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C|)tcaso  Htsitottcal  ^otittfQ 

COLLECTION 
VoL   IX. 


k.J 


THE  LAST  RESIDENCE  OF  PRESIDENT  POLK 

Occupied  by  him,  as  a  home,  from  the  expiration  of  his  Presidential  term  until 

his  death,  June  75,  18 4g,  and  by  Mrs.  Polk  until  her  death  in  i8g2. 

The  house  was  torn  down  in  IQOI,  and  its  site  is  now 

occupied  by  a  seven  story  apartment  house. 


J1J04  TM3ai83^^  10  30M3ai^3M  T2AJ  3HT 


V'A   CHICAGO  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY'S   COLLECTIONS— VOL.  IX. 

THE    DIARY   OF 
JAMES   K.    POLK 

DURING  HIS  PRESIDENCY    1845  to  1849 


NOW  FIRST  PRINTED  FROM 
THE  ORIGINAL  MANUSCRIPT 
OWNED    BY     THE     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 


v°L-  ^^'  2i3&l(> 


PUBLISHED  FOR  THE  SOCIETY 

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Entered  at  Stationers*  Hall,  London,  England 

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NORWOOD  •  MASS  •  U  'S  'A 


I 


THE   DIARY  OF    JAMES   K.   POLK 

1845— 1849 


DIARY    OF 

JAMES  K.  POLK 

IV 

Tuesday,  4th  July,  1848, —  This  being  the  day 
appointed  for  laying  the  co[r]ner  Stone  of  the  Wash- 
ington monument  in  Washington,  and  having  been 
invited  by  the  committee  of  arrangements  to  attend 
the  ceremonies  of  the  occasion,  and  having  deter- 
mined, though  in  feeble  health,  to  do  so,  I  had  in- 
vited my  Cabinet  to  meet  &  accompany  me  at  10 
O'clock  this  morning.  Before  that  hour  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Smith  of  the  Presbyterian  church  called  with 
the  children  composing  the  Sunday  school  of  his 
church.  There  w^ere  betv^een  two  and  three  Hun- 
dred children,  who  were  invited  into  the  East  Room 
where  I  met  them.  It  was  [an]  interesting  inter- 
view. Mr.  Smith  made  a  short  address  in  which 
he  reminded  me  that  three  years  ago,  being  the  first 
4th  of  July  after  my  election  to  the  Presidency,  he 
had  visited  me  with  his  Sunday  school,  and  now  that 
I  had  voluntarily  determined  to  retire  to  private  life 
on  the  4th  of  March  next,  they  had  called  again  to 
pay  their  respects.     I  responded  in  a  few  words  of 


2  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  [4  July 

reply,  in  which  I  stated  that  I  remembered  their 
visit  three  years  ago;  that  I  was  then  gratified  but 
not  more  than  I  was  upon  this  occasion.  There  were 
a  number  of  persons  present  who  witnessed  the  cere- 
mony. At  10  O'clock,  the  Cabinet  assembled;  all 
the  members  present.  Accompanied  by  the  Cabinet 
and  escorted  by  Gen'l  Walton,  the  U.  S.  marshall  of 
the  D.  C,  and  his  Deputies,  and  by  a  troop  of  horse 
commanded  by  Col.  May  of  the  U.  S.  Army,  we  were 
conducted  in  carriages  to  the  City  Hall  where  the 
procession  was  formed  and  moved  to  the  site  of  the 
Washington  monument  on  the  Banks  of  the  Potomac 
and  South  of  the  President's  mansion.  I  witnessed 
the  ceremony  of  laying  the  corner  stone,  and  heard 
an  address  delivered  by  Mr.  Speaker  Winthrop  of 
the  Ho.  Repts.  I  returned  to  the  President's  House 
and  in  about  an  hour,  at  the  request  of  Gen'l  Quit- 
man, I  received  the  military  on  horseback.  They 
were  drawn  up  to  receive  me  in  Pennsylvania  Ave- 
nue. This  afternoon  Dr.  Rayburn  arrived,  bearing 
despatches  &  the  ratified  Treaty  with  Mexico.  He 
stated  that  Mr.  Sevier  was  sick  at  New  Orleans  & 
had  requested  him  to  bring  on  the  Treaty.  Mr. 
Sevier  would  ascend  the  Mississippi  River.  I  im- 
mediately saw  the  Secretary  of  State  and  caused  a 
proclamation  ^  to  be  prepared  announcing  officially 
the  definitive  conclusion  of  peace  with  Mexico.  At 
about  II  O'clock  at  night  I  signed  the  Proclamation. 
I  desired  to  sign  it  on  the  anniversary  of  Independ- 
ance.  My  Private  Secretary  &  Mr.  H.  C.  Williams 
were  engaged  until  a  late  hour  to-night  copying  a 

^  Richardson,  Messages  and  Papers  of  the  Presidents,  IV,  627. 


i848]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  3 

message  which  I  had  prepared  to  Congress  on  laying 
the  Treaty  before  them  for  Legislative  action. 

This  being  a  regular  evening  for  receiving  com- 
pany a  large  crowd  attended.  There  were  many 
strangers  in  the  City  who  had  come  to  witness  the 
laying  the  corner  stone  of  the  Washington  Monu- 
ment. The  East  room  and  all  the  parlours  were 
lighted  up.  The  marine  band  attended  and  played 
south  of  the  mansion.  I  retired  at  a  late  hour  ex- 
ceedingly fatigued. 

Wednesday,  5/A  July,  1848. —  I  convened  the 
Cabinet  at  10^  O'Clock  this  morning,  all  the  mem- 
bers attended.  I  read  to  them  the  message  which 
I  had  prepared  to  send  to  Congress,  on  laying  the 
ratified  Treaty  with  Mexico  before  that  body.  It 
was  carefully  examined  and  its  various  parts  freely 
discussed.  Some  modifications,  not  affecting  its  sub- 
stance, were  made  at  the  suggestion  of  different  mem- 
bers of  the  Cabinet.  It  was  my  intention  to  have  it 
sent  to  Congress  to-day,  but  about  2  O'Clock  P.  M. 
I  learned  from  Mr.  Buchanan  that  the  do[c]uments 
to  accompany  it  could  not  be  prepared  in  time  to 
be  transmitted  to-day.  After  the  Cabinet  adjourned 
I  read  the  message  to  Mr.  Ritchie,  who  approved  it 
in  all  its  parts.  I  transacted  some  other  business  to- 
day. The  Marine  Band  played  on  the  grounds  this 
afternoon.  Many  persons  attended.  I  was  too 
much  fatigued  to  go  out. 

Thursday,  6th  July,  1848. —  I  saw  company  this 
morning.     A  number  of  persons,  and  among  them 


4  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  [6  Jui.y 

several  members  of  Congress,  called.  I  transmitted 
a  message  ^  to  both  Houses  of  Congress  to-day  lay- 
ing before  them  the  ratified  Treaty  with  Mexico  and 
recommending  that  legislative  provision  be  made  to 
carry  its  stipulations  into  effect.  It  wzs  near  3 
O'clock  P.  M.  before  the  Documents  to  accompany 
the  Treaty  v^ere  prepared  at  the  State  Department. 
Among  the  documents  transmitted  were  the  instruc- 
tions to  Mr.  Slidell  upon  his  appointment  as  minis- 
ter to  Mexico,  in  November,  1845.  These  Instruc- 
tions were  called  for  by  Resolution  of  the  Ho.  Repts. 
at  an  early  period  of  the  present  Session,  and  in  a 
message  to  that  House  I  declined  to  furnish  the  in- 
structions, deeming  their  publication  in  the  then 
state  of  our  relations  with  Mexico  to  be  incompatable 
with  the  public  interests.  Upon  the  conclusion  of 
a  definitive  Treaty  of  peace  with  Mexico,  the  rea- 
sons for  with-holding  them  at  that  time  no  longer 
exist. 

Mr.  Walker,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  called 
this  morning  [and  said]  that  he  had  been  informed 
by  Vice  President  Dallas  that  he  had  been  applied  to 
by  a  person  now  in  this  City  (but  whose  name  I  do 
not  remember)  and  informed  that  he  was  author- 
ized by  the  Queen  of  Spain  &  her  husband  to  ascej 
tain  whether,  if  a  channel  was  opened  affording^n 
opportunity,  the  U.  S.  would  make  an  overture  to 
purchase  the  Island  of  Cuba.  After  conversing  with 
Mr.  Walker  upon  the  subject  I  requested  him  to 

^  Richardson,  Messages  and  Papers  of  the  Presidents,  IV,  587- 
593.  For  message  and  accompanying  documents,  see  //.  Ex* 
Doc.    69,  30  Cong.  I  Sess.  VIII. 


i848]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARY  5 

ask  Mr.  Dallas  to  call  and  see  me.  He  left  &  in 
less  than  two  hours  returned  in  company  with  Mr. 
Dallas.  Mr.  Dallas  repeated  the  statement  which 
Mr.  W.  had  made  to  me.  Mr.  Dallas  added  that 
the  gentleman  referred  to  was  a  lawyer  of  Philadel- 
phia of  good  standing.  He  said  he  was  a  native  of 
Spain  and  was  the  agent  of  [the]  Queen  of  Spain 
in  the  investment  of  a  large  sum  of  her  private  for- 
tune in  this  country  and  in  Cuba,  and  that  he  had 
great  confidence  in  his  representations.  I  then  in- 
formed Mr.  Dallas  confidentially  of  the  despatch 
which  had  been  sent  to  Mr.  Saunders,  our  minister 
at  Madrid,  authorizing  him,  if  circumstances  were 
favourable,  to  make  an  offer  to  purchase  the  Island 
of  Cuba.  I  informed  Mr.  Dallas  if  he  would  call 
at  the  State  Department  he  could  read  the  despatch. 
I  then  authorized  Mr.  Dallas  to  say  to  the  person 
to  whom  he  referred  that  as  soon  as  he  produced  the 
evidence  of  his  authority  to  act  in  the  matter  the 
U.  S.  would  make  the  offer  to  purchase  the  Island, 
but  that  he  must  do  this  upon  his  own  authority  & 
not  in  the  name  of  the  Government.  I  asked  Mr. 
Dallas  if  the  U.  S.  could  afford  to  pay  one  hundred 
millions  of  Dollars  for  Cuba,  to  which  he  at  once 
answered  in  the  affirmative,  and  thought  it  would 
be  a  good  bargain  at  that. 

Gen'l  Pillow  &  Gen'l  Cadwallader  called.  Gen'l 
Pillow  informed  me  that  he  had  learned  that  much 
conversation  was  being  had  in  the  City  to  the  effect 
that  the  reason  I  had  not  heretofore  sent  in  to  the 
Senate  the  nomination  of  the  Gen'l  officers  of  the 
army  appointed  during  the  last  recess  was  to  favour 


6  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [6  July 

him,  &  the  fear  on  my  part  that  his  (Gen'l  P.'s)  nom- 
ination might  be  rejected  by  the  Senate.  Gen'l  P. 
remarked  that  he  desired  that  I  should  be  relieved 
from  so  false  an  imputation,  &  that  he  himself  should 
be  relieved  from  any  imputation  of  a  desire  that  I 
should  withhold  the  nomination  of  the  other  offi- 
cers, and  therefore  he  desired  that  I  would  send  in 
the  nominations  and  his  with  them.  He  said  he 
would  prefer  to  be  himself  rejected,  rather  than  rest 
under  the  imputation  that  he  stood  in  the  way  of 
my  sending  in  the  nominations  of  the  other  officers. 
Gen'l  Cadwallader  confirmed  Gen'l  P.'s  statement 
as  to  the  conversations  going  on  in  the  Hotels  on  the 
subject,  and  advised  me  to  nominate  all  the  officers 
appointed  in  the  recess  including  Gen'l  Pillow's 
[Pillow].  I  stated  that  the  officers  alluded  to, 
including  Gen'l  Pillow,  appointed  in  the  last 
recess  of  the  Senate,  would  be  in  commission, 
under  the  Constitution,  until  the  close  of  the  Ses- 
sion of  the  Senate,  and  that  as  the  war  was  now 
over  and  these  officers  would  probably  be  discharged 
before  the  adjournment  of  the  Senate,  it  would  seem 
to  be  useless  to  send  in  their  nominations.  Both 
Gen'l  Pillow  &  Gen'l  Cadwallader  repeated  the 
opinion  that  I  should  send  in  the  nominations.  I 
finally  told  them  I  would  consult  the  Secretary  of 
War  on  the  subject,  &  would  be  disposed  to  defer 
to  his  judgement.  After  they  left  I  sent  for  the  Sec- 
retary of  War,  who  thought  under  all  the  circumstan- 
ces I  had  better  send  in  the  nominations.  I  attribute 
the  conversations  &  complaints  out  of  doors  on  the 
subject  to  Gen'l  Quitman,  who  has  importuned  me 


i848]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  7 

personally  &  through  his  friends  to  send  his  nom- 
ination to  the  Senate.  Indeed,  I  was  informed  sev- 
eral days  ago  that  he  had  remarked  that  if  I  did 
not  send  in  his  nomination  he  would  make  an  issue 
with  me.  I  informed  Mr.  Jacob  Thompson  of  Miss., 
of  what  I  had  heard  of  Gen'l  Quitman's  remarks, 
on  the  evening  of  the  4th  Instant.  Mr.  Thompson 
called  to  see  me  again  on  yesterday  morning, 
and  informed  me  that  he  had  seen  Gen'l  Quitman, 
who  denied  that  he  had  made  such  a  remark,  though 
he  was  very  desirous  to  have  his  nomination  sent  in. 
I  am  still  of  opinion  that  the  complaints  about  the 
Hotels  have  proceeded  from  remarks  made  by  Gen'l 
Quitman.  I  told  Gen'l  Cadwallader  to-day  that  if 
I  was  certain  of  this  I  would  not  send  in  Gen'l  Quit- 
man's nomination.  I  told  Gen'l  C,  also,  that  Gen'l 
Pillow  had  never  intimated  a  wish  upon  the  subject 
until  the  present  conversation,  and  that  the  nomina- 
tions had  not  been  held  back  at  his  instance  or  de- 
sire. Upon  a  conferrence  with  the  Secretary  of  War 
to-day  it  was  determined  to  issue  an  order  for  dis- 
banding all  the  officers  who  engaged  to  serve  during 
the  war  with  Mexico,  who  were  now  in  the  U.  S.  & 
detached  from  their  respective  commands,  on  the 
15th  Instant. 

To-day  I  prepared  my  decision  on  the  proceedings 
of  the  Court  of  Enquiry  in  the  case  of  Maj'r  Gen'l 
Pillow.  Concurring  with  the  Court  in  their  con- 
clusion that  no  further  military  proceedings  in  the 
case  were  required  by  the  public  interests,  I  ap- 
proved their  conclusion  &  acquitted  Gen'l  Pillow  of 
any  censure.     I  did  not  concur  with  the  Court  in 


8  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [7  July 

all  their  findings  and  inferences  from  them,  but  I 
did  not  deem  it  necessary  to  say  anything  in  relation 
to  the  findings,  but  confined  myself  to  an  approval  of 
the  conclusion  at  which  the  Court  had  arrived. 

Friday,  7/A  July,  1848. —  Several  persons  called 
this  morning  and  among  them  some  most  impor- 
tunate office  seekers.  Of  the  latter  was  John  D.  Mc- 
Crate,  esqr.,  a  member  of  the  last  Congress,  from 
Maine.  He  applied  to  me  to  be  appointed  one  of 
the  commissioners  to  adjudicate  claims  under  the 
Mexican  Treaty,  and  informed  me  that  he  had  ob- 
tained the  signatures  of  all  the  Democratic  Senators 
except  three  and  a  majority  of  the  Democratic  mem- 
bers of  the  Ho.  Repts.  recommending  him  for  the 
office.  It  has  become  very  customary  for  office-seek- 
ers to  importune  members  of  Congress  recommend- 
ing them  [to  recommend  them]  and  it  is  to  be  re- 
gretted that  members  of  Congress  generally  sign 
papers  of  this  sort  as  a  matter  of  accommodation  to 
those  who  apply  to  them,  and  without  knowing  or 
caring  whether  the  person  recommended  is  fit  for 
the  office  or  not.  In  this  case  one  member  told  me 
on  yesterday  that  he  had  signed  the  recommenda- 
tion, and  expressed  his  doubts  whether  Mr.  McC. 
ought  to  be  appointed.  Very  little  reliance  is  to  be 
placed  in  such  recommendations.  I  gave  Mr.  Mc- 
Crate  no  promise.  In  truth  no  law  has  yet  been 
passed  authorizing  the  appointment  of  such  commis- 
sioners. After  12  O'clock  I  saw  Mr.  Buchanan, 
Mr.  Marcy,  and  Mr.  Mason,  all  of  whom  advised 
me  to  send  [to  the  Senate]  the  nominations  of  Maj'r 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  9 

Gen'ls  Pillow  &  Quitman  &  Brig.  Gen'ls  Gushing 
&  Price.  My  own  judgment  was  against  it,  as  be- 
ing unnecessary  now  that  the  war  with  Mexico  is 
over  (see  this  Diary  of  yesterday)  but  I  yielded 
to  their  advice  and  that  of  others,  and  sent  the  nom- 
inations to  the  Senate.  I  saw  several  public  officers 
&  transacted  much  public  business  to-day.  In  the 
evening  several  members  of  Congress  called  to  see 
and  consult  me  about  public  affairs.  The  slavery 
question  as  connected  with  the  establishment  of  Ter- 
ritorial Governments  in  Oregon,  New  Mexico,  & 
Upper  California,  was  the  chief  subject  of  Conver- 
sation. Among  the  members  who  called  were 
Messrs.  Cobb  of  Georgia,  Houston  of  AL,  Bowden  ^ 
of  AL,  McLane  of  Maryland,  &  Senator  Sebastian 
of  Arkansas.  Mr.  Birdsall  of  N.  York  called  & 
urged  me  to  remove  from  office  Ben'j  F.  Butler  and 
other  Barnburners  in  New  York  who  held  office,  up- 
on the  ground  that  they  had  bolted  from  the  regular 
nominations  of  the  Democratic  party  for  President 
&  Vice  President,  &  were  attempting  to  organize  a 
northern  or  geographical  party  on  the  slavery  ques- 
tion; that  they  were  disorganizers,  and  that  [the] 
effect  of  their  movements  was  to  defeat  the  Demo- 
cratic candidates.  Mr.  Birdsall  was  exceedingly  ex- 
cited in  his  manner  &  conversation.  His  tone  was  dic- 
tatorial &  affirmative,  so  much  so  that  I  was  con- 
strained to  rebuke  him  by  telling  him  that  I  was  not 
in  the  habit  of  being  addressed  in  such  a  manner. 
Before  he  left  he  became  sensible  of  the  impropriety 

^  Franklin  W.  Bowdon,  Representative  from  Alabama   1846- 
1851. 


10  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [8  July 

of  his  conduct,  &  apologized.  I  told  him  that  I  con- 
demned the  conduct  of  Mr.  Butler  &  other  disor- 
ganizers  in  New  York  who  had  pres[e]nted  Mr. 
Van  Buren  for  the  Presidency,  and  that  those  of 
them  who  hold  office  under  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment deserved  to  be  removed,  but  that  I  doubted 
the  propriety  of  removing  them  at  this  time.  I  told 
him  that  several  Northern  Senators  who  concurred 
with  me  as  to  their  inexcusable  conduct  had  ex- 
pressed to  me  the  opinion  that  it  would  be  unwise 
to  remove  them.  If  removed  they  would  probably 
represent  themselves  as  victims;  and  would  appeal  to 
the  people  by  representing  that  they  were  removed 
by  a  President  from  a  slave-state  because  they  were 
opposed  to  permitting  slavery  in  the  territories  re- 
cently acquired  in  which  it  did  not  now  exist.  This, 
I  told  him,  would  not  be  the  reason  of  my  action,  if 
I  removed  them,  but  their  secession  from  the  Dem- 
ocratic party  &  their  efforts  to  defeat  the  regular 
nominations  of  the  Democratic  party.  I  told  him 
that  their  removal  would  place  in  the  hands  of  dem- 
agogues a  weapon  in  the  Northern  States  by  which 
Gen'l  Cass's  election  might  be  placed  in  jeopardy. 
I  found  I  could  not  satisfy  him.  So  great  was  his 
excitement  &  so  irrational  was  he,  that  my  conver- 
sation with  him  was  a  very  unpleasant  one. 

Saturday,  8th  July,  1848.— I  saw  several  per- 
sons before  the  meeting  of  the  Cabinet  this  morn- 
ing. The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour;  all  the 
members  present.     After  transacting  several  matters 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S   DIARY  n 

of  business  I  informed  the  Cabinet  of  the  conversa- 
tion which  Mr.  Birdsall  of  N.  York  held  with  me 
last  evening,  urging  the  removal  of  Benj.  F.  Butler 
and  other  office-holders  in  N.  York.  I  also  read 
to  them  a  letter  of  this  date  from  Senator  Dickinson 
of  N.  York,  urging  their  removal.  I  asked  the  Cab- 
inet for  their  opinion  on  the  subject.  They  all 
agreed  that  the  Barnburners  who  had  bolted  from 
the  regular  Democratic  nominations  in  N.  Y.  &  held 
office  under  the  Federal  Government  deserved  to  be 
removed,  but  Mr.  Buchanan  &  Mr.  Toucey  advised 
against  it  at  this  time  for  fear  of  its  bad  effect  on 
the  pending  Presidential  election.  Mr.  Buchanan 
said  he  would  remove  them  the  moment  the  election 
was  over.  Mr.  Mason,  Mr.  Walker,  &  Mr.  Marcy 
were  in  favour  of  their  removal.  Mr.  Johnson  ex- 
pressed no  opinion.  I  told  the  Cabinet  that  I  had 
sent  for  Senator  Felch  &  Mr.  McClelland  of  the  Ho. 
Repts.,  who  are  understood  to  be  the  confidential 
friends  of  Gen'l  Cass,  for  the  purpose  of  consulting 
them  on  the  subject.  The  Cabinet  all  concurred  in 
the  propriety  of  this  step.  At  6  O'Clock  Mr.  Felch 
&  Mr.  McClelland  called,  &  I  had  a  full  conversa- 
tion with  them  on  the  subject.  They  both  thought 
that  the  removals  would  operate  prejudicially  to 
Gen'l  Cass'[s]  election.  They  informed  me  that 
they  had  within  a  day  or  two  consulted  with  Demo- 
cratic members  of  Congress  in  both  Houses  from 
the  free  States  other  than  New  York,  &  that  the 
opinion  was  general  [that]  though  the  Barnburn- 
ers who  held  office  in  N.  Y.  deserved  to  be  removed. 


