  that  his  father  would  not  urge  his  appointment, 
&  that  the  Secretary  of  War  had  told  him  this  morn- 
ing that  his  application  would  be  rejected.  I  told 
him  I  had  seen  the  Secretary  to-day,  &  that  he  had 
mentioned  his  case  to  me,  but  had  not  told  me  that 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  203 

he  had  so  informed  him.  He  left  my  office  in  quite 
a  passion,  &  very  rudely,  swearing  profanely  as  he 
went  [out]  of  the  door.  In  a  loud  and  boisterous 
tone  he  used  the  exclamation  as  he  passed  out  of  the 
door  ''  By  God  "  he  would  do  something,  but  I  lost 
the  remaining  words  which  he  uttered.  As  soon  as 
he  was  gone  one  of  the  gentlemen,  Mr.  Cable[?]  of 
Massachusetts,  asked  me  in  his  astonishment,  if  such 
occurrences  were  common  in  my  office.  I  told  him 
it  was  the  first  of  the  kind,  I  believed,  which  had  oc- 
curred since  I  had  been  President.  I  enquired  of 
those  present,  some  of  whom  sat  nearer  the  door  than 
I  did,  what  his  last  exclamation  was,  as  I  had  not 
heard  the  latter  part  of  it  distinctly.  Mr.  Cable[?] 
said  he  thought  it  was  "  By  God  I  will  have  ven- 
geance," or  something  to  that  effect.  Mr.  Arthur  ^ 
of  Baltimore,  who  was  present,  said  he  smelt  liquor 
on  his  breath  &  thought  he  was  drunk.  All  present 
expressed  their  amazement  at  his  conduct.  Col. 
Walker  was  present  when  he  first  came  in,  but  left 
the  office  before  he  used  the  violent  expression  as  he 
went  out  of  the  office.  He  thought  he  was  drunk 
also.  He  gave  evidence  of  his  ill  manners  and  im- 
pertinence, &  I  have  no  doubt  is  in  all  respects 
worthless. 

I  note  this  incident,  ist,  because  of  its  marked 
character,  &  2nd,  because  I  may  hereafter  incur  the 
hostility  of  his  family  because  his  wishes  have  not 
been  gratified.  His  brother-in-law,  Jones,  is  also  an 
applicant  to  me  for  office.     I  promoted  Lieut.  Col. 

^Timothy  Shay  Arthur,  1809-1855,  editor  of  the  Athenaum; 
in  1842  he  founded  Arthur's  Home  Magazine. 


204 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [26  Oct. 


Fremont,  another  brother-in-law.  He  is  now  under 
arrest,  &  to-day  Col.  Benton  has  addressed  a  letter  to 
the  Secretary  of  War  making  requests  or  demands  in 
reference  to  his  trial,  some  of  which  cannot  be 
granted.  I  have  always  been  upon  good  terms  with 
Col.  Benton,  but  he  is  a  man  of  violent  passions  and 
I  should  not  be  surprised  if  he  became  my  enemy  be- 
cause all  his  wishes  in  reference  to  his  family  and 
their  appointments  to  offices  are  not  appointed  to 
office  [gratified?],  and  especially  if  I  do  not  grant 
his  wishes  in  reference  to  Col.  Fremont's  trial.  I 
am  resolved  that  Col.  Fremont  shall  be  tried  as  all 
other  officers  are  tried,  against  whom  charges  are  pre- 
ferred. I  will  grant  him  no  favours  or  privileges 
which  I  would  not  grant  to  any  other  officer,  even 
though  I  should  incur  his  displeasure  &  that  of  his 
friends  by  refusing  to  do  so. 

Tuesday,  26th  October,  184J. —  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour  to-day,  all  the  members  pres- 
ent. The  principal  matter  considered  to-day  was  a 
letter  addressed  by  Senator  Benton  &  his  son-in-law, 
Mr.  Jones,  in  which,  as  counsel  for  Col.  Fremont, 
they  request  that  additional  charges,  based  upon 
anonymous  newspaper  publications,  may  be  pre- 
ferred against  that  officer,  and  that  the  place  of  trial 
may  be  changed  from  Fortress  Monroe  to  Washing- 
ton. They  state  also  that  his  arrest  was  a  surprise,  as 
some  of  his  witnesses  are  in  [the]  army  and  navy  in 
California.  After  full  consideration  an  answer  was 
agreed  upon  and  the  Secretary  of  War  was  directed 
to  prepare  it.     As  the  questions  involved  in  the  ap- 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  205 

plication  are  some  of  them  important,  and  as  Senator 
Benton  manifests  much  excitement  on  the  subject,  it 
was  resolved  that  the  Cabinet  would  meet  to-mor- 
row to  consider  the  answer  to  be  prepared  by  the 
Secretary  of  War.  I  know  of  no  reason  why  this 
case  should  produce  more  interest  or  excitement  than 
the  trial  of  any  other  officer  charged  with  a  military 
offense,  &  yet  it  is  manifest  that  Senator  Benton  is 
resolved  to  make  it  do  so.  I  think  he  is  pursuing  a 
mistaken  policy  so  far  as  Col.  Fremont  is  concerned, 
but  that  is  an  affair  of  which  he  must  judge.  I  will 
do  my  duty  in  the  case,  w^ithout  favour  or  affection. 
In  doing  so  I  am  sensible  that  it  will  be  very  diffi- 
cult to  avoid  giving  offense  to  Senator  Benton. 
Should  such  be  the  result,  I  shall  have  the  conscious- 
ness of  having  done  my  duty  to  the  public  &  justice 
to  Col.  Fremont,  and  more  than  this  I  cannot  do  to 
secure  the  friendship  [of  Col.  Benton],  or  his  sup- 
port of  my  administration,  or  that  of  any  one  else. 

Some  other  business  of  minor  importance  was  at- 
tended to. 

I  disposed  of  some  business  on  my  table  in  the 
course  of  the  day. 

Wednesday,  2'jth  October,  184J. —  A  special 
meeting  of  the  Cabinet  w^as  held  at  11  O'Clock  this 
morning,  all  the  members  present,  to  consider  the  re- 
ply of  the  Secretary  of  War  to  the  letter  of  Senator 
Benton  &  his  son-in-law,  Mr.  Jones,  in  relation  to 
Lieut.  Col.  Fremont's  case  (see  this  diary  of  yester- 
day) .  The  Secretary  of  War  read  the  letter  which 
he  had  prepared.     It  was  carefully  considered,  and 


2o6  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [28  Oct. 

after  undergoing  some  modifications  was  agreed  to 
unanimously.  No  other  subject  was  considered  by 
the  Cabinet. 

Mr.  John  Appleton  of  Maine,  chief  clerk  in  the 
Navy  Department,  presented  to  me  to-day  a  Journal 
of  my  tour  in  June  &  July  last  to  the  Northern 
States.  Mr.  Appleton  accompanied  me  on  that  tour 
as  one  of  my  suite,  and  prepared  the  Journal  from 
the  notes  which  he  had  taken.  It  will  be  interesting 
for  future  reference  and  I  will  preserve  it.  I  was 
engaged  to-day  in  revising  the  draft  which  I  had 
prepared  some  days  ago  of  my  views  of  our  relations 
with  Mexico,  designed  to  constitute  a  part  of  my 
next  annual  message. 

I  did  not  open  my  office  for  the  reception  of  com- 
pany generally  to-day.  I,  however,  admitted  several 
persons  who  called. 

I  disposed  of  business  on  my  table  as  usual,  to-day. 

Thursday,  28th  October,  184J. —  Finding  that 
I  was  constantly  subject  to  be  interrupted  by  calls  if 
I  remained  in  my  office,  I  retired  to  another  room 
to-day,  and  was  engaged  in  preparing  my  next  an- 
nual message.  The  Mexican  question,  the  war,  &C., 
is  the  great  subject  of  interest,  &  I  occupied  the  prin- 
cipal part  of  the  day  on  that  subject.  At  2  O'Clock 
I  went  to  my  office  &  saw  company.  Several  per- 
sons called,  but  nothing  of  much  interest  occurred. 
Among  those  who  called  were  several  office  seekers 
as  usual.  The  Secretary  of  War  submitted  to  me 
to-day  the  answer  of  Senator  Benton  &  his  son-in- 
law,  Mr.  Jones,  as  the  counsel  of  Lieut.  Col.  Fre- 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  207 

mont,  to  the  Secretary's  letter  of  yesterday,  declin- 
ing to  ask  a  postponment  of  his  trial,  but  insisting 
that  the  place  of  trial  should  be  changed  to  Wash- 
ington. I  concluded  to  change  the  place  &  ordered 
the  trial  to  be  had  at  Washington. 

Friday,  2gth  October,  184J. —  I  was  occupied 
the  principal  part  of  to-day  in  the  preperation  of 
my  message.  I  left  my  office,  for  the  reasons  as- 
signed in  this  diary  on  yesterday.  I  returned  to  the 
office  at  2  O'clock  P.  M.  &  saw  company.  Several 
persons  called  as  usual.  I  transacted  some  business 
on  my  table,  but  nothing  worthy  of  notice  occurred 
during  the  day. 

Saturday,  30th  October,  1847. —  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour  to-day,  all  the  members  pres- 
ent. After  transacting  some  business  of  minor  im- 
portance, the  Mexican  war  and  the  policy  proper  to 
be  pursued  was  fully  discussed.  The  Cabinet  were 
unanimously  in  favour  of  prosecuting  it  with  in- 
creased energy.  A  question  which  had  been  con- 
sidered and  decided  several  weeks  ago  was  again 
considered  to-day.  It  was  the  proper  construction 
of  the  act  of  the  13th  of  May,  1846,  authorizing  the 
President  to  accept  the  services  of  50,000  Volunteers. 
In  May,  1846,  I  accepted  the  services  of  about  23,- 
000  Volunteers  for  12  months.  Since  that  time  I 
have  accepted  the  services  of  about  27,000  Volun- 
teers to  serve  during  the  war.  The  12  months  men 
were  discharged  at  the  expiration  of  their  term,  & 
the    question    of    construction    was,    whether    the 


208  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [31  Oct. 

authority  of  the  act  had  been  exhausted,  or  whether 
it  authorized  me  to  keep  the  whole  number  of  50,- 
000  in  the  field.  It  was  decided  that  the  former  con- 
struction was  the  proper  one,  though  some  doubts 
were  expressed  on  the  subject.  All  thought  it  was 
safest  not  to  exercise  a  doubtful  power,  by  calling 
out  more  volunteers,  and  that  it  would  be  better  to 
call  on  Congress  to  legislate  on  the  subject. 
Nothing  of  interest  occurred  to-day. 

Sunday,  jlst  October,  184J. —  Mrs.  Polk  and 
myself  attended  the  First  Presbyterian  church  to- 
day. It  was  the  first  sabbath  I  had  attended  church 
since  I  was  taken  ill  on  Saturday,  the  25th  of  Septem- 
ber, ultimo. 

Monday,  Ist  November,  1 8 47. —  I  spent  most  of 
to-day  in  a  private  room,  in  order  to  avoid  the  con- 
stant calls  which  are  made  daily  when  I  am  in  my 
office.  I  was  engaged  in  revising  the  draft  of  that 
part  of  my  annual  message  which  I  had  prepared 
on  Mexican  affairs,  and  particularly  In  relation  to 
the  war.  At  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  I  went  to  my  office 
and  saw  company,  having  directed  my  porter  to  in- 
form all  who  called  that  I  would  see  them  at  that 
hour.  A  number  of  persons  called,  some  to  pay 
their  respects,  but  most  of  them  seeking  office. 

After  night  Mr.  Buchanan  called,  &  complained 
that  persons  employed  in  the  Customs  House  at 
Philadelphia  were  personally  abusive  of  him,  and 
that  if  it  was  not  checked  his  friends  would  apply 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  209 

to  me,  and  that  he  would  do  so,  to  remove  Col.  Page, 
the  collector.  He  stated  that  he  did  not  object  that 
they  should  be  the  friends  of  Mr.  Dallas,  but  he 
thought  that  I  should  not  permit  a  member  of  my 
Cabinet  to  be  personally  abused  by  persons  holding 
offices  under  my  administration.  I  told  him  I  had 
never  heard  of  it  before,  &  that  it  was  certainly 
wrong.  He  said  he  had  no  right  to  object  if  I 
should  be  the  friend  of  Mr.  Dallas,  but  he  thought 
I  should  protect  a  member  of  my  Cabinet  from  per- 
sonal abuses  by  persons  in  the  employment  of  the 
Government.  He  alluded,  in  speaking  of  Mr.  Dal- 
las, to  the  rivalry  between  Mr.  D.  and  himself  for 
the  next  Presidency.  I  told  Mr.  Buchanan,  in 
reference  to  that  matter  I  must  stand  still  and  take 
no  part  between  Democratic  friends  who  might  be 
aspirants  for  the  Presidency,  at  least  at  present.  Mr. 
Buchanan  has  of  late  had  his  mind  very  much  fixed 
upon  being  a  candidate  for  the  Presidency,  which,  I 
fear,  may  embarrass  my  administration.  I  told  him 
I  vvould  see  Mr.  Walker,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treas- 
ury, on  the  subject,  to  which  he  assented,  and  that  I 
had  no  objection  to  write  to  Col.  Page  disapprov- 
ing the  personal  abuse  of  him  of  which  he  com- 
plained, but  plainly  intimated  that  [I]  would  take 
no  part  in  any  contest  between  Mr.  Dallas  and  him- 
self. When  the  Democratic  National  Convention 
shall  nominate  a  candidate  for  the  Presidency  I  will 
support  the  nominee,  whoever  he  may  be.  Until 
that  time  I  shall  take  no  part  between  the  Democratic 
aspirants. 


210  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [2  Nov. 

Tuesday,  2nd  November,  184J. —  I  am  fifty-two 
years  old  to-day,  this  being  my  birthday.  I  have 
now  passed  through  two-thirds  of  my  Presidential 
term,  &  most  heartily  wish  that  the  remaining  third 
was  over,  for  I  am  sincerely  desirous  to  have  the 
enjoyment  of  retirement  in  private  life. 

The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour,  all  the  mem- 
bers present.  I  had  some  conversation  with  them 
about  the  preperation  of  their  Reports,  preparatory 
to  the  meeting  of  Congress. 

Nothing  of  much  importance  was  considered  to- 
day. 

I  spent  the  balance  of  the  day  in  disposing  of  the 
business  on  my  table  and  in  preparing  paragraphs 
of  my  next  annual  message.  After  the  Cabinet  ad- 
journed [I]  told  Mr.  Walker,  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  whom  I  had  requested  to  remain,  of  the 
complaint  of  Mr.  Buchanan  against  the  Custom- 
house officers  at  Philadelphia  for  their  abuse  [of] 
him  personally  (see  this  diary  of  yesterday).  I  in- 
formed Mr.  Walker  that  I  should  take  no  part  be- 
tween Mr.  Dallas  and  Mr.  Buchanan,  but  that  I 
thought  it  wrong  that  Mr.  Buchanan  should  be  per- 
sonally abused  by  persons  employed  in  the  custom- 
house. Mr.  Walker  agreed  to  write  a  general  letter 
to  Col.  Page  on  the  subject. 

Wednesday,  3rd  November,  1847. —  I  spent  most 
of  to-day  in  my  private  chamber,  preparing  para- 
graphs for  my  next  annual  message.  I  saw  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan in  my  ofiice,  and  after  transacting  public 
business,  informed  him  that  I  had  seen  Mr.  Walker, 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  211 

the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  in  relation  to  the  per- 
sonal abuse  of  which  he  had  complained  to  me  as 
having  been  heaped  upon  him  by  officers  of  the  cus- 
tom house  at  Philadelphia,  &  that  Mr.  Walker  had 
said  to  me  that  he  would  write  to  Col.  Page,  the  col- 
lector, on  the  subject.  (See  this  diary  of  yesterday 
&  the  day  before). 

Senator  Douglass  of  Illinois  called  to  see  me  to- 
day. He  is  on  his  way  with  his  wife  ^  to  visit  her 
relations  in  N.  Carolina.  I  opened  my  office  at  2 
O'clock  P.  M.  &  saw  company  generally.  Nothing 
worthy  of  note  transpired. 

Thursday,  4th  November,  1847. —  I  was  occu- 
pied to-day  in  collecting  the  documents  &  preparing 
paragraphs  for  my  message.  I  desire  to  have  the 
paper  in  a  state  of  forwardness  before  the  members 
of  Congress  begin  to  arrive,  for  after  that  time  I 
should  have  but  little  time  to  prepare.  I  saw  and 
transacted  business  with  public  officers  in  the  course 
of  the  day,  disposed  of  some  business  on  my  table,  and 
at  2  O'clock  P.  M.  opened  my  office  for  the  recep- 
tion of  company.  A  number  of  persons  called,  but 
none  of  them  had  any  business  of  more  importance 
than  to  seek  office. 

After  night  Senator  Douglass  of  Illinois  called. 
I  had  a  long  conversation  with  him  upon  public  af- 
fairs.    He  agreed  with  me  in  my  full  policy,  except 

^  In  1847  Douglas  married  Martha  Martin,  daughter  of  Col. 
Robert  Martin  of  North  Carolina.  She  died  January  19,  1853, 
and  in  1856  Senator  Douglas  was  married  to  Miss  Adele  Cutis, 
daughter  of  James  Madison  Cutts  of  Washington. 


212  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [5  Nov. 

in  relation  to  River  &  Harbour  improvements.  He 
said,  however,  that  he  felt  no  great  interest  on  the 
subject,  and  should  oppose  my  views  on  that  subject 
only  by  a  silent  vote. 

Friday,  JZ/z  November,  184'J. —  I  was  engaged 
to-day  in  further  examination  &  preparation  of  the 
matter  to  be  embraced  in  my  next  annual  message. 
In  the  course  of  the  day  the  Hon.  Mr.  Clingman,^  a 
Representative  in  the  next  Congress,  called  and  paid 
his  respects.  The  Hon.  Mr.  Davis  of  Indiana,  late 
Speaker  of  the  Ho.  of  Repts.,  also  called.  He  ap- 
plied to  me  to  appoint  him  charge  d'affairs  to  Naples, 
or  commissioner  to  Naples,  in  place  of  Mr.  Everett 
deceased.  I  told  him  there  were  embarrassments  in 
the  way  of  gratifying  his  wishes,  &  did  not  make  any 
promises. 

About  3  O'clock  P.  M.  The  members  of  the  Court 
martial  now  sitting  in  this  City  on  the  trial  of  Lieut. 
Col.  Fremont,  accompanied  by  the  Secretary  of  War, 
called  and  paid  their  respects.  It  was  a  visit  of  cere- 
mony and  they  remained  but  a  few  minutes.  They 
were  all  in  full  uniform. 

I  did  not  open  my  office  to  see  company  generally 
to-day.     I  disposed  of  some  business  on  my  table. 

Saturday,  6th  November,  184J. —  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour  to-day,  all  the  members  pres- 
ent. The  Secretary  of  War  &  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy    submitted    the    estimates    of    appropriations 

^  Thomas  Lanier  Clingman  of  North  Carolina. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  213 

which  had  been  prepared  by  the  several  Heads  of 
Bureaus  in  their  Departments  for  deficiencies  in  the 
present  year  &  for  the  next  fiscal  year.  Those  of  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy  exceeded  but  little  those  ordi- 
narily required  in  a  period  of  peace.  Those  of  the 
Secretary  of  War  greatly  exceeded  the  amount  which 
I  had  anticipated.  In  the  aggregate  they  required 
nearly  eighteen  millions  for  deficiencies  for  the  pres- 
ent fiscal  year,  and  upwards  of  forty  one  millions  for 
the  next  fiscal  year,  making  an  aggregate  of  near  sixty 
millions.  I  expressed  my  astonishment  at  the 
amount  &  told  him  these  must  certainly  be  some  mis- 
take. He  said  he  had  not  himself  revised  the 
amounts  estimated  by  the  several  Heads  of  Bureaus 
in  his  Department.  I  requested  him  to  do  so,  and 
if  possible,  if  consistent  with  the  efficiency  of  the  serv- 
ice, to  reduce  them.  He  said  he  would  do  so,  and 
report  to  me  on  monday  next. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  presented  certain 
modifications,  which  he  recommended,  of  the  rates 
of  duties  levied  as  a  military  contribution  on 
goods  entered  in  the  ports  of  Mexico,  in  our  military 
occupation.  The  cabinet  were  unanimous  in  rec- 
ommending the  modifications  proposed.  I  was 
disinclined  to  them,  because  I  disliked  the  seeming 
vacillation  which  it  would  imply,  but  yielded  my 
own  impressions  &  told  the  secretary  of  the  Treasury 
to  prepare  the  order  directing  the  modifications  pro- 
posed &  I  would  sanction  it. 

Some  other  business  of  minor  importance  was 
transacted. 


214  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [7  Nov. 

After  night  Gen'l  Mariott,^  the  collector  of  Balti- 
more, called  and  requested  me  to  appoint  his  son, 
who  is  a  private  soldier  in  the  army  in  Mexico,  to  a 
Lieutenancy.  I  could  not  promise  to  do  so,  but  told 
him  I  would  consider  his  application  when  a  vacancy 
occurred. 

Sunday,  yth  November,  184J. —  I  was  suffering 
from  the  effects  of  a  severe  cold  to-day  &  did  not  at- 
tend church.  Mrs.  Polk  &  my  nephew,  Marshall  T. 
Polk,  who  had  come  up  on  a  visit  from  his  school  in 
Alexandria,  attended  the  first  Presbyterian  church. 
Mrs.  Polk  attended  the  afternoon  service  at  the  same 
church,  it  being  communion  day. 

Monday,  8th  November,  184J. —  I  was  in  my 
office  at  the  usual  hour  this  morning.  I  transacted 
some  of  the  current  business  which  had  accumulated 
on  my  table,  and  saw  several  public  officers  on  busi- 
ness. In  the  course  of  the  day  Senator  Dix  of  New 
York  called.  He  informed  me  that  he  had  brought 
his  family  to  the  City  that  he  might  Select  quarters 
and  be  settled  before  the  meeting  of  Congress.  I  had 
a  conversation  with  him  about  the  Pvlexican  war  & 
other  topics  of  public  interest.  He  did  not  introduce 
the  subject  of  the  divisions  and  defeat  of  the  De- 
mocracy of  New  York  at  the  late  election.  If  he  had 
done  so,  I  would  have  given  him  my  opinion  plainly, 
that  Mr.  John  Van   Buren,    Cambreling,^    Preston 

^William   H.  Marriott. 

^Churchill  C.  Cambreleng,  1786-1862,  Representative  from 
New  York   1821-1839,  minister  to  Russia   1840-1841.     He  be- 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  215 

King,  Rathbun,  and  those  who  acted  with  them  in 
bolting  from  the  regular  nominations  of  the  party  and 
who  attempted  to  agitate  the  slavery  question,  were 
wholly  inexcusable,  and  were  responsible  for  the  de- 
feat of  the  party.  Senator  Dix  belongs  to  the  same 
section  of  the  party  that  the  disorganizers  referred  to 
do.  As  he  did  not  introduce  the  subject,  I  did  not. 
His  conversation  was  in  a  friendly  tone  towards  the 
administration.  Among  other  things  he  recom- 
mended Mr.  Niles  ^  of  Vermont  for  the  Mission  to 
Sardinia. 

The  Hon.  Mr.  Cunningham^  of  Ohio,  who  was  a 
member  of  the  last  Congress,  called  and  paid  his  re- 
spects. At  2  O'clock  I  received  company  generally. 
A  number  of  persons  called. 

I  devoted  some  time  to-night  to  the  preperation  of 
my  annual  message. 

Tuesday,  gth  November,  184J. —  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour  to-day,  all  the  members  pres- 
ent. I  had  a  conversation  with  the  Secretary  of 
War  about  the  estimates  for  the  War  Department  for 
deficiencies  of  the  present  and  appropriations  for  the 
next  fiscal  year.  As  prepared  by  the  several  bureaus 
in  his  Department  they  amounted  to  between  fifty 
nine  and  sixty  millions  of  Dollars.     I  told  him  that 

longed  to  the  Van  Buren-Wright  faction  of  the  New  York 
Democracy. 

■^  Nathaniel  Niles,  appointed  charge  d'affaires  to  Sardinia,  De- 
cember 29,    1847. 

^Francis  A.  Cunningham,  Representative  from  Ohio  1845- 
1847. 


2i6  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [9  Nov. 

they  were  certainly  extravagant,  and  that  they  must 
be  cut  down  &  reduced  wherever  it  could  be  done 
without  danger  of  prejudice  to  the  service,  and  that 
he  must  revise  them  with  that  view.  This  led  to  the 
discussion  of  the  proper  policy  to  be  pursued  in  the 
further  prosecution  of  the  War  with  Mexico.  This 
was  an  important  question  &  one  which  I  supposed 
had  been  settled  unanimously  in  Cabinet  some  weeks 
ago.  Mr.  Buchanan  spoke  to-day  in  an  unsettled 
tone,  and  said  I  must  take  one  of  two  courses  in  my 
next  Message,  viz.,  to  designate  the  part  of  the  mex- 
ican  territory  which  we  intended  to  hold  as  indem- 
nity, or  to  occupy  all  Mexico  by  a  largely  increased 
force  &  subdue  the  country  &  promise  protection  to 
the  inhabitants.  He  said  he  would  express  no  opin- 
ion between  these  two  plans,  but  after  the  despatches 
which  were  expected  from  the  army  were  received, 
he  would  do  so.  I  remarked  that  I  thought  our 
policy  had  been  settled  upon  some  time  since,  but,  as 
the  subject  was  now  brought  up  as  one  that  was  still 
open,  I  would  read  what  I  had  written  on  the  sub- 
ject, &  I  did  so.  My  views  as  thus  reduced  to  writing 
were  in  substance  that  we  would  continue  the  pros- 
ecution of  the  war  with  an  increased  force,  hold  all 
the  country  we  had  conquered  or  might  conquer,  and 
levy  contributions  upon  the  enemy  to  support  the 
war,  until  a  just  peace  was  obtained;  that  we  must 
have  indemnity  in  territory,  and  that  as  a  part  in- 
demnity the  Californias  &  New  Mexico  should  un- 
der no  circumstances  be  restored  to  Mexico,  but  that 
they  should  henceforward  be  considered  a  part  of  the 
U.  S.,  &  permanent  territorial  Governments  be  es- 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  217 

tablished  over  them;  and  that  if  Mexico  protracted 
the  war,   additional  territory  must  be   required   as 
further  indemnity.     Mr.   Buchanan  seems  to  have 
changed  his  views  upon  the  subject.     Until  recently 
he  had  expressed  his  opinion  against  acquiring  any 
other  territory  than  the  Californias  &  New  Mexico. 
He  did  not  positively  express  a  distinct  opinion  to- 
day; but  it  was  pretty  clearly  to  be  inferred  from 
what  he  did  say  that  he  was  now  for  more  terri- 
ti[o]ry;  and  that  he  would  favour  the  policy  of  ac- 
quiring, in  addition  to  the  Californias  &  New  Mex- 
ico, the   Province  of  Tamaulipas   and  the  country 
East  of  the  Sierra  madre  mountains,  and  withdraw- 
ing our  troops  to  that  line.     The  Secretary  of  War 
expressed  his  dissent  to  this  policy  and  approved  the 
views  I  had  reduced  to  writing  and  read.     I  did  not 
propound    a    distinct    question    to    the    Cabinet   on 
the  subject.     The   Secretary  of   the   Treasury  said 
that   it  would   prostrate    the    administration   &   be 
condemned    by    the    country    if    we    withdrew    the 
army   from    the    City   of  Mexico    &    the    heart   of 
the    country   which    we    now    occupied,    with    out 
making  a  satisfactory  peace.     The  subject  was  dis- 
cussed at  considerable  length.     My  opinions  were 
unchanged.     Mr.    Buchanan's    opinions    have    evi- 
dently undergone  a  change  in  the  course  of  a  few 
weeks,  or  rather  he  seems  to  be  now  in  an  unsettled 
state  of  mind.     Since  he  has  considered  himself  as  a 
candidate  for  the  Presidency  it  is  probable  he  looks 
at  the  subject  with  different  considerations  in  view 
from  those  which  he  entertained  before  that  time. 
His  change  of  opinion  will  not  alter  my  views.     I 


2i8  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [lo  Nov. 

am  fixed  in  my  course  and  I  think  all  the  Cabinet 
except  Mr.  Buchanan  still  concur  with  me,  &  he  may 
yet  do  so. 

Gen'l  Armstrong,  U.  S.  consul  at  Liverpool,  called 
after  night  &  sat  two  or  three  hours  with  me. 

Wednesday,  lOth  November,  l84y. —  The  Sec- 
retary of  War  called  this  morning  &  I  had  a  further 
conversation  with  him  on  the  subject  of  the  estimates 
for  the  support  of  the  army,  in  which  I  expressed  to 
him  my  apprehensions  that  if  at  the  meeting  of  Con- 
gress he  presented  a  request  for  an  appropriation  of 
sixty  millions,  the  amt.  which  he  had  mentioned  on 
yesterday,  the  country  would  be  alarmed,  public 
credit  might  be  shaken,  and  we  might  not  be  able  to 
negotiate  a  loan.  This  apprehension  was  increased 
by  the  failures  for  vast  amounts  which  had  recently 
taken  place  in  England.  The  financial  embarrass- 
ment, almost  unpallelled  [unparalleled],  which  now 
existed  in  England,  might  reach  the  U.  S.,  &  whether 
similar  failures  occurred  here  or  not,  such  would  be 
the  state  of  the  money-market  that  it  would  be  difii- 
cult  to  negotiate  a  loan,  particularly  if  the  amt.  was 
large.  I  told  him  a  sufficient  sum  must  be  asked, 
but  that  I  thought  the  amt.  estimated  for  was  unneces- 
sarily large,  and  could  be  and  should  be  reduced. 
He  said  he  thought  as  I  did,  and  would  endeavour  to 
effect  a  reduction.  He  suggested  that  I  should  see 
and  converse  with  the  Heads  of  Bureau  who  had  pre- 
pared the  estimates.  I  told  him  I  had  no  objection 
to  do  so.  He  said  he  would  request  them  to  call  and 
see  me.     In  the  course  of  an  hour  after  he  retired 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  219 

Gen'l  Tomson,  the  Paymaster  Gen'l,  and  Gen'l  Gib- 
son, the  commissary  Gen'l,  called  at  different  hours, 
and  I  held  seperate  conversations  with  each.  The 
result  of  which  was  that  they  were  satisfied  that  some 
reductions  could  be  safely  made.  The  commissary 
Gen'l,  for  example,  had  estimated  the  prices  of  the 
next  fiscal  year  at  near  double  what  it  was  estimated 
at  for  the  present  year.  The  reason  for  this  was  the 
price  which  had  been  recently  paid  for  the  ration  in 
Mexico.  I  thought  this  an  improper  data,  &  gave 
him  my  reasons  for  this  opinion.  I  told  him  that  I 
wished  money  enough  appropriated,  but  no  more. 
He  said  he  would  examine  the  subject  further. 

Gen'l  Armstrong,  U.  S.  consul  at  Liverpool,  called 
to-day  &  took  leave  of  me.  He  expects  to  sail  for 
Liverpool  in  a  few  days. 

I  saw  company  as  usual  at  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  A 
number  of  persons  called.  I  transacted  business  in 
my  office  as  usual  to-day. 

Thursday,  nth  November,  184J. —  Several 
persons  called  on  business  this  morning.  Gen'l 
Jesup,  the  Quarter  master  Gen'l,  called,  as  he  said, 
at  the  request  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  to  confer  with 
me  on  the  subject  of  the  estimates  for  the  service  of 
the  Quarter  master's  Department.  I  had  a  full  con- 
versation with  him  on  the  subject.  I  told  him,  as  I 
had  done  the  commissary  Gen'l  on  yesterday,  that 
the  appropriations  asked  for  should  be  ample,  but 
not  extravagant  or  more  than  would  probably  be 
needed.  He  submitted  to  me  his  estimates,  and  I 
found  that  he  had  reduced  them  near  seven  millions 


220  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [12  Nov 

below  the  sum  he  had  first  proposed.  I  consider 
Gen'l  Jesup  a  worthy  man,  but  a  visionary  one  and 
unfit  for  the  important  Bureau  which  he  fills,  but  I 
must  use  the  officers  of  the  army  which  have  been 
furnished  me  by  law.  I  think  it  probable  that  the 
estimates  may  now  be  brought  down  to  a  reasonable 
amount. 

I  transacted  business  in  my  ofiice  as  usual  to-day. 
At  2  O'clock  P.  M.  I  saw  company.  Several  per- 
sons called.  After  night  the  Secretary  of  the  Treas- 
ury, who  had  been  invited  by  me  to  do  so,  called.  I 
submitted  to  him  the  full  draft  of  my  message  on  the 
subject  of  the  Mexican  war,  a  part  of  which  I  had 
read  to  the  Cabinet  on  the  9th  Instant  (see  this  diary 
of  that  day) .  He  agreed  to  it,  suggesting  some  mod- 
ifications, not  important,  which  were  made. 

Friday,  12th  November,  184^. —  I  was  occupied 
to-day  in  disposing  of  the  current  business  on  my 
table,  and  revising  the  paragraphs  of  my  message 
which  I  had  prepared. 

At  2  O'clock  P.  M.  I  saw  company.  After  night 
the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  and  the  Post  master  Gen'l 
called,  as  I  had  invited  them  to  do.  I  read  to  them 
the  draft  of  my  message  on  Mexican  affairs.  One  or 
two  unimport[ant]  modifications  were  suggested  by 
them  and  were  made;  they  concurred  with  me  in  the 
general  views  which  it  contained. 

Saturday,  13th  November,  184J. —  At  an  early 
hour  this  morning  I  learned  that  official  despatches 
from  the  army  in  Mexico  had  been  received  at  the 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  221 

war  Department  by  last  evening's  mail.  Before 
breakfast  I  addressed  a  note  to  the  Secretary  of  War, 
enquiring  if  such  despatches  had  been  received  and 
expressing  my  surprise,  if  the  fact  was  so,  that  they 
had  not  been  communicated  to  me  last  night.  Im- 
mediately after  breakfast  he  called  &  brought 
voluminous  despatches  with  him.  He  had  not  re- 
ceived my  note.  I  expressed  my  surprise  that  they 
had  not  been  sent  to  me  last  night  as  he  knew  I  had 
been  long  anxiously  waiting  to  receive  them.  He 
said  he  had  not  himself  seen  them  until  9  O'Clock 
P.  M.  last  night,  having  been  prevented  from  doing 
so  by  company.  They  were  the  official  accounts  of 
the  battles  near  Mexico.  They  were  very  volumi- 
nous, but  in  the  course  of  the  day  I  read  them. 

The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour;  all  the  mem- 
bers present.  I  enquired  of  the  Secretary  of  War  if 
the  estimates  of  appropriations  for  the  next  fiscal 
year,  had  [and]  for  deficiencies  for  the  present  year 
had  been  completed  and  delivered  to  the  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury.  He  said  they  had  been  made  out, 
and  as  soon  as  they  were  copied  would  be  delivered 
to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury.  He  said  the  amt. 
had  been  reduced  several  millions  since  the  first  es- 
timates were  prepared. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  expressed  great 
anxiety  on  the  subject.  He  said  it  was  very  impor- 
tant that  the  amt.  should  not  be  so  large  as  to  alarm 
the  country  &  thereby  shake  public  credit.  He  said 
that  large  amounts  of  specie  had  recently  been  ex- 
ported to  England  &  that  within  a  few  days  past  a 
small  amount  of  6  per  cent  Treasury  notes  had  been 


222  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [14  Nov. 

paid  for  duties,  and  expressed  serious  fears  that  a 
new  loan  could  not  be  negotiated,  and  especially  if 
the  amount  of  appropriations  asked  was  very  large. 
He  proposed  and  earnestly  advocated  the  policy  of 
laying  an  export  duty  on  gold  and  silver  exported 
from  Mexico  through  the  ports  in  our  military  occu- 
pation. This  would  not  only  increase  the  amt.  of 
contributions  levied  on  the  enemy,  but  would,  as  he 
believed,  enable  the  Treasury  to  exchange  a  large 
amt.  of  Treasury  notes  with  Mexican  citizens  for 
specie  to  be  used  by  our  army.  He  went  so  far  as  to 
say  that  unless  this  measure  was  adopted  he  should 
feel  it  to  be  his  duty  to  Report  to  me  officially  his 
opinion  that  a  new  6  per  cent  loan  could  not  be  ne- 
gotiated at  par.  Mr.  Buchanan  had  doubts  upon 
the  subject.  Mr.  Marcy  approved  it.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan intimated  that  he  would  prefer  to  have  some 
time  to  consider  of  the  subject.  My  opinion  was 
favourable  to  the  levy  of  such  an  export  duty  on  gold 
and  silver.  It  was  suggested  that  the  decision  of 
the  question  should  be  postponed  until  the  next  meet- 
ing of  the  Cabinet.  Mr.  Walker  thought  early 
action  important.  I  then  ordered  a  special  meeting 
of  the  Cabinet  to  take  place  at  11  o'clock  A.  M.  on 
monday  next,  with  a  view  to  afford  time  to  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan further  to  consider  the  subject. 

Sunday,  14th  November,  184J. —  I  attended  the 
First  Presbyterian  church  to-day  accompanied  by 
Mrs.  Polk  &  Mr.  Buchanan,  the  Secretary  of  State, 
the  latter  happening  to  be  in  my  office  when  church 
hour  arrived. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  223 

Monday,  Ijth  November,  184J. —  In  pursuance 
of  my  summons  of  Saturday,  the  13th  Instant  (see 
this  Diary  of  that  day)  a  special  meeting  of  the  Cab- 
inet was  held  at  11  O'Clock  this  day;  all  the  mem- 
bers present.  The  subject  for  consideration  was  the 
proposition  to  impose  an  export  duty  on  gold  and 
silver  exported  from  Mexico  through  the  ports  in 
our  military  occupation.  Mr.  Buchanan  gave  his 
opinion  against  levying  such  a  duty,  and  gave  his 
opinion  at  some  length  against  it.  Mr.  Walker  was 
in  favour  of  levying  the  duty  &  assigned  his  reasons 
for  his  opinion.  I  then  took  the  opinion  seperately 
of  Messrs.  Marcy,  Mason,  Johnson,  and  Clififord, 
each  of  whom  was  in  favour  of  levying  a  duty,  and 
each  assigned  his  reasons  for  his  opinion.  I  then 
decided  that  an  order  should  be  issued  to  our  military 
and  naval  commanders  directing  export  duty  to  be 
levied.  I  directed  also  that  an  order  should  [be] 
issued  directing  all  the  internal  revenues,  and  [as] 
well  as  the  import  and  export  duties  collected  under 
the  Mexican  laws,  to  be  also  seized  and  appropriated 
to  the  use  of  our  own  army  and  navy;  and  directed 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  to  prepare  an  order 
for  my  signature  accordingly.  Some  other  subjects 
were  casually  considered  and  the  Cabinet  adjourned 
a  few  minutes  before  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  It  was  un- 
derstood that  no  meeting  of  the  Cabinet  would  be 
held  on  to-morrow,  that  being  the  regular  day  of 
meeting.  At  2  O'Clock  I  saw  company.  Gen'l 
Armstrong,  U.  S.  consul  at  Liverpool,  &  a  number 
of  other  persons  called.  I  spent  the  remainder  of  the 
day  in  preparing  my  message. 


224  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i6  Nov. 

Tuesday,  Idth  November,  1847. —  The  Cabinet, 
having  held  a  special  meeting  on  yesterday,  did  not 
assemble  to-day. 

Senator  Dix  called  this  morning  on  business. 

I  spent  the  greater  part  of  to-day  in  examining  & 
revising  the  paragraphs  of  my  message  which  I  had 
prepared.  I  disposed  of  the  business  on  my  table  in 
the  course  of  the  day. 

I  did  not  open  my  office  for  the  reception  of  com- 
pany to-day. 

Gen'l  Armstrong,  U.  S.  consul  to  Liverpool,  called 
in  the  forenoon  and  again  after  night.  He  will  leave 
to-morrow  morning  &  sail  from  N.  Y^ork  for  Liver- 
pool on  the  next  day. 

The  Hon.  Mr.  McCrate,  a  member  of  the  last 
Congress  from  the  State  of  Maine,  called  after  night 
and  remained  an  hour  with  me. 

Wednesday,  IJth  November,  1847. —  Nothing  of 
much  interest  occurred  to-day.  I  was  closely  en- 
gaged in  my  office  in  attending  to  public  business 
which  presses  upon  me  in  anticipation  of  the  meet- 
ing of  Congress.  I  saw  several  public  officers  on 
business,  and  devoted  a  part  of  the  day  to  the  prep- 
eration  of  my  message.  I  saw  company  at  2  O'Clock 
P.  M.  A  number  of  persons  called,  but  none  of 
them  had  any  business  of  more  importance  than  a  de- 
sire to  be  appointed  to  office. 

Thursday,  l8th  November,  1847. —  I  was  oc- 
cupied in  my  office  as  usual  to-day.     I  saw  several 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  225 

of  my  Secretaries  and  other  public  officers  on  busi- 
ness. Mr.  Kellogg,  an  artist  of  distinction,  who 
painted  my  portrait  at  Nashville  when  I  was  Gov- 
ernor of  Tennessee  in  1840,  called.  I  had  not  seen 
him  since  that  time.  He  has  spent  the  last  six  or 
seven  years  in  different  parts  of  Europe,  but  chiefly 
in  Italy,  pursuing  his  profession,  and  has  attained  a 
high  reputation. 

I  saw  company  at. 2  O'Clock  P.  M.  A  number  of 
persons  called. 

Nothing  worthy  of  being  noted  occurred  to-day. 

I  had  a  conversation  with  [Mr.]  Buchanan  in  re- 
gard to  a  paragraph  for  my  message,  to  the  effect 
that,  failing  to  obtain  a  peace,  we  should  continue  to 
occupy  Mexico  with  our  troops  &  encourage  &  pro- 
tect the  friends  of  peace  in  Mexico  to  establish  & 
maintain  a  Republican  Government  able  &  willing  to 
make  peace.  We  agreed  in  opinion  &  I  requested 
him  to  prepare  such  a  paragraph. 

Friday,  igth  November,  184J. —  I  gave  direc- 
tions to  my  porter  to  admit  no  company  to-day  ex- 
cept officers  of  Government  on  official  business, 
whom  I  see  at  all  hours  when  they  call.  The  Secre- 
tary of  War  was  the  only  member  of  the  Cabinet  who 
called.  I  had  sent  for  him  on  business.  I  disposed 
of  the  current  business  on  my  table,  and  devoted  the 
greater  part  of  the  day  to  the  revision  of  the  passages 
of  my  message  which  I  had  previously  prepared. 
Mr.  Buchanan  sent  to  me  the  paragraph  which  I  had 
requested  him  to  prepare  for  my  message  on  yester- 


226  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [20  Nov. 

day.  On  examining  it  I  prepared  one  of  my  own. 
I  was  not,  however,  well  satisfied  either  with  his  para- 
graph or  my  own. 

Saturday,  20th  November,  1847. —  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour  to-day;  all  the  members  pres- 
ent. I  read  to  them  the  draft  of  my  message  to  Con- 
gress w^hich  I  had  prepared,  and  invited  any  sugges- 
tion of  any  modification  of  it  which  any  member  of 
the  Cabinet  might  think  proper  to  make.  One  or 
two  immaterial  modifications  were  suggested  and 
made.  The  paragraph  in  relation  to  the  Mexican 
war  which  I  had  requested  Mr.  Buchanan  to  prepare 
on  the  i8th  Inst.,  and  on  receiving  his  draft  on  yes- 
terday I  had  prepared  a  paragraph  of  my  own,  con- 
stituted the  principal  topics  of  discussion.  The 
Cabinet  all  agreed  that  there  should  be  a  paragraph 
to  the  effect  that  the  citizens  of  Mexico  in  favour  of 
peace  should  be  protected  by  our  army  in  establish- 
ing a  Government  able  and  willing  to  make  a  just 
peace,  but,  if  we  failed  to  obtain  a  peace  by  this 
means,  the  question  was  what  I  should  state  would 
be  our  policy.  In  Mr.  Buchanan's  draft  he  stated 
in  that  event  that  "  we  must  fulfil  that  destiny  which 
Providence  may  have  in  store  for  both  countries." 
I  thought  this  would  be  too  indefinite  &  that  it  would 
be  avoiding  my  constitutional  responsibility.  I  pre- 
ferred to  state  in  substance  that  we  should,  in  that 
event,  take  the  measure  of  our  indemnity  into  our 
own  hands,  and  dictate  our  own  terms  to  Mexico. 
Both  my  draft  and  Mr.  Buchanan's  were  read  and 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  227 

discussed  at  considerable  length.  Mr.  Walker  pre- 
ferred Mr.  Buchanan's  draft.  Mr.  Clifford  was  not 
entirely  satisfied  with  it  or  with  mine.  The  other 
members  of  the  Cabinet  expressed  no  distinct  opin- 
ion, but  my  impression  was  they  were  inclined  to 
favour  Mr.  Buchanan's  draft.  No  final  decision 
was  made.  After  the  Cabinet  retired  I  prepared  a 
third  draft  of  the  paragraph,  and  after  night  sent  for 
Mr.  Clifford  and  consulted  with  him  on  the  subject. 
I  made  some  further  modifications,  which  Mr.  C. 
approved.  This  paragraph  constituted  a  small  but 
very  important  part  of  my  message.  All  the  balance 
of  the  draft  of  the  message  on  the  subject  of  Mexi- 
can affairs  and  other  subjects  were  approved  by  tlie 
Cabinet. 

Before  the  Cabinet  adjourned  some  minor  subjects 
of  business  were  disposed  of. 

Sunday,  21st  November,  184J. —  I  attended  the 
first  Presbyterian  church  to-day  accompanied  by 
Mrs.  Polk. 

Monday,  22nd  November,  184J. —  This  morn- 
ing I  placed  the  draft  of  my  message  in  the  hands  of 
W.  C.  Whitthorn,  who  was  formerly  a  law  student  in 
my  ofiice  in  Tennessee  and  is  now  a  Clerk  in  the 
General  Post  office,  for  the  purpose  of  having  it 
copied.  Mr.  Whitthorn  occupied  the  room  adjoin- 
ing my  ofiice  and  was  entirely  private,  no  one  but 
myself  being  permitted  to  enter  it.  He  is  a  worthy 
young  man,  and  I  charged  him  to  keep  profoundly 


228  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [22  Nov. 

secret  the  contents  of  the  paper  and  not  even  to  let  it 
be  known  that  he  had  copied  it,  and  I  have  confidence 
that  he  will  be  faithful. 

I  revised  the  paragraph  which  was  discussed  in 
Cabinet  on  Saturday.  Judge  Mason  was  present  a 
part  of  the  time.  He  preferred  my  draft  to  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan's. As  I  had  modified  it  Judge  M.  approved 
it.  He  made  some  suggestions  of  verbal  modifica- 
tions, which  I  made.  Mr.  Clifford  called  and  I  read 
it  to  him.  He  was  well  pleased  with  it  as  modified. 
Mr.  Buchanan  called  and  I  read  it  to  him,  stating 
to  him  that  I  was  not  satisfied  with  his  paragraph, 
for  the  reasons  stated  in  this  diary  on  Saturday.  He 
preferred  his  own  draft,  but  did  not  urge  it.  I  will 
preserve  all  the  drafts  of  this  paragraph  for  future 
reference. 

I  received  a  letter  marked  Private,  late  this  even- 
ing, from  Senator  Benton,  stating  that  he  would  de- 
cline to  serve  as  chairman  of  the  committee  on  mil- 
itary affairs  at  the  next  Session  of  the  Senate,  because 
of  his  opinion  ^  of  the  conduct  of  Gov.  Marcy,  the 
Secretary  of  War,  in  relation  to  the  trial  of  Lt.  Col. 
Fremont,  now  pending  in  this  City.  He  stated  that 
he  gave  me  this  information  to  avoid  misapprehen- 
sion as  to  the  motive  of  his  course.  It  is  [a]  singu- 
lar communication,  and  I  will  preserve  it.  I  think 
it  probable  that  Col.  Benton  intends  to  break  with 

^  In  his  Thirty  Years'  View,  II,  715-719,  Benton  charges  that 
Marcy  changed  Kearny's  original  charges  against  Fremont,  and 
inserted  new  and  preposterous  ones.  For  this  reason  Benton 
dech'ned  to  have  any  further  intercourse  with  Marcy. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  229 

the  administration,  and  will  make  a  quarrel  with  the 
Secretary  of  War  the  ostensible  ground  for  doing  so. 
I  am  satisfied  that  he  has  no  just  cause  of  complaint 
against  the  Secretary  of  War  on  account  of  his  con- 
duct in  the  Fremont  trial. 

I  saw  company  at  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  A  number  of 
persons  called,  but  none  of  them  on  business  of  any 
importance. 

Tuesday,  23rd  November,  1847. —  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour  to-day.  The  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  read  that  part  of  his  annual  Report  to  Con- 
gress w^hich  relates  to  the  tariflf.  It  is  a  long  and 
elaborate  paper,  &  though  in  the  main  sound  in  its 
doctrines,  I  thought  some  parts  of  it  speculative,  and 
perhaps  too  highly  wrought.  I  suppose  he  will  re- 
vise it.  His  Report  is  by  law  required  to  be  made  to 
Congress,  and  not  to  the  President. 

I  read  to  the  Cabinet  the  revised  draft  of  that  part 
of  my  message  which  had  been  discussed  at  the  Cab- 
inet meeting  on  Saturday  last  (see  this  diary  of  that 
day).  Mr.  Buchanan  still  preferred  his  own  draft, 
and  so  did  Mr.  Walker,  the  latter  avowing  as  a  rea- 
son that  he  was  for  taking  the  whole  of  Mexico,  if 
necessary,  and  he  thought  the  construction  placed  on 
Mr.  B.'s  draft  by  a  large  majority  of  the  people 
would  be  that  it  looked  to  that  object.  I  replied  that 
I  was  not  prepared  to  go  to  that  extent;  and  further- 
more that  I  did  not  desire  that  anything  I  said  in  the 
message  should  be  so  obscure  as  to  give  rise  to  doubt 
or  discussions  as  to  what  my  true  meaning  was;  that 


230  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [23  Nov. 

I  had  in  my  last  message  declared  that  I  did  not  con- 
template the  conquest  of  Mexico,  and  that  in  another 
part  of  this  paper  I  had  said  the  same  thing.  The 
other  members  of  the  Cabinet  did  not  participate 
much  in  the  discussion.  I  know  that  Mr.  Mason, 
Mr.  Clifford,  &  Mr.  Johnson  concur  with  me.  I  de- 
termined to  retain  my  own  draft. 

After  the  Cabinet  adjourned  I  requested  Gov. 
Marcy  to  remain.  I  told  him  I  felt  it  to  be  my  duty 
to  show  him  the  letter  marked  "  private,"  which  I  had 
received  from  Col.  Benton  on  yesterday.  Though 
it  was  marked  "  private  "  it  related  to  the  official 
conduct  of  a  member  of  my  Cabinet,  whom.  I  thought 
it  was  proper  for  me  to  apprise  of  it.  If  the  Secre- 
tary of  War  is  charged  by  a  Senator  with  improper 
conduct  (and  that  is  implied  in  Col.  Benton's  letter) 
it  is  proper  that  he  should  know  it.  Gov.  Marcy  dis- 
avowed all  knowledge  of  having  done  anything  to 
which  Col.  Benton  could  except.  That  he  has  done 
nothing  but  his  duty  in  the  Fremont  trial,  I  am  sat- 
isfied. I  told  Gov.  Marcy  that  I  would  stand  by 
him,  if  any  improper  attack  was  made  upon  him.  I 
showed  him  Col.  Benton's  letter  confidentially,  as  I 
would  have  felt  bound  to  do  to  any  other  member  of 
my  Cabinet  under  like  circumstances. 

The  parlour  was  open  for  the  reception  of  Com- 
pany this  evening.  It  is  the  first  reception  evening  I 
have  had  since  I  [was]  taken  ill  on  the  27th  of  Sep- 
tember last.  Shortly  after  that  time  Mrs.  Polk  was 
also  taken  ill,  &  our  drawing  rooms  were  discon- 
tinued from  that  time  until  this  evening.  A  number 
of  persons,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  called. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  231 

Wednesday,  24th  November,  184J.— This  was 
an  inclement  day.  The  rain  fell  slowly  during  most 
of  the  day.  I  was  engaged  as  usual  in  my  office.  I 
opened  my  office  to  receive  company  at  2  O'Clock 
P.  M.     But  few  persons  called. 

After  night  Mr.  Whitthorne,  who  commenced 
copying  the  draft  I  had  prepared  of  my  message  on 
monday  last,  having  finished,  I  compared  the  original 
and  the  copy  with  him. 

Thursday,  2Sth  November,  1847. —  This  day 
having  been  set  apart  as  a  day  of  Thanksgiving  by  the 
Corporate  authorities  of  Washington  ^  and  several  of 
the  States,  I  ordered  all  the  public  offices  in  this  City 
to  be  closed  for  the  day,  to  enable  the  public  officers 
to  enjoy  it  as  such. 

I  attended  the  first  Presbyterian  church  in  com- 
pany with  Mrs.  Polk  &  Miss  Armstrong  of  Tenn.  & 
Miss  Johnson  of  Arkansas,  who  had  come  over  from 
Miss  English's  school  in  Georgetown  to  spend  the 
day.  We  heard  an  excellent  sermon  from  the  Rev. 
Mr,  Smith  of  Connecticut,  a  clergyman  of  82  years 
of  age. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  called  in  the  after  part 
of  the  day  and  read  to  me  his  annual  Report. 

Commodore  Stockton  of  the  Navy  &  a  few  other 
persons  called  to-day.  I  w^as  engaged  in  my  office  as 
usual. 

Friday,  26th  November,  184J. —  The  Post  master 
General  called  this  morning  and  read  to  me  the  draft 

^  The  practice  of  issuing  Presidential  Thanksgiving  proclama- 
tions was  instituted  by  President  Lincoln  in  1863. 


232  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [27  Nov. 

which  he  had  prepared  of  his  annual  report.  It  is 
an  elaborate  paper,  and  presents  the  Post  office  De- 
partment in  a  gratifying  condition. 

Several  members  of  Congress  called  to-day,  viz., 
Mr.  Stanton  of  Tennessee;  Senators  Foot  ^  &  Davis 
of  Mississippi;  Cass  of  Michigan  &  Dickinson  of 
New  York.  The  presence  of  so  many  members  at  so 
early  a  period  indicates  the  unusual  interest  which  is 
felt  in  the  approaching  Session  of  Congress.  The 
Secretary  of  War  spent  several  hours  to-day  in  the 
room  adjoining  my  office,  in  examining  my  message, 
&  particularly  that  part  of  it  relating  to  the  Mexican 
War.  He  suggested  some  verbal  amendments  (in 
pencil)  but  none  of  them  changing  the  sentiment 
&  views  contained  in  it.  At  2  O'Clock  I  saw  com-" 
pany.  A  number  of  persons  called,  most  of  them 
seeking  office.  At  a  time  when  I  am  so  much  pressed 
with  important  public  duties,  I  loath  an  office- 
seeker  when  he  enters  my  office,  and  have  no  patience 
to  hear  their  stories. 

The  parlour  was  open  for  the  reception  of  com- 
pany this  evening.  A  number  of  persons,  ladies  and 
gentlemen,  called. 

Saturday,  2yth  November,  184J. —  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour  to-day,  all  the  members  ex- 
cept the  Sec[r]etaries  of  War  and  the  Navy  present. 
They  were  detained  at  their  offices  by  their  official 
engagements.  I  read  to  the  members  present  some 
additional  paragraphs  of  my  message  which  I  had 

^  Henry  Stuart  Foote,  1800-1880,  Senator  from  Mississippi 
1847-1852,  Governor  1852-1854. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  233 

prepared.  There  being  nothing  important  to  be 
considered  to-day  and  all  the  members  of  the  Cabinet 
being  much  engaged  in  their  respective  Departments, 
preparatory  to  the  meeting  of  Congress,  they  retired 
after  having  remained  about  an  hour. 

I  was  occupied  chiefly  during  the  balance  of  the 
day  in  revising  my  message,  5i  in  comparing  the  copy 
which  had  been  prepared  by  Mr.  Whitthorne  with 
the  original. 

Sunday,  28th  November,  184^. —  I  was  under  the 
necessity  of  devoting  a  part  of  to-day  to  my  public 
duties,  and  did  not  attend  church.  Mrs.  Polk  ac- 
companied by  Mrs.  Walker's  little  girl  attended  the 
first  Presbyterian  church.  The  Secretary  of  the 
Navy  &  the  Post  master  Gen'l  called  in  the  course  of 
the  day. 

In  the  evening  Daniel  Graham,  esqr.,  called  & 
brought  with  him  William  Bass,  the  son  of  John  M. 
Bass,  esqr.,  of  Nashville,  &  the  Grandson  of  the  late 
Felix  Grundy.  The  boy  stated  that  in  consequence 
of  a  difficulty  in  which  he  had  become  involved  at  the 
Catholic  college  at  Emmetsburg,  in  Maryland,  where 
his  father  had  sent  him  a  few  weeks  ago,  he  had  left 
the  institution,  &  having  no  other  friends  near  he  had 
come  to  Washington.  His  story  was  a  reasonable 
one,  &  knowing  all  his  family,  I  invited  him  to  re- 
main with  me  until  it  was  determined  what  it  was 
best  for  him  to  do.  He  agreed  to  do  so.  He  had 
nothing  with  him  except  the  clothes  on  his  person. 
I  felt  a  sympathy  for  him,  and  knowing  his  father 
and  mother  and  all  his  family,  I  will  take  care  of  him 


234  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [29  Nov. 

until  his   father  can  be  written  to.     Mr.   Graham 
promised  to  write  to  him. 

After  night  the  Secretary  of  War  called,  &  spent 
several  hours  with  me  in  examining  my  message. 

Monday,  2Qth  November,  184J. —  Many  mem- 
bers of  Congress  called  this  morning.  Among  them 
were  Senator  Cass  &  his  colleague  ^  from  Michigan, 
Mr.  McClellan  -  of  Ho.  Repts.  of  Michigan,  Senator 
B[r]eese  of  Illinois;  Senator  Turney  of  Tennessee, 
&  the  following  members  of  the  Ho.  Repts :  Thomas,^ 
Chase,  Jones,  &  Hill  of  Tennessee,  Fries  of  Ohio, 
McLane  of  Maryland,  &C.  I  was  closely  occupied 
in  my  office  during  the  day;  saw  company  for  a  few 
minutes  at  2  O'Clock,  but  no  one  called  but  office 
seekers,  &  these  I  despatched  without  much  cere- 
mony. The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  left  on  a  short 
visit  to  New  York  last  evening.  The  Secretary  of 
State  &  the  Secretary  of  War  called  in  the  course  of 
the  day.  The  latter  spent  an  hour  with  me  on  busi- 
ness after  night. 

Tuesday,  30th  November,  184J. —  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour  to-day;  all  the  members  pres- 
ent except  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  who  left  the 
City  last  evening  on  a  short  visit  to  New  York. 

I  read  to  the  Cabinet  a  revised  copy  of  my  message 

^  Alpheus  Felch,  elected  to  the  Senate  in  1847. 

^Robert  McClelland,  Representative  from  Michigan  1843- 
1849,  Secretary  of  the  Interior  during  Pierce's  administration. 

^  James  Houston  Thomas,  a  former  law  partner  of  Polk;  Rep- 
resentative from  Tennessee  1847-185 1,  and  1 859-1 861. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  23s 

embracing  all  the  topics  to  be  embraced  in  it.  Some 
statistical  details  relating  to  the  finances  had  not  been 
furnished  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  [and] 
are  yet  to  be  inserted.  Several  verbal  modifications 
were  suggested,  but  none  of  them  involving  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  paper.  A  few  of  these  were  made,  but 
none  of  the  modifications  were  material.  After 
night  Senator  Cass,  who  called  at  my  request,  read 
the  whole  paper.  He  approved  of  all  the  views 
which  it  contained. 

I  received  company  in  the  parlour  this  evening. 
A  number  of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

Wednesday,  ist  December,  1847. —  Mr.  W.  C. 
Whitthorne  commenced  to-day  preparing  a  copy  of 
my  message  to  be  sent  to  Congress,  from  the  revised 
copy  which  he  had  once  prepared. 

Several  members  of  Congress  and  other  persons 
called. 

I  was  engaged  as  usual  in  my  office  and  transacted 
much  official  business. 

Young  Wm.  J.  Bass,  the  son  of  Mr.  John  M.  Bass 
of  Nashville,  Tennessee,  who  came  to  me  on  Sunday 
last  (see  this  diary  of  that  day)  having  left  the  col- 
lege at  Emmetsburg,  Maryland,  left  this  evening  on 
his  return  to  the  college,  to  see  if  he  could  reconcile 
his  difficulty  with  the  faculty.  He  took  with  him  let- 
ters which  I  procured  to  be  written  by  Hon.  Rob't 
M.  McLane  of  Baltimore,  Daniel  Graham,  Esqr., 
and  J.  Knox  Walker,  my  Private  Secretary,  to  the 
President  of  the  college.  I  advised  him,  if  the 
authorities  of  the  college  refused  to  restore  him,  to 


236  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [2  Dec. 

return  to  Washington  and  remain  with  me  until  his 
father's  wishes  should  be  known.  I  let  him  have  $20 
to  bear  his  expenses. 

Thursday,  2nd  December,  184'J. —  This  was  a 
damp  and  uncomfortable  day.  A  few  members  of 
Congress  called  in  the  course  of  the  day.  I  sub- 
mitted the  draft  of  my  message  confidentially  to  the 
Hon.  Mr.  Rhett  of  S.  Carolina.  He  examined  it 
alone  in  the  room  adjoining  my  office.  He  approved 
it  generally,  but  suggested  two  or  three  modifications, 
one  of  which  I  adopted,  it  not  changing  the  senti- 
ment, but  rather  the  language  in  which  it  was  ex- 
pressed. Mr.  Rhett  at  first  doubted  the  propriety  of 
establishing  territorial  Governments  over  New  Mex- 
ico and  the  Californias  at  this  time.  He  agreed  that 
we  should  never  restore  them  to  Mexico,  and  that  we 
must  ultimately  hold  them,  and  that  it  was  a  ques- 
tion of  time  as  to  the  establishment  of  Territorial 
Governments  over  them.  He  thought  it  might  be 
as  well  to  wait  another  year  to  see  if  we  could  obtain 
a  Treaty  of  peace,  and  that  if  we  failed  he  would  then 
establish  Territorial  Governments  over  them.  I  did 
not  alter  this  paragraph,  but  changed  the  phraseol- 
ogy in  which  it  was  expressed.  Mr.  Rhett  thought  I 
had  better  omit  saying  anything  about  establishing 
territorial  Governments  over  any  other  territories 
than  the  Provinces  named.  Mr.  Rhett  thought  I  had 
better  not  insert  the  paragraph  on  the  subject  of  the 
slave-trade.  After  night  I  submitted  confidentially 
to  Senator  Douglass  of  111.  that  part  of  my  message 
relating  to  the  Mexican  War.     He  read  some  other 


1847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  237 

passages  also.  He  approved  the  message.  Mr. 
Hampton  C.  Williams  &  Mr.  W.  C.  Whitthorne, 
two  confidential  clerks,  were  engaged  to-day  in 
making  fair  copies  of  the  message,  as  far  it  had 
been  prepared,  for  the  two  Houses  of  Congress.  I 
prepared  one  or  two  additional  paragraphs  of  the 
paper  to-day.  The  financial  Statement  in  part  was 
furnished  to  me  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  to- 
day, and  I  put  it  into  form  as  far  as  the  data  reed,  en- 
abled me  to  do. 

I  consulted  the  Secretary  of  State  and  the  Atto. 
Gen'l  about  one  or  two  passages  in  the  paper  about 
which  I  had  doubts,  but  made  no  material  change  in 
them. 

Friday,  Jrj  December,  184J. —  Many  members 
of  Congress  called  to-day,  and  I  was  much  occupied 
in  my  office.  The  two  clerk[s],  Mr.  Williams  &  Mr. 
Whitthorne,  were  engaged  in  making  two  fair  cop- 
ies of  my  message,  to  be  transmitted  to  the  two 
Houses  of  Congress.  After  night  I  submitted  to  the 
inspection  of  Senator  Turney  of  Tennessee,  and  to 
Mr.  Ritchie,  Editor  of  the  Union,  that  part  of  my 
message  relating  to  Mexico  &  the  Mexican  war.  It 
was  the  first  time  Mr.  Ritchie  had  seen  any  part  of  it, 
or  knew  what  it  would  contain.  The  truth  is  that 
the  old  gentleman's  passion  to  put  everything  he 
learns  into  his  newspaper  [is  so  great]  that  I  did  not 
think  it  prudent  to  entrust  its  contents  to  him  at  an 
earlier  period.  He  and  Senator  Turney  happened 
at  my  office  together  by  accident,  and  I  submitted 
the  message  to  them  at  the  same  time.     They  both 


238  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [4  Dec. 

approved  it.  I  have  the  utmost  confidence  in  Mr. 
Ritchie's  honour  &  sound  principles,  but  his  weak- 
ness is  his  passion  to  put  everything  he  knows  into  his 
newspaper.  This  passion  has  become  constitutional 
v^'ith  him  and  I  do  not,  therefore,  censure  him  for  it. 
In  Mr.  Turney's  prudence  and  discretion,  I  know  I 
can  confide. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  returned  from  the 
short  visit  he  had  made  to  New  York  to-day.  I  was 
glad  to  see  him  as  his  presence  was  proper  immedi- 
ately before  the  meeting  of  Congress. 

Saturday,  4th  December,  184J. —  Many  mem- 
bers of  Congress  called  before  the  hour  of  the  meet- 
ing of  the  Cabinet  to-day.  All  the  members  of  the 
Cabinet  were  present  at  the  usual  hour.  I  submitted 
to  them  some  modifications  of  my  message,  which  I 
had  made  since  it  was  read  to  them  on  a  former  day. 
The  most  material  of  which  consisted  in  a  modifica- 
tion of  a  paragraph  in  relation  to  Mexico.  As  I  had 
originally  prepared  it  I  had  declared  that  if  Mexico 
continued  to  protract  the  war  &  involved  us  in 
largely  increased  expenditures,  that  in  addition  to 
New  Mexico  &  the  Californias,  it  would  become  a 
grave  question  whether  Territorial  Governments 
should  not  be  established  over  other  of  the  Mexican 
provinces  in  addition  to  these.  The  modification  of 
this  paragraph  which  I  suggested  was  that  if  Mex- 
ico continued  the  contest,  &c,  then  what  further  pro- 
vision it  would  become  necessary  [to  make]  and  what 
final  disposition  it  would  be  proper  to  make  of  them, 
must  depend  on  the  future  progress  of  the  war  and 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  239 

the  course  which  Mexico  may  think  proper  here- 
after to  pursue.  My  object  in  suggesting  the  modi- 
fication was  that  I  might  not  be  embarrassed  in  the 
future  negotiations  with  Mexico.  The  Secretaries 
of  State  and  the  Treasury  preferred  the  paragraph 
as  it  originally  stood.  The  other  four  members  of 
the  Cabinet  preferred  the  modification  proposed,  and 
it  was  made. 

After  night  I  submitted  that  part  of  my  message 
which  related  to  Mexico  to  Hon.  Mr.  Stanton  of 
Tennessee  &  Hon.  Rob't  M.  McLane  of  Baltimore, 
both  members  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  Messrs.  Chase, 
Hill,  Jones,  and  Stanton  of  the  Tennessee  delegation 
in  Congress,  dined  with  me  to-day.  I  was  much  en- 
gaged after  night  in  preparing  the  financial  part  of 
my  message.  I  received  the  statistical  statements  of 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  some  of  them  late  this 
evening. 

Mr.  Leal,  the  charge  d'affaires  of  Brazil,  called 
to-day  and  delivered  to  me  an  official  letter  from  the 
Emperor  of  Brazil,  announcing  the  birth  of  a 
princess. 

Sunday,  J^/z  December,  184J, —  I  was  under  the 
necessity  to-day  of  remaining  in  my  office  to  superin- 
tend the  copying  and  comparing  of  my  message. 
Mr.  Whitthorne  and  Mr.  H.  C.  Williams  were 
copying.  Daniel  Graham,  Esqr.,  &  my  Private  Sec- 
retary were  engaged  most  of  the  day  in  assisting  me 
to  compare  the  different  copies  of  the  message,  and 
in  correcting  clerical  &  verbal  errors.  Hon.  Lynn 
Boyd  called  and  I  showed  him  that  part  of  my  mes- 


240  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [6  Dec. 

sage  relating  to  Mexico.  He  approved  it.  After 
night  Senator  Dix  called  at  my  request.  I  informed 
him  of  the  contents  of  the  message  &  of  the  views 
which  I  had  presented  on  the  subject  of  the  Mexican 
War.     He  approved  them. 

Wm.  J.  Bass,  son  of  Jno.  M.  Bass,  returned  from 
Emmetsburg  college  this  evening  &  reported  that  the 
faculty  of  the  college  had  refused  to  receive  him 
back  again. 

Monday,  6th  December,  184J. —  Congress  met 
to-day.  Before  the  hour  of  meeting  of  the  two 
Houses,  as  well  as  afterwards,  many  members  called. 
The  Hon.  Mr.  Winthrop  ^  of  Massachusetts  was 
elected  Speaker  on  the  3rd  trial,  by  a  majority  of  one 
vote. 

The  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  U.  S.,  at- 
tended by  the  Atto.  Gen'l,  Clerk,  &  Marshall,  called 
in  a  body.  I  received  them  in  the  parlour  below 
Stairs. 

It  being  uncertain  whether  the  Ho.  Repts.  would 
be  organized  to-day  so  as  to  be  ready  to  receive  my 
message  on  to-morrow  until  a  late  hour,  I  did  not 
give  out  a  copy  of  my  message  to  be  printed  until 
about  6  O'clock  P.  M.  At  that  hour  I  entrusted  it 
confidentially  to  Mr.  Heiss  of  the  Union  of^ce,  with 
a  view  to  have  it  printed  &  in  readiness  for  delivering 
to  members  of  Congress  as  soon  as  it  was  communi- 
cated to  the  two  Houses  of  Congress.  I  sat  up  in 
my  ofRce  until  6  O'Clock  in  the  morning  of  the  7th 

^Robert  Charles  Winthrop.  1809-1894,  Representative  from 
Massachusetts  1 840-1 850,  Speaker  of  the  House  1 847-1 849. 


i847l  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  241 

Dec,  superintending  personally  the  reading  &  cor- 
recting the  proof  sheets  of  my  message.  Judge  Ma- 
son, the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  Mr.  Whitthorne, 
&  my  Private  Secretary  aided  me.  Mr.  Dickens,  the 
Secretary  of  the  Senate,  &  Mr.  French,  the  Clerk  of 
the  Ho.  Repts.,  called  &  read  the  copies  intended  for 
the  two  [Houses]  so  as  to  become  familiar  with  the 
handwriting,  and  thereby  be  enabled  to  read  it  to 
their  respective  Houses  with  the  more  ease. 

Tuesday,  yth  December,  184J. —  Many  members 
of  Congress  called  this  morning.  The  Cabinet  as- 
sembled at  the  usual  hour,  all  the  members  present 
except  the  Atto.  Gen'l.  The  Secretary  of  the  Treas- 
ury read  a  paragraph  which  he  had  prepared  for  his 
annual  Report,  and  said  he  wished  my  opinion  and 
that  of  the  Cabinet,  whether  it  should  be  inserted  or 
not.  It  professed  to  relate  to  the  finances,  but  was 
in  reality  a  recommendation  to  Congress  in  relation 
to  the  Mexican  War.  It  spoke,  to  be  sure,  of  mili- 
tary contributions  to  be  collected  in  Mexico,  but  its 
main  object  manifestly  was  to  express  his  own  views 
in  regard  to  the  future  occupation  of  the  whole  of 
Mexico.  The  Secretary  of  War  first  expressed  his 
opinion  against  its  being  inserted;  the  Secretary  of 
the  Navy  also  stated  his  objections  to  it.  The  Secre- 
tary of  State  suggested  that  it  might  be  construed  to 
be  in  conflict  to  some  extent  with  my  message.  I 
was  engaged  most  of  the  time  while  the  discussion 
was  going  on  in  arranging  the  Documents  which 
were  to  accompany  my  message.  I  finally  said  to 
Mr.  Walker  that  by  law  he  made  his  Report  to  Con- 


242  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [7  Dec 

gress  and  not  to  the  President,  but,  though  this  was 
so,  the  country  would  hold  the  President  responsible 
for  it.  I  told  him  I  had  in  my  message  very  fully 
considered  the  Mexican  war  &  our  future  policy, 
that  every  part  of  that  message  had  been  very  fully 
discussed  by  the  Cabinet,  and  that  I  thought  if  he 
took  up  the  subject  in  a  finance  Report  it  would  place 
me  in  a  very  embarrassing  condition;  that  I  would 
be  charged  with  holding  one  policy  in  the  message 
and  causing  my  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  to  hold 
another  in  his  Report,  or,  if  not  another,  to  go  further 
than  I  had  deemed  it  prudent  to  go  at  this  time,  and 
that  I  had  done  this  in  order  to  avoid  my  proper  re- 
sponsibility. Mr.  Walker  said  that  he  had  merely 
submitted  the  paper  for  consideration,  and  that  he 
would  not  insert  it  in  his  Report.  The  truth  is  it 
was  wholly  out  of  place  in  a  financial  Report. 

A  few  minutes  before  i  O'Clock  P.  M.  a  joint 
committee  of  the  two  Houses  of  Congress  waited 
upon  me  and  informed  me  that  the  two  Houses  of 
Congress  had  organized  &  were  ready  to  receive  any 
communication  I  might  have  to  make.  I  informed 
them  that  I  would  make  a  communication  in  writing 
to  the  two  Houses  this  day.  Immediately  after  the 
committee  retired  my  Private  Secretary  took  the  two 
copies  of  the  message  ^  with  the  accompanying  docu- 
ments &  proceeded  to  the  Capitol  &  delivered  them 
to  the  two  Houses.  The  PIo.  Repts.  this  day  rejected 
Mr.  French,  the  old  Clerk  (a  Democrat)  &  elected 
Thos.  J.  Campbell  (a  Whig)  by  one  vote. 