12  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [9  July 

it  would  be  highly  inexpedient  to  make  the  removals 
at  this  time.  Mr.  Felch  &  Mr.  McClelland  advised 
me  not  to  make  the  removals. 

My  nephew,  James  H.  Walker,  who  is  a  Captain 
in  the  Regiment  of  Voltigeurs,  arrived  in  Washing- 
ton on  yesterday,  direct  from  Mexico.  He  has  been 
in  service  since  the  commencement  of  the  Mexican 
War,  first  as  an  assistant  Quarter-master  (in  which 
capacity  he  accompanied  Col.  Yell's  Regiment  from 
Arkansas)  and  afterwards  as  Captain  in  the  Regi- 
ment of  Voltigeurs.  Upon  my  invitation  he  took 
apartments  in  the  President's  House. 

Sunday,  gth  July,  1848, —  The  weather  to-day 
was  cloudy  and  damp  and  unusually  cool  for  the 
season.  I  am  still  somewhat  feeble  from  my  late 
indisposition  and  did  not  attend  church  to-day. 
Mrs.  Polk  remained  at  home  also,  and  did  not  at- 
tend church. 

Monday,  lOth  July,  1848, — I  saw  many  persons 
this  morning.  After  12  O'Clock  I  saw  the  Secre- 
tary of  War  and  several  other  public  officers,  and 
transacted  business  in  my  office  as  usual.  I  had  a 
long  interview  with  Senator  Bright  of  Indiana  in 
relation  to  the  adjustment  of  the  Missouri  compro- 
mise line  as  respects  slavery,  in  the  organization  of 
Territorial  Governments  in  Oregon,  New  Mexico, 
&  California.  I  urged  the  public  importance  of  the 
settlement  of  the  question,  in  [order]  to  allay  excite- 
ment, prevent  the  organization  of  geographical  par- 
ties, &  preserve  the  harmony  of  the  Union.     Mr. 


1848]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  13 

Bright  thought  it  would  be  settled  by  the  adoption 
of  the  phraseology  employed  in  the  Resolutions  for 
the  annexation  of  Texas.  In  the  evening  I  saw  Mr. 
Venable  of  N.  C.  &  Mr.  Haralson  of  Georgia  on 
the  same  subject,  both  of  whom  agreed  to  vote  for 
the  Texas  compromise.  Whilst  these  gentlemen 
were  in  my  office  Gen'l  Pillow  called,  and  desiring 
to  see  me  alone  they  retired  to  my  Private  Secretary's 
office.  Gen'l  P.  was  excited,  &  after  holding  some 
conversation  with  him  on  other  subjects  he  informed 
me  of  what  I  had  before  heard,  that  Mr.  Stevens  ^ 
of  Georgia  in  debate  in  the  House  to-day  had  gone 
out  of  his  way  to  abuse  Gen'l  P.  personally,  by  apply- 
ing to  him  the  epithet  ''  infamous,"  &  other  like 
terms.  Gen'l  P.  informed  me  that  he  had  been  in 
search  of  Mr.  Stevens  all  the  afternoon,  that  he  had 
been  twice  at  his  boarding  house,  but  could  not  find 
him,  and  that  he  was  determined  to  flog  him  on  sight. 
I  advised  him  against  it,  for  although  Mr.  Stevens 
might  deserve  a  castigation,  that  the  Whig  Party 
would  endeavour  to  make  political  capital  out  of  it 
by  representing  that  an  officer  of  the  army  was  at- 
tempting to  browbeat  Congress  and  restrain  the  lib- 
erty of  debate.  I  advised  him  at  all  events  to  post- 
pone it.  Mr.  Venable  &  Gen'l  Haralson  returned 
when  Gen'l  Pillow  retired.  Without  knowing  what 
conversation  had  passed  between  Gen'l  Pillow  and 
myself,  Mr.  Venable,  when  he  rose  to  retire,  re- 
quested me  to  see  Gen'l  P.  and  advise  him  not  to  in- 
terrupt Stevens.     Mr.  V.  had  heard  Mr.  S.'s  speech 

^  Alexander    H.    Stephens,    afterwards   Vice-President    of    the 
Southern  Confederacy. 


14  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [n  July 

in  the  House.  I  requested  Mr.  V.  to  call  and  see 
Gen'l  Pillow  himself,  on  his  return  to  his  lodgings. 
He  said  he  would  do  so.  Mr.  Bowden  of  Alabama 
called  after  night.  He  is  taking  a  deep  interest  to 
have  the  slavery  question  settled  on  the  Texas  or  Mis- 
souri compromise  line.  He  called  to  see  me  on  that 
subject. 

Tuesday,  nth  July,  1848, —  I  saw  a  number  of 
persons  this  morning  on  business.  My  brother, 
Maj'r  Wm.  H.  Polk  of  the  3rd  Dragoons,  U.  S. 
army,  arrived  from  Mexico  this  morning.  He  is 
thin  in  flesh  and  is  far  from  being  as  athletic  and  vig- 
orous as  he  was  when  he  entered  the  service.  He 
took  apartments  in  the  President's  House.  The  Sec- 
retary of  the  Treasury  called  before  the  hour  of  meet- 
ing of  the  Cabinet,  but,  having  business  at  the  Cap- 
itol, left  and  returned  about  i  O'Clock  P.  M.  The 
other  members  of  the  Cabinet  assembled  at  the  usual 
hour.  Several  matters  of  business  were  considered 
and  disposed  of.  Resolutions  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  call- 
ing for  information  on  several  points  connected  with 
the  manner  of  prosecuting  the  war  with  Mexico,  & 
particularly  the  establishment  of  temporary  civil 
Governments  in  the  conquered  provinces,  were  de- 
livered to  me  by  Mr.  Campbell,  the  Clerk  of  the 
Ho.  Repts.,  this  morning.  They  were  passed  on  yes- 
terday on  the  motion  of  Mr.  Stevens  of  Georgia, 
who,  I  learn,  made  a  violent,  vindictative  [vindic- 
tive] speech,^  &  one  personally  abusive  of  me.     It 

^  Globe,  30  Cong,  i  Sess.  910-913.  The  resolutions  are  in 
H,  Journal,  30  Cong,   i   Sess.   1010-1012. 


1848J  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  15 

was  in  the  same  speech  that  he  took  occasion  to  ca- 
lumniate Gen'l  Pillow  (see  this  Diary  of  yesterday). 
The  Resolutions  are  readily  answered,  though  it  will 
take  some  time  to  collect  the  information  called  for. 
The  Secretary  of  War  presented  various  details  con- 
nected with  the  destination  of  the  army,  and  partic- 
ularly the  corps  which  should  be  ordered  to  Oregon, 
California,  &  New  Mexico.  These  were  disposed 
of,  &  being  indisposed,  the  Cabinet  dispersed  &  I 
retired  to  my  chamber  about  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  This 
being  reception  evening  a  number  of  persons  called. 

Wednesday,  12th  July,  1848, —  I  spent  the  morn- 
ing as  usual  until  12  O'Clock  in  receiving  company. 
I  saw  the  Secretary  of  State,  the  Secretary  of  War, 
and  the  attorney  General  on  official  business.  I  was 
somewhat  indisposed  to-day,  but  remained  in  my 
office  &  transacted  business  until  dinner,  &  then  re- 
tired to  my  chamber.  The  Marine  band  played  on 
the  President's  grounds  this  afternoon,  but  I  did  not 
attend.  I  learn  that  after  much  discussion  to-day, 
the  Senate  agreed  to  a  Resolution  ^  referring  the 
Oregon-bill  and  my  message  in  relation  to  the  or- 
ganization of  Territorial  Government  in  California 
&  New  Mexico  to  a  select  committee  of  8  members, 
four  from  the  North  &  four  from  the  South,  and  an 
equal  number  of  each  political  [party].  The  ob- 
ject was  to  see  if  a  proposition  of  compromise  upon 
the  subject  of  slavery  in  these  territories  could  be 
agreed  upon.     I  learn  that  Ambrose  H.  Sevier  of 

^  S.  Journal,  30  Cong.  I  Sess.  465.  The  committee  created  is 
usually  known  as  the  **  Clayton   Compromise  committee." 


i6  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [13  July 

Arkansas,  one  of  the  commissioners  sent  to  Mexico 
with  the  ratified  Treaty  with  Mexico,  reached  this 
City  this  evening. 

Maj'r  Wm.  H.  Polk  of  the  3rd  Dragoons,  U.  S. 
Army,  left  this  morning  to  visit  his  wife  in  New 
York.  He  will  return  in  a  few  days.  After  night 
Mr.  Geo.  S.  Houston  of  Al.  called  with  a  friend. 

Thursday,  13th  July,  1848, —  A  number  of  per- 
sons called  this  morning.  A  Delegation  of  the  Iowa 
tribe  of  Indians  called.  Col.  Sevier  of  Arkansas, 
late  commissioner  to  Mexico,  called.  He  reached 
this  city  last  evening.  I  saw  and  transacted  business 
with  Mr.  Buchanan,  Mr.  Marcy,  &  Mr.  Toucey.  I 
was  engaged  a  part  of  the  day  in  preparing  my  mes- 
sage in  answer  to  the  Resolutions  of  the  Ho.  Repts. 
of  the  loth  Instant,  calling  for  information  in  rela- 
tion to  New  Mexico  &  Upper  California.  The  Sec- 
retary of  War  informed  me  that  the  Military  Court 
of  Enquiry  in  Gen'l  Pillow's  case  had  taken  the  rec- 
ord of  their  findings  back,  &  after  having  had  it  for 
some  time  had  returned  it  to  him  this  morning.  On 
examining  it  I  found  that  they  had  made  no  change 
in  it,  except  to  substitute  the  word  "  arguments "  for 
"  inducements  "  in  that  part  of  their  finding  which 
relates  to  Gen'l  Pillow's  correspondence  with  Gen'l 
Scott.  In  the  paper  as  it  first  stood  they  say  they 
condemn  the  "  inducements,"  and  in  the  paper  as 
amended  they  say  they  condemn  the  "arguments" 
offered  by  Gen'l  Pillow  to  Gen'l  Scott  for  not  alter- 
ing his  official  Report  of  the  battles  of  Contreras  & 
Cherubusco.    Upon  an  inspection  of  the  correspond- 


1848J  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  17 

ence  it  is  apparent  that  both  findings  are  unjust  to 
Gen'l  Pillow.  The  change  of  this  single  word  in 
the  finding  did  not  make  it  necessary  for  me  to 
change  or  alter  my  decision  on  the  case,  which  was 
made  in  writing  and  delivered  to  the  Secretary  of 
War  on  the  7th  Instant.  Gen'l  Pillow  is  a  gallant 
and  highly  meritorious  officer,  and  has  been  greatly 
persecuted  by  Gen'l  Scott,  for  no  other  known  reason 
than  that  he  is  a  Democrat  in  his  politics  and  was 
supposed  to  be  my  personal  &  political  friend.  He 
has  come  out  of  the  late  investigation  with  honour, 
having  fully  vindicated  himself  against  the  false 
charges  preferred  against  him  by  Gen'l  Scott.  I  dis- 
posed of  business  on  my  table  as  usual  to-day. 

Friday,  14th  July,  1848, —  I  saw  company  as 
usual  this  morning.  The  number  of  the  office  seek- 
ers continues  to  be  quite  as  great  as  at  any  former 
period  of  my  term.  I  have  no  offices  to  confer,  and 
I  am  greatly  annoyed  by  them.  Col.  Franklin  H. 
Elmore  of  Charleston,  S.  C,  called  this  morning  & 
I  expressed  to  him  freely  my  anxiety  that  in  the  or- 
ganization of  Territorial  Governments  in  Oregon 
&  in  the  recently  acquired  territories  of  New  Mexico 
&  Upper  California,  the  slavery  question  might  be 
settled  upon  the  principles  of  the  Missouri  or  Texas 
compromise  on  that  subject.  He  agreed  with  me  in 
opinion.  I  discussed  the  subject  fully  with  him, 
and  then  remarked  that  as  Mr.  Calhoun  had  agreed 
to  serve  on  the  select  committee  of  the  Senate  which 
had  been  raised  on  the  subject,  I  hoped  he  would  not 
be  disposed  to  adhere  to  extreme  views,  but  to  com- 


i8  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [15  July 

promise.  In  this  Mr.  Elmore  agreed  with  me,  and 
then  asked  me  why  I  should  not  send  for  Mr.  Cal- 
houn and  converse  freely  with  him  on  the  subject.  I 
told  him  I  could  not  invite  Mr.  Calhoun  to  call,  ist, 
because  he  was  an  older  man  than  myself,  had  been 
longer  in  public  life,  and  2nd,  because  he  might  sup- 
pose that  I  desired  to  exercise  some  official  influence 
over  him.  He  intimated  that  Mr.  Calhoun  might 
call  on  me;  to  which  I  replied  that  if  he  did  so  I 
would  freely  express  to  him  my  anxiety,  for  the  sake 
of  the  country  and  the  harmony  of  the  Union,  to 
have  the  question  settled,  and  my  opinion  that  it 
could  only  be  done  by  a  compromise  between  the 
North  &  the  South.  I  devoted  a  part  of  the  day  in 
preparing  a  message  in  answer  to  Resolutions  of  the 
House  of  the  loth  Instant  calling  for  information  in 
relation  to  New  Mexico  &  California.  I  saw  some 
of  my  Secretaries  &  other  public  officers  &  trans- 
acted business  in  my  office  as  usual  to-day.  After 
night  several  members  of  Congress  called. 

Saturday,  l^th  July,  1848. —  Several  members 
of  Congress  and  others  called  this  morning.  The 
Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour,  all  the  members  pres- 
ent. Several  matters  of  business  were  considered 
and  disposed  of.  Among  them  was  considered  the 
Treaty  of  Extradition  with  Prussia  &  several  of  the 
German  states,  which  was  transmitted  to  the  Senate 
in  December,  1846,  with  my  objections  stated  to  the 
3rd  article,  and  which  was  ratified  a  few  days  ago, 
including  that  article.  Mr.  Buchanan  had  sub- 
mitted   to    me    a    Report   containing   his    views   & 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  19 

recommending  that  I  should  not  ratify  the  Treaty, 
notwithstanding  the  advice  of  the  Senate.  I  have  de- 
cided objections  to  the  3rd  article,  and  moreover  the 
changed  condition  of  the  States  of  Germany  pro- 
duced by  the  recent  Revolutions  and  liberal  move- 
ments in  that  and  other  countries  of  Europe,  renders 
[it]  doubtful  whether  it  would  be  our  policy  to  de- 
sire this  particular  Treaty.  Its  ratification  by  the 
Senate  was  unexpected,  as  more  than  two  years  had 
elapsed  after  the  period  fixed  by  its  terms  for  the  ex- 
change of  ratifications  had  expired.  This  was 
brought  about  by  the  personal  influence  of  the  Baron 
Gerolt,  the  Prussian  Minister,  with  Senators.  Un- 
der the  circumstances,  however,  I  informed  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan that  I  thought  it  due,  in  courtesy  to  the  Sen- 
ate to  address  to  that  body  a  message  informing 
them  of  my  objections  to  consummate  the  ratifica- 
tion of  the  Treaty  according  to  their  advice,  and  re- 
submitting the  Treaty  for  their  reconsideration,  & 
requested  him  to  prepare  a  message  for  me  to  this 
effect. 

Mr.  A.  H.  Sevier,  late  commissioner  to  Arkansas 
[Mexico],  who  arrived  [in  the  City]  two  or  three 
days  ago,  called  to-day.  He  had  previously  called, 
immediately  on  his  arrival  in  this  City. 

Sunday,  l6th  July,  1848. —  I  attended  the  First 
Presbyterian  church  to-day  in  company  with  Mrs. 
Polk,  Miss  Armstrong  of  Tennessee,  &  Miss  John- 
son of  Arkansas,  who  came  over  from  their  school  in 
Georgetown  &  were  spending  the  day  with  us. 

About  Sunset  Senator  Calhoun  &  Mr.  Franklin 


20  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i6  July 

H.  Elmore  of  S.  C.  called.  They  took  tea  with  my 
family,  after  which  I  invited  them  to  my  office.  Mr. 
Calhoun  desired  to  converse  with  me  upon  the  diffi- 
culties attending  the  organization  of  Territorial  Gov- 
ernments in  Oregon,  California,  &  New  Mexico  on 
account  of  the  slavery  question  (see  this  diary  of  the 
14th  Instant).  I  had  a  full  conversation  with 
him  in  the  presence  of  Mr.  Elmore,  in  which 
I  expressed  my  decided  opinion  that  the  question 
ought  to  be  settled  upon  the  Missouri  or  Texas 
compromise  line.  He  informed  me  that  the  select 
committee  of  8  of  the  Senate,  which  had  been 
raised  on  the  subject,  had  held  two  or  three  meet- 
ings, one  of  them  of  several  hours  duration  to-day, 
and  that  they  had  been  unable  to  agree  either  upon 
the  Missouri  or  Texas  compromise.  He  stated  that 
a  proposition  of  Non-interference  with  the  subject  in 
California  &  New  Mexico  had  been  suggested  by 
Senator  Dickinson  of  New  York,  which  might  be 
agreed  upon  by  the  committee.  He  said  that  after 
much  discussion  in  the  committee  that  proposition 
had  assumed  a  form  substantially  as  follows,  viz.^ 
that  in  Oregon  the  existing  land  laws,  which  pro- 
hibited slavery,  should  be  left  in  force  until  altered, 
changed,  or  amended  by  the  Territorial  Legislature; 
and  that  in  California  and  New  Mexico  the  Legisla- 
tive power  should  be  vested  in  the  Governor,  Secre- 
tary, &  three  Judges  each,  and  that  they  should  be 
restrained  by  Congress  from  Legislating  on  the  sub- 
ject of  slavery,  leaving  that  question,  if  it  should 
arise,  to  be  decided  by  the  judiciary.     He  said  he 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  21 

would  support  this  proposition,  and  I  told  him  I  ap- 
proved it,  though  I  would  prefer  the  Missouri  or 
Texas  compromise.  He  said  that  much  would 
depend  on  me,  in  the  appointments  to  be  made  of 
Governor,  Secretary,  &  Judges;  that  they  might  be 
Northern  men  in  Oregon,  but  that  they  ought  to  be 
Southern  men  in  California  &  New  Mexico,  who 
would  maintain  the  southern  views  on  the  subject  of 
slavery.  The  tone  of  hisj:onversation  on  this  point 
seemed  to  be  designed  to  elicit  a  pledge  from  me  to 
this  effect.  I  at  once  felt  the  delicacy  of  my  situation 
&  promptly  replied  that  that  was  a  subject  upon 
which  I  could  not  speak,  that  if  the  laws  passed  in  the 
form  suggested  I  would  do  my  duty,  and  jocousely 
added  that  my  friends,  as  Gen'l  Harrison's  Cincin- 
nati committee  in  1844  [1840?]  said  for  him,  must 
have  a  ^*  generous  confidence  "  that  I  would  do  so. 

Monday,  17th  July,  1848. —  This  was  a  busy 
day.  Many  persons  called  and  I  was  much  engaged 
with  public  officers  and  in  attending  to  the  business 
on  my  table. 

About  7  O'clock  P.  M.  Senator  Calhoun  and  Mr. 
Elmore  of  S.  C.  called  (see  this  Diary  of  the  14th  & 
i6th  Instant).  Mr.  Calhoun  informed  me  that  the 
select  committee  of  the  Senate  on  the  slavery  ques- 
tion in  the  territories  of  Oregon,  California,  &  New 
Mexico  had  been  in  session  several  hours  to-day  and 
had  not  been  able  to  agree.  He  stated  that  they  had 
agreed  upon  the  plan  suggested  on  yesterday,  but 
the  Northern  members  of   the   committee  insisted 


22  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [17  July 

upon  inserting  a  provision  in  the  Bill  allowing  an 
appeal  from  the  decision  of  the  local  Court,  to  be  es- 
tablished in  California  &  New  Mexico,  on  the 
slavery  question  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  U.  S., 
and  to  this  Mr.  Calhoun  said  he  and  two  other  mem- 
bers of  the  committee  objected.  He  suggested  that 
the  settlement  of  the  question  might  be  postponed 
until  the  next  Session  of  Congress.  I  urged  upon 
him  the  great  necessity  of  settling  it  now,  and  in  this 
Mr.  Elmore  agreed  with  me.  Mr.  C.  informed  me 
that  the  Committee  were  to  meet  again  on  to-mor- 
row, and  requested  me  to  see  Mr.  Bright  of  Indiana, 
who  is  a  member  of  the  committee,  and  see  if  he 
would  not  agree  to  yield  the  provision  in  the  Bill 
granting  an  appeal  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
U.  S.  My  brother,  Maj'r  Wm.  H.  Polk,  returned 
from  New  York  and  brought  his  wife  with  him  to- 
day. They  took  lodgings  as  a  part  of  my  family  in 
the  President's  mansion. 

The  Senate  to-day  confirmed  the  nomination  of 
Gen'l  Gideon  J.  Pillow  as  a  Maj'r  Gen'l  of  the  army 
of  the  U.  States.  I  learn  that  the  Whig  Senators 
opposed  his  confirmation  violently  on  party  grounds. 
He  was  warmly  sustained  by  the  Democratic  Sen- 
ators, and  was  confirmed  by  a  majority  of  nine  votes. 
The  Senate  had  before  them  all  the  evidence  taken 
before  the  Court  of  Enquiry  in  Gen'l  Pillow's  case; 
and  also  the  evidence  in  a  former  case  about  two 
Howitzers;  the  finding  of  the  Courts  and  my  de- 
cisions &  final  orders  in  the  case.  These  had  been 
sent  to  the  Senate  upon  their  call.  Gen'l  Pillow  has 
now  been  fully  vindicated  &  his  triumph  is  complete. 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  23 

Tuesday,  l8th  July,  1848, —  A  number  of  per- 
sons called  this  morning.  The  Cabinet  assembled 
at  the  usual  hour,  all  the  members  present.  The 
Post  Master  Gen'l,  after  remaining  a  few  minutes, 
retired  to  attend  to  necessary  business.  Several  sub- 
jects of  minor  importance  were  considered  and  dis- 
posed of,  but  nothing  worthy  of  special  attention. 
After  the  Cabinet  retired  I  devoted  some  time  to  the 
preparation  of  the  message  in  answer  to  the  call  of 
the  Ho.  Repts.  in  relation  to  New  Mexico  &  Cali- 
fornia.    I  disposed  of  business  on  my  table  as  usual. 