^  Richardson,  Messages  and  Papers  of  the  Presidents,  IV,  532- 
564. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  243 

At  2  O'clock  P.  M.  the  Secretary  of  State  pre- 
sented Gen'l  Herron,  as  Envoy  Extraordinary  & 
Minister  Plenipotentiary  from  the  Republic  of  New 
Granada.  I  received  him  in  the  parlour.  He  de- 
livered to  me  his  credentials,  &  presented  his  Secre- 
tary of  Legation.  He  made  a  speech  in  Spanish.  I 
received  him  and  made  some  remarks  to  him  in  Eng- 
lish. After  this  formality  was  over  I  held  a  conver- 
sation with  him.     He  speaks  English  tolerably  well. 

This  being  reception  evening  a  large  number  of 
persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  called.  Among  them 
were  the  Vice  President  of  the  U.  S.  and  many  mem- 
bers of  Congress. 

Wednesday,  8th  December,  184J. —  I  saw  com- 
pany until  12  O'clock  this  morning.  Many  mem- 
bers of  Congress  and  others  called.  I  learn  from 
the  Democratic  gentlemen  that  my  message  was  ap- 
proved by  the  Democratic  party.  I  have  not  heard 
of  any  expression  of  opinion  from  the  Whig  gentle- 
men. Several  members  of  Congress  called  on  busi- 
ness in  the  course  of  the  afternoon.  I  was  much  oc- 
cupied with  business  in  my  office.  I  franked,  too, 
some  of  my  messages.  Nothing  worthy  of  particular 
notice  occurred  to-day. 

Wm.  J.  Bass  (son  of  Jno.  M.  Bass)  of  Nashville 
left  this  afternoon  for  Nashville.  I  furnished  him 
$45.  to  bear  his  expenses. 

Thursday,  qth  December,  1847. —  Quite  a  large 
number  of  members  of  Congress  called  this  morning. 
Several  other  persons  called  also.     I  closed  my  office 


244  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [9  Dec. 

at  12  O'clock  &  was  occupied  with  business  in  my 
office  during  the  balance  of  the  day.  I  devoted  a 
part  of  the  day  to  the  preperation  of  a  message  to  the 
Ho.  Repts.  assigning  my  reasons  for  having  with- 
held my  approval  from  a  Harbour  Bill,  which  was 
presented  to  me  for  my  approval  on  the  last  day  of 
the  last  session  of  Congress.  I  retained  the  Bill,  not 
having  had  time  to  assign  my  reasons  for  not  signing 
it  at  that  time. 

About  4  O'clock  P.  M.  I  learned  that  Mr.  Walker, 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  had  been  taken  sud- 
denly ill  &  had  fallen  down  in  the  Treasury  build- 
ing. He  was  attended  by  his  physician  to  his  own 
house.  I  appointed  McClintock  Young,  his  chief 
Clerk,  to  perform  the  duties  of  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  ad  interim. 

I  had  a  Cabinet  Dinner  to-day.  All  the  members 
of  the  Cabinet  attended  except  Mr.  Walker.  Their 
families  were  also  present.  Senators  Cass,  Felch, 
Foote,  Davis  of  Mississippi,  Sevier,  Breese,  Fair- 
field,* Bradbury,^  Judge  Catron  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  U.  S.,  Mrs.  Madison  &  her  niece.  Miss 
Payne,  were  also  of  the  dinner  party. 

This  morning  Mrs.  Walker,  the  wife  of  my 
Private  Secretary,  gave  birth  to  a  son.  The  fact  was 
announced  by  the  chamber  maid  to  Mrs.  Polk  shortly 
after  I  rose  &  was  dressing  this  morning,  as  having 
just  occurred. 

^  John  Fairfield  of  Maine,  1797-1847,  Governor  of  Maine 
1839-1843,  Senator  from  Maine  1843-1847. 

-James  Ware  Bradbury,  1802-igoi,  Senator  from  Maine 
1847-1853. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  245 

Friday,  lOth  December,  184^. —  Congress  having 
adjourned  over  on  yesterday  until  Monday  next,  a 
large  number  of  members  of  both  Houses  called  to- 
day. Until  to-day  not  many  of  the  Whig  gentlemen 
had  called.  The  whole  day  was  devoted  to  receiv- 
ing company,  and  I  was  not  enabled  to  attend  to  any 
business.  In  the  afternoon  I  visited  Mr.  Walker, 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  and  found  him  in  bed, 
but  better  than  I  expected  to  have  found  him.  His 
attack  on  yesterday  probably  proceeded  from  over 
exertion  &  consequent  exhaustion. 

This  being  reception  evening  a  number  of  persons, 
ladies  &  gentlemen,  called.  Among  them  was  Mr. 
Winthrop  &  Mr.  Campbell,  the  Whig  Speaker  & 
Clerk  of  the  Ho.  Repts. 

Among  the  Senators  who  called  this  morning  was 
Mr.  Calhoun  of  S.  C. 

Saturday,  nth  December,  1847. —  Several  mem- 
bers of  Congress  called  this  morning.  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour,  all  the  members  present  ex- 
cept the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  who  is  confined  at 
his  house  by  severe  indisposition,  brought  on  un- 
doubtedly by  severe  labour  and  mental  exertion. 
The  subject  of  the  Mexican  war  and  our  future 
action  in  reference  to  it  were  considered,  but  no 
action  was  taken.  I  informed  the  Cabinet  that  I  had 
received  information  that  Gen'l  Scott  and  Mr.  Trist 
had,  before  the  City  of  Mexico  was  taken,  entered 
into  an  agreement  to  pay  to  Santa  Anna  a  million  of 
Dollars  as  secret  money  if  he  would  agree  to  make  a 
Treaty  of  peace.     I  expressed  in  the  strongest  terms 


246  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [12  Dec. 

my  condemnation  of  such  conduct.  Mr.  Mason  and 
Mr.  Marcy  said  they  had  seen  a  statement  to  the 
same  effect  in  a  New  Orleans  paper.  Mr.  Buchanan 
expressed  his  indignation  at  such  conduct  in  strong 
[terms],  and  said  if  it  was  true,  he  would  advise  that 
Gen'l  Scott  should  be  immediately  recalled.  I  fully 
concurred  with  him  in  opinion.  It  was  suggested 
that  Gen'l  Shields  and  Gen'l  Quitman  were  expected 
here  in  a  few  days,  and  that  it  would  be  prudent  to 
delay  action  until  we  could  obtain  authentic  infor- 
mation from  them.  After  the  Cabinet  retired  I  read 
to  Mr.  Buchanan  a  Private  letter  which  I  had  re- 
ceived from  Gen'l  Pillow  giving  me  the  information. 
Being  a  Private  letter  I  did  not  read  it  to  the  Cabinet, 
but  may  yet  do  so,  &  will  do  so  before  action  is  had 
on  the  subject  of  Gen'l  Scott's  recal[l],  unless  the  in- 
formation received  from  Gen'l  Shields  &  Gen'l  Quit- 
man shall  render  it  unnecessary. 

Sunday,  12th  December,  1 847. —  This  was  a 
wet  &  uncomfortable  day,  and  Mrs.  Polk  and  my- 
self declined  attending  church.  After  night  the 
Secretary  of  State,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  &  the 
Hon.  Mr.  Stanton  of  Tennessee,  called  and  spent  an 
hour  in  my  office.  I  informed  Mr.  Stanton  of  my 
intention  to  send  in  a  message  assigning  my  reasons 
for  retaining  the  Harbour  Bill  at  the  close  of  the 
last  Session  of  Congress,  and  read  to  him  a  few  of  the 
sheets  of  the  rough  draft  of  the  message. 

Monday,  IJth  December,  184J. —  I  saw  mem- 
bers of  Congress  and  others  until  12  O'Clock  to-day. 
After  that  hour  I  was  engaged  in  discharging  official 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  247 

duties.  I  occupied  most  of  the  day  in  finishing  my 
veto  message  on  the  Harbour  Bill,  which  was  pre- 
sented to  me  on  the  afternoon  of  the  last  day  of  the 
last  Session  of  Congress  and  which  I  did  not  sign. 
In  the  evening  I  put  it  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Whit- 
thorne  &  my  Private  Secretary,  J.  Knox  Walker,  to 
be  copied.  Though  I  had  collected  all  the  material 
I&  made  voluminous  notes,  and  indeed  prepared  a 
rough  draft  of  it  during  the  summer,  I  found  it  a 
matter  of  great  labour  to  complete  it.  Since  the 
meeting  of  Congress  my  time  has  been  so  constantly 
taken  up  by  members  that  I  have  had  but  little  time 
to  devote  to  it. 

Tuesday^  14th  December,  184"/ . —  Several  mem- 
bers of  Congress  called  [before]  the  meeting  of  the 
Cabinet  this  morning.  The  Cabinet  assembled  at 
the  usual  hour,  all  the  members  present  except  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  who  is  confined  at  his 
house  by  sickness.  I  read  to  the  Cabinet  my  veto 
message  on  the  Harbour  Bill  of  the  last  session, 
which  I  propose  to  send  to  the  Ho.  Repts.  on  to- 
morrow. All  concurred  that  I  should  send  in  such  a 
message.  Mr.  Mason,  Mr.  Johnson,  &  Mr.  Clififord 
concurred  with  me  in  the  views  presented.  Mr,  Bu- 
chanan expressed  the  opinion  that  it  was  an  able 
paper,  &,  entertaining  my  opinions,  he  would  send  in 
the  message.  He  said  he  had  been  committed  in 
speeches  &  votes,  when  he  was  a  member  of  Congress, 
on  the  subject,  but  was  satisfied  of  the  dangers  and 
excesses  of  the  system,  and  that  if  he  were  now  a 
member  of  Congress,  he  would  not,  during  the  Mex- 


248  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [15  Dec. 

ican  war,  when  we  needed  our  revenues,  vote  a  single 
dollar  for  improvements,  and  that  if  he  were  Presi- 
dent he  would  put  his  veto  [on]  any  Bill  of  the 
kind.  The  Secretary  of  War  acquiesced  in  the  pro- 
priety of  sending  in  the  message,  but  expressed  no 
distinct  opinion  upon  the  general  doctrines  which  it 
contained.  No  other  subject  was  considered  in 
Cabinet  to-day.  After  the  Cabinet  adjourned  I 
wrote  some  additional  paragraphs  at  the  close  of  the 
message,  and  had  Mr.  Whitthorne  &  my  Private 
Secretary  engaged  copying  [it].  After  night  Mr. 
Thomas  of  Ten.,  Mr.  Thompson  of  Penn.,  &  Mr. 
McLane  of  Maryland  called  at  my  request,  and  I 
read  the  Message  to  them.  This  I  did  that  some 
members  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  might  be  advised  in  ad- 
vance of  what  it  contained.  Mr.  Mason  called  while 
I  was  reading  it  to  them.  At  9^  O'Clock  P.  M.  I 
went  from  my  office  to  the  parlour,  this  being  recep- 
tion evening.  I  found  an  unusually  large  crowd  of 
persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  &  among  them  many 
members  of  Congress,  assembled.  When  the  com- 
pany retired  I  returned  to  my  office,  and  at  my  re- 
quest Mr.  Buchanan,  Mr.  Mason,  and  Mr.  Clifford 
met  me  at  the  office.  I  was  engaged  with  them  un- 
til I  O'clock  A.  M.  in  revising  certain  paragraphs 
of  my  message.  I  desired  to  send  it  in  on  to-morrow, 
that  being  the  loth  Legislative  day  since  the  Har- 
bour Bill  was  presented  to  me,  on  the  last  day  of  the 
last  session  of  Congress. 

Wednesday,  75M  December,  1847. —  I  saw  no 
company  to-day.     I  was  engaged  in  revising  my  Veto 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  249 

Message  on  the  Harbour  Bill.  Mr.  Buchanan,  Mr. 
Mason,  &  Mr.  Gillet,  the  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury, 
aided  me  in  comparing  the  extracts  which  it  con- 
tained &  seeing  that  they  had  been  correctly  copied. 
At  I  O'clock  P.  M.  I  finished  and  at  that  hour  my 
Private  Secretary  took  the  message  ^  with  the  Har- 
bour Bill  to  the  Ho.  Repts.  After  night  several 
members  of  Congress  called.  My  message,  I  learn, 
was  under  debate  in  the  House  at  its  adjournment. 
It  had  been  violently  assailed  by  the  Whig  party. 
The  debate  will  probably  be  resumed  on  to-morrow. 
I  retired  at  a  late  hour  much  fatigued. 

Thursday,  idth  December,  184J. —  Many  mem- 
bers of  Congress  and  others  called  this  morning. 
Since  the  meeting  of  Congress  the  members  have 
pressed  me  very  much  for  offices  for  their  constitu- 
ents. Indeed  the  rage  for  office  is  the  besetting  evil 
of  the  times,  and  does  more  to  weaken  the  demo- 
cratic party  than  all  other  causes  combined.  Every 
President  must  be  greatly  weakened  because  he  can- 
not gratify  the  craving  desire  of  his  professed  polit- 
ical friends  for  office.  This  it  is  impossible  to  do, 
unless  he  could  put  10  persons  into  one  office,  and 
even  then  he  could  not  satisfy  all  the  applicants.  I 
had  but  a  short  time  during  the  day  to  attend  to  my 
official  duties.  I  gave  a  Diplomatic  Dinner  to-day 
at  which  the  Representatives  of  all  Foreign  Govern- 
ments accredited  at  this  Court,  with  their  wives,  were 
present.  They  numbered  35  persons.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan, Sec.  of  State,  was  also  of  the  party. 

^  H.  Journal,  30  Cong,   i   Sess.  82-98. 


2S0  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [17  Dec. 

Friday,  Ijth  December,  184'/. —  I  was  perfectly 
overrun  with  visitors  this  morning.  Among  them 
were  members  of  Congress  seeking  office  for  their 
constituents,  persons  seeking  offices  for  themselves, 
and  persons  begging  money.  It  is  enough  to  exhaust 
the  patience  and  destroy  the  good  temper  of  any 
man  on  earth,  to  bear  the  daily  boring  which  I  have 
to  endure.  I  keep,  however,  in  a  good  humour  as  far 
as  it  is  possible  to  do  so. 

I  saw  Mr.  Sevier,  the  Senator  from  Arkansas,  and 
held  a  long  conversation  with  him  on  public  affairs. 
He  is  a  sound  Democrat  and  a  reliable  man.  I  saw 
Mr.  Stanton  of  Tennessee,  who  voted  for  the  Har- 
bour Bill,  upon  which  I  sent  in  my  veto  on  the  15th 
Inst.  He  differed  with  me  in  opinion  on  the  subject, 
but  said  he  would  not,  in  the  present  condition  of 
the  Treasury  and  pending  the  war  with  Mexico, 
vote  for  any  similar  appropriations.  He  said  he 
might  make  a  speech,  and  avow  his  difference  of 
opinion  upon  the  Constitutional  questions,  but  would 
declare  that  at  present  he  deemed  it  expedient  to  vote 
for  such  appropriations. 

This  being  reception  evening  many  persons,  ladies 
&  gentlemen,  called  and  were  received  in  the  par- 
lour. 

Saturday,  l8th  December,  184J. —  I  saw  mem- 
bers of  Congress  and  others  until  the  hour  of  the 
meeting  of  the  Cabinet  to-day.  The  Cabinet  met 
at  the  usual  hour  to-day,  all  the  members  present 
except  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  who  is  still  con- 
fined at  his  house  by  indisposition.     I  brought  be- 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  251 

fore  the  Cabinet  the  future  policy  in  conducting  the 
Mexican  War,  and  particularly  the  question  whether 
we  should  promise  protection  to  the  peace  party  in 
Mexico,  if  they  would  form  a  Government  &  make  a 
Treaty  of  peace  with  the  U.  S.  After  much  discus- 
sion the  Cabinet  were  unanimous  in  the  opinion  that 
such  a  promise  or  assurance  should  be  given,  and  that 
if  such  a  Government  was  formed  &  such  a  Treaty 
made,  it  should  contain  a  stipulation  that  a  sufficient 
portion  of  our  army  should  remain  in  Mexico  for  a 
year  after  peace  w^as  concluded  to  afford  the  desired 
protection,  and  to  enable  any  new  Government  which 
may  be  formed  to  execute  the  Treaty.  These  opin- 
ions were  expressed,  but  no  definite  action  was  had 
on  the  subject. 

Col.  Andrews  of  the  Voltigeurs  and  Lieut.  Col. 
T.  P.  Moore  of  the  3rd  Dragoons  recently  arrived 
in  this  City  from  Mexico  and  confirm  a  statement  of 
a  letter  writer  in  a  St.  Louis  paper  that  it  had  been  at 
one  time  contemplated  by  Gen'l  Scott  &  Mr.  Trist 
to  pay  a  million  of  Dollars  to  Santa  Anna,  in  con- 
sideration that  he  would  make  peace.  They  do  not 
give  this  information  on  their  own  knowledge,  but 
from  what  they  heard  in  camp  in  Mexico.  I  felt  it 
to  be  my  duty  to  read,  in  Cabinet  confidence,  a  let- 
ter, a  part  of  which  alluded  to  the  subject,  dated 
Oct.  28th,  1847,  which  I  had  received  from  Maj'r 
Gen'l  Pillow,  which  went  to  confirm  the  statement 
of  the  newspaper  writer.  The  whole  Cabinet  &  my- 
self condemned  the  proceedings  unqualifiedly,  and 
resolved  to  have  the  matter  investigated,  but  before 
any  decisive  step  was  taken   in  the  matter  it  was 


252  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [19  Dec. 

deemed  prudent  to  wait  until  Maj'r  Gen'l  Quitman 
&  Brig.  Gen'l  Shields,  who  were  expected  in  a  few 
days,  should  arrive  in  Washington.  From  them  it 
was  supposed  accurate  information  could  be  ob- 
tained. If  any  such  proceeding  took  place  it  was 
wholly  unauthorized  &  is  deeply  to  be  regretted.  It 
was  suggested  that  I  should  write  to  Gen'l  Pillow  on 
the  subject  and  that  Mr.  Buchanan  should  write  to 
Mr.  Trist,  expressing  the  disapprobation  of  the  Gov- 
ernment &  requiring  an  explanation.  After  the  Cab- 
inet adjourned  I  disposed  of  much  business  on  my 
table. 

Sunday,  igth  December,  iSiJ. —  Mrs.  Polk  and 
myself  attended  the  first  Presbyterian  church  to-day. 
I  was  much  fatigued  with  my  long  and  close  confine- 
ment &  constant  labour,  and  rested  during  the  day. 
After  night  I  prepared  the  draft  of  a  letter  to  Maj'r 
Gen'l  Pillow  on  the  subject  considered  in  Cabinet  on 
yesterday  (see  this  diary  of  yesterday)  but  did  not 
send  it  off  as  I  desired  to  revise  it. 

Monday,  20th  December,  184J. — A  large  num- 
ber of  persons,  members  of  Congress  and  others, 
called  this  morning.  I  closed  my  doors  at  12 
O'clock.  About  1  O'clock  Mr.  Buchanan  &  Mr. 
Marcy  called  at  my  request.  Mr.  Mason  &  Mr. 
Cliflford  happened  also  to  come  in.  The  subject  of 
the  proposed  negotiation  between  Gen'l  Scott  & 
Mr.  Trist  on  the  one  part  and  Gen'l  Santa  Anna  on 
the  other,  was  considered.  I  read  the  draft  of  my 
letter  prepared  last  night  to  Gen'l  Pillow.     Mr.  Bu- 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  253 

chanan  read  one  to  Mr.  Trist  on  the  same  subject. 
Some  modifications  were  suggested  and  made  in  both, 
but  not  materially  affecting  their  substance.  It  was 
thought  proper  that  The  Secretary  of  War  should 
not  write  to  Gen'l  Scott  on  the  subject  until  Gen'l 
Quitman  and  Gen'l  Shields,  who  were  expected 
in  a  few  days,  should  arrive  in  Washington,  as 
it  was  supposed  that  more  accurate  information 
could  be  obtained  from  them  on  the  subject  than 
had  yet  been  received.  I  fear  Gen'l  Pillow  has 
involved  himself  in  the  matter,  so  far  as  giving 
his  assent  to  the  proposals  of  Gen'l  Scott  and 
Mr.  Trist  is  concerned.  It  seems  that  he  assented 
with  reluctance  in  the  first  instance,  but  that  he  after- 
wards protested  against  it,  and  also  against  the  armis- 
tice agreed  to  by  Gen'l  Scott  at  the  City  of  Mexico. 
Neither  Gen'l  Scott,  Mr.  Trist,  or  any  one  else  had 
the  slightest  authority  to  make  such  a  proposition  as 
is  imputed  to  them.  This  subject  has  given  me  great 
pain,  but  it  must  be  investigated,  and  the  censure 
fall  where  it  is  due,  whatever  may  be  the  conse- 
quences to  the  officers  concerned. 

Tuesday,  21st  December,  184J. —  Several  mem- 
bers of  Congress  called  this  morning.  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour,  all  the  members  present  ex- 
cept the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury.  Mr.  Buchanan 
read  to  the  Cabinet  a  copy  of  the  letter  which  he  had 
addressed  to  Mr.  Trist  condemning  in  strong  terms 
the  reported  negotiations  or  correspondence  between 
Gen'l  Scott  and  Mr.  Trist  on  the  one  part  and 
Gen'l  Santa  Anna  on  the  other  part.     He  read  also 


254 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [22  Dec. 


the  copy  of  a  private  letter  to  Mr.  Trist  on  the 
same  subject,  which  he  said  he  had  addressed  to  him. 
The  subject  of  the  Mexican  War  and  the  policy 
proper  to  be  pursued  in  its  further  prosecution  was 
considered,  but  nothing  definitely  decided. 

This  being  reception  evening  an  unusually  large  & 
fashionable  crowd  attended.  Among  them  were 
many  members  of  Congress  &  many  ladies.  Among 
the  ladies  were  Mrs.  Gentry  &  Mrs.  Barrow  of  Ten- 
nessee. 

Wednesday,  22nd  December,  184J. —  I  saw  com- 
pany as  usual  until  12  O'Clock  to-day.  I  devoted 
the  balance  of  the  day  in  disposing  of  the  business 
on  my  table.  In  the  course  of  the  day  and  after  night 
several  Senators  &  Representatives  called  on  busi- 
ness. Nothing  worthy  of  special  remark  occurred 
to-day. 

Thursday,  23rd  December,  184J. —  I  received 
company  as  usual  this  morning.  Several  members 
of  Congress  &  many  other  persons  called.  I  dis- 
posed of  business  on  my  table.  After  the  company 
had  retired  I  sent  for  Mr.  Buchanan.  He  called, 
and  I  informed  him  that  I  learned  that  an  anonymous 
letter  purporting  to  have  been  written  in  this  City 
had  appeared  in  the  N.  York  Herald^  but  which  I 
had  not  read,  to  the  effect  that  by  my  agency  the 
Tennessee  State  convention,  which  is  to  meet  at  Nash- 
ville on  the  8th  of  January  next,  would  nominate 

^  New  York  Herald,  December  21,  1847,  letter  signed  "  Tony 
Lumpkin." 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  255 

Gen'l  Cass  for  the  Presidency,  and  that  my  object 
was  to  produce  confusion  among  the  Democratic 
aspirants,  with  a  view  ultimately  to  obtain  the  nom- 
ination myself.  I  told  him  that  the  whole  story  was 
false,  that  I  had  written  to  no  one  in  Tennessee  on 
the  subject,  and  that  I  thought  it  proper  to  say  to 
him  that  the  story  was  false.  He  asked  me  if  I  had 
written  to  Gen'l  Cass  in  the  last  recess  of  Congress, 
requesting  him  to  be  chairman  of  the  military  com- 
mittee of  the  Senate.  I  promptly  replied  that  I  had 
not  written  to  him  on  that  or  any  other  subject.  He 
said  he  had  read  the  letter  in  the  Herald,  and  such 
was  the  statement  made  by  the  writer.  I  told  him  it 
was  false.  He  then  said  that  it  was  generally  under- 
stood among  the  members  of  Congress  that  I  was 
favourable  to  Gen'l  Cass's  nomination,  at  which  he 
could  not  complain.  I  replied  with  some  emphasis 
that  I  had  never  given  the  slightest  indication  for 
any  one  of  the  Democratic  party  as  my  successor,  and 
repeated  two  or  three  times  that  he  gave  me  [the] 
first  intimation  to  that  effect  that  I  had  ever  heard. 
I  told  him  frankly  that  I  had  not  [taken]  and  should 
not  take  any  part  in  [the]  selection  by  the  Democratic 
party  of  a  candidate  to  succeed  me;  that  when  the 
Democratic  national  convention  should  make  a  nom- 
ination, I  would  be  for  the  nominee,  be  him  [he] 
whom  he  might.  I  told  him  that  the  Democratic 
party  must  make  their  own  nomination  of  a  candi- 
date, without  any  interference  or  agency  of  mine.  I 
told  him  further  that  my  own  administration  was  to 
last  fourteen  months,  and  that  I  could  take  no  part 
among  the  Democratic  aspirants  to  succeed  me,  with- 


2S6  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [23  Dec. 

out  arraying  against  me  all  the  friends  of  other  as- 
pirants than  the  one  I  might  prefer;  &  that  in  this 
way  all  my  measures  connected  with  the  war  and 
other  subjects  would  be  voted  down,  and  that  I  my- 
self would  become  of  no  consideration  &  could  have 
no  influence  in  carrying  out  my  measures.  I  re- 
peated to  him  that  I  had  &  would  preserve  a  strict 
neutrality  in  the  selection  of  a  candidate  of  the  Dem- 
ocratic party  as  my  successor;  that  for  myself  my 
resolution  was  unchanged,  and  that  I  should  retire 
voluntarily  at  the  close  of  my  term  of  office.  Mr. 
Buchanan  no  doubt  considers  himself  a  candidate  for 
the  nomination,  and  is  nervous  and  exhibits  a  degree 
of  weakness  on  the  subject  that  is  almost  incredible. 
My  object  in  holding  the  conversation  with  him  to- 
day was,  first,  to  tell  him  that  the  letter  published  in 
the  Herald  was  false,  and  secondly,  that  I  should  act 
a  neutral  part  and  have  no  agency  in  selecting  the 
candidate  of  the  Democracy  to  succeed  me.  He 
seemed  to  be  in  a  gloomy  mood,  &,  judging  from  his 
manner,  left  me  dis[s]atisfied.  If  this  be  so,  I  shall 
regret  it,  but  shall  not  change  my  determination. 
^^'hile  I  am  President  I  cannot  become  the  partisan 
of  Mr.  Buchanan  or  any  one  else.  After  a  regular 
nomination  is  made,  I  shall  support  the  nominee.  I 
regret  to  be  under  the  impression  that  for  some  weeks 
past  Mr.  B.  seems  to  have  been  so  much  absorbed 
with  the  idea  of  being  President  that  I  cannot  rely, 
as  formerly,  upon  his  advice  given  in  Cabinet  upon 
public  subjects.  My  impression  is  that  all  his  opin- 
ions are  formed  and  controlled  by  the  consideration 
of  the  means  best  calculated  to  enable  him  to  sue- 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  257 

ceed  in  getting  the  nomination  as  my  successor.  He 
seems  to  have  lost  sight  of  the  success  of  my  adminis- 
tration &  to  be  acting  alone  with  a  view  to  his  own 
personal  advancement.  I  feel  embarrassed  by  his 
position  as  a  member  of  my  Cabinet,  but  am  resolved 
not  to  sacrifice  the  great  measures  of  my  own  admin- 
istration to  gratify  him  or  anyone  else,  &  I  gave  him 
so  distinctly  to  understand  to-day. 

I  had  a  Dinner  party  of  35  or  38  persons  to-day, 
ladies  and  gentlemen.  Among  my  guests  were  the 
Vice  President  of  the  U.  S.  &  his  family,  the  Speaker 
of  the  Ho.  Repts.,  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate,  & 
elk.  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  The  balance  of  the  company 
was  composed  of  Senators  &  Representatives  in  Con- 
gress &  their  families. 

Both  Houses  of  Congress  adjourned  over  to-day 
until  Monday  next. 

Friday,  24th  December,  184J. —  I  received  com- 
pany as  usual  this  morning.  Many  members  of  Con- 
gress &  others  called.  At  12  O'Clock  I  closed  my 
doors,  but  as  neither  House  of  Congress  was  in  Ses- 
sion to-day,  several  members  called  after  that  hour 
and  I  received  them. 

I  received  company  in  the  parlour  this  evening. 
A  large  number  of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen, 
members  of  Congress  &  others,  called.  About  9 
O'clock  P.  M.  it  was  announced  to  me  that  Senator 
Fairfield  of  Maine  had  died  to-night  suddenly. 
He  was  an  old  and  intimate  friend,  &  as  soon  as  the 
company  dispersed  I  sent  a  servant  to  his  boarding 
House  to  ascertain  certainly  if  the  fact  was  so.     The 


258  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [25  Dec* 

servant  returned  &  reported  that  he  died  at  7^ 
O'clock  this  evening.  The  Secretary  of  the  Navy 
left  to-night  on  a  short  visit  to  his  residence  in 
Virginia. 

Saturday,  2Sth  December,  184J. —  This  being 
Christmas  day  three  or  four  members  of  Congress 
were  all  who  called.  The  snow  fell  during  most  of 
the  day,  and  the  weather  being  very  inclement  I  re- 
mained in  my  office  and  despatched  a  mass  of  business 
which  had  accumulated  on  my  table.  Senator  Fair- 
field, I  learned,  submitted  to  a  surgical  operation 
for  dropsy  in  the  knees  on  yesterday  afternoon  and 
died  in  three  or  four  hours  after  it  was  performed. 
It  was  performed  by  Dr.  IVIagruder,  and  I  learn  that 
a  post  mortem  examination  of  the  body  is  to  take 
place.  After  night  I  learned  that  the  post  mortem 
examination  of  the  body  had  taken  place,  but  I  was 
not  informed  what  the  Report  of  the  physicians  was. 
His  death  was  very  sudden  and  therefore  the  more 
melancholy.  I  deeply  deplore  it  as  he  was  one  of 
my  best  personal  &  political  friends. 

Sunday,  26th  December,  184J, —  Mrs.  Polk  & 
myself  attended  the  First  Presbyterian  church  to-day. 
My  nephew,  Marshall  T.  Polk,  jr.,  who  is  spending 
the  Christmas  Holidays  with  us,  accompanied  us  to 
church. 

Monday,  zyth  December,  184^. —  Immediately 
after  breakfast  this  morning  Daniel  Saffrons,  from 
Gallatin,  Tennessee,  called.     He  had  informed  me 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  259 

at  my  drawing  room  on  friday  evening  last  that  he 
desired  to  see  me  alone  this  morning.     The  object  of 
his  visit  was  to  reconcile  the  former  differences  which 
had  for  some  years  past  seperated  Senator  Bell  of 
Tennessee  &  myself  and  had  prevented  all  personal 
intercourse  between  us.     He  said  that  he  came  with 
no  authority  to  do  so,  but  in  the  course  of  his  conver- 
sation it  was  quite  clear  that  Mr.  Bell  knew  he  was 
coming  for  the  purpose  of  opening  the  way  for  the 
renewal  of  our  social  intercourse.     He  said  that  Mr. 
Bell  had  expressed  to  him  his  intention  of  support- 
ing my  policy  upon  the  Mexican  War  &  the  tariff; 
That  Mr.  Bell  had  expressed  himself  as  retaining  no 
feelings  of  asperity  towards  me.     He  said  he  had 
told  Mr.  Bell  it  was  his  duty  to  call  on  me,  and  that 
he  should  do  so  on  the  ist  of  January,  and  had  further 
expressed  to  him  the  opinion  that  if  he  did  so,  he  had 
no  doubt  I  would  invite  him  to  Dinner.     He  said 
that  Mr.  Bell  had  replied  that  he  hoped  if  he  did 
call  and  I  should  invite  him  to  Dinner,  that  I  would 
not  put  him  in  among  an  exclusive  democratic  party, 
but  would  have  some  other  Whigs  present.     I  told 
Mr.  Saffrons  that  my  Dinner  parties  were  never  of  a 
partisan  character.     Mr.  Saffrons  said  that  Mr.  Bell 
had  said  that  he  could  say  to  me;  and  here  [he]  im- 
mediately caught  himself  and  said  he  was  not  author- 
ized to  say  anything  by  Mr.  Bell,  but  he  knew  that 
Mr.  Bell's  feelings  were  not  unkind,  &  that  he  would 
call   if   he   thought  he  would   be   kindly   received. 
He  said   that  something  was   said,   too,    about   the 
ladies   &   a    doubt   how    Mrs.  Polk  would    receive 
Mrs.    Bell    if   she   called.     He   said    he   had    held 


26o  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [27  Dec. 

a  conversation  with  Mr.  &  Mrs.  Bell  on  the 
subject  on  last  evening,  &  I  have  no  doubt  he  came 
upon  a  special  mission  on  the  subject.  I  said  to  Mr. 
Saffrons  that  if  Mr.  Bell  chose  to  call  on  me  I  would 
certainly  receive  him  courteously  &  kindly;  that  it 
was  true  Mr.  Bell  &  myself  had  for  some  years  been 
on  different  sides  of  politics,  and  were  perhaps  re- 
garded as  rivals  for  popular  favour  in  Tennessee,  but 
that  I  retained  no  asperity  of  feeling  towards  him, 
&,  indeed,  that  I  had  not  an  unkind  feeling  towards 
him  personally;  that  probably  both  of  us  had  upon 
some  occasions  gone  too  far,  but  that  I  was  willing 
that  all  this  should  be  forgotten.  I  told  him  that  my 
future  residence  would  be  at  Nashville,  and  that 
when  I  retired  fourteen  months  hence,  I  should  never 
again  aspire  to  fill  any  office;  and  that  I  desired  in 
my  retirement  to  live  on  terms  of  social  intercourse 
with  all  my  neighbours,  of  whom  Mr.  Bell  would  be 
one.  In  fine,  I  said  to  him  that  if  Mr.  Bell  chose 
to  call  I  would  receive  him  courteously,  and  would 
suffer  our  past  relations  to  be  forgotten.  Mr.  Saf- 
frons seemed  to  be  highly  gratified.  I  told  him  that 
as  to  the  ladies  I  had  no  doubt  Mrs.  Polk  would  re- 
ceive Mrs.  Bell  kindly,  if  she  called  on  her. 

I  was  occupied  during  most  of  the  day  in  dispos- 
ing of  the  business  on  my  table.  Col.  Harney  of 
the  2nd  Regt.  of  Dragoons  called  in  the  morning, 
and  again  after  night,  when  I  had  a  conversation  of 
an  hours  length  with  him  in  relation  to  events  in  the 
army  and  in  reference  to  the  manner  of  conducting 
the  War.  About  9  O'Clock  P.  M.,  and  after  Col. 
Harney  had  left,  Maj'r  Gen'l  Quitman  and  Brig- 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  261 

adier  Gen'l  Shields  of  the  army,  who  arrived  in 
Washington  to-night,  called.  They  were  accom- 
panied by  the  Hon.  Mr.  Thompson  of  the  Ho. 
Repts.  from  Pennsylvania.  Shortly  after  they  came 
in  Senator  Foote  of  Mississippi  called.  I  was  glad 
to  see  the  two  Generals  &  held  an  interesting  conver- 
sation with  them  in  reference  to  the  military  opera- 
tions in  which  they  had  borne  so  prominent  a  part. 
They  accompanied  me  from  my  office  to  the  parlour 
&  paid  their  respects  to  Mrs.  Polk.  Both  of  them 
expressed  their  entire  approval  of  my  policy  in  the 
future  conduct  of  the  War,  as  laid  down  in  my  an- 
nual message. 

Tuesday,  28th  December,  184J. —  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour  this  morning;  all  the  members 
present  except  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  who  is 
still  confined  to  his  house  by  indisposition,  and  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  who  is  absent  on  a  visit  to  his 
residence  in  Virginia.  Shortly  after  the  Cabinet 
met  Brigadier  Gen'l  Shields  of  the  army  called.  I 
invited  him  into  my  office  where  the  Cabinet  were. 
He  remained  an  hour  or  more,  and  conversed  freely 
about  our  military  operations  in  Mexico,  and  our 
future  policy  in  conducting  the  war.  Some  minor 
subjects  were  considered  and  disposed  of  by  the  Cab- 
inet, but  nothing  worthy  of  special  notice  occurred. 
After  the  Cabinet  retired  I  found  Gen'l  Shields  in 
my  Private  Secretary's  office  in  conversation  with 
him.  Among  other  things  Gen'l  Shields  voluntarily 
spoke  of  Gen'l  Pillow,  and  accorded  to  him  high 
merit  as  an  officer.     He  said  that  certain  letters  from 


262  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [28  Dec. 

the  army  which  had  been  published  in  the  U.  States, 
had  done  injustice  to  other  officers,  &  had  done  Gen'l 
Pillow  an  injury  in  the  estimation  of  the  army;  but, 
he  added,  no  one  doubts  his  bravery  &  gallantry, 
and  that  he  was  a  good  officer.  I  told  him  that  he 
had  been  very  much  abused  by  some  of  the  opponents 
of  the  administration,  and  that  I  had  heard  last  even- 
ing that  CoL  Haskell  ^  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  was  exert- 
ing what  influence  he  had  to  have  him  rejected  as  a 
Maj'r  Gen'l  by  the  Senate.  Gen'l  fields  at  once 
said  he  ought  to  be  confirmed,  that  it  would  be  doing 
him  great  injustice  to  reject  him,  and  that  he  would 
freely  express  this  opinion  to  Senators.  He  spoke 
of  the  story  in  the  newspapers  of  the  alleged  council 
of  war  held  at  Puebla,  and  the  proposition  to  bribe 
Santa  Anna.  He  said  that  he  had  not  seen  the  news- 
paper publication.  I  repeated  to  him,  as  well  as  I 
could  remember,  its  substance.  He  said  it  was  not 
true  that  any  consultation  had  been  held  about  a 
proposition  to  bribe.  He  said  there  was  a  confi- 
dential conference  at  Gen'l  Scott's  Head  Quarters, 
not  about  bribing,  but  whether  it  would  be  proper, 
if  it  was  a[s]certained  that  a  satisfactory  Treaty 
could  be  obtained,  to  pay  a  part  of  the  consideration 
for  a  cession  of  Territory  in  advance  of  the  ratifica- 
tion of  such  a  Treaty.  He  repeated  that  the  idea  of 
bribery  was  not  suggested  or  considered,  but  the  ques- 
tion was  that  stated  by  him,  &  whether,  if  deemed 
proper,  there  was  any  legal  authority  to  apply  any 

^William  F.   Haskell,   Representative   from  Tennessee,    1847- 
1849. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  263 

part  of  the  public  money  in  that  way.  He  did  not 
mention  the  names  of  the  officers  present  at  this  coun- 
cil, but  said  Mr.  Trist  was  not  present.  He  said 
he  made  no  such  speech  as  I  informed  him  was  at- 
tributed to  him  in  the  newspapers.  I  told  him  that 
Mr.  Trist  was  furnished  with  written  instructions, 
&  that  he  had  none  other  &  that  by  them  he  had  no 
authority  to  use  a  dollar  of  the  public  money  until 
after  a  Treaty  was  concluded  and  ratified  on  the 
part  of  Mexico,  and  that  if  such  Treaty,  when  so 
ratified,  stipulated  for  the  payment  of  a  consideration 
for  a  cession  of  Territory,  then,  &  not  till  then,  was 
Mr.  Trist  authorized  to  make  such  payment.  He 
said  Mr.  Trist  had  never  exhibited  to  him  his  instruc- 
tions. I  told  him  that  I  had  said  to  Mr.  Trist  be- 
fore he  left  that  he  could,  if  he  deemed  it  necessary, 
show  his  written  instructions  confidentially  to  him- 
self &  Gen'l  Pillow,  &  to  such  other  of  the  Gen'l 
officers  as  he  might  think  proper,  with  a  view  to 
cou[n]sel  with  them  on  the  subject  of  his  mission. 
I  expressed  to  him  my  disap[p]robation  of  Mr. 
Trist's  conduct  in  intimating  to  the  Mexican  com- 
missioners that  if  they  would  submit  a  proposition 
to  make  the  Nueces  the  boundary,  he  would  trans- 
mit it  to  his  Government  for  consideration.  I  did 
not  proceed  to  detail  to  him  the  many  other  objec- 
tions which  I  had  to  his  conduct  since  he  has  been  in 
Mexico.  They  are  numerous.  I  informed  him  that 
he  had  been  recalled. 

I  received  company  in  the  parlour  this  evening. 
Many  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  were  present. 


264  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [29  Dec. 

Wednesday,  2Qth  December,  184/.— My  office 
was  open  as  usual  this  morning.  Many  persons 
called.  The  press  by  members  of  Congress  and 
others  for  small  offices,  chietiy  in  the  army,  for  their 
constituents  and  friends,  is  very  great.  Mr.  Daniel 
Saf]frons  of  Tennessee  called  and  had  another  con- 
versation with  me  in  relation  to  my  future  social  in- 
tercourse with  Senator  Bell  of  Tennessee  (see  this 
diary  of  Monday,  27th  Instant).  He  said  he  had, 
since  he  saw  me,  held  another  conversation  with  Mr. 
Bell,  and  that  Mr.  B.  had  told  him  he  intended  to 
support  my  war-measures,  that  the  taritl  of  1846  was 
working  well  enough,  &  that  he  did  not  intend  to 
vote  to  disturb  it.  In  reference  to  the  War,  he  said 
Mr.  Bell  had  declared  his  determination  to  vote  for 
any  amt.  of  money  or  men  the  administration  might 
want.  He  said  Mr.  Bell  had  informed  him  he  would 
call  on  me  and,  forgetting  the  past,  renew  our  per- 
sonal intercourse,  but  that  he  would  delay  doing  so 
for  some  time,  as  he  thought  it  best  not  to  attract  at- 
tention by  doing  so  too  soon.  I  repeated  to  Mr. 
Saffrons  that  when  Mr.  Bell  thought  proper  to  call 
on  me  I  would  treat  him  courteously,  &  was  prepared 
to  meet  him  half  way  in  renewing  our  personal  inter- 
course. Mr.  Saffrons  visit  to  me  on  monday  and  to- 
day, I  cannot  doubt,  was  at  Mr.  Bell's  instance.  I 
was  engaged  through  the  day  in  disposing  of  the 
business  on  my  table.  After  night  Senator  Turney 
of  Tenn.  called  and  informed  me  that  Senator  Bell 
of  Ten.  had  sought  a  conversation  with  him  this 
morning,  in  which  he  had  expressed  a  desire  to  be 
on  terms  of  social  intercourse  with  me.     Mr.  Turney 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  265 

informed  me  he  told  him  he  had  no  doubt  I  would  be 
willing  to  be  so  with  him.  It  was  understood,  as 
Mr.  T.  said,  between  them  that  he  was  to  carry  this 
information  to  me.  Mr.  T.  gave  me  a  detailed  ac- 
count of  what  Mr.  Bell  said  to  him,  which  was  in 
effect  that  he  bore  no  malice  and  had  no  asperities  to 
indulge,  and  wished  to  be  on  friendly  terms  with 
me.  He  told  Mr.  Turney  that  he  should  act  with 
the  Whig  party,  and  that  he  apprehended  that  Mr. 
Saffrons,  who  had,  as  he  informed  Mr.  T.,  held  a 
conversation  with  me  on  the  subject,  might  not  fully 
understand  his  position  on  the  war  question.  He 
intimated,  as  Mr.  T.  said,  that  he  would  not 
go  as  far  on  that  subject  as  Mr.  Saflfrons  had  un- 
derstood him  to  go.  He  made  this  explanation, 
as  Mr.  T.  said,  for  the  purpose,  as  he  avowed,  of 
having  no  misunderstanding  bet^veen  himself  and  me 
as  to  his  course  in  the  Senate.  Mr.  T.  said  he 
asked  him  to  explain  to  Mr.  Saffrons  what  his  posi- 
tion and  opinions  were,  and  that  he,  Mr.  T.,  de- 
clined to  do  this,  but  told  him  he  had  better  make 
the  explanation  to  Mr.  Saffrons  himself.  I  told 
Mr.  T.  that  he  could  say  to  Mr.  Bell  that  if  he 
called  I  was  willing  to  let  bye-gones  by  bye- 
gones,  &  to  receive  and  treat  him  kindly;  that 
I  had  no  other  feelings  towards  him  personally; 
and  that  as  we  would  probably  reside  near  to- 
gether after  my  term  was  out  I  desired  to  be  on 
good  terms  with  him,  and  with  all  my  neighbours. 
Mr.  Cave  Johnson,  the  P.  M.  Gen'l,  was  present 
during  this  conversation  between  Mr.  Turney  & 
myself. 


266  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [30  Dec. 

Thursday,  30th  December,  184J. —  I  received 
company  as  usual  this  morning.  At  12  O'Clock  I 
closed  my  office.  Mr.  Buchanan  sent  over  to  me 
despatches  which  he  had  received  by  last  night's 
mail  from  Mr.  Trist.  He  had  received  his  letter  of 
recal[l],  and  is  manifestly  displeased  at  it.  The 
Secretary  of  War  called  and  handed  to  me  despatches 
which  he  had  received  by  last  night's  mail  from  Gen'l 
Scott.  Among  them  were  charges  preferred  by 
Gen'l  Scott  against  Maj'r  Gen'l  Pillow,  Brevet 
Maj'r  Gen'l  Worth,  &  Brevet  Col.  Duncan  '  of  the 
U.  S.  army.  He  left  the  despatches  with  me  &  I 
read  them  carefully.  I  deplore  the  unfortunate  col- 
lisions which  have  arisen  between  the  Gen'l  officers 
in  Mexico,  as  they  must  prove  highly  prejudicial  to 
the  public  service.  They  have  been'  produced,  as  I 
have  every  reason  to  believe,  more  by  the  vanity  and 
tyrannical  temper  of  Gen'l  Scott,  &  his  want  of  pru- 
dence and  common  sense,  than  from  any  other  cause. 
I  read  his  despatches  with  sincere  regret.  The  offi- 
cers whom  he  arraigns  upon  charges,  and  for  whose 
trial  he  demands  a  Court  martial,  have  each  of  them 
been  presented  in  Gen'l  Scott's  own  official  Reports 
as  having  acted  a  gallant  and  praiseworthy  part  in 
all  the  late  battles  in  Mexico.  The  whole  difficulty 
has  grown  out  of  letters  written  from  the  army  and 
published  in  the  newspapers  of  the  U.  S.,  in  which 
Gen'l  S.  is  not  made  the  exclusive  hero  of  the  War. 
Without  expressing  any  opinion  upon  the  merits  or 
truth  of  these  letters,  there  seems  to  have  been  no 

^  James  Duncan,  thrice  brevetted  for  distinguished  and  gallant 
service  during  the  Mexican  War. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  267 

necessity  to  make  so  serious  an  affair  of  them  as  to 
break  up  the  harmony  and  efficiency  of  the  army 
while  in  the  enemy's  country.  The  whole  matter  is 
most  unfortunate.  Mr.  Trist,  from  all  I  can  learn, 
has  lent  himself  to  Gen'l  Scott  and  is  his  mere  tool, 
and  seems  to  be  employed  in  ministering  to  his  ma- 
lignant passions,  in  persecuting  Gen'l  Pillow  and 
others  who  are  supposed  to  be  friendly  to  me.  1  am 
much  troubled  upon  the  subject,  but  will  reflect 
further  upon  it  before  I  decide  upon  my  course. 

I  had  a  dinner  party  to-day  consisting  of  the 
Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  U.  S.,  the  Judges 
of  the  District  of  Columbia  &  their  families  (such 
of  them  as  are  in  Washington)  &  of  Several  Senators 
&  Representatives,  making  in  all  35  or  36  persons. 
A  few  minutes  before  the  party  were  about  to  go  to 
the  table,  I  received  a  note  in  the  parlour  from  Sen- 
ator Davis  of  Mississippi  (who  was,  as  the  servant 
informed  me,  in  my  office)  desiring  to  see  me,  &  in- 
forming me  that  he  had  received  to-day  an  impor- 
tant letter  from  Mexico  which  he  desired  to  submit 
to  me.  I  could  not  leave  the  company  in  the  par- 
lour, but  sent  my  Private  Secretary  to  request  Sen- 
ator Davis  to  call  on  to-mor.row  morning.  The 
Dinner  party  was  a  very  pleasant  one. 

Mr.  Seaton,  Mayor  of  Washington,  &  Senator 
Douglass  of  Illinois  called  this  morning  &  informed 
[me]  that  they  were  a  committee  to  invite  me  to  at- 
tend a  complimentary  Dinner  to  be  given  in  this 
City  on  to-morrow  to  Maj'r  Gen'l  Quitman  &  Brig- 
adier Gen'l  Shields.  I  informed  [them]  that  it 
would  give  me  personal  pleasure  to  attend  the  Din- 


268  JAMES    K.    POLKS    DIARY  [30  Dec. 

ner,  as  [it]  would  a  similar  dinner  to  any  other  of 
our  distinguished  officers  who  might  return  from  the 
army  in  Mexico,  but  at  first  blush  I  had  some  doubt 
of  the  official  propriety  of  doing  so,  and  I  asked  them 
their  opinions  upon  the  subject,  and  whether  any  of 
my  predecessors  had  ever  attended  similar  entertain- 
ments. Mr.  Seaton  said  the  only  instance  he  remem- 
bered was  a  dinner  given  by  the  National  Institute, 
at  which  Mr.  J.  Q.  Adams  presided,  when  he  was 
President  of  the  U.  S.,  and  a  public  dinner  ^  at  which 
Gen'l  Jackson  was  present  when  he  was  President  of 
the  U.  S.,  and  at  which  he  gave  his  celebrated  toast 
"Our  Federal  Union;  it  must  be  preserved."  I  re- 
marked that  the  first  of  these  occasions  was  a  meeting 
of  a  literary  &  scientific  society  of  which  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  U.  S.  was  a  member;  &  that  the  latter  was 
on  the  occasion  of  Mr.  Jefferson's  birth  day,  which 
was  celebrated  by  a  public  [dinner].  I  remarked 
that  I  was  myself  present  on  the  latter  occasion,  and 
heard  Gen'l  Jackson  deliver  his  celebrated  toast,  but 
it  struck  me  that  the  present  was  not  a  similar  occa- 
sion to  that.  After  a  free  conversation  both  Mr. 
Seaton  and  Mr.  Douglass  concurred  with  me  that 
there  was  no  precedent  or  usage  of  my  predecessors 
which  would  make  it  consistent  with  official  pro- 
priety for  me  to  attend  the  dinner,  &  I  finally  told 
them  I  would  not  do  so.  They  concurred  with  me  in 
the  correctness  of  my  decision,  but  suggested  that  I 
might  write  a  letter  &  send  a  toast  to  the  Dinner 
party. 

^  The  Jefferson  birthday  dinner,  April   13,    1830. 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  269 

Friday,  Jlst  December,  184'J. —  I  sent  for  Sen- 
ator Douglass  of  Illinois  this  morning,  &  told  him 
that  upon  further  reflection  I  was  of  opinion  that  in- 
stead of  sending  a  written  answer  &  a  toast  to  the 
public  dinner  to  be  given  to-day  to  Gen'ls  Quitman 
and  Shields,  I  had  better  authorize  him  to  express 
to  the  company  the  personal  gratification  it  would 
have  afforded  me  to  be  present,  but  that  the  pro- 
prieties of  my  station  &  the  usage  always  observed 
by  my  predecessors  must  prevent  me  from  doing  so. 
He  concurred  with  me  in  the  propriety  of  this  course 
&  agreed  to  make  my  apology  to  the  company  (see 
this  Diary  of  yesterday).  This  morning  Senator 
Davis  of  Mississippi,  who  called  about  my  Dinner 
hour  on  yesterday  and  could  not  see  me  (see  this  diary 
of  yesterday)  called  in  company  with  Senator  Cass 
of  Michigan.  Mr.  Davis  read  me  a  short  passage 
from  a  letter  which  he  had  received  on  yesterday 
from  Gen'l  Twiggs  of  the  army  in  Mexico,  express- 
ing the  opinion  that  if  a  commissioner  with  power 
to  treat  was  now  in  Mexico  a  Treaty  might  be  con- 
cluded. This  lead  to  a  conversation  of  some  length 
in  relation  to  the  state  of  affairs  in  Mexico.  Both 
Mr.  Davis  and  Gen'l  Cass  deplored  the  collisions 
which  had  arisen  between  the  General  officers  of  our 
army  in  Mexico,  both  condemned  in  strong  terms 
the  published  general  order  of  Gen'l  Scott,  which 
was  the  immediate  precursor,  if  not  the  cause,  of  the 
arrest  of  Gen'ls  Pillow  &  Worth  and  Col.  Duncan; 
and  both  expressed  the  opinion  in  strong  and  decided 
terms  that  Gen'l  Scott  should  be  immediately  re- 
called from  the  command  of  the  army  in  Mexico. 


270  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [31  Dec 

They  expressed  the  opinion,  also,  that  it  would  be 
ruinous  &  disastrous  to  the  harmony  &  efficiency  of 
the  army  to  try  the  three  officers.  Pillow,  Worth,  & 
Duncan,  in  the  camp  in  Mexico.     Mr.  Davis  ad- 
vised that  Gen'l  Scott  should  be  recalled  &  that  Gen'l 
Taylor  should  be  put  in  command.     I  remarked  to 
Mr.  Davis  that  Gen'l  Taylor  was  now  in  the  U.  S. 
on  a  leave  of  absence  from  the  army  for  six  months, 
and  that  it  would  be  with  reluctance  that  I  would 
order  him  back  to  the  field  before  his  leave  of  ab- 
sence had  expired.     Gen'l  Cass  expressed  the  opin- 
ion that  Maj'r  Gen'l  Wm.  O.  Butler,  who  was  next 
in  rank,  would  be  competent  to  take  the  command. 
This   point   was   not   further   pressed.     They   were 
both  of  opinion,  whoever  might  succeed  to  the  com- 
mand, that  Gen'l  Scott  should  be  immediately  re- 
called.    They  concurred  also  that  the  officers,  Pil- 
low, Worth,  and  Du[n]can,  should  be  ordered  home 
&  be  tried  in  the  U.   S.     They  thought,  too,  that 
power  should  be  conferred  upon  some  person  to  con- 
clude a  peace  in  Mexico.     Mr.  Davis  said  that  if 
commissioners  should  be  appointed  by  Mexico  to 
come  to  the  U.  S.,  the  Government  which  appointed 
them  would  probably  be  overthrown  before   they 
could  come  here,  execute  their  mission,  and  return, 
and  that  as  likely  as  not  they  might  be  shot  as  trai- 
tors to  their  country  when  they  did  return;  and  that 
the  only  hope  of  peace  was  to  have  a  person  in  Mex- 
ico authorized  to  avail  himself  of  any  favourable  op- 
portunity which  might  arise  to  make  it  and  have  it 
ratified  at  once.     Mr.  Davis  &  Gen'l  Cass  retired. 
My  office  was  crowded  with  members  of  Congress 


i847]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  271 

(neither  House  was  in  Session  to-day)  and  others, 
until  after  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  About  that  hour  Sen- 
ator Cass  called  again  &  said  to  me  that  if  Gen'l 
Scott  was  recalled  he  would  not  advise  that  Gen'l 
Taylor  should  succeed  him  in  command,  but  thought 
that  Gen'l  Butler,  who  was  now  second  in  command 
with  Gen'l  Scott's  column  of  the  army,  should  take 
the  command.  I  sent  for  the  Secretary  of  War,  and 
informed  him  that  I  had  carefully  considered  Gen'l 
Scott's  despatches  which  he  had  left  with  me  on  yes- 
terday. I  informed  him,  also,  of  the  conversation 
I  had  held  with  Senators  Davis  &  Cass.  I  told  him 
my  impression  was  that  Gen'l  Scott  and  the  officers, 
Pillow,  Worth,  &  Duncan,  should  be  ordered  to  the 
U.  S.,  and  that  the  trials  should  be  had  at  Fortress 
monroe  or  at  New  Orleans  or  some  point  to  be  desig- 
nated, and  that  Gen'l  Butler  should  be  put  in  com- 
mand of  the  army.  He  did  not  give  any  express  as- 
sent to  my  views,  but  expressed  doubts  &  suggested 
some  objections  to  them.  He  saw  the  embarrass- 
ments of  a  trial  in  the  army,  and  also  of  having  it  in 
the  U.  S.  He  did  not  enter  fully  into  the  subject, 
but  said  he  would  see  me  to-morrow  morning  on  the 
subject.  I  held  a  conversation  with  Senator  Turney 
on  the  subject,  who  advised  that  Gen'l  Scott  should 
be  immediately  recalled  &  Gen'l  Butler  put  in  com- 
mand of  the  army.  A  most  embarrassing  state  of 
things  exists  in  the  army,  all  produced  by  Gen'l 
Scott's  bad  temper,  dictatorial  spirit,  &  extreme  jeal- 
ousy lest  any  other  Gen'l  Officer  should  acquire  more 
fame  in  the  army  than  himself.  The  arrests  which 
have  taken  place  have  grown  out  of  no  official  mis- 


272  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i  Jan. 

conduct  of  the  officers  arrested,  in  the  line  of  their 
duty,  but  out  of  letters  written  in  the  army  &  pub- 
lished in  the  newspapers  of  the  U.  S.,  in  which  Gen'l 
Scott  was  not  made  the  sole  hero  of  the  battles  which 
have  been  fought. 

This  was  reception  evening,  but  a  wet  night,  & 
very  dark  [and]  but  few  persons  attended. 

Saturday,  Ist  January,  1848. —  The  Secretary 
of  War  called  this  morning  and  held  a  further  con- 
versation with  me  in  relation  to  the  difficulties  which 
have  grown  up  among  the  Gen'l  officers  of  the  army 
in  Mexico.  He  said  he  had  reflected  on  the  subject 
since  his  conversation  with  me  on  yesterday.  He 
now  thought  that  we  would  be  obliged  to  supersede 
Gen'l  Scott  in  the  command,  &  devolve  the  command 
on  Gen'l  Butler.  He  thought  that  if  Pillow,  Worth, 
&  Duncan  were  ordered  to  the  U.  S.  for  trial,  we 
might  have  to  order  almost  half  the  other  officers  of 
the  army  home  with  them  as  witnesses.  His  opin- 
ion, therefore,  was  that  the  trials  must  take  place  in 
Mexico.  I  told  him  that  among  the  papers  left  with 
me  by  him  on  yesterday  was  one  from  Gen'l  Worth, 
preferring  grave  charges  against  Gen'l  Scott,  and 
appealing  to  the  President  to  take  the  proper  orders 
in  the  case,  and  I  asked  him  what  was  to  be  done 
with  it.  Before  we  concluded  the  conversation,  I 
was  notified  by  a  servant  that  company  had  begun  to 
assemble  in  the  parlour  below  stairs.  I  told  him  I 
was  obliged  to  go  below  stairs  to  receive  the  com- 
pany, and  requested  him  to  call  again  this  afternoon. 
The  President's  mansion  was,  according  to  custom, 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  273 

thrown  open  for  the  reception  of  visitors  to-day.  All 
the  Halls  &  apartments  on  the  first  floor  were  filled. 
The  Representatives  of  Foreign  Governments,  many 
members  of  Congress,  officers  of  the  army  &  navy, 
and  a  great  crowd  of  citizens  were  present.  I  shook 
hands  with  many  thousands  of  persons.  Among 
others  whom  I  received  was  Senator  Webster  of 
Massachusetts.  I  note  this  fact  especially,  because 
during  the  last  session  of  Congress  Mr.  Webster  did 
not  call  on  me.  I  suppose  he  was  ashamed  to  do  so 
for  the  reason  that  shortly  before  the  meeting  of  the 
last  Session  of  Congress  he  had  made  a  Speech  on  the 
subject  of  the  Mexican  War,  and  on  other  topics,  in 
which  he  spoke  of  my  impeachment,  because  of  my 
course  in  reference  to  the  War.  I  accosted  him, 
when  he  approached  me,  formally  but  courteously. 
Col.  Haskell,  a  Whig  member  of  Congress  from  Ten- 
nessee, also  approached  &  shook  hands  with  me.  I 
mention  this  because  it  is  the  first  time  he  has  called. 
About  3  O'clock  P.  M.  the  company  dispersed.  I 
was  considerably  wearied,  having  been  constantly  on 
my  feet  shaking  hands  for  near  four  hours. 

After  night  the  Post  Master  Gen'l  &  the  Atto. 
Gen'l  called,  having  been  requested  to  do  so  by  me. 
I  consulted  them  freely  upon  the  subject  of  the  diffi- 
culties of  the  army  in  Mexico,  stated  the  substance 
of  the  despatches  which  had  been  received;  the  ar- 
rest of  Gen'ls  Pillow  &  Worth  &  Col.  Duncan;  & 
the  charges  preferred  by  Gen'l  Worth  against  Gen'l 
Scott.  I  stated,  also,  the  consultations  I  had  held 
with  the  Secretary  of  War  and  with  Senators  Davis 
of  Miss.  &  Cass  of  Michigan  (see  this  diary  of  yes- 


274  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [2  Jan. 

terday)  &  after  full  consideration  of  the  whole  sub- 
ject, they  were  of  opinion  that  it  was  indespensible 
for  the  good  of  the  service  that  Gen'l  Scott  should 
be  superseded  in  the  command  of  the  army  &  that 
Gen'l  Butler  should  be  placed  in  command.  They 
were  further  of  opinion  that  under  all  the  circum- 
stances Pillow,  Worth,  &  Duncan  Should  have  the 
charges  preferred  against  them  at  Vera  Cruz,  in- 
stead of  in  the  camp  of  the  main  army,  and  instead 
of  being  brought  to  the  U.  S.  By  withdrawing  the 
trial  from  the  camp  of  the  main  army,  they  were  of 
opinion  that  the  excitement  and  embarrassment  to  the 
public  service  which  would  likely  be  produced  by 
it,  would  be  avoided  whilst  Vera  Cruz  w^ould  be  a 
more  convenient  place  for  the  parties  &  witnesses  to 
attend  than  any  point  in  the  U.  S.  They  were  of 
opinion,  also,  that  the  officers  composing  the  Court 
martial  should  as  far  as  practicable  be  taken  from 
the  U.  S.,  of  officers  who  had  taken  no  part  in  the 
excitement  of  the  camp.  They  were  of  opinion,  also, 
that  Gen'l  Butler  should  be  invested  with  power  to 
make  a  Treaty.  I  will  consult  the  balance  of  my 
cabinet  on  monday  &  decide  upon  my  course. 

Sunday,  2nd  January,  1848. —  I  attended  Divine 
worship  in  company  with  Mrs.  Polk,  my  Private 
Secretary,  Col.  Walker,  &  my  nephew,  Marshall  T. 
Polk,  Jr.,  at  the  Hall  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  to-day.  The 
service  was  performed  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Slicer,  Chap- 
lain to  the  senate.  He  preached  the  funeral  ser- 
mon on  the  occasion  of  the  late  death  of  Senator 
Fairfield  of  the  State  of  Maine.     On  returning  from 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  275 

this  service  I  saw  Mr.  Buchanan  at  my  office  &  had 
a  short  conversation  with  him  on  the  subject  of  the 
difficulties  among  our  Gen'l  officers  in  Mexico,  and 
in  relation  to  the  terms  of  peace  to  which  we  ought 
now  to  agree.  He  retired  with  the  understanding 
that  he  would  call  again  at  7  O'Clock  this  evening, 
and  in  the  mean  time  I  agreed  to  visit  Mr.  Walker, 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  whose  health  is  too 
feeble  to  enable  him  to  visit  me,  and  confer  with  him 
on  the  subject.  I  accordingly  visited  Mr.  Walker 
at  his  house  at  5  O'Clock  P.  M.,  and  had  a  full  con- 
versation with  him  on  the  subject.  He  concurred 
with  the  other  members  of  the  Cabinet  and  with 
myself  that  Gen'l  Scott  should  be  superseded  in  the 
command  of  the  army  by  Maj'r  Gen'l  Butler.  He 
concurred,  also,  in  the  opinion  that  the  Court  martial 
for  the  trial  of  Gen'ls  Pillow  &  Worth  &  Col.  Dun- 
can should  convene  at  Vera  Cruz,  and  be  composed 
as  far  as  practicable  of  officers  taken  from  the  U.  S. 
who  had  not  participated  in  the  strifes  of  the  army. 
He  agreed,  also,  that  a  Court  of  enquiry  should  be 
organized  at  Vera  Cruz  to  investigate  the  charges 
preferred  by  Gen'l  Worth  against  Gen'l  Scott.  Mr. 
Walker  at  first  had  some  doubt  whether  Gen'l  Tay- 
lor or  Gen'l  Butler  should  succeed  Gen'l  Scott  in 
command  of  the  army,  but  finally  concluded  that,  as 
Gen'l  Butler  was  now  with  the  army  &  Gen'l  Taylor 
was  in  the  U.  S.  on  leave  of  absence  at  his  own  re- 
quest, it  would  be  best  to  devolve  the  command  on 
Gen'l  Butler.  I  read  to  Mr.  Walker  despatches 
from  Gen'l  Scott  &  Mr.  Trist  of  the  27th  of  Novem- 
ber, both  stating  that  the  Mexican  Government  at 


2ye  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [2  Jan. 

Queretaro  had  appointed  commissioners  to  treat  for 
peace,  &  expressed  to  him  that  we  should  have  a 
commissioner  in  Mexico  authorized  to  meet  them. 
After  fully  considering  the  subject  he  came  to  the 
conclusion,  in  which  he  concurred  with  me,  that 
Gen'l  Butler  should  be  invested  with  the  power  to 
conclude  a  Treaty  if  suitable  terms  were  proposed 
by  Mexico.  I  had  suggested  Brig,  Gen'l  Shields  as 
the  commissioner,  but  the  objection  to  his  selection 
which  seemed  to  have  weight  was,  that  the  officers 
of  the  army  who  were  his  Seniors  in  rank  might  take 
ofYence  that  he  had  been  preferred  to  them.  The 
terms  of  a  Treaty  to  which  we  could  now  agree  were 
considered,  but  no  definite  result  arrived  at.  I 
informed  Mr.  Walker  that  I  would  convene  the  Cab- 
inet at  I  O'clock  on  to-morrow  to  consider  & 
decide  these  grave  questions,  &  requested  him  to  at- 
tend if  his  health  would  permit.  I  returned  to  my 
office  and  at  7  O'Clock  P.  M.  Mr.  Buchanan  called. 
I  had  a  full  conversation  with  him  on  the  subject. 
He  agreed  that  Gen'l  Scott  should  be  recalled,  that 
Gen'l  Butler  should  be  placed  in  command,  &  that 
the  military  trials  should  take  place  at  Vera  Cruz, 
as  had  been  suggested.  He  was  not  decided  as  to 
the  propriety  of  investing  Gen'l  Butler  with  power 
to  conclude  a  Treaty.  I  conversed  with  [him]  as 
to  the  terms  to  which  we  should  agree.  He  at  first 
declared  that  we  should  secure  Tamaulipas  &  all 
the  country  East  of  the  Sierra  mountains.  I  ex- 
pressed a  doubt  as  to  the  policy  or  practicability  of 
obtaining  a  country  containing  so  large  a  number  of 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  277 

the  mexican  population;  &  reminded  Mr.  Buchanan 
that  his  original  opinion  had  been  against  acquiring 
any  territory  South  of  New  Mexico.  This  he  ad- 
mitted &  added  that  he  had  been  opposed  to  the  cam- 
paign of  our  army  to  Vera  Cruz  &  the  City  of  Mex- 
ico. I  told  [him]  that  campaign  was  my  own 
measure  &  that  I  remembered  his  opposition  to  it. 
He  said,  however,  that  this  campaign  had  been  car- 
ried out  against  his  opinion,  that  we  had  spent  much 
money  &  shed  much  blood  since  Mr.  Trist's  instruc- 
tions were  given  to  him  in  April  last,  &  that  he 
would  not  now  be  willing  to  agree  to  the  terms  then 
proposed.  I  replied  that  I  would  not  be  willing  to 
agree  to  those  terms  after  all  that  had  occurred  since 
that  time.  I  suggested  that  we  might  accede  to  a 
cession  of  New  Mexico,  the  Two  Californias,  &  the 
passage  across  the  Istmus  of  Tehauntepec,  paying 
for  them  a  much  less  sum  than  Mr.  Trist  had  been 
authorized  to  offer,  &  that  we  should  in  addition  se- 
cure the  port  of  Tampico.  I  told  him  I  would  be 
glad  to  acquire  all  the  country  he  suggested,  but  that 
1  apprehended  that  would  not  be  practicable  after 
the  terms  which  Mr.  Trist  had  already  offered.  The 
conversation  ended,  &  I  invited  him  to  attend  a 
special  meeting  of  the  Cabinet  to  consider  the  sub- 
ject further,  at  i  O'Clock  to-morrow. 

Immediate  action  upon  these  important  subjects  is 
necessary,  and  this  is  the  reason  why  I  held  these  con- 
versations with  Mr.  Walker  and  Mr.  Buchanan  on 
this  day.  They  are  very  important  &  weigh  heavily 
on  my  mind. 


278  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  Jan. 

Monday,  3rd  January,  1 848. —  Saw  company 
until  12  O'clock  to-day.  Many  persons,  members 
of  Congress  and  others,  called.  I  convened  a  special 
meeting  of  the  Cabinet  at  i  O'Clock  P.  M.  to-day; 
all  the  members  attended  except  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy,  who  is  absent  from  the  City  on  a  visit  to  Vir- 
ginia. The  Subject  submitted  for  consideration  was 
the  unfortunate  collision  among  the  General  officers 
of  the  army  in  Mexico,  &  the  steps  proper  to  be 
taken.  These  difficulties  have  been  already  stated 
(see  this  Diary  for  the  last  three  or  four  days)  from 
which  it  appears  that  Gen'l  Scott  has  arrested  Gen'ls 
Pillow  &  Worth  and  Col.  Duncan,  &  that  Gen'l 
Worth  has  preferred  charges  aganst  Gen'l  Scott. 
After  a  full  discussion  the  Cabinet  were  unanimous 
that  Gen'l  Scott  should  be  superseded  in  the  com- 
mand of  the  army.  Upon  the  question  whether  the 
command  should  devolve  upon  MajV  Gen'l  Butler, 
who  is  next  in  rank  now  with  the  army;  or  whether 
Gen'l  Taylor,  who  is  now  in  the  U.  S.  on  leave  of  ab- 
sence for  six  months,  shall  have  the  option  of  pro- 
ceeding to  the  City  of  Mexico  &  taking  command, 
there  was  division  of  opinion  and  some  discussion. 
Mr.  Buchanan,  Mr.  Walker,  Mr.  Marcy,  &  Mr. 
Johnson,  though  each  of  them  expressed  themselves 
with  some  hesitancy  and  doubt,  were  in  favour  of 
sending  Gen'l  Taylor  to  take  command,  if  he  was 
willing  to  go.  Mr.  Clifford  expressed  his  opinion 
strongly  against  it,  and  was  in  favour  of  placing 
Gen'l  Butler  in  command.  My  opinion  was  that 
Gen'l  Butler  should  take  command,  and  I  so  ex- 
pressed [myself],  but  remarked  that  I  would  post- 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  279 

pone  a  final  decision  until  to-morrow.  After  full 
discussion  it  was  decided  that  the  charges  preferred 
by  Genl  Scott  against  Gen'l  Worth  were  not  such  as 
to  require  a  Court  martial  for  his  trial,  &  it  was 
unanimously  decided  that  Gen'l  Worth  should  be  re- 
leased from  arrest  and  that  a  Court  of  Enquiry 
should  be  instituted  to  examine  and  report  upon  the 
cases  of  Gen'l  Scott's  charges  against  Gen'l  Worth 
&  Gen'l  Worth's  charges  against  Gen'l  Scott.  It 
was  also  finally  agreed  that  a  court  martial  must  be 
appointed  to  try  the  charges  preferred  against  Gen'l 
Pillow  &  Col.  Duncan.  Under  the  law,  it  is  my 
duty  to  appoint  these  Courts.  In  consideration  of 
the  fact  that  almost  every  officer  in  Mexico  has  taken 
sides,  or  had  his  feelings  excited,  in  the  quarrel  be- 
tween the  General  officers,  it  was  decided,  first,  that 
it  would  be  difficult  to  procure  an  unbiased  Court 
composed  of  the  officers  of  the  army  in  Mexico,  & 
therefore  it  was  determined  that  the  Court  should 
be  composed  of  officers  now  in  the  United  States,  who 
had  not  been  involved  in  the  feuds  or  quarrels  in  the 
camp,  and  from  Gen'l  Taylor's  column  of  the  army. 
The  place  of  trial  was  also  discussed.  I  suggested 
Vera  Cruz,  as  that  point  would  remove  the  trial  from 
the  immediate  presence  of  the  army,  for  if  it  took 
place  in  the  presence  of  the  army  there  was  danger 
of  producing  great  excitement  &  perhaps  disorgan- 
ization. To  have  the  trial  in  the  U.  S.  would  be  to 
withdraw  many  officers  from  Mexico  as  witnesses 
whose  services  could  not,  without  great  injury  to  the 
service,  be  dispensed  with.  The  names  of  the  offi- 
cers proper  to  compose  the  Court  was  the  subject  of 


28o  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  Jan. 

conversation.  I  requested  the  Secretary  of  War  to 
prepare  &  submit  to  me  the  names  of  officers  to  com- 
pose the  Court,  whom  he  would  deem  proper.  This 
whole  difficulty  among  the  Gen'l  officers  of  the  army 
might  have  been  avoided  but  for  the  folly,  the  van- 
ity, and  tyranny  of  Gen'l  Scott,  but  the  difficulty  has 
arisen  and  it  is  my  duty  to  take  the  legal  steps  to 
have  it  settled.  Information  has  been  received  from 
Mr.  Trist  that  the  Government  of  Mexico  at  Quere- 
tero  have  appointed  Commissioners  to  re-open 
negotiations  for  peace,  but  that,  his  letter  of  recall 
having  reached  him,  he  possessed  no  power  to  meet 
them.  Information  received  through  other  channels 
leads  to  the  opinion  that  possibly  peace  might  be 
concluded  if  a  person  vested  with  Diplomatic  powers 
were  now  in  Mexico.  The  question  of  conferring 
such  powers  was  considered.  There  seemed  to  be 
an  acquiescence  in  its  propriety  by  the  Cabinet;  but 
there  was  a  difference  of  opinion  whether  such 
powers  should  be  conferred  upon  a  commissioner  ap- 
pointed for  that  purpose,  or  upon  Gen'l  Butler,  who 
would  be  Gen'l  in  chief  of  the  army.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan thought  a  Civilian  should  be  appointed.  I 
thought  it  would  be  best  to  clothe  Gen'l  Butler  with 
the  authority.  No  decision  was  had  on  the  question, 
but  it  was  agreed  to  adjourn  it  over  for  further  con- 
sideration. The  terms  of  a  Treaty  of  peace  to  which 
we  could  now  agree  were  not  considered.  The  Sec- 
retary of  the  Treasury  was  present  in  the  Cabinet 
meeting  to-day,  after  having  been  confined  to  his 
house  for  several  weeks  by  indisposition. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  281 

Tuesday,  4th  January,  1848. —  Saw  company  as 
usual  this  morning.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual 
hour;  all  the  members  present  except  the  Secretary 
of  the  navy,  who  is  still  absent  in  Virginia.  The 
subject  of  the  difficulties  among  the  officers  of  the 
army  in  Mexico  was  reconsidered  at  the  instance  of 
the  secretary  of  War,  who  suggested  that  if  Gen'l 
Butler  was  put  in  command  &  Gen'l  Scott  recalled 
that  then  Gen'l  Butler  might  appoint  the  Court 
martial  for  their  trial.  After  a  further  discussion 
the  decision  of  yesterday  was  adhered  to  by  the  unani- 
mous [vote]  of  the  Cabinet,  the  secretary  of  War 
seeming  to  yield  the  suggestion  he  had  made.  The 
Castle  of  Perote  was  mentioned  as  the  place  of  trial, 
instead  of  Vera  Cruz,  but  that  point  was  not  decided. 
The  P.  M.  Gen'l  was  called  to  the  Capitol  early  after 
the  Cabinet  met,  on  official  business.  The  Secretary 
of  War  was  not  prepared  to  submit  the  names  of 
officers  enough  to  compose  a  full  Court  martial. 
The  names  of  some  of  them  were  submitted  and  ap- 
proved. I  requested  him  to  see  me  again  on  the 
subject  this  evening.  I  informed  the  Cabinet  that 
I  had  fully  considered  the  proposition  to  place  Gen'l 
Taylor  in  command  of  the  army  upon  Gen'l  Scott's 
recal[l],  and  that  my  judgment  was  still  against  it. 
The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  assigned  some  rea- 
sons in  favour  of  his  selection,  &  so  did  the  Secre- 
tary of  War.  I  finally  decided  positively  against  it, 
&  assigned  my  reasons  at  some  length.  I  cannot  re- 
peat them  here.  They  were,  in  brief,  ist,  that  Gen'l 
Taylor  was  now  at  home,  on  leave  of  absence  at  his 


282  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [4  Jan. 

own  request,  &  that  I  was  unwilling  either  to  require 
him  or  to  invite  him  to  return,  if  he  chose  to  do  so, 
before  his  leave  of  absence  was  out;  2nd,  because 
Genl  Taylor  was  originally  superseded  in  the  chief 
command  by  Gen'l  Scott  only  because  he  would  not 
co-operate    with    the    Government,     and    had    no 
sympathies  with  it  in  conducting  the  War.     I  stated 
to  the  Cabinet  that  they  all  remembered  the  trouble 
he  had  given  and  our  dissatisfaction  with  him  at  the 
time  we  were  reluctantly  compelled  to  send  Scott 
to  supersede  him;  3rd,  that  I  had  applied  to  Con- 
gress  a  year  ago  to  grant  authority  to   appoint   a 
Lieut.  Gen'l  who  could  command  both  Scott  &  Tay- 
lor, and  that  I  had  done  this  upon  the  express  ground 
that  it  was  deemed  important  that  the  Gen'l  in  chief 
command  should  harmonize  in  his  opinions  &  views 
with  the  Government  at  home;  4th,  Congress  had  re- 
fused to  grant  this  power,  &  I  was  still  compelled  to 
employ  the  officers  whom  the  law  had  furnished  me ; 
that  now  Scott  in  his  turn  had  acted  badly,  and  we 
were  compelled  to  recal[l]  him;  5th,  because  Gen'l 
Butler,  who  is  now  with  the  army,  is  altogether  com- 
petent for  the  command;  was  a  man  of  more  mind 
and  more  information  than  either  Scott  or  Taylor; 
that  he  [a] greed  with  me  in  his  General  opinions,  & 
that  I  could  rely  on  him  to  carry  out  my  views  and 
plans  in  good  faith.     When  I  had  assigned  my  views 
the  dissenting  members  of  the  Cabinet  were  silent, 
and  did  not  express  their  assent  to  my  views.     I, 
however,  made  my  decision  on  this  point  absolute. 
The  Secretary  of  War  read  a  letter  which  he  had  re- 
ceived, dated  at  Vera  Cruz  on  the  i6th  ult.,  stating 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  283 

that  the  Brittish  courier  had  just  arrived  at  that  place 
from  the  City  of  Mexico  without  bringing  down 
any  letters,  a  most  unusual  thing;  and  that  the  writer 
(Col.  Wilson)  had  learned  confidentially  from  the 
Courier  that  negotiations  had  been  renewed  by  Mr. 
Trist  with  the  mexican  commissioners  recently  ap- 
pointed. This  information  is  most  surprising.  Mr. 
Trist  has  acknowledged  the  receipt  of  his  letter  of 
recal[l],  and  he  possesses  no  diplomatic  powers.  He 
is  acting,  no  doubt,  upon  Gen'l  Scott's  advice.  He 
has  become  the  perfect  tool  of  Scott.  He  is,  [in] 
this  measure,  defying  the  authority  of  his  Govern- 
ment. His  conduct  in  the  former  negotiations  has 
been  disapproved.  He  is,  no  doubt,  offended  be- 
cause it  has  been  disapproved,  &  because  of  his  re- 
cal[l].  He  seems  to  have  entered  into  all  Scott's 
hatred  of  the  administration,  and  to  be  lending  him- 
self to  all  Scott's  evil  purposes.  He  may,  I  fear, 
greatly  embarrass  the  Government. 