This  being  reception  evening,  a  considerable  num- 
ber of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

Wednesday,  igth  July,  1848, —  I  was  more  an- 
noyed this  morning  than  is  usual  by  persons  seeking 
office  &  bringing  before  me  petty  matters.  I  almost 
lost  my  temper.  I  was  engaged  in  business  in  my 
office  during  the  day.  I  had  a  conferrence  with 
Judge  Mason  about  my  message  in  answer  to  the 
Resolutions  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  in  relation  to  Oregon, 
California,  &  New  Mexico.  I  read  the  message  to 
him.  After  night  he  called  again  &  some  slight 
modifications  were  made,  not  affecting  the  substance 
or  sentiment  of  the  paper.  The  Select  committee  of 
the  Senate  on  the  slavery  question  involved  in  the 
establishment  of  Territorial  Governments  in  Cali- 
fornia &  New  Mexico,  Reported  a  Bill  upon  which 
they  had  agreed,  Mr.  Calhoun,  I  learn,  having 
yielded  his  objection  as  stated  to  me  on  monday  last 
(see  this  Diary  of  that  day)  in  relation  to  the  pro- 
vision granting  the  right  of  appeal  from  the  Terri- 


24  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [20  July 

torial  Court  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  U.  States. 
There  is  now  some  prospect  that  the  question  may 
be  settled  at  the  present  session  of  Congress,  and  I 
sincerely  hope  it  may  be. 

There  was  music  by  the  marine  band  on  the  Presi- 
dent's grounds  this  afternoon.     I  did  not  go  out. 

Thursday,  20th  July,  1848. —  Company  called 
as  usual  this  morning.  At  12  O'Clock  I  closed  my 
doors.  I  read  my  message  in  answer  to  the  Resolu- 
tion of  the  Ho.  Repts.  in  relation  to  California  & 
New  Mexico  to  Mr.  Buchanan  &  Mr.  Marcy,  both 
of  whom  approved  it.  Some  slight  verbal  changes 
were  made.  I  placed  it  in  the  hands  of  a  clerk  to  be 
copied.  Mr.  Loving,  a  clerk  in  the  4th  Auditor's 
office,  &  formerly  of  Nashville,  Tennessee,  copied  it. 
I  was  occupied  with  business  in  my  office  as  usual 
during  the  day. 

Friday,  21st  July,  1848. —  The  morning  was 
spent  as  usual  in  seeing  company  and  hearing  appli- 
cations for  office.  Mr.  Loving  (the  clerk  who 
copied  it)  finished  the  copy  of  my  message  in  an- 
swer to  the  Resolutions  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  in  relation 
to  California  &  New  Mexico,  about  i  O'Clock  P.  M. 
I  sent  for  Mr.  Toucey,  the  Atto.  General,  and  read 
it  to  him.  He  approved  it.  It  was  too  late  an  hour 
to  send  it  to  the  House  to-day.  I  transacted  much 
business  in  my  office  to-day.  Nothing  of  importance 
occurred. 

Saturday,  22nd  July,  1848. —  Several  persons 
called  this  morning.     The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  25 

hour,  all  the  members  present.  I  read  to  the  Cabinet 
my  message  in  answer  to  the  Resolutions  of  the  Ho. 
Repts.  of  the  loth  Instant.  It  was  fully  discussed 
&  approved  by  the  Cabinet.  The  phraseology  of 
some  of  the  paragraphs  of  it  were  modified.  As  it 
treated  of  some  legal  and  political  principles  of 
some  intricacy  as  well  as  importance,  I  determined 
not  to  send  it  in  to-day  but  to  read  it,  before  I  did 
so,  to  some  of  my  friends  in  the  House,  that  they 
might  be  prepared  before-hand  to  sustain  it,  if  at- 
tacked by  the  Whigs.  Some  other  matters  were  con- 
sidered and  disposed  of,  but  they  were  of  no  special 
importance.  But  though  of  no  great  general  im- 
portance, they  occupied  the  attention  of  the  Cabinet 
until  4  O'clock  P.  M.  After  night,  by  my  request, 
Mr.  J.  H.  Thomas  of  Tenn.,  Mr.  Kaufman  of 
Texas,  and  Mr.  Cobb  of  Georgia,  all  of  the  Ho. 
Repts.,  called,  and  I  read  to  them  my  message  in  re- 
lation* to  California  &  New  Mexico,  &  informed 
them  fully  of  my  views  in  relation  to  the  matters 
embraced  in  it.  They  approved  it,  and  expressed 
themselves  fully  ready  to  sustain  it  if  it  should  be  at- 
tacked by  the  Whigs  of  the  House,  as  it  probably 
will  be,  as  it  is  known  that  the  call  was  prompted 
and  made  from  political  party  motives.  I  sent  also 
for  the  Hon.  James  Thompson  of  Penn.  of  the 
Ho.  Repts.,  to  whom  I  desired  to  read  it,  with 
the  other  gentlemen,  but  he  was  engaged  and  did  not 
come. 

Sunday,  23rd  July,  1848,—  I  attended  the  First 
Presbyterian  church  to-day  accompanied  by  Mrs. 


2i^  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [24  July 

Polk  and  the  wife  of  my  brother,  Wm.  H.  Polk. 
Mr.  James  H.  Thomas  of  Tennessee  called  in  & 
took  a  family  dinner  with  me  to-day.  After  dinner 
Mr.  Geo.  S.  Houston  of  Al.  and  Mr.  McKay  of 
N.  C.  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  called.  I  saw  Mr.  Hous- 
ton last  evening  &  intimated  to  him  that  I  would 
be  pleased  to  submit  my  message  in  answer  to  the 
Resolutions  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  to  himself  and  Mr. 
McKay.  I  read  it  and  discussed  it  fully  with  them. 
Mr.  McKay  said  he  thought  it  a  very  good  paper,  a 
compliment  which  is  rare  from  him,  as  all  who  know 
him  will  testify.  It  is  said  that  he  has  seldom  been 
known  to  pay  a  compliment  to  any  one.  He  is  an 
excellent  &  a  sensible  man,  as  well  as  a  man  of  good 
feeling,  but  his  habit  is  to  find  fault  with  everybody 
&  everything.  Even  in  this  case  he  was  unwilling  to 
concede  to  Texas  that  part  of  New  Mexico  on  the 
East  side  of  the  Rio  Grande,  which  I  had  conceded 
to  her  in  my  message. 

Monday,  24th  July,  1848. —  Many  persons,  mem- 
bers of  Congress  and  others,  called  this  morning.  At 
1 1  O'clock  my  Private  Secretary  went  to  the  Capitol 
with  my  message  ^  in  answer  to  the  Resolutions  of  the 
Ho.  Repts.  calling  for  information  in  relation  to 
New  Mexico  &  California.  I  saw  the  Secretaries  of 
State,  war,  &  Navy  at  different  periods  of  the  day 
and  transacted  business.  I  attended  to  business  in 
my  office  as  usual  to-day.  In  the  afternoon  I  was 
informed  that  my  message  to  the  House  was  vio- 
lently assailed  by  several  Whig  speakers. 

^  Richardson,  Messages  and  Papers  of  the  Presidents,  594-600. 


1848J  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  27 

Tuesday,  2Sth  July,  1848. —  Several  members  of 
Congress  &  others  called  this  morning.  The  Cab- 
inet met  at  the  usual  hour;  all  the  members  present. 
The  Ho.  Repts.  passed  a  Resolution  some  days  ago 
calling  for  the  instructions  given  to  Mr.  Sevier  & 
Mr.  Clifford  as  commissioners  to  Mexico.  I  re- 
quested Mr.  Buchanan  to  read  the  Instructions  to 
the  Cabinet,  and  then  submitted  the  question  to  the 
Cabinet  whether  they  should  be  sent  to  the  House  in 
answer  to  their  call.  Mr.  Buchanan  &  Mr.  Toucy 
were  decidedly  of  opinion  that  I  should  decline  to 
send  them  in.  No  formal  question  was  propounded, 
but  the  other  members  of  the  Cabinet,  as  far  as  they 
expressed  themselves,  concurred  with  them.  My 
own  opinion  was  that  they  could  not  be  made  public 
without  prejudice  to  the  public  interests.  The  In- 
structions to  Mr.  Clifford  &  Mr.  Sevier  were  to  pro- 
cure the  ratification  of  the  Treaty  by  Mexico  as  it 
had  been  amended  by  the  Senate,  but  if  this  was 
found  to  be  impossible,  then  they  were  authorized  to 
submit  to  certain  modifications  which  did  not  affect 
the  material  stipulations.  No  contingency  arose  to 
make  it  necessary  to  suggest  these  modifications  in 
order  to  secure  its  ratification  by  Mexico.  To  pub- 
lish the  instructions  at  this  time  would,  I  apprehend, 
dissatisfy  the  Mexican  people  with  their  present 
Government  which  ratified  it,  and  might  lead  to 
revolution  and  thereby  disturb  the  amicable  rela- 
tions which  have  just  been  restored  between  the  two 
countries.  The  knowledge  of  the  instructions  can 
be  of  no  possible  aid  to  the  Ho.  Repts.  in  enabling 
[them]  to  perform  understandingly  any  legislative 


28  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [26  July 

duty  before  them.  Unlike  the  Resolution  which 
passed  the  House  in  the  early  part  of  the  present 
Session,  this  Resolution  contains  the  usual  reservation 
and  leaves  it  to  the  President  to  decide  v^hether  their 
publication  v^ould  be  prejudicial  to  the  public  inter- 
ests or  not  Upon  full  consideration  of  the  subject 
I  decided  not  to  send  in  the  instructions. 

Mr.  Buchanan  read  a  message  to  the  Senate,  v^hich 
I  had  requested  him  some  days  ago  to  prepare,  in- 
forming that  body  of  the  reasons  w^hich  induced  me 
not  to  ratify  the  Treaty  of  Extradition  v^ith  Prussia 
and  several  of  the  German  States.  I  made  some 
changes  in  the  paper  &  suggested  others,  and  at  my 
request  Mr.  Buchanan  took  it  to  prepare  another 
draft.  Various  subjects  of  detail  connected  with  the 
War  and  Navy  Departments  were  considered  &  dis- 
posed of.  The  Cabinet  adjourned  about  3  O'Clock. 
In  the  evening  I  disposed  of  business  on  my  table  as 
usual. 

Wednesday,  26th  July,  1848, —  Many  persons 
called  this  morning.  The  importunities  for  office 
were  quite  as  great  as  they  have  been  at  any  former 
period  of  my  administration.  Among  others  who 
called  were  Mr.  McClelland  and  Mr.  Stuart  ^  of  the 
Ho.  Repts.  from  Michigan.  They  presented  to  me 
a  written  paper  of  complaint,  signed  by  themselves 
&  by  Senator  Felch  of  Michigan  &  Mr.  Bingham  ^ 

^Charles  E.  Stuart,  1810-1887,  Representative  from  Michigan 
1847-1853,  Senator  1853-1859. 

2  Kinsley  S.  Bingham,  1808-1861,  Representative  from  Michi- 
gan 1847-185 1,  Senator  1859-1861. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  29 

of  the  House,  also  of  Michigan,  against  the  Secre- 
tary of  War,  because  he  had  not  consented  to  the  ap- 
pointment of  one  of  their  constituents,  named  Wilk- 
ins,  to  a  2nd  Lieutenancy  in  the  regular  army,  &  had 
caused  Mr.  Larned,  a  Whig,  of  Michigan  to  be  ap- 
pointed. The  paper  was  addressed  to  me  as  Presi- 
dent, and  was  violent  in  its  charges  &  complaints 
against  Mr.  Marcy.  It  is  one  of  the  many  instances 
which  have  occurred  in  my  administration  to  show 
the  importance  which  is  attached  by  members  of 
Congress  to  petty  offices.  Indeed  many  members  of 
Congress  assume  that  they  have  the  right  to  make 
appointments,  particularly  in  their  own  states,  and 
they  often,  as  in  this  case,  fly  into  a  passion  when 
their  wishes  are  not  gratified.  I  spoke  mildly  to  the 
two  gentlemen  &  enquired  of  them  if  they  really  de- 
sired to  make  a  grave  issue  with  the  Secretary  of  War 
about  so  paltry  a  matter.  Mr.  Stuart  became  very 
much  moderated  in  the  expression  of  his  feelings 
after  I  had  given  them  my  opinion  on  the  subject; 
while  Mr.  McClelland  seemed  to  continue  to  be  ex- 
cited, &  said  he  had  done  his  duty  in  making  the  rep- 
resentation to  me  and  that  I  could  take  such  action 
as  I  chose  on  the  subject.  The  paper  which  they 
presented  I  am  sure  does  injustice  to  Mr.  Marcy,  & 
if  shown  to  him  must  lead  to  an  unpleasant  &  per- 
haps angry  correspondence  between  him  and  them. 
These  members  profess  to  be  Democrats  &  the  sup- 
porters of  my  administration,  and  yet  they  are  ready 
to  engage  in  a  controversy  with  the  secretary  of  War 
about  a  contemptible,  petty,  little  office.  It  is  not 
the  first  time  that  members  of  Congress  have  forgot- 


30  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  [26  July 

ten  that  they  were  sent  to  Washington  by  their  con- 
stituents to  legislate,  &  not  to  usurp  the  functions  of 
the  Executive  or  to  dictate  to  him  in  matters  of  ap- 
pointment to  office.  I  was  indignant  when  I  read 
their  paper  (which  I  will  preserve)  but  I  suppressed 
my  feelings.  Mr.  Buchanan  called  a  few  minutes 
after  they  left  &  I  read  their  paper  to  him,  &  ex- 
pressed the  opinion  to  him  that  it  was  not  necessary 
to  harrass  the  Secretary  of  War,  engaged  as  he  was 
in  other  more  important  duties,  by  showing  him 
their  paper  containing  their  complaints  against  him. 
The  Secretary  of  War  happening  to  call  on  business 
in  the  after  part  of  the  day  I  informed  him  of  the 
visit  of  Mr.  McClelland  &  Mr.  Stuart,  &  that  they 
were  much  dissatisfied  with  him  because  Mr.  Wilk- 
ins  of  Michigan  had  not  been  appointed  a  Lieuten- 
ant in  the  army.  The  Secretary  seemed  to  remem- 
ber little  of  their  application  to  have  him  appointed, 
&  said,  what  I  know  to  be  true,  that  it  was  impossible 
to  gratify  the  hundreds  who  have  made  similar  ap- 
plications through  members  of  Congress  and  others. 
The  Secretary  called  to  see  me  on  much  more  im- 
portant business,  and  I  did  not  deem  it  necessary  to 
show  him  their  paper  or  to  trouble  him  further  on 
the  subject.  I  transacted  business  with  several  pub- 
lic officers  and  disposed  of  much  business  on  my  table 
to-day.  There  was  music  on  the  President's  grounds 
this  afternoon.  I  attended,  &  took  a  walk  through 
the  grounds  with  a  friend. 

At  9  O'clock  P.  M.  I  learned  that  the  Senate  were 
still  in  session,  &  that  the  vote  on  the  compromise 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  31 

Bill  establishing  Territorial  Governments  in  Ore- 
gon, California,  &  New  Mexico  would  probably  be 
taken  to-night. 

Thursday,  27th  July,  1848. —  At  breakfast  this 
morning  I  learned  from  Col.  Walker,  my  Private 
Secretary,  that  he  had  just  returned  from  the  Senate 
chamber  where  he  had  been  all  night.  He  informed 
me  that  the  Senate  had  remained  in  Session  until  8 
O'clock  this  morning,  when  the  vote  was  taken  on 
the  compromise  Bill  to  establish  Territorial  Govern- 
ments in  Oregon,  California,  and  New  Mexico,  and 
that  the  Bill  had  passed  by  ayes  33  to  noes  22.  Im- 
mediately after  the  vote  the  Senate  adjourned  to  meet 
on  to-morrow.  The  debate,  I  learn,  was  an  exciting 
one  throughout  the  night.  It  was  the  question  of 
Slavery  which  produced  the  difficulty.  It  was  an 
unprecedented  Session  for  the  Senate.  I  remember 
no  previous  occasion  upon  which  the  Senate  has  re- 
mained in  Session  during  the  whole  night.  It  often 
occurred  in  the  Ho.  Repts.  when  I  was  a  member  of 
that  body,  but  never  in  the  Senate.  MajV  Gen'l  Wm. 
O.  Butler,  lately  commanding  the  army  in  Mexico,  ar- 
rived in  this  City  last  night  and  called  on  me  in  com- 
pany with  the  Secretary  of  War  to-day.  I  transacted 
business  With  the  Secretaries  of  State  &  the  Navy, 
and  disposed  of  business  on  my  table  as  usual.  Sen- 
ator Metcalfe  ^  of  Ky.,  the  successor  of  Mr.  Critten- 
don,  and  the  Hon.  Rich.  M.  Johnson  of  Ky.  called 

^Thomas  Metcalfe,  Governor  of  Kentucky  1829-1833,  Senator 
from  Kentucky  1 848-1 849. 


Z2  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [28  July 

at  different  hours  to-day.  It  was  the  first  time  Mr, 
Metcalfe  had  called  since  he  took  his  seat  in  the 
Senate. 

Col.  James  Duncan  of  the  army  and  Maj'r  Cald- 
well of  Ky.,  late  of  the  Voltigeur  Regiment,  dined 
with  me  to-day.  They  were  invited  to  dine  by  my 
brother,  Maj'r  Polk,  who  was  also  late  of  the  army. 
I  regret  to  learn  this  evening  that  a  general  impres- 
sion prevails  that  the  compromise  Territorial  Bill, 
which  has  occupied  the  attention  of  the  Senate  so 
many  days  and  finally  passed  that  body  at  8  O'Clock 
this  morning,  will  probably  be  defeated  in  the  Ho. 
Repts.  It  is  said  that  the  Southern  Whigs  will  unite 
almost  in  a  body  with  the  Northern  Whigs  to  reject 
it.  Mr.  C.  J.  Ingersoll  &  Mr.  McClelland  of  Mich- 
igan, the  committee  of  Foreign  affairs  of  the  Ho. 
Repts.,  called  this  afternoon  at  my  invitation.  My 
object  was  to  inform  them  that  on  to-morrow  I  would 
send  a  message  to  the  House  in  answer  to  their  Reso- 
lution of  the  [17th]  Instant,  calling  for  the  Instruc- 
tions given  Mr.  Sevier  and  Mr.  Clifford,  commis- 
sioners to  Mexico,  and  to  explain  to  them  the  reasons 
which  made  it  proper  that  I  should  decline  commu- 
nicating them.  Their  publication  at  this  time,  it  is 
believed,  would  operate  prejuducially  in  Mexico  to 
our  interests  in  that  country. 

Friday,  28th  July,  1848. —  I  had  many  calls  this 
morning  as  usual  and  among  them  many  office  seek- 
ers. The  number  of  this  class  of  persons  does  not 
diminish  as  my  administration  approaches  its  close. 
They  are  the  most  annoying  as  well  as  disgusting 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  33 

part  of  my  visitors.  I  sent  a  message  ^  to  the  House 
of  Repts.  to-day  declining  to  communicate  the  In- 
structions given  to  Mr.  Sevier  and  Mr.  Clifford  as 
commissioners  to  Mexico,  which  were  called  for  by 
their  Resolution  of  the  17th  Instant.  I  sent  also  a 
message  ^  to  the  Senate  in  Executive  Session,  assign- 
ing the  reasons  for  declining  to  ratify  the  Treaty  of 
Extradition  with  Prussia  &  other  German  States, 
which  I  had  submitted  to  the  Senate  in  December, 
1845,  and  which  that  body  had  not  advised  &  con- 
sented to  ratify  until  the  21st  of  June,  1848.  For 
these  reasons  I  refer  to  my  message.  I  saw  &  trans- 
acted business  with  the  Secretaries  of  State,  War,  & 
Navy  to-day.  I  learned  in  the  afternoon  that  the 
Ho.  Repts.  had,  by  a  majority  of  15  votes,  laid  on  the 
table  the  Bill,  passed  by  the  Senate  on  yesterday 
morning,  to  compromise  the  slavery  question  as  it 
relates  to  the  organization  of  Territorial  Govern- 
ments in  Oregon,  California,  &  New  Mexico.  I 
regard  this  vote  of  the  House  as  most  unfortunate. 
The  majority,  I  learn,  was  made  up  of  every  North- 
ern Whig,  of  about  half  the  Northern  Democrats, 
&  of  8  Southern  Whigs.  Those  of  the  Democratic 
party  whose  sympathies  are  with  the  Barnburners 
of  New  York,  or  who  are  timid  &  afraid  to  risk 
their  popularity  at  home,  united  with  the  Whigs  to 
defeat  the  Bill.  The  result  of  leaving  the  slavery 
question  an  open  one,  to  be  agitated  by  ambitious 
political  aspirants  &  gamblers  and  their  friends, 
[will  be]  to  produce  an  organization  of  parties  upon 

^  Richardson,  Messages  and  Papers  of  the  Presidents,  IV,  602. 
2  Ibid,  IV,  600. 


34  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [28  July 

geographical  lines,  which  must  prove  dangerous  to 
the  harmony  if  not  the  existence  of  the  Union  itself. 
The  political  factions  in  Congress  are  all  at  work, 
and  they  seem  to  be  governed  by  no  patriotic  motives, 
but  by  the  effect  which  they  suppose  may  be  pro- 
duced upon  the  public  mind  in  the  pending  Presi- 
dential election.  A  heavy  responsibility  rests  upon 
these,  and  especially  the  8  Southern  Whigs,  who 
have  united  to  defeat  this  measure  of  compromise  of 
this  most  delicate  &  vexatious  question.  If  no  Presi- 
dential election  had  been  pending  I  cannot  doubt  the 
compromise  Bill  would  have  passed  the  House.  If 
it  had  done  so  the  agitation  would  have  ceased  & 
the  question  would  have  been  at  rest.  It  is  difficult 
to  foresee  what  the  effect  of  the  defeat  of  this  Bill 
may  be.  The  political  agitation  is  very  great,  &  the 
result  of  the  next  Presidential  election  is  becoming 
every  day  more  and  more  doubtful.  The  probabili- 
ties are  that  a  Northern  candidate  will  be  more  dis- 
tinctly on  anti-slavery  ground,  that  the  electoral 
colleges  may  fail  to  make  a  choice,  &  that  the  elec- 
tion may  devolve  on  the  House  of  Repts.  The 
Senate,  I  learn,  to-day  passed  a  Resolution  to  adjourn 
the  Session  on  the  14th  of  August.  The  Whig  ma- 
jority in  the  House,  who  have  heretofore  passed  two 
Resolutions  fixing  upon  an  earlier  day,  will,  of  course, 
agree  to  it.  The  body  of  the  Whig  party  desire  to 
adjourn  without  adjusting  the  slavery  question  by 
compromise,  &  to  leave  the  Territories  of  Oregon, 
California,  &  New  Mexico  without  Territorial  Gov- 
ernments, doubtless  in  the  expectation  that  in  the 
chapter  of  accidents  growing  out  of  the  excitement 


i848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S   DIARY  35 

&  agitation  which  must  follow,  that  they  may  stand 
some  chance  to  elect  a  Whig  President.  I  deplore 
as  a  national  calamity  the  want  of  patriotism  which 
seems  to  actuate  the  conduct  of  the  leaders  of  the 
Whig  party  in  Congress;  and  I  exceedingly  regret 
that  any  portion  of  the  Northern  Democrats  from 
timidity  or  other  causes  have  been  induced  to  act 
with  them.  Whilst  I  deplore  this  state  of  things, 
all  I  can  do  during  the  remainder  of  my  term  is  to 
adhere  undeviatingly  to  my  principles  &  to  perform 
my  whole  duty.  This  I  will  do  at  any  hazard.  I 
disposed  of  business  on  my  table  to-day  as  usual. 
After  night  Senator  Turney  of  Tennessee  &  Mr. 
Thomas  of  Tennessee  called.  They  were  depressed 
in  spirits  &  deplored,  as  I  did,  the  existing  state  of 
things. 