I  had  a  large  dinner  party  of  40  persons,  ladies  & 
gentlemen,  to-day.  Gen'l  Quitman,  his  wife  & 
daughter;  Gen'l  Shields;  Col.  Harney  [and]  Col. 
Andrews,  all  of  the  army,  and  the  rest  composed  of 
Democratic  members  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  and  the  wives 
of  several  of  them,  constituted  the  party.  It  is  the 
first  large  dinner  party  I  have  had  where  all  pres- 
ent were  democrats.  After  the  company  dispersed 
Gen'l  Shields  retired  with  me  to  my  office,  and  I 
had  a  long  conversation  with  him  about  the  dissen- 
tion  in  the  army  and  military  operations  in  Mexico, 
&  obtained  some  valuable  information  from  him. 
He  approved  the  course  I  proposed  to  take  in  relation 


284  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [4  Jan. 

to  the  trial  of  the  cases  of  Gen'ls  Scott,  Pillow,  & 
Worth,  &  Col.  Dun[c]an.  He  recommended  the 
castle  of  Perote  as  the  place  of  trial.  I  consulted 
him  as  to  the  members  of  the  Court  &,  in  consultation 
with  him,  made  out  a  list  of  the  names  of  the  officers 
to  compose  the  Court,  which  he  approved.  He  re- 
tired near  12  O'Clock  at  night. 

This  morning  about  10  O'Clock,  the  Hon.  John 
Bell  of  Nashville,  Tennessee,  recently  elected  to  the 
Senate  of  the  U.  S.,  called.  I  received  him  courte- 
ously. He  appeared  at  first  somewhat  embarrass- 
ing [embarrassed],  but  by  my  manner  and  conver- 
sation I  soon  put  him  at  ease.  I  had  not  spoken  to 
him  since  the  contest  between  us  for  speaker  of  the 
Ho.  Repts.  in  1834  &  i^SS-  ^^  June,  1834,  he  was 
elected  over  me,  when  Mr.  Stevenson  ^  resigned,  & 
in  Dec,  1835,  I  was  elected  over  him,  and  again  in 
1837.  About  the  same  period  Judge  White-  was 
brought  out  for  the  President  [Presidency],  and  ever 
since  that  time  Mr.  Bell  and  myself  had  belonged, 
&  still  belong,  to  different  political  parties.  The 
contests  between  us  in  Tennessee  had  been  violent 
and  even  been  bitter  for  years.     He  had  now  called 

^Andrew  Stevenson  of  Virginia,  1784-1857,  Speaker  of  the 
House  of  Representatives  1 827-1 834,  minister  to  England  1836— 
1841. 

-  Hugh  Lawson  White,  1773-1840,  Senator  from  Tennessee 
1 825-1 840.  In  the  internal  dissensions  of  the  Democratic  party 
in  Tennessee  following  Jackson's  election  to  the  Presidency  Polk 
adhered  to  the  fortunes  of  Jackson  and  to  the  candidacy  of  Van 
Buren  for  the  Presidential  succession  while  Bell  threw  his  influ- 
ence with  the  White  faction.  White  received  26  Whig  electoral 
votes  for  President  in  1836. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  285 

on  me,  and  I  knew  in  advance  that  he  was  desirous 
to  be  on  terms  of  social  &  personal  intercourse  with 
me  (see  my  conversations  with  Mr.  Daniel  Saffrons 
and  Senator  Turney,  noted  in  this  journal  some  days 
ago)  and  I,  therefore,  shortly  after  he  came  in,  said 
to  him  that  I  was  glad  to  see  him,  and  that  so  far  as 
I  was  concerned  I  was  willing  to  let  bye-gones  be 
bye-gones,  to  let  the  past  be  forgotten,  and  to  renew 
with  him  our  personal  intercourse.  He  said  that 
was  his  desire,  that  we  were  to  live  neighbours  when 
we  retired  from  public  life,  and  that  he  desired  to  be 
on  terms  of  friendship.  I  expressed  similar  desires 
on  my  part.  He  enquired  for  Mrs.  Polk  and  I  for 
Mrs.  Bell.  My  whole  interview  with  him  was  of  an 
agreeable  character.  He  remained  half  an  hour  or 
more,  and  conversed  freely  about  the  Mexican  war 
and  other  subjects.  Before  he  left  I  told  him  Mrs. 
Polk  would  be  glad  to  see  Mrs.  Bell.  He  intimated 
that  there  had  been  some  difficulty  on  that  point,  but 
that  Mrs.  Bell  would  call  soon.  I  suppose  the  diffi- 
culty consisted  in  the  pride  which  ladies  sometimes 
feel,  which  makes  them  reluctant  to  yield  to  each 
other,  and  the  fact  that  the  established  etiquette  of 
the  Presidential  office  required  the  first  call  from 
Mrs.  Bell.  He  left  apparently  well  pleased  with  his 
interview  with  me. 

Wednesday,  5//!  January,  1848. —  Saw  company 
as  usual  this  morning.  Many  persons  called.  The 
Secretary  of  War  called,  &  we  agreed  upon  the  Court 
martial  to  be  ordered  for  the  trial  of  the  charges  pre- 
ferred by  Gen'l  Scott  against  Gen'l  Pillow  &  Col. 


286  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [6  Jan. 

Duncan;  &  upon  the  Court  of  Enquiry  to  be  organ- 
ized to  examine  &  Report  upon  the  charges  preferred 
by  Gen'l  Worth  against  Gen'l  Scott;  &  that  the  same 
Court  should  inquire  into  Gen'l  Scott's  complaint 
against  Gen'l  Worth.  It  was  agreed  also  that  the 
castle  at  Perote  should  be  the  place  of  these  trials. 
The  Secretary  of  State  called  &  informed  me  confi- 
dentially that  he  had  been  shown  a  letter  from  Mr. 
Trist  to  his  wife,  which  contained  a  post-script  in 
cipher  which  he  had  requested  her  to  show  to  Mr. 
Buchanan  in  confidence,  the  substance  of  which  was, 
that  on  the  day  he  wrote  (4th  Deer.)  at  12  O'Clock, 
he  would  open  negotiations  with  the  Mexican  com- 
missioners, and  would  offer  to  agree  to  a  Treaty  with 
them  upon  the  ultimatum  which  he  was  authorized 
to  propose  in  April  last,  taking  the  parallel  of  32" 
from  the  Rio  Grande  as  the  boundary,  &  that  he 
would  ofifer  to  pay  them  $15,000,000  in  addition  to 
the  $3,000,000  appropriated  by  Congress  at  the  last 
cession  for  this  cession  of  territory.  His  conduct 
astonishes  both  the  Secretary  of  State  and  myself. 
He  has  acknowledged  the  receipt  of  his  letter  of  re- 
cal[l]  &  has  no  power  to  treat.  I  fear  he  may  greatly 
embarrass  the  Government. 

The  Clerk  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  presented  to  me  to- 
day at  i>4  O'clock  P.  M.  a  Resolution  of  the  House 
calling  for  information  respecting  the  return  of 
Santa  Anna  &  Paredes  to  Mexico,  &  calling  for  Mr. 
Slidell's  instructions. 

Thursday,  6th  January,  1848. —  I  saw  company 
as  usual  this  morning.     The  Secretary  of  War  called 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  287 

about  2  O'Clock  &  brought  with  him  despatches  from 
the  army  in  Mexico,  of  date  the  loth  Deer.,  but  they 
contained  no  important  information  &  no  mention 
of  Mr.  Trist  or  the  negotiations  with  the  Mexican 
commissioners  (see  this  diary  of  yesterday  and  the 
preceding  day).  They  contained  some  additional 
and  frivolous  charges  by  Gen'l  Scott  against  Gen'l 
Pillow,  which  prove  his  vindictiveness  &  his  malice. 
Brig.  Gen'l  Pierce,  we  learned  from  the  N.  Orleans 
papers,  had  arrived  in  that  City  on  his  way  home 
with  the  intention  of  resigning.  The  Secretary  of 
War  suggested  that  he  should  delay  the  orders  for 
Gen'l  Scott's  recal[l]  &  for  the  Courts  martial  in 
Mexico,  until  Gen'l  Pierce's  arrival  in  this  City  & 
he  could  converse  with  him.  The  Secretary  of  State 
called,  and  I  consulted  him  in  regard  to  the  answer 
to  the  Resolution  ^  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  presented  to 
me  on  yesterday,  calling  for  information  respecting 
the  return  of  Santa  Anna  &  Paredes  to  Mexico,  and 
calling  for  Mr.  Slidell's  instructions.  He  was  of 
opinion  that  I  could  not  and  ought  not  to  communi- 
cate Mr.  Slidell's. instructions;  &  that  to  do  so  would 
be  greatly  to  the  prejudice  of  the  public  interests. 
He  thought  also  that  I  ought  not,  for  the  same  rea- 
son, to  communicate  anything  relating  to  Com- 
mander Slidell's  [Slidell]  McKenzie's  visit  to  Ha- 
vanna,  in  July,  1846.  I  concurred  with  him  in 
opinion  &  told  him  I  had  been  examining  the  sub- 
ject, and  found  that  Gen'l  Washington  had,  in  1796, 
refused  -    to    answer   a    Resolution   of    the    Ho.    of 

^H.  Journal,  30  Cong,  i  Sess.  193. 

^  Jay's  treaty  with  England,  ratified  October  28,  1795,  necessi- 


288  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [7  Jan. 

Repts.  calling  for  the  instructions  to  the  minister  to 
England  who  had  negotiated  a  Treaty  with  Great 
Brittain.  I  was  engaged  most  of  the  day  in  dispos- 
ing of  the  business  on  my  table;  &  after  night  I  pre- 
pared a  draft  of  a  message  to  the  Ho.  Repts.  in 
answer  to  their  resolution  relating  to  Santa  Anna, 
&c.  I  retired  at  my  usual  hour,  considerably  wearied 
with  my  day's  labour. 

Friday,  ph  January,  1848. —  Saw  company  as 
usual  this  morning.  I  examined,  in  the  course  of 
the  day,  the  last  despatches  received  from  the  army 
with  care.  I  examined,  also,  several  private  letters 
received  by  Col.  Walker  and  myself ;  and  in  view 
of  the  additional  information  which  they  impart  in 
relation  to  the  feuds  &  strifes  in  the  army,  I  am  in- 
clined to  the  opinion  that  instead  of  a  General  Court 
martial  as  heretofore  resolved  on,  it  would  be  better 
to  have  a  Court  of  Enquiry  in  the  first  instance,  and 
that  the  conduct  of  Gen'l  Scott,  Gen'l  Pillow,  Gen'l 
Worth,  Col.  Duncan,  and  of  such  other  officers  as  are 
involved  in  the  unfortunate  difficulties  which  exist 
in  the  army,  should  be  examined  into  and  reported 

tated  an  appropriation  of  money  for  carrying  its  provisions  into 
effect.  The  party  in  the  House  which  was  opposed  to  the  treaty, 
dissatisfied  with  the  President's  course  in  connection  with  it,  se- 
cured the  passage  of  a  resolution  calling  on  Washington  for  the 
instructions  given  to  Jay  and  for  the  correspondence  and  docu- 
ments relating  to  the  treaty.  Washington  submitted  the  question 
of  compliance  with  the  resolution  to  his  cabinet,  which  advised 
unanimously  against  his  doing  so.  For  his  message  to  the  House 
on  the  subject,  March  30,  1796,  see  Ford,  Writings  of  George 
Washington,  XIII,   177. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  289 

upon  by  the  Court,  so  as  to  enable  me  to  determine 
which  of  them,  if  any,  should  be  put  on  trial  before 
a  General  Court  Martial.  This  is  at  present  my 
opinion,  but  I  will  consult  my  Cabinet  on  the  sub- 
ject on  to-morrow.  I  was  engaged  as  usual  in  dis- 
posing [of]  the  business  on  my  table  to-day. 

This  being  reception  evening  many  persons,  la- 
dies &  gentlemen,  called.  The  Secretary  of  the  Navy 
returned  from  his  visit  to  Virginia  to-day. 

Saturday,  8th  January,  1848. —  I  saw  company 
to-day  until  the  hour  of  meeting  of  the  Cabinet. 
The  Cabinet  assembled  at  the  usual  hour;  all  the 
members  present  except  the  Secretary  of  the  Treas- 
ury. I  called  the  attention  of  the  Cabinet  to  a  Res- 
olution of  the  House  of  Representatives  presented  to 
me  on  the  5th,  Instant,  calling  for  information  in 
relation  to  the  return  of  Santa  Anna  and  Paredes  to 
Mexico;  and  calling  for  the  instructions  to  Mr. 
Slidell  as  minister  Plenipotentiary  to  Mexico.  I 
called  the  attention  of  the  Cabinet  to  the  manifest 
injury  to  the  public  interests  which  would  be  pro- 
duced by  communicating  the  instructions  to  Mr. 
Slidell,  and  I  referred  to  a  message  of  President  * 
Washington  to  the  Ho.  Repts.  in  1796,  declining  to 
comply  with  a  like  call.  The  subject  was  fully  dis- 
cussed, and  the  Cabinet  were  unanimously  of  opinion 
that  it  was  my  duty  to  refuse  a  compliance  with  the 
request  of  the  House,  so  far  as  the  instructions  to 
Mr.  Slidell  were  concerned.  Mr.  Buchanan  gave 
his  opinion  to  this  effect  first,  and  then,  on  being  sev- 
erally called,  each  member  of  the  Cabinet  present 


290  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [8  Jan. 

gave  his  opinion.  I  fully  concurred  with  the  Cab- 
inet. All  were  agreed  that  the  order  issued  by  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy  to  the  Commander  of  our 
squadron  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  on  the  13th  of  May, 
1846,  the  day  on  which  Congress  declared  war,  not 
to  obstruct  the  passage  of  Santa  Anna  into  Mexico 
should  he  attempt  to  return,  should  be  communi- 
cated. All  concurred,  also,  that  all  the  correspond- 
ence which  had  taken  place  in  relation  to  the  return 
of  Gen'l  Paredes  into  Mexico,  should  be  communi- 
cated. Another  question  of  some  importance  arose 
as  to  the  propriety  of  sending  to  the  House  a  com- 
munication ^  made  by  Alexander  Slidell  McKenzie 
of  the  U.  S.  Navy,  made  in  July,  1846,  to  the  De- 
partment of  State.  This  communication  is  of  a 
highly  confidential  character,  and  was  made  under 
the  following  circumstances,  viz.,  some  time  after 
the  war  was  recognized  by  Congress  on  the  13th  of 
May,  1846,  it  was  deemed  important  to  send  a  con- 
fidential agent  to  Havanna,  where  Santa  Anna  then 
was,  to  ascertain  whether  any  Mexican  privateers 
had  been  commissioned  to  cruise  against  American 
commerce.  This  agent  was  Commander  McKenzie. 
He  was  secondly  authorized,  if  practicable,  to  ascer- 
tain in  a  prudent  way  what  Santa  Anna's  views  were 
in  regard  to  peace  with  the  U.  S.,  and  whether,  if 
restored  to  Mexico,  there  w^as  a  reasonable  prob- 
ability that  he  would  make  peace.  If  he  ascertained 
that  his  views  were  favourable  to  peace,  as  it  was 
believed  they  were,  he  was  then  authorized  to  in- 

^  Printed    in    Reeves,    American    Diplomacy    under    Tyler   and 
Polk,  299-308. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  291 

form  him  that  the  U.  S.  desired  peace,  and  to  inform 
him  also  of  the  order  which  had  been  issued  to 
Com.  Conner  not  to  obstruct  his  passage  to  Mexico 
if  he  desired  [to  go  there].  Our  object  was,  in  per- 
mitting him  to  return,  as  I  afterwards  fully  ex- 
plained it  in  my  annual  message  of  the  8th  of 
December,  1846.  Mr.  McKenzie  visited  Havanna 
without  any  written  instructions.  He  had  an  inter- 
view with  Santa  Anna,  and  reported  to  him  the  order 
which  had  been  issued  to  Com.  Conner  on  the  13th 
of  May,  1846,  and,  as  appears  from  his  confidential 
despatch  to  the  Secretary  of  State,  exceeded  his  au- 
thority, by  having  reduced  to  writing  and  read  to 
Santa  Anna  what  purported  to  be  a  Message  from 
me  to  him.  In  this  he  wholly  exceeded  his  authority. 
I  sent  him  no  message.  Mr.  McKenzie,  it  seems, 
reduced  to  writing  his  recollection  of  a  conversation 
I  held  with  him  in  reference  to  the  objects  of  his 
visit  to  Havanna,  and  this  he  called  a  Message  from 
me  to  Santa  Anna.  It  is  fortunate,  however,  that 
what  he  puts  into  my  mouth  could  do  me  no  injury, 
if  it  was  genuine  &  was  published;  but  it  would  ex- 
hibit me  in  a  ridiculous  attitude.  Mr.  McKenzie, 
in  his  despatch,  states  Santa  Anna's  reply,  and  details 
a  long  conversation  which  he  held  with  him,  in 
which  Santa  Anna  avowed  himself  to  be  warmly  in 
favour  of  peace.  This  conversation  with  Santa 
Anna,  he  states,  was  understood  by  the  former  to  be 
of  a  highly  confidential  character.  After  Mr.  Mc- 
Kenzie's  despatch  was  read,  Mr.  Buchanan  expressed 
his  opinion  strongly  that  I  could  not  communicate  it 
in  answer  to  the  call.     He  said  there  was  nothing  in 


292  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [8  Jan. 

it  which  could  injure  the  administration,  but  it  would 
be  a  w^ant  of  good  faith  on  the  part  of  the  Govern- 
ment, &  that  if  it  was  made  public  the  judgment  of  the 
world  would  condemn  [us],  &  that  no  Government 
would  ever  again  trust  us.  The  other  members  of 
the  Cabinet  were  clear  and  decided  that  I  ought  not 
and  could  not,  without  impairing  the  national  honour 
and  character,  communicate  Mr.  McKenzie's  de- 
spatch to  Congress.  After  these  points  were  decided 
I  read  to  the  Cabinet  a  rough  draft  of  a  message 
which  I  had  prepared  in  answer  to  the  Resolu- 
tion of  the  House,  in  which  I  had  reserved  or  left 
open  the  points  discussed  and  decided  to-day.  One 
or  two  immaterial  modifications  were  suggested. 

This  subject  being  disposed  of  I  called  the  atten- 
tion of  the  Cabinet  to  the  difficulties  among  the  High 
officers  of  our  army  in  Mexico,  and  stated  that  my 
impression  was,  on  examining  the  despatches  re- 
ceived since  the  subject  was  considered  at  the  last 
Cabinet  meeting,  that  the  better  course  was  to  organ- 
ize in  the  first  instance  a  Court  of  Enquiry  to  ascer- 
tain the  whole  facts,  &  then  determine  whether  it  w^as 
proper  or  necessary  to  organize  a  General  Court  mar- 
tial for  the  trial  of  any  of  the  officers.  Mr.  Buchanan 
thought  that  there  ought  to  be  a  Court  martial,  espe- 
cially in  Gen'l  Pillow's  case,  now.  The  subject  was 
discussed,  &  there  being  some  division  of  opinion  on 
the  subject  &  in  relation  to  the  powers  and  duties  of  a 
Court  of  Enquiry,  I  requested  the  Atto.  Gen'l  &  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy  to  examine  the  subject  &  call 
on  me  to-night.  The  opinion,  as  far  as  it  was  ex- 
pressed, of  a  majority  [of  the  Cabinet  was  in  favor] 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  293 

of  the  suggestion  of  a  Court  of  Enquiry  instead  of  a 
Court  Martial.  This  suggestion  was  not  decidedly 
opposed  by  any  member  of  the  Cabinet  except  Mr. 
Buchanan:  he  opposed  it  chiefly  on  the  ground  that 
Gen'l  Pillow  was  understood  to  be  my  personal 
friend,  and  on  account  of  the  delicacy  of  my  relations 
to  him,  he  thought  it  would  be  better  to  order  a  Court 
Martial  for  the  trial  of  his  case  at  once.  I  thought 
it  was  but  just  to  place  Gen'l  Pillow  on  precisely 
[the]  same  footing  as  the  other  officers  involved  in 
the  difficulties  which  had  arisen  in  Mexico,  &  to  have 
a  Court  of  enquiry  in  all  their  cases  in  the  first  in- 
stance. The  Secretary  of  War  next  introduced  the 
question  of  Gen'l  Scott's  successor  in  command  of  the 
army,  and  went  on  to  discuss,  as  if  it  were  an  open 
question,  of  tendering  the  command  to  Gen'l  Taylor. 
I  replied  with  some  emphasis  that  I  had  distinctly 
decided  that  question  at  the  last  Cabinet  meeting  & 
that,  too,  upon  full  consideration  (see  this  diary 
of  the  4th  Instant)  and  that  if  I  was  not  then  under- 
stood I  would  be  now.  I  then  repeated  and  enlarged 
upon  my  reasons,  as  given  at  the  last  cabinet  meeting; 
and  told  him  that  my  decision  w^as  that  Gen'l  Butler 
should  succeed  Gen'l  Scott  in  command.  I  repeated 
that  the  Cabinet  had  been  unanimous  in  the  opinion 
that  Gen'l  Scott  should  be  supersed[ed]  in  the  com- 
mand, that  the  Atto.  Gen'l  at  the  last  meeting  had 
concurred  with  me  that  Gen'l  Butler  &  not  Gen'l 
Taylor  should  succeed  him;  that  the  other  members 
of  the  Cabinet  had  inclined  to  the  opinion  that  Gen'l 
Taylor  should  succeed  him;  that  I  had  decided 
against  their  opinion  and  now  repeated  that  decision, 


294  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [9  Jan. 

&  directed  that  the  command  should  be  devolved  on 
Gen'l  Butler.  I  said  to  the  Secretary  of  War  that 
I  would  take  the  whole  responsibility  of  this  decision. 
He  responded  that  of  course  the  Cabinet  would 
support  me  in  whatever  decision  I  made  in  the 
matter. 

After  night  Mr.  Clifford  [and]  Judge  Mason 
called,  as  I  had  requested  them  to  do.  Judge  Ma- 
son called  first  &  I  had  read  to  him  the  despatches  re- 
ceived from  Mexico  by  the  last  arrival.  Mr.  Cave 
Johnson  came  in  with  Mr.  Clifford.  Mr.  Clifford 
had  examined  the  law  in  relation  to  Courts  of  En- 
quiry. Part  of  the  charges  preferred  against  Gen'l 
Pillow  were  read,  and  also  parts  of  Gen'l  Scott's  offi- 
cial reports  of  the  battles  in  which  that  officer  had 
participated,  which  seemed  to  be  inconsistent  with 
them.  The  subject  was  fully  considered,  when  Judge 
Mason,  Mr.  Clifford,  and  Mr.  Johnson  all  expressed 
the  opinion  that  the  proper  course  was  the  one  which 
I  proposed,  to  institute  a  Court  of  Enquiry  in  the  first 
instance. 

Sunday,  gth  January,  1 848. —  Before  church 
hour  this  morning  the  Secretary  of  War  called ;  when 
I  informed  him  of  the  law  regulating  courts  of  en- 
quiry in  cases  of  alleged  military  offenses,  as  fur- 
nished to  me  by  the  attorney  Gen'l  (see  this  diary  of 
yesterday).  He  acquiesced  in  the  propriety  of 
having  a  Court  of  enquiry  instead  of  a  Court  Martial 
in  the  cases  of  Gen'l  Pillow,  Gen'l  Scott,  and  Lieut. 
Col.  Du[n]can,  &  agreed,  also,  that  while  the  inves- 
tigation by  the  Court  of  Enquiry  was  going  on,  Gen'l 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  295 

Pillow  &  Col.  Duncan  should  be  released  from  arrest. 
I  requested  him  to  prepare,  at  his  earliest  conven- 
ience, the  necessary  orders  &  despatches  to  carry  out 
this  decision  and  the  decision  made  on  other  points  on 
yesterday.  I  attended  the  first  Presbyterian  church 
to-day,  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Polk.  Mr.  Ballentine, 
the  new  pastor,  preached. 

Monday,  lOth  January,  1 848. —  Saw  company 
as  usual  until  12  O'Clock  to-day.  Many  members  of 
Congress  and  others  called.  I  revised  my  message  in 
answer  to  the  Resolution  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  calling  for 
information  in  relation  to  [the]  return  of  Santa  Anna 
&  Gen'l  Paredes  to  Mexico,  &  calling  for  the  instruc- 
tions to  Mr.  Slidell  as  minister  to  Mexico.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan called  in  the  afternoon  &  I  read  it  to  him  & 
he  approved  it.  I  disposed  of  much  business  on  my 
table,  &  transacted  business  with  several  of  the  pub- 
lic officers  who  called  on  business. 

I  sent  for  the  Hon.  George  S.  Houston  of  Alabama 
&  read  to  him  my  message  in  answer  to  the  Resolution 
of  the  House  of  the  4th  Inst. 

Tuesday,  nth  January,  1848. —  Several  persons 
called  before  the  hour  of  the  meeting  of  the  Cabinet 
this  morning.  The  Cabinet  assembled  at  the  usual 
hour;  all  the  members  present  except  the  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury  &  the  Atto.  Gen'l.  The  former  is  in 
feeble  health,  &  the  latter  was  probably  attending  the 
Supreme  Court.  I  read  to  the  Cabinet  my  message 
in  answer  to  the  Resolution  of  the  House  in  relation 
to  the  return  of  Santa  Anna  to  Mexico,  the  instruc- 


296  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [n  Jan. 

tions  to  Mr.  Slidell,  &c.     It  was  approved  by  the 
Cabinet,  but  as  the  documents  to  accompanied  [ac- 
company it]  were  not  copied  it  was  not  sent  in  to- 
day.    The   Secretary  of   War   read   the   despatches 
which  he  had  prepared  to  Gen'l  Scott  &  Gen'l  But- 
ler, superceding  the  former  in  [the]  command  of  the 
army  in  Mexico  &  placing  the  latter  in  command; 
&  also  the  order  releasing  Gen'l  Worth,  Gen'l  Pillow, 
&  Col.  Dun[c]an  from  arrest,  and  directing  a  Court 
of  Enquiry  in  their  cases  as  well  as  that  of  Gen'l 
Scott  upon  the  charges  preferred  by  Gen'l  Worth 
against  him.     The  Secretary  of  War  proposed  that 
the  Court  should  be  composed  of  Brev't  Brig.  Gen'l 
Tomson,  Brig.  Gen'l  Gushing,  &  Col.  Butler  ^  of  the 
3rd  Dragoons.     I  told  him  that  I  was  satisfied  with 
that  Court,  or  any  other  which  he  might  select.     Mr. 
Buchanan  expressed  some  objection [s]  to  Gen'l  Gush- 
ing, but  I  was  of  opinion  that  they  had  no  weight. 
The  Secretary  of  War  suggested  that  Col.  Crane  ^ 
might  be  substituted  in  place  of  Col.  Butler.     I  told 
him  to  do  as  he  pleased  in  that  respect.     Nothing 
else  of  importance  transpired  in  the  Cabinet  meeting. 
After  night  I  placed  my  message  in  answer  to  the 
Resolution  of  the  House  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Whit- 
thorne  to  be  copied.     Senator  Turney  called  about 
dark,  &  I  sent  a  message  by  him  to  Mr.  Thomas  & 
Mr.  Chase  of  Tennessee,   requesting  them  to  call. 
They  did  so,  and  I  read  my  message  to  them.     Mrs. 

'  Edward  G.  W.  Butler,  Colonel  of  the  3rd  Dragoons  March, 
1847-JuIy,  1848.  He  was  the  son  of  Captain  Edward  B.  Buder 
of  the  noted  Butler  family  of  soldiers. 

Mchabod  B.  Crane  of  New  York,  Colonel  of  the  ist  Artillery. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  297 

Polk,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Buchanan  &  Col.  Walker, 
attended  a  marriage  at  the  House  of  Mr.  Bodisco, 
the  Russian  minister,  to-night. 

This  being  reception  evening  many  persons,  mostly 
gentlemen,  called.  It  was  a  very  cold  night  &  but 
few  ladies  were  present. 

Wednesday,  12th  January,  1848. —  I  was  quite 
busy  this  morning.  Many  members  of  Congress 
called,  and  a  variety  of  official  duties  claimed  my  at- 
tention. I  corrected  and  revised  my  message  ^  in 
answer  to  the  Resolution  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  of  the  4th 
Inst.,  &  at  2  O'clock  P.  M.  sent  it,  with  Reports 
from  the  Secretaries  of  State,  War,  &  Navy,  to  the 
House.  The  secretary  of  War  called  &  read  his  de- 
spatches to  Gen'l  Scott,  Gen'l  Butler,  &  the  order  for 
a  Court  of  inquiry  in  the  cases  of  Gen'l  Scott,  Pillow, 
and  Col.  Duncan.  In  constituting  the  Court  of  En- 
quiry the  Secretary  had  doubts  whether  Col  Crane, 
who  is  now  a  member  of  the  Court  martial  on  the 
trial  of  Col.  Fremont,  could  be  released  in  time  to 
attend  as  a  member  of  the  Court  of  Enquiry  in  Mex- 
ico. The  Secretary  had  on  yesterday  at  first  pro- 
posed that  the  Court  of  Enquiry  should  consist  of 
Gen'l  Tomson,  Gen'l  Cushing,  and  Col,  Butler  of 
the  3rd  Dragoons.  He  had  afterwards  concluded  to 
substitute  Col.  Crane  in  place  of  Col.  Butler.  To- 
day he  thought  it  best  to  retain  Col.  Butler  as  he  had 
originally  proposed.     After  night  Senator  Rusk  of 

^  Richardson,  Messages  and  Papers  of  the  Presidents,  IV,  565. 
The  accompanying  documents  are  printed  in  H.  Exec.  Doc.  25, 
30  Cong.  1  Sess.  VIII. 


298  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [13  Jan. 

Texas  called  and  held  a  long  conversation  with  me 
about  the  Mexican  War,  and  gave  me  many  facts 
within  his  knowledge  of  the  Mexican  character  & 
feelings,  and  his  views  of  our  future  policy.  He 
seemed  to  have  two  objects  in  view,  ist.,  that  I  should 
not  commit  myself,  further  than  I  had  done  in  my 
messages,  against  acquiring  the  whole  of  Mexico; 
and  2nd,  to  induce  me  to  consent  to  be  a  candidate 
for  re-election,  expressing  the  opinion  that  I  was  the 
strongest  man  of  my  party  &  that  they  could  not  unite 
on  any  other.  I  told  him  that  my  views  upon  the 
first  point  were  distinctly  stated  in  my  messages,  that 
I  had  not  changed  them,  and  [that  I]  left  them  to 
explain  themselves;  and  upon  the  second  point  I  told 
him  that  I  could  not  consent  to  be  a  candidate  for  re- 
election, and  that  the  democratic  party  must  unite 
on  some  other  candidate,  as  I  hoped  &  believed  they 
could  &  would  do. 

I  gave  a  sitting  in  the  dining  room  to-day  for  my 
Daguerrotype  likeness.  It  was  taken  by  Mr. 
Plumbe. 

Thursday,  IJth  January,  1848. —  I  saw  company 
as  usual  this  morning  until  12  O'Clock,  when  I  closed 
my  office.  At  2  O'Clock  Maj'r  Gen'l  Quitman 
called  an[d]  held  a  conversation  of  an  hour  with  me, 
in  relation  to  the  War  and  the  operations  of  the  army 
in  Mexico.  I  informed  him  of  the  orders  I  had 
given  for  a  Court  of  Enquiry  in  the  case  of  the  offi- 
cers in  Mexico  who  had  preferred  charges  against 
each  other,  viz.,  Gen'ls  Scott,  Worth,  Pillow,  &  Col. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY 


299 


Duncan.  He  approved  the  course  I  had  taken.  I 
gave  a  sitting  for  a  Daguarytype  likeness  in  the  din- 
ing room  to-day.  I  had  been  requested  to  do  so 
by  Mr.  Niles,  the  charge  d'affaires  to  Sardinia.  1 
transacted  business  w^ith  public  officers  &  disposed 
of  much  business  on  my  table.  Mr.  Conrad  F.  Jack- 
son of  Penn.,  a  bearer  of  despatches  to  the  army  in 
Mexico,  left  Washington  to-night.  He  bore  the  de- 
spatches superseding  Gen'l  Scott  and  placing  Gen'l 
Butler  in  command  of  the  army;  and  also  the  order 
directing  the  Court  of  Enquiry  in  the  cases  of  Gen'ls 
Scott,  Pillow,  &  Col.  Dun[c]an.  I  learn  that  my 
message  sent  to  the  Ho.  Repts.  on  yesterday,  in 
answer  to  their  Resolution  of  the  4th  Inst.,  in  which 
message  I  declined  to  communicate  the  instructions 
to  Mr.  Slidell  as  Minister  to  Mexico,  which  the 
House  had  requested,  gave  rise  to  excited  discussion, 
the  Federal  members  denying  my  right  to  with-hold 
the  information  called  for. 

Friday,  14th  January,  1848. —  My  office  was 
crowded  with  visitors  this  morning.  The  Senate  did 
not  sit  to-day,  and  many  members  of  Congress  were 
of  the  number  who  called.  Their  chief  business  was 
to  apply  for  office  for  their  friends.  The  applica- 
tions for  office  are  daily  and  unceasing.  I  trans- 
acted business  with  the  Secretaries  of  State,  War,  & 
Navy,  who  called  in  the  course  of  the  day.  I  was 
occupied  by  company  most  of  the  day,  but  yet  had 
time  to  dispose  of  much  business  on  my  table. 

This  was  reception  evening.     An  unusually  large 


300 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [15  Jan. 


number  of  persons  called.  The  large  circular  par- 
lour was  crowded  with  ladies  &  gentlemen,  and 
many  persons  were  in  the  adjoining  parlour. 

Saturday,  ISth  January,  1848. —  I  saw  Several 
persons  who  called  this  morning.  The  Cabinet  met 
at  the  usual  hour;  all  the  members  present  except 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  who  is  still  confined 
to  his  house  by  indisposition.  I  brought  before  the 
Cabinet  the  future  operations  of  the  army  in  Mex- 
ico, and  the  terms  of  peace  to  which  w^e  ought  now  to 
accede.  I  had  stated  that  from  present  indications 
Congress  would  probably  either  refuse  to  increase 
the  army,  as  I  had  recommended,  or  postpone  it  to  a 
late  period  of  the  Session,  and  that  we  ought  to  de- 
cide upon  our  future  operations  with  a  view  to  the 
forces  now  in  the  field ;  when  the  messenger  from  the 
State  Department  brought  to  Mr.  Buchanan  his  mail 
containing  a  very  long  despatch  from  Mr.  Trist.  It 
was  dated  on  the  6th  of  Deer,  last,  and  is  the  most 
extraordinary  document  I  have  ever  heard  from  a 
Diplomatic  Representative.  Though  he  had  in  a 
previous  despatch  acknowledged  the  receipt  of  his 
letter  of  recall  from  the  Secretary  of  State,  he  an- 
nounces that  he  had  re-opened  negotiations  with  the 
Mexican  authorities  &  had  resolved  to  conclude  a 
Treaty  with  them.  His  despatch  is  arrogant,  impu- 
dent, and  very  insulting  to  his  Government,  and  even 
personally  offensive  to  the  President.  He  admits  he 
is  acting  without  authority  and  in  violation  of  the 
positive  order  recalling  him.  It  is  manifest  to  me 
that  he  has  become  the  tool  of  Gen'l  Scott  and  his 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  301 

menial  instrument,  and  that  the  paper  was  written 
at  Scott's  instance  and  dictation.  I  have  never  in  my 
life  felt  so  indignant,  and  the  whole  Cabinet  ex- 
pressed themselves  as  I  felt.  I  told  Mr.  Buchanan 
that  the  paper  was  so  insulting  and  contemptably 
base,  that  it  require[d]  no  lengthy  answer,  but  that  it 
did  require  a  short,  but  stern  and  decided  rebuke, 
and  directed  him  to  prepare  such  a  reply.  I  directed 
the  Secretary  of  War  to  write  at  once  to  Maj'r  Gen'l 
Butler,  directing  him,  if  Mr.  Trist  was  still  with  the 
Head  Quarters  of  the  army,  to  order  him  ofT,  and  to 
inform  the  authorities  of  Mexico  that  he  had  no 
authority  to  treat.  If  there  was  any  legal  provision 
for  his  punishment  he  ought  to  be  severely  handled. 
He  has  acted  worse  than  any  man  in  the  public  em- 
ploy whom  I  have  ever  known.  His  despatch  proves 
that  he  is  destitute  of  honour  or  principle,  and  that 
he  has  proved  himself  to  be  a  very  base  man.  I  was 
deceived  in  him.  I  had  but  little  personal  knowl- 
edge of  him,  but  could  not  have  believed  [it]  possi- 
ble that  any  man  would  have  acted  so  basely  as  he 
would  have  [has]  done.  It  was  communicated  to 
me  last  night  that  Col.  Butler  of  the  3rd  Dragoons, 
who  had  been  named  as  one  of  the  Court  of  enquiry 
in  the  cases  of  Gen'ls  Scott,  Pillow,  and  Worth  &  Col. 
Dun[c]an,  was  the  intimate  friend  of  Trist,  and  as 
Trist  was  to  be  the  main  witness,  as  we  learned, 
against  Gen'l  Pillow,  I  told  the  Secretary  of  War 
that  I  thought  he  had  better  substitute  some  other 
officer  on  the  Court  in  place  of  Col.  Butler.  My 
reason  was  that  I  would  have  no  confidence  that  Trist 
would  testify  to  the  truth  in  Pillow's  case;  and  that 


302  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i6  Jan. 

Col.  Butler,  from  his  former  knowledge  of  him  and 
without  any  knowledge  of  his  recent  base  conduct, 
might  give  undue  weight  to  his  testimony,  and  might 
not,  on  that  account,  be  an  impartial  member  of  the 
Court.  I  told  him  if  he  could  find  some  other  offi- 
cer who  could  be  spared  from  other  duties,  I  thought 
it  would  be  but  fair  to  substitute  him  in  Butler's 
place.     He  concurred  with  me  in  this  opinion. 

After  night  the  Secretary  of  War  called  &  read  to 
me  the  letter  which  he  had  prepared  to  GenU  But- 
ler, in  relation  to  Trist's  presence  with  the  army. 

Sunday,  Idth  January,  1848. —  I  did  not  attend 
church  to-day.  Mrs.  Polk,  accompanied  by  Mrs. 
Walker,  attended  the  First  Presbyterian  church. 
Events  connected  with  the  Mexican  War  absolutely 
required  my  attention.  At  different  periods  of  the 
day  I  saw  the  Secretaries  of  State,  War,  and  the 
Navy,  the  Post  master  Gen'l,  &  the  Atto.  Gen'l. 
After  night  Gen'l  Tomson  of  the  army  called.  He 
will  leave  for  Mexico  on  to-morrow.  After  he  re- 
tired Brig.  Gen'l  Pierce  of  the  army,  who  reached 
this  City  last  night,  having  left  the  City  of  Mexico 
on  the  9th  of  Deer.,  1847,  called  and  remained  with 
me  an  hour. 

Monday,  lyth  January,  1 848. —  This  was  a  busy 
day  with  me.  Many  persons  called  and  I  disposed 
of  much  business  on  my  table.  The  Secretary  of 
State  called  in  the  morning  and  again  after  night,  to 
consult  me  about  the  propriety  of  sending  the  instruc- 
tions to  Mr.  Slidell,  U.  S.  minister  to  Mexico  (which 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  303 

I  had  refused  to  communicate  to  the  House)  to  the 
Senate  in  Executive  Session,  if  that  body  should  call 
for  them.  He  was  of  opinion  that  I  should  do  so,  and 
said,  if  I  concurred,  some  Democratic  Senator  could 
make  the  call.  Brig.  Gen'l  Pierce  took  a  family  din- 
ner with  me  to-day.  Several  members  of  Congress 
called  after  night,  who  remained  until  my  usual  hour 
to  retire.  About  7  O'Clock  P.  M.  the  Hon.  Charles 
J.  IngersoU  called.  It  was  the  first  time  he  had  done 
so  during  the  Session.  He  had  taken  ofifense  because 
I  did  not  re-nominate  him  after  he  was  rejected  as 
minister  to  France,  on  the  night  of  the  3rd  of  March 
last.  He  wrote  me  a  foolish  and  angry  letter  after 
he  returned  home,  which  I  answered.  The  circum- 
stances are  fully  recorded  in  this  diary  during  the 
past  year.  About  the  commencement  of  the  present 
session  of  Congress  he  sent  his  card  to  Mrs.  Polk  and 
myself.  Mr.  John  Sullivan,  who  is  his  particular 
friend,  has  held  several  conversations  with  me,  the 
object  of  which  was  to  restore  the  former  relations 
w^hich  existed  between  Mr.  IngersoU  and  myself.  I 
had  signified  to  him  that  if  Mr.  IngersoU  called  I 
would  treat  him  courteously;  as  I  did,  when  he  called 
this  evening.  I  consider  that  he  acted  a  very  weak 
and  foolish  part  when  he  wrote  his  letter  last  spring, 
but  he  is  a  democratic  member  of  Congress  support- 
ing the  principles  of  my  administration,  and  I  was 
willing  to  overlook  his  past  follies.  As  soon  as  he 
entered  my  office  and  I  had  received  him  and  asked 
him  to  be  seated,  he  alluded  to  the  conversations 
which  Mr.  Sullivan  had  held  with  me;  and  immedi- 
ately proceeded  to  a  review  of  the  causes  of  complaint 


304 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [17  Jan. 


which  he  still  thought  he  had  because  of  my  course 
when  he  was  rejected  by  the  Senate ;  and  because  of 
the  failure  of  his  son  to  get  a  commission  in  the  army. 
I  heard  him  through  and  then  said  to  him  that  I 
thought  he  had  no  cause  to  complain  of  me;  that  I 
had  certainly  done  what  I  regarded  to  be  my  duty, 
and  that  I  was  still  not  sensible  of  having  at  any  time 
done  him  any  injury,  that  if  I  had  it  was  certainly 
not  intended,  and  that  I  was  willing  to  let  it  all  pass. 
I  remarked  to  him  that  I  was  glad  to  have  seen  in  the 
daily  papers  the  part  he  had  taken  in  a  debate  in  the 
House  a  few  days  ago  in  my  support,  when  my  mes- 
sage refusing  to  communicate  the  instructions  to  Mr. 
Slidell,  U.  S.  Minister  to  Mexico,  was  assailed.  He 
said  he  still  thought  he  had  been  hardly  dealt  bye. 
He  spoke  well  of  Mr.  Rush  as  a  gentleman,  but  said 
he  was  unfit  for  the  French  Mission.  He  said  that 
when  I  had  appointed  Mr.  Rush  and  Mr.  John 
Randolph  Clay,  both  of  Pennsylvania,  to  missions 
abroad,  it  was  slamming  the  door  in  his  face,  as  I 
could  not  well  appoint  'another  minister  from 
Pennsylvania,  and  that  this  circumstance  had  excited 
him.  He  talked  like  a  man  who  was  so  excited  (not 
angry)  that  he  had  still  the  appearance  of  one  labour- 
ing under  some  mental  aberation.  His  heart  had 
been  set  on  a  mission  abroad,  and  he  was  doubtless 
most  deeply  mortified  when  the  Senate  rejected  him, 
but  he  had  not  the  slightest  cause  of  complaint 
against  me.  The  latter  part  of  the  conversation 
turned  upon  public  subjects,  and  particularly  upon 
the  question  before  the  House,  upon  my  message  re- 
fusing to  communicate  Mr.  SlidelTs  instructions,  in 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  305 

which  he  was  calm  &  rational.  It  was  only  in  refer- 
ence to  his  personal  affairs  that  he  seemed  to  be  ex- 
cited. 

Tuesday,  l8th  January,  1 848. —  I  saw  a  number 
of  persons  on  business  this  morning.  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour.  The  Secretary  of  State  read  a 
despatch  which  he  had  received  from  Mr.  Tod,  our 
minister  to  Brazil.  The  Secretary  of  War  presented 
several  matters  of  minor  importance  relating  to  the 
operations  of  the  army  and  the  conducting  [of]  the 
war.  Some  other  minor  subjects  were  considered  & 
disposed  of;  none  of  them  of  sufficient  importance  to 
require  special  notice. 

This  was  reception  evening.  A  number  of  per- 
sons, ladies  &  gentlemen,  called.  The  annual  meet- 
ing of  the  American  colonization  Society  was  held 
in  the  Hall  of  the  House  of  Representatives  to-night; 
at  which  Mr.  Clay  of  Ky.  was  present  and  made  a 
speech. 

Wednesday,  igth  January,  1848. —  An  unusual 
number  of  persons  called  this  morning;  and  I  was  ex- 
ceedingly annoyed  by  their  importunate  applications 
for  office.  When  I  open  my  office  all  sorts  of  per- 
sons come  in,  and  among  my  visitors  this  morning 
were  three  persons  begging  money.  Having  learned 
from  several  members  of  Congress  that  it  was  stated 
by  some  of  the  Whig  members  of  the  House  that  they 
would  attempt  to  prove  my  inconsistency  in  refusing 
•to  communicate  Mr.  Slidell's  instructions  in  answer 
to  the  Resolution  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  of  the  4th  Inst. 


3o6  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [ig  Jan. 

by  my  votes  and  speeches  on  the  question  of  the  Pan- 
ama Mission^  in  1826,  I  took  the  opportunity,  as 
soon  as  my  doors  were  closed,  to  review  my  votes  & 
speeches  on  that  occasion.  The  result  is  that  no  such 
inconsistency  can  be  established  unless  [it]  be  by 
taking  isolated  votes  &  sentences  in  my  speeches  & 
tearing  them  from  the  context.  I  feel  secure  against 
any  attempt  of  the  kind  which  may  be  made.  I  still 
hold  every  sentiment  which  I  expressed  in  my 
speeches  made  on  that  occasion.  In  my  late  message 
I  was  careful  not  to  adopt  or  endorse  all  the  opinions 
of  President  Washington  in  his  message  in  1796,  be- 
cause I  did  not  approve  them.  Had  I  adopted  them 
a  case  of  inconsistency  might  have  been  made  out. 
As  it  is,  no  such  thing  can  be  done. 

The  Board  of  managers  of  the  American  coloniza- 
tion Society,  accompanied  by  the  Hon.  Mr.  Kauf- 
man of  Texas,  called  and  paid  their  respects  to- 
night. There  were  about  twenty  persons  who  called. 
Mrs.  Polk  &  myself,  having  been  previously  notified 
that  they  would  call,  received  them  in  the  parlour. 
In  the  general  conversation  which  occurred  it  was 
suggested  that  the  U.  S.  should  recognize  the  Inde- 
pendence of  the  Government  of  Liberia,  and  my 
opinion  was  asked.  I  gave  the  proposition  no 
countenance,  but  avoided  engaging  in  a  discussion 
on  the  subject.  There  was  a  disposition,  I  thought, 
with  two  or  three  of  the  persons  who  engaged  in  the 
conversation,  to  draw  me  into  a  discussion,  and  to 
extract  from  me  my  reasons  for  not  favouring  the 
recognition  of  the  Independence  of  the  colony  of 

'  Jenkins,  Polk,  Chap.  IV. 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  307 

free  blacks  at  Liberia.  I  expressed  my  decided 
opposition,  but  thought  any  discussion  on  the  subject 
would  be  unprofitable  and  might  be  unpleasant  to 
my  visitors,  and  for  these  reasons  I  desired  to  avoid 
it  in  my  own  parlour. 

Thursday,  20th  January,  1848. —  Saw  company 
as  usual  this  morning.  Among  others  I  saw  several 
members  of  the  Ho.  Repts.,  and  explained  to  them 
my  course  on  the  Panama  mission  question  in  1826, 
which  I  understood  had  been  referred  to  in  debate 
in  the  House  by  Mr.  Tompkins  of  Mississippi  to 
prove  that  in  refusing  to  communicate  Mr.  Slidell's 
instructions  I  had  acted  inconsistently  with  that 
course.  When  properly  understood  no  case  of  in- 
consistency is  made  out.  I  yet  entertain  all  the  opin- 
ions which  I  expressed  by  my  votes  and  in  debate 
upon  the  Panama  question  in  1826.  I  have  carefully 
read  over  my  speeches  on  that  occasion,  and  would 
now  re-affirm  all  the  doctrines  which  they  contain. 
I  had  a  large  dinner  party  to-day,  composed  of  Sen- 
ators and  Representatives  &  their  wives;  of  the 
Mayor  of  Washington;  his  wife;  Mr.  Ritchie,  his 
two  daughters,  &c,  in  all  near  40  persons. 

Friday,  2l5t  January,  1 848. —  Many  visitors 
called  this  morning,  almost  all  of  whom  as  is 
usual  wanted  some  office,  either  for  themselves  or 
their  friends.  Much  of  my  time  continues  to  be 
taken  up  without  profit  to  the  public  and  much  to  my 
annoyance  by  importunities  for  office.  Bills  are 
pending  before  Congress  to  increase  the  army;  for  a 


3o8  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [22  Jan. 

few  assistant  pursers  in  the  Navy;  and  for  two  or 
three  charge  d'affaires  to  Rome  &  South  America; 
and  in  anticipation  of  their  passing,  my  office  is 
thronged  daily  by  applicants  seeking  places.  The 
passion  for  office  is  increasing  rather  than  diminish- 
ing. I  transacted  business  with  the  Secretary  of 
State  and  the  Secretary  of  War  to-day,  and  disposed 
of  much  of  the  current  business  on  my  table. 

At  I  O'clock  P.  M.,  in  pursuance  of  a  previous 
arrangement  made  by  the  Secretary  of  State,  I  re- 
paired to  the  parlour  where  I  received  Mr.  Pageot, 
who  had  recently  been  promoted  by  the  King  of  the 
French  to  the  rank  of  Envoy  Extraordinary  &  Min- 
ister Plenipotentiary  to  the  U.  States.  On  present- 
ing his  credentials  Mr.  Pageot  made  a  short  address 
to  which  I  responded. 

This  being  reception  evening  an  unusually  large 
number  of  persons,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  called. 

Saturday,  22nd  January,  1848. —  I  saw  a  few 
persons  before  the  hour  of  meeting  of  the  Cabinet 
to-day.  At  the  usual  hour  the  Cabinet  assembled, 
all  the  members  present  except  the  Secretary  of  State 
and  the  Secretary  of  War.  The  Secretary  of  War 
wrote  me  a  note  stating  that  he  had  been  taken  with 
a  severe  chill  and  was  unable  to  attend.  It  was  sug- 
gested by  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  that  it  would  be 
proper  for  the  President  and  the  Cabinet  to  attend 
the  funeral  ceremonies  of  Lieut.  Col.  Wm.  M. 
Graham  of  the  army,  which  was  to  take  place  from 
St.  John's  church  at  12  O'Clock  to-day.  No  sub- 
ject was  brought  up  for  consideration  in  the  Cabinet, 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  309 

and  at  12  O'Clock,  accompanied  by  the  Secretary  of 
the  Navy,  the  Post  master  Gen'l,  and  the  atto.  Gen'L, 
who  took  seats  with  me  in  my  carriage,  I  repaired  to 
St.  John's  church  (Episcopal)  and  attended  the 
funeral  ceremonies  of  Col.  Graham.  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Price  &  the  Rev.  Mr.  French  officiated.  These  be- 
ing over,  a  large  procession  of  officers  of  the  army, 
the  militia  of  the  D.  C,  and  citizens  moved  from  the 
church  to  the  Congressional  burying  ground,  where 
the  body  was  deposited.  Lieut.  Col.  Graham  was 
promoted  by  me  from  the  rank  of  Captain  in  the  reg- 
ular army  to  that  of  Lieut.  Col  in  the  nth  Infantry 
in  the  month  of  February  last.  He  fell  in  the  gal- 
lant discharge  of  his  duty,  at  the  head  of  his  Regi- 
ment, on  the  8th  of  September  last  in  the  battle  of 
Morino  del  Rey  [Molino  Del  Rey]  near  the  gates  of 
the  City  of  Mexico.  His  friends  had  brought  his 
body  to  this  City  for  interment. 

After  night  I  saw  Senator  Allen  &  Messrs.  Mc- 
Kay of  N.  C.  and  Ficklin  of  111.,  and  had  long  con- 
versations with  them  on  public  affairs. 

Sunday,  23rd  January,  1848. —  Mrs.  Polk  and 
myself  attended  the  first  Presbyterian  church  to-day. 

After  night  Senators  Cass  and  Sevier  called  at  my 
request.  I  read  to  them  the  Instructions  given  to 
Mr.  Slidell  in  Nov.,  1845,  and  which  I  had  refused 
to  communicate  to  the  Ho.  Repts.  in  my  message  of 
the  1 2th  Inst.,  in  answer  to  their  Resolution  of  the  4th 
Inst.,  and  asked  their  opinion  whether  it  would  be 
proper  to  communicate  them  to  the  Senate  confiden- 
tially, in  their  Executive  Session.     They  were  both 


310  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [23  Jan. 

decidedly  of  opinion  that  I  ought  not  to  communi- 
cate them  even  confidentially  to  the  Senate,  for  the 
reason  that  if  so  communicated  they  would  become 
public  and  would  go  to  Mexico,  whereby  the  pub- 
lic interests  would  be  greatly  prejudiced.  They 
both  approved  my  refusal  to  send  them  to  the  House 
in  answer  to  the  call  of  that  body.  I  informed  them 
of  Mr.  Trist's  most  reprehensible  conduct  in  Mex- 
ico, and  of  his  refusal  to  return  after  his  recal[l]. 
They  advised  that  I  should  at  once  give  an  order  to 
Gen'l  Butler,  now  commanding  the  army  in  Mexico, 
to  send  him  out  of  Mexico,  and  to  inform  the  Mex- 
ican Government  that  he  had  been  recalled.  They 
concurred  with  me  that  his  conduct  was  not  only  in- 
subordinate but  infamous,  and  that  if  there  was  any 
law  to  punish  him  he  should  be  punished.  They 
agreed  also  that  if  after  his  recal[l]  he  went  on  to 
negotiate  a  Treaty  within  his  instructions  given  to 
him  in  April  last,  that  it  would  present  a  question  of 
great  responsibility  and  embarrassment  whether  I 
should  send  it  to  the  Senate  for  ratification  or  not. 
I  inferred  from  what  Mr.  Sevier  said  that  he  thought 
I  would  be  bound  to  do  so.  Mr.  Cass  said  it  would 
be  time  enough  to  decide  that  question,  if  such  a 
Treaty  was  made,  when  it  was  presented  to  me  for  my 
consideration.  I  told  them  that  after  the  blood 
which  had  been  shed  and  the  money  which  had  been 
expended  since  the  date  of  Trist's  instructions  in 
April  last,  that,  if  it  was  an  open  question,  I  would 
not  now  approve  the  terms  of  the  treaty  which  I 
then  authorized.  In  this  they  both  concurred  with 
me. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  311 

Monday,  24th  January,  1848. —  I  received  com- 
pany as  usual  this  morning.  As  soon  as  1  could  get 
clear  of  them  I  sent  for  Mr.  Buchanan  &  informed 
him  of  the  interview  I  had  last  night  with  Senators 
Sevier  &  Cass.  I  expressed  to  him  my  opinion  that 
a  letter  should  be  addressed  to  Gen'l  Butler  directing 
him  to  inform,  the  Mexican  Government  that  Mr. 
Trist  had  been  recalled  &  had  no  power  to  treat,  and 
that  he  should  no  longer  remain  with  the  Head  Quar- 
ters of  the  army.  I  told  him  to  delay  to  have  some 
decisive  action,  after  we  had  received  information 
of  his  unauthorized  proceedings  subsequent  to  his 
recal[l],  would  have  the  appearance  of  acquiescence 
on  our  part  of  what  he  might  do.  At  my  request  Mr. 
Buchanan  w^ent  to  see  the  Secretary  of  War  on  the 
subject,  who  is  sick  at  his  House.  He  returned  and 
informed  me  that  Mr.  Marcy  was  too  ill  to-day  to  be 
seen.  Mr.  Buchanan  thought  such  a  letter  to  Gen'l 
Butler  would  be  proper  if  I  had  made  up  my  mind 
before-hand  to  reject  the  Treaty,  if  one  should  be 
made.  I  told  him  that  was  a  question  which  I  could 
not  decide  in  advance  and  before  I  saw  the  Treaty, 
though  I  was  very  indignant  at  Mr.  Trist's  conduct, 
and  my  present  inclination  would  be  to  reject  it. 
Mr.  Buchanan  expressed  the  opinion  that  it  ought  to 
be  rejected,  but  said  he  would  keep  himself  open  to 
consider  further  of  the  subject.  I  saw  Judge  Mason 
and  had  a  full  conversation  with  him  on  the  subject, 
and  requested  him,  as  the  Secretary  of  War  was  too 
ill  to  be  seen  to-day,  to  prepare  the  draft  of  a  letter 
to  Gen'l  Butler,  such  as  I  had  mentioned  to  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan.    He  promised  to  do  so,  and  to  submit  it  to 


31- 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [24  Jan. 


me  for  further  consideration.  The  Conduct  of  Mr. 
Trist  and  Gen'l  Scott,  who  seem  to  have  entered 
into  a  conspiracy  to  embarrass  the  Government, 
gives  me  great  anxiety.  They  have  both  proved 
themselves  to  be  wholly  unworthy  of  the  positions 
which  they  hold,  and  I  most  heartily  wish  they  were 
both  out  of  Mexico. 

After  night  Senator  Allen  and  the  Democratic 
members  of  the  Ohio  delegation  in  Congress,  accom- 
panied by  Gov.  Bartley^  &  several  other  gentlemen 
from  Ohio,  called  in  a  body  and  requested  me  to  ap- 
point Col.  Morgan  -  of  Ohio,  of  the  15th  Regt.  of  In- 
fantry, to  be  a  Brigadier  Gen'l  in  place  of  Gen'l  Hop- 
ping deceased.  I  received  them  courteously,  but 
made  them  no  promise. 

About  8  O'clock  P.M.  The  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  Mr.  McKay  of 
N.  C,  &  Mr.  Geo.  S.  Houston  of  Alabama,  the  two 
latter  members  of  the  committee  of  Ways  and  Means 
of  the  Ho.  Repts.,  called.  Their  object  was  to  hold 
a  consultation  with  me  in  regard  to  the  finances. 
The  subject  was  fully  discussed,  and  resulted  in  the 
conclusion  that  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  could  re- 
duce his  estimates  to  the  amt.  of  $1,500,000  without 
prejudice  to  the  service,  and  that  the  Democratic 
members  of  the  committee  of  Ways  &  Means  should 
move  an  amendment  to  the  loan  bill  reported  by  the 
Whig  majority  of  that  committee,  which  amendment 

^  Mordecai  Bartley,  1 783-1 870,  Representative  from  Ohio 
1 823-1 83 1,  elected  Governor  in  1844. 

'  George  W.  Morgan,  Colonel  of  the  2nd  Ohio  Volunteers, 
appointed  Colonel  of  the  15th  Infantry  in  1847. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  313 

should  embody  the  measure  recommended  in  my  an- 
nual Message  &  in  the  annual  Report  of  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Treasury.  This  was  deemed  necessary 
because  under  the  Bill  reported  by  the  Whig  ma- 
jority of  that  committee  it  was  not  probable  that  the 
loan  could  be  negotiated.  If  the  Whig  majority  of 
the  House  should  reject  the  measure  of  the  adminis- 
tration and  adopt  one  of  their  own  which  would  not 
be  effective,  they  would  then  have  to  bear  the  respon- 
sibility of  the  failure. 

Tuesday,  2Sth  January,  1848. —  I  was  much  en- 
gaged and  declined  to  see  company  this  morning. 
The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour.  The  Secretary 
of  War  is  confined  to  his  house  by  sickness.  The 
atto.  Gen'l  called  and  informed  me  that  he  would  be 
engaged  in  the  Supreme  Court  to-day  &  could  not 
attend  the  Cabinet.  The  P.  M.  Gen'l  remained  but 
a  short  time,  when  he  was  called  off  on  official  busi- 
ness. The  Secretaries  of  State,  Treasury,  &  the  Navy 
were  all  who  were  present  at  the  discussions  to-day. 
I  brought  up  the  subject  of  the  letter  to  Gen'l  Butler 
in  relation  to  Mr.  Trist's  conduct.  Judge  Mason 
read  the  draft  of  the  letter  which  I  had  requested  him 
to  prepare  on  yesterday.  Mr.  Buchanan  expressed 
the  opinion  that  such  a  letter  would  be  proper  pro- 
vided I  had  made  up  my  mind  to  reject  any  Treaty 
which  Mr.  Trist  might  make,  but  that  if  I  intended 
to  submit  the  t[r]eaty,  if  made,  to  the  Senate,  or  if 
that  was  an  unsettled  question  in  my  mind,  the  let- 
ter might  embarrass  me  and  ought  not  to  be  sent.  I 
replied  that  the  present  inclination  of  my  mind  would 


314  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [25  Jan. 

be  to  reject  the  Treaty,  but  that  I  was  not  now 
prepared  to  decide  that  question.  Mr.  Walker 
concurred  with  Mr.  Buchanan.  Mr.  Mason  spoke 
hesitatingly,  but  inclined  to  send  the  letter.  The  sub- 
ject of  the  terms  of  a  Treaty  which  we  could  now 
accept  was  discussed  at  much  length.  The  point  of 
embarrassment  was,  whether,  if  Mr.  Trist  had  made 
a  Treaty  and  secured  our.  ultimatum  authorized  in 
his  instructions  in  April  last,  and  that  Treaty  was 
ratified  by  Mexico,  I  ought  to  reject  it  or  not.  I 
repeated  that  if  I  was  unimbarrassed  I  would  not 
now  approve  such  a  Treaty,  but  expressed  doubt  what 
I  ought  to  do  if  a  Treaty  was  made  in  conformity  to 
the  instructions  given  in  April.  Mr.  Buchanan  re- 
peated his  impression  in  favour  of  rejecting  it,  but 
saw  embarrassments  attending  that  course,  and  said 
he  would  not  now  commit  himself  on  the  subject. 
Some  modifications  were  suggested  in  the  draft  of  the 
letter  to  Gen'l  Butler  prepared  by  Judge  Mason. 
The  Cabinet  adjourned  without  coming  to  a  defini- 
tive decision  on  the  subject  of  the  letter.  I  accom- 
panied Judge  Mason  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Marcy  & 
saw  him  in  his  chamber.  He  was  confined  to  his 
bed  but  was  better.  The  subject  was  explained  to 
him.  He  was  in  favour  of  sending  the  letter  to  Gen'l 
Butler,  with  some  modifications  of  it  which  he  sug- 
gested. I  requested  Judge  Mason  to  make  another 
draft  of  it  this  evening.  Gov.  Marcy  condemned 
the  conduct  of  Mr.  Trist  and  Gen'l  Scott,  but  ex- 
pressed the  decided  opinion  that  if  a  Treaty  was 
made  and  ratified  by  Mexico  upon  the  terms  of  our 
ultimatum  in  April  last,  that  I  ought  not  to  reject  it, 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  315 

but  should  send   it  to   the   Senate   for   ratification. 
Judge  Mason  expressed  the  same  opinion. 

After  night  Senator  Hannegan  called  to  inquire  of 
me  about  the  rumours  of  peace  which  were  circula- 
ting in  the  City.  I  informed  him  of  the  actual  state 
of  things,  and  of  the  conduct  of  Trist  &  of  Gen'l 
Scott  and  the  possibility  that  a  Treaty  may  have  been 
negotiated  by  Trist.  He  was  very  indignant  at  their 
conduct  &  spoke  in  strong  terms  of  condemnation  of 
them.  I  told  him  what  the  ultimatum  authorized 
in  April  was.  He  thought  it  would  be  very  embar- 
rassing for  me  to  reject  a  Treaty  made  on  that  ulti- 
matum, though  he  would  not  now  make  such  an  one 
if  it  was  an  open  question.  This  was  a  regular  even- 
ing for  receiving  company,  but  as  I  am  to  have  a  gen- 
eral reception  or  levee  to-morrow,  my  porter  was  di- 
rected to  receive  no  company  to-night. 

Wednesday,  2dth  January,  1848. —  I  saw  com- 
pany as  usual  this  morning,  and  was  so  much  occu- 
pied by  office-seekers  that  I  almost  lost  my  temper, 
and  was  very  unceremonious  &  absolute  in  rejecting 
their  applications.  To  one  or  two  of  them  I  was 
compelled  to  be  almost  rude  in  order  to  shake  them 
off  my  hands.  At  12  O'Clock  I  closed  my  doors. 
Judge  Mason  called  and  left  with  me  a  modified 
draft  of  the  proposed  letter  to  Gen'l  Butler  in  rela- 
tion to  Mr.  Trist,  which  he  informed  me  he  had  sub- 
mitted to  Mr.  Marcy,  who  approved  it.  After  he 
left  I  sent  for  Mr.  Buchanan  and  Mr.  Walker  &  read 
it  to  them.  Mr.  Buchanan  adhered  to  his  opinion 
of  yesterday  that  the  letter  ought  not  to  be  sent. 


3i6  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [26  Jai^. 

Mr.  Walker  was  of  the  same  opinion,  for  a  different 
reason  than  that  assigned  by  Mr.  Buchanan.  Mr. 
Buchanan  thought  that  if  I  should  conclude  to  send 
any  Treaty  which  Mr.  Trist  might  make  to  the  Sen- 
ate, the  letter  would  embarrass  me.  Mr.  Walker 
thought  if  I  should  reject  such  a  Treaty  the  letter 
would  embarrass  me.  After  a  long  discussion  we 
adjourned  to  Mr.  Marcy's  House  (who  is  still  con- 
fined to  his  room  by  sickness).  After  reaching  Mr. 
Marcy's  House,  Mr.  Mason  was  sent  for,  and  four 
members  of  the  Cabinet  being  present,  the  modified 
letter  prepared  by  Mr.  Mason  was  read  and  fully  dis- 
cussed (I  will  preserve  the  original  draft  of  the  let- 
ter). I'he  result  was  that  Mr.  Buchanan  &  Mr. 
Walker  advised  against  sending  it,  Mr.  Marcy  and 
Mr.  Mason  advised  in  favour  of  sending  it.  Mr. 
Walker  was  not  strenuous  in  his  opposition,  &  Mr. 
Buchanan  said  that  as  it  was  my  judgment  that  it 
should  be  sent  he  thought  I  ought  to  send  it,  though 
with  his  opinions  he  could  not  advise  it.  I  then  in- 
formed them  that  if  we  remained  silent  after  the 
knowledge  we  had  of  Mr.  Trist's  conduct  the  public 
would  construe  our  silence  into  an  acquiescence  of 
whatever  he  might  do.  I  said  to  them  on  seperating 
that  I  would  return  to  my  office  &  send  for  Mr.  John- 
son and  Mr.  Clifford,  &  after  consulting  with  them 
would  decide.  I  did  so.  They  called  at  my  office 
at  6  O'clock  P.  M.,  as  did  Mr.  Mason  and  Mr. 
Walker.  The  letter  was  again  read  and  fully  con- 
sidered, when  Mr.  Clifford  and  Mr.  Johnson  both 
advised  in  favour  of  sending  the  letter.     Mr.  Walker 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  317 

said  that  if  I  determined  to  send  in  to  the  Senate  a 
Treaty  made  upon  the  ultimatum  of  Mr.  Trist's  in- 
structions in  April  last,  the  letter  could  not  embarrass 
me.  I  then  decided  to  send  the  letter.  Judge  Mason 
took  it  to  the  Secretary  of  War  to  have  it  copied  & 
signed  by  him.  It  was  so  copied  and  signed  and  Mr. 
W.  C.  Whitthorne,  a  special  bearer  of  despatches  to 
Gen'l  Butler,  will  leave  in  the  Southern  Boat  on  to- 
morrow morning.  Mr.  Whitthorne  had  been  en- 
gaged to  bear  other  despatches  to  Gen'l  Butler,  and 
had  been  detained  by  me  until  I  should  determine 
upon  the  sending  of  the  letter,  which  had  been  the 
subject  of  anxious  discussion  for  several  days  past 
(see  this  diary) .  This  evening  I  held  a  levee  or  gen- 
eral drawing  room.  The  East  room  and  all  the  par- 
lours were  opened  &  brilliantly  illuminated.  The 
Marine  band  occupied  the  outer  Hall.  Hundreds 
of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  attended.  The  even- 
ing was  wet,  but  not  withstanding  that  the  parlours, 
including  the  East  room,  were  all  occupied,  though 
not  so  much  crowded  as  I  have  seen  them  on  similar 
occasions. 

Thursday,  2yth  January,  1848. —  Many  persons 
called  this  morning.  I  closed  my  doors  at  12 
O'clock.  I  saw  public  officers  on  business,  and 
spent  nearly  the  whole  day  after  that  hour  alone  and 
transacted  much  business.  Many  matters  of  busi- 
ness of  minor  importance  had  accumulated  on  my 
table  and  I  availed  myself  of  the  opportunity  to  dis- 
pose of  them.     I  was  occupied  until  after  1 1  O'Clock 


3i8  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [28  Jan 

P.  M.  before  1  had  my  table  cleared.  I  have  not 
for  many  weeks  had  the  current  business  on  my  table 
so  well  up  as  I  have  to-night. 