Anticipating  that  an  Internal  Improvement  Bill 
may  pass  at  the  present  session,  which  I  cannot  ap- 
prove, I  devoted  an  hour  or  two  to-day  in  reducing 
to  writing  my  views,  so  as  to  be  ready  with  a  veto 
message  if  such  a  bill  should  pass  and  be  presented 
to  me.  The  House  have  passed  and  sent  to  the 
Senate  the  Civil  &  Diplomatic  Bill,  with  an  item 
of  appropriation  in  it  for  the  Improvement  of  the 
Savanah  River  in  Georgia.  The  object  is  to  force 
me  to  give  up  my  constitutional  objections  and  sign 
the  Bill,  or  to  compel  me  to  reject  the  whole  Bill. 
My  mind  is  made  up.  I  will  veto  the  Bill,  if  it 
comes  to  me  with  this  item  in  it,  whatever  may  be 
the  consequences.  I  will  do  so,  if  it  comes  on  the 
last  night  of  the  session,  and  if  I  am  not  over-ruled 
by  two  thirds,  &  Congress  should  adjourn  without 


36  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [29  July 

passing  the  Civil  &  Diplomatic  [Bill],  I  will  issue 
my  Proclamation  conv[en]ing  an  extra  session  of 
Congress  for  the  next  day.  To-day  at  i  O'Clock 
P.  M.  the  Secretary  of  State  presented  to  me  Mr. 
■ — • —  the  charge  d'affaires  of  Sardinia  to  this  Gov- 
ernment, who  arrived  in  this  country  a  few  days 
ago.  I  received  him  in  the  parlour.  He  presented 
to  me  a  letter  from  his  Government,  and  after  a 
formal  interview  such  as  is  usual  on  such  occasions, 
he  retired.  Maj'r  Gen'l  Patterson  of  the  U.  S. 
army  called  and  paid  his  respects  to-day. 

Saturday,  2Qth  July,  1848. —  There  were  calls 
as  usual  this  morning.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual 
hour,  all  the  members  present.  Many  matters  of 
detail  connected  with  the  several  Executive  Depart- 
ments were  considered  and  disposed  of.  Other  sub- 
jects were  also  considered  and  disposed  of,  which, 
though  of  some  importance,  are  not  worthy  of  special 
remark.  The  Cabinet  adjourned  about  3  O'Clock 
P.  M.  I  addressed  a  note  to  Maj'r  Gen'l  Wm.  O. 
Butler,  requesting  him  to  call.  He  called  after 
night  &  remained  with  me  two  hours  or  more.  As 
he  was  the  Democratic  Candidate  for  Vice  President 
I  asked  his  opinion  as  to  the  propriety  of  removing 
from  office  Benjamin  F.  Butler  &  other  Federal 
office  holders  in  New  York  who  have  bolted  from 
the  Democratic  party  and  refused  to  support  the 
Cass  &  Butler  [ticket],  the  Regular  nominees  of  the 
Baltimore  Convention.  I  read  to  him  a  memorial 
I  had  received  from  a  number  of  leading  Democrats 
of  the  City  of  New  York  requesting  their  removal. 


1848]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARY  37 

He  expressed  the  opinion  that  they  ought  to  be  re- 
moved, but  said  he  would  think  further  on  the  sub- 
ject &  see  me  on  monday.  Mr.  Butler  &  others 
whom  I  appointed  at  the  commencement  of  my  ad- 
ministration, and  the  papers  in  New  York  under 
their  control,  are  now  not  only  opposing  the  regu- 
larly nominated  candidates  of  the  Democratic  party, 
but  are  as  violent  in  their  opposition  to  my  adminis- 
tration as  the  Whigs  are.  They  have  factiously 
taken  up  Mr.  Van  Buren  as  their  candidate  for 
President  and  have  united  with  the  Northern  Whigs 
in  agitating  the  slavery  question  &  endeavouring  by 
union  with  the  Northern  Whigs  to  form  a  Northern 
Geographical  party,  and  this  is  the  basis  of  their 
organization.  All  this  is  clear  enough,  and  Gen'l 
Butler  agreed  with  me  that  they  deserved  to  be 
removed  from  office,  but  doubted,  with  me,  whether 
their  removal  now  might  not  aid  them  in  their  un- 
patriotic &  wicked  agitation.  Senator  Turney  of 
Tenn.  informed  me  this  afternoon  that  he  had  con- 
versed to  day  with  Senators  Dickinson  of  N.  Y., 
Sturgeon  of  Penn.,  Allen  of  Ohio,  Breese  &  Doug- 
lass of  Illinois,  &  Hannegan  &  Bright  of  Indiana, 
&  that  they  were  all  of  opinion  that  Mr.  Butler  & 
other  Barnburners  of  N.  Y.  who  held  office  &  who 
are  actively  opposed  to  the  Democratic  nominees, 
ought  to  be  removed. 

Sunday,  30th  July,  1848, —  This  was  a  damp  & 
uncomfortable  day  and  I  did  not  attend  church. 
Mrs.  Polk  also  remained  at  home.  In  the  afternoon 
the  late   Senator   Bagby   of   Al.,   now   minister   to 


38  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [31  July 

Russia,  who  will  sail  on  his  mission  in  a  few  days, 
joined  me  in  my  walk  on  the  President's  grounds. 
He  came  in  &  spent  an  hour  with  me. 

Monday,  31  st  July,  1848, —  I  had  a  throng  of 
visitors  this  morning.  Among  them  Maj'r  Gen'l 
Worth  of  the  U.  S.  army,  &  his  staff,  called.  Maj'r 
Gen'l  Butler  and  his  wife  called  also,  &  I  met  them, 
with  other  ladies  &  gentlemen  who  accompanied 
them,  in  the  parlour.  It  gave  me  pleasure  to  see 
these  gallant  officers  who  called  to  pay  their  respects. 
I  cannot  say  as  much  for  the  herd  of  persons  who 
called  to  importune  and  annoy  me  about  offices  in 
the  course  of  the  morning.  I  have  a  great  contempt 
for  professional  office  seekers,  and  there  are  many 
such,  persons  who  have  no  merit,  but  desire  to  live 
on  the  public  instead  of  relying  upon  their  own 
exertions  and  some  honest  calling  to  make  a  living. 
I  attended  to  much  business  in  my  office  to-day.  I 
saw  several  public  officers  and  transacted  business 
with  them. 

My  Private  Secretary  called  my  attention  on 
yesterday  to  the  New  York  Evening  Post  of  the  28th 
Instant,  containing  two  letters  over  the  signature  of 
Benjamin  Tappan,  formerly  a  U.  S.  Senator  from 
Ohio,  &  Francis  P.  Blair,  formerly  Editor  of  the 
Globe.  They  purport  to  give  a  statement  of  facts  of 
the  manner  in  which  the  Resolutions  for  the  annexa- 
tion of  Texas  were  passed  by  Congress,  on  the  ist  of 
March,  1845,  and  profess  to  give  conversations  held 
with  me  by  different  persons  on  the  subject.  Mr. 
Blair  gives  a  conversation  which  he  states  he  held 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  39 

with  me  on  the  subject  whilst  these  Resolutions  were 
pending  before  Congress.  I  remark  first,  that  I 
have  not  the  slightest  recollection  of  ever  having  held 
a  conversation  with  Mr.  Blair  on  the  subject.  If  I 
did  it  has  wholly  escaped  me :  and  secondly,  that  the 
misunderstanding,  not  to  say  total  perversion,  of  me 
or  my  meaning,  if  any  such  conversations  were  held, 
proves  the  danger  of  detailing  from  recollection 
conversations  which  are  alleged  to  have  been  held 
more  than  three  years  ago.  Mr.  Tappan  has  been  in 
Washington  several  times  since  I  have  been  Presi- 
dent, and  at  the  present  Session  of  Congress,  and 
professed  to  be  friendly  to  me.  I  remember  well 
that  during  the  first  year  after  I  was  inaugurated 
as  President  of  the  U.  S.,  and  after  my  course  in 
executing  the  Texas  annexation  Resolutions,  by  se- 
lecting the  alternative  of  the  first  &  second  sections 
to  be  presented  for  the  acceptance  of  Texas,  or 
rather  after  that  election  had  been  made  by  President 
Tyler  &  been  confirmed  by  me,  was  known  to  the 
public,  Mr.  Tappan  expressed  the  desire  to  me  that 
I  would  not  adhere  to  my  declaration  that  I  would 
not  be  a  candidate  for  re-election,  remarking  that  it 
might  be  necessary  for  the  safety  of  the  Democratic 
party  that  I  should  stand  as  their  candidate  for  a 
second  term.  During  the  present  Session  he  ap- 
peared to  be  as  friendly  as  he  had  ever  been,  and 
conversed  with  me  freely  on  public  affairs,  but  at 
no  time  did  he  ever  so  much  as  allude  to  my  course 
on  the  Texas  annexation  Resolutions,  or  give  any 
intimation  that  he  was  dissatisfied  with  it.  Mr. 
Blair  resides  a  few  miles  from  this  City  &  is  in 


40  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [31  July 

town  almost  every  day.  He  had  never,  to  my 
knowledge,  expressed  any  dissatisfaction  with  my 
course.  He  deliberately  writes  his  letter,  and  with- 
out having  the  fairness  or  manliness  to  call  & 
frankly  inform  me  of  it,  or  to  make  any  inquiry  of 
me  of  my  recollection  of  the  matters  stated  in  it, 
sends  it  ofif  to  Mr.  Tappan,  and  the  first  knowledge 
which  I  get  of  either  of  the  letters  is  their  publica- 
tion in  the  New  York  Evening  Post,  The  conduct 
of  both  is  highly  disreputable  and  dishonorable. 
Tappan  in  his  conversations  &  intercourse  with  me, 
always  professing  friendship  &  the  support  of  my 
administration,  has  acted  hypocritically  and  most 
dishonorably.  Both  Blair  &  Tappan  reserve  their 
n[a]rrations[?]  to  the  public  until  the  Barnburners 
in  New  York  have  bolted  from  the  support  of  the 
Democratic  nominees  of  the  Baltimore  Convention 
(Cass  &  Butler)  and  have  set  up  Van  Buren  as  the 
Northern  Abolition,  or  as  they  term  it  Free  soil 
candidate  for  the  Presidency.  The  object  of  their 
letters  was  manifestly  to  aid  Mr.  Van  Buren  &  the 
Barnburners  in  the  election.  Tappan  does  not  pre- 
tend that  he  ever  held  a  conversation  on  the  subject 
of  his  letter  with  me  personally,  but  details  conver- 
sations with  others.  The  conduct  of  both  is  despica- 
ble. I  cannot,  whilst  President  of  the  U.  S., 
des[c]end  to  enter  into  a  newspaper  controversy  with 
them.  The  time  may  come  when  I  may  deem  it 
proper  to  notice  their  errors  &  to  correct  their  mis- 
representations of  me.  I  deem  it  proper  at  present 
to  record  in  this  diary  a  brief  statement  of  facts,  so 
that  they  may  not  be  unknown  if  I  shall  be  called 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  41 

hence  before  the  proper  occasion  arises  to  make  the 
statement  over  my  own  signature.  I  arrived  in 
Washington  on  the  evening  of  the  13th  of  February, 
1845.  I  stopped  at  Coleman's  Hotel  and  had  much 
company  every  day  from  that  time  until  the  day  of 
my  inauguration  as  President.  The  question  of  the 
annexation  of  Texas  to  the  U.  S.  v^as  pending  before 
Congress.  I  had  been  elected  as  the  known  advo- 
cate of  the  annexation  of  Texas  and  was  very  anxious 
that  some  measure  with  that  object  should  pass  Con- 
gress. I  expressed  myself  to  this  effect  to  many  per- 
sons with  whom  I  conversed.  I  believed  that  if  no 
measure  proposing  annexation  was  passed  at  that 
session  that  Texas  would  be  lost  to  the  Union.  I 
had  no  time  or  opportunity  to  examine  minutely,  or 
indeed  at  all,  the  particular  provisions  of  any  of  the 
propositions  on  the  subject  which  were  before  Con- 
gress or  had  been  suggested.  I  repeatedly  expressed 
the  opinion  that  any  measure  was  better  than  none, 
and  that  Congress  ought  not  to  adjourn  without  pass- 
ing a  measure  in  some  form  on  the  subject.  I  had 
no  opportunity  to  compare  the  different  plans  which 
had  been  proposed  or  suggested  with  each  other,  or 
to  decide  between  them.  My  great  anxiety  was  to 
secure  the  annexation  in  any  form  before  it  was  too 
late.  I  remember  that  Senator  Haywood  had  sev- 
eral conversations  with  me  on  the  subject,  and  to  him 
as  well  as  to  others  I  expressed  my  opinion  without 
reserve.  I  remember  to  have  understood  from  him 
and  others  near  the  close  of  the  session,  that  the  form 
in  which  the  Resolutions  had  passed  the  House  were 
[was]   not  acceptable  to  a  few  of  the  Democratic 


42  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [31  July 

Senators,  who  preferred  another  form.  I  remember 
to  have  said  that  if  the  measure  cannot  pass  in  one 
form,  it  was  better  to  pass  it  in  any  form  than  not 
at  all.  The  proposition  to  appoint  commissioners 
to  negotiate,  as  one  of  the  forms  which  some  pre- 
ferred, was  mentioned  in  these  conversations,  and  I 
may  have  said,  &  probably  did,  that  if  this  form  was 
adopted  I  would  endeavour  to  affect  [effect]  annex- 
ation under  it,  and  that  for  that  purpose  the  first 
men  of  the  country  should  be  appointed  on  the  com- 
mission. But  I  certainly  never  understood  myself 
as  pledged  to  select  that  mode,  if  the  Resolutions 
passed  in  the  alternative  form.  I  never  authorized 
Mr.  Haywood  or  anyone  else  to  make  such  pledges 
to  Senators,  and  if  any  such  pledges  were  made  it 
was  in  a  total  misconception  of  what  I  had  said  or 
meant.  I  could  not  have  made  such  a  pledge  under- 
standingly,  for  I  had  never  compared  the  two  propo- 
sitions with  each  other,  or  given  them  such  examina- 
tion as  would  enable  me  to  form  a  judgment 
between  them.  I  may  have  said,  &  doubtless  did, 
that  if  the  plan  of  appointing  commissioners  was 
adopted,  I  would  appoint  able  men  &  men  of  experi- 
ence. My  great  object  was  to  secure  annexation, 
and  I  was  more  anxious  that  that  should  be  effected 
than  I  was  as  to  the  particular  manner  in  which  it 
should  be  accomplished.  The  Resolutions  passed  in 
the  alternative  form  &  were  approved  by  President 
Tyler  on  the  ist  of  March,  1845.  Judge  Mason, 
the  present  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  &  who  at  that 
time  was  a  member  of  President  Tyler's  Cabinet, 
makes  to  me  the  following  statement  of  facts,  which 


i848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  43 

prove  conclusively  that  I  had  not  at  that  time  made 
up  my  judgment  between  the  alternate  plans  em- 
braced in  the  Resolutions.  He  states  that  President 
Tyler  called  a  meeting  of  his  Cabinet  to  take  action 
under  the  Resolutions  on  the  2nd  of  March,  1845. 
He  states  that  Mr.  Calhoun,  w^ho  was  then  Secretary 
of  State,  had  at  the  request  of  the  President  waited 
on  me  at  Coleman's  Hotel  to  ascertain  my  opinion 
upon  the  two  propositions  embraced  in  the  Resolu- 
tions, and  that  Mr.  Calhoun  reported  to  Mr.  Tyler 
in  the  Cabinet  meeting  that  he  had  called  on  me  and 
that  I  had  declined  giving  any  opinion,  and  had 
informed  him  that  until  I  was  installed  as  President 
and  could  consult  with  my  own  Cabinet  I  could  not 
give  an  opinion  on  the  subject,  and  that  Mr.  Tyler 
would,  of  course,  if  he  desired  or  deemed  it  impor- 
tant to  act,  be  governed  by  his  own  judgment.  So 
little  importance  had  I  attached  to  Mr.  Calhoun's 
calling  on  me  that  I  had  not  thought  of  it  since  until 
I  was  reminded  of  it  by  Judge  Mason.  Mr.  Tyler 
did  act  on  the  subject  and  elected  the  alternative  of 
the  House  Resolutions,  on  the  3rd  of  March,  1845, 
and  despatched  an  express  messenger  to  Mr.  Donel- 
son,  the  charge  d'affaires  of  the  U.  S.  to  Texas,  with 
his  instructions  on  the  subject.  This  was  the  state 
of  the  question  when  I  came  into  ofBce.  I  nomi- 
nated my  Cabinet  to  the  Senate  on  the  5th  of  March, 
1845.  It  was  some  days  before  the  nomination  of 
Mr.  Bancroft  as  Secretary  of  the  Navy  was  con- 
firmed, &  several  days  before  Mr.  Buchanan  quali- 
fied and  took  charge  of  the  State  Department,  Mr. 
Calhoun  desiring  to  remain  in  the  office  a  few  days 


44  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [31  July 

to  close  some  business  which  he  had  on  hands.  The 
subject  was  deliberately  considered  by  myself  and 
my  Cabinet  and  decided  on  the  loth  of  March,  1845. 
In  my  annual  message  of  December,  1845,  my  deci- 
sion and  action  on  the  subject  were  communicated 
to  Congress.  My  Cabinet  were  unanimously  of  the 
opinion  that  the  election  of  the  alternative  proposi- 
tion made  by  Mr.  Tyler  ought  not  to  be  reversed, 
and  that  it  was  to  be  preferred  to  the  other  alterna- 
tive of  appointing  commissioners.  In  these  views 
I  concurred  and  Mr.  Buchanan's  despatch  of  the 
loth  of  March,  1845,  to  Mr.  Donelson  to  this  effect 
was  unanimously  approved  by  myself  and  my  Cabi- 
net. In  that  Cabinet  meeting,  and  at  no  other  time, 
did  I  ever  intimate  to  the  Cabinet  that  I  had  made 
any  pledges  to  Mr.  Haywood  or  to  any  other  Sena- 
tors that  I  would  select  the  alternative  of  appointing 
commissioners  to  negotiate,  &  for  the  best  of  all 
reasons,  that  I  had  made  no  such  pledge.  Had  such 
a  pledge  been  made  it  would  then  have  been  fresh 
in  my  recollection  and  it  is  inconceivable  that  I 
should  not  have  communicated  such  a  commitment 
to  my  Cabinet,  &  yet  I  made  no  such  communication. 
I  remember  that  in  my  Cabinet  meeting  referred  to, 
Mr.  Walker  expressed  the  opinion  that  Mr.  Tyler, 
having  made  the  election  of  the  alternatives  &  sent 
ofif  his  express  messenger  with  his  instructions,  I  had 
no  power  to  reverse  it,  if  I  desired  to  do  so.  My 
impression  is  that  some  other  members  of  the  Cabi- 
net entertained  the  same  opinion.  This  point  and 
every  other  connected  with  the  subject  was  delib- 
erately considered.     The  Senate  were  in  Executive 


1848]  JAMES    K.   POLK'S    DIARY  45 

Session  at  the  time,  and  on  the  12th  of  March,  on 
Mr.  Haywood's  motion,  a  Resolution  ^  was  adopted 
calling  on  me  to  communicate  to  the  Senate  what 
action,  if  any,  Mr.  Tyler  had  taken  on  the  subject, 
and  what  action,  if  any,  I  had  taken.  In  a  message  ^ 
of  the  15th  of  March  I  declined  to  answer  the  Reso- 
lution (see  Executive  Journal  of  the  Senate)  as  being 
incompatible  with  the  public  interest.  I  knew,  if  I 
did  answer,  the  action  which  had  been  taken  could 
not  be  kept  a  secret  by  more  than  50  Senators,  and 
if  it  became  public  it  would  enable  the  French  & 
English  legations  at  Washington  to  take  measures  to 
embarrass  &  perhaps  defeat  annexation.  When  this 
answer  went  into  the  Senate,  not  a  complaint  was 
made  by  Mr.  Haywood  or  any  other  Senator. 
Neither  Mr.  Haywood  or  any  other  ever  made  any 
enquiry  of  me  personally  on  the  subject.  The  Sen- 
ate remained  in  session  until  the  19th  of  March,  and 
as  no  nominations  of  commissioners  was  made  to 
them,  they  must  have  known  that  the  alternative  of 
appointing  commissioners  to  negotiate  had  not  been 
adopted.  No  complaint  was  made  and  yet  is  it  con- 
ceivable that  complaint  would  not  have  been  made 
by  those  Senators,  if  there  were  any,  who  had  under- 
stood that  I  stood  pledged  to  adopt  the  alternative 
of  appointing  commissioners?  Furthermore,  when, 
nine  months  afterwards,  in  my  annual  message  I 
laid  before  Congress  my  whole  action  on  the  subject, 
no  complaint  of  violated  faith  was  made  from  any 

^Haywood's  resolution  was  introduced  March   1 1,    1845. —  S. 
Ex,  Journal,  special  Sess.  1845,  VI,  431. 

^  Richardson,  Messages  and  Papers  of  the  PresidentSj  IV,  382. 


46  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [31  July 

quarter.  Now,  for  the  first  time,  after  the  lapse  of 
nearly  three  &  an  half  years,  complaint  is  made  by 
Messrs.  Tappan  and  Blair.  I  cannot  with  any  pro- 
priety whilst  I  am  President  enter  into  a  controversy 
in  the  newspapers  with  these  persons,  or  vindicate 
myself  by  a  statement  of  these  and  other  facts  con- 
firmatory of  my  true  position,  which  are  in  my  pos- 
session. I  saw  and  conversed  with  Mr.  Robert  J. 
Walker,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  to-day,  who 
remembers  what  occurred  in  the  Cabinet  meeting 
when  the  question  of  annexation  was  under  delib- 
eration precisely  as  I  do,  and  he  adds  other  state- 
ments within  his  own  knowledge  to  confirm  this 
whole  statement. 