Friday,  28th  January,  1 848.—  My  office  was  open 
as  usual  for  the  reception  of  company  this  morning. 
Many  persons,  members  of  Congress  and  others, 
called.  My  doors  were  closed  at  the  usual  hour, 
and  I  was  occupied  during  the  day  in  transacting 
public  business  with  officers  of  the  Government,  and 
in  attending  to  several  minor  matters  which  claimed 
my  attention.  I  sent  for  the  Secretaries  of  the  Treas- 
ury and  the  Navy  and  saw  them  on  public  business. 

This  being  reception  evening  a  few  persons,  ladies 
&  gentlemen,  called.  The  number  present  was  not 
so  large  as  is  usual  on  the  evenings  when  my  doors  are 
open  for  the  reception  of  company. 

Saturday,  2gth  January,  1848. —  Col.  Richard 
M.  Johnson  of  Ky.  called  this  morning.  He  is  in 
fine  health,  and  expressed  his  unqualified  approba- 
tion of  the  policy  of  my  administration.  The  Cab- 
inet met  at  the  usual  hour,  all  the  members  present. 
Mr.  Buchanan  presented  some  matters  of  no  great 
importance  connected  with  our  relations  with  China, 
in  view  of  the  instructions  which  he  had  prepared 
for  Mr.  Davis,  U.  S.  Minister  to  China.  The  Sec- 
retary of  War  presented  certain  correspondence  with 
Gen'l  Taylor,  which  he  had  caused  to  be  copied  in 
answer  to  a  call  of  the  Senate,  and  the  scope  of  the 
call  and  the  correspondence  necessary  to  be  sent  to 
the  Senate  were  the  subject  of  conversation.     The 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  319 

Secretary  of  the  Navy  called  attention  to  a  recent 
proceeding  had  in  Louisiana  by  the  agent  of  the  U.  S. 
for  the  protection  of  timber  on  the  public  lands 
against  the  settler  claiming  to  be  entitled  to  the  right 
of  pre-emption.  It  appears  that  the  U.  S.  District 
Judge  for  La.  had  decided  that  the  pre-emption  act 
of  1 841  was  suspended  in  consequence  of  the  war 
with  Mexico.  The  provision  suspending  the  law 
was  undoubtedly  intended  to  apply  exclusively  to  the 
distribution  part  of  the  act  of  1841,  in  case  the  U.  S. 
should  be  involved  in  a  foreign  War,  and  yet  by  its 
letter  it  is  doubtful  whether  the  clause  does  not  also 
suspend  the  pre-emption  right  of  settlers  on  the  pub- 
lic lands.  There  was  some  division  of  opinion  upon 
this  point.  Without  deciding  it,  it  was  determined 
that  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  should  instruct  the 
timber  agent  in  Louisiana  to  abandon  all  similar 
prosecutions,  and  that  Congress  should  be  called  on 
to  pass  an  explanatory  act.  My  attention  was  not 
called  to  the  subject  until  yesterday,  when  Senator 
Downes  and  Mr.  Harmanson  ^  of  La.  called  to  see  me 
on  the  subject.  Many  pre-emptions  have  been 
granted  since  the  existing  war  with  Mexico  was  com- 
menced, which,  if  the  decision  of  the  Court  in 
Louisiana  be  correct,  will  be  void.  This  would  pro- 
duce great  injury  to  settlers  on  the  public  lands,  and, 
doubts  having  arisen,  it  is  important  that  Congress 
should  act  promptly  on  the  subject. 

After  night  Senators  Bagby  of  Al.  &  Turney  of 
Tenn.  called.     They  said  they  had  come  to  urge  me 

^  John  H.  Harmanson,  1803-1850,  Representative  from  Louisi- 
ana 1 845-1 850. 


320 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [29  Jan. 


not  to  commit  myself  irrevocably  against  serving  a 
second  term  in  the  Presidential  office  if  the  party 
should  find  it  to  be  necessary  to  re-nominate  me,  as 
they  believed  they  would,  for  a  second  term.  I  told 
them  that  my  decision  had  been  long  since  made,  and 
had  been  often  declared,  that  I  would  voluntarily  re- 
tire at  the  close  of  my  present  term,  and  that  this  de- 
cision I  could  not  change.  I  assured  them  that  I 
had  no  desire  to  continue  beyond  the  present  term, 
and  that  I  looked  forward  to  the  period  of  my  retire- 
ment with  sincere  pleasure.  They  said  they  had  no 
doubt  of  that,  but  that  the  condition  of  the  country 
was  such,  and  the  divisions  among  the  Democratic 
party,  as  between  the  present  aspirants  for  the  nomi- 
nation, that  it  might  become  indispensible  to  re-nom- 
inate me  as  the  only  means  of  restoring  harmony,  and 
of  preserving  harmony  in  the  next  election,  and  that 
it  might  become  my  duty  to  yield.  They  said  all 
they  wished  me  to  do  was  to  cease  making  the  dec- 
laration, as  I  was  in  the  habit  of  doing  to  all  who 
conversed  with  me  on  the  subject,  that  I  would  under 
no  circumstances  consent  to  be  a  candidate  for  re- 
election. They  urged  that  when  the  Democratic 
National  convention  met  at  Baltimore  they  might  be 
compelled  to  re-nominate  me  without  consulting  my 
wishes,  &  in  that  case  it  would  be  my  solemn  duty  to 
yield  to  their  wishes.  They  urged  also  the  condition 
of  the  country  being  engaged  in  a  Foreign  war,  and 
their  conviction  that  I  would  be  the  strongest  man 
of  the  party.  I  still  adhered  to  my  often  expressed 
determination  to  retire  at  the  close  of  my  present 
term.     A  few  days  ago  Senator  Rusk  of  Texas  called 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  321 

and  held  a  similar  conversation  with  me.  Many 
members  of  Congress  have  done  the  same  thing  dur- 
ing the  present  session.  To  all  of  them  1  have  given 
the  same  answer,  &  repeated  my  sincere  desire  to  re- 
tire &  my  fixed  purpose  to  do  so.  I  cannot  be  mis- 
taken, from  the  evidences  I  have,  in  the  fact  that  the 
growing  opinion  in  Congress  is  that  the  Democratic 
party  must  insist  upon  running  me  a  second  time 
without  consulting  my  individual  wishes  on  the  sub- 
ject. I  sincerely  hope  that  the  Democratic  party 
may  yet  be  able  to  unite  &  harmonize  on  some  other 
candidate. 

Sunday,  30th  January,  1 8 48. —  Mrs.  Polk  and 
myself  attended  the  First  Presbyterian  church  to- 
day. Mrs.  Walker  and  her  little  girl  accompanied 
us.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Ballentine,  the  new  Pastor  of  the 
church,  performed  service  last  sabbath  and  to-day. 
He  is  not  a  great  man,  but,  I  would  judge,  is  a  pious 
man  and  of  good  education. 

Monday,  31  st  January,  1 848. —  Many  persons 
called  this  morning,  most  of  whom  were  seeking 
office.  I  continue  to  be  greatly  annoyed  by  office- 
seekers.  I  give  them  no  encouragement,  and  yet 
they  continue  to  importune  me  daily.  I  prepared 
and  sent  to  the  Senate  two  short  messages  in  answer 
to  Resolutions  of  that  body  requesting  information 
connected  with  the  Mexican  War.  I  saw  the  Sec- 
retary of  State  and  several  other  public  officers  on 
official  business.  I  disposed  of  business  on  my  table 
as  usual. 


322  JAxVIES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i  Feb. 

Tuesday,  ist  February,  1848. —  Several  persons 
called  this  morning.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual 
hour,  all  the  members  present.  My  answer  to  the  Res- 
olution of  the  Senate  calling  for  the  correspondence 
between  Trist  &  the  Mexican  commissioners  after 
the  battles  of  Contreras  and  Cherubusco,  was  con- 
sidered. It  was  resolved  to  send  to  the  Senate  all 
the  correspondence  between  the  commissioners  of 
the  two  Governments,  and  also  an  extract  from  a  de- 
spatch of  Trist  of  the  4th  of  September,  1847,  and 
that  I  should  state  my  disapproval  of  his  invitation 
to  the  Mexican  commissioners  to  submit  a  proposi- 
tion to  make  the  Nueces  the  boundary.  There  was 
not  time  to  have  the  copies  of  the  correspondence 
completed  in  time  to  send  the  message  to  the  Senate 
to-day.  I  had  a  conversation  with  the  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury  in  relation  to  the  finances  &  the  efforts 
of  the  Whig  party  in  Congress  to  produce  a  panic 
in  the  country  so  as  to  afifect  the  public  credit,  and 
thereby  prevent  a  loan  &  embarrass  the  Treasury. 
The  truth  is  that  the  Whig  party  and  leading  presses, 
having  failed  to  defeat  the  Government  in  the  pros- 
ecution of  the  war  by  the  "  aid  &  comfort,"  they 
have  given  to  Mexico  by  their  unpatriotic  sentiments, 
are  now  insidiously  attempting  to  produce  a  panic 
in  the  money  market  and  thereby,  if  possible,  to  break 
down  the  Treasury,  and  thus  compel  the  inglorious 
withdrawal  of  our  army  from  Mexico.  Means  to 
counteract  these  assaults  upon  the  Treasury  were  con- 
sidered. Some  other  subjects  of  minor  importance 
were  considered.  I  gave  a  dinner  party  to-day. 
Near  forty  persons,  chiefly  members  of  Congress  & 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  222, 

their  families,  were  present.  Among  others  of  the 
party  were  Col.  Richard  M.  Johnson  of  Ky.,  Mr. 
Andrew  Ewing  of  Nashville,  Tennessee,  and  Mr. 
Kellogg,  a  distinguished  artist,  who  painted  my  por- 
trait at  Nashville  in  1840,  were  present.  Mr.  Kel- 
logg at  the  time  alluded  to  (1840)  painted  the  por- 
trait of  Gen'l  Jackson,  and  has  spent  several  years 
since  that  time  in  Italy. 

Wednesday,  2nd  February,  1848. —  A  number  of 
members  of  Congress  called  this  morning.  At  1 1 
O'clock  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Washington 
Monument  Society  called  according  to  a  previous 
arrangement,  &  I  accompanied  them  to  the  open  pub- 
lic ground  south  of  the  President's  House,  and  se- 
lected the  site  for  the  "  Washington  Monument." 
The  site  selected  lies  on  the  Bank  of  the  Potomac 
South  of  the  canal  &  West  of  15th  Street,  embracing 
about  30  acres  of  land.  The  members  of  the  Board 
who  called  and  accompanied  me  to  the  ground  were 
Messrs.  Bent,^  Monroe,^  Force,^  Watterson,^  &  Gen'l 
Henderson.  They  had  agreed  among  themselves 
upon  the  site  selected,  &  I  gave  my  assent. 

I  prepared  &  sent  to  the  Senate  a  message  ^  in 
answer  to  their  call  for  the  correspondence  relating 

*  William  Brent. 

^  Thomas  Munroe. 

^  Peter  Force,  editor  of  Force's  Tracts. 

*  George  Watterston. 

^  Richardson,  Messages  and  Papers  of  the  Presidents,  IV,  569. 
For  the  correspondence  in  question  see  S.  Ex.  Doc.  20,  30  Cong. 
I   Sess.  IV. 


324 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  Feb. 


to  the  negotiation  between  the  U.  S.  commissioner 
&  the  commissioners  of  Mexico,  which  took  place 
after  the  battles  of  Contreras  &  Cherubusco  in  Aug- 
ust &  September  last.  I  saw  public  officers  on  busi- 
ness &  transacted  business  in  my  office  as  usual. 
After  night  Mr.  Thomas  of  Tennessee  of  the  Ho. 
Repts.  and  Senator  Allen  of  Ohio  called.  With 
each  of  them  I  had  a  long  conversation  on  public  af- 
fairs, and  with  Senator  Allen  especially  in  reference 
to  the  Mexican  War,  and  the  unpardonable  conduct 
of  Mr.  Trist  and  Gen'l  Scott,  which  he  condemned, 
as  I  did,  in  unqualified  terms. 

The  Secretary  of  War  sent  to  me  this  afternoon  the 
proceedings  of  the  General  Court  Martial  in  the 
case  of  Lieut.  Col.  J.  C.  Fremont.  The  record  is 
very  voluminous.  The  Court  find  him  guilty  of  all 
the  charges  &  sentence  him  to  be  dismissed  the  serv- 
ice. A  majority  of  the  Court  recommend  him  to  the 
Executive  clemency. 

Thursday,  Jrd  February,  1 848. —  My  office  was 
filled  with  visitors,  members  of  Congress  and  others, 
as  usual  to-day  until  12  O'Clock  M.,  when  I  closed 
my  doors.  I  sent  for  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
to  consult  him  in  relation  to  a  call  made  by  Resolu- 
tion of  the  Senate  on  the  ist  Instant  on  the  subject 
of  contributions  levied  in  the  form  of  duties  in  the 
ports  of  Mexico  on  merchandise  imported  at  such 
ports  by  American  citizens.  I  sent  also  for  the  at- 
torney General  and  consulted  him  on  the  same  sub- 
ject. I  was  preparing  a  message  in  reply  to  the  Res- 
olution, which   involved   a  question  of   public  law 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  325 

which  required  examination.  I  was  engaged  in  my 
office  as  usual  to-day.  Nothing  of  much  interest 
occurred. 

Friday,  4th  February,  1848. —  I  spent  the  morn- 
ing as  usual  in  receiving  company,  hearing  their  ap- 
plications for  office,  and  transacting  business  with 
them.  I  closed  my  doors  at  12  O'Clock.  Shortly 
afterwards  I  was  informed  by  my  porter  that  the 
Hon.  Henry  Clay  of  Kentucky,  who  was  the  op- 
posing candidate  for  the  Presidency  when  I  was 
chosen,  had  called  to  see  me,  and  that  he  was  in  the 
parlour  below  stairs.  I  proceeded  at  once  to  the 
parlour  and  received  him  with  all  the  politeness  and 
courtesy  of  which  I  was  master.  I  had  a  pleasant 
conversation  with  him.  He  apologized  for  not 
having  called  on  me  earlier.  He  had  been  in  the 
City  several  weeks,  but  had  been  very  much  occu- 
pied by  his  friends.  He  said  he  intertained  no  feel- 
ings towards  me  of  an  unkind  character.  I  at  once 
replied  that  I  entertained  none  such  towards  him,  & 
that  I  was  glad  to  see  him,  and  added  that  there  was 
no  citizen  of  the  U.  S.  whom  I  w^ould  be  more  grat- 
ified to  see  in  my  parlour  than  himself.  Mrs. 
Polk,  for  whom  he  had  also  enquired,  came  into  the 
parlour.  Mr.  Clay  continued  &  intimated  that 
differences  in  political  opinion  had  seperated  us,  & 
although  he  had  no  feelings  which  would  have  pre- 
vented him  from  calling,  he  was  not  certain  how  I 
might  feel,  until  he  saw  a  common  personal  friend 
(Judge  Catron)  on  yesterday,  and  after  conversing 
with  him  he  had  determined  to  call  very  soon.     I  re- 


326  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [5  Feb. 

peated  that  I  was  gratified  that  he  had  done  so.  He 
continued  the  pleasant  conversation  with  Mrs.  Polk 
and  myself,  and  after  remaining  near  half  an  hour 
he  left.  As  he  was  leaving  he  remarked  to  Mrs. 
Polk  in  a  very  pleasant  manner  that  he  would  visit 
her  drawing  room  soon,  that  he  had  heard  a  general 
approbation  expressed  of  her  administration,  but  that 
he  believed  there  was  some  difference  of  opinion 
about  her  husband's  administration.  She  replied 
pleasantly  that  she  was  happy  to  hear  from  him  that 
her  administration  was  approved  and  added,  if  a 
political  opponent  of  my  husband  is  to  succeed  him 
I  have  always  said  I  prefer  you,  Mr.  Clay,  and  in 
that  event  I  shall  be  most  happy  to  surrender  the 
White  House  to  you.  There  was  a  hearty  laugh,  and 
he  left  in  an  excellent  humour.  I  transacted  busi- 
ness in  my  office  as  usual  to-day.  This  being  recep- 
tion evening  a  large  number  of  gentlemen,  chiefly 
strangers,  &  a  few  ladies  called. 

Saturday,  Sth  February,  1848. —  Several  mem- 
bers of  Congress  called  before  the  hour  of  meeting 
of  the  Cabinet  this  morning.  The  Cabinet  met  at 
the  usual  hour,  all  the  members  present  except  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  who,  I  learn,  is  unable  to 
leave  his  house  to-day  in  consequence  of  indisposi- 
tion. His  health  is  quite  precarious  &  feeble.  Mr. 
Buchanan,  who  had  previously  consulted  me  on  the 
subject  and  to  whom  I  had  given  full  powers  to  con- 
clude a  commercial  Treaty  with  the  Minister  of 
Peru,  submitted  the  draft  of  a  Treaty  which  he  pro- 
posed to  conclude  with  that  Minister.     It  was  ap- 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  327 

proved  by  the  Cabinet,  and  will  probably  be  signed 
by  the  parties  on  Monday  next.  Several  minor  mat- 
ters were  considered  &  disposed  of.  Mr.  Buchanan 
inquired  what  the  finding  &  sentence  of  the  General 
Court  Martial  in  the  case  of  Lieut.  Col.  J.  C.  F're- 
mont  was.  I  turned  to  the  record  &  read  the  find- 
ing &  the  sentence.  The  Court  find  him  guilty  of  all 
the  charges  &  specifications  preferred  against  him, 
and  sentence  him  to  be  dismissed  the  service.  A  ma- 
jority of  the  Court,  including  the  President  of  the 
Court,  recommend  him  to  the  Executive  clemency. 
I  informed  the  Cabinet  that  I  would  desire  to  have 
their  advice  as  to  my  action  on  the  case,  but  would 
not  ask  that  it  should  be  formally  given  to-day:  but, 
if  any  of  them  were  prepared  with  any  suggestions 
or  opinions,  that  I  would  be  pleased  to  hear  them. 
Mr.  Buchanan  remarked  that  though  he  did  not 
doubt  the  correctness  of  the  finding  of  the  Court,  he 
would  dislike  to  see  him  dismissed  the  service  alto- 
gether, under  all  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  as  far 
as  he  could  understand  them  without  having  read  the 
testimony.  The  other  members  of  the  Cabinet,  ex- 
cept the  Sec.  of  War,  expressed  similar  opinions. 
The  Secretary  thought  it  would  not  do  to  disapprove 
the  finding  and  sentence,  but  intimated  that  I  might 
approve  both,  and  then,  if  I  thought  it  right,  I  might 
pardon  him.  A  legal  question  arose  &  was  discussed, 
whether  I  had  the  power  to  mitigate  the  sentence  of 
dismissal  from  the  service,  and  the  punishment  of 
suspension  from  rank  and  command  for  a  specified 
term  of  time.  This  point  was  discussed,  and  was 
considered    a    doubtful    question.     The    Cabinet,    I 


328  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [6  Feb. 

thought,  inclined*  to  this  course,  if  I  possessed  the 
clear  power  to  adopt  it.  No  definite  decision  was 
made  on  the  case.  Indeed,  I  did  not  bring  up  the 
case  for  decision  to-day,  as  I  have  not  yet  finished 
reading  the  record  of  proceedings,  but  have  a  gen- 
eral understanding  of  the  principle  points  involved. 
Some  other  matters  were  considered  and  the  Cabinet 
adjourned  at  3>^  O'Clock  P.  M. 

Sunday,  6th  February,  1848. —  Mrs.  Polk  and 
myself  attended  divine  worship  to-day  in  the  Hall 
of  the  Ho.  Repts.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Matthews'  of 
New  York  preached.  Judge  Catron  of  the  Su- 
preme Court  of  the  U.  S.,  who  has  been  confined  to 
his  chamber  for  some  time  by  indisposition,  was  suffi- 
ciently recovered  to  take  a  family  dinner  with  me  to- 
day. 

Monday,  yth  February,  1848. —  Saw  company  as 
usual  this  morning.  Many  persons,  members  of 
Congress  and  others,  called.  I  received  letters  from 
the  City  of  Mexico  last  night  dated  as  late  as  the 
loth  ult.,  but  they  contained  no  information  in  re- 
lation to  the  rumoured  negotiations  between  Mr. 
Trist  and  the  Mexican  Government.  I  sent  for  the 
Secretary  of  War  to  enquire  if  any  despatches  had 
been  received  by  him,  and  was  informed  by  him  that 
none  had  come  to  hand.  Mr.  Buchanan  called 
while  Mr.  Marcy  was  with  me.     He  had  received 

^  Dr.  Matthews,  Ex-Chancellor  of  the  University  of  New  York. 
He  delivered  a  series  of  discourses  in  the  Hall  of  the  House  of 
Representatives  on  the  connection  between  religion  and  learning. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  329 

no  dispatches  from  Mr.  Trist.  He  had,  however, 
received  a  private  letter  dated  at  the  City  of  Mex- 
ico, Jan'y  12th,  '48,  from  Mr.  Alexander  Attocha. 
It  was  written  in  French  and  Mr.  Buchanan  read  it 
to  Mr.  Marcy  and  myself.  Attocha  is  a  great 
scoundrel,  and  his  letter  contained  the  infamous  sug- 
gestion that  he  should  be  furnished  with  money  to 
bribe  the  Mexican  Congress  to  induce  them  to  ratify 
a  Treaty  of  peace,  though  he  does  not  state  whether 
a  Treaty  had  been  signed  by  Mr.  Trist  or  not.  He 
states  that  he  had  been  informed  that  Mr.  Trist  had 
said  that  he  had  such  a  fund,  and  says  he  had  not  em- 
ployed the  proper  person  to  use  [it].  If  Mr.  Trist 
even  made  such  a  statement,  it  was  utterly  false.  He 
had  no  fund  for  any  such  purpose.  No  appropri- 
ation of  the  kind  had  been  made,  and  no  such  idea 
ever  entered  my  head.  After  Mr.  Trist's  late  in- 
famous conduct,  I  should,  however,  not  be  surprised 
to  hear  anything  that  is  base  of  him.  Attocha  in  his 
letter  intimates  that  Gen'l  Scott  was  in  the  scheme 
with  Mr.  Trist,  and  that  he  had  been  cheated  by 
Santa  Anna  when  he  agreed  to  the  armistice.  Mr. 
Buchanan  took  the  letter  away  with  him.  It  is  most 
strange  that  neither  Gen'l  Scott  or  Trist  has  written 
a  line  to  the  Government  by  the  train  that  left  Mex- 
ico on  the  13th  of  January,  and  which  brought  these 
private  letters.  That  they  did  not  write  was  un- 
doubtedly from  design.  Mr.  Trist  after  the  receipt 
of  his  recal[l]  is  acting  in  violation  of  his  orders  & 
in  open  defiance  of  the  Government.  That  there  is 
a  conspiracy  between  Scott  &  himself  to  put  the  Gov- 
ernment at  defiance  &  make  a  Treaty  of  some  sort,  I 


330  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [8  Feb. 

have  as  [but]  little  doubt.  A  few  days  more  will,  I 
trust,  develope  what  they  have  been  doing.  I  dis- 
posed of  business  on  my  table  as  usual.  After  night 
Senator  Turney  of  Ten.,  Mr.  Thomas  of  Ten.,  and 
Gen'l  Houston  of  Al.  called. 

Tuesday,  8th  February,  1 848. —  Though  this  was 
Cabinet  day  I  could  not  well  avoid  seeing  members 
of  Congress  who  called.  All  who  did  call  were 
upon  the  important  business  of  seeking  office  for  their 
constituents,  or  the  throng  of  persons  who  flock  to 
Washington  to  get  office  instead  of  going  to  work 
and  making  a  living  by  honest  industry.  I  am 
obliged  to  be  civil  and  patient  \\'\i\\  members  of  Con- 
gress &  others  when  they  call  on  this  business. 
Much  of  my  time  is  taken  up  in  this  way  and  I  am 
sometimes  exceedingly  worried  by  it.  They  apply 
to  me  not  only  for  offices  that  exist,  but  for  those 
which  are  expected  to  be  created.  If  a  Bill  is  intro- 
duced into  Congress  proposing  to  create  an  office,  it 
brings  upon  me  a  crowd  of  applicants  with  masses 
of  papers  recommending  them.  It  is  in  vain  that  I 
repeat  a  dozen  times  in  a  day  that  no  such  offices  ex- 
ist by  law.  I  am  compelled  to  have  my  time  taken 
up  in  listening  to  their  importunities.  A  strong 
illustration  of  this  is  afiforded  at  this  session  of  Con- 
gress. Bills  are  before  Congress  to  create  a  number 
of  assistant  pursers  in  the  Navy;  to  increase  the  mil- 
itary force;  to  increase  the  number  of  Clerks;  and 
to  institute  diplomatic  relations  with  Rome  &  some 
of  the  South  American  States.  The  consequence  is 
that  a  great  crowd  of  persons  have  rushed  to  Wash- 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  33^ 

ington,  have  enlisted  members  of  Congress  in  their 
behalf,  and  whenever  my  doors  are  opened  I  am  be- 
sieged by  them,  and  can  do  no  business  unless  I  lock 
my  doors  and  refuse  admittance  to  any.  A  large 
proportion  of  those  who  thus  trouble  me  are  un- 
worthy, &  unfit  for  the  places  they  seek,  and  many  of 
them  are  mere  loafers  who  are  too  lazy  to  work  and 
wish  to  be  supported  by  the  public.  If  an  officer  is 
taken  ill  application  is  made  for  his  office,  if  he 
should  die.  A  case  of  this  kind  (one  out  of  many 
which  have  occurred  since  I  have  been  President) 
has  occurred  within  a  few  days.  The  Marshall  of 
this  District  is  reported  to  be  confined  to  his  house 
by  sickness,  &  I  have  had  half  a  dozen  applications 
for  his  place,  //  he  should  die.  Four  members  of 
Congress  waited  on  me  this  morning  in  behalf  of 
one  [of]  these  applicants.  I  am  often  disgusted  with 
such  scenes. 

The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour.  I  submitted 
the  draft  of  a  message  which  I  had  prepared  in  an- 
swer to  a  Resolution  of  the  Senate,  calling  for  in- 
formation upon  the  subject  of  duties  levied  &  col- 
lected as  military  contributions  on  vessels  &  cargoes 
belonging  to  citizens  of  the  U.  S.  in  the  ports  of 
Mexico  in  our  military  occupation.  It  was  ap- 
proved. Some  additional  suggestions  were  made  & 
paragraphs  prepared  by  Mr.  Buchanan  &  Judge  Ma- 
son, which  I  took  for  consideration.  No  subject  of 
importance  was  considered  to-day.  The  Cabinet 
adjourned  about  the  usual  hour.  All  the  members 
were  present  except  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
who  was  detained  by  indisposition. 


332 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [9  Feb. 


This  was  reception  evening.  An  unusually  large 
number  of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  attended. 
The  parlours  were  very  much  crowded. 

Hon,  C.  J.  IngersoU  called  to-night  before  the 
company  assembled  &  had  a  conversation  with  me 
upon  public  affairs.     Judge  Mason  was  present. 

Wednesday,  gth  February,  1848. —  I  passed 
through  my  usual  conflict  with  the  office-seekers  to- 
day (see  this  diary  of  yesterday) .  I  had  no  offices  to 
bestow,  and  yet  I  was  compelled  to  have  my  time 
taken  up  by  them.  I  w^as  glad  when  the  hour  of  12 
O'clock  arrived,  and  I  closed  my  doors. 

I  disposed  of  business  on  my  table  but  nothing  im- 
portant transpired.  I  finished  my  message  in  an- 
swer to  the  Resolution  of  the  Senate,  but  had  not 
time  to  have  it  copied  to  send  in  to-day  (see  yester- 
day's diary). 

I  had  a  dinner  party  of  about  20  persons  to-day, 
composed  in  part  of  members  of  Congress  and  in  part 
of  strangers  in  the  City.  Col.  Burnett,^  U.  S.  army, 
who  had  been  wounded  in  Mexico,  &  his  wife  wTre 
of  the  party. 

Thursday,  lOth  February,  1848. —  I  saw  com- 
pany as  usual  until  12  O'Clock  to-day.  I  sent  my 
message,-  which  I  finished  on  yesterday,  to  the  Sen- 
ate to-day.     I  sent  also  a  message  ^  to  the  Ho.  Repts. 

^  Ward  Benjamin  Burnett,  Captain  of  the  2nd  New  York 
Volunteers;  he  was  severely  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Cherubusco, 
August  20,  1847. 

-  Richardson,  Messages  and  Papers  of  the  Presidents,  IV,  5 70. 

nbid,  IV,  572. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  333 

in  answer  to  a  Resolution  of  that  body.  I  disposed 
of  business  on  my  table,  and  was  occupied  several 
hours  in  reading  the  Record  of  proceedings  of  the 
General  Court  Martial  in  the  case  of  Lieut.  Col. 
Fremont.  Nothing  important  occurred  to-day. 
One  incident  occurred  which  I  note  in  reference  to 
what  I  recorded  in  this  diary  of  the  8th  Inst.  After 
my  office  had  been  closed  my  porter  announced  to 
me  that  a  member  of  Congress  was  without,  who 
wished  to  see  me  on  important  business.  I  directed 
him  to  be  shown  in.  He  brought  a  man  with  him, 
and  [the]  important  business  was  to  seek  an  office 
for  him.  I  had  no  office  to  bestow,  but  more  than 
half  an  hour  of  my  time  was  occupied  in  hearing  his 
story.  I  am  often  annoyed  in  this  way.  I  became 
impatient  and  perhaps  a  little  petulant.  The  mem- 
ber and  his  man  both  left,  as  I  thought,  dissatisfied. 
About  dark  Senator  Cass  called.  He  was  con- 
cerned at  the  statements  of  a  letter  writer  from  Wash- 
ington in  the  N.  York  Herald,  signing  himself  Gal- 
vienses,  said  to  be  a  man  named  Nugent,  derogatory 
to  him,  Gen'l  C,  as  chairman  of  the  military  com- 
mittee of  the  Senate.  This  writer  has  for  some  time 
past  been  abusing  and  misrepresenting  me  as  well 
as  Gen'l  C,  &  falsely  stating  that  I  was  dissatisfied 
with  Gen'l  C.  as  chairman  of  the  military  committee. 
This  letter  writer  is  said  to  be  a  daily  visitor  at  the 
State  Department,  and  from  this  circumstance  it  is 
inferred  that  his  course  is  not  disapproved,  but  en- 
couraged, by  Mr.  Buchanan.  I  expressed  no  opin- 
ion upon  this  point  to  Gen'l  C.  I  am  satisfied,  how- 
ever, that  this  wTiter  is  prompted  from  some  source 


334  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [lo  Feb. 

to  disparage  me,  probably  from  the  fear  that  from  the 
conflict  between  the  aspirants  to  succeed  me,  the 
Democratic  party  might  be  unable  to  agree,  and 
might  ultimately  fall  back  and  require  me  to  run. 
I  am  no  candidate,  but  shall  retire  voluntarily  at  the 
end  of  my  term,  and  those  who  entertain  fear  that  I 
may  be  in  their  way  may  cease  to  be  troubled  on  the 
subject.  I  cannot  but  suspect,  however,  that  under 
the  influence  of  such  fears  there  is  an  object  in  some 
quarters  to  have  me  assailed  by  this  hireling  letter- 
writer  and  others.  Should  I  obtain  proof  of  this  I 
will  expose  it.  Gen'l  Cass  told  me  that  Senators 
Hannegan  and  Atchison  had  to-day  called  him  out 
of  the  Senate  chamber  &  told  him  they  had  heard 
that  I  had  expressed  dissatisfaction  with  him  as  chair- 
man of  the  military  committee,  &  that  I  had  said 
I  relied  upon  Senator  Houston  of  Texas  to  manage 
the  military  measures  of  the  administration  in  the 
Senate.  I  told  [him]  it  was  false.  He  said  he  knew 
it  was,  &  had  told  them  so.  I  asked  him  from  whom 
they  had  heard  such  an  absurd  story.  He  replied 
that  he  did  not  knov/,  but  that  he  had  told  them  he 
knew  it  was  false.  I  told  him  he  could  tell  them  it 
was  false  upon  my  authority.  An  allusion  was  made 
to  his  position  and  Mr.  Buchanan's  as  candidates  for 
the  nomination  for  the  Presidency,  I  took  the  oc- 
casion to  say  that  I  took  no  part  in  the  selection  of  a 
candidate  to  succeed  me,  which  my  political  frends 
might  m.ake,  but  that  I  would  support  the  nominee 
of  the  Democratic  national  convention,  whoever  he 
might  be.  He  said  he  had  understood  that  to  be  my 
position,  &  that  he  was  satisfied  with  it.     The  truth  is 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  335 

that  Gen'l  C.  has  given  to  my  administration  an  hon- 
est and  hearty  support,  and  if  he  is  the  nominee  1  will 
support  him  with  great  pleasure.  There  is  no  other 
whom  I  would  support  with  more  pleasure. 

Friday,  Ilth  February,  1 848. —  I  saw  company 
as  usual  to-day  until  12  O'Clock.  Many  persons 
called,  &  among  them  many  office  seekers.  I  de- 
voted several  hours  in  reading  the  proceeding  of  the 
court  martial  in  Lieut.  Col.  Fremont's  case.  I  dis- 
posed of  business  on  my  table  as  usual.  Nothing  of 
much  interest  transpired  to-day. 

This  being  reception  evening  a  large  number  of 
persons,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  attended. 

Saturday,  12th  February,  1848. —  This  morning 
Herschcl  V.  Johnson,^  the  recently  appointed  Sen- 
ator from  Georgia  in  place  of  Senator  Colquitt  re- 
signed, called.  He  reached  Washington  last  even- 
ing. The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour;  all  the 
members  present  except  the  Secretary  of  the  Treas- 
ury, who  is  confined  at  his  house  by  indisposition. 
The  case  of  Lieut.  Col.  Fremont,  who  has  been  re- 
cently tried  by  a  Court  martial  and  sentenced  "  to  be 
dismissed  the  service,"  was  the  subject  of  consider- 
ation to-day.  A  part  of  the  proceedings  were  read. 
The  Cabinet  all  advised  that  he  should  not  be  dis- 
missed, but  there  was  much  difficulty  in  arriving  at  a 
satisfactory    conclusion    whether,    in    remitting    the 

^  Herschel  V.  Johnson,  1812-1880,  Senator  from  Georgia 
1848-1849,  Governor  1853-1857,  Vice  Presidential  candidate  of 
the  Democratic  party  on  the  Douglas  ticket  in  i860. 


336  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [13  Feb. 

sentence  of  the  Court,  I  should  approve  or  disap- 
prove the  finding  of  the  Court.  He  had  been  found 
guilty  of,  I  St,  mutiny,  2nd,  disobedience  of  orders,  & 
3rd,  of  conduct  prejudicial  to  the  public  service.  I 
had  doubts,  &  so  had  the  Cabinet,  whether  the  facts 
as  proved  amounted  to  the  legal  definition  of  mutiny. 
That  he  had  been  guilty  of  disobedience  of  orders  all 
agreed.  After  much  discussion  a  decision  of  the 
case  was  postponed,  but  as  it  was  absolutely  neces- 
sary to  decide  it  soon,  I  requested  the  Cabinet  to  meet 
at  my  office  at  8  O'Clock  to-morrow  night. 

After  night  Gen'l  Houston  of  Al.  of  the  Ho. 
Repts.  called  and  spent  two  hours  with  me  in  con- 
versing about  public  affairs.  He  is  an  excellent 
man,  a  sound  democrat,  &  a  good  personal  &  political 
friend  of  mine. 

Sunday,  13th  February,  1848. —  Mrs.  Polk  and 
myself  attended  the  Rev.  Dr.' Laurie's  church  (Pres- 
byterian) to-day. 

In  pursuance  of  the  understanding  on  yesterday, 
a  special  meeting  of  the  Cabinet  took  place  at  8 
O'clock  this  evening;  all  the  members  present  ex- 
cept the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  who  is  confined 
to  his  house  by  indisposition.  The  case  of  Lieut. 
Col.  Fremont  was  resumed.  The  Atto.  Gen'l  read 
from  many  authorities  which  he  had  collected  to 
show  what  acts  constituted  mutiny.  The  Secretary 
of  War  also  read  some  authorities  on  the  same  sub- 
ject. The  Secretary  of  the  [?]  returned  to  his  office 
and  brought  an  authority  which  he  had  examined. 
Mr.  Buchanan  and  Mr.  Clifford  were  clear  that  the 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  337 

facts  proved  in  this  case  were  not  mutiny.    The  Sec- 
retary of  War  doubted  whether  some  of  the  specifi- 
cations upon  which  Lieut.  Col.  Fremont  had  been 
committed     [convicted]     amounted    to    "  mutiny." 
Mr.  Johnson  and  Mr.  Mason  inclined  to  the  opinion 
that  they  did  not  amount  to  mutiny.     All  agreed  that 
he  had  been  guilty  of  disobedience  of  orders;  and 
conduct  to  the  prejudice  of  good  order  &  military 
discipline.     There  were,   however,   mitigating  cir- 
cumstances   in    the    case.     Mr.    Buchanan    &    Mr. 
Cliflford  advised  that  I  should  disapprove  the  sen- 
tence of  dismissal  from  the  service  upon  the  ground 
that  it  was  too  severe.     Mr.  Marcy,  Mr.  Mason,  & 
Mr.  Johnson  advised  that  I  should  approve  the  sen- 
tence &   remit  the  penalty.     Some  sharp   remarks 
were  made,  in  the  course  of  the  discussion,  between 
Mr.  Buchanan  &  Mr.  Marcy.     In  speaking  of  Gen'l 
Kearney,  who  preferred  the  charges,  Mr.  Buchanan 
used  the  word  pusalimity  [pusillanimity]  as  applied 
to  him,  if  he  believed  he  had  the  authority,  he  yielded 
it  to  Com.  Stockton  &  did  not  enforce  it.     To  this 
Mr.    Marcy   took   exception    and    said    that   Gen'l 
Kearney  had  no  forces  to  command  obedience  to  his 
orders  &  had  acted  with  great  forbearance  &  pro- 
priety.    After   hearing   the    discussion    I    gave   my 
opinion.     It  was  that  I  was  not  satisfied  that  the 
proof    In    the    case    constituted    "  mutiny,"    that    I 
thought  the  proof  established  disobedience  of  orders 
&  conduct  to  the  prejudice  of  good  order  and  mili- 
tary discipline;  &  that  I  ought  to  approve  the  sen- 
tence, but  that  under  all  the  circumstances  of  the  case 
&  in  consideration  of  the  recommendation  of  a  ma- 


338  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [14  Feb 

jority  of  the  Court,  I  ought  to  remit  the  penalty  and 
restore  Lieut.  Col.  Fremont  to  duty.  At  a  late  hour 
the  Cabinet  retired. 

Monday,  14th  February,  1848. —  An  unusual 
number  of  persons,  members  of  Congress  &  others, 
called.  I  closed  my  office  at  12  O'Clock  and  de- 
voted the  greater  part  of  the  remainder  of  the  day  to 
a  further  examination  of  the  record  of  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  Court  Martial  in  Lieut.  Col.  Fremont's 
case.  The  record  embraces  many  hundred  pages. 
I  prepared  my  opinion  &  decision  [in]  the  case, 
which  I  submitted  to  Mr.  Mason  &  Mr.  Clifford, 
who  called  at  my  request.  I  will  submit  it  to  the 
Cabinet  on  to-morrow.  I  disposed  of  some  other 
business  on  my  table  to-day. 

After  night  Senator  Houston  of  Texas  called  & 
conversed  an  hour  with  me  about  public  afifairs. 

Tuesday,  I^th  February,  1848. —  I  issued  orders 
that  I  would  see  no  company  this  morning,  but  sev- 
eral members  of  Congress  called  and  I  was  con- 
strained to  see  them  or  give  them  offense.  I  directed 
them  to  be  shown  in,  and  their  business  was  to  solicit 
office  for  some  loafers  who  had  come  to  the  City  from 
their  districts.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour; 
all  the  members  present  except  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  and  the  Secretary  of  War,  both  of  whom 
were  detained  at  their  houses  by  indisposition.  I 
read  to  the  Cabinet  the  decision  ^  I  had  made  in 
Lieut.  Col.  Fremont's  case.     Some  suggestions  of  a 

^  5.  Ex.  Doc.  Z3,,  30  Cong.  I  Sess.  V. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  339 

verbal  character,  but  not  affecting  substance,  were 
made  by  Mr.  Buchanan,  to  which  I  assented.  Some 
other  subjects  of  minor  importance  were  considered. 
After  dinner  I  called  at  the  House  of  the  Secretary 
of  War  and  found  him  confined  to  his  chamber.  I 
read  to  him  the  decision  I  had  prepared  in  Lieut. 
Col.  Fremont's  case,  and  he  approved  it. 

This  was  reception  evening.     A  large  number  of 
persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  called.     After  night  the 
Hon.  Charles  J.  IngersoU  called  and,  after  adverting 
to  severarpublic  subjects,  introduced  what  I  have  no 
doubt  was  the  object  of  his  visit.     He  said  he  had 
been  rejected  by  the  Senate  as  minister  to  France  at 
the  close  of  the  last  Session  of  Congress  by  accident, 
that  injustice  had  been  done  him,  and  he  thought  the 
injury  could  only  be  repaired  by  his  nomination  to 
the  same  office,  and  added  that  it  was  a  point  of  hon- 
our with  him.     I  told  him  Mr.  Rush  had  been  ap- 
pointed, and  I  saw  no  reason  why  I  should  recal[l] 
him  and  that  I  could  not  do  so  w^ithout  dishonouring 
him.     He  said  Mr.  Rush  was  poor  and  could  not 
support  himself  at  Paris  on  his  salary,  and  he  thought 
\vhen  his  outfit  was  exhausted,  as  it  would  be  at  the 
end  of  his  first  year,  he  would  be  willing  to  return. 
I  told  him  I  could  not  recal[l]  him  or  intimate  to 
him  that  I  wished  him  to  return.     He  then  said  he 
would  not  have  the  place  unless  he  returned  volun- 
tarily.    He  intimated  that  if  the  proposed  mission  to 
Rome  was  made  a  full  mission  it  w^ould  be  agreeable 
to  him.     I  made  him  no  promise.     He  spoke  of  his 
deep  mortification  at  his  rejection  by  the  Senate  as 
minister  to  France  &  of  the  indiscreet  letter,  as  he 


340  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i6  Feb. 

characterized  it,  which  he  had  written  to  me  on  the 
subject  last  spring  (see  this  diary  of  that  period). 
To  this  I  made  no  reply,  except  that  I  thought  the 
Senate  had  done  him  a  wrong  by  rejecting  him.  It 
struck  me  very  strangely  that  after  the  correspond- 
ence which  had  taken  place  between  us  on  the  sub- 
ject (which  I  have  preserved)  that  he  should  ever 
have  introduced  the  subject  to  me  again. 

Wednesday,  lOth  February,  1848. —  An  un- 
usually large  number  of  persons,  members  of  Con- 
gress and  others,  called  this  morning,  but,  what  is 
rarely  the  case,  but  few  of  them  were  seeking  office. 
I  copied  my  decision  in  the  blank  pages  attached  to 
the  record  of  proceedings  of  the  Court  martial  in  the 
case  of  Lieut.  Col.  Fremont,  &  the  Secretary  of  War 
being  confined  to  his  house  by  indisposition,  I  sent 
for  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  and  Lieut.  Col. 
Cooper,  ass't  Adj't  Gen'l  &  read  it  to  them.  I  then 
sent  for  Mr.  Campbell,  the  chief  clerk  of  the  War 
Dept.,  &  delivered  it  to  him  with  directions  to  de- 
liver it  to  the  xA.dj't  Gen'l  to  have  my  decision  car- 
ried into  effect.  The  decision  in  this  case  has  been 
a  painful  and  a  responsible  duty.  I  have  performed 
[it]  with  the  best  lights  before  me,  and  am  satisfied 
with  what  I  have  done.  My  decision  is  appended 
to  the  record  of  proceedings  of  the  Court  martial 
and  will  speak  for  itself.  The  Chief  Clerk  of  the 
War  Department  brought  to  me  to-day  a  letter  re- 
ceived from  Maj'r  Gen'l  Pillow,  dated  at  the  City 
of  Mexico  on  the  i8th  of  January,  in  answer  to  a 
letter  of  the  Secretary  of  War  addressed  to  him  in  re- 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  341 

lation  to  certain  proceedings  of  Gen'l  Scott  &  Mr. 
Trist  at  Puebla  in  July  last,  covering  an  attempt  to 
use  money,  without  any  authority  or  sanction  of  the 
Government,  to  bribe  the  authorities  in  Mexico  to 
procure  a  peace.  This  letter  discloses  some  astound- 
ing facts  in  relation  to  that  infamous  transaction,  and 
must  lead  to  a  further  investigation.  It  is  most  re- 
markable that  nothing  on  the  subject  has  been  re- 
ceived from  Gen'l  Scott.  The  letter  of  the  Secre- 
tary of  War  to  Gen'l  Pillow  was  sent  to  him  through 
Gen'l  Scott. 

1  had  an  interesting  Dinner  party  to-day.  Near 
40  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  were  present.  The 
Chief  guest  was  the  Hon.  Henry  Clay  of  Ky.,  who 
was  the  opposing  candidate  for  the  Presidency  when 
I  was  chosen  in  1844.  The  dinner  party  was  com- 
posed of  about  an  equal  number  of  each  of  the  politi- 
cal parties.  Without  enumerating  all  who  were 
present,  the  following  may  be  named,  viz..  Senators 
Berrien  ^  &  Johnson  of  Georgia;  Senators  Dayton - 
of  N.  Jersey  &  Cameron  of  Penn. ;  Hannegan,  In- 
diana, Representatives  Morehead,  Ky.,  Dickson,^ 
Ct.,  Murphy,  N.  Y.,  McLane,  Del.,  Burt,  S.  C, 
Gayle,  AL,  Tallmadge,  N.  Y.,^  Nichol,^  N.  Y.,  Wil- 
liams, Maine,  Brown,^  Miss.,  Meade,  Va.,  Marsh, 

^  John  Macpherson  Berrien,  1781-1856,  Senator  from  Georgia 
1824-1829,  and   1840-1852. 

2  William  Lewis  Dayton,  Senator  from  New  Jersey  1842-1851. 
^  James   Dixon,    1814-1873,    Representative   from    Connecticut 

1845-1849,  Senator  1857-1869. 

*  Henry  Nicoll,  Representative  from  New  York  1847-1849. 

^Albert  Gallatin  Brown,  1813-1880,  Representative  from  Mis- 
sissippi 1839-1841,  and   1848-1853,  Senator  1853-1861. 


342  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [17  Feb. 

Vt.  There  were  also  present  Hon.  George  Evans 
of  Maine,  Hon.  Daniel  Jenifer  of  Md.,  Judge  Ca- 
tron of  the  Supreme  Court,  Judge  Patton  &  Mr. 
McCandles  of  Penn.,  Mr.  O.  Sullivan  [O'Sullivan,] 
of  N.  Y.,  Thompson,  N.  Jersey.  There  were  also 
eight  or  ten  ladies.  The  Party  was  an  exceedingly 
pleasant  [one],  &  I  was  much  gratified  to  have  it  in 
my  power  to  pay  this  mark  of  respect  to  Mr.  Clay. 

Thursday,  lyth  February,  1848. —  A  large  num- 
ber of  persons  called  this  morning;  among  them  many 
members  of  Congress.  It  was  the  same  scene  of 
office  seeking  which  I  have  to  endure  every  day. 
About  12  O'clock  Madame  Iturbide,  the  widow  of 
the  former  Emperor  ^  of  Mexico  of  that  name 
called.  I  saw  her  in  the  parlour.  She  was  accom- 
panied by  Miss  White,  the  niece  of  the  late  Mrs. 
Gen'l  Van  Ness  of  this  City.  Madame  Iturbide 
did  not  speak  English,  &  Miss  White  interpreted  for 
her.  Her  business  was  to  see  me  on  the  subject  of 
her  pension  from  the  Mexican  Government,  which 
had  been  granted  to  her  on  the  death  of  her  husband, 
and  of  which,  in  consequence  of  the  existing  war, 
she  had  been  deprived.  Her  object  was  to  have  it 
reserved  and  paid  to  her  out  of  the  military  contri- 
butions levied  by  our  forces  in  Mexico.     I  gave  her 

^  Augustin  de  Iturbidq,  1783-1824;  he  made  himself  Emperor 
of  Mexico  in  1822  but  was  forced  to  give  way  before  the  move- 
ment for  a  republic  in  1823.  He  was  shot  by  order  of  the  Mexi- 
can government  in  1824  for  disregarding  an  order  not  to  return 
within  the  h'mits  of  the  Republic.  His  family  established  itself 
in  Philadelphia,  where  the  ex-Empress  died  in  1861. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  343 

no  distinct  answer,  but  told  her  I  would  see  the  Sec- 
retary of  State  on  the  subject  &  requested  her  to  call 
on  him  on  to-morrow.  I  do  not  see  how  I  can  grant 
her  request.  Upon  the  death  of  her  husband  she 
left  Mexico  and  has  been  residing  for  the  last  20 
years  near  Philadelphia,  and  has  received  her  an- 
nual pension  from  Mexico  during  that  period,  until 
the  breaking  out  of  the  present  war,  by  which  she  has 
been  deprived  of  it.  She  is  an  interesting  person. 
One  of  her  sons  was  a  Major  in  the  Mexican  army, 
was  recently  taken  prisoner,  &  [is]  now  in  the  U.  S. 
on  his  parole  of  honour. 

I  transacted  much  business  on  my  table  to-day.  I 
called  on  the  Sec.  of  War  at  his  house.  He  is  still 
sick,  but  is  much  better,  and  will,  I  hope,  be  able  to 
resume  the  duties  of  his  office  in  a  day  or  two.  I 
saw  the  Secretary  of  State  on  business.  After  night 
the  Hon.  Arnold  Plumer,  formerly  a  member  of 
Congress  from  Penn.,  called  &  spent  an  hour 
with  me. 

Friday,  l8th  February,  1848. —  Saw  company 
this  morning  as  usual,  and  on  the  usual  business, 
seeking  office.  The  importunities  for  office  have  be- 
come so  numerous  and  so  unceasing  that  I  at  once 
form  an  unfavourable  opinion  of  any  man  who  enters 
my  office  &  makes  personal  application  to  me.  The 
members  of  Congress  annoy  me  excessively  with  ap- 
plications for  their  constituents  and  friends,  many 
of  whom  are  loafers  and  are  wholly  unworthy. 
About  2  O'clock  P.  M.  Mr.  Buchanan  called  and 
brought  with  him  a  Telegraphic  despatch  which  he 


344  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [19  Feb. 

had  just  received,  dated  at  Charleston,  S.  C,  to-day. 
It  was  in  cipher.  The  figures  had  been  confused 
in  the  transmission  and  there  was  great  difficulty  in 
deciphering  it.  As  well  as  it  could  be  made  out  it 
was  from  Mr.  Trist,  though  his  name  was  not  signed 
to  it,  announcing  that  he  had  arrived  at  Charleston 
from  Mexico,  with  a  Treaty  which  had  been  signed 
and  ratified.  It  is  not  certain  that  this  is  the  pre- 
cise substance  but  it  is  the  best  that  can  be  made 
of  the  cipher.  I  submitted  the  letter  of  Maj'r 
Gen'l  Pillow,  addressed  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  to 
the  perusal  of  Mr.  Buchanan  to-day  (see  this  diary 
of  the  i6th  Inst.).  I  transacted  much  business  on 
my  table  to-day.  This  being  reception  evening, 
many  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

Saturday,  igth  February,  1848. —  Before  the 
hour  of  meeting  of  the  Cabinet  this  morning.  Sen- 
ator Ashley  of  Ar.,  and  the  Hon.  Mr.  Rockwell 
of  the  Ho.  Repts.  from  Connecticut,  called  and  in- 
formed me  that  they  were  a  committee  to  invite  me  to 
attend  the  birth-night  ball  on  the  22nd  of  February 
Instant.  I  informed  them  that  it  would  give  me 
pleasure  to  attend.  It  has  been  usual  for  the  Presi- 
dent to  attend  the  Ball  on  this  anniversary  of  the 
birth  of  Washington.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual 
hour;  all  present  except  the  Secretary  of  the  Treas- 
ury &  Secretary  of  War,  who  are  indisposed.  Noth- 
ing of  much  importance  was  considered  to-day. 
After  a  short  sitting  I  rode  in  my  carriage,  accom- 
panied by  Mr.  Buchanan,  to  Mr.  Walker's  house 
and  saw  him  on  business.     From  Mr.  Walker's  we 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  345 

rode  to  Mr.  Marcy's  house  and  saw  him  on  business. 
I  found  them  both  convalescent  and  hope  they  will 
be  able  in  a  short  time  to  attend  their  respective  De- 
partments, where  they  are  much  needed.  After 
night  a  messenger  arrived  from  Mexico  bearing  de- 
spatches from  the  army,  and  a  Treaty  of  peace  en- 
tered into  on  the  2nd  Inst,  by  Mr.  Trist  with  mexican 
plenipotentiaries  appointed  for  that  purpose.  This 
messenger  was  Mr.  Freanor,  who  has  been  with  the 
army  for  some  time  in  the  capacity  of  a  correspond- 
ent of  the  New  Orleans  Delta,  over  the  signature  of 
Mustang.  About  9  O'Clock  Mr.  Buchanan  called 
with  the  Treaty.  He  read  it.  Mr.  Trist  was  re- 
called in  October  last,  but  chose  to  remain  in  Mexico 
and  continue  the  negotiation.  The  terms  of  the 
Treaty  are  within  his  instructions  which  he  took  out 
in  April  last,  upon  the  important  question  of  bound- 
ary and  limits.  There  are  many  provisions  in  it 
which  will  require  more  careful  examination  than  a 
single  reading  will  afford.  Mr.  Trist  has  acted  very 
badly,  as  I  have  heretofore  noted  in  this  diary,  but 
notwithstanding  this,  if  on  further  examination  the 
Treaty  is  one  that  can  be  accepted,  it  should  not  be 
rejected  on  account  of  his  bad  conduct.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan left  the  Treaty  with  me.  The  same  messen- 
ger (Mr.  Freanor)  who  brought  the  Treaty  was 
the  bearer  of  despatches  from  Gen'l  Scott.  They 
are  not  important,  except  upon  one  point.  One  of 
his  despatches  is  in  answer  to  the  letter  of  enquiry 
addressed  to  him  in  December,  in  relation  to  an  al- 
ledged  meeting  of  General  officers  at  Puebla  in  July 
last,  which  had  been  published  in  certain  newspapers 


346  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [20  Feb. 

in  the  U.  S.  &  which  purported  to  give  an  account  of 
an  arrangement  to  pay  money  to  Santa  Anna  to  in- 
duce him  to  make  a  Treaty.  Gen'l  Scott's  answer 
is  evasive,  and  leaves  the  irresistible  inference  that 
such  a  transaction  took  place  and  that  it  will  not 
bear  the  light.  Whatever  it  was  it  was  wholly  un- 
authorized, and  probably  led  to  the  fatal  armistice 
in  August  which  enabled  the  enemy  to  re-inforce 
himself,  and  cost  so  many  valuable  lives  in  taking 
the  City  of  Mexico.  It  must  be  further  investigated. 
No  transaction  of  this  or  any  other  kind  should  be 
permitted  to  take  place  in  the  army  and  be  concealed 
from  the  Government.  If  it  was  confidential  in 
Gen'l  Scott's  judgment,  it  should  not  be  so  to  the 
Government. 

Sunday,  20th  February,  1848. —  The  treaty  with 
Mexico  received  last  night  was  of  so  much  impor- 
tance that  I  deemed  it  a  public  duty  to  give  it  a  criti- 
cal examination  to-day  and  I  did  so.  Mr.  Buchanan 
also  examined  it  and  made  notes  of  its  several  articles. 
Mr.  Mason,  Mr.  Johnson,  and  Mr.  Clififord  also 
read  it,  or  rather  it  was  read  by  one  of  them  in  the 
presence  of  the  others.  Much  conversation  was  had 
on  the  subject.  I  deemed  prompt  action  upon  it  so 
indispensible  that  I  called  a  special  meeting  of  the 
Cabinet  for  to-night  at  7  O'Clock  and  sent  my 
Private  Secretary,  Col.  Walker,  to  see  Mr.  Walker 
&  Mr.  Marcy,  to  invite  them,  if  they  were  able, 
to  attend.  At  the  appointed  hour  (7  O'Clock) 
all  the  members  of  the  Cabinet  were  present. 
The  Treaty  was  again  read,  and  the  question  to  be 


1848]  JAxVIES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  347 

decided  was  stated,  viz.,  whether  the  Treaty  should 
be  rejected  by  me  or  sent  to  the  Senate  for  ratifica- 
tion. A  free  discussion  ensued.  I  took  the  ad- 
vice of  the  Cabinet  seperately  and  individually. 
Mr.  Buchanan  and  Mr.  Walker  advised  that  I 
should  reject  it.  Mr.  Mason,  Mr.  Marcy,  Mr. 
Johnson,  and  Mr.  Clifford  advised  that  1  should  ac- 
cept it  and  send  it  for  ratification  to  the  Senate.  All 
agreed  if  it  was  sent  to  the  Senate  it  should  be  with  a 
recommendation  that  the  loth  article,  which  related 
to  grants  of  land  in  Texas,  and  in  the  territories  pro- 
posed to  be  ceded  to  the  U.  S.,  should  be  rejected. 
I  reserved  my  opinion  and  requested  the  Cabinet  to 
meet  again  at  12  O'Clock  on  to-morrow.  All  con- 
demned Mr.  Trist's  disregard  of  the  orders  of  his 
Government,  to  return  to  the  U.  S.  when  he  was  re- 
called. 

Monday,  2Ist  February,  1 848. —  I  saw  no  com- 
pany this  morning.  At  12  O'Clock  the  Cabinet  met; 
all  the  members  present.  I  made  known  my  de- 
cision upon  the  Mexican  Treaty,  which  was  that  un- 
der all  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  I  would  submit 
it  [to]  the  Senate  for  ratification,  with  a  recommen- 
dation to  strike  out  the  loth  article.  I  assigned  my 
reasons  for  my  decision.  They  were,  briefly,  that 
the  treaty  conformed  on  the  main  question  of  limits 
&  boundary  to  the  instructions  given  to  Mr.  Trist  in 
April  last;  and  that  though,  if  the  treaty  was  now  to 
be  made,  I  should  demand  more  territory,  perhaps 
to  make  the  Sierra  Madra  the  line,  yet  it  was  doubt- 
ful whether  this  could  be  ever  obtained  by  the  con- 


348  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [21  Feb. 

sent  of  Mexico.  I  looked,  too,  to  the  consequences 
of  its  rejection.  A  majority  of  one  branch  of  Con- 
gress is  opposed  to  my  administration;  they  have 
falsely  charged  that  the  war  was  brought  on  and  is 
continued  by  me  with  a  view  to  the  conquest  of  Mex- 
ico; and  if  I  were  now  to  reject  a  Treaty  made  upon 
my  own  terms,  as  authorized  in  April  last,  with  the 
unanimous  approbation  of  the  Cabinet,  the  probabil- 
ity is  that  Congress  would  not  grant  either  men  or 
money  to  prosecute  the  war.  Should  this  be  the  re- 
sult, the  army  now  in  Mexico  would  be  constantly 
wasting  and  diminishing  in  numbers,  and  I  might  at 
last  be  compelled  to  withdraw  them,  and  thus  loose 
the  two  Provinces  of  New  Mexico  &  Upper  Cali- 
fornia, which  were  ceded  to  the  U.  S.  by  this  Treaty. 
Should  the  opponents  of  my  administration  succeed 
in  carrying  the  next  Presidential  election,  the  great 
probability  is  that  the  country  would  loose  all  the 
advantages  secured  by  this  Treaty.  I  adverted  to 
the  immense  value  of  Upper  California;  and  con- 
cluded by  saying  that  if  I  were  now  to  reject  my  own 
terms,  as  offered  in  April  last,  I  did  not  see  how  it 
was  possible  for  my  administration  to  be  sustained. 
Mr.  Buchanan  repeated  his  objections  to  the  Treaty. 
He  wanted  more  territory,  and  would  not  be  con- 
tent with  less  than  the  line  of  the  Sierra  Madre,  in 
addition  to  the  Provinces  secured  in  this  Treaty. 
He  admitted  that  the  fact  that  Mr.  Trist  had  been 
recalled  before  he  signed  the  Treaty  ought  to  have 
no  influence  upon  the  decision  to  be  made.  I 
deemed  it  to  be  my  duty  to  remind  Mr.  Buchanan  of 
his  total  change  of  opinion  and  position  on  the  sub- 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  349 

ject.  I  told  him  that  I  remembered  well  that  at  a 
Cabinet  meeting  which  took  place  on  the  night  of  the 
day  on  which  war  was  declared  (13th  of  May,  1846) 
or  about  that  time,  he  had  been  opposed  to  acquir- 
ing any  Mexican  territory.  I  told  him  that  at  that 
meeting  he  had  prepared  and  read  in  Cabinet  a  cir- 
cular which  he  proposed  to  address,  as  Secretary  of 
State,  to  our  ministers  and  consuls  abroad,  author- 
izing them  to  inform  the  Governments  at  which 
they  were  accredited,  that  we  did  not  desire  or  intend 
to  acquire  any  Mexican  territory,  that  our  only  de- 
sire or  object  was  to  protect  Texas  and  secure  in- 
demnity to  our  injured  claimants  (see  this  diary  of 
that  date  for  a  more  full  statement).  I  told  him 
that  I  had  objected  to  his  despatch,  that  a  discussion 
took  place  which  I  supposed  he  and  the  Cabinet  re- 
membered; &  that  I  had  written  a  paragraph  at  my 
table  as  a  substitute  for  his ;  &  that  at  the  close  of  that 
Cabinet  meeting  he  had  taken  from  the  table  his 
draft  of  his  dispatch  and  the  paragraph  which  I  pre- 
pared with  him,  and  the  next  day  modified  his  de- 
spatch according  to  my  instructions.  I  told  him  that 
up  to  last  April  he  had  been  opposed  to  acquiring 
any  territory,  and  that  when  the  instructions  were 
given  to  Mr.  Trist  in  April,  he  had  fully  concurred 
in  them.  I  told  him  I  repeated  these  facts  because  it 
was  proper  that  we  should  understand  our  relative 
positions  on  the  subject,  formerly  and  now.  The  rest 
of  the  Cabinet  were  silent.  Mr.  Buchanan  replied 
that  I  might  have  gone  further  and  added  that  he  had 
been  opposed  to  the  military  expedition  to  the  City 
of  Mexico  (as  I  remember  he  was)  but  that  he  was 


350  JA^IES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [21  Feb. 

overruled,  that  since  April  we  had  spent  much 
money  and  lost  much  blood,  and  that  he  was  not  now 
satisfied  with  this  Treaty.  He  added  that  he  gave 
his  advice  as  a  member  of  the  Cabinet  that  the  Treaty 
should  be  rejected,  because  that  was  now  his  opinion. 
I  cannot  help  laboring  under  the  conviction  that  the 
true  reason  of  Mr.  Buchanan's  present  course  is  that 
he  is  now  a  candidate  for  the  Presidency,  and  he  does 
not  wish  to  incur  the  displeasure  of  those  who  are  in 
favour  of  the  conquest  of  all  Mexico.  That  he  earn- 
estly wishes  me  to  send  the  Treaty  to  the  Senate 
against  his  advice,  I  am  fully  convinced,  not  from 
anything  he  has  said,  but  from  circumstances  &  his 
general  bearing,  I  do  not  doubt.  No  candidate  for 
the  presidency  ought  ever  to  remain  in  the  Cabinet. 
He  is  an  unsafe  adviser.  My  conversation  with  Mr. 
Buchanan  was  unpleasant  to  me,  but  I  thought  I 
ought  to  rebuke  him,  and  let  him  understand  that  I 
understood  the  motive  that  governed  him.  He 
wished  to  throw  the  whole  responsibility  on  me  of 
sending  the  Treaty  to  the  Senate.  If  it  was  received 
well  by  the  country,  being  a  member  of  my  adminis- 
tration, he  would  not  be  injured  by  it  in  his  Presi- 
dential aspirations,  for  these  govern  all  his  opinions 
&  acts  lately;  but  if,  on  the  other  hand,  it  should  not 
be  received  well,  he  could  say,  "  I  advised  against 
it."  The  Cabinet  adjourned  after  a  sitting  of  two 
or  three  hours.  After  night  I  prepared,  with  the  as- 
sistance of  Judge  Mason,  the  rough  draft  of  my  mes- 
sage to  the  Senate  to  accompany  the  Treaty. 

I  learned  that  the  Hon.  John  Quincy  Adams  was 
suddenly  stricken   from   his   seat  in   the   House   of 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  3S1 

Repts.  by  the  hand  of  disease  to-day.  It  was  prob- 
ably a  paralitic  affection.  He  was  borne  from  the 
Hall  to  the  Speakers  Room  in  a  state  of  insensibility. 
Both  Houses  of  Congress  immediately  upon  the  hap- 
pening of  this  melancholy  event  adjourned.  At  a 
late  hour  to-night  Mr.  Adams  remained  in  a  senseless 
state  in  the  Speaker's  Room  of  the  Capitol. 

Note:  The  discussion  between  Mr.  Buchanan  & 
myself,  as  stated  above,  should  have  been  inserted  in 
yesterday's  diary.  The  discussion  took  place  at  the 
meeting  of  the  Cabinet  last  night.  My  Private  Sec- 
retary, at  my  request,  reduced  the  conversation  as  he 
understood  it,  to  writing.  I  will  preserve  his  state- 
ment. 

Tuesday,  22nd  February,  1848. —  This  morning 
I  saw  Senator  Sevier  and  submitted  to  him  the  Mex- 
ican Treaty,  which  I  proposed  to  send  to  the  Senate 
to-day.  Mr.  Sevier  is  chairman  of  the  committee  on 
Foreign  affairs.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour; 
all  the  members  present.  About  i  O'Clock  P.  M. 
My  Private  Secretary  started  to  the  Capitol  with  a 
Message  to  the  Senate  laying  the  Mexican  Treaty 
before  that  body,  for  their  consideration  as  regards  its 
ratification.  He  returned  in  less  than  an  hour  and 
informed  me  that  in  consequence  of  the  extreme  ill- 
ness of  Mr.  Adams  (who  was  still  in  a  senseless  state 
in  the  Speaker's  room  in  the  Capitol)  [the  Senate] 
had  adjourned  before  he  reached  the  Capitol.  No 
business  of  much  importance  was  considered  in  the 
Cabinet  to  day.  In  consequence  of  the  illness  of 
Mr.  Adams  I  determined  to  decline  attending  the 


352  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [23  Feb. 

birth  night  Ball  to-night  to  which  I  had  been  invited 
on  Saturday,  and  sent  a  message  to  that  eftect  to  the 
committee  who  had  waited  upon  me.  Mr.  Rock- 
well of  Connecticut  afterwards  called  and  informed 
me  that  the  Ball  had  been  postponed.  This  was  re- 
ception evening.  But  few  persons  called.  Among 
them  was  the  Hon.  Henry  Clay  of  Ky.,  w^ho  called 
to  pay  his  respects  before  leaving  the  City.  He  will 
leave  to-morrow  for  Philadelphia. 

Wednesday,  23rd  February,  1848. —  I  opened 
mv  doors  for  the  reception  of  company  this  morning. 
I  had  not  received  company  for  two  or  three  days 
past.  An  unusual  crowd  of  persons  called,  most  of 
them  on  the  old  business  of  seeking  office.  My 
Private  Secretary  took  my  message  ^  to  the  Senate 
with  the  Mexican  Treaty  to-day.  He  delivered  it 
to  the  Senate,  and  informed  me  that  the  Senate  went 
immediately  into  Executive  Session  to  consider  it. 
By  this  Treaty  it  is  provided  that  upon  its  ratifica- 
tion by  Mexico  three  millions  of  Dollars  are  to  be 
paid,  and  as  the  loth  article  had  been  inserted  with- 
out instructions,  and  could  not  be  ratified  by  this 
Government,  I  determined  that  it  was  proper  to 
transmit  a  despatch  to  MajV  Gen'l  Wm.  O.  Butler, 
who  is  now  in  command  of  the  army  in  Mexico,  in- 
structing him  to  prevent  the  payment  of  the  money 
until  the  Treaty  as  it  might  be  ratified  by  the  Senate 
of  the  U.  S.  should  be  transmitted  to  Mexico  and  rat- 
ified by  that  Government.     I  saw  the  Secretary  of 

^  Richardson,  Messages  and  Papers  of  the  Presidents,  IV,  573. 
The  treaty  is  printed  in  L'.  S.  Stat,  at  Large,  IX,  922-944, 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  353 

War  and  directed  him  to  prepare  such  a  despatch. 
Mr.  Buchanan  called  and  said  that  though  opposed 
to  the  Treaty,  if  I  wished  it  carried  into  effect,  he 
advised  me  against  sending  such  a  despatch.  I  dif- 
fered with  him  in  opinion  and  did  not  change  my 
order.  The  Secretary  of  War  and  the  Secretary  of 
the  Navy  concurred  with  me  in  the  propriety  of 
sending  such  a  despatch.  Mr.  Trist's  recal[l]  had 
revoked  the  authority  to  draw  for  the  money,  with 
which  he  had  been  invested  when  he  went  out  in 
April  last,  but  still  I  apprehended,  judging  from  his 
insubordinate  course  heretofore,  that  he  might  as- 
sume the  authority  to  draw  for  the  money.  If  he 
should  do  so  and  the  Mexican  Government  should 
refuse  to  ratify  the  Treaty  as  amended  or  modified 
here,  the  money  w^ould  be  lost.  Gen'l  Butler  will  be 
instructed  in  the  despatch  to  prevent  Trist  from  do- 
ing this,  and  to  inform  the  Mexican  Government 
that  he  (Gen'l  Butler)  has  been  clothed  with  the 
authority  to  draw  for  and  pay  the  money  as  soon  as 
the  Treaty  as  it  may  be  ratified  by  the  U.  S.  shall  be 
ratified  by  Mexico. 

Mr.  Buchanan  seemed  to-day  to  be  in  a  bad  mood, 
and  wore  the  appearance  of  being  troubled.  He  at 
length  remarked  to  me  that  it  was  rumoured  in  the 
streets  that  he  was  to  be  removed  from  the  Cabinet 
on  account  of  the  supposed  countenance  given  by  him 
to  the  correspondent  of  the  New  York  Herald,  whose 
letters  lately  had  been  very  abusive  of  myself.  The 
writer  of  these  letters  is  a  fellow  w^ithout  character 
or  responsibility,  named  Nugent.  He  signs  him- 
self Galvienses.     I  told  Mr.  Buchanan  there  was  no 


354  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [2^  Feb. 

truth  in  the  rumour  about  his  being  dismissed  from 
the  Cabinet,  but  I  must  be  frank  with  him  and  say- 
that  I  had  learned  from  more  than  one  person  that 
the  writer  of  these  letters,  which  I  had  understood 
were  very  abusive  of  me,  was  in  his  confidence,  that 
he  was  often  seen  about  his  Department,  and  some 
of  the  members  of  Congress,  from  this  circumstance, 
attributed  his  vile  effusions  to  him,  Mr.  Buchanan, 
but  that  I  had  not  believed  it.  Mr.  Buchanan  said 
that  he  had  held  frequent  conversations  with  Mr. 
Nugent,  the  correspondent  of  the  Herald,  with  a  view 
to  secure  the  support  of  the  Herald  to  the  Mexican 
War,  and  that  he  had  requested  him  not  to  abuse  me 
in  his  letters.  He  said  if  I  wished  it  he  would  direct 
him  not  to  come  to  his  Department  any  more,  and 
would  hold  no  further  intercourse  with  him.  I  re- 
marked to  him  in  a  stern  manner  he  must  judge  of 
the  propriety  of  his  own  conduct  &  [I  had]  no  re- 
quest to  make,  but  that  it  presented  a  very  singular 
appearance  that  a  member  of  my  Cabinet  should  be 
holding  familiar  intercourse  w^ith  an  unprincipled 
newspaper  letter-writer  who  was  in  the  daily  habit 
of  calumniating  and  abusing  me,  and  that  after  ex- 
pressing this  opinion  to  him  he  could  take  his  own 
course.  I  have  read  but  few  of  the  letters  of  Gal- 
vienses.  Two  or  three  of  them  have  been  called  to 
my  attention  which  contained  calumnies  of  me. 
Their  object  seems  to  be  to  abuse  Gen'l  Cass,  Mr. 
Woodbury,  and  myself,  and  to  praise  Mr.  Buchanan. 
The[y]  falsely  represent  that  I  am  intriguing  to 
obtain  the  nomination  for  a  re-election  to  the  Presi- 
dency.    The  truth   is,    I   have   no   doubt,   though   I 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  3SS 

cannot  prove  it,  that  Mr.  Buchanan  has  become  ap- 
prehensive that  in  the  contest  for  the  nomination  be- 
tween Gen'l  Cass,  Mr.  Woodbury,  and  himself  the 
Democratic  party  may  ultimately  be  forced  to  look 
to  me  for  a  re-election.  He  knows  that  I  have  no 
such  views  &  that  I  have  constantly  declared  to  all 
who  have  introduced  the  subject  to  me  that  I  would 
retire  at  the  end  of  a  single  term,  but  notwithstanding 
this  he  fears  that  a  state  of  things  might  arise  in  which 
the  party  might  require  me  against  my  will  to  be 
placed  before  the  country  for  re-election.  That  he 
has  been  willing  to  see  Galvienses  assail  me,  until  he 
has  become  alarmed  at  the  impression  which  is  be- 
ing made  upon  many  members  of  Congress  and 
others,  that  he  has  given  his  countenance  to  it,  I  have 
no  doubt.  If  I  obtain  any  reliable  proof  that  Mr. 
Buchanan  has  given  countenance  to  Galvienses  he 
shall  not  remain  in  the  Cabinet.  He  denies  that  he 
has  done  so,  and  I  am  bound  to  believe  him.  Shortly 
after  Mr.  Buchanan  held  this  conversation  with  me 
Mr.  Walker,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  called 
and  introduced  the  same  subject,  and  said  he  had 
heard  Mr.  Buchanan  tell  Mr.  Nugent,  the  author 
of  Galvienses,  that  he  ought  not  to  abuse  me.  I  sup- 
pose Mr.  Buchanan  and  Mr.  Walker  had  conversed 
together  on  the  subject  before  either  called.  I  ex- 
pressed myself  to  Mr.  Walker  in  substance  as  I  had 
to  Mr.  Walker  [Buchanan].  Mr.  Walker  said  that 
he  had  understood  that  it  had  been  said  that  he  was 
in  habits  of  intercourse  with  Mr.  Nugent.  I  told 
him  I  had  never  heard  this.  He  said  he  had  refused 
to  have  any  intercourse  with  him,  &  had,  within  a 


356  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [24  Fer 

day  or  two  past,  received  an  insulting  note  from  him. 
1  learned  from  my  porter  to-night  that  the  Hon. 
John  Quincy  Adams  died  in  the  Speaker's  Room  in 
the  Capitol  a  few  minutes  past  7  O'Clock  this  even- 
ing. Mr.  Adams  was  struck  down  with  a  paralitic 
affection  w^hile  in  his  seat  in  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives on  monday,  the  21st  Instant.  He  was 
borne  to  the  Speaker's  room,  where  he  remained 
speechless  and  in  a  state  of  insensibility  until  his 
death  this  evening.  The  Ho.  Repts  has  met  &  ad- 
journed each  day  since  he  was  taken  ill,  without  trans- 
acting any  business. 

Thursday,  24th  February,  1848. —  In  testimony 
of  respect  for  the  memory  of  the  Hon.  John  Quincy 
Adams,  who  died  at  the  Capitol  last  evening,  I  issued 
an  order  this  morning  directing  all  the  Executive 
Offices  at  Washington  to  be  placed  in  mourning,  & 
all  business  to  be  suspended  during  this  day  and  to- 
morrow. Under  this  order  the  President's  Mansion 
was  placed  in  mourning  by  putting  black  crape  over 
the  front  door.  Orders  were  also  given  through  the 
Secretaries  of  War  &  the  Navy  to  cause  the  melan- 
choly event  to  be  observed  with  appropriate  solem- 
nity by  the  army  and  navy.  Mr.  Adams  died  in  the 
8ist  year  of  his  age.  He  had  been  more  than  half  a 
century  in  the  public  service,  had  filled  many  high 
stations,  and  among  them  that  of  President  of  the  U. 
States.  He  was  the  sixth  President  under  the  Con- 
stitution. The  first  seven  Presidents  are  all  now 
dead.  The  ninth  President  is  also  dead.  Mr.  Van 
Buren  who  was  the  eighth  President  and  Mr.  Tyler, 


i848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  357 

who  succeeded  to  the  Presidency  upon  the  death  of 
President  Harrison,  are  the  only  two  of  my  prede- 
cessors who  now  survive.  I  am  the  tenth  President 
elected  by  the  people.  Mr.  Tyler  was  elected  Vice 
President  and  became  President  when  Gen'l  Harri- 
son died.  So  that  I  am  the  tenth  President  elected 
by  the  people  &  the  eleventh  President  who  his  ad- 
ministered the  Government  from  1789  to  this  time,  a 
period  of  Fifty  nine  years. 

The  Secretary  of  War  finished  his  despatch  to 
Maj'r  Gen'l  Wm.  O.  Butler  which  I  directed  to  be 
prepared  on  yesterday.  He  brought  it  over  to-day 
and  read  it  to  me.  Mr.  Buchanan,  Mr.  Walker,  and 
Mr.  Mason  were  present.  Some  modifications  were 
suggested  &  made.  Mr.  Buchanan  handed  to  me  two 
dispatches  from  Mr.  Trist,  one  dated  Deer.  29th, 
1847,  and  the  other  Jany.  12th,  1848,  which  he  stated 
Mr.  Freanor,  the  bearer  of  the  Treaty  from  Mexico, 
had  not  delivered  to  him  until  this  morning.  Mr. 
Freanor's  apology  for  the  delay  in  delivering  them 
w^as  that  they  were  placed  in  a  different  part  of  his 
baggage  from  that  in  which  he  carried  the  Treaty, 
and  had  been  overlooked  by  him  until  this  morning. 
After  the  members  of  the  Cabinet  retired  I  read  these 
despatches,  and  found  them  to  be  arrogant,  highly 
exceptionable,  &  even  of  an  insulting  character.  I 
immediately  sent  for  the  Secretary  of  War  and  in- 
formed him  that  I  wished  him  to  add  a  paragraph 
to  his  despatch  to  Gen'l  Butler,  directing  him,  if 
Trist  should  attempt  to  exercise  any  official  author- 
ity in  Mexico,  to  prevent  it,  and  to  require  him  to 
leave  the  Head  Quarters  of  the  army  as  soon  as  a  safe 


3s8  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [25  Feb. 

escort  could  be  furnished  to  conduct  him  to  Vera 
Cruz.  Trist  has  proved  himself  to  be  an  impudent 
and  unqualified  scoundrel.  The  Secretary  of  War 
hesitated  about  inserting  the  paragraph,  and  said  if, 
after  thinking  of  it  to-night  I  still  thought  it  proper, 
it  could  go  in  a  seperate  despatch  to-morrow  and 
could  overtake  the  bearer  of  despatches  at  New  Or- 
leans. To  this  I  assented  with  some  reluctance. 
I  saw  Mr.  Freanor,  who  brought  the  Treaty  from 
Mexico,  to-night.  He  will  leave  as  the  bearer  of  the 
despatch  of  the  Secretary  of  War  to  Gen'l  Butler,  by 
the  Southern  Boat  to-morrow  morning. 

Senator  Cass  called  to  see  me  this  afternoon  and 
had  some  conversation  with  me  about  the  Treaty  and 
some  other  matters. 

Friday,  2jth  February,  1 848. —  I  did  not  open 
my  doors  for  the  reception  of  company  to-day.  In 
respect  for  the  memory  of  Mr.  Adams,  whose  funeral 
will  take  place  on  to-morrow,  all  the  Executive  offices 
were  closed  to-day.  A  number  of  Senators  and  Rep- 
resentatives called  in  in  a  quiet  way.  Half  a  dozen 
gentlemen  from  the  City  of  New  York,  accompanied 
by  the  Hon.  Mr.  Tallmadge  of  the  Ho.  Repts.,  made 
a  special  request  through  my  Private  Secretary  to  be 
allowed  to  come  in  and  pay  their  respects  to  me. 
They  had  no  other  business  and  I  saw  them.  The 
Hon.  Mr.  Barringer  of  N.  C.  &  the  Hon.  Mr.  Kauf- 
man of  Texas,  both  of  the  Ho.  Repts.,  called  as  a 
committee  to  invite  me  to  attend  the  funeral  of  Mr. 
Adams  on  to-morrow.  Mr.  Clifford,  the  atto.  Gen'l 
[of  the]  U.  S.  called  on  business.     In  the  course  of 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  359 

conversation  he  informed  me  that  after  the  Cabinet 
broke  up  on  Monday  last  he  had  a  conversation  with 
Mr.  Buchanan  and  Mr.  Walker,  from  which  he  had 
serious  apprehensions  that  they  would  both  resign 
their  seats  in  the  Cabinet.  He  said  if  one  had  re- 
signed both  would.  He  said  that  Mr.  Buchanan  had 
accompanied  him  to  his  office  and  had  conversed 
with  him  an  hour  on  the  subject.  I  told  him  there 
was  no  danger  of  such  a  result,  and  then  told  him  of 
the  conversation  which  Mr.  Buchanan  &  Mr.  Walker 
had  held  with  me  concerning  the  correspondent  (Nu- 
gent) over  the  signature  of  Galvienses  in  the  New 
York  Herald  (see  this  diary  of  Wednesday,  23rd 
Inst.).  I  told  Mr.  Clifford  that  I  wished  no  rup- 
ture in  my  Cabinet,  but  that  I  must  pursue  my  own 
convictions  and  do  my  duty  regardless  of  conse- 
quences. I  remarked  freely  to  him  of  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan's inconsistent  course  on  the  Mexican  Ques- 
tion, an  inconsistency  only  equally  [equalled]  by  his 
course  on  the  Oregon  Question.  I  expressed  to  Mr. 
Clifford  an  indifference  as  to  the  course  which  Mr. 
Buchanan  might  think  proper  to  pursue,  but  told  him 
there  was  not  the  slightest  danger  of  his  resigning.  I 
was  surprised  to  hear  that  Mr.  Walker  had  held  any 
such  conversation.  Mr.  Clifford  requested  me  not 
to  mention  to  any  one  what  he  had  told  me,  &  I  told 
him  I  would  not.  Mr.  Buchanan's  real  trouble  is 
that  he  cannot  use  my  administration  and  shape  his 
course  according  to  his  own  ever  varying  whims,  in 
order  to  promote  his  aspirations  to  the  Presidency. 
He  cares  nothing  for  the  success  or  glory  of  my  ad- 
ministration further  than  he  can  make  it  subservient 


36o  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  {zi  Fer 

to  his   own  political   aspirations.     I   sent   for    Mr. 
Marcy  &  Mason  to-day  and  with  their  assistance  a 
despatch  was  prepared  to  Genl  Butler,  such  as  I 
wished  the  Secretary  of  War  to  insert  in  his  despatch 
of  yesterday,  in  relation  to  Mr.  Trist.     Indeed  it  was 
made  stronger  than  that  I  had  suggested  on  yester- 
day, and  Gen'l  Butler  was  directed  to  require  Mr. 
Trist  to  leave  the  Head  Quarters  of  the  army,  and  to 
furnish  him  an  escort  to  Vera  Cruz.     Mr.  Mason 
fully  approved  of  it.     Mr.  Marcy  expressed  no  opin- 
ion, but  made  some  suggestions  and  prepared  a  par- 
agraph in  preparing  it.     When  it  was  completed  I 
told  Mr.  Marcy  I  had  directed  this  despatch  and  was 
willing  to  take  the  whole  responsibility.     I  told  him 
to  take  it  to  his  Department,  have  it  copied,  and  send 
the  copy  over  to  me,  and  that  I  would  examine  it 
again  and  would  address  a  note  to  him  directing  him 
to  send  it  forward,  which  note  he  could  place  on  the 
files  of  the  Department  as  evidence  that  he  had  sent 
it  at  my  special  direction  and  that  I  was  responsible 
for  it.     Mr.  Marcy  and  Mr.  Mason  retired  and  I 
sent  for  Mr.  Buchanan  and  informed  him  what  I  had 
done,   &  that  after   reading  the   two   insulting   and 
highly  exceptionable  despatches  of  Mr.  Trist  which 
he  had  handed  to  me  on  yesterday  I  felt  it  to  be  my 
duty  to  the  country  and  to  myself  to  take  this  course. 
He  said  he  could  not  object  to  my  course,  &  that  after 
receiving  these  despatches  he  approved  of  what  I 
had  done     He  appeared  to  be  in  a  better  temper  than 
he  has  been  for  several  days  past.     He  retired  &  I 
went  to   dinner.     After  dinner   I    received   the   de- 
spatch, copied  by  Mr.  Marcy  and  ready  for  his  sig- 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  361 

nature.  I  addressed  a  note  to  him  approving  it  and 
directing  him  to  send  it  forward.  In  order  to  save 
a  day  by  the  mail  which  goes  round  by  Baltimore  & 
the  Bay,  a  special  messenger  was  sent  by  the  South- 
ern Boat  with  directions  to  have  it  mailed  at  Peters- 
burg, Va.  It  will  probably  reach  New  Orleans  be- 
fore Mr.  Freanor,  the  bearer  of  despatches,  who  left 
last  night  for  Mexico,  will  leave  the  former  City.  I 
have  thus  done  to-day  what  I  thought  ought  to  have 
been  done  on  yesterday.  I  sent  for  Senator  Douglass 
to-night  and  had  a  conversation  with  him  about  the 
Mexican  Treaty.  Mr.  Johnson,  the  P.  M.  Gen'l, 
came  in  while  we  were  conversing  on  the  subject. 
After  Mr.  Douglass  left  Mr.  Johnson  expressed  the 
opinion  that  the  Treaty  was  in  great  danger,  from 
what  he  had  learned,  of  being  rejected.  He  stated, 
among  other  things,  that  it  was  believed  in  the  City 
that  Mr.  Buchanan  and  Mr.  Walker  were  exerting 
their  influence  to  have  it  rejected.  He  mentioned 
another  astounding  fact  to  me,  viz.^  that  it  was  re- 
ported and  believed  that  Mr.  Walker,  the  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury,  had  joined  in  a  letter  to  Gen'l  Tay- 
lor on  the  subject  of  the  tarifif  and  the  Constitutional 
Treasury,  and  that  Mr.  Walker  was  in  favour  of 
Gen'l  Taylor  for  the  Presidency.  If  this  be  so,  it 
presents  the  singular  spectacle  of  a  member  of  my 
Cabinet  supporting  a  Whig  and  an  opponent  of  my 
administration  as  my  successor.  If  I  ascertain  this 
to  be  the  fact  it  will  be  inconsistent  with  the  success 
of  my  measures  for  Mr.  Walker  to  remain  in  my 
Cabinet.  I  will  require  strong  proof  however  be- 
fore I  can  believe  it  to  be  true.     The  truth  is  that  the 


362  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [26  Feb. 

scheming  and  intriguing  about  the  Presidential  elec- 
tion, and  especially  by  Mr.  Buchanan,  is  seriously 
embarrassing  my  administration. 

Saturday,  26th  February,  1848. —  This  being  the 
day  appointed  by  the  two  Houses  of  Congress  for 
performing  the  funeral  ceremonies  of  the  late  John 
Quincy  Adams,  the  Cabinet  assembled  at  the  Presi- 
dent's Mansion  at  1 1^  O'Clock  A.  M.  and  proceeded 
with  me  to  the  Capitol.  On  reaching  the  Hall  of 
the  House  of  Representatives  I  was  conducted  to  a 
seat  provided  for  me  on  the  right  of  the  Speaker,  the 
cabinet  occupying  seats  on  the  floor  of  the  House. 
On  similar  occasions  heretofore  the  President  has 
been  seated  on  the  floor  with  the  Cabinet.  I  of 
course  conformed  to  the  order  of  arrangements  which 
had  been  made  by  the  Speaker,  &  took  my  seat  on  his 
right.  The  Vice  President  of  the  U.  S.  was  seated  on 
the  left  of  the  Speaker.  An  immense  crowd  attended 
at  the  Capitol,  many  more  than  could  gain  admit- 
tance to  the  Hall  of  the  House.  Every  seat  was  oc- 
cupied. In  addition  to  the  members  of  both  Houses 
of  Congress,  the  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
U.  S.,  the  officers  of  the  army  &  navy  in  uniform. 
Foreign  ministers,  most  of  them  in  their  Court 
dresses,  and  a  vast  multitude  of  citizens  and  strangers 
were  present.  The  galleries  as  well  as  the  floor  were 
crowded  with  ladies  &  gentlemen.  Mrs.  Polk,  Mrs. 
Madison,  Mrs.  Dallas,  and  many  other  ladies  occu- 
pied the  ladies'  gallery.  The  family  of  the  deceased 
were  on  the  floor.  The  corpse  was  brought  into  the 
Hall.     Divine  service  was  performed  by  the  Rev. 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  363 

Mr.  Gurley,  the  chaplain  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  The 
service  being  over,  a  long  procession  of  carriages, 
persons  on  horseback  &  on  foot,  of  military,  the  order 
of  Odd  Fellows,  the  fire  companies,  &  citizens  moved 
with  the  corpse  to  the  Congressional  Burying  ground, 
where  further  religious  ceremonies  were  performed 
&  the  body  deposited  in  a  vault,  where,  I  understand, 
it  will  remain  a  few  days,  when  it  will  be  removed  to 
the  late  residence  of  the  deceased  in  Massachusetts. 
It  was  the  most  numerous  funeral  procession  I  ever 
witnessed.  The  whole  ceremonies  were  conducted 
with  order  and  solemnity.  It  was  a  splendid  pag- 
eant. I  returned  to  the  President's  mansion  about  4 
O'clock  P.  M.  I  transacted  no  business  in  my  office 
of  any  importance  to-day. 

Sunday,  2'/th  February,  1 848. —  I  attended  Di- 
vine worship  at  the  Capitol  to-day  accompanied 
by  Mrs.  Polk,  Mrs.  Walker,  and  my  nephew,  Mar- 
shall T.  Polk.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Matthews  of  New 
York  performed  the  service.  He  preached  a  learned 
&  able  sermon. 

Monday,  28th  February,  1 848. —  A  large  num- 
ber of  visitors  called  this  morning.  For  several  days 
the  latter  part  of  last  week  I  did  not  open  my  doors 
for  the  reception  of  company  generally,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  death  of  Mr.  Adams.  The  conse- 
quence was  that  the  office-seekers  were  numer- 
ous &  very  hungry  this  morning.  Near  12 
O'clock  Senator  Sevier  called  and  informed  me 
that  the  committee  of  Foreign  affairs  of  the  Senate, 


364  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [28  Feb. 

of  which  he  is  Chairman,  and  to  which  the  Mexican 
Treaty  had  been  referred,  had  held  a  meeting  this 
morning  and  had  resolved  to  recommend  the  rejec- 
tion of  the  Treaty  by  the  Senate,  &  to  advise  the  Ex- 
ecutive to  appoint  an  imposing  commission  to  be 
composed  of  three  or  five  persons  belonging  to  both 
political  parties,  to  proceed  to  Mexico  to  negotiate 
a  Treaty.  Mr.  Sevier  informed  me  that  he  stood 
alone  in  the  committee  opposed  to  this  course.  The 
other  members  of  the  Committee  are  Senators  Web- 
ster, Benton,  Mangum,  and  Hannegan.  Mr.  Sevier 
said  they  did  not  object  to  the  terms  of  the  Treaty, 
with  the  modifications  I  had  recommended  in  its  rat- 
ification, but  to  Mr.  Trist's  authority  to  make  it  after 
his  recall  as  commissioner.  Mr.  Sevier  informed 
me  that  he  had  waited  on  me,  with  the  knowledge  of 
the  committee,  to  inform  me  of  what  had  been  done, 
and  to  ascertain  my  views  on  the  subject  with  a  view 
to  communicate  them  to  the  committee  and  to  the 
Senate.  He  informed  me  also  that  both  Mr.  Web- 
ster and  Mr.  Benton  had  requested  him  to  say  to  me 
that  it  would  be  well  for  me  to  be  casting  about  for 
the  commissioners,  that  the  commission  should  be 
composed  of  distinguished  men  of  both  political  par- 
ties, who  should  be  appointed  immediately  after  the 
action  of  the  Senate  should  take  place,  and  proceed 
forthwith  to  Mexico.  I  remarked  to  Mr.  Sevier 
that  the  course  proposed  was  an  extraordinary  pro- 
ceeding, and  one  which  I  could  not  approve.  I  told 
him  that  if  he  deemed  it  necessary  to  say  anything, 
as  coming  from  me,  to  the  committee  or  to  the  Senate, 
it  would  be  that  upon  full  deliberation  I  had  sub- 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  365 

mitted  the  Treaty  to  the  Senate  with  my  recommen- 
dation that  with  certain  modifications  it  should  be 
ratified,  and  that  I  had  not  changed  my  opinion;  but 
that,  if  the  Senate  chose  to  recommend  a  different 
course,  I  would  co-operate  with  them  as  far  as  in  my 
judgment  the  public  interests  would  permit.  I  told 
him  I  condemned  the  insubordinate  &  insolent  con- 
duct of  Mr.  Trist,  but  that  the  Treaty  itself  was  the 
subject  for  consideration  and  not  his  conduct,  and 
that  if  the  provisions  of  the  Treaty  were  such  as  could 
be  accepted,  it  would  be  worse  than  an  idle  ceremony 
to  send  out  a  grand  commission  to  re-negotiate  the 
same  Treaty.  I  told  him,  also,  that  if  the  Senate  ad- 
vised me  to  send  out  such  a  commission,  I  hoped  they 
would  advise  me  also  what  terms  they  would  accept. 
I  consider  the  course  of  the  committee  of  the  Senate 
weak,  if  not  factious,  and  cannot  doubt  that  the  ob- 
ject of  Mr.  Webster  is  to  defeat  any  Treaty,  clamor- 
ous as  the  Whig  party  profess  to  be  for  peace,  until 
after  the  next  Presidential  election.  Indeed,  Mr. 
Sevier  informed  me  that  Mr.  Webster  said  he  wanted 
no  territory  beyond  the  Rio  Grande,  and  that  he  said 
also  that  if  he  voted  for  this  Treaty  and  Mexico 
should  not  ratify  it,  he  would  be  bound  to  vote  for 
men  and  money  to  carry  on  the  War,  a  position  which 
he  did  not  wish  to  occupy.  I  do  not  wonder  at  his 
course,  but  I  am  suprised  at  that  of  Mr.  Hannegan 
and  xMr.  Benton.  Extremes  sometimes  meet  and  act 
effectively  for  negative  purposes,  but  never  for  af- 
firmative purposes.  They  have  done  so  in  this  in- 
stance. Mr.  Webster  is  for  no  territory  and  Mr. 
Hannegan  is  for  all  Mexico,  and  for  opposite  rea- 


366  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [28  Feb, 

sons  both  will  oppose  the  Treaty.  It  is  difficult, 
upon  any  rational  principle,  to  assign  a  satisfactory 
reason  for  anything  Col.  Benton  may  do,  especially 
in  his  present  temper  of  mind,  wholly  engrossed  as 
he  seems  to  have  been  for  some  months  past  with  the 
case  of  his  son-in-law,  Col.  Fremont.  The  truth  is 
the  approaching  Presidential  election  absorbs  every 
other  consideration,  and  Senators  act  as  if  there  was 
no  country  and  no  public  interests  to  take  care  of. 
The  factions  are  all  at  work,  and  votes  are  controlled, 
even  upon  a  vital  question  of  peace  or  war,  by  the 
supposed  effect  upon  the  public  mind.  If  the  Treaty 
in  its  present  form  is  ratified,  there  will  be  added  to 
the  U.  S.  an  immense  empire,  the  value  of  which  20 
years  hence  it  would  be  difficult  to  calculate,  &  yet 
Democratic  and  Whig  Senators  disregard  this,  and 
act  solely  with  the  view  to  the  elevation  of  themselves 
or  their  favourites  to  the  Presidential  office.  In  the 
course  of  the  day  I  saw  Mr.  Buchanan,  Mr.  Walker, 
Mr.  Mason,  &  Mr.  Clifford,  and  informed  them  of 
the  information  I  had  received  from  Senator  Sevier. 
They  all  disapproved  the  course  of  the  committee  of 
Foreign  affairs  of  the  Senate,  &  I  was  happy  to  learn 
from  the  two  former,  who  had  opposed  my  sending 
the  Treaty  to  the  Senate,  that  they  were  utterly  op- 
posed to  its  rejection  &  sending  a  fresh  commission 
to  Mexico  to  do  the  same  thing.  Mr.  Walker  was 
excited,  and  thought  the  object  of  Mr.  Webster  was 
to  defeat  the  acquisition  of  any  territory.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan and  Mr.  Walker  left  my  office  after  night  to 
visit  Senators  &  urge  them  to  vote  against  the  project 
of  [a]  new  commission  to  Mexico. 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  367 

I  received  to-night  two  Resolutions  from  the  Sen- 
ate, calling  for  information  and  for  all  the  corres- 
pondence with  Mr.  Trist.  Much  of  this  correspond- 
ence, and  especially  the  letters  of  Mr.  Trist  after  his 
recall,  are  impertinent,  irrelevant,  &  highly  excep- 
tionable, but  I  resolved  to  send  it  all  in  to  the  Sen- 
ate, and  prepared  a  message  to-night  to  that  eflfect. 

Tuesday,  2gt}i  February,  1848. —  I  saw  a  few  per- 
sons who  called  this  morning,  and  among  them  Sen- 
ators Sevier  &  Bagby,  with  whom  I  conversed  about 
the  Mexican  Treaty.  I  prepared  or  rather  revised 
my  message  ^  in  answer  to  the  call  of  the  Senate  made 
on  yesterday.  In  order  to  save  time  in  preparing 
copies,  I  sent  to  the  Senate  Mr.  Trist's  original  let- 
ters. The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  time;  all  the 
members  present  except  the  Secretary  of  the  Treas- 
ury. In  the  afternoon  I  learned  that  the  mexican 
Treaty  had  been  under  discussion  in  Executive  Ses- 
sion in  the  Senate,  and  that  its  fate  was  doubtful. 
From  what  I  learn,  about  a  dozen  democratic  Sen- 
ators will  oppose  it,  most  of  them  because  they  wish 
to  acquire  more  territory  than  the  line  of  the  Rio 
Grande  and  the  Provinces  of  New  Mexico  &  Upper 
California  will  secure.  What  Mr.  Benton's  reason 
for  opposing  it  may  be  no  one  can  tell.  He  has  here- 
tofore maintained  that  the  true  boundary  of  Texas 
was  the  Nueces  instead  of  the  Rio  Grande,  &  he  is 
apt  to  think  that  nothing  is  done  properly  that  he  is 
not  previously  consulted  about.  Mr.  Webster['s] 
reason  for  opposing  it  is  that  it  acquires  too  much  ter- 

^  Richardson,  Messages  and  Papers  of  the  Presidents,  IV,  574. 


368  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i  Mar. 

ritory.  The  result  is  extremely  doubtful.  If  8  or 
10  Whig  Senators  vote  with  Mr.  Webster  against  it, 
it  will  be  rejected.  Nineteen  Senators  will  consti- 
tute one  third  of  that  body,  and  will  reject  it.  I  was 
much  occupied  in  my  ofUce  to-day. 

This  was  reception  evening.  A  number  of  per- 
sons, ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

Wednesday,  ist  March,  1848. —  Many  persons 
called  this  morning;  and  among  them  several  Sen- 
ators who  washed  to  confer  with  me  about  the  Mex- 
ican Treaty.  Among  them  w^ere  Senators  Cass, 
Sevier,  Downes,  &  Bagby.  They  all  regarded  the 
fate  of  the  Treaty  as  very  doubtful.  At  12  O'Clock 
the  Secretary  of  War  called,  and  I  spent  two  or  three 
hours  with  him  in  filling  vacancies  in  the  army.  I 
will  send  a  message  with  the  names  of  those  selected 
to  the  Senate  to-morrow.  While  thus  engaged  Mr. 
Corcoran  of  the  Banking  house  of  Corcoran  &  Riggs 
called  &  informed  us  that  he  said  [had]  just  seen 
Mr.  Gales, ^  the  Editor  of  the  Intelligencer,  who  in- 
formed him  that  he  had  been  sent  for  by  Whig  Sen- 
ators to  the  Capitol  this  morning,  &  requested  to  pre- 
pare an  article  for  his  paper  against  the  Mexican 
Treat}^,  and  that  being  in  favour  of  the  Treaty  he  had 
declined  to  do  so.  Mr.  Corcoran  said  Mr.  Gales 
had  informed  him  also  that  the  Whig  Senators  had 
held  a  caucus  on  the  subject  this  morning.  Mr. 
Corcoran  thought  the  body  of  the  Whig  Senators 
would  vote  against  the  Treaty  and  that  it  would  be 

^Joseph  Gales,  1 786-1 860,  of  the  firm  of  Gales  and  Seaton, 
proprietors  of  the  National  Intelligencer. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  369 

rejected.  After  night  Senator  Cass  called,  who 
thought  from  the  indications  in  the  Senate  to-day 
the  fate  of  the  Treaty  was  extremely  doubtful.  After 
he  retired  Senator  Moore  ^  of  Maine,  called,  who 
was  also  of  opinion  that  its  fate  was  doubtful.  Mr. 
Osma,  the  Minister  from  Peru,  called  at  i  O'Clock 
to-day  in  pursuance  of  a  previous  arrangement,  & 
had  an  audience  with  me,  at  which  he  delivered  to 
me  his  letter  of  recall  by  his  Government,  having 
been  transferred  to  another  service.  I  received  him 
in  the  parlour. 

Thursday,  2nd  March,  1848. —  Many  persons 
called  this  morning  and  among  them  several  mem- 
bers of  Congress.  I  closed  my  doors.  I  sent  two 
messages  to  the  Senate  to-day;  one  in  answer  to  a 
call  for  the  correspondence  of  Mr.  Wise,  late  U.  S. 
Minister  to  Brazil,  in  relation  to  the  slave  trade;  and 
another  in  answer  to  a  call  made  in  Executive  Ses- 
sion for  information  in  regard  to  any  disposition  or 
overtures  on  the  part  of  any  considerable  portion  of 
the  Mexican  people  to  become  annexed  to  the  U. 
States.  The  Secretary  of  War  called  and  I  resumed 
with  him  the  business  left  unfinished  on  yesterday, 
relating  to  appointments  to  fill  vacancies  in  the  army. 
The  mexican  Treaty  is  still  under  consideration  in 
the  Senate.  I  saw  Senator  Tiirney  this  morning,  and 
am  inclined  to  think  he  will  vote  for  the  ratification 
of  the  Treaty.  The  prospect  now  is  that  it  may  be 
ratified,  but  by  a  very  close  vote.     I  disposed  of  busi- 

^Wyman  Bradbury  Sevey  Moor,  1814-1869,  appointed  to  the 
Senate  from  Maine  on  the  death  of  Senator  Fairfield. 


370 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  Mar. 


ness  on  my  table  as  usual  to-day.  In  pursuance  of 
previous  notice  all  the  parlours  of  the  Presidential 
mansion  were  opened  and  lighted  up  for  the  recep- 
tion of  company  this  evening.  The  snow  had  been 
falling  during  the  whole  day,  and  the  evening  was 
very  inclement;  but  notwithstanding  this,  many  hun- 
dreds of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  attended.  In- 
deed, the  drawing  room  was  as  well  attended  as  is 
usual  on  such  occasions. 

Friday,  3rd  March,  1848. —  I  saw  company  as 
usual  this  morning,  x^mong  others  several  Senators 
called.  The  probabilities  now  are  that  the  Mexican 
Treaty  will  be  ratified,  though  the  vote  will  prob- 
ably be  close.  Nineteen  Senators  constitute  one  third 
of  the  body  and  can  prevent  its  ratification.  Mr. 
Benton  and  Mr.  Webster  are  the  leading  opponents 
of  the  Treaty.  Eight  or  ten,  perhaps  twelve  Dem- 
ocratic Senators,  it  is  said,  will  act  with  Mr.  Benton; 
and  six  or  eight  Whig  Senators  with  Mr.  Webster. 
Most  of  the  Democratic  Senators  who  will  vote 
against  the  ratification  will  do  so  because  they  de- 
sire to  secure  more  territory  than  the  Treaty  acquires ; 
and  most  of  the  Whig  Senators,  perhaps  all  of  them, 
who  will  vote  against  the  ratification,  will  do  so  be- 
cause they  are  opposed  to  acquiring  any  territory. 
My  suspicion  is  that  if  the  Whig  party  in  the  Senate 
shall  ascertain  that  a  sufficient  number  of  Democratic 
Senators  will  vote  against  the  Treaty  to  constitute  a 
majority  of  the  nineteen  required  to  reject.  Whig 
Senators  enough  will  join  with  them,  and  then  at- 
tempt to  cast  the  responsibility  of  the  rejection  upon 


1848]  JAxVIES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  371 

the  Democratic  party.  The  Whig  Senators  who 
have  been  so  long  denouncing  the  War  and  clamour- 
ing for  peace  would,  notwithstanding  this,  like  to  see 
the  Treaty  rejected,  provided  they  can  throw  the  re- 
sponsibility upon  the  Democratic  party.  If  the 
Democratic  party  were  united  in  favour  of  the 
Treaty,  I  doubt  whether  a  single  Whig  would  vote 
against  it.  I  repeat  the  remark  I  have  heretofore 
made,  that  the  Presidential  election  has  too  much  to 
do  with  the  question  of  the  ratification  of  the  Treaty. 
More  Senators  than  one  will  probably  give  their 
votes  in  reference  to  the  probable  efifect  upon  the  elec- 
tion. It  is  deeply  to  be  regretted  that  the  best 
interests  of  the  country  should  be  affected  by  such 
considerations.  I  attended  to-day  to  much  current 
business  on  my  table. 

This  day  closes  my  third  year  in  the  Presidential 
office.  They  have  been  years  of  incessant  labour, 
anxiety,  &  responsibility. 

Saturday,  4th  March,  1848. —  I  saw  several  Sen- 
ators and  Representatives  before  the  hour  of  the 
meeting  of  the  Cabinet  this  morning.  The  Cab- 
inet met  at  the  usual  hour;  all  the  members 
present.  Several  matters  of  minor  importance  wxre 
disposed  of.  The  [Cabinet]  dispersed  about  2 
O'clock  P.  M.  I  disposed  of  the  business  on  my 
table  as  usual.  I  learn  to-night  that  the  Senate  have 
not  yet  disposed  of  the  Mexican  Treaty-.  I  learn, 
also,  that  it  is  doubtful  whether  it  will  be  ratified. 

Stephen  C.  Parrott[?],  Esqr.,  took  a  family  Din- 
ner with  me  to-day. 


n2  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [5  Mar. 

Sunday,  5/A  March,  1848. —  I  attended  the  First 
Presbyterian  church  to-day  accompanied  by  Mrs. 
Polk  and  my  nephew,  Marshall  T.  Polk. 

Monday,  6th  March,  1848. —  Many  persons 
called  this  morning,  most  of  them  to  pay  their  re- 
spects, but  some  of  them  as  usual  to  seek  ofBce.  I 
saw  the  Secretaries  of  State,  War,  &  Navy  on  busi- 
ness. I  transacted  business  in  my  ofRce  as  usual. 
Nothing  of  special  interest  transpired  to-day.  I 
learn  to-night  that  the  Senate  had  a  long  Session  with 
closed  doors  on  the  Mexican  Treaty  to-day,  but  with- 
out coming  to  any  decision.  The  opinion  of  Senator 
Rusk,  who  called  to-night,  is  that  the  Treaty  will  be 
certainly  ratified. 

Tuesday,  yth  March,  1848. —  I  saw  several  Sen- 
ators this  morning,  and  conferred  with  them  on  the 
subject  of  the  Mexican  Treaty  now  before  the  Sen- 
ate. They  were  of  opinion  that  it  would  be  ratified. 
The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour;  all  the  members 
present  except  the  Attorney  General,  who  was  offi- 
cially engaged  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  U.  S. 
In  view  of  the  probability  that  the  Mexican  Treaty 
would  be  ratified  in  a  day  or  two,  I  informed  the 
Cabinet  that  I  deemed  it  important  to  despatch  a 
commissioner  to  Mexico  with  it  without  delay,  with 
the  view  to  procure  its  ratification  by  Mexico  with 
the  modifications  made  by  the  Senate.  In  this  all 
concurred.  A  free  conversation  then  occurred  in 
which  I  requested  the  advice  of  the  Cabinet  as  to  the 
person  proper  to  be  selected.     Several   prominent 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  373 

public  men  were  spoken  of.  I  expressed  the  opinion 
that  the  Hon.  Louis  McLane  of  Maryland  was  emmi- 
nently  qualified,  and  from  his  character  and  great 
experience  in  diplomacy  I  would  prefer  him  to  any 
other.  In  this  the  Cabinet,  except  Mr.  Buchanan, 
concurred.  Mr.  Buchanan  preferred  some  one  who 
spoke  the  Spanish  language,  and  had  objections  to 
Mr.  McLane  on  other  grounds.  I  finally  decided  to 
tender  the  mission  to  Mr.  McLane.  I  sent  my 
Private  Secretary  to  the  Capitol  to  invite  the  Hon. 
Robert  M.  McLane  of  the  Ho.  Repts.,  and  the  son 
of  the  Hon.  Louis  McLane,  to  call  and  see  me.  He 
called  about  3  O'Clock  P.  M.,  the  Cabinet  having 
adjourned,  and  I  informed  him  of  my  desire  to  have 
the  services  of  his  father  as  commissioner  to  Mexico. 
I  gave  him  my  reasons  for  selecting  his  father,  and  at 
my  request  he  agreed  to  go  to  Baltimore  to-night  and 
in  my  name  to  tender  the  mission  to  his  father.  He 
said  he  would  return  from  Baltimore  in  the  night- 
train  of  cars  and  bring  me  his  father's  answer  on  to- 
morrow morning. 

In  the  Cabinet  to-day  Mr.  Buchanan  read  an  ap- 
plication from  an  agent  of  the  Department  of  Yuca- 
tan in  Mexico,  setting  forth  that  a  savage  and  cruel 
war  was  now  waging  by  the  Indians  of  Yucatan 
against  the  white  race,  and  as  Yucatan  now  oc- 
cupied a  neutral  attitude  in  the  Mexican  War,  re- 
questing that  the  U.  S.  would  afford  assistance  to  the 
white  population  to  save  them  from  destruction;  and 
with  this  view  that  permission  should  be  granted  to 
a  vessel  now  lading  in  New  York  to  take  out  and 
land  in  Yucatan  10,000  lbs.  of  powder,  to  enable  the 


374 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [7  Mae. 


white  race  to  defend  themselves  against  the  Indians. 
Mr.  Buchanan  earnestly  urged  that  the  permission 
be  granted  upon  grounds  of  humanity,  &  such  seemed 
to  be  the  impression  of  Mr.  Walker.  I  stated  to  Mr. 
Buchanan  that  giving  due  weight  to  considerations 
of  humanity  which  he  urged,  it  was  yet  not  to  be  over- 
looked that  Yucatan  was  an  integral  part  of  the  Re- 
public of  Mexico,  with  which  we  were  at  War;  and 
that  it  might  be  that  the  powder  proposed  to  be  in- 
troduced into  Yucatan  might  be  transported  to  other 
parts  of  Mexico  and  be  used  in  the  war  against  the 
forces  of  the  U.  S.  In  this  view  the  Secretary  of  War 
expressed  his  concurrence.  Mr.  Buchanan  appeared 
to  be  much  dis[s]atisfied  with  my  opinion,  became 
silent,  removed  his  seat  to  one  of  the  windows  of  my 
office,  and  with  his  back  turned  towards  me  appeared 
for  some  time  to  be  looking  out  of  the  window.  He 
sometimes  becomes  petulant  when  his  views  are 
thwarted.  I  continued  the  conversation  with  the 
other  members  of  the  Cabinet;  and  finally  agreed 
that  the  vessel  in  New  York  might  proceed  to  sea 
with  the  powder  on  board  without  incurring  the  risk 
of  the  forfeiture  of  the  remainder  of  the  cargo,  and 
upon  her  arrival  on  the  coast  of  Yucatan  should  re- 
port to  Commodore  Perry,  or  the  naval  officer  high- 
est in  command  on  that  coast,  to  whom  a  discretionary 
power  should  be  given  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy 
to  permit  the  powder  to  be  landed  provided  he  was 
well  satisfied  that  it  could  not  [be]  used  by  our  enemy 
against  our  forces,  but  would  be  used  by  the  white 
race  to  repel  the  attacks  of  the  Indians  upon  them. 
It  was  understood  that  orders  to  this  effect  would  be 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  375 

given.  This  was  reception  evening.  A  large  num- 
ber of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  called.  I  learned 
from  Several  Senators  who  were  present  that  the  Sen- 
ate continued  in  Session  to-day  until  7J/2  O'Clock 
P.  M.,  and  that  no  final  action  had  been  had  on  the 
Mexican  Treaty. 

Wednesday,  8th  March,  1848. —  I  saw  company 
this  morning  as  usual.  A  large  number  of  persons 
called.  Hon.  Robt.  M.  McLane,  who  had  gone  to 
Baltimore  last  evening  with  authority  from  me  to 
tender  the  mission  to  Mexico  to  his  father,  Hon. 
Louis  McLane,  with  a  view  to  secure  the  ratification 
of  the  Mexican  Treaty  by  that  Government  (see  this 
diary  of  yesterday)  returned  this  morning  and  in- 
formed me  that  his  father  (the  Hon.  Louis  McLane) 
in  consequence  of  the  declining  health  of  Mrs.  Mc- 
Lane would  be  compelled  to  decline  accepting.  He 
delivered  to  me  a  letter  on  the  subject  from  his 
father.  I  regret  that  I  cannot  avail  myself  of  the 
services  of  so  able  a  man  and  am  wholly  at  a  loss  to 
know  whom  to  select. 

About  2  O'clock  P.  M.  I  received  two  Resolutions 
passed  by  the  Senate  in  Executive  Session,  calling  for 
additional  information  on  the  subject  of  the  Mexican 
Treaty.  I  promptly  answered  them  and  sent  mes- 
sages to  the  Senate  in  reply.  I  was  much  engaged  in 
my  office  during  the  day.  After  night  Mr.  Dickens, 
the  Secretary  of  the  Senate,  called  and  informed  me 
that  the  Senate  had  adjourned  at  a  late  hour  without 
having  come  to  any  final  decision  on  the  subject  of 
the  Mexican  Treaty.     Mr.  Dickens  informed  me  that 


376  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [9  Mar. 

the  general  opinion  was  that  the  Treaty  would  be  rat- 
ified with  amendments  on  to-morrow.  Mr.  Walker, 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  called  after  night  and 
informed  me  that  the  bids  for  the  loan  of  about  five 
millions  of  Dollars  in  Treasury  notes  to  be  re-issued 
had  been  opened  this  afternoon,  &  that  the  whole  sum 
had  been  taken  at  a  premium  of  between  i  &  2  per 
cent.  I  saw  the  Secretary  of  War,  State,  Navy,  & 
the  atto.  General  at  different  periods  of  the  day  on 
official  business. 

Thursday,  gth  March,  1848. —  Saw  company  as 
usual  this  morning.  Many  persons,  members  of 
Congress  and  others,  called,  and  I  was  much  impor- 
tuned about  offices.  I  [was]  not  able  to  close  my 
doors  before  i  O'Clock  P.  M.  I  attended  to  much 
business  which  had  accumulated  on  my  table.  After 
night  Senator  Sevier,  chairman  of  the  committee  of 
Foreign  afifairs  in  the  Senate,  called  &  informed  me 
that  no  final  action  had  been  had  on  the  Mexican 
Treaty.  Several  important  modifications  have  been 
made  to  it,  and  I  fear  they  are  of  such  a  character  as 
to  jeopard  its  ratification  by  Mexico.  There  is  every 
reason  to  believe  that  the  body  of  the  Whig  Senators 
desire  its  rejection,  but  fear  to  take  the  responsibility 
of  effecting  their  object  by  a  direct  vote.  They  de- 
sire to  effect  its  rejection  indirectly,  by  putting  it  in 
such  a  form  that  Mexico  will  not  ratify  it.  Unfor- 
tunately a  few  Democratic  Senators  are  impractic- 
able, and  the  manifest  effort  of  the  Whig  Senators  is 
to  throw  the  responsibility  of  its  final  rejection  upon 
them.     This  is  Senator  Sevier's  opinion.     The  treaty 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  377 

will  probably  be  ratified  in  a  modified  form,  but  in 
such  a  form  that  there  is  great  danger  that  it  will  not 
be  accepted  by  Mexico,  and  in  that  event  the  War 
must  go  on.  The  course  of  the  Senate  and  their 
long  delay  on  the  subject  is  extremely  embarrassing. 
Should  the  Treaty  be  ratified  I  am  greatly  at  a  loss 
for  a  suitable  commissioner  to  send  to  Mexico  with 
it;  &  my  present  impression  is  that  I  will  entrust  it 
to  Gen'l  Butler  and  perhaps  associate  with  him  Gen'l 
Gushing  &  Brevet  Brig.  Gen'l  Persifer  Smith.  This 
I  will  decide  hereafter. 

Friday,  lOth  March,  1848, —  I  received  company 
as  usual  this  morning.  Many  persons,  members  of 
Congress  and  others,  called.  I  transacted  business 
with  some  of  the  members  of  the  Cabinet  &  other 
public  officers,  &  disposed  of  the  business  on  my  table. 
This  was  reception  evening.  A  number  of  persons, 
ladies  &  gentlemen,  called.  About  10  O'Clock 
P.  M.  Mr.  Dickens,  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate, 
brought  me  official  notice  that  the  Mexican  Treaty 
had  just  been  ratified  by  the  Senate  by  a  vote  of  38 
ayes  to  14  nays,  four  Senators  not  voting.  I  imme- 
diately retired  from  the  parlour  to  my  office  &  sent 
for  the  Secretary  of  War,  with  a  view  to  have  a  mes- 
senger despatched  to  Gen'l  Butler  in  Mexico,  to 
carry  intelligence  to  him  that  the  Treaty  with  Mex- 
ico had  been  ratified  by  the  Senate  of  the  U.  S.,  with 
certain  amendments,  and  that  it  would  be  sent  out  by 
a  commissioner  invested  with  plenipotentiary  powers 
in  the  course  of  four  or  five  days.  The  Secretary  of 
War  informed  me  that  the  clerks  had  left  his  office. 


378  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [n  Mar. 

and  that  he  could  not  have  copies  of  a  despatch  which 
he  had  prepared  for  Gen'l  Butler  made  to-night,  in 
time  for  the  bearer  of  them  to  set  out  to-night.  The 
departure  of  the  messenger  was  therefore  postponed 
until  to-morrow  night.  The  Senate  have  so  modified 
the  Treaty  that  I  fear  it  will  not  be  ratified  by  Mex- 
ico. 

Saturday,  nth  March,  1848. —  I  received  a  few 
persons  who  called  on  business  this  morning.  The 
Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour;  all  the  members  pres- 
ent. I  informed  the  Cabinet  that  a  special  messenger 
would  set  out  to-night  bearing  a  despatch  from  the 
Secretary  of  War  announcing  to  Gen'l  Butler  the  rat- 
ification of  the  Mexican  Treaty,  with  amendments, 
by  the  Senate  of  the  U.  S.,  and  that  a  commissioner 
with  plenipotentiary  power  would  be  appointed  in  a 
few  days  to  proceed  with  the  Treaty  to  Mexico.  I 
consulted  the  Cabinet  as  to  the  proper  person  to  be 
appointed  commissioner.  I  suggested  myself  that 
Senator  Sevier  would  be  a  proper  person  to  be  the 
commissioner.  Several  other  persons  were  named,  & 
their  fitness  and  qualifications  discussed  and  consid- 
ered. Mr.  Buchanan  remarked  that  the  commis- 
sioner should  speak  the  Spanish  language,  but  that,  if 
one  was  to  be  appointed  who  could  not  speak  that 
language,  he  knew  of  no  one  whom  he  would  prefer 
to  Mr.  Sevier.  Mr.  Walker  had  doubts  about  the 
policy  or  propriety  of  selecting  Mr.  Sevier.  After 
much  conversation  on  the  subject  the  Cabinet  all  ac- 
quiesced in  the  opinion  that  I  could  not  do  better 
than  to  select  Mr.  Sevier.     I  finally  decided  to  tender 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  379 

the  mission  to  Mr.  Sevier.  After  transacting  some 
other  business,  the  Cabinet  retired  about  2  O'clock 
P.  M.  Shortly  after  3  O'Clock  P.  M.,  Mr.  Sevier, 
whom  I  invited  last  evening  to  call  at  that  hour,  came 
into  my  office.  I  tendered  the  Mission  to  Mexico  to 
him.  It  took  him  by  surprise,  as  I  had  given  him 
no  previous  intimation  that  I  had  any  thoughts  of 
the  kind.  He  said  promptly  that  he  could  not  ac- 
cept ;  assigning  as  reasons  that  he  had  no  wish  to  leave 
the  Senate;  and  that,  if  he  had,  he  had  taken  a  very 
active  part  in  urging  the  ratification  of  the  Treaty, 
&  w^ere  he  now  to  accept  the  Mission  he  would  be 
subject  to  the  imputation  of  having  done  so  with  a 
view  to  procure  for  himself  the  appointment.  He 
manifested  a  commendable  delicacy  &  a  high  sense  of 
honour  on  the  subject.  I  urged  him  to  accept,  and 
told  him  if  any  such  imputation  was  made  I  would 
correct  it.  He  stated  other  reasons  why  he  could 
not  accept  it,  but  finally  said  he  would  consider  of  it 
until  to-morrow  morning,  when  he  would  give  me 
a  positive  answer.  On  consultation  with  Vice  Presi- 
dent Dallas  this  morning,  he  thought  I  could  not  do 
better  than  to  select  Mr.  Sevier.  The  fact  that  he  is 
a  member  of  the  Senate  &  chairman  of  the  committee 
on  Foreign  affairs,  and  perfectly  acquainted  with  the 
subject  of  the  Treaty  and  the  difficulties  which  had 
been  encountered  in  its  ratification,  would  make  his 
selection  peculiarly  proper,  and  might  have  a  favour- 
able eflfect  upon  the  mexican  Government  and  peo- 
ple. I  had  a  dinner-party  of  15  or  20  members  of 
Congress  to-day. 


38o  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [12  Mar. 

Maj'r  Graham  ^  of  the  U.  S.  army  left  to-night 
as  special  bearer  of  despatches  to  Gen'l  Butler  in 
Mexico,  announcing  to  him  the  ratification  of  the 
mexican  Treaty,  with  amendments,  by  the  Senate, 
and  that  it  [would  be  followed]  by  a  commissioner 
invested  with  Plenipotentiary  Powers,  in  the  course 
of  a  few  days.  I  saw  Maj'r  Graham  with  the  Secre- 
tary of  War  at  my  office  after  my  dinner-company 
retired,  gave  him  a  printed  copy  of  the  Treaty  for 
Gen'l  Butler,  and  explained  to  him  the  amendments 
which  the  Senate  had  made. 

Sunday,  12th  March,  1848. —  Senator  Sevier 
called  before  church  hour  this  morning,  as  he  had 
promised  to  do  in  my  interview  with  him  on  yester- 
day. (See  this  diary  of  yesterday.)  He  said  he  had 
reflected  upon  the  tender  I  had  made  to  him  of  the 
appointment  of  commissioner  to  Mexico,  with  a  view 
to  procure  the  ratification  by  that  Government  of 
the  Treaty  recently  ratified  by  the  Senate  of  the  U. 
States,  and  though  he  would  much  prefer  that  I 
should  select  some  other  person,  yet,  if  I  still  de- 
sired it,  he  could  not  decline.  He  said  if  he  was 
nominated  to  the  Senate,  it  was  important  in  order  to 
avoid  any  imputation  upon  his  motives  in  advocating 
before  the  Senate,  as  he  had  done,  the  ratification  of 
the  Treaty,  that  the  Senate  should  understand  that  he 
had  not  the  slightest  expectation  at  that  time  that 
he  would  be  selected  as  the  commissioner  to  bear  the 
Treaty  back  to  Mexico.     I  told  him  that  I  would  see 

^  Lawrence  Pike  Graham ;  brevetted  Major  for  gallant  conduct 
in  the  battles  of  Palo  Alto  and  Reseca  de  la  Palma. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  381 

Senators  Dix,  Cass,  Mangum,  &  Hannegan,  and  in- 
form them  how  the  facts  were.  Mr.  Sevier  had  no 
intimation  that  he  would  be  selected  until  I  made 
known  to  him  my  wishes  at  3  O'Clock  P.  M.  on  yes- 
terday, the  day  after  the  Treaty  had  been  ratified, 
and  when  I  mentioned  the  subject  to  him  he  appeared 
to  be  surprised. 

Mrs.  Polk  and  myself  attended  the  First  Presbyte- 
rian church  to-day. 

Monday,  13th  March,  1848. —  A  much  larger 
number  of  persons  called  this  morning  than  usual. 
Indeed,  my  office  was  filled  with  visitors  until  after 
12  O'clock.  The  Senate  did  not  sit  to-day,  and 
among  others  who  called  were  about  a  dozen  Sena- 
tors. I  communicated  to  Senators  Hannegan,  Dix, 
Cass,  Turney,  &  Bagby  my  intention  to  nominate 
Senator  Sevier  to  the  Senate  on  to-morrow  as  com- 
missioner to  Mexico.  I  sent  my  Private  Secretary 
to  invite  Senator  Mangum  of  N.  C.  to  call  at  my 
office,  and  he  did  so  about  3  O'Clock  P.  M.  Mr. 
Mangum,  though  a  Whig,  is  a  gentleman,  and  fair 
&  manly  in  his  opposition  to  my  administration.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  committee  of  Foreign  afifairs  of 
the  Senate,  and  had  zealously  supported  the  ratifica- 
tion of  the  Mexican  Treaty.  After  a  conversation 
with  him  on  the  subject  of  the  Treaty  I  informed 
him,  and  that  was  the  principal  object  I  had  in  send- 
ing for  him,  that  I  had  tendered  the  Mission  to  Mex- 
ico to  the  Hon.  Louis  McLane  of  Baltimore,  who 
had  declined  to  accept,  and  that  on  the  afternoon  of 
Saturday  last  I  had  invited  Senator  Sevier  to  accept 


382  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [13  Mar. 

it,  and  that  he  had  at  first  declined  to  accept,  but  had 
on  my  earnest  solicitation  finally  agreed  to  do  so. 
I  informed  Mr.  Mangum  that  Mr.  Sevier  had  felt  a 
reluctance  to  accept  it  because  [of]  the  active  part  he 
had  taken  in  procuring  the  ratification  of  the  Treaty, 
lest  it  might  be  imputed  to  him  that  he  had  had  a 
personal  object  in  view.  I  authorized  Mr.  Man- 
gum,  when  his  nomination  was  sent  to  the  Senate,  if 
he  deemed  proper  to  do  so,  to  state  the  facts,  and 
that  Mr.  Sevier  had  not  the  slightest  intimation  that 
I  would  select  him  until  the  afternoon  of  Saturday, 
the  day  after  the  Treaty  had  been  ratified  by  the  Sen- 
ate. Mr.  Mangum  intimated  his  preference  for  a 
joint  commission  of  three  commissioners,  but  ex- 
pressed his  satisfaction  at  my  selection  of  Mr.  Sevier, 
and  said  if  it  became  necessary  he  would  make  the 
statement  to  the  Senate  which  I  had  authorized  him 
to  make.  I  informed  all  the  other  Senators  with 
whom  I  conversed  to-day  of  the  facts  connected  with 
Mr.  Sevier's  selection.  Having  made  up  my  mind 
to  appoint  Robert  M.  Walsh,  Esqr.,  of  Pennsylvania, 
to  be  Secretary  of  Legation,  I  sent  for  him  and  ten- 
dered the  appointment  to  him.  He  expressed  his 
willingness  to  accept.  Mr.  Walsh  was  for  many 
years  Secretary  of  Legation  to  Brazil,  and  speaks  and 
writes  the  Spanish  and  French  languages,  and  is  an 
educated  gentleman,  qualifications  which  emminently 
fit  him  for  the  Station.  I  saw  the  Secretaries  of  State 
&  War  and  conferred  with  them  freely  in  relation  to 
the  instructions  to  be  given  to  the  commissioner  to 
Mexico,  and  to  Gen'l  Butler  who  commands  the  army 
in  Mexico.     In  the  midst  of  these  important  matters 


i848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  383 

I  was  greatly  importuned  for  appointments  to  office 
by  the  crowd  of  persons  who  visited  me  to-day.  1 
disposed  of  the  business  on  my  table  as  usual  &  re- 
tired at  a  late  hour,  much  fatigued. 

Thursday,  14th  March,  1848. —  Several  mem- 
bers of  Congress  called  before  the  hour  of  meeting  of 
the  Cabinet  this  morning.  The  Cabinet  assembled 
at  the  usual  hour;  all  the  members  present.  At  12 
O'clock  I  sent  a  message  to  the  Senate  nominating 
Senator  Sevier  of  Arkansas  to  be  commissioner,  with 
the  rank  of  Envoy  Extraordinary  and  Minister  Pleni- 
potentiary, to  the  Republic  of  Mexico;  and  Robert 
M.  Walsh  of  Pennsylvania  as  Secretary  of  Legation. 
The  Senate  acted  promptly  on  these  nominations,  and 
about  an  hour  after  they  were  sent  in  I  received  of- 
ficial notice  that  they  had  been  confirmed.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan read  the  draft  of  a  despatch  ^  which  he  had 
prepared  to  the  minister  of  Foreign  affairs  of  Mex- 
ico, to  accompany  the  Mexican  Treaty  as  amended 
by  the  Senate  of  the  U.  S.,  and  explanatory  of  the 
amendments.  Some  slight  modifications  were  sug- 
gested and  made.  The  instructions  to  be  given  to 
Mr.  Sevier  were  the  subject  of  conversation  and  were 
agreed  upon.  They  are  to  be  prepared  by  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan. The  instructions  to  be  given  to  Gen'l  But- 
ler, on  the  return  of  the  amended  Treaty,  were  also 
the  subject  of  conversation  and  were  agreed  upon. 
They  are  to  be  prepared  by  Mr.  Marcy.  The  Secre- 
tary of  War  submitted  the  answers  of  Gen'l  Quitman 
and  Gen'l  Shields  in  reply  to  the  letter  of  the  Secre- 

^  Moore,  Buchanan,  VIII,  14-22. 


384  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [15  Mar. 

tary  of  War  on  the  subject  of  the  council  of  War 
held  by  Gen'l  Scott  at  Puebla,  on  the  17th  of  July 
last,  at  which  Gen'l  Scott  submitted  the  proposition 
of  the  propriety  of  using  money  to  bribe  the  Mexican 
authorities  with  a  view  to  obtain  peace.  These  let- 
ters, together  with  those  heretofore  received  from 
Gen'l  Pillow  and  Gen'l  Twiggs,  disclose  a  state  of 
facts  in  relation  to  Gen'l  Scott's  and  Mr.  Trist's  ac- 
tion in  the  matter,  as  to  render  it  indispensibly  neces- 
sary to  investigate  the  subject  further.  I  expressed 
the  opinion  to  the  Secretary  of  War  that  the  Court 
of  Enquiry  of  which  Gen'l  Tomson  is  President, 
now  sitting  in  Mexico,  should  be  directed  to  investi- 
gate it,  and  its  connection,  if  any,  with  the  halting 
of  our  army  after  the  battle  of  Cherubusco  on  the 
20th  of  August,  and  the  subsequent  armistice.  There 
is  ground  to  suspect  that  there  was  an  understand- 
ing between  Gen'l  Scott  &  Santa  Anna;  that  money 
was  to  be  paid;  that  the  army  was  to  be  halted  be- 
fore entering  the  City  of  Mexico;  that  an  armistice 
was  to  follow  and  a  Treaty  be  made.  The  matter 
must  now  be  probed,  and  the  whole  of  the  facts  be 
brought  out.  The  subject  was  one  of  conversation  in 
the  Cabinet,  but  no  definite  decision  was  made.  The 
Cabinet  adjourned  about  2  O'Clock  P.  M.,  and  I  dis- 
posed [of]  several  matters  of  business  on  my  table. 

This  was  reception  evening,  and  the  usual  number 
of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  attended. 

Wednesday,  i^th  March,  1848.— An  unusual 
number  of  persons  called  this  morning,  and  my  pa- 
tience was  almost  exhausted  by  the  importunities  of 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  385 

the  office-seekers.  For  the  convenience  of  members 
of  Congress  who  wish  to  see  me  on  business  I  am 
compelled  to  keep  my  office  open  each  day  until  12 
O'clock;  and  this  affords  an  opportunity  for  all  the 
adventurers  and  loafers  who  come  to  Washington,  to 
crowd  in  and  annoy  me  for  offices.  I  refuse  their  ap- 
plications one  after  another,  but  still  they  occupy 
much  of  my  time.  At  1 2  O'Clock  I  was  glad  to  close 
my  office.  JVIr.  Sevier,  U.  S.  minister  to  Mexico, 
called,  and  I  had  a  long  interview  with  him  in  rela- 
tion to  the  objects  of  his  mission.  During  the  inter- 
view Mr.  Buchanan  called  and  read  the  draft  of  the 
instructions  ^  to  Mr.  Sevier  which  he  had  prepared. 
I  suggested  a  single  modification,  which  he  said  he 
would  make.  The  balance  of  the  day  I  spent  in  at- 
tending to  various  official  duties. 

I  learned  with  much  surprise  last  evening  that  a 
motion  had  been  made  in  Executive  Session  of  the 
Senate  to  remove  the  injunction  of  Secrecy  from  the 
proceedings  of  that  body  on  the  ratification  of  the 
Mexican  treaty.  Believing  that  if  the  motion  pre- 
vailed it  would  endanger,  if  not  defeat,  the  ratifica- 
tion by  Mexico,  I  spoke  to  several  Senators,  who 
called  last  night  and  this  morning,  &  requested  them 
to  prevent  it.  There  is  no  precedent  for  removing 
the  injunction  of  secrecy  from  the  proceedings  of 
the  Senate  on  Treaties,  until  after  both  parties  have 
ratified  the  Treaty,  &  the  ratifications  have  been  ex- 
changed. In  this  case,  it  would  be  peculiarly  unfor- 
tunate to  do  so,  because  it  would  expose  to  Mexico, 
whilst  the  ratification  of  the  Treaty  on  her  part  was 

^  Moore,  Buchanan,  VIII,   8-14. 


386  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i6  Mae. 

Still  pending,  the  divisions  in  the  Senate,  as  shown  by 
the  recorded  votes  on  various  propositions  of  amend- 
ment and  on  the  final  ratification,  and  would  ex- 
cite their  hopes  that  by  refusing  to  ratify  they  might 
hereafter  obtain  better  terms.  It  would  also  expose 
to  them  the  confidential  instructions  given  to  Mr. 
Slidell  &  Mr.  Trist;  as  well  as  enable  Senators  op- 
posed to  the  Treaty  to  publish  their  speeches  on  the 
Mexican  side  of  the  question,  delivered  in  Executive 
Session.  The  removal  of  the  injunction  of  Secrecy 
at  this  time  could  not  be  otherwise  than  mischievous. 

Thursday,  idth  March,  1848.—  It  would  seem 
that  the  annoyance  to  which  I  am  subjected  by  the 
importunities  of  office  seekers  is  never  to  cease.  To- 
day an  unusual  number  of  them  crowded  my  office, 
and  among  them  several  females,  seeking  places  for 
their  sons,  brothers,  or  husbands.  At  one  time  to-day 
two  ladies  of  respectability,  whom  I  know,  were  ad- 
dressing me  at  the  same  time  in  behalf  of  their 
brother,  whom  I  have  understood  is  a  drunkard  & 
wholly  unworthy  of  any  public  trust.  They  desired 
to  have  him  pensioned  on  the  Government.  They 
occupied  half  an  hour  of  my  time.  Several  other 
females  were  among  the  number  who  called  on  like 
errands.  It  is  most  disgusting  that  women  are  sent 
to  me  to  seek  office  for  their  worthless  relations,  and 
whenever  they  apply  the  presumption  with  me  is  that 
the  persons  for  whom  they  apply  are  unworthy  of 
public  employment. 

I  spent  near  two  hours  to-day  in  conferring  with 
Mr.  Buchanan,   Mr.   Cliflord,   and   Mr.   Mason  in 


JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  387 

relation  to  Mr.  Sevier's  instructions  as  minister 
to  Mexico.  An  important  question  had  arisen, 
whether,  in  the  event  of  the  Mexican  Treaty  as 
amended  by  the  Senate  was  ratified  by  Mexico,  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  could  execute  a  bond  or 
obligation  of  indebtedness  to  Mexico  bearing  date  at 
this  time,  but  not  to  be  delivered  until  the  ratifications 
were  exchanged.  It  was  desirable  that  Mr.  Sevier 
should  take  with  him  such  contingent  obligations,  if 
it  were  lawful  to  issue  them;  for  without  an  assur- 
ance that  some  evidence  would  be  given  to  Mexico 
for  the  payment  of  the  four  installments  of  3  mil- 
lions each  according  to  the  stipulations  of  the  Treaty, 
the  Mexican  Government  might  be  unwilling  to  rat- 
ify it.  Mr.  Buchanan  was  clear  that  such  evidence 
of  indebtedness  might  be,  and  ought  to  be,  furnished 
to  Mr.  Sevier  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury.  I 
concurred  in  this  opinion  and  so  did  Judge  Mason. 
Mr.  Cliflford'at  first  dou[b]ted  the  legal  authority  to 
issue  them,  but  finally  assented  that  it  was  necessary 
and  would  be  proper.  Mr.  Buchanan  stated  that 
Mr.  Walker,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  whom 
he  had  seen,  &  who  was  confined  to  his  house  to-day 
by  sickness,  doubted  his  authority.  After  discussing 
the  subject,  Mr.  Buchanan  &  Mr.  Clifford  went  to 
the  House  of  Mr.  Walker  and  conferred  with  him 
on  the  subject.  Mr.  Clifford  returned  and  informed 
me  that  Mr.  Walker  had  become  satisfied  and  would 
issue  the  obligations,  to  be  delivered  by  Mr.  Sevier 
only  upon  the  exchange  of  ratifications  of  the  Treaty. 
I  sent  my  Private  Secretary  to  see  the  Secretary  of 
War,  who  was  also  confined  to  his  house  to-day  by 


388  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [17  Mae. 

sickness,  to  suggest  to  him  the  propriety  of  sending 
to  the  Court  of  Inquiry  in  Mexico  of  which  Gen'l 
Tomson  is  President,  instructions  to  embrace  in  their 
inquiries  an  investigation  of  the  alleged  use  of  pub- 
lic money  by  Gen'l  Scott  as  a  secret  service  fund  to 
induce  the  mexican  authorities  to  make  peace.  The 
answers  of  Gen'ls  Scott,  Pillow,  Twiggs,  Shields,  & 
Quitman  to  enquiries  made  of  them  on  the  subject 
disclosed  facts  which  made  such  an  investigation 
proper.  The  Secretary  of  War  being  ill,  after  my 
Private  Secretary  returned  from  his  house  I  saw  Mr. 
Mason  &  Col.  Cooper,  asst.  adjt.  Gen'l,  and  directed 
the  points  to  which  the  enquiries  were  to  be  made. 
This  is  a  very  delicate  subject,  and  as  a  public  ex- 
amination into  the  facts  might  operate  prejudicially 
upon  the  Mexican  mind,  I  directed  that  the  court  of 
Enquiry  might,  if  they  chose,  conduct  the  investiga- 
tion in  closed  doors.  Col.  Cooper  made  a  memo- 
randum of  the  points  of  enquiry  to  which  the 
attention  of  the  Court  of  enquiry  was  to  be  directed. 
I  disposed  of  much  business  on  my  table  to-day. 

Friday,  IJth  March,  1848. —  I  had  a  large  num- 
ber of  visitors  this  morning,  most  of  them  seeking 
office  as  is  usually  the  case.  A  delegation  of  Chero- 
kees  waited  on  me  and  were  introduced  by  the  com- 
missioner of  Indian  affairs.  The  Secretary  of  War 
has  been  confined  to  his  house  by  sickness  for  two  or 
three  days,  and  being  still  so  I  saw  Col.  Cooper,  asst. 
adjt.  Gen'l  and  gave  him  further  instructions  in  re- 
gard to  despatches  which  he  was  preparing  for  the 
Court  of   Enquiry  now  sitting  in   Mexico,   and   to 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  389 

Gen'l  Butler,  which,  under  my  direction,  he  is  pre- 
paring for  the  Secretary  of  War.     About  2  O'Ciock 
P.  M.  I  was  much  concerned  to  learn  that  Mr.  Se- 
vier, lately  appointed  commissioner  to  Mexico,  and 
who  was  expected  to  set  out  on  his  mission,  was  se- 
riously ill.     His  instructions  and  all  the  despatches 
are  prepared.     I  immediately  addressed  a  note  to  his 
relation,  Hon.  R.  W.  Johnson  ^  of  the  Ho.  Repts., 
and  sent  my  messenger  with  it  to  his  boarding  house 
to    ascertain    his    actual    condition.     Mr.    Johnson 
called  shortly  afterwards,  when  I  learned  that  Mr. 
Sevier  was  quite  ill,  so  much  so  that  his  physician 
had  refused  to  permit  any  persons  to  visit  him.     I 
saw  Mr.  Buchanan  on  the  subject,  and  decided  at 
once  that  another  commissioner  to  Mexico  must  be 
appointed,  with  full  powers,  &c.,  to  proceed  to  Mex- 
ico with  the  Treaty  as  amended  &  ratified  by  the  Sen- 
ate.    It  was  a  case  of  emergency  and  no  time  was  to 
be  lost.     I  thought  of  Mr.  Clififord,  the  Atto.  Gen'l 
of  the  U.  S.,  as  a  fit  person,  and  one  who  was  al- 
ready informed  of  all  my  views,  and  told  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan if  he  would  accept  of  the  mission  I  would 
appoint  him.     Mr.  Buchanan  concurred  with  me  in 
opinion  as  to  Mr.  Clififord's  fitness.     I  sent  for  Mr. 
Clifford  and  informed  him  of  the  emergency  which 
had  arisen,  and  informed  him  that  I  wished  him  to 
accept  the  mission.     The  tender  of  the  mission  took 
him  by  surprise,  but  he  said  if  I  deemed  it  to  be 
necessary  for  the  public  service  he  would  accept  it. 
I  told  him  I  would  appoint  him,  if  Mr.  Sevier  con- 

^  Robert  W.  Johnson,  1 814-1879,  Representative  from  Arkan- 
sas 1847-1853,  Senator  1853-1861. 


390  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  Li8  Mar. 

tinued  so  ill  as  to  render  it  improbable  that  he  could 
proceed  to  Mexico  in  two  or  three  days.     His  at- 
tack, I  understand,  is  such  as  he  has  been  subject  to, 
and  from  which  he  may  recover  speedily.     I  sent  my 
Private  Secretary  to  the  Capitol  to  inform  the  chair- 
man of  the  committee  on  Foreign  affairs  of  the  Sen- 
ate, that  in  consequence  of  Mr.  Sevier's  indisposition, 
I  would  probably  desire  to  nominate  another  com- 
missioner to  Mexico  on  to-morrow,  and  to  request 
him  to  prevail  on  the  Senate  not  to  adjourn  over  until 
monday,  as  I  learned  they  would  probably  do.     The 
Senate  is  in  the  habit  of  adjourning  over  from  Thurs- 
day or  Friday  in  each  week  to  monday,  when  no 
pressing  business  requires  them  to  be  in  Session  on 
Saturdays. 

I  had  a  Dinner  party  to-day,  consisting  of  about  20 
members  of  Congress,  and  three  or  four  other  per- 
sons. This  was  reception  evening.  The  usual  num- 
ber of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  attended. 

Saturday,  l8th  March,  1848.— This  morning 
the  Hon.  Mr.  Johnson,  the  brother-in-law  of  Mr. 
Sevier,  and  Dr.  Hall,  his  attending  physician,  called 
and  reported  to  me  that  Mr.  Sevier  had  been  quite 
ill  last  night,  but  was  better  this  morning.  From 
Dr.  Hall's  statement  of  his  condition  I  was  satisfied, 
if  he  recovered  speedily,  he  could  not  be  able  to  pro- 
ceed on  his  mission  to  Mexico  for  some  days  to  come; 
and  I  determined  to  nominate  Mr.  Clifford  to  the 
Senate  as  an  associate  commissioner  to  Mexico,  with 
full  diplomatic  powers,  to  act  either  separately,  or 
jointly  with  Mr.  Sevier,  if  the  latter  should  recover 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  391 

from  his  illness  and  be  able  to  follow  &  join  him 
in  Mexico.     At  my  request  Mr.  Buchanan  waited  on 
Mr.  Sevier,  and  learned  from  him  that  Mr.  Clifford's 
appointment  as  associate  commissioner  would  be  en- 
tirely satisfactory  to  him.     I  sent  for  Senator  Han- 
negan,  chairman  of  the  committee  of  Foreign  affairs, 
and  for  Senator  Cass,  and  informed  them  that  they 
might  explain  to  the  Senate  the  necessity  for  the  ap- 
pointment of  another  commissioner.     At  12  O'Clock 
I  sent  Mr.  Clifford's  nomination  to  the  Senate  and 
it  was  immediately  confirmed  by  the  Senate.     At  5 
O'clock  P.  M.  Mr.  Clifford  rode  with  me  in  my 
carriage  to  Mr.  Sevier's  boarding  house,  and  [we 
learned  that  he  was]  better  than  he  was  in  the  morn- 
ing.    He  was  perfectly  satisfied  with  Mr.  Clifford's 
association   with   him   as   a   joint   commissioner,   & 
thought  he  would  be  able  to  follow  him  in  a  few  days. 
After  night  Mr.  Clifford  called,  and  I  held  a  full 
conversation  with  him  on  the  subject  of  his  mission 
and  its  objects.     He  handed  to  me  his  Resignation  of 
the  office  of  Atto.  Gen'l  of  the  U.  States.     I  informed 
him  that  I  would  not  fill  the  place  by  a  permanent 
ippointment,  but  would  make  an  appointment  ad 
interim,  in  the  hope  that  his  absence  on  his  mission 
might  be  of  short  duration,  and  that  on  his  return  I 
would  desire  him  to  resume  the  office  of  Atto.  Gen- 
eral.    Mr.  Clifford's  appointment  as  commissioner  is 
the  best,  under  all  the  circumstances,  which  I  could 
have  made.     He  is  perfectly  familiar  with  all  my 
views,  as  often  discussed  in  the  Cabinet,  in  relation 
to  the  Treaty  and   all  its  provisions.     He   is,   too, 
a  very  discreet,  sensible  man.     I [n] deed,  upon  the 


392 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [19  Mar. 


happening  of  the  sudden  illness  of  Mr.  Sevier,  and 
the  necessity  of  despatching  another  commissioner 
without  delay,  there  is  no  other  person  out  of  my  Cab- 
inet, who  could  have  been  so  well  prepared  to  carry 
out  my  views.  Mr.  Clifford  took  leave  of  me  in  my 
office  about  10  O'Clock  to-night  and  will  proceed  on 
his  journey,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Walsh,  the  Secre- 
tary of  Legation,  to-morrow  morning  at  3  O'Clock. 
He  will  travel  by  the  Southern  route.  He  bears  de- 
spatches from  the  War  Department  to  Gen'l  Butler 
&  the  Court  of  Enquiry  in  Mexico  of  which  Gen'l 
Tomson  is  President,  and  a  letter  to  Gen'l  Scott.  He 
also  bears  despatches  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy 
to  Commodore  Perry,  who  is  in  command  of  the 
naval  squadron  in  the  gulf  of  Mexico. 

This  was  the  regular  day  for  the  meeting  of  the 
Cabinet,  but  no  regular  meeting  was  held.  All  the 
members  were  present  at  different  periods  of  the  day, 
except  the  Secretaries  of  the  Treasury  and  War,  both 
of  whom  are  confined  to  their  houses  by  sickness.  I 
determined  to  appoint  Mr.  Clifford  without  having 
a  Cabinet  meeting  on  the  subject,  for  I  had  no  time 
to  do  so. 

Sunday,  igth  March,  1848. —  This  was  a  wet  day. 
I  was  much  wearied  by  the  unceasing  labours  of  the 
past  week.  I  did  not  attend  church,  but  remained 
quiet  &  rested.     Mrs.  Polk  did  not  attend  church. 