If  any  of  the  Senators  named  by  Messrs.  Tappan 
&  Blair  were  deceived  by  my  alleged  pledges  to 
them,  upon  what  principle  of  human  action  is  it 
that  they  have  not  long  since  exposed  me  by  making 
known  their  complaints  to  the  public?  So  far  from 
this,  these  very  Senators  supported  the  annexation  of 
Texas  in  the  mode  in  which  it  was  accomplished,  & 
none  of  them  have,  to  this  hour,  made  known  to  me 
that  they  objected  to  what  I  had  done  on  the  subject. 
All  of  them  have  supported  my  administration,  not 
only  upon  Texas  &  the  Mexican  War,  which,  it  is 
now  alleged,  was  the  consequence  of  the  failure  to 
select  the  alternative  of  appointing  commissioners 
to  negotiate  for  annexation.  The  whole  story  is  an 
afterthought,  and  is  designed  to  effect  a  political 
purpose,  by  advancing  Mr.  Van  Buren's  prospects 
for  the  Presidency.  If  any  such  pledge  had  been 
given,  how  can  the  Senators  named  justify  themselves 


i848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  47 

in  concealing  their  knowledge  of  it  at  the  time  from 
their  fellow  Senators?  If  it  were  true,  they  perpe- 
trated a  fraud  by  concealing  it  from  their  fellow 
Senators.  Mr.  R.  J.  Walker,  who  offered  the 
amendment  embracing  the  alternative  for  the  ap- 
pointment of  commissioners,  informs  me  to-day  that 
he  never  heard  anything  of  such  a  pledge  at  the  time, 
and  never  from  any  quarter  until  he  read  the  letters 
of  Messrs.  Tappan  &  Blair  to  day  in  the  New  York 
Evening  Post.  He  declares,  furthermore,  that  part 
of  Mr.  Blair's  statement  which  relates  to  the  author- 
ship of  the  amendment  which  he  as  a  Senator  offered, 
to  be  untrue  within  his  own  knowledge.  He  states 
that  he  drew  the  amendment  himself  and  offered  it 
in  the  Senate. 

Tuesday,  Ist  August,  1848. —  I  saw  company  this 
morning  as  usual.  Several  members  of  Congress 
and  others  called.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual 
hour;  all  the  members  present.  After  discussion,  & 
having  the  opinions  of  the  Cabinet,  I  decided  it  to 
be  proper  to  appoint  an  Envoy  Extraordinary  & 
minister  Plenipotentiary  to  the  German  Confedera- 
tion ^  at  Frankfort.  Mr.  Buchanan  recommended 
it,  and  suggested  that  Mr.  Donelson  should  be  trans- 
ferred from  Berlin,  but  without  breaking  up  or  dis- 

^  The  Revolution  of  1848  took  the  form  in  Germany  of  a 
national  parliament  called  to  meet  at  Frankfort  for  the  purpose 
of  creating  a  supreme  federal  government  and  effecting  the  unifi- 
cation of  Germany.  In  its  early  stage  the  movement  gave  great 
promise  but  the  obstacles  to  its  success  proved  too  great  to  be 
overcome  and  the  attainment  of  German  unity  w^as  deferred  until 
the  Franco-Prussian  War  of  1870-1871, 


48  JAMES   K.    POLKAS    DIARY  [i  Aug. 

continuing  the  latter  mission.  He  suggested  that 
Mr.  Donelson  should  perform  the  duties  of  Minister 
at  both  Courts  for  the  time  being.  In  this  I  con- 
curred. I  sent  a  message  to  the  House  of  Repts. 
to-day  in  answer  to  a  Resolution  of  that  body  calling 
for  information  in  relation  to  the  military  peace 
establishment.  I  am  decidedly  opposed  to  an  in- 
crease of  the  army  during  the  period  of  peace. 
There  is  a  great  disposition  with  many  members  of 
Congress,  particularly  of  the  Whig  party,  to  increase 
it.  The  officers  of  the  old  army  are  in  favour  of  an 
increase.  This  is  natural  because  their  profession  is 
arms,  and  the  larger  the  army  the  greater  the  pros- 
pects of  promotion.  Many  of  the  officers  who  have 
been  in  service  in  Mexico,  and  who  go  out  of  service 
at  the  close  of  the  war,  are  now  in  Washington  & 
are  anxious  to  have  an  increased  peace  establishment 
in  the  hope  that  they  may  secure  for  themselves  ap- 
pointments. Many  of  these  officers  are  exerting 
their  influence  with  members  of  Congress  with  a 
view  to  secure  appointments  for  themselves.  Some 
Whig  members  of  Congress  favour  the  measure  be- 
cause it  is  in  harmony  with  their  general  policy. 
They  favour,  as  a  party,  large  expenditures,  high 
tariffs,  &  Banks,  and  in  addition  to  this  they  would 
be  pleased  to  have  a  large  increase  of  the  standing 
army  fastened  on  the  country,  which  they  would  for 
political  effect  charge  to  be  a  consequence  of  the 
Mexican  War.  The  message  which  I  sent  to  the 
House  to-day  is  the  second  in  which  I  have  ex- 
pressed the  opinion  that  the  proposed  increase  is  un- 
necessary.    If  Congress  shall  increase  the  number  of 


i&lSJ  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  49 

Regiments   it  will   be   against  my  opinion  &   rec- 
ommendation. 

Several  matters  of  detail  and  minor  importance 
were  considered  in  the  Cabinet  and  disposed  of.  I 
saw  Judge  Mason,  who  called  in  the  evening,  &  held 
a  conversation  with  him  in  relation  to  the  late  publi- 
cations made  by  Mr.  Benjamin  Tappan  of  Ohio  and 
by  Mr.  Francis  P.  Blair  upon  the  subject  of  the 
annexation  of  Texas,  so  far  as  he  has  been  associated 
with  me  in  my  administration  as  stated  in  this  Diary 
of  yesterday  (which  see)  and  [he]  repeated  to  me 
Mr.  Calhoun's  Report  made  to  Mr.  Tyler  in  Cabi- 
net on  the  and  of  March,  1845,  of  the  conversation 
which  Mr.  C.  had  held  with  me  (see  this  Diary  of 
yesterday).  Mr.  Mason  informed  me  that  he  pro- 
posed to  write  to  Mr.  Tyler  and  obtain  his  permis- 
sion to  make  this  statement  to  me  in  writing,  if  it 
should  be  deemed  important  to  do  so.  I  told  him 
I  thought  it  would  be  well  to  obtain  this  permission. 
Mr.  Mason  condemns  the  publications  made  by 
Messrs.  Tappan  &  Blair,  and  mentioned  several 
facts  within  his  knowledge  proving,  as  far  as  cir- 
cumstances can  prove,  that  their  statement  cannot  be 
true,  because  it  is  wholly  inconsistent  with  my  whole 
course  on  the  subject  of  Texas  at  the  commencement 
of  my  administration.  After  the  adjournment  of  the 
Cabinet  I  disposed  of  business  on  my  table  as  usual. 

Wednesday,  2nd  August,  1848, —  Many  persons 
called  this  morning.  Indeed  I  was  in  a  state  of 
siege  from  the  time  I  came  to  my  office  until  i 
O'clock  P.  M.  by  the  office  seekers.     I  was  seated 


50  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  Aug. 

at  my  table  and  received  their  assaults.  I  had  no 
offices  to  bestow  but  there  is  a  Bill  before  Congress 
to  create  a  board  of  Commissioners  to  decide  upon 
claims  of  our  citizens  against  Mexico,  the  payment 
of  which  has  been  assumed  by  the  U.  S.  by  the  late 
Treaty.  These  places  are  much  sought.  Among 
others  who  besieged  me  for  one  of  these  places  for 
her  husband  this  morning  [was  a  woman  who]  shed 
tears  freely  while  she  was  telling  her  story  of  her 
husband's  poverty  and  great  need  of  an  office.  The 
longer  I  remain  in  office  the  more  I  am  disgusted 
with  such  importunities.  Several  other  females 
called  to  apply  for  offices  for  their  husbands  or  other 
relations  this  morning.  When  I  got  clear  of  the 
office  seekers  I  attended  to  my  public  duties  during 
the  balance  of  the  day.  I  devoted  an  hour  or  two 
in  reducing  to  writing  my  views  on  the  subject  of 
River  and  harbour  improvements.  I  did  this  be- 
cause I  think  it  probable  that  Congress  will  pass 
some  bill  on  the  subject  which  I  cannot  approve,  and 
I  desire  to  be  prepared  to  assign  my  reasons  for  with- 
holding my  approval.  If  I  should  have  no  occasion 
to  use  the  manuscript,  I  will  preserve  it;  and  it  may 
not  be  labour  intirely  lost. 

Thursday,  3rd  August,  1848, —  My  office  was 
Crowded  with  visitors  this  morning,  most  of  them 
office-seekers,  and  I  passed  through  a  similar  scene 
to  that  which  I  had  to  endure  on  yesterday  (see 
yesterday's  Diary).  There  have  been  no  two  days 
since  my  administration  commenced  when  I  have 
been  more  importuned  and  annoyed  by  applications 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  51 

for  ofBce.  It  is  most  painful  to  me  to  be  compelled 
to  sit,  as  I  often  am,  and  listen  to  the  personal  appli- 
cation of  persons  for  offices  for  themselves.  I  had 
a  case  of  this  kind  to-day.  An  individual  with 
whom  I  formerly  served  in  Congress  occupied  more 
than  an  hour  of  my  time  in  begging  me  to  appoint 
him  a  commissioner  to  decide  on  Mexican  claims,  if 
the  Bill  before  Congress  should  pass.  I  had  no  idea 
of  appointing  him,  and  yet  I  could  not  avoid  hearing 
him  without  acting  rudely  towards  him.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan called  &  after  transacting  some  business  with 
him  I  introduced  the  letters  of  Mr.  Benjamin  Tap- 
pan  of  Ohio  and  Mr.  Francis  P.  Blair,  lately  pub- 
lished in  the  New  York  Evening  Post,  on  the 
subject  of  the  Texas  Resolutions  (see  this  Diary  of 
the  31st  ult.  &  the  ist  Inst.).  Mr.  Buchanan  had 
read  these  letters  &  strongly  condemned  Mr.  Tap- 
pan  and  Mr.  Blair.  He  remembered  distinctly,  as 
I  did,  what  occurred  in  my  Cabinet  immediately 
after  I  was  inaugurated  as  President,  as  stated  in 
this  Diary  of  the  31st  ultimo.  I  had  a  full  conver- 
sation with  him  on  the  subject.  He  advised  me  to 
take  no  public  notice  of  them  at  present.  He  stated 
many  circumstances  to  shew  that  they  must  be  in 
error  in  the  statement  of  facts  which  they  profess  to 
detail,  and  the  impossibility  of  my  having  made  the 
pledges  attributed  to  me,  because  my  whole  conduct 
had  been  wholly  inconsistent  and  irreconcilable  with 
such  pledges.  He  stated  that  he  was  a  member  of 
the  Senate  when  the  Texas  annexation  Resolutions 
passed,  that  he  had  heard  nothing  of  such  pledges 
until  he  saw  the  published  letters  of  Messrs.  Tappan 


52  JAMES    K,    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  Aug. 

&  Blair  a  day  or  two  ago.  He  stated  that  if  any 
such  pledge  had  been  made  the  concealment  of  the 
knowledge  of  it  by  any  Senator  from  himself  and 
other  Senators  was  a  fraud  practice^  upon  them.  I 
told  him  that  I  had  been  informed  this  morning  that 
a  second  letter  had  been  published  by  Mr.  Blair  in 
the  New  York  Evening  Post,  repudiating  the  Balti- 
more nominations  &  giving  in  his  adhesion  to  Mr. 
Van  Buren  as  a  candidate  for  the  Presidency.  I 
searched  for  the  paper  containing  it,  but  could  not 
find  it.  After  Mr.  Buchanan  left  I  found  the  letter 
in  the  New  York  Evening  Post  of  yesterday,  the  2nd 
Inst.  It  is  a  disgraceful  letter,  and  upon  its  face 
explains  the  motive  which  induced  Blair  to  write 
his  first  letter  upon  the  subject  of  the  annexation  of 
Texas.  I  will  preserve  this  letter.  Though  Blair 
was  a  member  of  the  Baltimore  convention  &  con- 
curred in  the  nomination  of  Gen'l  Cass,  he  says  in 
this  letter  that  his  heart  was  with  Mr.  Van  Buren, 
that  he  was  inveigled  into  the  support  of  Gen'l  Cass 
in  the  Convention,  and  will  be  bound  upon  a  point 
of  punctilio  to  vote  for  him. 

My  nephew,  Capt.  James  H.  Walker,  of  the 
Regiment  of  Voltigeurs,  who  has  been  spending 
some  days  in  my  family,  left  this  afternoon  for  Balti- 
more to  meet  his  company,  where  they  are  to  be 
mustered  out  of  the  service  of  the  U.  States.  I  saw 
&  transacted  business  with  the  Secretary  of  War  and 
disposed  of  much  other  business  on  my  table  to-day. 
I  devoted  some  time  to  reducing  to  writing  my  views 
on  the  subject  of  harbour  &  river  improvements,  so 
as  to  be  ready  with  my  objections  if  any  Bill  (as  is 


i848]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  53 

probable)  upon  that  subject  should  be  presented  to 
me  for  my  approval  at  the  present  session.  I  under- 
stand that  the  Senate  have  struck  out  of  the  civil  & 
Diplomatic  appropriation  Bill  the  item  for  the  Im- 
provement of  the  Savannah  River.  I  should  cer- 
tainly have  vetoed  the  w^hole  Bill  if  it  had  come  to 
me  v^ith  that  item  in  it. 

Friday,  4th  August,  1848, —  I  was  doomed  to 
endure  again  this  morning  the  pressure  of  the  office- 
seekers  as  [I]  had  been  for  the  last  three  days  (see 
this  Diary  for  those  days).  My  patience  is  almost 
exhausted  by  them,  and  I  gave  them  very  short  and 
emphatic  answers.  I  saw  and  transacted  business 
with  Mr.  Buchanan  and  disposed  of  much  business 
on  my  table  to-day.  I  devoted  two  hours  to  the 
further  preparation  of  my  views  on  the  subject  of 
Internal  Improvements  (see  this  Diary  of  yesterday 
and  the  day  preceding). 

Saturday,  5/A  August,  1848. —  Several  persons 
called  this  morning.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual 
hour,  all  the  members  present.  Some  [business] 
was  transacted  before  the  hour  of  i  O'Clock  P.  M., 
that  being  the  hour,  by  an  arrangement  made  by  the 
Secretary  of  State,  at  which  Mr.  Poussin,  the  Envoy 
Extraordinary  and  Minister  Plenipotentiary  [from 
France],  was  to  be  presented  to  me.  It  was  an- 
nounced by  my  porter  precisely  at  that  hour  that  the 
Minister  had  arrived,  when  I  accompanied  Mr. 
Buchanan  to  the  circular  parlour  below  stairs.  On 
delivering  to  me  his  credentials  he  made  a  short 


54  .      JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [5  Aug. 

address  in  English.  He  also  delivered  to  me  a 
Decree  of  the  National  assembly  of  France  in  re- 
sponse to  the  Resolutions  of  the  Congress  of  the  U. 
S.  passed  in  April  last,  tendering  the  congratulations 
of  the  American  Government  and  people  to  the 
French  people,  **  upon  the  success  of  their  recent 
efforts  to  consolidate  the  principles  of  liberty  in  a 
Republican  form  of  Government."  On  delivering 
this  Decree  the  Minister  delivered  another  address 
in  English.  I  responded  briefly  to  both  addresses. 
I  will  preserve  a  copy  of  what  I  said.  It  was  an 
interesting  ceremony.  Mr.  Poussin  came  to  the  U. 
S.  about  twenty  five  years  ago  in  company  with  Gen- 
eral Bernard,^  and  was  for  several  years  employed 
with  the  General  as  an  officer  of  Engineers  in  the 
service  of  the  U.  S.  He  alluded  felicitously  to  this 
fact  in  his  address,  and  I  responded  by  informing 
him  that  I  remembered  him  at  that  time,  and  that 
the  first  time  I  had  seen  him  was  at  Lexington,  Va., 
in  November,  1825,  when  I  met  him  on  my  [way 
to]  Washington  to  take  my  seat  in  the  Ho.  Repts. 
in  the  first  Congress  in  which  I  served.  He  was  then 
employed  by  Mr.  Adams's  administration  in  making 
the  reconnoissance  of  a  Road.  He  appeared  much 
gratified  that  I  remembered  him,  and  said  he  remem- 
bered me  also.  He  left  apparently  much  pleased 
with  the  cordial  manner  in  which  I  had  received 
him.  Mr.  Buchanan  and  myself  returned  to  my 
office,  and  the  Cabinet  resumed  the  consideration  of 

^  Simon  Bernard,  French  military  engineer,  invited  to  the  United 
States  to  advise  the  board  of  army  engineers  engaged  in  coast  de- 
fence w^ork;  remained  here  1819-1831. 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  55 

the  business  before  it.  Mr.  Buchanan  read  de- 
spatches which  he  had  received  from  the  Secretary 
for  Foreign  affairs  of  Venezuela,  complaining  of 
the  interference  of  Mr.  Shields,  the  U.  S.  charge 
d'affaires,  in  the  domestic  contest  between  the  po- 
litical parties  of  that  country.  He  also  read  a  des- 
patch from  Mr.  Crampton,  the  British  charge 
d'affaires  at  Washington,  transmitting  despatches 
from  his  Government,  complaining  of  Mr.  Shields, 
the  U.  S.  charge  d'affaires  to  Venezuela,  in  conse- 
quence of  remarks  charged  to  have  been  made  by 
Mr.  Shields  to  the  Minister  of  Foreign  affairs  of 
Venezuela  reflecting  upon  the  Brittish  Government, 
and  attributing  to  that  Government  improper  de- 
signs upon  Mexico  before  the  late  war  between  the 
U.  S.  and  Mexico,  and  also  attributing  improper 
designs  upon  the  other  Spanish  American  States. 
Mr.  Buchanan  read  drafts  of  two  letters  which  he 
had  prepared  to  be  prepared  [sent]  to  Mr.  Shields 
in  relation  to  these  complaints.  They  had  been  pre- 
pared by  a  subordinate  (Mr.  Hunter)  in  the  State 
Department,  and  one  of  them,  as  Mr.  Buchanan 
agreed,  was  couched  in  terms  too  harsh,  and  [he] 
said  he  would  modify  it.  Assumed  that  the  facts 
stated  were  true,  &  in  the  absence  of  any  explana- 
tions from  Mr.  Shields,  he  is  informed  in  these  des- 
patches that  his  conduct  is  not  approved,  and  he  is 
admonished  of  the  importance  of  taking  no  part  in 
the  domestic  strifes  or  civil  wars  of  the  contesting 
parties  in  the  country  to  which  he  is  accredited  as  the 
Diplomatic  Representative,  of  the  U.  S.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan read  a  despatch  received  from  Mr.  Clifford, 


56  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [5  Aug. 

U.  S.  minister  to  Mexico,  making  known  that  civil 
war  is  raging  in  Mexico,  that  Gen'l  Paredes  is  at  the 
head  of  [an]  armed  force  endeavoring  to  overthrow 
the  Government,  on  the  ground  that  it  had  sacrificed 
the  interests  of  Mexico  in  making  the  late  Treaty  of 
peace  with  the  U.  S.,  and  making  known  that  the 
Government  had  despatched  a  secret  Envoy  to 
Washington  to  ask  the  aid  of  4,000  troops  from  the 
U.  S.,  for  whose  services  they  proposed  to  pay  out  of 
the  installments  to  be  paid  to  Mexico  under  the  late 
Treaty  of  peace.  Mr.  Buchanan  read  the  answer 
which  he  had  prepared,  which  was  to  the  effect  that 
the  President  possessed  no  power  to  grant  the  aid 
which  was  asked,  and  the  opinion  that  Congress,  if 
applied  to,  would  not  grant  the  proposed  aid,  espe- 
cially at  the  present  late  period  of  their  session. 
Some  other  business  of  minor  importance  was  dis- 
posed of.  I  nominated  to  the  Senate  to-day,  with 
the  unanimous  concurrence  of  the  Senate  [Cabinet], 
Andrew  J.  Donelson,  now  U.  S.  Minister  at  Berlin, 
to  be  En.  Ex.  &  Min.  Plen.  to  the  German  Confed- 
eration at  Frankfort.  He  will  perform  the  duties 
of  both  missions  for  the  time  being,  and  until  it  is 
ascertained  that  the  Archduke  John  of  Austria, 
recently  elected  to  be  the  chief  Executive  ^  officer  of 
the  German  confederation,  is  invested  with  exclusive 
powers  to  conduct  diplomatic  relations  for  all  the 
states  of  Germany  with  Foreign  Powers,  and  upon  as- 

^  The  Frankfort  Parliament  elected  Archduke  John  of  Austria 
"  Imperial  Administrator,"  whereupon  the  Diet  of  the  old  Bund 
transmitted  Its  powers  to  him  and  was  dissolved. 