Monday,  20th  March,  1848. —  A  large  number 
of  persons  called  this  morning,  some  to  pay  their  re- 
spects and  others  on  business,  and,  of  course,  some 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  393 

seeking  office,  as  is  always  the  case  when  my  office 
is  opened  for  the  reception  of  company.  1  ap- 
pointed Judge  Mason,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy, 
Acting  Atto.  Gen'l  of  the  U.  S.  ad  interim,  during 
the  absence  of  Mr.  Clififord,  or  until  a  permanent 
appointment  is  made.  Mr.  Clifford  left  with  me  his 
resignation  when  he  set  out  on  his  mission  to  Mexico 
on  Saturday  night  last.  I  did  not  accept  it  or  take 
any  action  upon  it,  intending,  if  Mr.  Clifford  should 
return  in  two  or  three  months,  to  re-appoint  him  at- 
torney General.  He  is  a  safe  and  able  lawyer  and 
I  was  satisfied  with  him  as  a  member  of  my  Cabi- 
net. I  sent  a  message  ^  to  the  Ho.  Repts.  to-day  in 
answer  to  their  Resolution  of  the  7th  of  February 
last,  calling  for  the  correspondence  of  Gen'ls  Scott 
and  Taylor  and  Mr.  Trist.  It  was  a  very  voluminous 
document,  requiring  much  time  in  its  preperation. 
It  was  delayed,  moreover,  for  some  days,  from  the 
fact  that  the  originals  of  that  part  of  it  containing 
Mr.  Trist's  correspondence  with  the  Department  of 
State  had,  in  order  to  save  time  in  copying,  been 
sent  to  the  Senate  confidentially  in  their  Executive 
Session,  during  the  pendency  of  the  Mexican  Treaty 
before  that  body,  &  had  not  been  returned  to  the 
State  Dept.  I  sent  last  week  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Senate  to  procure  a  copy  of  parts  of  the  correspond- 
ence proper  to  be  published  with  a  view  to  send  it 
to  the  House,  and  these  copies  were  not  completed 
until  this  morning.  I  learn  that  when  my  message 
reached  the  House  to-day,  that  body  were  engaged  in 
voting  upon  a  Resolution  enquiring  into  the  cause  of 

^  Richardson,  Messages  and  Papers  of  the  Presidents,  IV,  577. 


394  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [21  Mar. 

the  delay  in  answering  their  Resolution.  The  reso- 
lution, I  understand,  was  introduced  by  Mr.  Cling- 
man  of  N.  C.  last  week.  Mr.  Appleton,  the  chief 
clerk  of  the  Department  of  State,  informs  me  that 
Mr.  Dickens,  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate,  had  in- 
formed Mr.  Clingman  of  the  cause  of  delay,  viz., 
that  a  part  of  the  correspondence  was  in  possession 
of  the  Senate  and  could  not  be  furnished  sooner  by 
the  State  Dept.  Notwithstanding  Mr.  Clingman 
had  this  information,  it  suited  his  party  purposes  to 
press  his  Resolution  this  morning.  Mr.  Clingman 
is  a  violent  Whig.  The  announcement  of  my  mes- 
sage to  the  House  put  an  end  to  the  party  capital 
which  he  expected  to  make  by  his  resolution.  The 
conduct  of  Mr.  Clingman  was  such  as  demagogues 
&  little  partisans  will  sometimes  resort  to.  The  Sec- 
retary of  War,  who  had  partially  recovered  from  his 
indisposition,  called  to-day  &  spent  two  or  three 
hours  with  me  on  official  business.  Among  other 
things  we  examined  the  numerous  recommendations 
for  the  10  Cadets  at  large  to  be  appointed  by  the 
President,  and  agreed  upon  the  selections  to  be  made, 
except  one  or  two,  which  I  will  decide  upon  in  a  day 
or  two.  I  cleared  my  table  of  the  business  upon  it. 
After  night  Senators  Hannegan  &  Bagby  called. 

Tuesday,  21st  March,  1848. —  I  saw  company 
and  transacted  business  as  usual  this  morning.  The 
Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour;  all  the  members  pres- 
ent (the  office  of  Atto.  Gen'l  being  filled  ad  interim 
by  Judge  Mason).     The  Senate  of  the  U.  S.  haying 


i848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  395 

passed  a  Resolution  calling  for  a  letter  ^  addressed 
by  the  Secretary  of  State  to  Mr.  Larkin,  U.  S.  consul 
at  Monterey,  in  California,  in  October,  1845,  it  was 
a  question  submitted  for  consideration  to-day  whether 
it  was  compatible  with  the  public  interest  to  comply 
with  the  call.     The  letter  was  read.     It  was  confi- 
dential and  had  for  its  object  the  protection  of  Amer- 
ican  interests   and   the   prevention   of   Brittish   and 
French  interference  in  California.     All  agreed  that 
the  letter  should  not  have  been  called  for,  but  that  as 
it  had  been  called  for  a  refusal  to  furnish  it  would 
lead  to  erroneous  inferences,  prejudicial  to  the  ad- 
ministration.    A  false  impression  is  being  attempted 
by  the  opposition  in  Congress,  to  be  made,  to  the  ef- 
fect that  this  letter  to  Mr.  Larkin  contained  instruc- 
tions to  produce  a  revolution  in  California  before 
Mexico  commenced  the  War  against  the  U.  S.,  & 
that  Col.  Fremont  had  the  authority  to  make  the  rev- 
olution.    The  publication  of  the  letter  will  prove  the 
falsehood  of  such  an  inference.     It  was  finally  con- 
cluded to  send  the  letter  in,  omitting  a  single  para- 
graph relating  to  the  probable  designs  of  England  on 
California.     Some  other  business,  of  no  great  mo- 
ment, was  considered  and  disposed  of.     This  was  re- 
ception evening.     Many  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen, 
called. 

Wednesday,  22nd  March,  1848. —  Many  per- 
sons called  this  morning.  I  was  importuned  for 
office  as  usual.     At  12  O'Clock  I  closed  my  office 

^  Moore,  Buchanan,  VI,  275. 


396  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [23  Mar. 

and  proceeded  to  consider  the  business  on  my  table. 
I  send  [sent]  a  message  to  the  Senate  in  answer  to  a 
call  made  by  that  body  for  the  correspondence  of 
Mr.  Wise,  late  U.  S.  Minister  to  Brazil.  I  spent 
some  time  with  the  Secretary  of  War  on  business. 
After  he  left  I  spent  some  time,  also,  with  the  Secre- 
tary of  State  on  business.  I  disposed  of  much  busi- 
ness of  detail  which  was  on  my  table.  In  the  after- 
noon I  gave  a  short  sitting  to  Mr.  Kellogg,  in  the 
ladies  parlour  above  stairs,  for  my  portrait.  Mr. 
Kellogg  is  an  artist  of  merit.  He  took  my  portrait 
at  Nashville,  while  I  was  Governor  of  Tennessee  in 
1840.  He  has  spent  several  years  in  Italy  since  that 
time.  At  his  request  Mrs.  Polk  &  myself  have 
agreed  to  sit  for  him  for  our  portraits.  He  desires 
to  take  them  to  Europe  with  him.  After  night  I  was 
occupied  as  usual  in  my  office. 

Thursday,  2Jrd  March,  1848. —  I  was  occupied 
as  usual  this  morning  in  receiving  visitors.  Many 
persons  called,  some  on  business,  some  to  pay  their  re- 
spects, and  many  on  the  usual  errand,  which  so  much 
annoys  me,  of  seeking  office.  I  was  glad  to  be  re- 
lieved from  the  pressure,  especially  of  the  office  seek- 
ers, by  closing  my  office  at  12  O'Clock.  I  trans- 
acted business  with  some  of  my  Secretaries  &  other 
public  officers,  and  disposed  of  much  public  business 
on  my  table.  I  was  much  astonished  at  having  the 
fact  called  to  my  attention  this  morning  by  my 
Private  Secretary  that  the  New  York  Herald  of  yes- 
terday contained  my  confidential  message  to  the  Sen- 
ate transmitting  the  Mexican  Treaty  to  the  Senate 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  397 

for  their  ratification.  After  learning  the  fact  I  men- 
tioned it  to  two  or  three  Senators  who  called,  and  ex- 
pressed my  indignation  at  the  breach  of  confidence 
which  had  been  committed  by  some  one,  by  which  it 
had  been  communicated  to  the  press.  I  learned  also, 
but  did  not  see  the  paper,  that  a  portion  of  the  con- 
fidential correspondence  which  accompanied  my 
message  with  the  Treaty  to  the  Senate,  had  also  been 
published  in  some  other  paper  in  New  York.  All 
communications  relating  to  Treaties  are  made  to  the 
Senate  in  confidence,  and  in  Executive  Session.  The 
Senate  are  in  the  habit  of  ordering  such  Executive 
communications  to  be  printed  in  confidence  for  their 
own  use;  and  some  Senator  has  probably  furnished  a 
printed  copy  for  publication,  either  to  the  Editors  or 
to  some  of  the  unprincipled  letter-writers  who  are 
stationed  a^  Washington  to  collect  news  for  them. 
Shortly  after  the  Mexican  Treaty  was  ratified  by  the 
Senate,  I  was  informed  that  a  motion  had  been  made 
in  the  Senate  to  remove  the  injunction  of  Secrecy 
from  their  proceedings  and  the  documents  relating 
to  the  Treaty.  I  deemed  it  very  important  that  this 
should  not  be  done  while  the  question  of  the  ratifi- 
cation of  the  Treaty  by  Mexico  was  pending,  and  so 
expressed  myself  to  many  Senators  who  called,  and 
among  the  rest  to  Senator  Hannegan,  the  chairman 
of  the  committee  of  Foreign  affairs.  The  injunc- 
tion has  not  been  taken  ofif  by  the  Senate,  but  now  it 
appears  that  a  part  of  these  confidential  papers  are 
being  published  in  the  papers  of  New  York.  I 
learned  in  the  morning  that  the  Senate  had  appointed 
a  committee   to   investigate  how   these   confidential 


398  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [24  Mar. 

communications  had  found  their  way  into  the  New 
York  papers.  I  am  glad  of  it,  and  hope  they  will 
ascertain  the  guilty  person  and  punish  him.  I  had 
a  dinner  party  to-day  consisting  of  between  20  and 
30  members  of  Congress  and  others.  All  the  Dem- 
ocratic members  of  Congress,  with  few  exceptions, 
&  many  of  the  Whig  members  have  dined  with  me 
during  the  present  Session  of  Congress.  The  late 
Senator  Sevier  of  Arkansas,  who  had  been  appointed 
commissioner  to  Mexico,  and  who  by  sudden  illness 
had  been  prevented  from  proceeding  on  his  mission, 
called  to-day  and  informed  me  that,  though  still  fee- 
ble from  his  late  attack,  he  had  resolved  to  leave  for 
mexico  in  the  Southern  Boat  of  to-morrow  morning. 
I  had  a  long  conversation  with  him  in  relation  to  the 
objects  of  his  mission. 

Friday,  24th  March,  1848. —  I  saw  company  as 
usual  this  morning.  I  closed  my  office  at  12 
O'clock,  and  transacted  business  on  my  table  and  saw 
several  of  the  public  officers  on  business.  I  learned 
this  morning  that  additional  confidential  documents 
communicated  to  the  Senate  with  the  Mexican 
Treaty,  had  been  published  in  the  New  York  Herald, 
and  among  others,  the  instructions  to  Mr.  Slidell, 
given  in  November,  1845.  These  instructions  I  had 
refused  to  communicate  to  the  Ho.  Repts.,  in  answer 
to  a  Resolution  of  that  body  calling  for  them,  during 
the  present  Session  of  Congress,  because  I  deemed 
their  publication,  pending  the  war  with  Mexico  and 
until  a  Treaty  of  peace  was  concluded  and  ratified, 
prejudicial  to  the  public  interests.     For  the  infor- 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY 


399 


mation  of  the  Senate,  in  Executive  Session,  I  had 
communicated  these  instructions  confidentially.  The 
publication  of  these  instructions  and  other  documents 
sent  to  the  Senate  with  the  Mexican  Treaty  is  a  great 
outrage,  and  the  person  through  whose  agency  it  has 
been  done  deserves  to  be  severely  rebuked  and  pun- 
ished (see  this  diary  of  yesterday).  1  sent  a  mes- 
sage ^  to  the  Senate  to-day,  in  answer  to  a  Resolution 
of  that  body  calling  for  a  letter  addressed  by  the  Sec- 
retary of  State  to  Mr.  Larkin,  U.  S.  consul  in  Cali- 
fornia, in  1845.  The  subject  of  transmitting  this  let- 
ter to  the  Senate  was  considered  in  the  Cabinet  on  the 
22nd  Inst,  (see  this  diary  of  that  day).  On  further 
reflection  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  its  publica- 
tion would  be  prejudicial  to  the  public  interests. 
The  Resolution  of  the  Senate  calling  for  it  had  been 
passed  in  Legislative  Session,  and  if  the  letter  was 
communicated  to  the  Senate  in  legislative  session  it 
would,  of  course,  become  public.  I  finally  deter- 
mined to  communicate  it  in  confidence  in  Executive 
Session,  and  after  expressing  my  own  opinion  that  it 
ought  not  to  be  made  public,  cast  the  responsibility 
of  its  publication  on  the  Senate,  if  they  chose  to  pub- 
lish it,  and  this  I  did  in  my  message.  My  Private 
Secretary  returned  from  the  Capitol  about  3  O'Clock, 
and  informed  me  that  Senator  Mangum  of  N.  C.  had 
told  him  that  the  committee  appointed  on  yesterday 
to  investigate  by  whose  agency  the  Mexican  Treaty 
and  the  confidential  documents  accompanying  it  had 
been  published  in  the  New  York  papers,  had  held  a 
meeting  this  morning,  and  that  they  had  examined 

^Richardson,  Messages  and  Papers  of  the  Presidents,  IV,  578. 


400  JA:vIES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [24  Mar. 

a  letter  writer  named  Nugent,  who  corresponds  with 
the  New  York  Herald  over  the  signature  of  Galvi- 
enses;  that  this  witness  had  admitted  that  he  had  fur- 
nished a  copy  of  the  Treaty  &  confidential  correspon- 
dence to  the  Herald  for  publication;  had  said,  in  his 
testimony,  that  he  had  not  procured  the  copy  from 
any  Senator,  but  to  the  interrogatory  whether  he  had 
obtained  it  from  either  of  the  Cabinet  or  Executive 
Departments,  had  refused  to  answer.  Mr.  Mangum 
informed  Col.  Walker  that  it  was,  he  learned,  pretty 
well  understood  that  the  copy  had  been  obtained  from 
the  State  Department.  I  was  much  astonished  at 
this  information.  In  taking  my  usual  walk  after 
dinner  I  met  the  Secretary  of  War  and  informed  him 
of  what  I  had  heard.  He  was  as  much  surprised  as 
I  was.  Shortly  after  I  returned  from  my  walk  Sen- 
ator Hannegan  called,  &  stated  to  me  in  substance 
the  same  thing  which  Mr.  Mangum  had  communi- 
cated to  Col.  Walker.  Mr.  Hannegan  told  me  that 
Senator  Wescott  had  stated  in  debate,  in  Executive 
Session  of  the  Senate  to-day,  that  there  was  no  doubt 
the  copy  had  been  obtained  from  Mr.  Buchanan. 
Mr.  Hannegan  expressed  his  own  belief  that  the  fact 
was  so,  &  added  that  such  was  the  belief  of  the  Sen- 
ate. He  said  that  much  discussion  had  taken  place 
in  Executive  Session  on  the  subject,  and  that  the  Sen- 
ate had  finally  added  two  more  members  to  the  com- 
mittee of  investigation,  of  whom  he  himself  was  one. 
I  told  him  I  hoped  that  there  was  a  mistake  about 
the  copy  of  the  Treaty  and  documents  having  been 
obtained  at  the  State  Department,  but  that  I  hoped 
the  committee  would  probe  the  matter  to  the  bot- 


i848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY 


401 


torn  and  as[c]ertain  how  and  from  whom  they  had 
been  obtained.  Mr.  Hannegan  said  it  was  now  no- 
torious that  this  fellow,  Nugent,  the  correspondent 
of  the  New  York  Herald  over  the  signature  of  Gal- 
vienses,  was  in  habits  of  intimacy  with  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan; that  he  had  for  weeks  been  writing  letters 
to  the  Herald  praising  Mr.  Buchanan  and  abusing 
me.  He  said  that  Senators  had  called  at  the  State 
Department  and  could  not  gain  admittance  to  the 
Secretary  because  this  fellow,  Nugent,  was  closetted 
with  him.  He  was  very  strong  in  his  expressions, 
&  had  no  doubt  on  his  own  mind  that  Mr.  Buchanan 
had  furnished  him  a  copy  of  the  Treaty  &  documents. 
I  repeated  the  hope  that  it  might  turn  out  otherwise. 
Mr.  Hannegan  left  and  shortly  afterwards  the  Sec- 
retary of  War  called,  &  told  me  he  had  seen  Senators 
Wescott  &  Dickinson;  that  the  latter  knew  nothing 
but  what  had  transpired  in  the  Senate  to-day;  but 
that  Mr.  Wescott  had  affirmed  to  him  the  confident 
opinion  that  the  documents  had  been  furnished  by 
Mr.  Buchanan,  or  been  obtained  at  the  Department 
of  State.  These  disclosures  gave  me  great  pain. 
This  fellow,  Nugent,  the  correspondent  of  the  New 
York  Herald,  is  unknown  to  me.  I  never  saw  him, 
or  if  I  did  I  did  not  know  who  he  was.  I  have  heard 
often  of  him,  as  one  of  the  unprincipled  letter-writers 
stationed  at  Washington  who  works  for  whoever  will 
pay  them  best.  I  have  often,  within  the  last  few 
months,  been  told  that  he  was  constantly  about  the 
State  Department  &  at  Mr.  Buchanan's  house,  and 
that  he  is  in  his  employ  to  puff  him  as  a  candidate  for 
the  Presidency.     I  fear  this  is  true.     Mr.  Buchanan 


402  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [24  Mar. 

though  undoubtedly  a  man  of  talents,  is  in  some  re- 
spects a  very  weak  man,  and  in  nothing  has  he  shown 
himself  more  mistaken,  so  far  as  his  true  interests  are 
concerned,  than  in  permitting  so  unprincipled  a  man 
as  this  letter-writer  to  enjoy  his  confidence.  A  few 
weeks  ago  Mr.  Buchanan  held  a  conversation  with 
me  on  the  subject  of  his  intercourse  with  this  letter- 
writer  (see  this  diary  of  that  period)  and  I  then  gave 
him  my  opinion  very  freely  against  the  propriety  of 
doing  so.  There  is  no  reliance  to  be  placed  in  Nu- 
gent. I  would  not  believe  him  on  his  oath,  and  I 
fear  Mr.  Buchanan  has  placed  himself  in  his  power. 
Several  members  of  Congress  have  within  the  last 
few  weeks  made  insinuations  to  me,  and  some  of  them 
have  openly  expressed  the  opinion,  that  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan had  apprehensions  that  the  Democratic  Na- 
tional Convention,  which  is  to  meet  at  Baltimore  in 
May  next,  might  insist  upon  nominating  me  for  a 
second  term,  and  that,  fearing  this,  he  had  procured 
this  letter-writer  to  assail  me  through  the  New  York 
Herald  with  a  view  to  prevent  such  a  result.  The 
circumstances,  I  must  confess,  favour  this  belief. 
Nugent  has  been  for  weeks  notoriously  in  constant 
and  intimate  intercourse  with  Mr.  Buchanan,  and 
during  the  same  period  his  letters  to  the  Herald  have 
praised  Mr.  Buchanan,  while  they  have  been  full  of 
misrepresentations  in  relation  to  myself,  and  have 
abused  Gen'l  Cass  and  Mr.  Woodbury,  who  are  sup- 
posed to  be  Mr.  Buchanan's  chief  competitors  for 
the  nomination  for  the  Presidency.  These  circum- 
stances, though  strong,  are  not  conclusive  that  Mr. 
Buchanan  has  instigated  the  attacks  upon  me.     If 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY 


403 


they  were  conclusive  beyond  the  possibility  of  doubt, 
I  would  dismiss  him  from  my  Cabinet,  for  I  would 
keep  no  one  near  me  who  was  capable  of  such  con- 
duct. 

It  is  a  remarkable  circumstance,  in  view  of  the  for- 
going facts  &  circumstances,  that  Mr.  Buchanan  to- 
day addressed  me  a  note  in  the  following  words,  viz., 
"  Mr.  Buchanan  respectfully  requests  that  the  Presi- 
dent would  furnish  him  with  a  copy  of  the  letter 
which  he  addressed  to  the  President  in  February, 
1845,  in  answer  to  the  President's  letter  of  February 
17th,  1845.  If  Mr.  B.  kept  a  copy  of  his  answer  it 
cannot  now  be  found.  24th  February  [March], 
1848."  My  letter  of  the  17th  of  February,  1845,  is 
one  addressed  to  each  of  the  gentlemen  invited  to  ac- 
cept places  in  my  cabinet,  stating  to  them  severally 
that  if  they  accepted,  and  should  become  candidates 
for  the  Presidency  or  Vice  Presidency,  they  would  be 
expected  upon  the  happening  of  that  event  to  retire 
from  my  Cabinet.  They  all  answered  assenting  to 
this  condition.  Mr.  Buchanan  has  been  publicly  a 
candidate  for  the  Democratic  nomination  for  the 
Presidency  for  some  months  past,  &  this  is  the  first 
time  that  he  seems  to  have  remembered  the  promise 
contained  in  his  letter,  for  a  copy  of  which  he  now 
asks.  I  have  constantly,  for  months,  felt  the  embar- 
rassment which  he  gave  me  by  remaining  in  the  Cab- 
inet. He  has  been  selfish,  &  all  his  acts  and  opin- 
ions seem  to  have  been  controlled  with  a  view  to  his 
own  advancement,  so  much  so  that  I  can  have  no  con- 
fidence or  reliance  in  any  advice  he  may  give  upon 
public  questions.     I  could  not,  though  feeling  sen- 


404  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [25  Mar. 

sibly  the  embarrassment  which  his  remaining  in 
the  Cabinet,  and  his  selfish  views,  produced,  dismiss 
him  during  the  pendency  of  the  war  with  Mexico, 
and  in  the  face  of  a  talented  and  powerful  opposi- 
tion in  Congress,  without  the  hazard  of  doing  great 
injury  to  my  administration  by  endangering  the  suc- 
cess of  all  my  measures.  I  have  therefore  borne  with 
him  and  overlooked  his  weaknesses,  for  the  sake  of 
the  public  good.  He  is  probably  now  troubled,  in 
consequence  of  the  investigations  going  on  in  the  Sen- 
ate concerning  the  publication  in  the  New  York 
Herald,  through  the  agency  of  his  political  friend 
&  my  calumniator,  Nugent,  and  it  is  a  little  singular 
that  this  precise  period  of  time  is  selected  by  him  to 
request  a  copy  of  his  letter  to  me  of  February,  1845. 
I  will  search  for  his  letter  &  direct  my  Private  Sec- 
retary to  give  him  a  copy  of  it. 

This  being  reception  evening,  a  large  number  of 
persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

Saturday,  2Sth  March,  1848. —  Though  this  was 
Cabinet  day,  I  saw  a  number  of  members  of  Con- 
gress who  called.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual 
hour,  all  the  members  present,  there  being  no  Atto. 
Gen'l  since  Mr.  Clifford  left  for  Mexico  a  week  ago. 
No  business  of  importance  was  transacted.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan read  a  private  letter  from  Sir  George  Simp- 
son to  a  friend  in  New  York,  offering  to  sell  to  a  com- 
pany, or  to  the  U.  S.,  all  the  rights  of  the  Hudson's 
Bay  company  in  Oregon,  including  the  right  to  nav- 
igate the  Columbia  River,  for  one  million  of  Dollars. 
This  letter  had  been  sent  to  Mr.  Buchanan  confi- 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  405 

dentially.  It  was  the  subject  of  conversation  in  the 
Cabinet,  but  I  did  not  deem  it  advisable  to  take  any 
action  upon  it,  at  least  for  the  present.  I  had  a  con- 
versation with  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  about 
the  finances  &  the  present  means  of  the  Treasury. 
Some  other  business  of  minor  importance  was  dis- 
posed [of],  and  the  Cabinet  adjourned  about  2 
O'clock.  After  Mr.  Buchanan  &  Mr.  Walker  had 
left,  the  subject  of  the  investigation  now  going  on 
in  the  Senate  in  relation  to  the  publication  in  the 
New  York  papers  of  the  Mexican  Treaty  &  the  con- 
fidential documents  accompanying  it  (see  this  diary 
of  yesterday  and  the  day  preceeding)  took  place  be- 
tween Mr.  Marcy,  Mr.  Mason,  Mr.  Johnson,  & 
myself.  After  they  retired  I  felt  it  to  be  proper  to 
send  for  Mr.  Buchanan  &  to  hold  a  conversation  with 
him  on  the  subject,  and  I  did  so.  It  was  the  first 
conversation  I  had  had  with  him  on  the  subject.  He 
had  not  mentioned  it  to  me,  and  I  had  felt  a  delicacy 
and  reluctance  to  mention  it  to  him  sooner.  He  said 
he  had  had  no  agency  in  causing  the  publication  to 
be  made;  that  he  had  heard  all  that  had  occurred  be- 
fore the  committee  of  the  Senate  who  were  investi- 
gating it;  and  that  he  was  able  to  account  for  all  the 
printed  copies  of  the  Treaty  and  correspondence 
which  had  been  furnished  to  the  State  Department. 
He  said  that  a  conspiracy  had  been  formed  by  cer- 
tain Senators  to  fix  the  publication  on  him,  or  rather 
that  Nugent,  the  correspondent  of  the  New  York 
Herald,  had  obtained  the  copy  of  the  Treaty  and 
correspondence  from  him,  or  from  the  State  Depart- 
ment.   He  said  that  he  had  written  a  letter  to  Sen- 


406  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [25  Mar 

ator  Cameron  denying  it,  but  had  not  sent  it,  as,  on 
reflection,  he  thought  his  position  as  Secretary  of 
State  and  his  character  should  protect  him  from  such 
an  imputation.  He  spoke  very  harshly  of  Senator 
Wescott,  and  said  he  was  capable  of  selling  the  copy 
to  which  he  was  entitled  as  a  Senator  for  two  dollars. 
He  asked  me  if  I  thought  he  had  furnished  the  copy 
to  Nugent.  I  told  [him]  I  did  not.  Of  course  I 
could  not  say  otherwise  after  his  positive  denial  that 
he  had.  I  expressed  my  contempt  for  Nugent  and 
all  the  other  hired  letter  writers  at  Washington,  re- 
garding them,  as  I  did,  as  employees  wholly  destitute 
of  principle,  and  my  regret  that  he  had  had  any  con- 
nection or  intercourse  with  them.  I  said  to  him  that 
I  had  expressed  this  opinion  of  them  to  him  some 
weeks  ago  (see  this  diary  of  that  period)  and  re- 
gretted extremely  that  he  had  since  that  time  per- 
mitted Nugent  to  continue  to  visit  his  Department 
&  hold  confidential  intercourse  with  him,  and  that 
he  would  now  see  the  consequences  of  having  done 
so.  He  said  he  had  permitted  him  to  do  so  in  order 
to  secure  the  support  of  the  New  York  Herald  to  the 
Mexican  War,  and  of  [to]  the  administration.  He 
said  he  supposed  that  he  had  written  or  revised 
twenty  articles  which  Nugent  had  caused  to  appear 
in  the  Herald,  supporting  the  war,  and  that  Mr. 
Walker  had  through  Nugent  caused  the  Herald  to 
support  his  Treasury  Report  and  financial  policy. 
I  replied  that  it  would  [have]  been  much  better  to  let 
the  Herald  take  any  course  it  pleased,  rather  [than] 
have  anything  to  do  with  this  unprincipled  hired  let- 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY 


407 


ter  writer.  I  told  him  that  he  knew  that  Nugent  had 
been  for  months  [calumniating],  and  still  continued 
to  calumniate  and  abuse  me  in  his  infamous  letters  to 
the  Herald,  and  that  this  was  a  singular  mode  of 
giving  the  support  of  the  Herald  to  my  administra- 
tion. He  said  that  Mr.  Walker  and  himself  had 
both  urged  Nugent  not  to  abuse  me,  but  that  they 
could  not  restrain  or  prevent  him  from  doing  so.  I 
told  him  that  it  was  deeply  to  be  regretted  that  he 
had  permitted  so  unprincipled  a  scoundrel  to  ap- 
proach him,  or  to  have  anything  to  do  with  him.  I 
did  not  say  to  him,  because  I  desired  if  possible  to 
avoid  a  rupture  with  him,  that  in  my  opinion  no 
member  of  my  Cabinet  who  was  faithful  to  my 
administration  and  to  me,  would  employ  for  any 
purpose  a  man  who  was  habitually  abusing  &  ca- 
lumniating the  Head  of  the  Government.  My  con- 
versation with  Mr.  Buchanan  on  the  point  of  his 
intercourse  with  this  fellow,  Nugent,  was  not  satis- 
factory. 

Senator  Hannegan  called  after  night  and  informed 
me  that  the  committee  of  the  Senate  had  been  in  ses- 
sion several  hours  to-day;  that  Nugent  had  been 
again  before  them  as  a  witness;  and  had  positively 
refused  to  answer  the  question  whether  he  obtained 
the  copy  of  the  Mexican  Treaty  &  documents  which 
he  had  forwarded  to  the  New  York  Herald  from  the 
State  Dept.  or  any  officer  connected  with  that  Dept., 
upon  the  ground  that  he  would  not,  by  answering 
that  question,  put  the  State  Dept.  on  trial.  Mr. 
Hannegan  told  me  that  a  member  of  the  Committee 


4o8  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [26  Mar. 

had  stated,  in  Nugent's  presence,  that  Mr.  Buchanan 
had  positively  denied  that  he  had  any  knowledge  of, 
or  participation  in,  furnishing  the  Treaty  &  docu- 
ments from  the  State  Dept.,  &  that  he  had  expressed 
his  surprise,  and  enquired  if  he  had  positively  denied 
it,  &  afterwards  explained  his  surprise  by  saying  that 
[it  was]  inconsistent  with  the  dignity  of  the  Secre- 
tary of  State  to  condescend  to  make  a  denial.  I  told 
Mr.  Hannegan  that  Mr.  Buchanan  had  made  the 
same  denial  to  me  to-day.  Mr.  Hannegan  remarked 
in  terms  of  strong  condemnation  Mr.  Buchanan's  in- 
timacy and  intercourse  with  Nugent,  and  stated  that 
Senators  had  called  at  the  State  Dept.  &  could  not 
see  the  Secretary  on  business,  when  Nugent  was,  on 
sending  in  his  name,  at  once  admitted.  It  was  evi- 
dent that  Mr.  Hannegan  believed  that  Nugent  had 
obtained  the  Treaty  &  documents  from  the  State 
Dept.  Mr.  Hannegan  enquired  of  me  if  there 
would  be  anything  improper  in  his  calling  and  see- 
ing Mr.  Buchanan  on  the  subject.  I  answered  that 
I  perceived  no  impropriety  in  his  doing  so.  He  said 
he  believed  he  would  do  so,  but  he  was  afraid  he 
would  find  Nugent  with  him.  He  left  me,  leaving 
me  uncertain  whether  he  would  call  on  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan or  not.  Near  12  O'Clock  at  night  I  retired 
much  fatigued.  I  have  omitted  to  mention  that  I 
visited  "  Power's  Greek  Slave "  this  afternoon  in 
company  with  Mr.  Kellogg,  the  artist.  This  ad- 
mirable work  of  art  is  now  exhibiting  in  this  City. 

Sunday,  26th  March,  1848. —  Mrs.  Polk  and  my- 
self attended  the  First  Presbyterian  church  to-day. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY 


409 


Monday,  27th  March,  1848.— An  unusually 
large  number  of  persons  called  this  morning  and 
among  them  several  ladies.  Many  of  them  were 
seeking  offices,  a  business  of  which  there  is  no  end,  I 
closed  my  office  at  12  O'Clock.  The  Secretary  of 
War  &  the  commissioner  of  Indian  afifairs  called  at 
I  O'clock,  and  presented  to  me  a  delegation  of 
Head-men  and  chiefs  of  [the]  Creek  nation  of 
Indians,  who  had  visited  Washington  on  the  business 
of  their  tribe.  After  conferring  with  the  Secretary 
of  War  (the  Indian  Delegation  having  retired)  I 
made  the  appointment  of  10  cadets  at  large  to  West 
Point,  which  the  President  is  authorized  by  law  to 
make.  Brig.  Gen'l  Shields  [of  the]  U.  S.  army 
called  to-day  and  held  a  conversation  of  an  hour  with 
me.  I  disposed  of  the  business  on  my  table  as  usual. 
In  the  evening  Senators  Cass  and  Felch  and  Mr.  Mc- 
Clelland, a  Representative  from  Michigan,  called 
on  business.  Senator  Cass  informed  me  that  Nu- 
gent, the  letter-writer  for  the  New  York  Herald,  had 
to-day  given  a  written  statement  acquitting  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan of  all  agency  in  furnishing  him  with  a  copy 
of  the  Mexican  Treaty  and  confidential  correspond- 
ence, which  he  had  furnished  to  the  New  York 
Herald.  Gen'l  Cass  said  that  the  whole  Senate  now 
acquitted  Mr.  Buchanan  of  all  agency  in  furnishing 
the  documents,  &  that  all  were  equally  agreed  that 
Nugent  was  an  unprincipled  man.  Gen'l  Cass  ex- 
pressed his  gratification  that  Mr.  Buchanan  was  re- 
lieved from  all  imputation  in  relation  to  any  agency 
in  the  transaction.  I  am,  m.yself  gratified  that  Mr 
Buchanan  is  thus  relieved  from  so  injurious  an  im- 


410  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [28  Mar. 

putation.  He  will  now,  I  hope,  learn  a  profitable 
lesson,  and  that  is  that  it  is  dangerous  to  have  any 
connection  or  intercourse  with  the  unprincipled  let- 
ter writers  at  Washington.  He  had  taken  this 
scoundrel,  Nugent,  into  his  confidence  in  order  to 
have  himself  puffed  by  his  letters  in  the  New  York 
Herald  as  a  candidate  for  the  Presidency,  and  by 
placing  himself  thus  in  his  power  has  been  very  near 
being  disgraced  and  ruined  by  him.  It  was  his  no- 
torious intimacy  with  Nugent  which  gave  probability 
to  the  imputation  that  Nugent  had  obtained  the 
Treaty  &  documents  at  the  State  Department.  Sen- 
ator Turney  and  several  members  of  the  Ho.  Repts. 
called  this  evening. 

Tuesday,  28th  March,  1848. —  Several  members 
of  Congress  called  before  the  hour  of  meeting  of  the 
Cabinet  this  morning.  The  Cabinet  assembled  at 
the  usual  hour  this  morning,  all  the  members  pres- 
ent. I  consulted  the  Cabinet  as  to  the  persons  proper 
to  be  nominated  as  charge  d'afifairs  to  the  Papal 
States;  and  to  the  Republics  of  Guatamala,  Bolivia, 
and  Ecuador,  and  asked  their  advice  on  the  subject. 
The  act  of  Congress  making  appropriations  to  defray 
the  expenses  of  these  missions  passed  a  day  or  two 
ago.  Despatches  were  presented  &  read  by  the  Sec- 
retary of  War  from  Gen'l  Scott  &  Gen'l  Butler, 
dated  at  the  City  of  Mexico  on  the  2nd  Inst.  The 
despatches  of  Gen'l  Butler  related  exclusively  to 
military  operations,  &  gave  no  information  of  the 
prospects  of  the  assembling  of  the  Mexican  Congress, 
or  the  ratification  by  Mexico  of  the  Treaty  of  peace. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  411 

The  despatch  from  Gen'l  Scott  was  filled  with  com- 
plaints at  being  superseded  in  the  command,  and  con- 
tained an  uncourteous  &  even  violent  attack  upon  the 
Secretary  of  War,  and  through  him  on  the  Govern- 
ment. The  despatch  is  weak  and  malignant,  and  re- 
quires an  answer,  which  can  be  very  easily  given, 
placing  Gen'l  S.  wholly  in  the  wrong.  After  the 
transaction  of  some  other  business  of  no  general  im- 
portance the  Cabinet  adjourned.  I  learn  to-night 
that  the  Senate  in  Executive  Session  were  again  oc- 
cupied a  part  of  the  day  in  relation  to  the  investiga- 
tion into  the  publication  of  [the]  Mexican  Treaty 
&  confidential  correspondence  accompanying  it  in 
the  New  York  papers,  &  had  come  to  no  conclusion. 
This  Nugent  still  persists  in  refusing  to  disclose  how 
or  from  whom  he  obtained  the  copy  which  he  admits 
he  sent  to  the  New  York  Herald. 

This  was  reception  evening.  The  usual  number 
of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

Wednesday,  2gth  March,  1848, —  Many  persons, 
members  of  Congress  and  others,  called  this  morn- 
ing; some  on  business,  others  to  pay  their  respects, 
and  not  a  few  seeking  office.  After  conferring  with 
Senators  Dix  &  Dickinson  of  N.  Y.  &  Senators  Cass 
&  Breese  and  the  Secretary  of  State  in  relation  to 
the  missions  to  The  Papal  States,  to  the  Republics 
of  Guatamala,  Bolivia,  &  Ecuador,  I  sent  a  message 
to  the  Senate  nominating  Joshua  L.  Martin,^  now 
Secretary  of  the  Legation  of  the  U.  S.  at  Paris,  to 

^  Jacob  L.  Martin  of  North  Carolina,  incorrectly  nominated 
to  the  Senate  by  Polk  as  Joshua  L.  Martin.     He  was  Chief  Clerk 


412  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [29  Mar. 

be  charge  d'affaires  to  the  Papal  States;  Elijah  Hise 
of  Ky.  to  be  charge  d'affaires  to  the  Republic  of 
Guatamala;  and  John  Appleton  of  Maine  to  be 
charge  d'affaires  to  the  Republic  of  Bolivia.  Mr. 
Vanburgh  Livingston  of  New  York  was  much 
pressed  for  the  mission  to  the  Papal  states.  For 
reasons  which  I  deemed  satisfactory  I  deemed  it  im- 
proper to  appoint  him,  but  authorized  Senators  Dix 
&  Dickinson  this  morning  to  say  to  him  that  he  could 
have  one  of  the  South  American  missions  if  he  de- 
sired it.  About  12  O'clock  Mr.  Livingston  called, 
when  I  offered  him  the  mission  to  Guatamala.  He 
said  he  would  desire  to  consult  his  friends  and  his 
family  before  he  could  decide  whether  he  could  ac- 
cept. He  also  objected  to  Guatamala  and  expressed 
a  preference,  if  he  accepted  a  mission  to  any  of  the 
South  American  States,  to  go  to  Ecuador.  I  asked 
him  to  call  again  in  the  course  of  an  hour  &  I  would 
inform  him  whether  I  would  appoint  him  to  Ecua- 
dor. I  sent  for  Mr.  Buchanan  &  Mr.  Appleton, 
the  latter  of  whom  I  had  determined  to  appoint  to 
one  of  the  missions.  After  a  conference  with  them 
I  determined  to  appoint  Mr.  Appleton  to  Bolivia. 
When  Mr.  Livingston  returned  I  informed  him  that 
I  could  appoint  him  to  Ecuador  if  he  desired  it.  He 
said  he  would  return  to  N.  Y.  &  after  consulting  his 
friends  &  Mrs.  Livingston  would  give  me  [an]  an- 
swer. I  learn  this  evening  that  the  Senate  have 
adopted  an  order  in  Executive  Session  requiring 
Nugent,  the  correspondent  of  the  N.  Y.  Herald  who 

of  the  State  Department  1 840-1 841,  and  Secretary  of  Legation 
at  Paris  1844-1848. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  413 

communicated  to  that  paper  the  Mexican  Treaty  & 
confidential  documents,  to  appear  at  the  bar  of  the 
Senate  to-morrow  to  answer  how  and  from  whom  he 
obtained  them. 

After  night  the  Hon.  Louis  McLane  of  Baltimore, 
accompanied  by  his  son,  the  Hon.  Rob't  M.  Mc- 
Lane, called  &  spent  more  than  an  hour  with  me. 

The  French  Minister  (Pageot)  addressed  an  offi- 
cial note  to-day  to  the  Secretary  of  State  announcing 
that  in  consequence  of  the  dethronement  of  Louis 
Phillipe,  the  King  of  the  French,  his  functions  as 
Envoy  extraordinary  and  Minister  Plenipotentiary 
would  cease  from  this  day.  Mr.  Buchanan  read  to 
me  an  oflicial  note  which  he  had  prepared  in  reply. 
The  Revolution  in  France  is  complete,  [the  news] 
being  fully  confirmed  by  the  arrival  of  the  Steamer 
Calidonia  at  Boston  two  days  ago.  A  provisional 
Government  upon  the  basis  of  a  Republic  has  suc- 
ceeded the  French  Monarchy,  suddenly  and  almost 
without  bloodshed.  It  is  the  most  remarkable,  as 
well  as  the  most  important  event  of  modern  times. 

Thursday,  30th  March,  1848. —  Many  persons 
called  as  usual  this  morning.  I  closed  my  office  at 
12  O'clock.  Mr.  Buchanan  brought  to  me  the  for- 
eign mail,  brought  by  the  steamer  Caledonia  and 
received  this  morning.  There  was  a  private  letter 
from  Mr.  Rush  to  Mr.  Buchanan,  stating  that  he 
had  forwarded  an  oflicial  despatch  on  the  day  pre- 
ceding its  date.  Unfortunately  the  despatch  was  not 
received.  Despatches  were  received  from  Mr.  Don- 
elson,  U.  S.  Minister  to  Prussia,  and  from  several  of 


414  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [30  Mar. 

the  U.  S.  consuls  in  Germany  and  the  Two  Sicilies. 
Great  sensation  had  been  produced  by  the  Revolu- 
tion in  France,  &  the  people  of  the  German  States 
and  of  Italy  were  making  large  demands  of  their 
sovereigns  and  the  latter  were  making  large  conces- 
sions to  their  subjects.  It  is  impossible  to  anticipate 
what  the  effect  of  the  French  Revolution  may  be 
upon  the  other  Powers  of  Europe.  One  of  two 
things  will  probably  happen;  either  there  will  be  a 
general  war,  or  more  liberal  •  institutions  must  be 
granted  by  every  European  sovereign  to  their  sub- 
jects than  they  have  heretofore  enjoyed. 

Many  matters  of  business  had  accumulated  on  my 
table  &  I  spent  several  hours  in  disposing  of  them.  I 
saw  the  Secretary  of  War  and  transacted  business 
with  him.  After  night  Senator  Hannegan  called,  & 
being  chairman  of  the  committee  of  Foreign  affairs 
of  the  Senate  I  communicated  to  him  the  Foreign 
news  which  had  been  received.  He  informed  me  that 
the  Senate  to-day  had  called  Mr.  Nugent,  the  cor- 
respondent of  the  New  York  Herald,  to  the  bar  of 
the  Senate  and  interrogated  him  as  to  the  manner 
&  from  whom  he  had  obtained  the  Copy  of  the  Mex- 
ican Treaty  and  the  confidential  correspondence  ac- 
companying it,  which  he  had  admitted  he  furnished 
to  the  New  [York]  Herald.  Mr.  Hanegan  in- 
formed me  that  Nugent  had  refused  to  answer  the 
interrogatories  propounded  to  him,  and  that  the  Sen- 
ate had  committed  him  to  the  custody  of  the  Sargeant 
at  arms. 

Mr.  C.  J.  Ingersoll  called  to-night  &  spent  half 
an   hour   in   conversation   with   me    about   the   late 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  415 

French  Revolution,  and  its  probable  results  &  effects 
upon  France  &  the  other  Powers  of  Europe. 

Friday,  Jlst  March,  1848.—  My  time  was  occu- 
pied as  usual  in  seeing  company  until  12  O'Clock, 
when  I  closed  my  office.  Mr.  Buchanan  communi- 
cated to  me  a  despatch  received  from  Mr.  Rush,  the 
U.  S.  Minister  at  Paris,  dated  March  4th,  and  re- 
ceived at  the  Department  of  State  last  night.  It 
gave  official  information  of  the  overthrow  of  the 
French  Monarchy,  and  the  establishment  in  its  stead 
of  a  Provisional  Government  based  on  Republican 
principles.  I  immediately  determined  that  it  was 
proper  to  communicate  the  despatch  to  Congress,  and 
in  the  afternoon  prepared  a  message  with  that  view. 
I  approved  A  Bill  to-day  authorizing  a  loan  of  $16,- 
000,000.  I  sent  for  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury 
and  held  a  conversation  with  [him]  in  relation  to  the 
negotiation  of  the  loan  and  the  state  of  the  finances. 
I  transacted  business  with  several  public  officers  and 
disposed  of  business  on  my  table  as  usual  to-day. 

This  was  reception  evening.  A  number  of  per- 
sons, ladies  and  gentlemen,  called. 

Mr.  Buchanan  read  to  me  to-day  the  rough  draft 
of  a  despatch  to  Mr.  Rush,  the  U.  S.  Minister  at 
Pari's.  It  was  not  finished.  I  made  some  sugges- 
tions of  modifications  to  him.  He  informed  me  that 
he  would  be  much  pressed  for  time  in  preparing  his 
foreign  despatches  in  time  for  the  mail  by  the  next 
steamer,  and  requested  me  to  convene  the  Cabinet  at 
an  early  hour  on  to-morrow  that  they  might  be  con- 
sidered, and  particularly  the  despatch  to  Mr.  Rush. 


4i6  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i  April 

Saturday,  Ist  April,  1848. —  Several  members  of 
Congress  called  on  business  this  morning.  The  Cab- 
inet met  at  10  O'Clock,  having  being  [been]  invited 
by  me,  at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Buchanan,  to  assemble 
at  an  earlier  hour  than  usual.  All  the  members 
were  present.  Mr.  Buchanan  read  to  the  Cabinet 
the  despatch  which  he  had  prepared  to  Mr.  Rush  in 
answer  to  his  of  the  4th  ultimo.  Some  discussion  of 
some  parts  of  it  took  place,  and  some  modifications, 
not  very  material,  were  made.  I  read  to  the  Cab- 
inet a  message  which  I  proposed  to  send  to  Congress 
communicating  information  of  the  French  Revolu- 
tion and  his  own  action  in  reference  to  it.  Some  im- 
material modifications  were  suggested  and  made. 
The  Senate  did  not  sit  to-day  and  therefore  it  could 
not  be  sent  to  Congress  until  monday  next.  Some 
other  business  of  minor  importance  was  considered 
and  disposed  of.  The  Cabinet  adjourned  about  3 
O'clock  P.  M. 

Sunday,  2nd  April,  1848. —  Mrs.  Polk  &  my- 
self attended  the  First  Presbyterian  church  to-day. 

Deeming  the  message  which  I  proposed  to  send  to 
Congress  to-morrow  on  the  subject  of  the  French 
Revolution  an  important  one,  I  sent  for  Mr.  Marcy 
and  Mr.  Mason,  who  called  after  night  and  assisted 
me  in  revising  it.  I  had  read  it  to  the  Cabinet  on 
yesterday,  and  no  material  alteration  was  suggested 
by  Mr.  Marcy  or  Mr.  Mason. 

Monday,  3rd  April,  1848. —  Quite  a  lange  num- 
ber of  persons,   members  of   Congress   and  others, 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  417 

called  this  morning.  At  12  O'Clock  my  Private 
Secretary  took  the  message  ^  which  1  had  prepared 
on  the  subject  of  the  French  Revolution  and  trans- 
mitting Mr.  Rush's  despatch  to  Congress,  and  de- 
livered it  to  both  Houses.  No  action,  1  learn,  was 
taken  upon  it  in  either  House,  except  in  the  Senate 
to  refer  it  to  the  committee  on  Foreign  affairs.  In 
the  evening,  Mr.  Dickins,  the  Secretary  of  the  Sen- 
ate, called  with  two  Indian  Treaties  which  had  been 
ratified  by  the  Senate.  He  informed  me  that  my 
message  had  been  generally  approved  by  Senators, 
as  far  as  he  had  heard  any  expression  of  opinion. 
After  night  Senator  Hannegan  called  and  held  a  con- 
versation with  me  on  the  subject  of  our  relations 
with  France. 

Tuesday,  4th  April,  1848. —  I  learned  this  morn- 
ing that  the  Hon.  James  A.  Black  of  the  Ho.  Repts. 
from  S.  Carolina,  died  at  his  lodgings  in  this  City 
between  11  &  12  O'Clock  last  night.  Mr.  Black  was 
a  sound  Republican,  and  one  of  the  best  men  in  Con- 
gress. He  was  a  man  of  fine  political  sense,  a  useful 
member  of  the  House,  though  modest,  retiring,  and 
unassuming.  He  was  my  personal  as  well  as  po- 
litical friend,  and  I  deeply  regret  his  death.  I  saw 
company  in  the  morning  and  transacted  business  on 
my  table  as  usual.  The  Cabinet  assembled  at  the 
usual  hour;  all  the  members  present  except  the  Sec- 
retary of  War,  who  is  confined  to  his  house  by  sick- 
ness. No  subject  of  general  importance  was  con- 
sidered by  the  Cabinet,  and  it  adjourned  at  an  early 

^  S.  Ex.  Doc.  32,  30  Cong.  I  Sess.  V. 


4i8  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [5  April 

hour.     This  was  reception  evening.     A  number  of 
persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

Wednesday,  5/A  April,  1848.— A  number  of 
members  of  Congress  &  others  called  on  business  this 
morning.  At  12  O'Clock,  accompanied  by  the  mem- 
bers of  my  Cabinet,  except  Mr.  Marcy,  who  is  still 
confined  to  [his]  house  by  indisposition,  I  repaired 
to  the  Capitol  and  attended  the  Funeral  ceremonies 
of  the  late  Hon.  James  A.  Black  of  the  Ho.  Repts. 
from  S.  Carolina,  who  died  in  this  City  on  the  night 
of  the  3rd  Instant.  I  accompanied  his  remains 
from  the  Capitol  to  the  Congressional  burying 
ground. 

After  my  return  I  disposed  of  business  on  my  table. 
After  night  Senators  Hannegan  [of  Indiana]  & 
Houston  of  Texas  &  Mr.  McClerenand  of  the  Ho. 
Repts.  from  Illinois  called.  Six  members  of  the 
Virginia  Legislature,  on  their  way  home  from  their 
late  session  at  Richmond,  called  to  pay  their  respects. 
Mr.  W.  C.  Whitthorne,  who  left  this  City  in  Jan- 
uary last  as  a  bearer  of  despatches  to  Mexico,  called 
after  night.  He  informed  me  that  he  left  the  City 
of  Mexico  on  the  6th  of  March,  1848. 

Thursday,  dth  April,  1848.— My  office  was 
crowded  up  to  the  hour  of  12  O'Clock  with  visitors, 
and  I  was  greatly  annoyed  by  the  importunities  of 
office-seekers.  It  is  most  disgusting  to  be  compelled 
to  spend  hour  after  hour  almost  every  day  in  hearing 
the  applications  for  office  made  by  loafers  who  con- 
gregate at  Washington,  and  by  members  of  Congress 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  419 

in  their  behalf,  and  yet  I  am  compelled  to  submit  to 
it  or  offend  or  insult  the  applicants  and  their  friends. 
The  people  of  the  U.  S.  have  no  idea  of  the  extent 
to  which  the  President's  time,  which  ought  to  be  de- 
voted to  more  important  matters,  is  occupied  by  the 
voracious  and  often  unprincipled  persons  who  seek 
office.  If  a  kind  Providence  permits  me  length  of 
days  and  health,  I  will,  after  I  retire  from  the  Pres- 
idential office,  write  the  secret  and  hitherto  unknown 
history  of  the  workings  of  the  Government  in  this  re- 
spect. I[t]  requires  great  patience  &  self  command 
to  repress  the  loathing  I  feel  towards  a  hungry  crowd 
of  unworthy  office-hunters  who  often  crowd  my 
office.  Late  despatches  were  received  to-day  from 
Gen'l  Butler,  in  which  he  states  that  at  their  date 
(13th  of  March)  the  prospects  of  the  ratification  of 
the  Treaty  by  Mexico  were  favourable.  I  was  oc- 
cupied several  hours  in  the  after  part  of  the  day  in 
disposing  of  much  business  of  detail  which  had  ac- 
cumulated on  my  table.  After  night  several  mem- 
bers of  Congress  called.  Among  them  were  Sen- 
ators Turney  &  Cass,  and  C.  J.  ingersoll  &  Mr. 
Thomas  of  Tennessee,  of  the  Ho.  Representatives. 

Friday,  7th  April,  1848. —  I  saw  company  this 
morning  and  was  as  usual  much  importuned  by  the 
office-seekers.  I  SGnt  two  messages  to  the  Senate  in 
answer  to  Resolutions  calling  for  information.  I 
saw  several  public  officers  and  transacted  business 
with  them.  I  also  disposed  of  much  business  which 
had  accumulated  on  my  table.  Nothing  of  impor- 
tance occurred  to-day. 


420  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [8  April 

This  was  reception  evening.  The  usual  number 
of  persons,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  members  of  Con- 
gress and  others,  called. 

Mr.  Kellogg,  the  artist,  has  been  for  several  days 
painting  a  portrait  of  Mrs.  Polk.  He  occupies  the 
ladies  parlour  above  stairs.  I  gave  him  a  short  sit- 
ting for  my  portrait  to-day.  He  desires  to  take  both 
portraits  with  him  to  Florence  when  he  returns  to 
that  place,  as  he  expected  to  do  in  the  course  of  a  few 
months. 

Saturday,  8th  April,  1848. —  Having  business 
on  my  table  to  transact,  I  did  not  see  company  this 
morning.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour,  all 
the  members  present.  The  Secretary  of  War,  who 
has  been  confined  to  his  house  for  several  days  by 
indisposition,  was  able  to  attend  to-day.  I  held  a 
conversation  with  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  in 
relation  to  the  steps  proper  to  be  taken  for  the  nego- 
tiation of  the  loan  of  sixteen  millions  authorized  by 
an  act  passed  a  few  days  ago.  It  was  agreed  by  the 
Cabinet  that  it  would  be  proper  to  advertise  &  invite 
proposals  for  the  loan  abroad  as  well  as  at  home. 
Some  other  subjects  of  no  general  importance  were 
considered  and  disposed  of.  The  Cabinet  adjourned 
about  I  O'clock.  I  gave  Mr.  Kellogg  a  short  sit- 
ting for  my  port[r]ait  to-day.  I  was  occupied  the 
remainder  of  the  day  in  disposing  of  the  business  on 
my  table. 

Sunday,  gth  April,  1848.—  I  attended  the  First 
Presbyterian  church  to-day  accompanied  by  Mrs. 


i848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  421 

Polk   and   Miss   Anne   Whitaker  of   N.   C.     Miss 
Whitaker  is  the  daughter  of  Spear  Whitaker/  Esqr., 
of  Halifax  County,  N.  C.     Mrs.  Polk  and  myself 
met  her  father  and  herself  on  our  visit  to  the  Uni- 
versity of  N.  C.  last  summer  and  invited  her  to  visit 
us.     She  is  spending  a  short  time  in  my  family,  and 
is  an  inmate  of  the  Presidential  Mansion.     She  ar- 
rived about  the  middle  of  last  week.     I  rested  from 
my  labours  to-day.     I  was  much  wearied  by  my  in- 
cessant attention  to  business  during  the  last  week  & 
required  rest.     Mr.  Cave  Johnson  called  after  night 
and  I  had  a  full  and  confidential  conversation  with 
him  in   relation  to  the   Presidential  election.     We 
both  occupied  the  same  position  in  one  respect.     We 
neither  of  us  took  any  part  between  the  aspirants  for 
the  nomination  at  the  Democratic  National  conven- 
tion at  Baltimore  in  May  next.     Mr.  Johnson  re- 
marked that  many  leading  demo[c]rats  looked  to  my 
nomination  as  the  means  of  harmonizing  the  party, 
and  expressed  the  opinion  that  I  would  be  stronger 
than  any  other  candidate  who  could  be  run  by  the 
Democratic  party.     The  same  thing  has  been   re- 
peatedly said  to  me  by  leading  democrats  of  late.     I 
told  Mr.  Johnson,  as  I  have  all  others  who  have  men- 
tioned the  subject  to  me,  that  I  was  not  a  candidate 
for  the   nomination,    and   did   not   desire   it.     I    re- 
quested him  to  print[?]  my  letter-  to  the  committee 
accepting  the  nomination  in   1844,  and  said  to  him 
that  I  thought  it  would  be  proper  for  me  to  address  a 
letter  to  some  member  of  the  convention,  in  the  event 

^  Spier  Whitaker,  later  Attorney  General  of  North  Carolina. 
2  Printed  in  Jenkins,  Polk,  135. 


422  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [lo  April 

my  name  should  be  thought  of,  repeating  the  senti- 
ments of  that  letter.  I  have  not  seen  that  letter  since 
it  was  first  published,  but  I  remember  its  substance 
was  that  the  office  of  President  was  one  neither  to  be 
sought  or  declined,  that  I  accepted  the  nomination, 
but  expressed  my  fixed  purpose,  in  the  event  of  my 
election,  not  to  be  a  candidate  for  re-election. 

Mr.  Buchanan,  the  Secretary  of  State,  left  on  a 
visit  to  Pennsylvania  to-day.  He  expects  to  be  ab- 
sent a  week  or  ten  days. 

Monday,  lOth  April,  1848. —  An  unusual  num- 
ber of  hungry  office  seekers  greatly  importuned  and 
annoyed  me  from  the  time  I  entered  my  office  until 
I  closed  it  at  12  O'Clock  to-day.  Judging  from 
their  appearance  and  conduct  and  what  I  knew  of 
some  of  them,  scarcely  one  who  called  was  worthy  of 
the  place  he  sought  or  was  fit  to  fill  it.  It  was  with 
difficulty  I  could  preserve  my  temper  and  patience. 
There  were  no  vacancies  and  I  gave  them  short  & 
even  abrupt  answers.  In  the  midst  of  the  annoy- 
ances of  the  herd  of  lazy,  worthless  people  who  come 
to  Washington  for  office  instead  of  going  to  work 
and  by  some  honest  calling  making  a  livelihood,  I 
am  sometimes  amused  at  their  applications.  A  case  of 
this  kind  occurred  on  Saturday  last.  One  [of]  these 
office  seekers  placed  his  papers  of  recommendation 
in  the  hands  of  Judge  Mason  to  present  to  me.  No 
particular  office  was  specified  in  the  papers;  and  the 
Judge  reported  to  me  that  he  enquired  of  him  what 
office   he  wanted,    to   which   he   answered   that   he 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  423 

thought  he  would  be  a  good  hand  at  making  Treat- 
ies, and  that  as  he  understood  there  were  some  to  be 
made  soon  he  would  like  to  be  a  minister  abroad. 
This  is  about  as  reasonable  as  many  other  applica- 
tions which  are  made  to  me.  I  was  much  occupied 
in  disposing  [of]  the  mass  of  business  on  my  table 
to-day.  Nothing  of  special  interest  occurred.  I 
appointed  Mr.  John  Appleton,  ch.  Clk.,  acting  Sec- 
retary of  State  during  the  absence  of  Mr.  Buchanan 
from  the  seat  of  Government.  Mr.  Buchanan  left 
on  yesterday  on  a  visit  to  Pennsylvania. 

Tuesday,  nth  April,  i848.—  T\\\%  being  Cab- 
inet day  I  directed  my  messenger  to  admit  no  com- 
pany. The  Cabinet  assembled  at  the  usual  hour;  all 
the  members  present  except  the  Secretary  of  State, 
who  is  absent  on  a  visit  to  Pennsylvania.  Se^'^eral 
matters  of  business  of  no  general  importance  were 
considered  and  disposed  of.  The  Secretary  of  the 
Navy  read  recent  dispatches  which  he  had  received 
from  Commodore  Perry  commanding  the  Gulf 
Squadron.  Late  despatches  were  received  to-day 
from  Mr.  Rush,  U.  S.  minister  at  Paris;  &  from  Mr. 
Donelson,  U.  S.  Minister  at  Berlin.  They  give  in- 
teresting accounts  of  the  Revolution  in  France  and 
of  the  onward  progress  of  liberal  principles  in  Prus- 
sia &  in  all  the  German  States.  The  Cabinet  ad- 
journed about  3  O'clock  P.  M.  I  devoted  the  re- 
mainder of  the  day  to  the  business  on  my  table. 
This  was  reception  evening.  A  number  of  persons, 
ladies  and  gentlemen,  called. 


424  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [12  April 

Wednesday,  12th  April,  1848. —  I  saw  no  com- 
pany this  morning.  The  Secretary  of  War  called  at 
9  O'clock,  and  I  spent  from  that  time  until  12 
O'clock  with  him  in  examining  and  revised  [revis- 
ing] a  list  of  officers  of  the  army  upon  whom  it  was 
thought  proper  to  confer  Brevet  Rank  for  gallant 
and  meritorious  conduct  performed  by  them  in  the 
w^ar  with  Mexico.  The  list  was  a  very  numerous 
one.  I  suggested  but  few  changes,  and  these  con- 
sisting chiefly  of  the  names  of  officers  omitted  by  the 
Secretary  of  War  which  I  thought  it  right  to  add 
[to]  the  list.  I  sent  the  nominations  to  the  Senate 
about  I  O'clock  P.  M.  The  conduct  of  the  whole 
army  in  Mexico  has  been  so  good  that  it  was  diffi- 
cult to  make  discriminations  among  the  officers. 
After  revising  the  list  with  the  utmost  care  it  is  prob- 
able.that  some  officers  have  been  omitted  who  are 
as  meritorious  as  others  who  have  been  nominated 
for  Brevet  promotion.  Should  this  be  discovered 
to  be  so,  I  will  hereafter  do  justice  to  the  officers 
omitted  in  the  list  of  nominations  sent  to  the  Senate 
to-day.  I  transacted  business  with  the  Secretary  of 
the  Navy,  and  was  engaged  the  remainder  of  the  day 
in  disposing  of  the  business  on  my  table. 

Thursday,  13th  April,  1848. —  A  large  number 
of  persons,  members  of  Congress  and  others,  called 
this  morning.  After  12  O'Clock  I  was  engaged 
with  the  Secretaries  of  War  &  the  Navy  for  one  or 
two  hours  on  business  pertaining  to  their  respective 
Departments.  I  was  engaged  as  usual  during  the 
balance  of  the  day  in  disposing  of  the  business  on  my 


1848]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  425 

table.  Nothing  of  special  interest  occurred.  At  5 
O'clock  this  afternoon  a  public  meeting  of  citizens 
assembled  in  this  City  to  celebrate  the  late  French 
Revolution  and  the  advance  of  liberal  principles  in 
other  parts  of  Europe.  After  night  a  torch-light 
procession  passed  in  front  of  the  President's  man- 
sion. I  went  to  the  front  door  and  witnessed  the 
procession  as  it  passed.  I  learn  that  the  meeting 
was  addressed,  before  the  procession  was  formed,  by 
several  members  of  Congress  and  other  speakers. 

Friday,  14th  April,  1848. —  I  saw  company  as 
usual  this  morning.  After  12  O'Clock  I  attended 
to  business  in  my  office.  It  was  a  more  quiet  day 
than  is  usual  with  me.  Nothing  worthy  of  special 
notice  occurred. 

This  being  reception  evening  a  number  of  per- 
sons, ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

Saturday,  iSth  April,  1848. —  I  saw  a  few  per- 
sons before  the  hour  of  meeting  of  the  Cabinet  to- 
day. The  Cabinet  assembled  at  the  usual  hour;  all 
the  members  present  except  the  Secretary  of  State, 
who  is  absent  on  a  visit  to  his  residence  in  Pennsyl- 
vania. Several  subjects  of  no  general  importance 
were  considered  and  disposed  of.  The  Cabinet  ad- 
journed at  an  early  hour.  I  devoted  the  remainder 
of  the  day  to  the  business  on  my  table.  After  night 
Mr.  Boyd  of  Ky.  and  Mr.  Thompson  of  Miss,  called. 
I  retired  at  a  late  hour,  fatigued,  as  I  generally  am, 
at  the  close  of  the  week. 

I  prepared  to-day  the  rough  draft  of  a  letter  to 


426  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i6  April 

Mr.  Rush,  U.  S.  minister  at  Paris,  transmitting  the 
Joint  Resolution  of  Congress  tendering  the  congrat- 
ulations of  the  U.  S.  to  the  French  people  upon  their 
success  in  their  late  Revolution. 

Sunday,  idth  April,  1848. —  I  attended  the  First 
Presbyterian  church  to-day  accompanied  by  Mrs. 
Polk,  my  nephew,  Marshall  T.  Polk,  and  Miss 
Whitaker  of  N.  C,  who  is  spending  a  few  weeks  in 
my  family. 

Monday,  17th  April,  1848. —  A  large  number  of 
persons  called  this  morning,  most  of  them  seeking 
office  for  themselves  or  their  friends.  After  I  closed 
my  office  I  revised  and  copied  a  letter  to  the  Hon. 
Richard  Rush,  U.  S.  minister  at  Paris,  transmitting 
to  him,  to  be  presented  to  the  French  Government, 
the  Joint  Resolution  [of]  Congress,  "  tendering  the 
congratulations  of  the  American  to  the  French  peo- 
ple," upon  their  recent  successful  Revolution,  by 
which  the  French  monarchy  was  overthrown  and  a 
Republic  established  in  its  stead.  I  delivered  the 
letter  &  Resolution  to  Mr.  Appleton,  the  acting  Sec- 
retary of  State,  to  be  forwarded  to  Mr.  Rush.  I  at- 
tended to  much  business  of  detail  on  my  table.  After 
night  Senator  Hanegan  &  Mr.  Charles  Brown  &  Mr. 
James  Thompson  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  from  Penn. 
called.  Despatches  were  rec'd  to-day  from  Maj'r 
Gen'l  Butler,  commanding  the  army  in  Mexico. 

Tuesday,  l8th  April,  1848. —  T  saw  several  mem- 
bers  of   Congress  who  called   this  morning.     The 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  427 

Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour;  all  the  members  pres- 
ent except  Mr.  Buchanan,  who  is  still  absent  on  a 
visit  to  Pennsylvania.  The  despatches  rec'd  from 
the  army  in  Mexico  on  yesterday  were  read  by  the 
Secretary  of  War.  Among  them  was  a  despatch 
from  the  Court  of  Enquiry  now  sitting  in  Mexico, 
stating  that  Gen'l  Scott  had  withdrawn  the  charges 
preferred  by  him  against  Brevet  Col.  Duncan,  and 
that  Gen'l  Worth  had  withdrawn  the  charges  pre- 
ferred by  him  against  Gen'l  Scott,  &  recommending 
that  no  further  proceedings  be  had  in  these  cases. 
The  Cabinet  concurred  in  this  recommendation.  It 
was  then  decided  that,  as  Gen'l  Worth  had  with- 
drawn his  charges  against  Gen'l  Scott,  the  charges 
preferred  by  the  latter  against  Gen'l  Worth  should 
be  examined  by  the  Court.  The  Secretary  of  War 
also  read  charges  preferred  by  Gen'l  Pillow  against 
Gen'l  Scott,  received  on  yesterday.  It  was  decided 
to  direct  the  Court  of  Enquiry  to  investigate  these 
charges  also.  After  transacting  some  other  business 
the  Cabinet  adjourned.  I  was  occupied  during  the 
balance  of  the  day  in  attending  to  business  on  my 
table.  This  was  reception  evening.  A  number  of 
visitors,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

Wednesday,  igth  April,  1848. —  A  large  number 
of  persons  called  this  morning,  most  of  whom  were 
seeking  office  for  themselves  or  their  friends.  Mr. 
Buchanan  called  about  i  O'Clock  P.  M.,  having  re- 
turned this  morning  from  a  visit  to  Pennsylvania 
where  he  has  been  on  a  visit  for  the  last  ten  days.  I 
was  occupied  in  my  office  as  usual  during  the  balance 


428  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [20  April 

of  the  day.  In  the  course  of  the  day  I  saw  the  Sec- 
retaries of  War  and  the  Navy  &  several  public  offi- 
cers on  business.  Nothing  of  much  interest  occurred 
to-day. 

Thursday,  20th  April,  1848. —  I  saw  company 
as  usual  this  morning.  Shortly  after  12  O'Clock 
Mr.  Elisha  Whittlesey,^  formerly  a  member  of  Con- 
gress from  Ohio,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Cave  Johnson, 
the  P.  M.  General,  [called].  Mr.  Whitt[l]esey 
represented  to  me  that  great  excitement  existed  in 
the  City,  and  that  there  was  danger  that  a  portion  of 
the  people  would  engage  in  a  riot  to-night,  tear 
down  and  destroy  the  printing  office  of  the  New 
Era,-  an  abolition  paper  printed  in  this  City,  and  re- 
quested me  to  exert  my  authority  to  prevent  it.  The 
cause  of  the  excitement  is  as  follows.  On  Saturday 
or  Sunday  last  a  schooner,  called  the  Pearl,  left 
Georgetown  and  after  night  took  on  board  at  Green- 
leaf's  Point  a  number  of  slaves  and  sailed  with  them 
on  board.  On  the  afternoon  of  Sunday  the  schooner 
was  pursued  by  a  steamboat  and  about  30  citi- 
zens of  Washington  &  Georgetown  on  board.  The 
Schooner  was  overhauled  by  the  steamboat  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Potomac.  Three  white  men  &  jj 
slaves  were  captured  and  brought  back  to  Washing- 
ton &  put  in  Jail  on  tuesday  last.     The  outrage  com- 

^  Elisha  Whittlesey,  1 783-1 863,  Representative  from  Ohio 
1 823-1 838,  appointed  director  and  general  agent  of  the  Washing- 
ton Monument  Society  in  1845. 

^  The  National  Era.  For  an  account  of  the  trouble,  see  the 
National  Intelligencer,  April  20  and  April  21,  and  the  National 
Era,  April  20  and  April  27,  1848. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  429 

mitted  by  stealing  or  seducing  the  slaves  from  their 
owners,  and  the  attempt  of  abolitionists  to  defend 
the  White  men  who  had  perpetrated  it,  had  pro- 
duced the  excitement  &  the  threatened  violence  on 
the  abolition  press.  I  told  Mr.  Whittlesey  that  I 
would  cooperate  with  the  City  authorities,  if  neces- 
sary, in  any  proper  steps  to  preserve  the  public  peace 
&  to  cause  the  laws  to  be  respected.  I  sent  for  the 
members  of  my  Cabinet  &  after  consultation  with 
them  directed  them  to  issue  an  order  to  the  Clerks 
&  other  employees  in  their  respective  Departments 
not  to  engage  in  the  unlawful  or  riotous  proceeding 
which  was  anticipated.  The  Deputy  Marshall 
(Woodward),  Justice  Goddard,  Mr.  Lenox,  [and] 
half  a  dozen  members  of  the  City  council  called  on 
me  in  a  body  on  the  same  subject.  I  told  the 
marshall  that  he  knew  his  duty,  and  that  he  should 
aid  the  City  authorities  in  suppressing  any  outbreak 
such  as  was  apprehended,  but  cautioned  him  to  avoid 
violence  or  the  shedding  of  blood,  unless  in  self-de- 
fence &  in  the  discharge  of  his  lawful  duties.  I  de- 
clined to  call  out  the  militia  or  to  employ  the  military 
force,  and  the  members  of  the  City  authorities  pres- 
ent concurred  with  me  that  it  would  not  be  necessary 
to  do  so.  The  Secretary  of  War,  who  had  called  on 
other  business,  was  present  during  my  interview  with 
them. 

The  Secretary  of  War  read  to  me  the  draft  of  a 
long  answer  which  he  had  prepared  to  a  letter  re- 
ceived from  Gen'l  Scott  preferring  accusations  & 
complaints  against  the  War  Department.  It  was  an 
able  paper,  well  prepared,  and  I  approved  it. 


430  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [21  April 

I  attended  to  much  business  of  detail  on  my  table 
to-day. 

Friday,  2ist  April,  1848. —  A  large  number  of 
persons  called  this  morning.  Most  of  them  were 
strangers  who  called  to  pay  their  respects.  Among 
them  was  Gen'l  D.  E.  Twiggs  of  the  army.  He  is 
a  gallant  soldier  and  has  performed  valuable  serv- 
ices in  Mexico.  For  his  meritorious  &  gallant  con- 
duct I  nominated  [him]  to  the  Senate  a  few  days  ago 
for  the  Brevet  rank  of  Maj'r  General.  The  Secre- 
tary of  State  and  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  called  to- 
day and  transacted  business  with  me.  I  saw  some  of 
the  subordinate  public  officers  on  business.  I  dis- 
posed of  many  matters  of  business,  chiefly  of  detail, 
which  were  on  my  table.  This  was  reception  even- 
ing. An  unusually  large  number  of  persons,  ladies 
&  gentlemen,  members  of  Congress  &  others,  called. 

Saturday,  22nd  April,  1848. —  Several  members 
of  Congress  called  this  morning.  The  Cabinet  met 
at  the  usual  hour;  all  the  members  present.  Mr. 
Buchanan  read  a  communication  which  he  had  re- 
ceived from  the  commissioner  of  Yucatan  to  this 
Government,  making  an  earnest  and  eloquent  appeal 
for  aid  from  the  U.  S.  to  preserve  the  White  race  in 
Yucatan  from  destruction  by  the  savage  Indians  in 
the  civil  war  now  waging  in  that  country.  The  sub- 
ject of  the  relief  which  it  may  be  in  our  power  to 
grant  was  discussed  at  some  length,  but  a  final  de- 
cision was  postponed.  At  the  request  of  the  Com- 
missioner of  Yucatan,  communicated  to  me  in  a  note 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  431 

received  this  morning,  I  appointed  9  O'Ciock  this 
evening  to  see  him. 