1848]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  57 

certaining  this  the  mission  to  Prussia  will,  of  course, 
be  discontinued.  I  submitted  again  to  the  Cabinet 
the  propriety  of  removing  from  office  Benjamin  F. 
Butler  and  others  in  New  York,  who  are  opposing 
the  Democratic  nominations  for  President  and  Vice 
President  of  the  U.  S.  I  informed  the  Cabinet  that 
since  I  had  brought  this  subject  to  their  notice  a  few 
days  ago  I  had  received  a  strong  memorial  from 
several  of  the  leading  men  of  N.  Y.  appealing  to  me 
to  make  the  removals.  I  read  this  memorial  to  the 
Cabinet.  I  informed  the  Cabinet  of  what  they  all 
knew,  the  violence  of  Mr.  Butler  &  other  Federal 
officers  in  opposition  to  my  administration  and  to 
the  Democratic  party,  and  of  the  fact  that  Mr.  But- 
ler &  others  were  now  in  open  alliance  with  Whigs 
and  abolitionists  to  get  up  seperate  organization  at 
a  Convention  to  be  held  at  Buffalo,  in  N.  Y.,  on  the 
9th  Inst.,  to  oppose  the  regularly  nominated  candi- 
dates of  the  Democratic  party.  I  expressed  the 
opinion  that  I  ought  no  longer  to  retain  them  in  office, 
and  by  retaining  them  thus  give  to  them  the  apparent 
countenance  of  my  administration  in  their  treason 
to  the  principles  they  formerly  professed  to  the  party 
to  which  they  formerly  belonged.  The  Cabinet 
were  unanimous  in  the  opinion  that  their  conduct 
was  such  as  to  give  them  no  claims  upon  my  ad- 
ministration, and  that  they  deserved  to  be  removed. 
Mr.  Buchanan  thought,  however,  that  the  removal 
of  Mr.  Butler  at  this  time  would  tend  to  strengthen 
the  bolting  Barnburners  in  the  North,  by  the  use 
they  could  make  of  it  upon  the  slave  or  free-soil  ques- 


S8  JAMES    K.    POLKAS    DIARY  [5  Aug. 

tion,  and  therefore  he  advised  against  it  at  present. 
Mr.  Toucey,  who  had  formerly  advised  against  the 
removals,  acquiesced  in  the  propriety  of  the  measure, 
but  thought  it  ought  to  be  postponed  until  after  the 
Whig-abolition  &  Barnburning  Convention  had  met 
and  acted  at  Bufifalo  on  the  9th  Instant.  The  other 
members  of  the  Cabinet  were  clearly  in  favour  of 
their  removal  and  so  advised.  Mr.  Walker  was  of 
opinion  that  I  ought  to  defer  action  until  after  the 
Buffalo  convention  on  the  9th  Inst.  I  then  stated 
to  the  Cabinet  that  I  would  postpone  action  until 
after  the  9th  Instant,  but  that  I  would  then,  and  be- 
fore the  Senate  adjourned,  remove  Mr.  Butler. 

I  had  a  Dinner  party  to-day.  Among  the  guests 
were  Gen'l  Wm.  O.  Butler  &  wife,  Gen'l  Worth  & 
wife  &  two  daughters,  Capt.  Sprague  of  the 
army,  atto.  Gen'l  Toucey,  Senator  Fitzgerald  ^  of 
Michigan,  Mr.  Wallace^  of  S.  C,  Mr.  Lynde  ^  & 
Mr.  Darling^  of  Wisconsin,  all  members  of  the  Ho. 
Repts.,  Lieut.  Butler  &  wife  &  Col.  George  W. 
Caldwell  ^  of  Ky.,  late  of  the  army. 

The  Senate  continued  in  Session  until  a  late  hour 
at  night,  and  several  Senators  who  were  invited  did 
not  attend. 

^  Thomas  Fitzgerald,  1 796-1855,  Senator  from  Michigan  1848- 

1849. 

^  Daniel  Wallace,   Representative  from   South  Carolina   1848- 

1853. 
^William  P.  Lynde,  Representative  from  Wisconsin  1 847-1 849, 

and  1875-1879. 

*  Mason  C.  Darling,  1 801-1849,  Representative  from  Wisconsin 

I 848-1 849. 
^  George  A.  Caldwell  of  the  Voltlgeur  regiment. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  59 

Sunday,  6th  August,  1848, —  I  attended  the  First 
Presbyterian  church  to-day  accompanied  by  Mrs. 
Polk  &  the  wife  of  my  brother,  Wm.  H.  Polk. 

About  8  O'clock  P.  M.  my  nephew,  Samuel  P. 
Walker,  my  sister,  Ophelia  C.  Hays,  and  her  daugh- 
ter, Virginia  Hays,  and  Sarah  Polk  Rucker,  the 
niece  of  Mrs.  Polk,  arrived  from  Tennessee  and,  of 
course,  took  up  their  residence  during  their  visit  in 
the  President's  House  and  as  guests  of  my  family. 

Monday,  7th  August,  1848, —  Company  called 
as  usual  this  morning.  I  transacted  business  as  usual 
with  the  Secretary  of  State  and  the  Secretary  of 
War.  I  disposed  of  much  business  on  my  table  dur- 
ing the  day.  After  night  Senator  Hannegan  called 
and  informed  me  that  the  Senate  adjourned  for  the 
day  at  8  O'Clock  P.  M.  and  that  the  Ho.  Repts.  were 
still  in  Session.  He  informed  me  that  the  Senate 
had  been,  during  the  whole  day,  in  Executive  Ses- 
sion, listening  to  a  most  impassioned  &  violent 
speech  ^  of  Senator  Benton  against  confirming  the 
nomination  of  Brig.  Gen'l  Kearney,  U.  S.  army,  as 
a  Brevet  Major  General,  for  gallant  &  meritorious 
services  in  New  Mexico  and  California.  Mr.  Han- 
negan informed  me  that  Senator  Benton  was  violent 
beyond  what  is  usual  even  for  him,  and  that  he  had 
avowed  his  intention  to  speak  out  the  balance  of  the 
Session,  and  defeat  all  the  public  measures  before 
Congress,  rather  than  suffer  the  vote  on  Gen'l  Kear- 
ney's nomination  to  be  taken.  I  appointed  Gen'l 
Kearney  a   Brigadier  Gen'l   mainly  upon   Senator 

^  Globe,  30  Cong,  i  Sess.  App.  977-1040. 


6o  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [8  Aug. 

Benton's  recommendation,  and  his  hostility  to  him 
now  arises  from  the  fact  that  he  preferred  charges 
against  Lieut.  Col.  Fremont,  his  (Senator  Benton's) 
son-in-law,  upon  which  he  was  convicted  by  a  Court 
Martial.  The  Ho.  Repts.  I  learn,  have  been  engaged 
during  the  whole  day  in  making  violent  party  speeches 
on  the  Presidential  election  &  the  merits  &  demerits 
of  the  Presidential  candidates.  They  seem  wholly 
to  have  forgotten  that  they  have  any  public  business 
to  transact,  and  have  converted  the  Ho.  Repts.  into 
an  arena  for  making  violent  party  speeches.  This 
is  a  great  outrage  and  they  should  be  held  to  a  strict 
account  by  their  constituents  for  their  wanton  waste 
of  the  public  time  and  disregard  of  the  public  inter- 
ests. The  remainder  of  the  Session  of  Congress  is 
probably  to  give  rise  to  scenes  of  unusual  violence 
and  party  excitement. 

Tuesday,  8th  August,  1848. —  Many  persons 
called  this  morning,  most  [of]  them  seeking  ofRce 
as  usual.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour,  all  the 
members  present.  After  transacting  business  and 
disposing  of  several  matters  of  minor  importance,  I 
invited  the  attention  of  the  Cabinet  to  several  sub- 
jects which  I  deemed  important.  I  informed  them 
that  I  thought  it  probable  that  Congress  would,  be- 
tween this  and  the  close  of  their  session  (the  14th 
Instant)  [pass  several  bills],  some  of  which  I  could 
not  approve,  and  in  relation  to  others  I  desired  to 
have  the  advice  of  the  Cabinet  so  that  I  might  be 
prepared  to  meet  them.  Bills  for  the  improvement 
of  harbours  &  rivers  were  of  the  former,  and  these, 


1848J  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  6i 

if  any  such  should  be  presented  to  me  for  my  ap- 
proval, I  should  certainly  veto.  I  informed  them 
that  I  had  for  some  time  past  been  preparing  addi- 
tional views  to  those  presented  in  my  veto  message 
of  the  River  and  Harbour  Bill  of  the  15th  of  Decem- 
ber last,  and  hoped  to  have  them  so  far  completed 
as  to  be  able  to  send  in  a  veto  message  before  the 
adjournment  of  the  session,  should  such  a  Bill  come 
to  me.  Upon  that  subject  my  mind  was  made  up, 
&  [I]  wished  no  advice.  I  then  informed  them  that 
from  present  appearances  in  Congress  no  Bills  would 
be  passed  establishing  Territorial  Governments  in 
New  Mexico  and  Upper  California,  but  that  it  was 
probable  that  a  Bill  would  be  passed  establishing  a 
Territorial  Government  in  Oregon,  with  a  restric- 
tion in  it  against  the  existence  of  slavery  in  that  Ter- 
ritory, and  I  asked  the  advice  of  the  Cabinet  whether 
I  should  approve  and  sign  such  a  Bill.  I  took  their 
opinions  severally  and  seperately,  &  they  were  unani- 
mously of  opinion  that  as  the  whole  territory  of  Ore- 
gon lay  North  [of]  36°  30',  that  being  the  Missouri 
compromise  line,  I  ought  to  sign  it  I  then  pro- 
pounded the  question  whether  I  ought  to  accompany 
the  notification  that  I  had  approved  and  signed  such 
a  Bill  with  a  message  distinctly  stating  that  I  had  so 
approved  and  signed  it  because  the  territory  lay 
North  of  the  Missouri  compromise  line,  remarking 
that  if  this  was  deemed  proper  the  message  ought  to 
be  prepared  in  advance.  In  propounding  this  ques- 
tion I  intimated  an  opinion  that  I  ought  to  send  such 
a  message,  as  necessary  to  explain  my  own  views,  and 
to  prevent  the  inference  that  I  would  approve  &  sign 


62  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [8  Aug. 

a  Bill  with  the  slavery  restriction  in  it  establishing 
territorial  Governments  over  territory  lying  South  of 
the  Missouri  compromise  line.  Mr.  Buchanan  ex- 
pressed his  opinion  first.  ,  He  vv^ould  have  no  doubt 
that  I  ought  to  send  such  a  message,  if  it  were  not  for 
the  effect  it  might  have  upon  Gen'l  Cass's  position 
on  the  slavery  question  as  contained  in  his  pub- 
lished letter  to  Mr.  Nicholson,  and  the  fear  he  enter- 
tained that  it  might  operate  prejudicially  to  his  elec- 
tion. He  said  if  I  determined  to  send  such  a  message 
he  would  be  delighted  to  have  the  opportunity  to 
assist  me  in  preparing  it.  I  told  him  he  should  have 
the  opportunity  if  I  so  determined.  Mr.  Walker 
thought  I  ought  at  the  time  of  signing  such  a  Bill 
to  explain  in  some  way  my  position  and  views,  but 
suggested  that  this  might  be  done  by  an  authorized 
article  carefully  prepared  in  the  Union  newspaper. 
The  subject  was  very  fully  discussed  and  finally  the 
Cabinet  unanimously,  with  the  exception  of  Judge 
Mason,  inclined  to  favour  Mr.  Walker's  suggestion, 
that  the  explanation  had  better  appear  in  an  article 
in  the  Union  than  in  a  formal  message  to  Congress. 
Judge  Mason  finally  acquiesced  in  these  views. 
They  all  agreed  that  if  this  course  was  taken  I  ought 
in  my  next  annual  message  fully  to  state  my  opinions 
and  views  on  the  subject.  I  then  stated  that  my  own 
inclination  had  been  to  send  a  message  to  Congress, 
but  without  deciding  that  question  I  requested  Mr. 
Buchanan  &  Mr.  Walker  to  prepare  a  paper,  to  be 
used  either  as  a  message  or  an  article  in  the  news- 
paper as  I  might  hereafter  decide  to  be  proper.  They 
agreed  to  do  so.     I  then  stated  that  a  Bill  had  passed 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLKAS    DIARY  63 

the  Senate,  &  might  pass  the  House,  to  create  a  Board 
of  Commissioners  to  decide  on  claims  of  the  people 
of  California  against  the  U.  S.,  and  that  this  Bill 
had  designated  by  discription  the  three  persons  who 
were  to  be  the  commissioners,  and  this  I  considered 
to  be  a  violation  of  the  constitution.  The  Constitu- 
tion confers  upon  the  President  the  power  to  make 
all  appointments  to  office  by  and  with  the  advice  & 
consent  of  the  Senate,  except  the  appointment  of  in- 
ferior officers  which  might  be  vested  by  law  in  the 
President  alone,  in  the  Heads  of  Departments,  or  in 
the  Judicial  tribunals.  By  the  Bill  referred  to  Con- 
gress undertake  to  make  the  appointments  by  law. 
The  Cabinet  were  unanimously  of  opinion  that  such 
a  law  would  be  unconstitutional,  and  that  if  it  passed 
I  ought  to  veto  it.  I  told  the  Cabinet  I  would  cer- 
tainly veto  it  if  it  passed.  Knowing  that  my  whole 
time  would  be  occupied  until  the  close  of  the  session 
of  Congress  in  performing  other  important  and  nec- 
essary duties,  I  stated  my  views  on  the  subject  and 
requested  Mr.  Toucey  &  Mr.  Johnson  to  prepare  the 
draft  of  a  veto  message  so  that  I  might  be  prepared 
if  such  a  Bill  should  pass.  I  informed  the  Cabinet 
that  if  the  Bill  pending  before  Congress  for  the  pay- 
ment of  the  French  Spoliation  claims  prior  to  1800 
should  pass,  I  would  not  approve  it,  but  would  de- 
tain it  &  assign  my  objections  to  it  in  a  message  to 
Congress  at  its  next  Session.  Congress  has  delayed 
to  act  upon  almost  all  the  important  measures  before 
them  until  the  last  days  of  the  Session,  when  I  will 
have  no  time  to  prepare  my  objections  to  any  Bill 
which  I  cannot  approve,  unless  I  prepare  my  mes- 


64  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [9  Aug. 

sage  in  anticipation  that  certain  messages  [measures] 
may  pass. 

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

Wednesday,  gth  August,  1848. —  A  crowd  of 
company  called  this  morning.  At  12  O'Clock  I 
closed  my  office.  I  devoted  several  hours  in  the 
preperation  of  a  veto  message  in  anticipation  that 
some  of  the  numerous  Internal  Improvement  Bills 
now  before  Congress  may  pass  and  be  presented  to 
me  for  my  approval  &  signature.  I  understand  that 
a  River  &  Harbour  Bill  embracing  many  objects  & 
appropriating  a  large  sum  was  under  discussion  in 
the  Ho.  Repts.  to-day,  and  has  been  ordered  to  be 
engrossed.  If  it  comes  to  me  I  shall  certainly  veto 
it.  I  disposed  of  much  business  on  my  table  to-day 
and  saw  several  of  the  Heads  of  Departments  &  other 
public  officers  &  transacted  business  with  them. 

Thursday,  lOth  August,  1848. —  Saw  a  large 
number  of  persons  this  morning.  In  the  midst  of 
pressing  and  important  public  duties  I  continue  to 
be  greatly  annoyed  by  office-seekers.  Whenever  my 
doors  are  opened  to  receive  members  of  Congress  and 
others  on  business,  the  office  seekers  press  in.  Being 
exceedingly  engaged  to-day  I  had  [to]  be  almost  rude 
and  to  ask  them  to  leave  my  office  at  12  O'Clock 
that  I  might  be  enabled  to  attend  to  the  business 
before  me.  I  did  close  my  office  at  that  hour.  I 
saw  the  Secretaries  of  State,  War,  and  Navy  &  trans- 
acted business  with  them.     I  disposed  of  business  on 


i848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  65 

my  table.  Mr.  Buchanan  read  to  me  a  part  of  the 
draft  of  [a]  message  on  the  Missouri  compromise 
line,  as  applicable  to  the  Territories  of  Oregon,  Cali- 
fornia, &  New  Mexico,  which  I  had  requested  Mr. 
Walker  &  himself  to  prepare  in  the  Cabinet  meeting 
of  Tuesday  last  (see  this  Diary  of  that  day).  I 
devoted  three  or  four  hours  to-day  to  the  prepera- 
tion  of  a  veto  message  in  anticipation  that  a  River 
&  Harbour  Bill  would  be  presented  to  me  for  my 
approval  before  the  adjournment  of  Congress.  After 
Dinner  I  read  what  I  had  written  to  J.  Knox  Walker, 
my  Private  Secretary.  He  advised  me  if  any  such 
Bill  came  to  me  to  retain  it  and  assign  my  objections 
to  it  at  the  next  Session.  I  find  myself  greatly 
fatigued  &  worn  down  by  my  labours  and  fear  I  will 
have  to  take  this  course  for  want  of  time  to  do  justice 
to  the  subject.  The  Senate  tonight  passed  the  Oregon 
Territorial  Bill,  with  the  Missouri  compromise  pro- 
vision in  it,  by  a  majority  of  eleven  votes.  I  hope 
it  may  receive  the  sanction  of  the  House  but  fear  it 
will  not.  Congress  is  in  great  excitement  and  con- 
fusion on  the  subject  and  the  importance  of  settling 
the  question  at  this  Session  becomes  every  day  more 
important. 

I  learn  to-night  that  Mr.  Van  Buren  has  been 
nominated  for  the  Presidency  by  the  Buffalo  Con- 
vention composed  of  Whigs,  abolitionists,  and  Barn- 
burners. 

I  retired  tonight  exceedingly  fatigued  &  exhausted, 
caused  from  my  great  labours  and  anxiety  concerning 
public  afifairs,  and  especially  the  uncertain  action  of 
Congress  upon  any  subject  whatever.     The  members 


66  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [n  Aug. 

are  so  much  engaged  in  President  making  that  they 
attend  to  little  else.  It  is  a  Congress  as  reckless  of 
the  public  interests  as  any  I  have  ever  known.  They 
are  enlarging  the  appropriations  to  an  enormous  and 
unnecessary  amount,  and  if  all  their  internal  Im- 
provement schemes  could  prevail  a  further  loan 
v^ould  be  indispensible. 

Friday,  nth  August,  1848. —  Up  to  12  O'clock 
to-day,  when  I  closed  my  office,  I  was  besieged  by 
office  seekers  and  others  who  called  on  business.  I 
was  so  much  fatigued  that  I  concluded  to  abandon 
the  attempt  to  finish  my  veto  Internal  Improvement 
message,  should  a  Bill  on  that  subject  come  to  me. 
Subject  to  be  interrupted  every  hour  to  attend  to  nec- 
essary public  duties,  I  have  not  the  time  or  the  health 
&  strength  to  do  justice  to  myself  or  the  subject  before 
the  adjournment  of  Congress  on  the  14th  Instant; 
and  must  therefore,  if  an  Internal  Improvement  Bill 
comes  to  me,  retain  it  until  the  next  session  of  Con- 
gress (see  this  Diary  of  yesterday). 

I  prepared  a  short  message  to  meet  the  case  of  the 
insertion  of  any  Internal  Improvement  item  in  any 
of  the  General  appropriation  Bills,  and  it  was  copied 
by  my  Private  Secretary.  Mr.  Toucey  called  and 
read  to  me  the  draft  of  a  message  which  he  had  pre- 
pared on  the  California  claims  Bill,  should  it  pass 
Congress.  I  had  requested  him  to  prepare  it  (see 
this  Diary  of  tuesday  last) .  I  attended  to  much  busi- 
ness with  public  officers  &  on  my  table  to-day.  I 
learn  that  the  Ho.  Repts.  rejected  the  missouri  com- 
promise amendment  of  the  Senate  to  the  Oregon  Ter- 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  67 

ritorial  Bill.  This  I  deeply  deplore.  I  fear  that 
nothing  will  be  done  at  this  Session  and  that  the 
slavery  agitation'^will  be  kept  up  in  the  country. 

I  learn  to-night  that  the  Buffalo  convention  of 
Whigs,  Abolitionists,  and  Barnburners  have  nomi- 
nated Charles  F.  Adams,  the  son  of  the  late  John 
Quincy  Adams,  who  is  an  avowed  Abolitionist,  for 
the  Vice  Presidency  on  Mr.  Van  Buren's  ticket,  the 
latter  having  been  nominated  for  the  Presidency. 
Mr.  Van  Buren  is  the  most  fallen  man  I  have  ever 
known. 

Saturday,  12th  August,  1848. —  Many  persons 
called  this  morning.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual 
hour  this  morning;  all  the  members  present  except 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  who,  I  learn,  is  con- 
fined to  his  house  by  indisposition.  Several  matters 
of  business  were  disposed  of.  The  subject  of  the 
propriety  of  sending  a  message  to  Congress,  if  the 
Oregon  Bill  should  pass  with  the  restriction  as  re- 
spects slavery,  was  further  discussed  (see  this  Diary 
of  tuesday,  the  8th  Instant).  The  draft  which  Mr. 
Buchanan  prepared  at  my  request  was  read  by  him. 
I  expressed  the  opinion,  in  which  the  Cabinet  all 
concurred,  that  if  the  Oregon  Territorial  Bill  with 
the  slavery  restriction  in  it  passed  and  was  presented 
to  me  for  my  approval  and  signature,  I  ought  not 
to  with-hold  from  it  my  signature,  and  that  I  could 
not  do  so  without  arraying  the  country  into  geo- 
graphical parties  on  the  slavery  question  and  greatly 
increasing  the  excitement,  already  great,  which  ex- 
isted in  and  out  of  Congress  upon  that  question.    The 


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

Cabinet  were  unanimously  of  opinion  that  I  ought  to 
sign  the  Bill.  They  had  expressed  the  same  opinion 
in  the  Cabinet  meeting  of  the  8th  Instant.  I  ex- 
pressed the  opinion  that  if  I  approved  and  signed 
the  Bill  in  the  usual  form  without  assigning  my  rea- 
sons, my  opinion  in  regard  to  California  &  New 
Mexico  would  not  be  understood,  and  that  it  might 
be  inferred  that  I  had  yielded  the  question  in  regard 
to  the  Territory  South  as  well  as  North  of  the  Mis- 
souri compromise  line,  which  would  not  be  true.  I 
stated  that  I  thought  that  I  ought  to  accompany  the 
notification  [to]  Congress  with  a  message  explana- 
tory of  my  position  and  of  the  reasons  which  had 
induced  me  to  sign  the  Oregon  Territorial  Bill, 
should  such  a  Bill  pass.  The  draft  prepared  by  Mr. 
Buchanan  will  require  some  modifications  in  order 
to  conform  precisely  to  my  views.  I  put  it  into  the 
hands  of  Mr.  H.  C.  Williams,  a  confidential  clerk, 
to  be  copied  in  a  fair  hand  for  my  examination.  Mr. 
Toucy,  the  atto.  General,  then  read  the  draft  of 
a  message  which  he  had  prepared  as  applicable  to 
the  California  claims  Bill  now  before  Congress,  & 
which  I  had  requested  him  in  the  Cabinet  meeting 
on  the  8th  Instant  to  prepare.  By  that  Bill  Con- 
gress creates  an  office  and  assumes  to  appoint  the 
officers,  or  rather  to  designate  &  direct  who  they  shall 
[be],  which,  in  my  judgment  is  an  infringement  of 
the  right  of  the  Executive  to  make  appointments,  and 
is  therefore  unconstitutional.  If  the  Bill  shall  pass 
it  will  be  at  a  very  late  period  of  the  Session,  and  I 
have  requested  the  attorney  General  to  prepare  this 
veto  message,  that  I  might  be  prepared  to  meet  it.     It 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  69 

was  a  well  drawn  paper,  and  I  placed  it  in  the  hands 
of  Mr.  H.  C.  Williams  &  Mr.  Samuel  H.  Laughlin 
to  be  copied.  Late  in  the  afternoon  I  learned  that 
the  Senate  had  been  engaged  all  day  in  a  violent 
discussion  on  the  Oregon  Territorial  Bill.  About 
dark,  accompanied  by  all  the  members  of  my  Cabi- 
net, I  repaired  to  the  Capitol,  as  it  is  usual  for  the 
President  to  do  near  the  close  of  a  Session  of  Con- 
gress, so  as  to  enable  the  committee  of  Enrolled  Bills 
to  present  to  him  such  Bills  as  may  be  passed  for 
his  approval  and  signature,  without  the  necessity  of 
waiting  on  him  at  his  mansion.  The  President  at- 
tends at  the  Capitol  and  occupies  the  Vice  President's 
room  on  such  occasions,  for  the  convenience  of  Con- 
gress. On  reaching  the  Capitol  I  found  the  Senate 
still  engaged  in  the  discussion  of  the  Oregon  Terri- 
torial Bill.  The  House  of  Representatives,  I  learn, 
were  in  great  confusion  &  disorder,  and  about  9 
O'clock  I  learned  that  the  House  had  adjourned. 
It  was  near  10  O'Clock  P.  M.  before  any  Bill  was 
presented  for  my  approval.  I  approved  and  signed 
several  Bills  and  among  them  the  Civil  and  Diplo- 
matic appropriation  Bill.  About  iij/^  O'Clock, 
learning  that  in  consequence  of  the  adjournment  of 
the  House  no  other  Bills  could  be  presented  to  me 
to-night,  I  returned  to  the  President's  mansion,  leav- 
ing the  Senate  still  engaged  in  discussing  the  Oregon 
Territorial  Bill. 

Sunday,  13th  August,  1848,— At  breakfast  this 
morning  I  learned  that  the  flag  was  flying  over  the 
Senate  chamber,  which  indicated  that  the  Senate  was 


70  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [13  Aug. 

Still  in  Session.  The  Senate  continued  in  Session  all 
night  &  until  near  10  O'Clock  this  morning,  when 
they  passed  the  Oregon  Territorial  Bill  with  the 
restriction  of  slavery  in  it,  and  adjourned  to  meet  at  9 
O'clock  to-morrow  morning.  It  was  now  certain  that 
this  Bill  would  be  presented  to  me  for  my  approval  & 
signature;  and  I  was  engaged  during  most  of  the 
day,  and  until  12  O'Clock  at  night,  in  revising  and 
modifying  Mr.  Buchanan's  draft,  &  had  Mr.  H.  C. 
Williams  employed  as  a  clerk  in  copying  [it]  for  me. 
Mr.  Mason  was  with  me,  assisting  me  most  of  the 
time,  Mr.  Buchanan  a  part  of  the  time,  and  about 
10  O'clock  P.  M.  Mr.  Marcy  came  in.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan was  still  of  opinion  that  I  ought  not  to  send  in 
such  a  message,  for  the  reasons  assigned  by  him  in  the 
Cabinet  meeting  of  the  8th  Instant.  I  thought  other- 
wise and  determined  to  do  so.  Mr.  Buchanan  was 
opposed,  if  I  did  send  it  in,  to  my  making  any  dis- 
tinct declaration  that  I  would  veto  a  Bill  with  the 
slavery  restriction  in  it  which  embraced  territory 
South  of  36°  30',  the  Missouri  compromise  line.  I 
had  prepared  a  paragraph  in  the  message.  Mr. 
Mason  thought  such  a  paragraph  should  be  inserted. 
Late  at  night,  say  between  10  &  11  O'Clock,  Mr. 
Ritchie  came  in,  and  on  hearing  the  message  ex- 
pressed the  opinion  that  such  a  paragraph  should 
be  inserted,  and  thought  the  message  as  it  stood  was 
not  strong  enough  and  distinct  enough  on  that  point. 
I  requested  him  to  reduce  to  writing  what  he  thought 
ought  to  be  inserted.  He  did  so,  but  on  examining 
it  I  was  not  pleased  with  it  and  did  not  adopt  it 
The  point  was  discussed  at  some  length,  in  which 


1848J  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  71 

Mr.  Mason  and  Mr.  Marcy  took  part.  I  observed 
that  Mr.  Buchanan,  after  Mr.  Ritchie  came  in,  re- 
mained silent.  I  referred  to  him  two  or  three  times 
for  his  opinion  upon  different  forms  of  phraseology 
which  were  proposed,  but  he  gave  none.  He  retired 
between  11  and  12  O'Clock.  A  paragraph  was 
finally  prepared  with  which  I  was  satisfied,  and 
which  was  approved  by  Mr.  Marcy  &  Mr.  Mason. 
Mr.  Ritchie  left  the  paragraph  which  he  had  pre- 
pared, &  which  I  did  not  adopt,  lying  on  my  table. 
I  will  preserve  it,  as  possibly  something  may  arise 
hereafter  to  make  it  necessary  to  refer  to  the  facts. 
I  am  induced  to  do  this  from  Mr.  Buchanan's  entire 
silence  after  Mr.  Ritchie  came.  Mr.  Mason  and 
Mr.  Marcy  approved  the  paper  as  I  had  modified 
[it],  and  thought  I  ought  to  send  in  such  a  message 
when  I  announced  that  I  had  approved  &  signed  the 
Bill.  Mr.  Ritchie  was  of  the  same  opinion.  In  the 
course  of  the  afternoon  Senator  Turney  of  Tennes- 
see called,  and  was  excited  upon  the  subject  and  in- 
sisted that  I  should  veto  the  Bill.  I  told  him  I 
differed  with  him  in  opinion,  informed  him  of  the 
course  I  proposed  to  take,  and  read  to  him  the  draft 
of  my  message  to  accompany  the  announcement  to  the 
Ho.  Repts.  in  which  the  Bill  had  originated,  that  I 
had  given  to  it  my  official  sanction.  While  Mr. 
Turney  was  with  me.  Senators  Cameron  and  Hanne- 
gan  called.  Senator  Hannegan  aside,  and  not  in  a 
tone  so  audible  as  to  be  heard  by  the  others,  told  me 
that  if  I  vetoed  the  Bill,  though  he  had  voted  for  it, 
he  would  sustain  me.  He  told  me  if  his  vote  could 
have  changed  the  result  he  would  have  voted  against 


72  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [13  Aug. 

it.  About  sunset  Senator  Calhoun  and  Mr.  Burt  of 
S.  C.  called.  Mr.  Calhoun  expressed  the  opinion 
strongly  that  I  should  veto  the  Bill.  I  told  him  I 
had  made  up  my  mind  to  sign  it,  though  I  would  do 
so  reluctantly,  and  that  I  proposed  to  send  a  message 
to  the  House  stating  the  considerations  which  had 
induced  me  to  do  so.  He  still  insisted  that  I  ought 
to  veto  it  on  constitutional  grounds.  I  told  him  that 
if  the  question  of  imposing  the  restriction  was  an 
original  one  arising  for  the  first  time,  I  would  have 
serious  doubts  of  its  constitutionality.  I  remarked 
that  there  might  be  questions  arise  effecting  [affect- 
ing] the  very  existence  of  the  Union,  upon  which  we 
ought  to  yield  individual  opinions,  in  deference  to 
what  our  predecessors  had  done,  and  I  considered 
this  one  of  them.  I  reminded  him  that  I  had  in  con- 
versation with  him  some  days  ago,  when  he  had  called 
to  see  me  on  the  subject  (pending  the  deliberations  of 
the  committee  of  8  of  the  Senate)  [told  him]  that  I 
was  willing  to  accept  the  Missouri  compromise  line. 
I  told  him  that  I  was  willing  to  accept  the  compro- 
mise reported  by  that  committee.  Both  having  now 
failed,  I  did  not  see  that  I  could  veto  the  naked 
Oregon  Bill,  inasmuch  as  all  the  territory  of  Oregon 
lay  North  of  the  missouri  compromise  line.  I  re- 
minded him  that  in  1844  a  Bill  to  establish  a  Terri- 
torial Government  over  Oregon  had  passed  the  Ho. 
Repts.  with  the  same  restriction  in  it,  with  only  20 
or  30  negative  votes;  that  in  1846  a  similar  Bill  had 
passed  the  Ho.  Repts.,  and  that  many  of  the  Southern 
Democrats  had  voted  for  it;  that  when  the  latter  Bill 
was  pending  Mr.  Burt   (who  was  present  and  to 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  n 

whom  I  appealed)  had  moved  to  insert  an  amend- 
ment ^  declaring  that  as  the  whole  territory  lay  North 
of  the  missouri  compromise  line  as  a  reason  for  in- 
serting the  restriction  in  the  Bill,  that  with  that 
amendment  the  South  would  have  been  satisfied  to 
pass  the  Bill  with  that  restriction.  I  then  reminded 
him  that  at  the  present  Session  of  Congress  every 
Senator,  North  &  South  and  of  all  parties,  had  upon 
one  or  other  of  the  propositions  which  had  been  be- 
fore the  Senate  voted  for  Bills  with  the  restriction 
in  them.  I  told  him  that  the  compromise  Bill  ^  re- 
ported by  the  committee  of  8,  of  which  he  was  a 
member  and  for  which  he  voted,  contained  the  re- 
striction; that  the  Bill  containing  the  missouri  com- 
promise also  contained  it  so  far  as  Oregon  was 
concerned.  He  replied  that  these  Bills  contained 
provisions  of  compromise  also ;  to  which  I  responded, 
that  fact  did  not  change  a  constitutional  principle. 
I  then  told  him  [if]  the  Bill  which  had  passed  the 
Senate  this  morning  should  be  presented  to  me  I 
would  reluctantly  sign  it,  and  that  I  proposed  to 
accompany  the  notification  to  the  House  in  which  it 
had  originated  with  a  message  assigning  my  reasons 
for  having  done  so.  I  told  him  that  the  first  reason 
would  be  the  urgent  necessity  for  a  Government  in 
Oregon,  and  the  second  that  the  whole  territory  of 
Oregon  lay  north  of  the  missouri  compromise  line, 

^  Globe,  29  Cong.  2  Sess.  170. 

^  The  Clayton  compromise;  the  bill  passed  the  Senate  July  27, 
1848,  but  was  tabled  by  the  House  in  favor  of  a  bill  of  its  own. 
For  an  account  of  the  measure,  see  Garrison,  Westward  Extensiouj 
303-305. 


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

&  was,  therefore,  not  inconsistent  with  the  compro- 
mise. I  told  him  I  had  prepared  such  a  message 
and  that  it  was  then  being  copied,  that  my  impres- 
sion was  that  I  would  send  it  in,  though  I  would 
reserve  that  question  until  to-morrow  and  would  take 
until  the  Bill  came  to  me  to  reflect  on  it.  He  then 
said  if  I  sent  such  a  message  I  ought  to  rest  my  action 
on  the  great  necessity  for  a  Government  over  Oregon, 
&  intimated  distinctly  that  if  I  committed  myself  to 
the  missouri  compromise  line  and  claimed  nothing 
north  of  it,  that  the  south  would  not  get  so  much 
in  the  final  adjustment.  I  understood  his  meaning 
to  be  that  it  should  be  treated  as  a  Diplomatic  ques- 
tion by  claiming  more  than  I  was  willing  to  take. 
In  the  close  of  the  conversation  he  again  insisted  that 
I  should  veto  the  Bill.  I  repeated  that  I  would 
sign  it,  and  told  him  that  if  I  were  to  veto  it  after 
all  that  had  occurred,  and  in  the  present  excited  state 
of  Congress  &  of  the  public  mind,  I  should  do  more 
to  inflame  that  excitement  &  to  array  the  country 
into  geographical  parties  and  to  rend  the  Union, 
than  any  act  which  had  ever  been  done  by  any  Presi- 
dent or  any  man  in  the  country.  He  left  me  fully 
understanding  my  opinions  &  what  I  would  do.  It 
was  after  12  O'Clock  at  night  when  I  retired. 

Monday,  14th  August,  1848, —  I  rose  early  this 
morning,  went  to  my  office,  &  with  my  Private  Sec- 
retary carefully  revised  the  message  which  I  pro- 
pose to  send  to  the  Ho.  Repts.  to-day,  if  the  Oregon 
Territorial  Bill  should  be  presented  to  me,  assigning 
my   reasons   for  having   signed   it.     I    modified   & 


1848J  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  75 

changed  several  paragraphs,  and  caused  some  of  the 
sheets,  those  on  which  the  modifications  were  con- 
tained, to  be  recopied  by  Mr.  H.  C.  Williams.  At 
9  O'clock  Mr.  Toucey  and  Mr.  Marcy  came  in,  that 
being  the  hour  appointed  for  my  Cabinet  to  assemble 
to  accompany  me  to  the  Capitol.  Shortly  afterwards 
Mr.  Buchanan  came  in,  and  [I]  was  struck  with  a 
remark  which  he  addressed  to  Mr.  Marcy  to  the 
effect:  Well,  did  you  and  Mr.  Ritchie  fix  that  para- 
graph in  the  message  after  I  left  last  night?  I  had 
the  message  in  my  hand  and  replied  to  him  by  saying 
that  the  passage  written  by  Mr.  Ritchie  had  not  been 
inserted  (see  this  Diary  of  yesterday).  I  then  read 
the  paragraph  as  it  had  been  prepared  and  inserted. 
Mr.  Buchanan  was  still  opposed  to  my  sending  in 
the  message.  I  told  him  I  had  made  up  my  mind 
to  send  it  in.  Mr.  Marcy  and  Mr.  Mason  thought  I 
ought  to  send  it  in  under  all  the  circumstances. 
About  9^  O'clock  I  proceeded  to  the  Capitol,  ac- 
companied by  the  members  of  my  Cabinet  except 
Mr.  Walker,  who  was  confined  to  his  House  by  in- 
disposition. Shortly  after  reaching  the  Vice  Presi- 
dent's room  I  learned  that  a  debate  was  going  on 
in  the  Senate,  and  shortly  afterwards  that  a  similar 
debate  was  going  on  in  the  Ho.  Repts.,  against  sus- 
pending the  joint  rule  of  the  two  Houses  which  pre- 
vents any  Bill  from  being  presented  to  the  President 
for  his  approval  or  signature  on  the  last  day  of  the 
Session.  The  two  Houses  had  agreed  to  adjourn  the 
session  at  12  O'Clock  this  day,  and  the  object  of  the 
debate  in  both  Houses  was  to  prevent  the  question 
on  suspending  the  rules  from  being  taken  until  that 


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

hour,  when  the  adjournment  would  take  place  &  the 
Oregon  Bill  be,  of  course,  lost.  Many  other  Bills 
were  in  the  same  condition  with  the  Oregon  Bill,  & 
among  others  the  army  appropriation  Bill,  without 
which  it  was  impossible  for  the  Government  to  get 
on  until  the  meeting  of  the  next  Session.  This  fact 
was  made  known  to  several  Senators,  to  whom  I  also 
communicated  the  fact  that  if  Congress  adjourned 
without  passing  the  army  appropriation  Bill,  I  would 
feel  it  to  be  my  duty  forthwith  to  issue  my  Proclama- 
tion conv[en]ing  an  extra  Session  of  Congress  to 
meet  on  to-morrow.  About  10%  O'Clock  the  dis- 
cussion ended,  the  Joint  Rule  was  suspended,  &  all 
the  Bills  which  had  been  matured  were  presented  to 
me  for  my  approval  &  signature.  While  I  was  very 
busy  hastily  examining  the  Army  &  Oregon  Bills, 
Senator  Calhoun  came  in  [and]  held  a  short  con- 
versation [with]  Mr.  Mason  in  a  different  part  of 
the  room  from  that  which  I  occupied.  Mr.  Mason 
stepped  to  me  &  said  Mr.  Calhoun  wished  to  see  me. 
I  stepped  hastily  to  him  with  one  of  the  Bills  in  my 
hand.  He  urged  me,  if  I  would  sign  the  Oregon 
Bill,  to  announce  the  fact  to  the  Ho.  Repts.,  in  which 
it  originated,  in  the  usual  form  &  not  to  send  any 
written  message  with  the  notification,  as  I  had  in- 
formed him  last  evening  I  would  probably  do.  I 
told  him  promptly  that  I  had  made  up  my  mind, 
and  would  send  in  the  written  message.  I  returned 
to  my  table,  signed  the  Oregon  Bill  and  my  message, 
and  sent  my  Private  Secretary  with  the  message  to 
the  House  of  Repts.,  who  delivered  it  about  %ths 
of  an  hour  before  12  O'Clock.     I  immediately  made 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  11 

the  nominations  for  the  ofRcers  in  Oregon  to  the 
Senate,  &  in  a  few  minutes  they  were  confirmed.  I 
signed  all  the  other  Bills  which  were  presented  to 
me,  &  the  two  Houses  adjourned  precisely  at  12 
O'clock.  A  very  few  minutes  before  the  adjourn- 
ment I  learned  that  my  message  to  the  Ho.  Repts. 
had  not  been  read,  &  that  the  Speaker  had  intimated 
that  it  would  not  go  on  the  Journal,  but  be  locked 
up  until  the  next  Session.  The  House,  I  learned, 
was  in  great  confusion  &  finally  adjourned,  when  the 
hour  of  12  O'clock  arrived,  in  the  midst  of  a  call  of* 
the  ayes  &  noes.  I  sent  my  Private  Secretary  to  the 
Speaker  to  request  a  copy  of  my  message,  as  the  draft 
which  I  had  retained  has,  in  making  a  fair  copy  from 
it  for  the  House,  been  in  some  slight  respects  changed, 
so  that  it  was  not  a  literal  &  exact  copy.  The  answer 
which  my  Private  Secretary  brought  from  the 
Speaker  left  some  doubt  whether  he  would  permit 
me  to  have  a  copy  of  the  message  and  I  sent  him 
back  to  repeat  to  the  man,  and  to  say  to  him  that  it 
was  a  public  message  intended  for  publication  as 
other  public  proceedings.  My  Private  Secretary 
returned  &  informed  me  that  the  Speaker  had  di- 
rected the  clerk  to  furnish  me  a  copy,  but  expressed 
doubts  whether  the  message  could  go  on  the  Journal. 
I  then  sent  for  the  clerk  (Mr.  Campbell)  and  re- 
quested him  to  furnish  [me]  a  copy.  He  enquired 
of  me  if  I  wished  the  printers  to  have  a  copy  for 
publication,  and  I  answered  him  that  I  did,  and  that 
I  had  requested  a  copy  for  myself  with  a  view  to  its 
publication.  The  intimation  which  led  to  my  re- 
quest for  a  copy,  that  its  publication  might  be  sup- 


78  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [15  Aug. 

pressed  by  the  Speaker  until  the  next  Session  of  Con- 
gress, struck  me  with  great  surprise.  Not  exceeding 
two  minutes  before  the  adjournment  of  the  two 
Houses,  which  took  place  precisely  at  12  O'Clock  in 
pursuance  of  a  Joint  Resolution  previously  adopted, 
a  committee  of  the  Senate  consisting  of  Mr.  Hanne- 
gan,  chairman,  &  Mr.  Green  ^  of  R.  Island  &  Mr. 
Turney  of  Tennessee  waited  on  me  to  inform  me  that 
unless  I  had  some  further  communication  to  make 
they  were  ready  to  adjourn.  I  answered  that  I  had 
no  further  communications  to  make.  The  confusion 
and  disorder  in  the  Ho.  Repts.  was  such  that  they 
adjourned  abruptly  upon  the  arrival  of  the  hour  of 
12  O'clock,  and  no  committee  waited  on  me  from 
that  House.  I  returned  to  the  Presidential  mansion, 
and  during  the  remainder  of  the  day  saw  many  mem- 
bers of  both  Houses  of  Congress,  who  called  to  take 
leave  of  me.  I  am  heartily  rejoiced  that  the  Session 
of  Congress  is  over.  My  long  confinement  and  great 
labour  has  exceedingly  exhausted  me,  and  I  feel  the 
absolute  necessity  of  having  some  rest.  I  have  not 
been  three  miles  from  the  President's  mansion  since 
my  return  from  my  tour  through  the  Eastern  States 
in  June  &  July,  1847,  a  period  of  more  than  thirteen 
months.  Judge  Mason  left  with  his  wife  to-night 
to  visit  a  sick  child  in  Virginia. 

Tuesday,  75/A  August,  1848. —  Many  members  of 
Congress  called  to  take  leave  of  me  this  morning. 
With  them  many  office  seekers  made  their  way  into 

^Albert  Collins  Greene,  1791-1863,  Senator  from  Rhode  Is- 
land 1 845-1 85 1. 


i848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  79 

my  office.  The  professed  office-seekers  are  certainly 
the  most  contemptible  race  on  earth.  They  will 
never  cease  to  annoy  me.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the 
usual  hour;  all  the  members  present  except  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Treasury,  who  is  confined  to  his  house 
by  indisposition,  and  the  Sec.  of  the  Navy,  who  left 
the  City  on  yesterday.  Many  matters  preparatory 
to  the  execution  [of]  the  laws  passed  by  Congress 
at  the  late  Session  were  attended  to.  I  informed  the 
Cabinet  that  I  was  so  much  fatigued  and  worn  down 
that  I  proposed  to  leave  on  friday  next  on  a  visit  to 
the  Bedford  Springs  in  Pennsylvania  for  the  benefit 
of  my  health,  and  that  I  expected  to  be  absent  for 
ten  days,  and  that  I  desired  the  members  of  the  Cabi- 
net to  remain  at  Washington  during  my  absence. 
Mr.  Johnson,  the  P.  M.  Gen'l,  said  he  had  contem- 
plated a  short  visit  to  the  North  with  his  family, 
to  which  I  made  no  objection.  During  the  day  mem- 
bers of  Congress  called  to  take  leave  of  me.  This 
was  reception  evening.  A  few  persons,  ladies  & 
gentlemen,  called. 

Wednesday,  l6th  August,  1848, —  Many  persons 
called  this  morning.  At  12  O'Clock  I  closed  my 
office  &  devoted  most  of  the  day  to  clearing  my  table 
of  the  mass  of  papers  relating  to  many  matters  of 
detail  which  had  accumulated  on  my  table.  I  saw 
public  officers  also  and  attended  to  business  with 
them.  There  was  music  on  the  grounds  this  after- 
noon. I  did  not  attend.  I  was  much  fatigued  & 
was  not  well,  having  had  symptoms  of  the  return 
of  chills  during  the  day. 


6o  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [17  Aug. 