1  informed  the  Cabinet  that  I  deemed  it  necessary 
to  fill  the  office  of  Atto.  Gen'l,  made  vacant  by  the 
resignation  of  Mr.  Clifford  on  his  appointment  as 
commissioner  to  Mexico.  The  selection  must  be 
made  from  the  North.  The  persons  spoken  of  in 
the  conversation  with  the  Cabinet  were  Gov. 
Toucey  ^  of  Connecticut;  Hon.  John  Anderson^  of 
Maine;  Judge  Shepley  of  Maine;  and  Gov.  Vroom 
of  New  Jersey.  The  appointment  of  either  of  these 
gentlemen,  I  ascertained,  would  be  satisfactory  to 
the  Cabinet.  Mr.  Buchanan  and  the  other  members 
of  the  Cabinet  all  expressed  this  opinion,  provided 
it  were  first  ascertained  that  they  were  opposed  to 
the  Wilmot  Proviso.  They  all  expressed  an  unwill- 
ingness to  be  associated  with  a  Wilmot  Proviso  man. 
Mr.  Buchanan  remarked  that  the  appointment  of 
such  a  man  would  greatly  injure  the  administration. 
I  postponed  deciding  to  which  of  the  persons  named, 
if  to  either,  I  would  tender  the  appointment.  I  had 
a  small  Dinner  party  to-day  consisting  of  Gen'l 
Twiggs  of  the  army,  senators  Dix  &  Davis,  Mr. 
Morgan,  the  father-in-law  of  Senator  Dix,  &  his 
wife,  and  Miss  Jordan  of  N.  Y.,  Mrs.  Dix,  Hon. 
Rob't  M.  McLane  of  Baltimore  &  his  wife,  &  Mr. 
Kellogg,  the  artist.     At  9  O'Clock  Mr.  Sierra,  the 

^  Isaac  Toucey,  1796-1869,  Governor  of  Connecticut  1846,  At- 
torney General  of  the  U.  S.  1 848-1 849,  Senator  from  Connecticut 
1852-1857,  Secretary  of  the  Navy  1857-1861. 

"John  Anderson,  1792-1863,  Representative  from  Maine  1825- 
1833,  Collector  of  Customs  at  Portland  1 843-1 848. 


432  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [23  April 

Yucatan  commissioner,  accompanied  by  Dr.  Bald- 
win as  an  interpreter,  called  according  to  a 
previous  appointment.  Mr.  Buchanan  called 
shortly  afterwards,  &  I  held  a  long  conversation 
with  Mr.  Seara  in  relation  to  the  state  &  condi- 
tion of  his  country.  I  finally  told  him  that  I  would 
determine  in  the  course  of  two  or  three  days  what 
assistance,  if  any,  could  be  given  to  his  distressed 
countrymen. 

Sunday,  23rd  April,  1848. —  I  attended  the  First 
Presbyterian  church  to-day  accompanied  by  Mrs. 
Polk  and  Miss  Henrietta  Rachel  Armstrong  (the 
daughter  of  Gen'l  R.  Armstrong,  U.  S.  consul  at 
Liverpool).  Miss  Armstrong  is  attending  Miss 
English's  school  in  Georgetown,  and  frequently 
comes  at  the  close  of  the  week  &  spends  the  sabbath 
in  my  family. 

Monday,  24th  April,  1848. —  I  had  many  visitors 
this  morning,  chiefly  on  the  important  business  of 
seeking  office.  There  was  a  procession  of  citizens  of 
this  City  to-day  in  celebration  of  the  late  Revolution 
in  France.  I  was  called  upon  by  Col.  C.  K.  Gard- 
ner ^  to  unite  in  it,  but  believing  that  it  was  not  ap- 
propriate for  the  President  of  the  U.  States  to  do  so, 
I  declined  to  do  so.  The  procession  moved  from  the 
President's  square  to  the  capitol,  on  the  Eastern 
fron[t]  of  which,  I  learn,  an  oration  was  delivered 
by  Richard  S.  Cox,"  Esqr. 

^  C.  K.  Gardner  was  postmaster  of  Washington. 
^  Richard  S.  Coxe,  a  law^^er  of  Washington. 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  433 

About  2  O'clock  P.  M.  the  Rev.  Mr.  Slicer  in- 
troduced to  me  about  a  dozen  Methodist  clergymen 
from  the  states  of  Maine,  N.  Hampshire,  Vermont, 
&  N.  York,  who  were  on  their  way  to  a  general  con- 
ferrence  of  their  church  to  be  held  at  Pittsburg.  I 
saw  and  transacted  business  to-day  with  the  Secre- 
taries of  War  &  Navy,  &  disposed  of  much  business 
on  my  table. 

Tuesday,  25/A  April,  1848. —  I  saw  a  few  per- 
sons who  called  this  morning.  The  Cabinet  met  at 
the  usual  hour;  all  the  members  present.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan presented  the  subject  of  the  application  of 
the  state  of  Yucatan  for  the  protection  and  aid  of  the 
U.  S.  against  the  devastating  war  now  waging  by  the 
Indians  against  the  White  race,  "threatening  the  total 
extermination  of  the  latter.  He  read  a  communi- 
cation transmitted  to  him  this  morning  by  Mr.  Seara, 
the  Yucatan  commissioner,  from  the  Governor  of  that 
State.  In  this  communication  the  Gov.  of  Yucatan 
asks  the  aid  of  the  U.  S.,  &  states  that  the  same  aid  had 
been  asked  from  the  Governments  of  Great  Brittain  & 
Spain,  &  that  the  Yucacatnas[?]  were  ready  to  sur- 
render their  country  &  the  sovereignty  over  it  to  any 
Government  which  would  protect  &  save  them  from 
extermination.  Mr.  Buchanan  read  the  draft  of  a 
message  to  Congress  on  the  subject,  which  he  had 
prepared,  with  which  I  was  not  satisfied.  The  sub- 
ject is  environed  with  difficulties,  and  was  fully  dis- 
cussed. I  stated  that  we  could  never  agree  to  see 
Yucatan  pass  into  the  hands  of  a  foreign  monarchy 
to  be  possessed  and  colonized  by  them,   and  that 


434 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [25  April 


sooner  than  this  should  take  place  the  U.  S.  should 
afiford  the  aid  &  protection  asked,  but  that  this  could 
only  be  done  by  the  authority  of  Congress.  Yucatan 
is  nominally  one  of  the  States  of  Mexico,  with  which 
we  are  at  War,  but  has  declared  her  neutrality  in  the 
War.  Occupying  this  anomylous  position,  our 
course  towards  her  is  one  of  difficulty  &  embarrass- 
ment. After  fully  discussing  the  subject  and  having 
the  opinion  of  the  Cabinet,  I  requested  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan to  prepare  another  draft  of  a  message  &  sub- 
mit it  to  me,  placing  the  interposition  of  the  U.  S. 
upon  the  ground  that  it  would  be  dangerous  to  us, 
and  a  violation  of  our  settled  policy,  to  permit  either 
Great  Brittain  or  Spain  to  possess  &  colonize  the 
country,  and  to  do  this  [prevent  this]  the  U.  S.  ought 
to  afford  the  aid  asked.  The  Cabinet  after  trans- 
acting some  other  business  of  minor  importance  ad- 
journed. The  Secretaries  of  War  &  the  Navy  re- 
mained in  my  office  &  examined  with  me  the  draft 
of  a  Gen'l  order  announcing  my  decision  upon  an 
appeal  made  by  Maj'r  Gen'l  Pillow  from  the  finding 
of  a  Court  of  Enquiry,  held  in  Mexico  in  October 
last,  and  the  approval  of  the  same  by  Gen'l  Scott, 
in  relation  to  two  small  howitzers  taken  from  the 
enemy  at  the  storming  of  Chepultepec  in  September 
last,  by  two  young  officers,  Lieut.  Hodge  [and]  Mid- 
shipman Rogers,  &  Mr.  Walsh,  who  desired  to  ap- 
propriate them  as  trophies  for  themselves.  It  is  very 
clear  from  the  record  of  the  proceedings  of  the  Court 
that  Gen'l  Pillow  had  no  agency  in  taking  these 
Howitzers  and  no  intention  of  appropriating  them 
as  trophies  for  himself,  and  it  is  equally  clear  that  he 


1848]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARYi  435 

did  nothing  for  which  he  deserves  the  slightest  cen- 
sure. In  my  decision  1  reviewed  all  the  facts  & 
circumstances.  The  Secretary  of  War  &  of  the 
Navy,  who  had  also  examined  the  record,  concurred 
with  me  in  the  decision  which  I  directed  the  Secre- 
tary of  War  to  make.  This  being  reception  evening 
a  large  number  of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  many 
of  them  distinguished  persons  from  a  distance,  called. 

Wednesday,  26th  April,  1848. —  A  large  number 
of  persons  called  this  morning  &  my  time  was  occu- 
pied as  usual  in  seeing  visits  [visitors]  until  12 
O'clock.  Mr.  Buchanan  called  &  read  to  me  the 
draft  of  a  message  which  he  had  prepared  in  pur- 
suance of  my  request,  in  relation  to  Yucatan  (see  this 
diary  of  yesterday).  He  left  it  with  me  for  my  ex- 
amination. I  transacted  business  with  the  Secre- 
taries of  War  and  the  Navy  &  other  public  officers. 
I  disposed  of  much  business  on  my  table.  About  i 
O'clock  the  Rev.  Mr.  Slicer  called,  &  introduced 
half  a  dozen  Methodist  clergymen,  who  were  on  their 
way  to  attend  a  general  Conferrence  of  their  church 
to  be  held  at  Pittsburg.  To-day  my  nephew, 
Marshall  T.  Polk,  came  up  from  his  school  in  Alex- 
andria &  brought  with  him  a  letter  which  he  had 
just  received  from  his  step-father,  Dr.  Wm.  C. 
Tate  of  Morganton,  N.  C,  informing  him  that  his 
mother  was  dangerously  ill.  I  immediately  told 
him  that  he  could  start  to  visit  his  mother  by  to-mor- 
row morning's  Southern  boat.  He  returned  to 
Alexandria  for  his  trunk  &  books,  and  at  9  O'Clock 
to-night  he  set  out  for  Morganton  to  visit  his  mother. 


436  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [27  April 

The   Boat   leaves   at  3   O'Clock   A.  M.   to-morow, 
and  he  will  sleep  on  board  to-night. 

Several  members  of  Congress  called  after  night. 
Gen'l  Twiggs  of  the  army  also  called,  but  as  there 
was  company  in  my  office  he  remained  but  a  few 
minutes.     I  invited  him  to  call  to-morrow  evening. 

Thursday,  2'/th  April,  1848. — I  passed  the 
morning  as  usual  in  seeing  company.  Many  per- 
sons, members  of  Congress  and  others,  called.  Dur- 
ing the  Session  of  Congress  I  am  compelled  to  keep 
my  office  open  each  day  until  the  hour  of  meeting 
of  the  Houses  to  enable  members  to  see  me  on  busi- 
ness, and  when  my  doors  are  open  to  receive  them  all 
others  come  in,  and  in  this  way  I  am  much  annoyed 
by  office  seekers,  beggars  for  money,  and  all  sorts 
of  people.  The  morning  of  each  day  is  generally 
spent  very  unprofitably,  and  yet  I  am  compelled  to 
submit  to  it,  or  give  offense  to  members  of  Congress 
by  refusing  to  see  them.  After  I  closed  my  office 
to-day  I  was  engaged  in  disposing  of  the  business  on 
my  table,  and  in  preparing  a  message  to  Congress 
on  the  subject  of  our  relations  with  Yucatan.  A 
communication  from  the  Governor  of  Yucatan  to 
the  Secretary  of  State,  dated  March  25th,  1848,  was 
received  a  day  or  two  ago,  invoking  the  aid  of  the 
U.  S.  to  save  the  White  race  from  extermination  by 
the  Indians,  and  offering,  in  case  the  aid  asked  was 
granted,  to  surrender  the  "  dominion  &  sovereignty  " 
of  Yucatan  to  the  U.  S.  It  is  an  important  sub- 
ject and  requires  much  consideration.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan, at  my  request,  had  drawn  the  draft  of  a 


JAMES   K.    POLK'S   DIARY  437 

message,  with  which  1  was  not  satisfied,  &  I  was  en- 
gaged to-day  in  preparing  one  which  met  more  fully 
my  own  views.  After  night  Gen'l  Twiggs  of  the 
army  called  &  I  had  a  long  conversation  with  him 
in  relation  to  afifairs  in  Mexico. 

About  2  O'clock  P.M.  to-day  Mr.  Hannegan, 
chairman  of  the  committee  of  Foreign  affairs  in  the 
Senate,  and  Mr.  McClellan  of  Michigan,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  committee  of  Foreign  afifairs  of  the  House 
of  Representatives,  called  at  my  request,  and  1  held 
a  free  conversation  with  them  in  reference  to  our 
relations  with  Yucatan,  and  read  to  them  the  letter 
of  the  Governor  of  Yucatan  and  the  rough  draft  of 
the  message  I  had  prepared  on  the  subject.  They 
approved  it.  After  night  C.  J.  Ingersoll  of  the  Ho. 
Repts.,  &  a  member  of  the  committee  of  Foreign  af- 
fairs, called,  and  I  read  to  him  my  proposed  message 
in  relation  to  Yucatan.  He  approved  it,  but  said  he 
would  think  more  on  the  subject  &  see  me  again  on 
to-morrow. 

Friday,  28th  April,  1848. — After  spending  the 
morning  as  usual  in  seeing  company,  I  closed  my 
office  at  12  O'clock.  As  my  proposed  message  to 
Congress  on  the  subject  of  our  relations  with  Yuca- 
tan is  one  of  great  importance,  I  sent  for  the  Secre- 
tary of  State  &  conferred  with  him  on  the  subject 
of  the  draft  of  it  which  I  had  prepared  on  yester- 
day. I  sent  also  for  the  Secretaries  of  the  Treas- 
ury, War,  &  the  Navy.  The  two  latter  called  &  I 
conferred  with  them  on  the  subject.  Some  imma- 
terial modifications  were  suggested  &  made,  &  all 


438  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [29  April 

approved  the  paper.  It  was,  however,  too  late  to 
send  it  in  to-day,  and  I  was  still  not  entirely  satis- 
fied with  it.  Mr.  C.  J.  Ingersoll  called  &  after  re- 
flecting on  the  subject  since  last  night  (see  this  diary 
of  yesterday)  was  satisfied  that  I  ought  to  send  the 
message  in.  In  the  evening  I  held  a  conferrence  on 
the  subject  with  Senator  Turney  &  Mr.  Ingersoll, 
who  called  again  to  see  me  on  the  subject.  After 
they  retired  Senator  Cass,  for  whom  I  had  sent, 
called.  Messrs.  Boyd  &  Peyton  of  Ky.  and  Mr. 
Wick  of  Indiana,  all  of  the  Ho.  Repts.,  happening 
to  call,  I  read  to  all  of  them  my  proposed 
message  in  relation  to  Yucatan,  and,  after  giving 
them  the  information  which  I  possessed,  they  were 
all  of  opinion  that  I  ought  to  send  the  message  to 
Congress. 

This  was  reception  evening.  A  number  of  per- 
sons, ladies  &  gentlemen,  called.  After  the  com- 
pany dispersed  I  invited  Senator  Bagby  to  accom- 
pany the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  &  myself  to  my 
office,  &  read  to  him  my  message  in  relation  to 
Yucatan.     He  approved  it. 

Saturday,  2gth  April,  1848. —  I  saw  company 
before  the  meeting  of  the  Cabinet  this  morning.  I 
sent  the  message  ^  in  relation  to  Yucatan  to  the  two 
Houses  of  Congress  to-day.  The  Cabinet  met  at 
the  usual  hour  to-day;  all  the  members  present.  No 
business  of  importance  was  considered.  Senator 
Ashley  of  Arkansas  died  at  his  lodgings  in  this  City 
about  2  O'clock  to-day.     His  attack  was  sudden  & 

^  iS.  Ex.  Doc.  40,  30  Cong.  I  Sess.  V. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  439 

very  violent.  I  observed  [him]  at  church  with  his 
family  on  the  last  sabbath  in  his  usual  health.  He 
attended  the  Senate  on  monday,  was  taken  ill  the 
same  evening,  and  to-day  he  died.  *'  What  shadows 
we  [are]  and  what  shadows  we  pursue."  One  week 
ago  no  member  of  either  House  of  Congress  had  a 
better  prospect  of  long  life  than  Mr.  Ashley.  The 
Cabinet  held  but  a  short  sitting.  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Slicer  called  about  3  O'Clock  &  introduced  half  a 
dozen  Methodist  clergymen  who  were  on  their  way 
to  the  General  conferrence  of  their  church  to  be  held 
at  Pittsburg.  Among  them  was  an  Englishman  who 
was  a  delegate  of  the  Church  in  Great  Brittain  to  the 
conferrence. 

I  disposed  of  business  on  my  table  as  usual.  After 
night  Messrs.  Boyd  &  Peyton  of  Ky.  called  and  spent 
one  or  two  hours  with  me.  Miss  Whitaker  of  N. 
Carilina,  w^ho  has  been  spending  several  weeks  in 
my  family  left  to-night  for  her  home.  She  was  ac- 
companied by  Mr.  Daniel  of  the  Ho.  Repts.,  from 
N.  Carolina. 

Sunday,  joth  April,  1848. —  Mrs.  Polk  &  my- 
self attended  the  First  Presbyterian  church  to-day. 
A  despatch  was  received  to-day  at  the  Department 
of  State  from  Mr.  Clifford,  dated  at  the  City  of 
Mexico  on  the  12th  Instant.  He  reached  that  City 
on  the  I  ith  Inst. 

Monday,  Ist  May,  1848. —  My  office  was  open 
for  the  reception  of  company  until  12  O'Clock  as 
usual.     Many  persons  called.     The  death  of   Sen- 


440  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i  May 

ator  Ashley,  I  learn,  was  announced  at  the  meeting 
of  both  Houses  of  Congress  to-day,  after  which  both 
Houses  adjourned  without  transacting  any  business. 
I  was  occupied  as  usual  in  transacting  business  in 
my  office.  I  saw  the  Secretaries  of  State  &  War  & 
some  other  public  officers  in  the  course  of  the  day. 
Among  others  who  called  to-day  were  Ex.  Senator 
Tappan  ^  of  Ohio  and  the  Hon.  Jesse  Miller,  Sec- 
retary of  State  of  Penn.  After  night  the  Hon.  Mr. 
Birdsall  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  from  N.  Y.  called  and 
read  to  me  a  part  of  a  letter  from  a  man  whose  name 
I  do  not  remember  to  Mr.  Crosswell  ^  of  Albany, 
stating  that  Mr.  Gould,"  the  U.  S.  Marshall  of  West- 
ern N.  York,  had  stated  that  I  had  written  a  letter 
to  some  one  in  N.  Y.  expressing  the  opinion  [that] 
the  Utica  convention  lately  held  in  that  State,  con- 
stituted the  regular  organization  of  the  Democratic 
party  in  that  State.  I  told  Mr.  Birdsall  that  I  had 
written  no  such  letter,  that  the  statement  was  false; 
and  that  I  had  expressed  no  opinion,  either  in  writ- 
ing or  verbally,  on  the  subject.  I  told  him  that  I 
regretted  the  divisions  in  the  Democratic  party  in 
N.  York,  &  had  often  publickly  expressed  the  hope 
that  they  might  be  healed  &  the  party  be  re-united 
&  harmonious.     This  led  to  a  conversation   about 

^  Benjamin  Tappan,  1 773-1857,  Senator  from  Ohio  1833-1845, 
a  strong  anti-slavery  man. 

-Edwin  Croswell,  journalist,  1797-1871.  He  became  state 
printer  and  editor  of  the  Albany  Argus,  the  recognized  Demo- 
cratic organ  of  New  York  and  the  spokesman  of  the  Albany 
Regency,  in  1824.  In  1844  h^  quarrelled  with  Van  Buren  and 
separated  from  the  faction  of  the  Democratic  party  led  by  him. 

^  Jacob  Gould,  marshal  of  the  northern  district  of  New  York. 


1848]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  441 

my  appointments  in  N.  Y.  Both  factions  of  the 
Democratic  party  complained  that  1  had  given  too 
many  appointments  to  the  opposing  faction.  I  told 
[him]  that  neither  party  complained  of  my  meas- 
ures, my  policy,  or  the  principles  upon  which  I  had 
administered  the  Government,  but  that  their  divi- 
sions resulted  from  a  disreputably  [disreputable] 
dispute  among  themselves  about  the  offices,  or  who 
should  have  the  larger  share  of  the  "  loaves  & 
fishes."  Senator  Houston  of  Texas  came  in  before 
Mr.  Birdsall  left,  and  I  repeated  in  his  presence 
what  I  had  told  Mr.  Birdsall  in  relation  to  Mr. 
Gould's  alleged  statement  &  the  Utica  Convention, 
&  after  Mr.  Birdsall  left  I  requested  Mr.  Houston  to 
remember  what  I  had  said. 

Tuesday,  2nd  May,  1848. —  I  was  occupied  at 
my  table  until  1 1  O'Clock  this  morning,  when  the 
Cabinet  assembled;  all  the  members  present  ex- 
cept the  Secretary  of  the  Navy.  I  proceeded,  ac- 
companied by  the  Cabinet,  to  the  Capitol,  where  I 
attended  the  funeral  services  on  the  occasion  of  the 
death  of  the  Hon.  Chesley  Ashley,  one  of  the  Sen- 
ators from  the  State  of  Arkansas,  who  expired  at 
his  lodgings  in  this  City  on  Saturday  last.  Divine 
service  was  performed  in  the  Senate  chamber  by 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Slicer,  Chaplain  of  the  Senate.  His 
discourse  was  solemn,  eloquent,  &  impressive.  I 
joined  the  procession  &  accompanied  the  remains 
of  the  deceased  to  the  Congressional  burying  ground, 
where  they  were  placed  in  a  vault.  On  my  return 
I  attended  to  business  on  my  table;  and,  what  is  a 


442  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  May 

very  rare  occurrence,  I  saw  no  company  during  the 
day.  I  believe  this  has  not  happened  before  (Sun- 
days excepted)  during  the  present  Session  of  Con- 
gress. This  was  reception  evening,  but  being  a  wet 
night  not  more  than  30  or  40  persons,  chiefly  gentle- 
men, called. 

I  note  an  incident  which  occurred  in  die  Senate 
chamber  to-day.  Immediately  after  the  sermon  of 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Slicer  &  when  the  Senators  were  leav- 
ing the  chamber  to  join  in  the  funeral  procession. 
Senator  Benton,  in  passing  near  where  I  was  seated 
bowed  to  me  &  saluted  me,  a  civility  which  I,  of 
course,  returned.  It  is  the  first  time  he  has  done  so 
since  the  commencement  of  the  trial  of  his  son-in- 
law  (Col.  Fremont)  in  the  beginning  of  November 
last,  before  a  Court  martial.  I  approved  &  re- 
mitted the  sentence  of  dismissal  from  the  service  of 
Col.  Fremont,  but  this  does  not  seem  to  have  satis- 
fied Col.  B.  I  meet  Col.  B.  almost  every  sabbath 
at  Church,  but  he  never  speaks  to  me  as  he  was  in 
the  habit  of  doing  before  the  trial  of  Col.  Fremont. 

Wednesday,  jrJ  May,  1848. —  An  unusually 
large  number  of  persons  called  this  morning,  and 
what  is  remarkable  but  few  of  them  were  seeking 
office.  Between  two  or  [and]  three  dozen  physicians 
called  in  two  or  three  bodies.  The[y]  were  chiefly 
from  the  North  and  were  attending  a  medical  con- 
vention ^  now  sitting  at  Baltimore.  They  had  come 
to  Washington,  as  they  said,  with  no  other  business 

^  The  American  Medical  Association  met  at  Baltimore,  May 
2-6,  1848. 


JAMES    K.    POLKS    DIARY  443 

than  to  visit  the  Capitol,  and  had  called  to  pay  their 
respects  to  me.  I  transacted  much  business  of  de- 
tail &  signed  an  unusual  number  of  official  papers 
to-day.  The  Secretaries  of  State  and  War  called 
on  business.  I  availed  myself  of  some  leisure  from 
other  duties  to  put  on  paper  some  general  views  to 
be  presented  in  a  message  to  Congress,  in  the  event 
the  Treaty  with  Mexico  shall  be  ratified  by  Mexico 
&  peace  restored.  I  will  lay  the  paper  aside  to  be 
used  if  the  occasion  should  arise.  In  the  evening 
Senator  Hannegan  called  &  held  a  conversation 
with  me  about  Yucatan  and  my  late  message  to  Con- 
gress on  the  subject  of  our  relations  with  that  State. 
After  night  Mr.  Chase  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  from  Ten- 
nessee called  and  spent  an  hour  with  me. 

Thursday,  4th  May,  1848. —  In  taking  my  usual 
walk  before  breakfast  this  morning  I  met  Senator 
Calhoun  of  S.  C,  shook  hands  with  him,  and  passed 
salutations  with  him.  I  [had]  not  spoken  to  him 
before  since  he  called  and  formally  paid  his  re- 
spects to  me  early  in  the  present  Session  of  Con- 
gress. Many  visitors,  members  of  Congress  & 
others,  called  this  morning.  At  12  O'Clock,  hear- 
ing that  the  Hon.  James  H.  Thomas,  who  resides 
in  the  same  town  with  me  in  Tennessee  and  repre- 
sents my  old  District  in  Congress,  was  very  ill,  I 
rode  with  Col.  Walker,  my  Private  Secretary,  to  his 
boarding  House  (Mr.  Wimsatt's)  to  see  him.  I 
found  him  very  ill  &  I  fear  dangerously  so.  On  my 
return  I  sent  my  servant  (Henry)  to  wait  upon  him. 
I    saw    Dr.    Hall,    his    attending    physician,    who 


444  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [5  May 

thought  him  dangerously  ill.  I  was  engaged  the 
balance  of  the  day  in  attending  to  business  on  my 
table.  In  the  course  of  the  day  I  saw  the  Secre- 
taries of  State  and  the  Navy  &  some  other  public 
officers  on  business.  After  night  the  Hon.  George 
S.  Houston  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  from  Alabama  called 
and  spent  an  hour  with  me  in  conversation  about 
public  affairs  and  particularly  about  the  business  be- 
fore Congress. 

Friday,  5M  May,  1848. —  I  saw  company  as 
usual  this  morning.  Many  persons  called.  I  sent 
a  message  to  the  Senate  in  answer  to  a  Resolution 
calling  for  information  in  relation  to  Yucatan.  I 
saw  and  transacted  business  with  the  Secretaries  of 
State,  Navy,  &  War  and  some  other  public  officers. 
I  was  occupied  in  my  office  all  day  in  attending  to 
various  matters  of  business  requiring  my  attention. 
Nothing  of  special  interest  transpired. 

This  was  reception  evening.  A  large  number  of 
persons,  members  of  Congress,  ladies  &  gentlemen, 
called. 

Saturday,  6th  May,  1848. —  I  saw  a  fev^^  per- 
sons who  called  this  morning.  The  Cabinet  met  at 
the  usual  hour,  all  the  members  present.  Several 
matters  of  minor  importance  were  considered  &  dis- 
posed of.  A  general  conversation  occurred  in  re- 
lation to  the  subject  of  our  relations  with  Yucatan, 
which  I  brought  before  Congress  in  a  message  a  few 
days  ago.  Mr.  Walker  was  in  favour  of  its  ultimate 
annexation  to  the  United  States,  &  Mr.  Buchanan 


1848]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  445 

opposed  to  it.  I  concurred  with  Mr.  Walker,  rather 
than  see  it  fall  into  the  hands  of  England.  After 
the  Cabinet  adjourned  I  was  engaged  in  my  office 
as  usual  until  a  late  hour  at  night. 

Sunday,  7th  May,  1848.—  Mrs.  Polk  and  myself 
attended  to  Divine  worship  to-day  at  a  new  Metho- 
dist ^  church  in  the  ist  Ward  of  the  City,  West  of  the 
President's  Square.  It  was  the  first  service  ever 
held  in  the  church  &  it  was  dedicated  to  the  service 
of  God  by  a  sermon  delivered  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Sar- 
geant.  I  contributed  $25.  to  assist  in  paying  for  the 
building,  a  collection  for  this  purpose  having  been 
taken  up. 

Monday,  8th  May,  1848. —  Many  persons  called 
this  morning.  At  12  O'Clock  I  closed  my  office.  I 
spent  the  balance  of  the  day  as  usual  in  disposing  of 
business  in  my  office.  The  Secretaries  of  State  & 
War  &  several  other  public  officers  called  on  busi- 
ness. After  night  Senator  Hannegan  &  Messrs. 
Wick  and  Henly  ^  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  from  Indiana 
called.  Nothing  worthy  of  special  note  transpired 
to-day. 

.  Tuesday,  gth  May,  1848. —  A  number  of  per- 
sons called  this  morning.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the 
usual  hour;  all  the  members  present  except  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Treasury,  who  was  detained  at  his 
house  by  indisposition.     There  was  nothing  of  im- 

1  The  Union  M.  E.  church. 

2  Thomas  J.  Henley,  Representative  from  Indiana  1843-1849. 


446  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [lo  May 

portance  before  the  Cabinet  to-day  &  the  members 
remained  together  but  a  short  time.  I  saw  public 
officers  &  transacted  business  in  my  office  through- 
out the  day  as  usual. 

This  being  reception  evening  an  unusually  large 
number  of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  members  of 
Congress  and  strangers,  attended. 

Wednesday,  lOth  May,  1848. —  A  large  number 
of  persons  called  this  morning:  many  of  them  as  is 
usual  seeking  office.  I  closed  my  doors  at  12 
O'clock.  Shortly  after  that  hour  Senator  Doug- 
lass of  Illinois  called  with  John  O'SuUivan,  Esqr., 
of  New  York.  Their  business  with  me  was  to  urge 
that  I  would  take  early  measures  with  a  view  to  the 
purchase  of  the  Island  of  Cuba  from  Spain.  I 
heard  their  views,  but  deemed  it  prudent  to  express 
no  opinion  on  the  subject.  Mr.  O'Sulivan  read  to 
me  and  left  with  me  a  paper  embodying  his  views 
in  favour  of  the  measure.  Though  I  expressed  no 
opinion  to  them  I  am  decidedly  in  favour  of  pur- 
chasing Cuba  &  making  it  one  of  the  States  of  [the] 
Union.  I  was  occupied  during  the  day  in  disposing 
of  the  business  on  my  table  &  seeing  public  officers 
on  business. 

Thursday,  nth  May,  1848. —  Saw  company  as 
usual  this  morning.  Many  persons  called.  There 
are  many  Delegates  to  the  Democratic  national  con- 
vention to  be  assembled  at  Baltimore  on  the  22nd 
Instant,  as  well  as  other  strangers  now  in  the  City. 
After  12  O'clock  I  was  occupied  in  my  office.     I 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  447 

disposed  of  many  matters  of  detail  which  were  on 
my  table.  Congress  is  doing  but  little.  The  mem- 
bers of  all  parties  [seem]  to  be  more  occupied  in 
making  a  President  than  in  attending  to  the  public 
business.  Nothing  occurred  to-day  worthy  of 
special  notice. 

Friday,  12  th  May,  1848. —  Several  persons 
called  to-day,  but  not  as  many  [as]  usually  call  every 
day.  I  spent  the  day  in  attending  to  business  in  my 
office.  A  short  despatch  from  Mr.  Sevier,  dated 
at  the  City  of  Mexico  on  the  i8th  ultimo.,  was 
rec'd  to-day.  He  and  Mr.  Clifford  had  not  had 
an  interview  with  the  Mexican  authorities  since 
their  arrival.  Mr.  Sevier  expresses  no  opinion  as 
to  the  prospect  of  the  ratification  of  the  Treaty  by 
Mexico.  They  had  addressed  an  official  note  to 
the  Mexican  Government,  but  had  not  received  an 
answer.  The  ratification  of  the  Treaty  by  Mexico 
may  be  regarded  as  doubtful.  In  the  event  of  its 
ratification  I  will  have  an  important  message  to  com- 
municate to  Congress,  and  I  occupied  a  part  of  the 
day  in  reducing  my  views  upon  the  points  which  I 
will  present  to  writing.  If  the  Treaty  should  not 
be  ratified  what  I  have  written  w^ill  be  labour  lost. 
Should  it  be  ratified  prompt  action  will  be  necessary 
and  I  desired  to  be  prepared  in  advance.  The  Sen- 
ate, instead  of  acting  promptly,  are  still  discussing  the 
Yucatan  question. 

This  being  reception  evening  a  number  of  persons, 
ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 


448  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [13  May 

Saturday,  13th  May,  1848. —  It  is  two  years  ago 
this  day  since  War  was  declared  by  Congress  against 
Mexico.  They  have  been  two  years  of  unceasing 
labour  and  anxiety  with  me. 

A  number  of  persons  called  this  morning.  The 
Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour.  Nothing  of  impor- 
tance occurred.  All  the  members  were  present. 
After  remaining  a  short  time  and  without  transact- 
ing any  business  of  a  general  character  they  dis- 
persed. Mr.  Cave  Johnson  remained  after  the  other 
members  of  the  Cabinet  retired.  I  read  to  him  the 
draft  of  a  letter  which  I  had  prepared  to  be  ad- 
dressed to  some  member  of  the  Democratic  National 
convention  to  assemble  at  Baltimore  on  the  22nd 
Inst.,  to  be  by  him  presented  to  the  convention  if,  as 
has  been  often  suggested  to  me  it  might  be,  my  name 
should  be  brought  before  the  convention  for  nom- 
ination. I  will  probably  address  the  letter  to  Dr.  J. 
G.  M.  Ramsey,^  a  Delegate  to  the  convention  from 
Tennessee.  In  this  letter  I  re-iterated  &  declared 
my  desire  to  retire  at  the  end  of  my  present  term  and 
not  to  be  a  candidate  for  re-election.  I  am  induced 
to  address  such  a  letter  to  the  convention  in  conse- 
quence of  the  use  which  has  been  recently  made  of 
my  name  in  reference  to  a  re-nomination,  and  [the] 
wish  expressed  to  me  by  many  members  of  Congress 
and  others  to  run  me  as  a  candidate  for  a  second 
term.  A  week  ago  I  commenced  reading  the  same 
letter  to  Mr.  Johnson,  but  was  interrupted  by  com- 
pany coming  in.     On  Wednesday  last  I  read  it  [to] 

^  James  Gattys  McGregor  Ramsey  of  Tennessee,  1 797-1 884, 
author  of  Annals  of  Tennessee. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  449 

the  Hon.  James  H.  Thomas  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  from 
Tennessee.  I  have  also  read  it  to  my  private  Sec- 
retary, Col.  Walker,  and  informed  Judge  Mason, 
the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  that  I  intended  to  write 
such  a  letter.  Many  members  of  the  Democratic 
party  desire  that  I  should  be  the  Democratic  can- 
didate, but  I  desire  to  retire  &  deem  it  proper  to 
relieve  the  Convention  of  any  embarrassment  which 
the  presentation  of  my  name  might  produce,  and 
leave  the  contest  for  the  nomination  to  others. 

This  evening  P.  B.  Glenn,  Esqr.,  of  Tennessee,  in 
company  with  Senator  Turney  &  Mr.  Cave  John- 
son [called].  He  and  Mr.  Johnson  took  tea  with 
me.  Mr.  Glenn  is  a  Delegate  to  the  Baltimore  con- 
vention. I  disposed  of  business  in  my  office  as  usual 
to-day. 

Sunday,  14th  May,  1848. —  I  attended  the  First 
Presbyterian  church  to-day,  &  was  accompanied  by 
Mrs.  Polk  &  Miss  Henrietta  Rachel  Armstrong. 
Mr.  P.  B.  Glenn  of  Tennessee,  Mr.  Cave  Johnson, 
&  Daniel  Graham  took  a  family  Dinner  with  me  to- 
day. 

Monday,  ISth  May,  1848. —  Many  persons  called 
this  morning,  and  among  them  several  of  the  Del- 
egates to  the  Baltimore  convention  of  the  Demo- 
cratic party  which  is  to  assemble  in  B.  on  the  22nd 
Instant.  I  disposed  of  much  business  on  my  table 
to-day.  Mr.  Buchanan  sent  to  me  a  despatch  re- 
ceived from  Mr.  Rush,  the  U.  S.  minister  at  Paris, 
dated  the   i8th   of  April.     It  contains   a  very  in- 


450  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i6  May 

teresting  narrative  of  events  of  the  late  Revolution 
in  France. 

After  night  Mr.  P.  B.  Glenn  of  Tennessee  called, 
and  remained  until  a  late  hour  in  conversation  about 
political  and  other  matters  in  Tennessee.  He  is  a 
Delegate  to  the  Democratic  National  convention  at 
Baltimore,  but  nothing  was  said  in  our  conversation 
about  the  Presidential  election.  He  did  not  intro- 
duce the  subject,  &  I  did  not. 

Tuesday,  lOth  May,  1848.—  A  large  number  of 
strangers,  chiefly  Delegates  to  the  Democratic  na- 
tional convention  to  be  assembled  at  Baltimore,  on 
the  22nd  Instant,  called  this  morning.  Several 
members  of  Congress  called  with  them  to  introduce 
them.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour;  all  the 
members  present.  Despatches  received  from  Gen'l. 
Price  were  read.  They  give  a  detailed  account  of 
the  battle  of  Santa  Cruz,  and  the  capture  of  Chihua- 
hua by  the  forces  under  his  command.  In  this  in- 
stance as  well  as  in  all  others  during  the  Mexican 
war,  our  arms  were  successful.  The  victory  at 
Santa  Cruz  was  a  decided  one.  Some  conversation 
took  place  in  reference  to  the  orders  proper  to  be 
given  to  Gen'l.  Price  as  to  his  future  movements,  if 
the  Treaty  of  peace  should  not  be  ratified  and  the 
war  should  be  continued.  The  Cabinet  were  agreed 
that  if  the  war  be  continued  his  force  is  too  small  to 
hold  Chihuahua,  and  that  he  should  fall  back  to  the 
Passo  Del  Norte  ^   and  after  retaining  a  sufficient 

^  On  the  Rio  Grande  opposite  El  Paso,  almost  due  north  of 
Chihuahua. 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  451 

force  to  hold  New  Mexico  securely,  to  send  a  Battal- 
ion, if  they  can  be  spared,  to  California,  where  their 
services  may  be  needed.  Some  other  business  was 
considered  and  disposed  of. 

Col.  John  D.  Hawkins  of  N.  C.  &  his  daughter. 
Miss  Jane  Hawkins,  the  Hon.  Waldon  Edwards  ^  of 
N.  C,  James  M.  Williamson  of  Somerville,  Ten., 
&c  E.  G.  Eastman  -  of  Nashville,  Tenn.,  dined  with 
me  to-day.  This  was  reception  evening.  The  night 
was  wet,  but  notwithstanding  a  number  of  persons, 
chiefly  gentlemen,  called. 

Wednesday,  lyth  May,  1848.— M^rny  persons 
called  this  morning  and  among  them  several  of  the 
delegates  to  the  Democratic  National  convention  to 
be  assembled  at  Baltimore  on  the  22nd  Inst.  My 
old  acquaintance  and  associate  in  Congress,  Col. 
Abraham  McClellan  of  Ten.,  &  Col.  Bowers  of 
N.C.,  called.  Whilst  they  were  with  me  Mr.  Stan- 
ton of  the  Ho.  Repts.  from  Tennessee  came  in.  In 
the  course  of  conversation  he  said  in  the  presence  of 
the  other  two  gentlemen  that  he  wished  to  ask  me  a 
question,  which  I  could  answer  or  not,  as  I  chose. 
His  question  was ;  are  you  a  candidate  before  the 

^  Weldon  Nathaniel  Edwards,  Representative  from  North  Caro- 
lina 1816-1827,  President  of  the  North  Carolina  Secession  Con- 
vention in  1 86 1. 

^  E.  G.  Eastman,  1 813-1 859;  he  w^as  a  native  of  New^  England 
but  was  called  to  Tennessee  along  with  J.  George  Harris  to  assist 
the  Jackson-Polk  faction  of  the  Democratic  party  to  regain  con- 
trol of  the  State  in  the  election  of  1839.  He  established  the 
Knoxville  Argus  and  later  succeeded  Harris  as  editor  of  the  Nash- 
ville Union. 


452  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [17  May 

Democratic  convention  at  Baltimore  for  the  nomi- 
nation of  President?  I  answered  him  promptly 
that  I  was  not.  He  knew  that  I  was  not  a  candi- 
date, &  it  struck  me  as  very  strange  that  he  should 
propound  such  a  question.  If  he  had  been  my 
friend  he  would  have  sought  some  opportunity 
to  confer  with  me  on  the  subject  when  we  were 
alone.  He  desired  no  doubt  to  ask  the  question 
in  the  presence  of  witnesses  so  that  if  perchance 
the  convention  should  be  unable  to  agree  on  an- 
other &  should  think  of  tendering  the  nomination 
unsolicited  to  me,  he  might  have  an  apology  for  op- 
posing it.  I  do  not  anticipate  or  desire  such  a  thing, 
but  Mr.  Stanton's  interrogatory  proves  to  me  his  un- 
friendly feelings. 

I  transacted  business  with  the  Secretary  of  War 
to-day.  After  it  was  over  I  consulted  Mr.  Marcy 
about  the  propriety  of  addressing  a  letter  to  the 
Democratic  convention  at  Baltimore,  to  be  com- 
municated to  the  convention  if  necessary,  to  the 
effect  that  I  was  not  a  candidate  before  them  for  the 
nomination  of  President.  He  approved  the  sug- 
gestion. I  then  read  to  him  the  draft  of  such  a  letter 
which  I  had  prepared,  which  he  also  approved. 
He  suggested  a  single  modification  of  one  paragraph 
of  the  letter,  which  was  not  a  material  one. 

The  marine  band  played  on  the  grounds  South  of 
the  President's  House  this  afternoon.  A  number  of 
persons  were  collected  on  the  grounds  to  hear  it. 
After  night  I  sent  for  Judge  Mason,  the  Secretary 
of  the  Navy,  and  read  to  him  the  draft  of  the  letter 
which  I  proposed  to  address  to  the  Democratic  Na- 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  453 

tional  convention.  He  examined  it  with  care  and 
suggested  some  modifications  of  phraseology.  He 
approved  of  the  letter  &  thought  it  ought  to  be  sent 
to  the  Convention. 

Thursday,  i8th  May,  1848.  —  My  office  was 
crowded  from  an  early  hour  this  morning  with  vis- 
itors. Among  them  were  a  large  number  of  Dele- 
gates from  all  quarters  of  the  Union  to  the 
Democratic  National  convention  at  Baltimore.  I 
was  visited  by  them  throughout  the  day,  but  after  12 
O'clock  fewer  called  than  in  the  morning.  Several 
of  them  introduced  the  subject  of  the  nomination  to 
be  made  at  Baltimore,  &  expressed  a  desire  that  I 
should  be  re-nominated.  I  promptly  answered 
them  that  I  was  not  a  candidate,  and  re-iterated  the 
declarations  contained  in  my  letter  of  the  12th  of 
June,  1844,  accepting  the  nomination  tendered  to  me 
by  the  Democratic  National  convention  of  that  year. 
Many  of  them  express  regret  that  I  had  in  that  letter 
and  since  that  time  declared  my  intention  not  to  be 
a  candidate  for  re-election,  &  expressed  the  opinion 
that  I  was  the  choice  of  the  Democratic  [Democ- 
racy] of  the  Union.  All  of  them  who  conversed 
with  me  expressed  their  approbation  of  the  manner 
in  which  the  Government  had  been  administered,  & 
of  the  measures  of  my  administration.  I  was  en- 
abled to  transact  business  only  at  intervals  to-day. 
As  an  unusual  number  of  strangers  from  a  distance 
were  in  the  City,  I  thought  it  proper  to  keep  my 
office  open  to  afford  them  an  opportunity  to  visit 
me. 


454  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [19  May 

Friday,  igth  May,  1848. —  A  large  number  of 
Delegates  to  the  Democratic  national  convention,  & 
others,  called  on  me  to-day.  In  the  morning  my  of- 
fice was  crowded,  &  throughout  the  day  I  had  calls. 
Several  of  them  expressed  their  desire  to  run  me  for 
a  second  term.  I  replied  to  them  as  I  did  to  others 
on  the  same  subject  on  yesterday  (see  this  diary  of 
yesterday).  I  have  been  informed  by  many  dele- 
gates that  among  the  large  body  of  them  now  assem- 
bled in  this  City  there  is  a  general  expression  of  ap- 
probation of  the  measures  of  my  administration,  &  a 
general  expression  of  regret  that  I  ever  made  the 
pledge  not  to  be  a  candidate  for  re-election.  Sev- 
eral of  them  have  expressed  to  me  the  opinion  that  a 
large  majority  of  the  Delegates  desire  to  see  me  re- 
elected. These  expressions  of  approbation  are,  of 
course,  gratifying  to  me,  but  I  have  firmly  main- 
tained the  ground  I  have  heretofore  occupied  of  not 
being  again  a  candidate,  &  have  repeated  to  many  of 
them  my  fixed  purpose  of  retiring  to  private  life  at 
the  close  of  my  present  term.  I  sent  for  the  Hon. 
Geo.  S.  Houston  of  Alabama  this  afternoon,  and 
read  to  him  the  letter  which  I  had  prepared  to  the 
convention  at  Baltimore.  He  approved  it,  making 
some  suggestions  of  modification  of  phraseology,  not 
affecting  its  substance. 

I  had  but  little  time  to  attend  to  business  to-day 
but  at  intervals  when  my  office  was  clear  of  company 
I  disposed  of  some  of  the  business  on  my  table. 
This  was  reception  evening.  The  company  com- 
menced to  assemble  at  an  unusually  early  hour. 
The  Circular  parlour,  which  is  all  that  is  usually 


184SJ  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  455 

opened  on  reception  evenings,  was  soon  filled.  The 
red  parlour  &  the  green  parlour,  as  they  are  desig- 
nated, were  sucessively  opened  &  filled.  The  crowd 
continued  to  increase  until  it  became  necessary  to 
light  up  the  East  Room,  which  became  also  filled. 
The  number  of  strangers  in  Washington  is  almost 
unprecedented.  It  is  believed  that  a  large  majority 
of  the  delegates  to  the  Democratic  National  conven- 
tion, to  assemble  at  Baltimore  on  Monday  next,  were 
present  this  evening.  In  addition  to  these  many 
other  strangers  are  in  the  City,  and  attended.  Many 
members  of  Congress  of  both  political  parties,  many 
citizens,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  were  also  present.  It 
was  in  truth  a  numerously  attended  levee. 

Saturday,  20th  May,  1848. —  I  had  numerous 
visitors  this  morning.  It  was  Cabinet  day  but  there 
was  no  meeting.  Most  of  the  members  of  the  Cabi- 
net called  at  different  times  &  remained  a  short  time. 
The  number  of  strangers  calling  made  it  impossible 
to  hold  a  meeting  without  excluding  &  disappoint- 
ing them  in  seeing  me.  There  was,  moreover,  noth- 
ing of  importance  to  be  considered.  I  had  an 
interview  with  Gov.  Toucey  of  Connecticut,  &  read 
to  him  the  letter  which  I  proposed  to  address  to  the 
convention  at  Baltimore.  He  expressed  his  prefer- 
ence for  me  for  the  Presidency,  regretted  that  I  had 
made  the  pledges  I  had  not  to  be  a  candidate  for  re- 
election, but  thought  it  was  proper  for  me  to  address 
such  a  letter  to  the  convention.  I  also  saw  the  fol- 
lowing Delegates  from  Tennessee  to  the  convention 
and  read  the  letter  to  them,  to  wit.,  Hon.  Abraham 


456  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [20  May 

McClellan,  Dr.  J.  G.  M.  Ramsey,  Thomas  Martin. 
Senator  Turney,  &  Messrs.  Chase,  Thomas,  &  Hill 
of  the  Ho.  Repts.  I  read  it  also  to  Gov.  A.  V. 
Brown  of  Tennessee,  who  is  not  a  Delegate,  but  ar- 
rived in  Washington  on  business  a  day  or  two  since. 
They  all  approved  the  letter.  I  told  them  I  would 
address  it  to  Dr.  Ramsey,  with  instructions  to  pre- 
sent it  &  have  it  read  to  the  Convention  before  any 
balloting  for  a  candidate  for  the  Presidency  took 
place.  After  night  I  read  it  to  Senator  Bagby  of 
Alabama.  Senator  Turney  was  present.  Senator 
Bagby  regretted  extremely  that  I  felt  it  to  be  my 
duty  to  write  it,  as  he  preferred  me  to  all  others,  and 
knew  that  the  Alabama  Delegation  to  Baltimore  & 
many  other  Delegates  to  Baltimore  did  so  also. 
After  some  conversation  upon  the  subject  he  con- 
cluded that  it  was  perhaps  proper  that  I  should  write 
it.  Gov.  A.  V.  Brown  &  his  wife,  Dr.  J.  G.  xM. 
Ramsey  &  his  daughter,  &  Mr.  Thomas  Martin,  all 
of  Tennessee,  took  a  family  Dinner  with  me  to-day. 
After  night  Gov.  Marcy,  the  Secretary  of  War, 
called  &  I  again  read  to  him  the  letter  to  the  Balti- 
more convention,  as  I  had  modified  some  part  of 
the  phraseology  since  I  had  read  it  to  him  three  or 
four  days  ago.  He  entirely  approved  [it].  Dr. 
Ramsey  of  Tennessee  left  his  daughter,  Margaret 
Jane,  to  spend  a  few  days  with  my  family  during 
his  absence  to  Baltimore.  At  12  O'Clock  to-day 
Mr.  Crampton,  acting  charge  de  afifairs  of  Great 
Brittain,  called  in  full  Court  dress,  &  delivered  to  me 
with  due  solemnity  a  letter  from  the  Queen  announc- 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY 


457 


ing  the  birth  of  a  princess/     Such  ceremonies  ap- 
pear very  ridiculous  to  a  plain  Republican. 

Sunday,  21st  May,  1848.—  I  attended  the  First 
Presbyterian  church  to-day  accompanied  by  Mrs. 
Polk  and  Dr.  J.  G.  M.  Ramsey  of  Tennessee  &  his 
daughter.  They  &  James  H.  Thomas  of  Tennessee 
took  a  family  dinner  with  [me],  as  did  also  Daniel 
Graham  of  Tennessee.  I  delivered  my  letter  -  to 
Dr.  Ramsey,  addressed  to  him,  but  to  be  read  to  the 
Democratic  convention  at  Baltimore.  I  completed 
the  letter  last  night,  but  did  not  hand  it  to  Dr. 
Ramsey  until  to-day.  After  dinner  Dr.  Ramsey  & 
Mr.  Thomas,  accompanied  by  J.  Knox  Walker,  left 
for  Baltimore.  I  objected  to  Col.  Walker's  going, 
but  he  insisted  upon  it.  After  night  Senator  Moor 
of  Maine  called,  &  having  introduced  the  conversa- 
tion to  me,  I  read  to  him  a  copy  of  the  letter  which 
I  had  addressed  to  Dr.  Ramsey  to  be  read  to  the 
Baltimore  convention.     He  approved  it. 

Monday,  22nd  May,  1848. —  This  is  the  day 
appointed  for  the  meeting  of  the  Democratic  Na- 
tional convention  at  Baltimore.  They  assemble  for 
the  purpose  of  nominating  candidates  for  President 
&  Vice  President  of  the  U.  States.  Many  members 
of  Congress  are  also  members  of  the  convention  & 
have  gone  to  Baltimore.     Both  Houses  of  Congress 

^  The  Princess  Louise,  born  March  i8,  1848.  She  married 
John,  IVIarquis  of  Lome  and  Duke  of  Arg}'ll. 

^Printed  in  the  Washington   Union,  May  26,   1848. 


458  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [22  May 

met  and  adjourned  over  until  thursday  next,  with- 
out transacting  any  business.  The  crowd  of  Dele- 
gates &  other  strangers  who  thronged  the  City  last 
week  have  gone  to  Baltimore  and  my  office  was  very 
quiet  to-day.  A  few  persons  only  called.  Among 
them  were  Mr.  Rhett  of  S.  C,  Mr.  Johnson  of  Ark., 
&  Mr.  Venable  of  N.  C,  all  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  I 
read  to  each  of  them  a  copy  of  my  letter  to  the  Balti- 
more convention.  They  all  approved  it  and  ex- 
pressed their  gratification  that  I  had  placed  myself 
on  high  ground  by  writing  such  a  letter.  They  all 
expressed  a  strong  &  decided  preference  for  me  over 
all  others,  if  I  had  permitted  my  name  to  be  used 
as  a  candidate.  Mr.  Rhett  said  that  the  people  of 
S.  C.  approved  my  administration  and  would  have 
supported  my  re-election  with  unanimity,  notwith- 
standing Mr.  Calhoun's  course.  He  declared  that 
he  could  not  support  Gen'l  Cass  if  he  should  be  the 
nominee,  and  that  S.  C.  could  not  and  would  not 
support  him.  He  spoke  enthusiastically  in  appro- 
bation of  the  principles  &  measures  of  my  adminis- 
tration. Mr.  Venable  ^  expressed  similar  opinions, 
&  declared  that  if  I  had  been  a  candidate  N.  Caro- 
lina could  have  been  carried  for  me,  but  that  she 
could  not  be  for  either  of  the  candidates  spoken  of. 
He  said  he  would  support  either  of  them  who  might 
be  nominated,  but  could  not  do  so  with  any  enthusi- 
asm, or  with  hope  of  carrying  the  State  for  him. 
He  said  he  thought  my  letter  was  worthy  of  me,  and 
after  all  that  had  occurred  was  worthy  of  me. 

'  Abraham  Watkins  Venable,   1 799-1 876,  Representative  from 
North  Carolina  1 847-1 853. 


i848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  459 

Senator  Sturgeon  called  and  introduced  a  friend. 
I  saw  Judge  Young,  the  commissioner  of  the  Gen- 
eral Land  office,  and  transacted  business  with  him 
I  read  to  him  my  letter  to  Baltimore.  He  approved 
it.  The  Secretary  of  War  called  &  read  to  me  a 
despatch  which  he  had  prepared  to  Gen'l  Price. 
With  the  suggestion  of  a  single  modification  I  ap- 
proved it.  Mr.  Buchanan  called  and  introduced 
two  gentlemen  &  two  ladies,  his  Pennsylvania 
friends.  I  transacted  some  unimportant  business 
with  him.  Gov.  A.  V.  Brown  called  and  spent  an 
hour  with  me.  Senator  Dix  also  called  on  business. 
I  spent  the  greater  part  of  the  day  in  transacting 
business  on  my  table,  and,  being  less  interrupted  by 
company  than  usual,  disposed  of  many  minor  mat- 
ters of  business  which  had  accumulated  on  my  hands. 
The  day  was  unusually  quiet.  In  the  absence  of  my 
Private  Secretary  (Col.  Walker)  who  is  at  Balti- 
more, Mr.  James  K.  Stephens  of  Tennessee,  one  of 
the  clerks  in  the  General  Land  Office,  at  my  request 
occupied  his  office  &  attended  to  the  current  business 
for  me.  I  learn  nothing  from  Baltimore,  except 
that  the  convention  met  &  had  selected  Judge  Bryce 
of  Louisiana  as  temporary  presiding  officer,  &  Mr 
Treat  of  Missouri  as  temporary  Secretary,  &  had 
appointed  a  committee  to  examine  credentials  with 
a  view  to  a  permanent  organization. 

After  night  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bridel,  a  Protestant 
clergyman  from  Paris,  and  the  Rev.  Alex.  King,  a 
Protestant  clergyman  from  Dublin,  called.  They 
were  accompanied  by  the  Rev,  Mr.  Baird,  and 
brought  a  letter  of  introduction  from  Walter  Laurie. 


460  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [23  May 

Esqr.  Mrs.  Polk  &  myself  received  them  in  the 
parlour.  They  are  recently  from  Europe,  &  gave 
an  interesting  account  of  the  late  Revolution  [at] 
Paris.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Bridel  presented  me  with  a 
new  French  coin,  a  5-Frank-piece,  struck  since  the 
French  Revolution. 

Tuesday,  23rd  May,  1848, —  This  was  a  remark- 
ably quiet  day.  Not  half  a  dozen  persons  called. 
Congress  having  adjourned  over  until  thursday, 
almost  all  the  members,  I  learn,  have  gone  to  Balti- 
more to  attend  the  Democratic  National  convention 
now  sitting  in  that  City.  Not  a  single  member  of 
Congress  called  to-day.  Brigadier  General  Caleb 
Cushing  of  the  U.  S.  army  called  to-day.  The 
Court  of  Enquiry  of  which  he  is  a  member,  which 
has  been  sitting  for  some  weeks  past  in  Mexico,  has 
adjourned  to  the  U.  S.  and  will  resume  its  session 
at  Frederickton,  Maryland,  on  the  29th  Instant.  I 
had  an  interesting  conversation  with  Gen'l  Cushing 
concerning  affairs  in  Mexico,  and  particularly  the 
prospects  of  a  ratification  of  the  Treaty  by  Mexico. 
Mr.  Buchanan,  Mr.  Marcy,  and  Mr.  Mason  of  the 
Cabinet  were  present  during  the  conversation.  This 
being  Cabinet  day  all  the  members  attended.  Some 
matters  of  detail  were  attended  to,  but  nothing  of 
any  importance  was  considered.  Information  was 
received  by  the  Telegraph  from  the  proceedings  of 
the  Convention  at  Baltimore  at  two  or  three  periods 
in  the  course  of  the  day.  The  Convention  had  not 
fully  organized  at  the  last  date,  3  I/2  O'Clock  P.  M. 
After  the  Cabinet  dispersed  to-day,  I  took  a  walk 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  461 

around  the  President's  square,  and  meeting  Mr.  Dal- 
las, the  Vice  President  of  the  U.  S.,  he  walked  with 
me.  I  informed  him  of  the  letter  1  had  written  to 
be  read  to  the  Baltimore  convention,  and  of  its  pur- 
port. He  approved  it.  Mr.  Ritchie  called  about 
4  O'clock  P.  M.  and  read  to  me  a  letter  which  he 
had  received  from  the  Chairman  of  the  Democratic 
central  committee  of  the  State  of  Florida,  enclosing 
one  to  the  Delegates  to  the  Baltimore  convention 
from  that  State.  The  letter  to  Mr.  Ritchie  in- 
formed him  that  the  one  enclosed  to  the  Delegates 
instructed  them  to  vote  for  my  nomination  for  Presi- 
dent, and  Mr.  Ritchie  enquired  of  me  whether  he 
should  send  it  to  them  at  Baltimore  or  not.  I  told 
him  I  was  sorry  he  had  consulted  me  on  the  subject, 
but  that,  as  he  had  done  so,  I  must  decline  to  give 
him  any  advice  on  the  subject.  I  told  him  I  had 
read  to  him  the  letter  which  I  had  addressed  to  Dr. 
Ramsey  to  be  read  to  the  convention,  and  beyond 
what  that  letter  contained  I  had  nothing  to  say. 

Wednesday,  24th  May,  1848.— A  number  of 
persons  called  in  the  course  of  the  day.  They  were 
chiefly  strangers  who  called  to  pay  their  respects. 
I  saw  none  of  my  Cabinet  to-day,  but  transacted 
business  in  my  office  as  usual.  Mr.  J.  K.  Stephens 
performs  the  duties  of  Private  Secretary  in  Col. 
Walker's  absence.  Several  telegraphic  despatches 
from  the  Baltimore  convention  were  received  to-day. 
The  Convention  had  not  decided  between  the  con- 
testing claimants  to  seats  in  that  body  from  New 
York  at  6  O'Clock  P.  M.,  but  the  subject  was  still 


462  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [25  May 

under  discussion.  Great  confusion,  I  learn,  exists 
at  Baltimore,  &  great  uncertainty  who  the  nominee 
will  be.  A  Telegraphic  despatch  was  received  from 
the  South  to-day  to  the  effect  that  the  Congress  of 
Mexico  had  been  dispersed  and  the  existing  Govern- 
ment overthrown,  and  that  there  was  no  prospect  of 
the  ratification  of  the  Treaty. 

The  Marine  band  played  on  the  grounds  of  the 
President's  square  this  afternoon.  Many  citizens, 
ladies  &  gentlemen,  were  present.  Gen'l  Gushing 
&  Gov.  Brown  of  Tennessee  and  his  wife  took  tea 
with  my  family  this  evening. 

Very  few  members  of  Congress,  I  learn,  are  in 
Washington.  A  large  majority  of  both  parties  in 
Congress,  I  learn,  are  at  Baltimore  attending  to 
President-making.  I  doubt  whether  there  will  be  a 
quorum  in  either  House  to-morrow.  No  business 
will  be  done  until  after  the  Baltimore  convention 
adjourns. 

Thursday,  2Sth  May,  1848.— Congress  having 
adjourned  over  from  monday  last  until  to-day,  at 
the  hour  of  meeting  scarcely  a  quorum  attended  in 
either  House.  No  business  was  transacted  and  the 
Senate  adjourned  over  until  monday  next.  The 
members  are  still  absent  at  Baltimore.  Several 
persons  called  to-day  and  I  transacted  business  in 
my  office  as  usual.  About  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  a  Tele- 
graphic despatch  was  received  announcing  that 
Lewis  Cass  of  Michigan  had,  on  the  fourth  ballot, 
been  nominated  by  the  Democratic  convention   at 


1848J  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  463 

Baltimore  as  the  candidate  of  the  Democratic  party 
for  President  of  the  U.  States.  About  5  O'Clock 
Gen'l  Cass  called  (I  having  sent  for  him)  and  I 
congratulated  him  on  his  nomination.  He  was  in 
a  fine  humour,  and  I  had  a  pleasant  conversation 
with  him.  About  8  O'Clock  P.  M.  I  was  informed 
that  the  convention  had  nominated  Gen'l  William 
O.  Butler  of  Kentucky  as  the  Democratic  candidate 
for  Vice  President  of  the  U.  States,  and  that  the  con- 
vention had  adjourned  to  meet  again  on  to-morrow. 
My  letter  addressed  to  Dr.  Ramsey,  I  learn,  was 
read  to  the  convention  at  Baltimore  before  any  bal- 
loting was  had.  In  this  letter  I  declared  that  I  was 
not  a  candidate  for  the  nomination,  and  [that  it 
was]  my  intention  to  retire  to  private  life  at  the 
close  of  my  present  term.  Gen'l  Cass  informed  me 
in  my  interview  with  him  that  in  his  letter  accepting 
his  nomination  he  would  declare  his  intention,  if 
elected,  to  serve  but  a  single  term. 

Friday,  26th  May,  1848. —  Several  members  of 
Congress  who  had  returned  from  the  convention  at 
Baltimore,  returned  [called]  this  morning.  Many 
other  persons  also  called,  most  of  whom  were  seek- 
ing office.  I  transacted  business  with  public  officers 
and  on  my  table  as  usual.  Mr.  Meek,  a  bearer  of 
despatches  from  the  Governor  and  Legislative  as- 
sembly of  Oregon,  called  to-day.  He  delivered  to 
me  a  memorial  from  the  Legislative  assembly,  and 
other  papers,  together  with  letters  from  the  Gov- 
ernor and  other  citizens  of  that  Territory,  represent- 


464  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [27  May 

ing  that  the  Indian  Tribes  in  Oregon  have  com- 
menced a  war  upon  them.  They  pray  for  the 
establishment  of  a  Territorial  Government,  and  for 
aid  and  protection.  I  will  communicate  a  message 
to  Congress  on  the  subject,  but  can  not  do  so  earlier 
than  monday  next,  because  the  Senate  will  not  sit 
before  that  day.  I  learn  that  the  Democratic  con- 
vention at  Baltimore  adopted  to-day  the  Resolutions 
of  the  Democratic  convention  of  1844. 

This  was  reception  evening.  Many  persons, 
ladies  and  gentlemen,  attended.  Among  them  were 
Gen'l  Cass,  the  nominee  of  the  Baltimore  convention 
for  President,  many  members  of  Congress,  and  many 
Delegates  who  had  attended  the  Baltimore  conven- 
tion. 

Maj'r  John  W.  Childress,  the  brother-in-law 
of  Mrs.  Polk,  and  Mr.  Rob't  B.  Jetton  of  Mur- 
freesborough,  arrived  to-night  and  took  apartments 
in  the  President's  House,  and  will  remain  with  my 
family  during  their  stay  in  Washington. 

The  Secretary  of  War  left  this  evening  on  a  visit 
to  New  York,  and  expected  to  be  absent  a  week  or 
ten  days. 

Saturday,  2yth  May,  1848.— M2iny  delegates 
who  had  attended  the  Baltimore  convention,  and 
others,  called  this  morning.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the 
usual  hour,  all  the  members  present  except  the  Sec- 
retary of  War,  who  left  on  last  evening  on  a  visit 
to  New  York.  Several  matters  of  minor  impor- 
tance were  considered  and  disposed  of.  I  read  to 
the  Cabinet  the  memorial  which  was  delivered  to  me 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  465 

on  yesterday  from  the  Legislative  assembly  of  Ore- 
gon, and  they  agreed  with  me  that  I  should  com- 
municate it  by  a  message  to  Congress.  I  resolved 
to  do  so,  and  after  night  prepared  the  rough  draft 
of  a  message.  The  Cabinet  adjourned  at  an  early 
hour.  I  disposed  of  business  in  my  office  as  usual 
to-day. 

Sunday,  28th  May,  1848.— Mrs.  Polk  and  my- 
self attended  the  First  Presbyterian  church  to-day. 
Maj'r  Childress  and  Mr.  Jetton  of  Tennessee,  who 
are  spending  a  few  days  with  me,  attended  the 
Catholic  church.  After  night  I  sent  for  Judge 
Mason,  and  Mr.  Buchanan  and  Mr.  Cave  Johnson 
happening  to  call  in,  I  read  to  them  the  message 
which  I  had  prepared  transmitting  the  memorial 
from  Oregon  to  Congress.  They  approved  it,  but 
suggested  some  change  of  phraseology  not  affecting 
its  substance. 

Monday,  2Qth  May,  1848.—  Many  members  of 
Congress  and  others  called  this  morning,  and  solici- 
tations for  office  seemed  to  be  quite  as  numerous  & 
pressing  as  they  had  been  for  months  past.  It  would 
seem  they  will  never  cease.  I  transmitted  a  mes- 
sage to  both  Houses  of  Congress  communicating 
the  memorial  and  other  papers  which  I  had  received 
from  Oregon.  I  transacted  much  business  on  my 
table  in  the  course  of  the  day.  Intelligence  was 
received  from  Mexico  as  late  as  the  14th  Instant, 
to-day.  A  Quorum  of  the  Mexican  Congress  had 
assembled  and  the  prospect  of  their  ratification  of 


466  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [30  xMay 

the  Treaty  was  favourable.  In  the  evening  Gen'l 
Cass  called  and  spent  half  an  hour  with  me.  He 
told  me  that  in  his  letter  accepting  his  nomination 
for  the  Presidency  he  would  express  his  full  ap- 
proval of  the  Resolutions  adopted  by  the  Demo- 
cratic national  convention  at  Baltimore.  This  even- 
ing Miss  Ramsey  of  Tennessee,  who  has  been  a 
member  of  my  family  for  the  last  ten  days,  left  with 
her  father.  Dr.  J.  G.  M.  Ramsey,  for  the  North. 
Dr.  Ramsey  is  one  of  the  visitors  to  West  Point  at 
the  annual  examination  of  the  cadets  which  com- 
mences on  monday  next.  I  transacted  much  busi- 
ness in  my  office  to-day. 

Tuesday,  30th  May,  1848.—  At  6  O'clock  this 
morning  Maj'r  John  W.  Childress  &  Mr.  Rob't  B. 
Jetton  of  Tennessee,  who  have  been  [for]  two  or 
three  days  members  of  my  family,  left  for  Baltimore 
and  the  North,  intending  to  travel  by  the  way  of 
the  Lakes  on  their  way  to  Tennessee.  Mr.  James 
Avent  of  Tenn.  spent  last  night  with  them  in  the 
Presidential  mansion  &  left  with  them. 

Many  persons  called  this  morning.  Among  them 
was  the  Hon.  Mr.  McKay  of  N.  C,  who  called 
on  business.  He  desired  me  to  appoint  Robert 
Strange,  jr.,  a  Paymaster  in  the  army,  vice  Beatty, 
of  N.  C,  who  declined  to  accept,  which  I  readily 
agreed  to  do.  Mr.  McKay  informed  me  that  his 
father,  the  Hon.  Rob't  Strange,  Sr.,^  had  been  a 
Delegate  to  the  Baltimore  convention,  and  had  been 

'  Robert  Strange,  1 796-1 854,  Senator  from  North  Carolina 
1835-1840. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  467 

in  Washington  City  recently  &  had  declined  to  call 
and  see  me  because,  as  he  alleged,  he  had  called  to 
see  me  last  year  and  on  leaving  me  I  had  invited 
him  to  call  again;  that  he  had  accordingly  called  at 
my  door  &  was  told  by  my  porter  that  I  was  engaged 
&  could  see  no  company,  and  that  the  porter  had 
refused  to  take  his  card  to  me.  This  had  given  him 
offense  and  therefore  he  would  not  call  on  me.  I 
was  much  surprised  at  this  statement.  Mr.  Strange 
has  been  a  Senator  in  Congress,  and  ought  to  have 
known  that  the  President  must  sometimes  have 
public  duties  to  perform  which  render  [it]  impos- 
sible for  him  to  see  company.  When  I  have  impor- 
tant duties  to  perform  I  occasionally  find  it  to  be 
absolutely  necessary  to  close  my  doors  &  to  give 
directions  to  my  porter  to  admit  no  one  &  bring  mc 
no  cards.  I  had  no  knowledge,  until  Mr.  McKay 
informed  me  to-day,  that  Mr.  Strange  had  called  & 
been  refused.  He  has  acted  very  foolishly  in  taking 
offense  &  has  shown  himself  to  be  a  much  smaller 
man  than  I  had  estimated  him  to  be.  The  circum- 
stance, however,  proves  how  impossible  it  is  for  the 
President  to  avoid  giving  offense  to  weak  &  self- 
conceited  people. 

The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour;  all  the  mem- 
bers present  except  the  Secretary  of  War,  who  is 
absent  on  a  visit  to  New  York.  Some  business  of 
minor  importance  was  disposed  of.  Despatches  re- 
ceived from  Com.  Perry,  relating  to  the  state  of 
affairs  in  Yucatan,  were  read.  I  gave  the  de- 
spatches to  Col.  Walker,  my  Private  Secretary,  and 
requested  him  to  show  them  confidentially  to  Mr. 


468  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [30  May 

Hannegan,  chairman  of  the  committee  of  Foreign 
affairs  in  the  Senate,  &  to  suggest  to  him  that  there 
would  be  no  impropriety  in  communicating  them  to 
the  Senate  if  they  were  called  for.  I  informed  the 
Cabinet  that  I  deemed  it  necessary  to  appoint  an 
Attorney  General  of  the  U.  States,  in  place  of  Mr. 
Clifford  resigned;  that  I  had  thought  of  Gov. 
Toucey  of  Connecticut,  and  Gov.  Vroom  of  New 
Jersey,  either  of  whom  were  qualified  for  the  office, 
and  as  whoever  was  appointed  would  be  associated 
with  the  Cabinet,  I  asked  their  advice.  They  all 
expressed  a  high  opinion  of  both  gentlemen,  and 
that  they  would  be  satisfied  to  be  associated  with 
either  but  expressed  a  preference  for  Gov.  Vroom, 
chiefly  upon  the  ground  that  no  appointment  of  im- 
portance had  been  made  from  the  State  of  New 
Jersey  during  my  administration,  while  a  minister 
to  Russia  &  several  other  appointments  had  been 
made  from  Connecticut.  I  did  not  inform  them 
which  of  the  gentlemen  I  would  appoint,  but  said 
I  would  determine  in  a  day  or  two.  I  was  much 
more  intimately  acquainted  with  Gov.  Toucey  than 
with  Gov.  Vroom,  &  knew  him  to  be  my  personal 
&  political  friend,  but  the  consideration  that  no 
citizen  of  New  Jersey  had  been  appointed  to  any 
important  station  had  weight  in  my  mind.  In  re- 
flecting on  the  subject  after  the  Cabinet  adjourned, 
I  determined  to  tender  the  appointment  to  Gov. 
Vroom,  &  after  night  I  addressed  him  a  letter  ten- 
dering the  appointment  to  him.  I  informed  the 
Cabinet  to-day  that  I  desired  to  invite  their  atten- 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  469 

tion,  not  for  the  purpose  of  immediate  decision,  but 
for  consideration,  [to]  the  important  question 
whether  a  proposition  should  not  be  made  to  Spain 
to  purchase  the  Island  of  Cuba.  The  subject  was 
freely  discussed.  The  great  importance  of  the 
Island  to  the  U.  S.,  and  the  danger,  if  we  did  not 
acquire  it,  that  it  might  fall  into  the  hands  of  Great 
Brittain,  were  considered.  Mr.  Walker,  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Treasury,  was  earnestly  in  favour  of 
making  the  attempt  to  purchase  it,  and  was  willing 
to  pay  one  hundred  millions  of  Dollars  for  it.  Mr. 
Mason,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  concurred  in 
opinion  with  Mr.  Walker.  Mr.  Johnson,  the  Post 
master  General,  had  objections  to  incorporating  the 
Spanish  population  of  Cuba  into  our  Union,  and  did 
not  seem  to  favour  the  idea  of  purchasing  it.  Mr. 
Buchanan,  the  Secretary  of  State,  expressed  a  gen- 
eral wish  to  acquire  Cuba,  but  thought  there  were 
objections  to  making  the  attempt  at  this  time.  He 
feared  [if]  it  became  known  that  such  a  step  was 
contemplated,  that  it  might  act  prejudicially  to  the 
Democratic  party  in  the  next  Presidential  election. 
He  said  he  would  reflect  on  the  subject  and  be  pre- 
pared to  give  me  his  advice  upon  the  subject  here- 
after. I  intimated  my  strong  conviction  that  the 
effort  should  be  made  without  delay  to  purchase 
the  Island:  and  informed  Mr.  Buchanan  that  at  the 
Cabinet  meeting  on  Saturday  next  I  would  again 
bring  up  the  subject  for  deliberate  consideration. 
He  said  he  had  doubts  on  the  subject,  but  would  be 
prepared  by  that  time  to  give  me  his  advice.     The 


470  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [30  May 

Hon.  Lewis  Cass  called  about  6  O'Clock  P.  M.,  and 
read  to  me  a  letter  ^  which  he  had  prepared  to  the 
committee  of  [the]  Democratic  National  conven- 
tion at  Baltimore,  in  answer  to  their  letter  informing 
him  of  his  nomination  as  a  candidate  for  the  Presi- 
dency. He  invited  the  freest  criticism  of  it  on  my 
part.  I  suggested  two  or  three  material  modifica- 
tions. One  was  to  strike  out  from  the  letter  the 
declaration  which  it  contained  that  he  would  answer 
no  enquiries  or  interrogations  which  might  be  pro- 
pounded to  him  in  relation  to  his  political  opinions. 
In  the  letter  he  endorsed  &  approved  the  Democratic 
principles  embodied  in  the  Resolutions  adopted  by 
the  convention.  This  I  fully  approved,  but  disap- 
proved a  sentence  which  immediately  followed 
which,  I  thought,  diluted  &  weakened  or  qualified 
the  approval  of  them.  It  was  to  the  effect  that  he 
would,  if  elected,  carry  out  the  principles  embodied 
in  the  Resolutions  as  his  Democratic  predecessors 
had  done.  I  suggested  to  him  that  Mr.  Madison 
had  given  way  upon  the  Bank  question  and  had 
signed  the  Bank  charter,^  whereas  one  of  the  Reso- 
lutions declared  a  national  Bank  to  be  unconstitu- 
tional; I  suggested  to  him  that  Mr.  Monroe  had 
changed  his  original  opinions  upon  the  subject  of 
internal  Improvements  ^  and  had  given  way  upon 

^Washington  Union,  June  i,   1848. 

-  Madison  signed  the  bill  for  the  establishment  of  the  second 
United  States  Bank  in  18 16,  contrary  to  the  strict  constructionist 
principles  of  the  Jeffersonian  school. 

^  In  his  veto  of  the  Cumberland  Road  bill  in  May,  1822,  Mon- 
roe took  the  ground  that  Congress  did  not  possess  the  constitutional 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  471 

that  question.  I  presented  also  other  illustrations 
to  him,  and  gave  it  to  him  as  my  clear  opinion  that 
he  had  better  confine  his  declaration  to  an  unquali- 
fied approval  of  the  principles  embodied  in  the 
Resolutions.  This  would  be  unequivocal  and  would 
admit  of  no  cavil  or  discussion.  My  suggestions 
seemed  to  strike  him  with  force,  but  he  did  not  say 
what  he  would  do.  He  had,  in  a  conversation  with 
me  two  or  three  days  ago,  informed  me  that  he  in- 
tended in  his  letter  accepting  the  nomination  fully 
[to]  endorse  and  approve  the  whole  course  of  my 
administration.  There  was  no  such  clause  in  the 
letter,  but  a  general  clause  approving  generally  of 
the  policy  of  the  Democratic  Presidents  who  had 
preceded  him,  a  clause  which  was  so  general  as  to 
have  but  little  meaning  in  it.  He  informed  me  that 
he  had  modified  the  clause,  which  was  originally  as 
he  had  informed  me  it  would  be,  &  put  it  in  its 
present  form  at  the  suggestion  of  Senator  Allen  of 
Ohio  and  Mr.  Treat  of  Missouri.  As  a  matter  of 
delicacy  I  made  no  remark  upon  this  part  of  the 
letter.  The  concluding  clause,  which  spoke  of  this 
being  an  age  of  progress  and  advancement,  and  that 
the  "  principles  of  action "  of  the  Government 
should  yield  to  and  keep  pace  with  public  opinion,  I 
suggested  to  him  might  be  misconstrued  to  mean 
that  constitutional  principles  might  be  changed,  in 
order   to   accommodate   themselves   to  what   might 

authority  to  carry  on  a  system  of  internal  improvements,  but  that 
the  exercise  of  such  a  power,  if  it  could  be  secured  by  the  passage 
of  a  constitutional  amendment,  would  result  beneficially  to  the 
country. 


472  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [31  May 

seem  from  time  to  time  to  be  public  opinion,  which 
I  thought  was  an  untenable  &  dangerous  doctrine. 
He  finally  said  he  would  consider  of  my  suggestions 
&  revise  the  letter.  Whilst  we  were  in  conversation 
Mr.  Venable  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  from  N.  C.  called. 
Gen'I  Cass  remained  until  after  Mr.  Venable  re- 
tired, when  we  continued  &  concluded  our  conver- 
sation. 

I  disposed  of  business  on  my  table  as  usual  to-day. 
This  was  reception  evening.  Many  persons,  ladies 
&  gentlemen,  &  among  them  several  delegates  to  the 
Whig  convention  at  Phila.,  which  will  assemble  in 
that  City  on  the  7th  of  June,  called. 

Wednesday,  31st  May,  1848.— K  large  number 
of  visitors  called  this  morning,  ladies  &  gentlemen. 
Some  called  to  pay  their  respects;  some  on  business; 
but  the  more  numerous  class  were  seeking  office. 
A  delegation  of  chiefs  of  the  chickasaw  and  choc- 
taw  Tribes  of  Indians  called  about  i  O'Clock  P.  M., 
accompanied  by  the  commissioner  of  Indian  affairs. 
They  had  visited  Washington  on  business  for  their 
respective  Tribes  &  called  to  pay  their  respects  to 
their  Great  Father,  as  they  call  the  President  of  the 
U.  S.  One  of  the  Chickasaw  chiefs  addressed  me 
in  his  native  tongue  in  their  behalf.  His  speech  was 
interpreted  to  me  &  I  responded  to  it.  I  disposed 
of  much  business  on  my  table  to-day.  The  marine 
band  played  on  the  grounds  South  of  the  President's 
House  this  afternoon.  A  large  crowd  of  ladies  and 
gentlemen  attended.  I  was  on  the  South  porch  & 
received  company  as  is  usual  on  such  occasions. 


1848]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  473 

My  old  friend,  the  Hon.  Abraham  McClellan  of 
Tenn.,  &  his  wife,  took  a  family  dinner  with  me  to- 
day. To-night  Miss  Jane  Hawkins  of  N.  C,  who 
has  been  spending  two  or  three  weeks  with  my 
family,  left  for  her  home.  Her  father,  Col.  John 
D.  Hawkins,  called  for  her  about  8  O'Clock  P.  M. 

Thursday,  IstJune,  1848.—  Many  visitors  called 
this  morning,  and  among  them  several  Whig  Dele- 
gates to  the  Philadelphia  convention.  Senator 
Bagby  of  Alabama  called  on  business.  Before  he 
left  I  informed  him  that  Mr.  Ralph  I.  IngersoU, 
U.  S.  minister  to  Russia,  had  asked  to  be  recalled, 
and  that  it  would  be  necessary  before  the  adjourn- 
ment of  Congress  to  appoint  a  successor.  I  tendered 
the  appointment  to  Mr.  Bagby.  It  seemed  to  take 
him  by  surprise;  indeed,  I  am  satisfied  that  he  had 
never  thought  of  it.  He  had  not  been  suggested 
to  me  by  anyone,  nor  had  I  informed  any  one,  not 
even  any  member  of  my  Cabinet,  of  my  intention  to 
offer  it  to  him.  He  thanked  me  for  the  tender  of 
the  appointment,  and  said  he  would  reflect  on  the 
subject  &  give  me  an  answer.  Gen'l  Cass's  letter 
accepting  the  nomination  for  the  Presidency,  ap- 
peared in  the  Union  newspaper  this  morning.  It 
had  been  modified  since  I  saw  it,  and  in  the  par- 
ticulars which  I  suggested  to  him  in  my  conversa- 
tion with  him  on  tuesday  last,  30th  ultimo  (see  this, 
Diary  of  that  day).  These  modifications  were  not 
only  an  improvement,  but  made  the  letter  sounder 
in  principle  and  less  susceptible  of  misconstruction 
than  was  the  draft  of  the  letter  which  he  showed  to 


474  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i  June 

me;  though  still  it  was  not  precisely,  on  the  points 
which  I  had  suggested  to  him,  as  I  would  have  had 
it.  In  the  course  of  the  day  Mr.  Ritchie  called  & 
said  to  me,  you  had  not  your  spectacles  on  when  you 
read  Gen'l  Cass's  draft  of  his  letter  the  other  day, 
or  you  would  not  have  approved  the  concluding 
paragraph  and  some  other  paragraphs  of  it. 
After  learning  from  him  that  he  had  seen  it  and 
that  he  knew  it  had  been  submitted  to  me,  I  told 
him  of  my  conversation  with  Gen'l  Cass  and 
of  the  modifications  which  I  had  suggested,  & 
some  of  which  I  perceived  from  the  published  let- 
ter had  been  made.  Mr.  Ritchie  then  told  me  that 
some  of  these  modifications,  &  particularly  of  the  last 
paragraph,  had  been  made  by  himself.  Mr.  Ritchie 
informed  me  that  Mr.  Stevenson  of  Richmond,  Va., 
had  also  seen  the  draft  of  the  letter  &  had  felt  some 
concern  about  the  last  paragraph  until  it  was  modi- 
fied. Mr.  Ritchie  said  that  Gen'l  Cass  had  re- 
marked to  him  that  that  paragraph  was  penned  for 
the  young  Democracy,  and  that  he  had  replied  to 
him  that  he  must  take  care  that  he  did  not  dissatisfy 
the  old  Democracy.  Mr.  Stevenson,  I  learn,  has 
been  in  the  City  several  days,  but  he  has  not  called 
on  me.  I  have  reason  to  believe  that  he  expected 
to  fill  a  place  in  my  Cabinet,  and  that  he  has  since 
desired  to  go  on  a  foreign  mission.  I  presume,  like 
hundreds  of  other  disappointed  expectants  for  ofiice, 
he  is  dissatisfied.  I  know  of  no  other  reason  why 
he  did  not  call.  As  a  member  of  the  convention  and 
the  committee  who  addressed  Gen'l  Cass  informing 
him  of  his  nomination,  he  has  approved  the  policy 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  475 

of  my  administration.  I  have  never  had  any  per- 
sonal misunderstanding  with  him,  and  cannot,  I 
think,  be  mistaken  in  attributing  his  failure  to  call 
to  his  disappointment  in  not  having  been  invited  to 
fill  some  high  office  in  my  gift.  The  Hon.  Mr. 
Sebastian  ^  of  Arkansas,  recently  appointed  U.  S. 
Senator  in  the  place  of  the  late  Senator  Ashley  de- 
ceased, called  to-day.  I  was  happy  to  recognize  in 
him  the  son  of  an  old  Tennessee  friend.  His  father 
resides  in  Hickman  County,  Ten.,  about  30  miles 
from  Columbia,  my  late  residence,  and  the  Senator 
himself  was  for  a  time  at  school  at  Columbia.  I 
was  engaged  as  usual  during  the  day  in  attending  to 
business  in  my  office.  In  the  afternoon  I  took  a 
ride  on  horseback.  Mr.  Buchanan  sent  to  me  to- 
day an  important  despatch  from  Mr.  Campbell,  U. 
S.  consul  at  Havannah,  dated  May  i8th,  1848,  in 
relation  to  the  dissatisfied  state  of  the  inhabitants  of 
the  Island,  and  expressing  the  opinion  that  there 
would  probably  [be]  a  revolution  or  civil  war  soon. 
He  expresses  the  opinion  that  the  Creoles  of  the 
Island  desire  to  be  annexed  to  the  U.  S.  Mr. 
Walker,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  called  and 
read  to  me  a  private  letter  which  he  had  received 
from  Mr.  Campbell  on  the  same  subject.  Mr. 
Walker  was  of  opinion  that  no  time  ought  to  be  lost 
by  the  U.  S.  in  endeavoring  to  purchase  the  Island. 

Friday,  2nd  June,  1848. —  Many  visitors  called 
to-day,  who  occupied  my  time  until  12  O'Clock  when 

^William  King  Sebastian,  1814-1865,  Senator  from  Arkansas 
1847-1861. 


476  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [2  June 

I  closed  my  office,  though  I  saw  an  occasional  visitor 
after  that  hour.  Among  them  was  John  O'SuUivan 
of  N.  York.  He  informed  me  that  he  had  received 
very  important  information  from  Cuba,  which  he 
proceeded  to  detail  confidentially  to  me.  It  was 
in  substance  that  there  was  a  design  on  foot  among 
many  of  the  wealthy  and  influential  planters  and 
other  inhabitants  of  the  Island  to  revolutionize  the 
country,  overthrow  the  Spanish  authority,  and  then 
seek  annexation  to  the  U.  States.  His  account  of 
the  discontent  of  the  inhabitants  of  Cuba  corre- 
sponds with  the  account  given  by  Mr.  Campbell,  U. 
S.  consul  at  Havannah,  in  his  despatch  to  the  Secre- 
tary of  State  dated  May  i8th,  1848  (see  this  diary  of 
yesterday).  He  stated  to  me,  in  addition  to  the  in- 
formation contained  in  that  letter,  that  an  agent  of 
the  principal  planters  in  Cuba  was  now  in  Balti- 
more with  a  view  to  obtain  aid  in  the  U.  S.  to  enable 
them  to  eflfect  a  Revolution  in  Cuba,  and  that  he 
desired  to  see  him  in  Baltimore,  as  he  feared  if  he 
came  to  Washington  that  his  movements  would  be 
observed.  Mr.  O'SuUivan  said  he  would  visit  the 
agent  at  Baltimore  this  evening  &  would  return  & 
see  me  on  to-morrow.  Mr.  O'SuUivan  also  in- 
formed me  that  a  distinguished  Gen'l  of  the  U.  S. 
army,  now  in  Mexico,  had  agreed  with  the  Cubans 
to  resign  his  commission  at  the  close  of  the  Mexican 
War  and  proceed  to  Cuba  with  such  of  the  dis- 
charged volunteers  as  would  join  him,  to  aid  the 
Cubans  in  effecting  the  establishment  of  their  Inde- 
pendence. I  at  once  said  to  Mr.  O'SuUivan  that  if 
Cuba  was  ever  obtained  by  the  U.  S.  it  must  be  by 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  477 

amicable  purchase,  and  that  as  President  of  the  U.  S. 
I  could  give  no  countenance  to  such   a  step,   and 
could  not  wink  at  such  a  movement.     After  Mr. 
O'SuUivan  left  me  Judge  Mason,  the  Secretary  of 
the  Navy,  who  had  retired  from  my  office  when  Mr. 
O'Sullivan  came  in,  returned  to  my  office,  when  I 
related  to  him  the  conversation  which   had  taken 
place.     The  subject  was  freely  discussed  by  Judge 
Mason  &   myself.     In   the   course   of   conversation 
Judge  Mason  informed  me  that  after  the  Cabinet 
consultation  of  tuesday  last  on  the  subject  of  Cuba, 
Mr.  Buchanan  had  intimated  to  him  that  if  the  Presi- 
dent should  decide  in  favour  of  acquiring  Cuba,  he 
(Mr.  Buchanan)  could  not  be  the  agent  of  carrying 
out  the  President's  views.     This  surprised  me,  as  no 
such  intimation  was  given  by  him  in  the  Cabinet 
meeting.     Mr.  Buchanan  in  the  course  of  the  dis- 
cussion on  Tuesday  had  expressed  the  opinion  that 
any  attempt  to  purchase  Cuba  at  this  time  would 
injure    Gen'l    Cass's    election    to    the    Presidency. 
Gen'l   Cass  called  to   see  me   shortly  after  Judge 
Mason  left.     I  deemed  it  proper  to  communicate  to 
Gen'l  Cass  all  the  information  I  had  in  relation  to 
Cuba,  including  the  letter  from  Mr.  Campbell,  U. 
S.  consul  at  Havannah.     I  inquired  of  Gen'l  Cass 
his  opinion  in  relation  to  Cuba.     He  said  at  once 
that  he  was  in  favour  of  acquiring  the  Island,  if  it 
could  be  done  by  amicable  purchase,  and  referred 
me  to  his  late  speech  on  the  Yucatan  question  in 
which  he  had  alluded  to  Cuba.     I  asked  him  if  he 
thought  an  attempt  to  purchase  Cuba  at  this  time 
would  injuriously  affect  his  election  to  the  Presi- 


478  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  June 

dency,  which  he  answered  in  the  negative.  I  asked 
him  what  price  I  would  be  justified  in  offering  for 
the  Island.  He  answered  that  Cuba  was  immensely 
valuable,  &  that  he  would  be  willing  to  pay  a  large 
sum  for  it.  This  was  reception  evening.  A  large 
number  of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  and  among 
them  many  Whig  members  of  Congress  &  Whig 
Delegates  to  the  Philadelphia  convention,  called. 

Saturday,  Jrd  June,  1848. —  Several  persons 
called  this  morning.  Senator  Bagby  of  Alabama 
called  and  intimated  his  willingness  to  accept  the 
mission  to  Russia  which  I  had  tendered  to  him  on 
tuesday  last.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour, 
all  the  members  present,  Mr.  Marcy,  the  Secretary 
of  War,  having  returned  from  a  visit  to  New  York 
this  morning.  I  informed  the  Cabinet  that  since 
the  last  meeting  I  had  written  to  the  Hon.  Peter  D. 
Vroom  of  New  Jersey,  and  had  tendered  to  him  the 
office  of  Attorney  General  of  the  U.  States.  The 
Cabinet  unanimously  approved  the  selection  of  Gov. 
Vroom.  Mr.  Buchanan  read  instructions  which  he 
had  prepared  to  Mr.  Hise  of  Ky.,  charge  de  affaires 
of  the  U.  S.  to  Guatamala.  Mr.  Hise  is  now  in  this 
City.  I  brought  forward  the  Cuban  question  and 
communicated  all  the  information  I  possessed  on  the 
subject,  including  that  given  to  me  by  Mr.  O'Sulli- 
van  on  yesterday.  Mr.  Buchanan  said  the  proposed 
purchase  of  Cuba  was  the  gravest  &  most  important 
question  that  ever  had  been  submitted  to  my  Cabinet. 
The  attempt  if  successful,  he  said,  might  involve  the 
country  in  war  with  Great  Britain  or  France.     He 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  479 

proceeded  to  give  his  views  at  some  length,  but  still, 
he  said,  he  desired  to  acquire  Cuba.  It  was  clear 
that  he  desired  to  shun  the  question  during  my  ad- 
ministration, but  if  the  measure  was  pressed  for  deci- 
sion now,  he  was  unwilling  to  take  uncompromising 
ground  against  it,  and  that  if  he  yielded  his  assent, 
it  would  be  reluctantly.  At  the  last  Cabinet  meet- 
ing he  had  expressed  his  apprehension  of  the  preju- 
dicial effect  which  the  agitation  of  the  subject  might 
have  on  the  prospects  of  Gen'l  Cass  in  the  approach- 
ing Presidential  election.  I  adverted  to  this  objec- 
tion &  told  him  I  had  held  a  full  conversation  with 
Gen'l  Cass  on  the  subject  since  the  last  meeting  of 
the  Cabinet  (see  this  diary  yesterday)  and  that  Gen'l 
Cass  was  decidedly  in  favour  of  purchasing  Cuba 
from  Spain,  and  had  expressed  his  opinion  that  an 
of]fer  to  purchase  it,  or  the  actual  purchase  of  it, 
would  not  injure  his  election.  Mr.  Buchanan  said 
he  differed  with  Gen'l  Cass  in  opinion.  The  subject 
of  Cuba  &  its  purchase  was  the  subject  of  a  lengthy 
conversation  among  the  members  of  the  Cabinet, 
Mr.  Walker  earnestly  urging  that  immediate  steps 
be  taken  for  its  purchase.  As  Mr.  Marcy,  the  Sec- 
retary of  War,  was  not  present  on  the  last  Cabinet 
day,  when  the  subject  w^as  presented  for  considera- 
tion, I  did  not  press  it  for  a  decision  to-day.  Indeed 
Mr.  Marcy  intimated  that  he  was  not  prepared  to 
give  an  opinion.  In  a  late  despatch,  as  well  as  a 
personal  letter,  addressed  to  me  by  Mr.  Ralph  I. 
Ingersoll,  U.  S.  minister  to  Russia,  he  requests  to  be 
recalled  from  his  mission,  The  same  request  had 
been  made  some  time  ago  &  refused  on  account  of 


48o  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  June 

[the]  French  Revolution  and  other  events  which  had 
occurred  in  Europe,  &  which  seemed  to  render  it 
proper  that  the  U.  S.  minister  at  St.  Petersburg 
should  remain  at  his  post.  I  stated  that  I  was  of 
opinion  that  the  leave  asked  might  now  be  granted. 
Mr.  Buchanan  had  no  objection  provided  a  successor 
should  be  appointed  and  go  out  to  relieve  Mr.  Inger- 
soU  before  he  left  St.  Petersburg.  To  this  I  assented. 
I  then  informed  the  Cabinet  that  I  proposed  to  ap- 
point Senator  Bagby  of  Alabama  to  succeed  Mr. 
Ingersoll.  Each  member  of  the  Cabinet  expressed 
his  satisfaction  at  the  selection  of  Mr.  Bagby  for  the 
mission.  Gen'l  Cass  and  Mr.  Benjamin  F.  Hallett^ 
of  Boston  took  a  family  dinner  with  me  to-day. 
After  dinner  Gen'l  Cass  took  leave  of  me  intending 
on  monday  morning  next  [to  leave]  for  his  residence 
in  Michigan.  After  night  Mr.  J.  L.  O'Sullivan 
called  &  had  another  conversation  with  me  upon  the 
subject  of  Cuba.  He  informed  me  that  after  he  saw 
me  on  yesterday  he  had  gone  to  Baltimore,  where  he 
met  the  agent  from  Cuba  of  whom  he  had  informed 
me.  He  did  not  communicate  to  me  anything  ma- 
terial which  he  learned  from  him,  but  was  very 
earnest  in  urgent  [urging]  his  former  views  in 
favour  of  the  purchase  of  Cuba.  Mr.  O'Sullivan 
belongs  to  the  section  of  the  Democratic  party  in 
New  York  called  Barn-burners.  The  conversation 
turned  on  the  politics  of  New  York  and  the  course 
of  the  Barn-burners  in  the  Presidential  election.  I 
expressed  the  opinion  to  him  that  if  they  did  not 

^Benjamin   F.    Hallett   of   Massachusetts,    1 797-1862,   ardent 
advocate  of  temperance  and  anti-Masonic  principles. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  481 

support  the  nomination  of  Cass  &  Butler  they  could 
not  continue  to  be  members  of  the  Democratic  party, 
but  would  in  effect  join  the  Whigs.  I  was  satisfied 
from  the  conversation  that  he  prefers  to  see  the  Dem- 
ocratic party  defeated,  rather  than  see  Gen'l  Cass 
elected  President  of  the  U.  States.  The  Treaty  with 
New  Granada  was  ratified  by  the  Senate  to-day. 

Sunday,  4th  June,  1848.—  Mrs.  Polk  and  myself 
attended  the  First  Presbyterian  church  to-day.  Sen- 
ators Borland  &  Sebastian  of  Arkansas,  both  of  whom 
were  formerly  citizens  of  Tennessee,  took  a  family 
dinner  with  me  to-day.  Daniel  Graham,  Esqr.,  also 
dined  with  me. 

Monday,  5/A  June,  1848. —  An  unusual  number 
of  persons  called  this  morning.  Among  them  were 
twenty  or  thirty  ministers  and  elders  of  the  Presby- 
terian church,  who  had  been  attending  the  General 
Assembly  of  the  old  school  Presbyterian  church, 
which  has  been  in  Session  at  Baltimore  for  some 
days.  On  their  return  to  their  homes  they  called  on 
me  to  pay  their  respects.  I  transacted  business  in 
my  office  as  usual.  The  Senate  held  a  short  sitting 
to-day,  there  being  scarcely  a  quorum,  many  of  the 
members  having  gone  to  attend  the  Whig  national 
convention  which  meets  at  Philadelphia  on  Wednes- 
day next.  Gen'l  Cass  left  this  City  in  this  morning's 
cars  for  the  North  on  his  way  to  his  residence  in 
Michigan.  My  nephew,  Marshall  T.  Polk,  re- 
turned to-day  from  a  visit  to  his  mother  who  resides 
at  Morganton,  N.  Carolina.     He  has  been  appointed 


482  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [6  June 

a  cadet  in  the  military  academy,  and  will  proceed  in 
two  or  three  days  to  West  Point  to  enter  upon 
his  duties.  To-night  my  Private  Secretary,  Col. 
Walker,  left  with  his  wife  and  four  children  on  a 
visit  to  relatives  of  Mrs.  Walker  at  Lynchburg,  Vir- 
ginia. Mrs.  Walker  and  her  children  will  remain 
at  Lynchburg  some  weeks.  Col.  Walker  will  return 
in  a  few  days.  The  Senate  adjourned  over  to-day 
until  thursday  next. 

Tuesday,  6th  June,  1848. —  Several  persons 
called  this  morning.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual 
hour;  all  the  members  present.  After  the  considera- 
tion of  business,  not  important,  I  brought  up  the 
question  of  Cuba,  and  the  policy  of  making  an  at- 
tempt to  purchase  the  Island  from  Spain.  Mr. 
Walker  and  Mr.  Mason  were  earnestly  in  favour  of 
making  the  effort  to  purchase  it.  Mr.  Johnson  did 
not  favour  the  proposition,  chiefly  because  he  was 
unwilling  to  incorporate  the  population  of  Cuba  with 
the  Federal  Union.  Mr.  Marcy  said  he  concurred 
with  Mr.  Buchanan  in  the  views  expressed  by  him 
at  the  last  meeting  of  the  Cabinet  (see  this  diary  of 
that  day).  Mr.  Buchanan  said  he  had  reflected 
much  on  the  subject,  and  continued  to  entertain  the 
opinions  which  he  had  heretofore  expressed.  He 
said  he  desired  to  acquire  Cuba,  but  thought  in  the 
present  condition  of  affairs  in  Europe  this  was  not 
the  proper  time  to  make  an  overture  to  Spain  with 
that  view.  He  feared  it  might  involve  [us]  in  War. 
He  said  with  these  impressions  &  convictions  he 
would,  however,  though  with  reluctance,  write  such 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  483 

a  despatch  to  our  minister  at  Madrid  on  the  subject 
as  I  might  direct,  and  as  would  carry  out  my  views. 
I  decided  that  the  proposition  to  purchase  Cuba 
should  be  made  through  Mr.  Saunders,  U.  S.  Min- 
ister at  Madrid,  and  I  stated  generally  the  substance 
of  what  the  despatch  to  Mr.  Saunders  should  con- 
tain. JVIr.  Buchanan  said  he  wished  specific  instruc- 
tions from  me  before  he  wrote  the  despatch.  I  in- 
formed him  that  I  would  reduce  the  points  to 
writing  which  I  desired  should  be  embraced  in  the 
despatch,  and  would  furnish  him  with  it.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan will  take  no  respohsibility  in  the  matter,  but 
will  simply  execute  my  directions  in  his  official  char- 
acter as  Secretary  of  State.  I  was  indisposed  to-day, 
having  taken  cold  which  had  affected  my  whole  sys- 
tem. I  lay  upon  a  sofa  most  of  the  time  the  Cabinet 
were  in  session.  I  attended  to  no  business  after  the 
Cabinet  adjourned.  This  was  reception  evening, 
but  I  was  too  much  indisposed  to  accompany  Mrs. 
Polk  to  the  parlour.  My  nephew,  Marshall  T.  Polk, 
attended  her.  Mr.  Russmann  of  Tennessee,  a  clerk 
in  the  General  P.  Office,  attended  to-day,  and  will 
perform  the  duties  of  my  Private  Secretary  during 
the  absence  of  Col.  Walker  from  the  City. 

Wednesday,  yth  June,  1848. —  I  was  in  the  office 
&  received  company  as  usual  this  morning,  though  1 
was  quite  indisposed.  I  attended  to  none  but  indis- 
pensible  business  on  my  table  to-day.  The  Secre- 
taries of  State,  War,  and  Navy  called  on  business.  I 
received  a  letter  to-day  from  the  Hon.  P.  D.  Vroom 
of  N.  Jersey,  declining  to  accept  the  appointment  of 


484  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [8  June 

Attorney  General  of  the  U.  S.  which  I  had  tendered 
to  him  by  a  letter  addressed  to  him  some  days  ago. 

Continuing  to  be  indisposed,  I  sent  for  Dr.  Hall 
in  the  afternoon,  who  prescribed  for  me.  The  ma- 
rine band  played  on  the  President's  grounds  this 
afternoon,  but  I  did  not  go  out.  Most  of  the  mem- 
bers of  Congress,  I  learn,  have  gone  to  Philadelphia 
to  attend  the  Whig  national  convention  which  meets 
in  that  City  to-day.  Some  of  them  have  accom- 
panied Gen'l  Cass  as  far  as  New  York  on  his  way 
home.  After  night  I  took  the  medicine  which  Dr. 
Hall  had  prescribed. 

Thursday,  8th  June,  1848. —  I  continued  to  be 
indisposed  this  morning,  though  I  attended  in  my 
office  and  saw  a  few  persons.  I  transacted  some 
business  which  was  indispensible.  Having  received 
a  letter  from  the  Hon.  P.  D.  Vroom  on  yesterday 
declining  to  accept  the  office  of  attorney  Gen'l  of  the 
U.  S.,  which  I  had  tendered  to  him,  I  addressed  a 
letter  to-day  to  the  Hon.  Isaac  Toucey  of  Connecti- 
cut, tendering  the  office  to  him.  It  had  been  a  mat- 
ter of  doubt  in  my  mind  &  was  discussed  in  the 
Cabinet,  whether  the  appointment  should  not  be 
tendered  to  Gov.  Tou[c]ey  instead  of  Mr.  Vroom. 
It  had  been  decided  in  favour  of  the  latter,  chiefly  on 
the  ground  that  no  important  appointment  had  been 
given  to  a  citizen  of  the  state  of  New  Jersey.  I  am 
personally  better  acquainted  with  Gov.  Toucey  than 
with  Mr.  Vroom,  and  if  he  accepts  I  will  be  entirely 
satisfied  with  him.  I  omitted  to  mention  in  yester- 
day's   Diary   that    a    dispatch    was    received    from 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  485 

Messrs.  Sevier  &  Clifford,  dated  at  the  City  of 
Mexico  on  the  21st  May,  1848,  which  confirmed  the 
rumours  which  had  been  circulated  through  the  Tele- 
graph for  some  days  passed  [past],  that  the 
Treaty  had  been  ratified  by  the  chamber  of  Deputies 
at  Queretero,  in  Mexico,  and  that  no  doubt  was  enter- 
tained that  it  would  be  ratified  by  the  Senate  also. 
There  is  now,  I  hope,  a  good  prospect  of  a  speedy 
peace. 

Friday,  gth  June,  1848.— K  Telegraphic  de- 
spatch from  the  South  reached  this  City  last  night  to 
the  effect  that  the  Treaty  with  Mexico  had  been  rati- 
fied by  the  Mexican  Senate/  The  Treaty  had  previ- 
ously received  the  ratification  of  the  House  of 
Delegates  of  the  Mexican  Congress.  Half  a  dozen 
members  of  Congress,  all  of  the  Democratic  party, 
called  early  in  the  day  to  congratulate  me  on  the  news 
of  peace.  I  sent  for  the  Secretary  of  War  and  con- 
sulted with  him  in  regard  to  the  orders  necessary  to 
be  given,  in  addition  to  those  which  had  heretofore 
been  given,  in  relation  to  the  disbanding  all  the 
forces  engaged  to  serve  during  the  Mexican  War. 
Mr.  Walker,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  called 
to  see  me  in  relation  to  the  purchase  of  the  Island  of 
Cuba  from  Spain,  a  subject  which  has  been  one  of 
consideration  in  the  Cabinet  lately.  He  expressed 
the  opinion  that  if  any  of  the  volunteers  in  Mexico 
should,  after  their  discharge,  go  to  Cuba,  as  it  had 
been  intimated  they  would  do,  and  should  engage 
with  the  Cubans  in  an  attempt  to  revolutionize  that 

^  The  Mexican  Senate  ratified  the  treaty  on  May  25,  1848. 


486  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [9  June 

Island,  it  would  postpone,  if  not  defeat,  the  acquisi- 
tion of  the  Island  by  the  U.  S.  He  recommended 
that  an  order  should  be  issued  by  the  Secretary  of 
War  to  Gen'l  Butler  commanding  the  army  in 
Mexico,  to  prevent  such  a  step,  so  far  as  our  troops 
in  Mexico  who  would  be  entitled  to  their  discharge 
were  concerned.  Concurring  with  Mr.  Walker  in 
this  suggestion,  I  sent  for  the  Secretary  of  War  and 
appointed  a  special  meeting  of  the  Cabinet  at  i 
O'clock  P.  M.  to-day  to  consider  this  and  other 
points  connected  with  the  Cuba[n]  question,  about 
which  I  had  a  full  conversation  with  Mr.  Walker. 
Mr.  Walker  left  to  see  Mr.  Buchanan  on  the  sub- 
ject. In  about  an  hour  he  addressed  me  a  note 
stating  that  he  had  seen  Mr.  Buchanan  &  that  he 
concurred  entirely  in  our  views.  The  Secretary  of 
War  called,  and  after  a  full  conference  with  him  he 
retired  to  prepare  his  order  to  Gen'l  Butler.  At  7 
O'clock  P.  M,  the  Cabinet  assembled;  all  the  mem- 
bers present  except  Mr.  Mason,  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy,  who,  I  learned,  left  last  evening  on  a  short 
visit  to  the  Naval  school  at  Annapolis.  The  subject 
of  Cuba  was  brought  up.  All  concurred  in  the  pro- 
priety of  issuing  the  proposed  order  to  Gen'l  Butler. 
The  Secretary  of  War  read  the  order  which  he  had 
prepared  at  my  suggestion,  and  it  was  approved. 
The  Secretary  of  State  at  my  request  read  to  the  Cabi- 
net the  draft  of  the  letter  to  the  U.  S.  consul  at 
Havannah,  in  answer  to  one  received  from  the  consul 
dated  i8th  ult.,  and  which  he  had  previously  read 
to  me.  In  this  letter  the  consul  was  informed  the 
U.  S.  must  preserve  the  national  faith  with  Spain, 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  487 

and  take  no  part  in  the  civil  war  or  revolution  in 
Cuba  which  the  consul  in  his  letter  apprehended 
would  take  place  in  that  Island  soon.  He  was  also 
informed  that  the  U.  S.  would  keep  in  good  faith 
her  Treaty  with  Spain  and  preserve  her  neutrality, 
[but]  she  could  never  consent  to  see  Cuba  transferred 
to  any  European  power.  I  suggested  two  modifica- 
tions of  the  letter,  to  which  Mr.  Buchanan  assented, 
and  as  modified  it  was  unanimously  approved  by  the 
Cabinet.  Mr.  Walker  then  repeated  the  suggestion 
which  he  had  made  to  me  this  morning.  It  was  that 
the  best  mode  of  approaching  Spain  with  the  view  to 
purchase  Cuba  would  be  to  do  so  in  a  manner  to 
satisfy  her  of  our  friendly  disposition,  and  that  we 
did  not  intend  to  take  any  part  in  any  revolution  by 
which  the  Spanish  authority  should  be  overthrown. 
With  this  object  he  proposed  that  copies  of  the  order 
of  the  Secretary  of  War  to  Gen'l  Butler  &  of  the 
Secretary  of  State's  letter  to  our  consul  at  Havannah 
should  be  transmitted  to  the  U.  S.  Minister  at 
Madrid  with  instructions  to  communicate  them  to 
the  Spanish  Government.  He  proposed  that  our 
Minister  should  at  the  same  time  [say]  that  if  it 
would  be  agreeable  to  Spain,  the  U.  S.  Government 
would  make  an  offer  to  purchase  Cuba  for  a  pecun- 
iary consideration.  This  mode  of  making  the  propo- 
sition was  discussed  &  unanimously  agreed  to  by  the 
Cabinet.  Mr.  Buchanan,  who  had  doubted  and  been 
reluctant  to  act  on  a  former  occasion,  said  he  heartily 
approved  the  plan  suggested,  and  if  adopted  he 
would  cheerfully  prepare  the  necessary  instructions 
to  Mr.  Saunders.     I  told  him  that  I  was  glad  to  find 


488  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [lo  June 

unanimity  in  the  Cabinet,  &  that  I  would  adopt  the 
plan  proposed.     Mr.  Buchanan  said  as  the  note  of 
Mr.    Saunders   making   the   communication   to   the 
Spanish  Government  would  be  a  very  important  one, 
he  thought  it  ought  to  be  prepared  here  and  sent  to 
him  to  be  signed  and  delivered.     This  suggestion 
was  also  assented  to  unanimously,  &  [I]  directed  Mr. 
Buchanan  to  prepare  the  instructions  and  note  ac- 
cordingly.    When  the  Cabinet  was  about  to  disperse 
I  informed  them  that  [I]  would  have  nothing  of 
importance  to  lay  before  them  on  to-morrow,  which 
was  the  regular  day  of  meeting  of  the  Cabinet,  and 
that  there  would  be  no  meeting  of  the  Cabinet  on 
to-morrow  unless  I  notified  the  members  to  the  con- 
trary.    Early  this  morning  I  learned  that  two  ballot- 
tings  had  taken  place  in  the  Whig  national  con- 
vention sitting  at  Philadelphia,  late  in  the  day  on 
yesterday,  without  making  a  choice.     Later  in  the 
day  a  Telegraphic  despatch  announced  that  on  the 
4th  balloting  Maj'r  Gen'l  Zachary  Taylor  of  the  U. 
S.  army  had  been  nominated  as  the  Whig  candidate 
for  the  Presidency,  and  Millard  Fillmore  of  New 
York  had,  on  the  2nd  balloting,  been  nominated  as 
the  Whig  candidate  for  the  Vice  Presidency.     This 
being  reception  evening  I  attended  in  the  parlour, 
although    I    was    still    somewhat   indisposed.     The 
usual  number  of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

Saturday,  lOth  June,  1848.—  I  was  more  unwell 
this  morning  than  I  was  on  yesterday.  I  was  able  to 
be  in  my  office,  but  saw  but  few  persons  and  trans- 
acted but  little  business.     I  transacted  some  business 


i848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  489 

with  the  Secretary  of  War  &  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy.  The  Hon.  John  J.  Crittendon  of  the  Senate 
called  to  take  leave  of  me,  intending  to  leave  the 
city  on  Monday  for  Kentucky,  to  enter  upon  the  can- 
vass as  the  Whig  candidate  for  Governor  of  that 
state.  He  said  he  could  not  in  justice  to  his  own 
feelings  or  his  sense  of  duty  to  me,  leave  the  City 
without  returning  to  me  his  warm  thanks  for  my 
kindness  to  his  son,  Capt.,  now  Maj'r  Crittendon,  of 
the  mounted  Rifle  Regiment.  His  son  had  been  in- 
volved in  difficulty  in  the  army  and  was  about  to  be 
dismissed  from  the  army,  and  I  had  pardoned  him 
&  restored  him  to  duty.  He  is  [a]  gallant  officer, 
but  occasionally  indulges  too  much  in  the  use  [of] 
intoxicating  drink.  My  personal  relations  with  Mr. 
Crittendon  have  always  been  of  a  friendly  character, 
&  I  am  sure  he  parted  with  me  my  personal  friend. 
Continuing  to  be  unwell  to-night  I  took  medicine 
prescribed  by  Dr.  Hall. 

Sunday,  nth  June,  1848. —  I  was  indisposed  to- 
day and  did  not  attend  church.  Mrs.  Polk,  accom- 
panied by  Miss  Henrietta  Rachel  Armstrong, 
attended  the  First  Presbyterian  church. 

My  Private  Secretary  (Col.  Walker)  returned 
from  Lynchburg,  Va.,  where  he  had  gone  with  his 
family,  this  morning.  He  left  his  family  at  Lynch- 
burg. 

Monday,  12th  June,  1848. —  Though  somewhat 
indisposed  I  attended  in  my  office  this  morning. 
Many  persons  called  and  I  was  annoyed  as  usual  by 


490  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [13  June 

the  office  seekers.  I  sent  a  message  to  the  Senate  in 
answer  to  [a]  Resolution  of  that  body,  and  transacted 
business  in  my  office  during  most  of  the  day.  I  was 
informed  to-day  that  two  persons  in  this  City,  one  an 
upholsterer  (Boyd)  and  the  other  a  grocer,  I  believe 
(Donaba)  who  have  heretofore  professed  to  be  dem- 
ocrats, have  announced  that  they  have  changed  their 
politics  and  are  now  Whigs,  and  for  Gen'l  Taylor 
for  the  Presidency.  They  were  both  applicants  to 
me  for  office  and  were  disappointed.  They  will  not, 
of  course,  avow  this  as  the  reason  of  their  change  of 
their  politics,  but  there  is  no  doubt  it  is  the  true 
reason.  Theirs  is  but  an  illustration  of  the  case  [of] 
hundreds,  and  I  might  add  thousands,  of  oriiers. 
The  herd  of  professional  office-seekers  who  have  be- 
sieged me  during  my  w^hole  term  are,  with  rare 
exceptions,  men  without  political  principle.  From 
the  necessity  of  the  case,  many  more  who  seek  office 
must  be  disappointed  than  can  be  gratified,  and  I 
have  therefore  long  since  become  satisfied  that  any 
President  is  greatly  weakened  by  the  patronage  of 
his  office.  I  am  more  &  more  disgusted  with  the 
selfish  importunities  of  those  who  continue  to  harrass 
me  about  office. 

Tuesday,  13th  June,  1848. —  A  number  of  per- 
sons called  this  morning  and  among  them  several 
members  of  Congress.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the 
usual  hour;  all  the  members  present.  Mr.  Buchanan 
and  Mr.  Walker  having  business  in  their  respective 
Departments,  asked  to  be  excused  unless  I  desired 
their  presence  on  some  special  matter.     I  told  them 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY 


491 


I  had  nothing  important  to  present  to  the  Cabinet 
to-day  and  they  retired.  I  transacted  business  in  my 
office  as  usual.  This  was  reception  evening.  The 
usual  number  of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  at- 
tended in  the  parlour. 

Wednesday,  14th  June,  1848.— The  number  and 
importunities  of  office  seekers  was  quite  as  great  as 
they  have  been  any  day  for  months  passed  [past]. 
I  have  no  offices  to  bestow,  &  am  much  disgusted 
with  the  unceasing  pressure  for  them  which  occurs 
daily.  A  great  portion  of  those  who  thus  annoy 
[me]  have  no  claims  upon  the  public  &  are  wholly 
unworthy.  All  of  them  had  much  better  engage  in 
some  honest  employment  for  a  livelihood  than  to 
seek  to  live  on  the  public.  I  disposed  of  much  busi- 
ness in  my  office  to-day.  Nothing  of  unusual  interest 
occurred.  The  Marine  band  played  on  the  Presi- 
dent's grounds  this  afternoon,  many  persons  attended. 

Thursday,  I^th  June,  1848. —  The  Secretary  of 
War  left  this  morning  for  Frederickton,  Md.,  where 
he  had  been  summoned  to  testify  before  the  military 
Court  of  Enquiry  in  Gen'l  Pillow's  case,  and  of 
which  Brevet  Brig.  Gen'l  Tomson  is  President. 
Many  persons  called  as  usual  this  morning.  In  the 
course  of  the  day  I  saw  the  Secretaries  of  State  and 
the  Navy  and  transacted  business  with  them.  I 
nominated  to  the  Senate  to-day  the  Hon.  Isaac 
Toucey  of  Connecticut,  as  Attorney  General  of  the 
U.  S.,  and  the  Hon.  Arthur  P.  Bagby  of  the  Senate, 
from  Alabama,  as  En.  Ex.  &  Minister  Plenipoten- 


492  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i6  June 

tiary  to  Russia,  vice  R.  I.  IngersoU,  recalled  at  his 
own  request.  I  transacted  business  in  my  office  as 
usual  to-day.  To-night  Maj'r  Graham  of  the  U.  S. 
army  arrived  bearing  a  despatch  from  Messrs.  Sevier 
&  Clififord,  U.  S.  Commissioners  in  Mexico.  They 
write  from  the  City  of  Queretero  on  the  25th  of 
May,  and  announce  their  arrival  at  that  City  on  that 
day,  and  that  the  Treaty  had  been  ratified  by  both 
branches  of  the  Mexican  Congress.  The  exchange 
of  ratifications  would  probably  take  place  a  day  or 
two  afterwards. 

Friday,  i6th  June,  1848. —  I  saw  company  as 
usual  this  morning.  I  transacted  business  in  my 
office  until  between  i  &  2  O'Clock  P.  M.,  and  while 
in  conversation  with  Senator  Bagby  of  Alabama  now 
U.  S.  minister  to  Russia,  I  discovered  systoms  [symp- 
toms] of  a  chill  &  mentioned  the  fact  to  Mr.  Bagby. 
In  half  an  hour  afterwards  the  chill  was  upon  me. 
It  was  followed,  of  course,  by  a  fever.  I  sent  for 
Dr.  Hall,  who  prescribed  for  me  in  order  to  prevent 
its  recurrence.  After  the  fever  subsided,  having 
much  business  before  me,  I  transacted  some  of  it. 
This  was  reception  evening,  and  although  not  well 
I  was  present  in  the  parlour.  A  number  of  persons, 
ladies  &  gentlemen,  called.  At  bed  time  I  took  the 
medicine  prescribed  by  Dr.  Hall. 

Saturday,  17th  June,  1848. —  I  was  in  my 
office  at  the  usual  hour  this  morning,  though  I  was 
slightly  indisposed.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual 
hour;  all  the  members  present.     Mr.  Buchanan  read 


i848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  493 

the  despatch  ^  to  Mr.  Saunders,  U.  S.  minister  to 
Spain,  on  the  subject  of  the  purchase  of  Cuba,  whicli 
he  had  prepared  in  pursuance  of  the  decision  made 
at  a  previous  Cabinet  meeting  (see  this  Diary  of  the 
9th  June,   1848).     It  was  an  able  and  well-written 
despatch.     It  authorized  Mr.  Saunders  to  inform  the 
Spanish  Minister  of  Foreign  affairs  of  the  Secretary 
of  State's  despatch  to  the  U.  S.  consul  at  Havannah 
and  of  the  Secretary  of  War's  order  to  Gen'l  Butler, 
for  the  purpose  of  satisfying  him  of  the  good  faith 
of  the  U.  S.  towards  Spain.     He  was  authorized  to 
inform  him  in  conversation  that  the  U.   S.  could 
never  permit  Cuba  to  pass  into  the  hands  of  any 
European   Power,   and   that  whilst  the   Island    re- 
mained a  possession  of  Spain  the  U.  S.  would  in  no 
way  interfere  with  it.     He  was  authorized,  after  hav- 
ing done  this,  to  signify  to  him  in  a  detailed  manner 
that  the  U.   S.  would  be  willing  to  purchase  the 
Island  if  it  would  be  agreeable  to  Spain  to  cede  [it] 
for  a  pecuniary  consideration  to  the  U.  S.     In  his 
confidential  instructions  he  was  authorized  to  stipu- 
late to  pay  One  Hundred  Millions  of  Dollars  in  con- 
venient installments  for  the  Island.     He  was  fur- 
nished with  full  powers  to  make  a  Treaty  to  this 
efifect.     The  whole  matter  was  profoundly  confiden- 
tial, and  the  knowledge  of  it  was  to  be  confined  to 
the  Cabinet  alone.     I  will  not  even  make  known  the 
result  of  the  Cabinet  deliberations  on  the  subject  to 
Mr.  J.  L.  O'Sullivan  of  New  York,  who  first  sug- 
gested to  me  the  idea  of  purchasing  Cuba,  and  who 
takes  much  interest  in  the  subject.     I  do  not  deem 

^  Moore,  Buchanan,  VIII,  90-102. 


494  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i8  June 

it  prudent  to  entrust  the  knowledge  of  the  authority 
given  to  Mr.  Saunders  to  any  but  the  Cabinet.  The 
Cabinet  adjourned  about  i  O'Clock  P.  M.,  and  in 
half  an  hour  afterwards  I  found  that  a  second  chill 
was  coming  on  me.  It  was  severer  than  the  chill  of 
yesterday.  While  the  fever  was  on  me  I  sent  for  Dr. 
Hall,  who  prescribed  for  me.  I  retired  to  my 
chamber.     I  spent  a  restless  &  uncomfortable  night. 

Sunday,  l8th  June,  1848. —  I  was  quite  unwell 
this  morning  and  was  closely  confined  to  my  chamber 
during  the  whole  day.  About  i  O'Clock  P.  M.  I 
had  a  chill.  This  is  the  third  day  I  have  had  a  chill 
about  the  same  hour.  It  was  not  so  severe  to-day  as 
on  yesterday.  Dr.  Hall  called  to  see  [me]  twice  in 
the  course  of  the  day.  I  spent  an  uncomfortable 
night. 

Monday,  igth  June,  1848. —  I  continued  to  be 
unwell  &  remained  closely  confined  to  my  chamber 
during  the  whole  day.  Dr.  Hall  called  to  see  me 
two  or  three  times.  I  had  no  chill  to-day.  I  signed 
some  official  papers  in  my  chamber  and  gave  some 
directions  about  necessary  business. 

Tuesday,  20th  June,  1848. —  I  was  convales- 
cent this  morning,  but  did  not  leave  my  chamber. 
Senators  Houston  of  Texas  &  Davis  of  Mississippi 
sent  in  their  names  with  a  verbal  message  that  they 
had  called  to  see  me  as  a  sub-committee  of  the  Com- 
mittee on  military  ajffairs,  on  official  business.  I  re- 
ceived them  in  my  chamber.     They  informed  me 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY 


495 


that  the  committee  on  military  affairs  desired  infor- 
mation and  the  views  of  this  Executive  in  relation 
to  the  Peace  establishment,  or  the  amount  of  land 
forces  it  was  deemed  necessary  to  retain  in  service 
upon  the  restoration  of  peace  with  Mexico.     I  in- 
formed them  that  in  my  judgment  all  the  land  forces 
raised  to  serve  during  the  war  with  Mexico,  whether 
regulars  or  Volunteers,  should  be  discharged,  and 
that  the  old  army,  with  authority  to  fill  up  the  rank. 
&  file  of  the  companies  to  100  men  each,  would  be 
all  that  the  public  service  would  require  to  be  re- 
tained. They  suggested  that  three  or  four  more  Regi- 
ments would  be  needed  for  the  protection  of  our 
extended  Western  frontier.     I  differed  with  them  in 
opinion  and  assigned  to  them  my  reasons.     The  chief 
reasons  were,  first,  that  the  old  army  of  15  Regiments, 
filled  up  to  the  maximum  of  1,000  men  each,  would 
amount  to  15,000  men,  exclusive  of  officers,  which  I 
thought  altogether  sufficient  for  a  period  of  peace; 
and  secondly,  the  leading  objection  which  existed  in 
my  mind  to  the  creation  of  a  large  standing  army  in 
time  of  peace.     I  gave  them  my  views  at  some  length, 
but  told  them  that  I  had  not  laid  the  subject  form- 
ally before   the   Secretary  of  War,   and   requested 
them  to  call  again  on  to-morrow  morning.     I  told 
them  it  was  my  intention  in  submitting  the  ratified 
Treaty  with  Mexico  before  Congress  for  the  neces- 
sary legislation  to  carry  it  into  effect,  to  communi- 
cate the  views  I  had  expressed  to  them,  in  reference 
to  the  peace  establishment  of  the  army.     I  felt  that 
it  would  be  unsafe  in  my  present  state  of  health  to 
attend  the  meeting  of  my  Cabinet  in  my  office,  and 


496  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [20  June 

therefore  I  directed  my  messenger  to  invite  them  to 
meet  me  in  my  chamber.  They  accordingly  assem- 
bled in  my  chamber,  all  the  members  present.  I 
submitted  to  them  the  subject  of  the  peace  establish- 
ment of  the  army,  and  communicated  to  them  the 
conversation  which  I  had  just  held  with  Senators 
Houston  &  Davis.  After  some  discussion  they  all 
concurred  in  my  views.  It  was  deemed  proper  by 
the  Secretary  of  War  to  retain  in  service  the  addi- 
tional Major  for  each  Regiment,  and  the  increase  of 
the  staff  in  some  of  the  corps,  which  had  been  author- 
ized during  the  war.  In  this  I  concurred.  I  sent 
to  my  office  &  my  Private  Secretary  brought  to  me 
the  rough  draft  of  a  message  which  I  had  prepared 
just  before  I  was  taken  sick,  designed  to  be  sent  to 
Congress  as  soon  as  the  ratified  Treaty  with  Mexico 
was  received.  In  that  message  I  had  expressed  the 
views,  substantially,  in  relation  to  the  peace  estab- 
lishment of  the  army,  which  I  had  repeated  this 
morning  to  Senators  Houston  &  Davis  &  to  the  Cabi- 
net. The  message  also  contained  my  views  on  other 
subjects  relative  to  the  execution  of  the  Treaty,  and 
the  policy  to  be  pursued  upon  the  restoration  of 
peace.  The  Cabinet  concurred  in  the  views  ex- 
pressed, but  [thought]  one  paragraph  in  relation  to 
the  misnamed  &  exploded  "  American  system  "  had 
better  be  omitted.  To  this  I  assented.  As  the  paper 
related  in  part  to  the  operations  of  the  war  Depart- 
ment &  the  army  I  gave  it  to  the  Secretary  of  War 
&  requested  him  to  examine  it  &  return  it  to  me 
with  any  suggestions  he  might  think  proper  to  make. 
No  other  business  of  importance  was  considered  by 


i848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  497 

the  Cabinet.  When  the  Cabinet  retired  I  was  mucli 
fatigued.  I  saw  a  few  friends  in  my  chamber,  and 
made  an  effort  to  go  to  the  red  parlour  above  stairs 
to  meet  my  old  friend,  Dr.  Lewis  P.  Jordan  of  King- 
ston, Tenn.,  &  his  wife.  I  remained  in  the  parlour 
but  a  few  minutes.  This  was  reception  evening,  but 
I  was  too  feeble  &  too  unwell  to  go  to  the  parlour. 
Mrs.  Polk  informed  me  that  a  large  number  of  per- 
sons, ladies  &  gentlemen,  attended. 

Wednesday,  21st  June,  1848. —  Being  somewhat 
feeble  from  the  effects  of  my  late  indisposition,  I 
remained  the  greater  part  of  the  day  in  my  chamber. 
I  walked  two  or  three  times  to  my  office  &  attended 
to  necessary  business.  I  saw  the  Secretary  of  State  on 
business.  My  nephew,  Lucius  Marshall  Walker,  a 
cadet  at  West  Point,  arrived  this  morning  and  spent 
the  day  with  my  family.  He  is  on  furlough  and  left 
in  the  Southern  boat  to-night  on  his  way  to  visit 
his  father's  family  in  Tennessee.  He  has  been  two 
years  at  West  Point,  maintains  a  fair  standing  in 
his  class,  and  is  a  promising  young  man.  Senator 
Davis  of  Miss,  called.  I  received  him  in  my  cham- 
ber. He  called  in  pursuance  of  my  request  to  him- 
self &  Senator  Houston  of  Texas  on  yesterday.  They 
were  deputed  to  call  on  me  by  the  committee  of  mili- 
tary affairs  of  the  Senate  to  ascertain  my  views  in 
relation  to  the  reduction  of  the  army  on  the  restora- 
tion of  peace  with  Mexico  (see  this  Diary  of  yes- 
terday). I  repeated  to  him  substantially  the  views 
which  I  had  expressed  to  Senator  Houston  &  himself 
on  yesterday.     I  had  in  the  mean-time  consulted  the 


498  JAMES    K.POLK'S    DIARY  [22  June 

Cabinet,  who  concurred  with  me  in  these  views.  The 
Marine  band  played  on  the  grounds  south  of  the 
President's  House  this  afternoon.  Many  persons  at- 
tended.    I  was  too  much  indisposed  to  go  out. 

Thursday,  22nd  June,  1848.—  I  spent  a  short 
time  in  my  office  this  morning,  saw  a  few  persons, 
and  transacted  some  business.  I  saw  the  Secretary 
of  State.  I  sent  for  the  Secretary  of  War  and  trans- 
acted business  with  him.  This  afternoon  Lieut. 
Gardner,  U.  S.  army,  arrived  bearing  despatches 
from  the  city  of  Mexico.  He  left  that  City  on  the 
ist  instant,  and  among  other  despatches  brought  one 
from  Messrs.  Sevier  and  Clifford,  dated  at  Quere- 
tero,  May  30th,  1848,  announcing  that  the  exchange 
of  ratifications  of  the  Treaty  of  peace  had  taken 
place  on  that  day.  The  Commissioners  would  im- 
mediately return  from  Queretero  to  the  City  of  Mex- 
ico, from  which  City  Mr.  Sevier  would  return  to 
the  U.  S.  bringing  with  him  the  ratified  Treaty. 
He  brought  also  despatches  from  Gen'l  Butler  stat- 
ing that  part  of  the  army  in  Mexico  were  on  the 
march  to  Vera  Cruz  to  embark  for  the  U.  S. 

Friday,  23rd  June,  1848.— I  was  in  my  office 
this  morning.  Many  persons  called.  Among  others, 
Gen'l  "H.  Dodge,^  one  of  the  recently  elected  Sena- 
tors in  Congress  from  the  State  of  Wisconsin,  called. 

'  Henry  Dodge,  Territorial  Governor  of  Wisconsin  1 836-1 841, 
Delegate  to  Congress  1 841-1845,  Governor  1846-1848,  Senator 
from  Wisconsin  1848-1857. 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  499 

Maj'r  Gen'l  Gideon  J.  Pillow  of  the  U.  S.  army  also 
called.  The  Court  of  enquiry  in  his  case,  which 
held  its  last  sittings  at  Frederick,  Maryland,  closed 
the  testimony  on  Wednesday  last.  Gen'l  Pillow  will 
remain  at  Washington  until  the  Court  make  their 
report.  There  was  company  in  my  ofBce  when  he 
called  and  I  had  but  little  conversation  with  him. 
This  morning  Senator  Davis  of  Mississippi  called 
and  informed  me  that  three  gentlemen,  citizens  of 
Cuba,  had  called  with  him  and  were  in  the  anti- 
chamber,  &  that  he  desired  to  inform  me  of  their 
business  before  they  saw  me.  He  informed  me  that 
they  had  information  that  a  revolution  was  about  to 
break  out  in  Cuba  about  this  period,  and  that  if  suc- 
cessful the  Cubans  would  desire  to  be  annexed  to 
the  U.  S.  I  told  Senator  Davis  that  it  was  a  very 
delicate  subject  upon  which  to  hold  a  conversation 
with  them,  and  that  if  I  saw  them  I  would  hear  what 
they  had  to  say,  but  would  make  them  no  answer. 
He  then  introduced  them  into  my  office  in  comeopany 
[company]  with  Wm.  J.  Brown,  ass't  P.  M.  Gen'l. 
In  the  presence  of  Senator  Davis  &  Mr.  Brown  they 
informed  me  of  the  contemplated  revolution  by  the 
inhabitants  of  Cuba  with  a  view  to  overthrow  the 
Spanish  authority  in  that  Island,  &  that  the  revolu- 
tion would  probably  take  place  about  this  day  or  to- 
morrow. They  spoke  of  the  desire  of  the  Cubans  to 
throw  of¥  the  Spanish  Yoke  and  to  become  annexed 
to  the  U.  S.  They  did  not  ask  the  interference  of 
this  Government,  but  suggested  that  a  part  of  the 
troops  of  the  U.  S.  might  be  stationed  at  Key  West 


500  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [23  June 

and  at  other  convenient  points  on  the  Gulf  coast  to 
watch  over  &  protect,  if  necessary,  the  interests  of 
American  citizens  in  Cuba.  I  gave  them  no  answer 
but  a  general  evasive  reply  to  the  effect  that  I  would 
consider  of  the  information  they  had  given  me.  One 
of  them  produced  a  letter  in  Spanish  which  he  had 
received  from  his  correspondent  in  Cuba,  dated  May 
25th,  1848.  This  letter  was  read  to  me  in  English 
by  Col.  Davis.  It  was  to  the  efifect  that  in  20  or  30 
days  from  its  date  the  revolution  would  take  place. 
Upon  further  enquiry  I  learned  that  neither  of  the 
three  men  were  recently  from  Cuba,  and  that  two 
of  them  resided  in  the  U.  S.,  one  of  them  at  Phila- 
delphia. Their  names  I  did  not  hear  distinctly. 
After  a  short  interview  they  retired,  in  company  with 
Senator  Davis  &  Mr.  Brown.  Shortly  afterwards 
Mr.  Buchanan,  Sec.  of  State,  and  Mr.  Walker,  Sec. 
of  the  Treasury,  called  on  business,  and  I  communi- 
cated to  them  the  fact  that  they  had  called  and  what 
they  had  said.  The  Secretary  of  War  called  &  I 
transacted  business  with  him.  He  returned  to  me 
my  draft  of  a  message  to  Congress  on  the  occasion 
when  I  should  lay  the  Treaty  of  peace  with  Mexico 
before  that  body  for  their  action.  I  had  handed  it 
to  him  at  the  Cabinet  meeting  on  tuesday  last.  He 
had  suggested  a  few  unimportant  modifications  of 
my  draft.  I  took  a  ride  in  my  carriage  with  Mrs. 
Polk  this  afternoon.  This  was  the  regular  recep- 
tion evening,  but  I  did  not  receive  company,  Mrs. 
Polk  having  resolved  that  during  the  remainder  of 
the  warm  season  she  would  receive  company  but  one 
evening  (Tuesdays)   in  the  week. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY 


501 


Saturday,  24th  June,  1848.— I  saw  a  Humbcr  of 
persons  this  morning.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual 
hour.  Some  business  of  no  special  importance  was 
transacted.  The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  read  a  de- 
spatch which  he  had  prepared  to  Commodore  Jones, 
commanding  the  Pacific  squadron.  He  made  some 
modifications  of  it  at  my  suggestion.  During  the 
sitting  of  the  Cabinet  Senator  Hannegan  called  &  1 
saw  him  in  my  Private  Secretary's  office.  1  had  a 
conversation  with  him  about  the  distracting  subject 
of  slavery,  which  is  embarrassing  the  Bill  to  estab- 
lish a  Territorial  Government  in  Oregon.  1  ad- 
vised Mr.  Hannegan,  as  I  had  previously  done 
some  days  ago,  to  bring  forward  &  press  the 
adoption  of  the  Missouri  compromise  line  &  ex- 
tend it  to  the  Pacific.  He  concurred  with  me  that 
this  was  the  only  practicable  means  of  settling  the 
agitation  and  excitement  on  the  subject  which  ex- 
isted in  and  out  of  Congress.  On  returning  to  the 
Cabinet  I  informed  them  of  my  conversation  with 
Mr.  Hannegan  &  submitted  the  question  to  them 
for  their  opinions.  They  all  concurred  in  opinion 
that  the  adoption  of  the  Missouri  compromise  was 
the  only  means  of  allaying  the  excitement  &  settling 
the  question.  After  the  Cabinet  adjourned  I  re- 
quested my  Private  Secretary  to  invite  Senators 
Breese  of  111.  and  Bradbury  of  Maine  to  call  this 
afternoon.  They  did  call  at  different  hours,  and 
I  held  with  each  a  conversation  in  which  I  presented 
to  them  the  urgent  considerations  which  made  it 
proper  to  adopt  the  Missouri  compromise  line  of 
36°  30',  as  applied  to  the  Territories  of  Oregon,  Cal- 


502  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [24  June 

ifornia,  &  New  Mexico,  and  thus  quiet  the  agitation 
of  the  slavery  question  in  &  out  of  Congress.     Mr. 
Breese  expressed  his  readiness  to  take  the  Missouri 
compromise  line,  &  said  he  would  exert  his  influence 
with  Northern  Senators  to  induce  them  to  do  so. 
Mr.  Bradbury  was  not  so  decided  on  the  subject  as 
Mr.  Breese,  but  admitted  the  great  importance  of 
adjusting  the  question.     He  seemed  to  be  desirous 
to  support  the  Missouri  line,  but  was  timid  &  fear- 
ful of  public  opinion  in  his  State.     The  necessity 
for  settling  the  question  is  the  greater  since  the  con- 
vention of  Barnburners,  held  at  Utica,  New  York, 
on  the  22nd  Instant,  have  bolted  from  the  regular 
Democratic    nominations    made    by    the    Baltimore 
convention  in  May  last,  and  have  nominated  Martin 
Van  Buren  for  President  and  Henry  Dodge  of  Wis- 
consin for  Vice  President  distinctly  upon  the  ground 
of  the  Wilmot  Proviso.     This  is  a  most  dangerous 
attempt  to  organize  Geographical  parties  upon  the 
slave  question.     It  is  more  threatening  to  the  Union 
than  anything  which  has  occurred  since  the  meeting 
of    the    Hartford    convention    in    1814.     Mr.    Van 
Buren's  course  is  selfish,  unpatriotic,  and  wholly  in- 
excusable.    The  effect  of  this  movement  of  the  seced- 
ing and  discontented  Democrats  of  New  York  will 
be  effectually  co[u]nteracted  if  the  slave  question  can 
be  settled  by  adopting  the  Missouri  compromise  line 
as  applied  to  Oregon,  New  Mexico,  &  Upper  Cali- 
fornia at  the  Present  Session  of  Congress.     If  the 
question  can  be  thus  settled  harmony  will  be  restored 
to  the  Union  and  the  danger  of  forming  geographi- 
cal parties  be  avoided.     For  these  reasons  I  am  using 


JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  503 

my  influence  with  members  of  Congress  to  have  it 
effected. 

Maj'r  Gen'l  Pillow  and  his  wife  took  a  family 
dinner  with  me  to-day. 

Sunday,  2_Sth  June,  184S.— Being  still  feeble 
from  my  recent  indisposition  1  did  not  attend  church 
to-day.  I  saw  Senator  Turney  of  Tennessee  about 
3  O'clock  P.  M.  and  held  a  conversation  with  [him] 
on  the  subject  of  adopting  the  Missouri  compromise 
(see  this  Diary  of  yesterday).  Mr.  Turney  con- 
curred with  me  in  my  views.  The  conversations 
noted  in  yesterday's  Diary  as  having  taken  place  with 
Senators  Atherton  [Breese]  and  Bradbury  should 
have  been  noted  as  having  taken  place  this  day  in- 
stead of  yesterday.  I[t]  was  this  day  I  saw  them 
and  conversed  with  them.  The  mistake  in  writing 
them  as  of  yesterday  instead  of  to-day,  occurred  in 
consequence  of  my  having  omitted  to  write  up  my 
diary  since  friday  &  I  inadvertantly  recorded  the 
conversations  as  of  yesterday  instead  of  to-day.  This 
evening  I  was  informed  that  Joseph  H.  Talbot, 
Esqr.,  Dr.  Ja[c]kson  &  his  wife,  &  Miss  Hurt,  all 
of  Ja[c]kson,  Tennessee,  were  in  the  parlour.  Al- 
though our  habit  is  not  to  receive  company  on  the 
sabbath,  as  they  were  Tennesse[e]ans,  and  Mr.  Tal- 
bot an  old  acquaintance,  Mrs.  Polk  &  myself  went 
to  the  parlour  to  see  them.     The[y]  took  tea  with  us. 

Monday,  26th  June,  1848. —  I  saw  company  as 
usual  this  morning.  Members  of  Congress,  office 
seekers,  and  others  called.     I  saw  several  public  offi- 


504  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [27  June 

cers  and  transacted  business  on  my  table  to-day. 
Nothing  unusual  or  [of]  particular  interest  occur- 
red. Gen'l  Pillow  called  and  held  a  long  conver- 
sation with  me. 

Judge  Mason,  as  acting  attorney  General  of  the 
U.  S.,  and  to  whom  the  subject  had  been  referred 
for  his  opinion,  read  to  me  an  opinion  which  he  had 
prepared  relating  to  certain  negro  slaves  claimed 
by  the  Seminole  Indians,  who  claimed  their  freedom 
under  an  alleged  proclamation  of  Gen'l  Jesup,  when 
commanding  the  army  in  Florida  some  years  go. 
The  opinion  was  to  the  efifect  that  the  negroes  will 
[were]  still  slaves  &  the  property  of  the  Seminoles. 
Mr.  Buchanan  was  present  &  had  some  doubts  of  the 
correctness  of  the  opinion  on  some  points.  I  con- 
curred with  Judge  Mason  in  his  views. 

Tuesday,  2'/th  June,  1848. —  Several  persons 
called  before  the  meeting  of  the  Cabinet  this  morn- 
ing. Among  others  Senators  Bright  of  Indiana  and 
Foote  of  Mississippi  called  and  held  a  conversation 
with  me.  The[y]  concurred  with  me  in  opinion 
that  the  only  practicable  mode  of  settling  the  slavery 
question  was  to  adopt  the  Missouri  compromise  line. 
An  amendment  ^  to  be  offered  to  the  Oregon  Terri- 
torial Bill,  now  pending  before  the  Senate,  was  writ- 
ten at  my  table,  first  by  Mr.  Foote  as  I  dictated  it 

^  An  amendment  which  in  effect  provided  for  the  extension  of 
the  Missouri  Compromise  line  to  the  Pacific  was  introduced  in 
the  Senate  by  Bright  on  June  27,  1848.  It  passed  the  Senate, 
but  was  rejected  by  the  House  on  August  11. —  Globe,  30  Cong, 
I  Sess.  875,  and  H.  Journal,  30  Cong,  i  Sess.  1245. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  505 

to  him,  &  was  then  copied  by  Mr.  Bright.  I 
learn  that  Mr.  Bright  gave  notice  that  he  would 
offer  the  amendment  when  it  was  in  order  to  do  so, 
and  the  amendment  as  written  at  my  table  was  or- 
dered to  be  printed  for  the  information  of  the  Sen- 
ate. I  learn  that  there  is  a  fair  prospect  that  the 
amendment  will  pass  the  Senate.  The  Cabinet  met 
at  the  usual  hour;  all  the  members  present  except 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  from  whom  I  jeceived 
a  note  stating  that  he  was  indisposed.  Several  mat- 
ters of  detail  were  considered  and  disposed  of  in 
Cabinet,  but  none  of  them  of  any  general  importance. 
This  was  reception  evening.  The  usual  number 
of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

Wednesday,  28th  June,  1848. —  A  crowd  of  per- 
sons called  this  morning;  a  large  majority  of  them 
were  seeking  offices  which  I  had  not  to  bestow. 
Quite  a  number  of  females  were  among  them,  seek- 
ing places  for  their  husbands,  sons,  and  other  rela- 
tions. Some,  too,  of  the  number  were  begging 
money.  It  was  a  morning  not  only  unprofitably 
spent,  but  was  really  a  disgusting  scene.  But  as  I 
have  to  open  my  doors  every  day,  I  can  never  tell 
who  will  call  or  what  their  business  is,  and  I  am 
compelled  to  endure  such  annoyances.  Poor  peo- 
ple! they  had  much  better  go  to  work  &  make  an 
honest  living  by  their  own  exertions  that  [than]  to 
be  hanging  on  the  Executive  for  office  &  relying  upon 
the  Government  to  support  them. 

The  Hon.  Isaac  Toucey  of  Connecticut,  recently 
nominated  to  the  Senate  and  confirmed  by  that  body 


5o6  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARY  [29  June 

as  Attorney  General  of  the  U.  States,  arrived  in 
Washington  to-day,  and  called  and  informed  me  that 
he  was  ready  to  enter  upon  the  duties  of  the  ofhce.  I 
delivered  to  him  his  commission.  I  disposed  of  bus- 
iness on  my  table,  and  saw  public  officers  on  business 
as  usual.  This  afternoon  the  Marine  Band  played 
on  the  grounds  south  of  the  President's  mansion.  A 
large  number  of  persons  were  present.  I  met  many 
of  them  on  the  south  porch  of  the  President's  House. 
Gen'l  Pillow  &  his  wife  &  his  aid  de  camp,  Lieut. 
Rains, ^  took  tea  with  us  this  evening. 

Thursday,  2Qth  June,  1848. —  Before  sun-rise 
this  morning  I  was  taken  with  a  violent  diarrhea 
accompanied  with  severe  pain.  I  was  very  soon 
prostrated  by  it.  I  sent  for  Dr.  Hall,  who  prescribed 
for  me.  I  took  medicine  &  remained  in  my  chamber 
during  the  day.  In  the  course  of  the  day  I  signed 
some  official  papers  in  my  room  and  gave  directions 
about  some  public  matters. 

Friday,  JOth  June,  1848. —  I  continued  to  be  un- 
well this  morning  and  remained  in  my  chamber.  I 
transacted  no  business  but  such  as  was  absolutely 
necessary.  The  committee  of  enrolled  bills  of  the 
two  Houses  of  Congress  called  and  presented  to  me 
Bills  which  had  passed  Congress.  I  received  them 
in  my  chamber. 

Saturday,  Ist  July,  1848. —  Though  still  weak 
from  my  late  attack  I  went  to  my  office  at  the  hour 

^Gabriel  Jones  Raines  of  North  Carolina,  of  the  7th  Infantry. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY 


507 


of  the  meeting  of  the  Cabinet.  All  the  members  of 
the  Cabinet  were  present.  The  Secretary  of  War 
brought  with  him  and  read  to  the  Cabinet  the  Re- 
port of  the  military  Court  of  Enquiry  in  Maj'r  Gen'l 
Pillow's  case.  The  Court  acquit  him  of  all  the  ma- 
terial charges  and  give  it  as  their  opinion  that  no 
further  military  proceedings  be  had  in  the  case. 
Though  the  Court  acquit  Gen'l  Pillow,  they  do  not,  I 
think,  do  him  full  justice.  I  will,  however,  give  to 
the  case  a  more  critical  examination.  Some  other 
matters  were  considered,  but  becoming  fatigued  & 
exhausted  I  was  compelled  to  retire  to  my  own 
chamber. 

Sunday,  2nd  July,  1848. —  Mrs.  Polk  attended 
church  in  the  morning  &  evening  to-day.  1  re- 
mained in  my  chamber  all  day,  except  a  short  time 
in  the  morning  when  I  went  to  my  office  &  saw  Sen- 
ator Turney  &  Mr.  Thomas  of  Tennessee,  who  called 
to  see  how  I  was.  In  the  afternoon  I  rode  out  in 
the  carriage  with  Mrs.  Polk. 

Monday,  JrdJuly,  1848. —  I  was  in  my  office  this 
morning.  A  crowd  of  persons  called,  most  of  them 
as  is  usual  seeking  offices.  I  was  still  feeble  from  my 
late  attack  &  retired  to  my  chamber  about  12 
O'clock.  After  resting  I  returned  to  my  office  & 
transacted  some  business.  I  received  a  letter  to-day 
from  Mr.  R.  C.  Pearson  of  Morganton,  N.  C,  en- 
closing one  to  my  nephew,  Marshall  T.  Polk,  an- 
nouncing the  death  of  his  mother.  His  mother  was 
the  widow  of  my  brother,  Marshall  T.  Polk  deed., 


So8  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY 

and  was  at  the  time  of  her  death  the  wife  of  Dr.  W. 
C.  Tate  of  Morganton,  N.  C.  Marshall  is  the 
only  surviving  child  by  her  marriage  with  my 
brother.  He  had  a  sister  who  died  some  years 
ago.  She  had  six  or  seven  children  by  Dr.  Tate. 
I  wrote  to  Marshall,  now  a  Cadet  at  West  Point, 
and  enclosed  to  him  Mr.  Pearson's  letter  convey- 
ing to  him  the  melancholy  intelligence  of  the 
death  of  his  mother.  In  the  latter  part  of  the  day 
I  transacted  some  business,  and  in  the  afternoon  rode 
out  in  the  carriage  with  Mrs.  Polk. 


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