Thursday,  lyth  August,  1848. —  It  being  known 
that  I  intended  to  leave  on  to-morrow  on  a  short 
visit  to  the  Bedford  Springs  ^  in  Pennsylvania  for 
the  purpose  of  having  some  relaxation  from  my  long 
continued  confinement  and  labour,  and  for  the  benefit 
of  my  health,  a  great  number  of  persons  called  to-day. 
Among  others  were  a  herd  of  office-seekers,  who 
seemed  to  act  as  though  they  thought  it  was  the  last 
opportunity  they  would  ever  have  to  obtain  [a]  place. 
I  had  no  offices  for  them  and  am  greatly  disgusted 
with  them.  I  was  constantly  and  laboriously  occu- 
pied throughout  the  day  and  until  a  late  hour  at 
night  in  clearing  my  table  of  the  business  upon  [it], 
and  giving  to  the  members  of  my  Cabinet  instruc- 
tions concerning  the  public  business  during  my  ab- 
sence. Among  other  things  I  was  called  on  to  make 
compensation  to  J.  Quinn  Thornton  for  making  a 
journey  from  Oregon  to  Washington.  Hon  Robt. 
Smith  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  from  Illinois  called  on  me 
early  in  the  day  on  the  subject.  Congress  had  in- 
serted in  the  general  appropriation  Bill  an  item  to 
defray  the  expenses  and  for  the  compensation  of 
bearers  of  despatches  from  the  Temporary  Govern- 
ment in  Oregon  to  the  Government  of  the  U.  States. 
Mr.  Thornton  had  brought  to  me  in  May  last  a 
private  letter  from  Mr.  Abernathy,^  the  Governor  of 

^  Near  the  town  of  Bedford,  about  lOO  miles  southwest  of 
Harrisburg. 

^George  Abernathy,  1 807-1 877,  went  to  Oregon  as  a  mis- 
sionary in  1840;  was  elected  Governor  upon  the  organization  of 
the  provisional  government  in  1845  and  continued  in  office  until 
superseded  by  Joseph  Lane,  in  1849. 


i848]  JAMES    K,    POLK'S    DIARY  8i 

the  temporary  Governor  [government]  of  Oregon 
and  on  comparing  this  letter  with  the  terms  of  the  law 
I  had  doubts  whether  Mr.  Thornton's  claim  was  em- 
braced by  the  law.  Mr.  Smith  [said]  it  was  the  in- 
tention of  Congress  to  provide  for  his  payment.  He 
said  he  &  Senator  Douglass  of  Illinois  knew  Mr. 
Thornton  well.  I  told  him  if  Mr.  Thornton  would 
make  a  statement  of  his  claim  on  oath  and  that  he 
came  at  the  instance  and  request  of  the  Government 
or  Governor  of  Oregon,  and  he  (Mr.  Smith)  and 
Senator  Douglass  would  address  me  a  communication 
vouching  for  the  good  character  and  veracity  of  Mr. 
Thornton,  and  that  it  was  the  intention  of  Congress 
in  the  appropriation  they  had  made  to  pay  him,  that 
I  would  direct  his  payment.  Mr.  Smith  left  and  at  a 
subsequent  part  of  the  day  Senator  Douglass  called 
upon  the  subject,  &  I  held  in  substance  the  same  con- 
versation with  him  that  I  had  with  Mr.  Smith.  The 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  (Mr.  Walker)  was  in  my 
office  during  my  conversation  with  Mr.  Douglass.  I 
read  to  him  the  law  of  Congress  &  the  letter  from 
Governor  Abernathy,  and  discussed  with  him  the 
legal  question  whether,  upon  that  letter  as  the  only 
evidence  that  Mr.  Thornton  had  come  from  Oregon 
as  the  bearer  of  communications  to  the  Government 
of  the  U.  S.,  his  claim  fell  within  the  law.  Mr. 
Douglass  thought  it  did.  Upon  a  minute  examina- 
tion I  thought  otherwise,  &  so  expressed  myself.  I 
then  told  Mr.  Douglass  what  I  had  told  Mr.  Smith, 
and  when  I  said  to  him  if  Mr.  Thornton  would  state 
his  claim  on  oath  and  he  and  Mr.  Smith  would  vouch 
for  his  character  and  veracity  and  that  it  was  the  in- 


82  JAMES    K,    POLK'S    DIARY  {17  Aug. 

tention  of  Congress  in  the  appropriation  they  had 
made  to  pay  him  that  I  would,  upon  this  evidence,  in 
connection  with  Gov.  Abernathy's  letter,  direct  him 
to  be  paid;  Mr.  Douglass  said  in  an  excited  and  of- 
fensive manner,  that  could  be  done  but  he  would  feel 
humiliated  or  degraded  (I  am  not  positive  which  of 
these  terms  he  used)  to  do  it.  I  was  indignant  at  his 
manner  and  the  terms  he  used,  and  said  to  him 
promptly  in  a  stern  manner  that  I  did  not  ask  him  to 
humiliate  or  degrade  himself;  that  I  asked  him  to 
do  nothing  in  the  matter.  I  told  him  he  had  called 
on  me  to  urge  the  payment  of  the  claim;  that  I  de- 
sired to  pay  it  if  I  could  do  so  legally;  that  my  opin- 
ion was  that  I  would  not  be  justified  in  paying  it  upon 
the  naked  letter  of  Gov.  Abernathy  alone,  and  that  I 
would  not  direct  its  payment  upon  that  evidence.  I 
told  him  that  if  the  statement  he  &  Mr.  Smith  had 
made  to  me  verbally  was  not  put  in  writing  &  the 
evidence  I  required  furnished,  I  would  not  direct  its 
payment.  He  intimated  that  some  enemies  of  Thorn- 
ton who  were  intimate  friends  [of  mine]  had  prej- 
udiced me  against  him.  He  was  still  excited.  I 
told  him  the  fact  was  not  so  and  that  I  repelled  the 
insinuation.  I  demanded  of  him  to  give  me  the 
names  of  the  persons  by  whom  he  supposed  I  had 
been  prejudiced  against  Thornton,  which  he  declined 
to  do.  The  interview  was  painful  &  most  unex- 
pected to  me.  Mr.  Douglass  appeared  to  become 
calmer  &  to  talk  more  rationally  before  he  left.  His 
arrogant  tone  and  manner,  as  well  as  his  language, 
was  very  offensive.  I  was  myself  somewhat  excited 
&  after  he  left  the  room  I  asked  Mr.  Walker,  the 


1848]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARY  S3 

Sec.  of  the  Treasury,  if  I  had  been  betrayed  into  any 
impudent  expression  in  my  conversation  with  Mr. 
Douglass.  He  said  I  had  not,  and  that  Mr.  Doug- 
lass was  clearly  in  the  wrong.  Late  in  the  afternoon 
Mr.  Smith  of  111.  called  and  presented  to  me  the  evi- 
dence which  I  had  required  in  support  of  Thorn- 
ton's claim,  to  wit:  Thornton's  own  statement,  ac- 
companied with  statements  from  Senator  Douglass 
and  himself,  such  as  I  had  required  in  the  mo[rn]ing. 
These  papers  I  directed  to  be  placed  on  file  in  the 
War  Department,  and  upon  this  evidence  I  directed 
Mr.  Thornton  to  be  paid,  in  the  same  way  that  I 
had  directed  Mr.  Joseph  L.  Meek,  who  had  borne 
communications  from  the  Government  of  Oregon  to 
the  U.  S.,  to  be  paid.  Mr.  Smith  expressed  his  grat- 
ification that  Thornton  would  be  paid.  I  regret  ex- 
ceedingly the  excited  conversation  with  Mr.  Doug- 
lass. There  was  no  occasion  for  it,  and  it  was  his 
own  fault  that  it  occurred.  His  conduct  was  not  re- 
spectful to  my  public  station ;  was  assuming  and  ar- 
rogant, and  upon  reflection  he  must  regret  it. 

The  Hon.  John  McKeon  called  today  in  company 
with  Mr.  Marcy,  the  Secretary  of  War.  I  informed 
him  in  Mr.  Marcy's  presence  that  I  had  determined 
to  remove  Benjamin  F.  Butler  from  the  office  of  At- 
torney of  the  U.  S.  for  the  Southern  District  of  New 
York;  that  I  desired  to  make  the  removal  to-day,  & 
that  I  was  willing  to  appoint  him  (Mr.  McKeon)  in 
his  place,  and  offered  to  do  so.  Mr.  McKeon 
promptly  said  he  could  not  accept  it;  that  he  held  a 
good  office  in  the  City  of  New  York  which  would 
not  expire  for  two  &  an  half  years,  which  he  would 


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

not  give  up.  I  remarked  that  I  regretted  now  that 
I  had  not  appointed  him  when  I  appointed  Mr.  But- 
ler, shortly  after  I  came  into  the  Presidential  office. 
He  declined  positively  to  accept  the  office.  I  then 
asked  him  to  name  a  suitable  person  to  be  appointed, 
repeating  that  I  had  resolved  to  remove  Mr.  Butler 
and  desired  to  do  it  before  I  left,  as  I  intended  to  do, 
for  the  Bedford  Springs  on  to-morrow.  He  and 
Gov.  Marcy  canvassed  the  claims  of  several  of  the 
lawyers  in  New  York,  but  came  to  no  satisfactory 
opinion.  Mr.  McKeon  requested  me  to  postpone 
making  the  removal  &  appointment  until  my  return 
from  the  Springs,  and  that  in  the  mean-time  he 
would  return  to  New  York  &  consult  confidentially 
some  of  his  political  friends  and  would  write  Gov. 
Marcy  on  the  subject.  After  much  conversation 
with  him  and  Gov.  Marcy  I  agreed  to  his  suggestion. 
I  authorized  him  to  consult  with  Mr.  Charles  O'Con- 
ner  ^  and  Mr.  Cutting,  either  of  whom  I  was  will- 
ing to  appoint,  but  neither  of  whom  he  thought 
would  accept,  and  after  consulting  with  these  two 
gentlemen  confidentially  to  request  them  to  unite 
with  himself  in  recommending  a  proper  person  to  be 
appointed.  With  the  understanding  that  he  would 
do  so,  and  that  I  would  act  upon  the  subject  as  soon 
as  I  returned  from  the  Springs,  Mr.  McKeon  left. 
After  night  Gov.  Marcy  called  on  other  business,  & 
when  he  was  leaving  I  told  him  that  when  he  heard 

^Charles  O'Conor,  1 804-1 884,  a  noted  lawyer  of  New  York. 
He  was  the  senior  counsel  for  Jefferson  Davis  and  one  of  the 
signers  of  his  bail  bond.  He  changed  the  spelling  of  his  name, 
the  original  form  being  O'Connor. 


1848]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  85 

from  Mr.  McKeon,  O'Conner,  &  Cutting,  I  would 
leave  it  to  him  to  select  the  person  proper  to  be  ap- 
pointed. This  I  did  because  he  was  better  able  to 
judge  of  the  fitness  of  the  men  (lawyers)  in  New 
York  for  the  office  than  I  could  be. 

As  I  shall  leave  to-morrow  for  the  Bedford 
Springs,  I  will  continue  this  Diary  in  another  vol- 
ume,^ not  desiring  to  run  the  risk  of  any  casuality 
by  which  this  volume  might  be  lost  &  fall  into  other 
hands. 

I  retired  late  at  night,  exceedingly  fatigued  from 
a  most  oppressive  day's  labour.  The  weather  is  very 
warm,  and  I  greatly  need  rest  &  relaxation  from  busi- 
ness.    This  I  hope  I  shall  have  for  the  next  few  days. 

Friday,  l8th  August,  1848, —  This  morning  I 
set  out  from  Washington  on  a  visit  to  the  Bedford 
Springs  in  Pennsylvania.  I  took  the  morning  train 
of  cars  &  proceeded  to  Cumberland,  Maryland, 
where  I  arrived  at  6  O'Clock  P.  M.  I  was  accom- 
panied by  my  nephew,  Samuel  P.  Walker,  of  Ten- 
nessee, and  by  Dr.  Foltz,^  a  surgeon  in  the  Navy. 
It  had  been  known  a  day  or  two  before  that  I  in- 
tended to  make  the  visit,  though  no  public  notice  of 
it  had  been  announced.  My  object  was  to  have 
some  repose  and  relaxation  after  my  long  and  severe 
confinement  and  labour.     Since  my  return  early  in 

^  The  volume  of  the  Diary  in  use  at  this  time  is  discontinued 
with  this  day's  entry,  leaving  some  fifty  pages  blank.  The  entry 
for  August  18  begins  a  new  volume. 

^Jonathan  M.  Foltz,  Surgeon  in  the  navy  1838,  Chief  of  the 
Bureau  of  Medicine  and  Surgery  from  1871  until  his  retirement 
in  1872. 


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

July,  1847,  from  my  Northern  tour,  I  have  not  been 
more  than  two  or  three  miles  from  my  office,  and 
during  that  whole  period  (13  months)  my  labours, 
responsibilities,  and  anxieties  have  been  very  great. 
Indeed  I  was  exceedingly  wearied  and  almost  pros- 
trated by  fatigue.  I  regret  that  Mrs.  Polk  could 
not  accompany  me.  Some  friends  who  were  on  a 
visit  to  us  made  it  proper,  in  her  opinion,  that  she 
should  remain.  My  brother,  Wm.  H.  Polk,  and 
his  wife,  my  sister,  Mrs.  Hays,  and  her  daughter, 
and  Mrs.  Polk's  niece.  Miss  Sarah  P.  Rucker,  were 
inmates  of  our  family  and  they  constituted  too  nu- 
merous a  company  to  be  of  my  party.  At  Harper's 
Ferry  and  Charlestown  a  number  of  persons  who 
had  heard  that  I  was  expected  to  pass  had  assembled 
to  see  me.  Senator  Underwood  of  Ky.  and  his 
family,  Mr.  Thompson  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  from  Vir- 
ginia and  his  family,  and  Mr.  Gaines  of  Natchez, 
Miss.,  were  among  the  passengers  in  the  cars  as  far 
as  Cumberland.  They  all  spent  the  night  at  the 
same  Hotel  with  me  in  Cumberland.  A  number  of 
the  citizens  of  Cumberland  called  to  pay  their  re- 
spects in  the  course  of  the  evening.  I  should  not 
omit  to  mention  that  my  faithful  servant,  Wm.  Day, 
a  free  man  of  colour,  accompanies  me  and  is  very 
useful  to  me.  I  have  had  him  in  my  employment 
as  a  messenger  during  the  whole  of  my  Presidential 
term.     Col.  James  Polk  ^  of  Baltimore  came  up  in 

^  Colonel  James  Polk  of  Somerset,  Maryland,  appointed  Naval 
Officer  at  Baltimore  December  29,  1845.  He  was  a  descendant 
of  that  branch  of  the  Polk  family  which  remained  in  Maryland 
when  the  President's  ancestors  removed  to  North  Carolina. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  87 

the  cars  with  me  from  the  relay  House.  He  is  dis- 
tantly related  to  me,  having  descended  from  the 
same  original  stock.  He  will  join  my  party  in  the 
morning  &  will  accompany  me  to  the  Bedford 
Springs. 

Saturday,  igth  August,  1848, —  After  break- 
fast this  morning  I  left  Cumberland,  Md.,  for  the 
Bedford  Springs,  Penn.,  in  a  special  coach  furnished 
for  my  accommodation  by  Mr.  Johnson,  the  very 
obliging  stage  contractor  on  the  line.  Mr.  John- 
son accompanied  me  to  see  that  I  was  properly  ac- 
commodated. My  company  in  the  coach  consisted 
of  my  nephew,  Samuel  P.  Walker,  Dr.  Foltz,  Sur- 
geon of  the  U.  S.  Navy,  and  Col.  James  Polk  of 
Maryland.  The  latter  gentleman  fills  the  office  of 
Naval  officer  at  Baltimore.  He  descended  from  the 
same  family  with  myself,  and  is  distantly  related. 
At  the  half-way  House  between  Cumberland  and  the 
Bedford  Springs  (Anderson's)  the  teams  in  the 
coach  were  changed  &  we  procured  fresh  horses.  A 
number  of  farmers  of  the  neighbourhood  were 
there.  They  had  heard  the  day  before  that  I  was 
expected  to  pass  the  road  to-day.  I  shook  hands  and 
conversed  with  them.  I  soon  found  that  they  were 
democrats.  One  of  them,  named  Cisney,  was  a 
sensible  man,  and  talked  more  than  any  of  the  rest. 
He  told  me  that  the  valley  between  the  mountains  in 
which  we  were  was  called  Cumberland  Valley,  and 
that  in  politics  it  was  a  little  Berks  of  a  place.  Berks 
is  the  great  Democratic  county  of  Pennsylvania, 
using  [usually]  giving  between  four  and  five  thou- 


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

sand  of  a  Democratic  majority.  He  pointed  to  [a] 
House  in  view,  which  he  informed  me  was  the  place 
of  voting  in  that  District,  and  informed  me  that  at 
the  Presidential  election  in  1844  out  of  208  votes 
polled  192  of  them  were  given  to  Polk  &  Dallas, 
and  that  they  intended  to  give  as  good  a  vote  to 
Cass  &  Butler  this  fall.  I  took  leave  of  these  honest 
farmers  &  we  proceeded  on  our  journey.  I  was  re- 
quested by  Mr.  Cisney  to  call  at  a  house  which  he 
described  a  mile  on  the  way  and  shake  hands  with  his 
elder  brother,  who  was  now  88  years  old,  and,  as  he 
said,  always  opened  the  election  at  their  precinct  by 
giving  the  first  Democratic  vote.  I  called  at  the 
House  and  found  the  old  gentleman  absent  from 
home.  I  got  out  of  the  coach  and  shook  hands  with 
the  old  lady.  She  expressed  her  grief  that  the  old 
gentleman  was  absent  and  said  he  would  be  almost 
beside  himself  when  he  heard  I  had  been  there.     She 

said  he  had  rode  off  down  to  Esquire 's.     I  do 

not  remember  the  name  of  the  "  Squire,"  as  she 
called  it.  I  promised  her  to  call  and  see  him  on  my 
return,  which  seemed  greatly  to  delight  her.  We 
proceeded  on  our  way  to  the  Springs,  where  we  ar- 
rived about  I  O'clock  P.  M.  It  was  known  at  the 
Springs  that  I  was  expected  to-day,  but  I  was  not 
looked  for  until  about  4  O'Clock,  the  usual  hour  for 
the  arrival  of  the  stage.  It  was  not  known  that  I 
would  come  over  in  a  special  coach  and,  arriving 
two  or  three  hours  earlier  than  the  usual  hour  for 
the  arrival  of  the  Stage,  the  proprietor  and  company 
at  the  Springs  were  taken  by  surprise.  I  was  in- 
formed after  I  arrived  that  the  Citizens  of  the  Vil- 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  89 

lage  of  Bedford,  situated  about  2  miles  from  the 
Springs,  and  the  company  at  the  Springs  had  made 
arrangements  to  give  me  a  formal  reception,  and  had 
provided  a  band  of  music  for  the  purpose.  I  pre- 
fer to  have  arrived  quietly  as  I  did  than  to  have  had  a 
public  reception.  I  found  about  50  visitors  at  the 
springs,  and  among  them  v^as  my  old  friend,  the 
Hon.  John  Laporte,^  with  whom  I  served  in  Con- 
gress many  years  ago.  Col.  Black,^  lately  command- 
ing the  U.  S.  Volunteers  in  Mexico,  and  his  wife, 
Mr.  Magraw  of  Pittsburg,  Mr.  McKinley,  Editor 
of  the  leading  Democratic  paper  at  Harrisburg, 
were  also  of  the  number.  In  the  course  of  the  even- 
ing Gen'l  Bowman  and  a  number  of  other  citizens 
of  the  village  of  Bedford  came  out  to  see  me.  In 
the  evening  I  was  requested  to  walk  into  the  Ball- 
room, where  there  was  music  and  a  number  of  young 
persons  dancing.  I  remained  but  a  short  time  and 
then  retired  for  the  night.  I  find  the  buildings 
large  &  the  accommodations  good.  The  Springs 
are  situated  in  a  valley  between  two  mountains.  The 
valley  is  not  more  than  two  hundreds  yards  wide. 
One  of  the  head  streams  of  the  Juniata  runs  between 
the  mountains,  and  the  Springs  flow  out  of  the  sides 
of  the  mountain.  The  Spring  of  greatest  medicinal 
virtue  and  chiefly  used  is  a  bold,  strong  fountain.  I 
have  not  been  furnished  with  an  analysis  of  its  prop- 
erties. The  water,  however,  contains  portions  of 
magnesia  &  iron;  &  when  used  operates  chiefly  on 

^  John  Laporte,  Representative  from  Tennessee  1 833-1 837. 
^  Samuel   Black,    Lieutenant   Colonel   of    the    ist    regiment   of 
Pennsylvania  Volunteers  in  the  Mexican  War. 


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

the  kidneys  &  bowels.  There  are  also  a  white 
sulpher  springs;  a  Slate  Spring;  a  very  large  lime- 
stone Spring,  and  three  or  four  other  springs,  all 
within  a  circumference  of  less  than  three  hundred 
yards  in  diameter.  The  walks  and  grounds  are  neat 
&  well  shaded,  and  everything  about  the  establish- 
ment has  the  appearance  of  comfort.  I  used  but 
little  of  the  water  this  evening.  There  is  a  great  dif- 
ference between  the  hot  &  sultry  atmosphere  of 
Washington  &  this  place.  I  slept  under  a  blanket 
to-night  and  would  have  been  uncomfortable  with- 
out it. 

Sunday,  20th  August,  1848, —  I  rose  early  this 
morning  and  walked  to  the  main  spring,  drank  some 
of  the  water,  and  then  ascended  the  mountain  by  a 
winding  path  to  its  Summit,  where  a  summer-house 
or  shed  had  been  erected.  The  fog  rose  and  pre- 
vented the  view  over  the  valley  below,  which  is  said 
to  be  very  fine.  I  returned  and  drank  more  of  the 
water  before  breakfast.  This  being  the  sabbath  was 
a  quiet  day,  and  I  remained  chiefly  in  my  chamber. 
I  wrote  letters  to  Mrs.  Polk  &  to  J.  Knox  Walker. 
In  the  afternoon  I  ascended  to  the  top  of  the  moun- 
tain again  &  had  a  fine  view  of  the  valley  below  and 
-of  the  surrounding  country.  At  dinner  &  in  the 
afternoon  I  shook  hands  with  a  number  of  people 
from  the  village  &  the  neighbourhood,  who  from 
curiosity  had  come  to  see  the  President  of  the  United 
States.  The  day  became  cloudy  and  the  atmosphere 
cold,  so  much  so  that  about  2  O'Clock  I  had  a  fire 
made  in  my  room.     Towards  sunset  a  cold  rain  com- 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  91 

menced  falling.  At  8  O'Clock  P.  M.  the  company 
assembled  in  one  of  the  large  parlours  and  an  ex- 
cellent sermon  was  preached  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Pur- 
viance  ^  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  Mr.  Purviance 
resides  in  Baltimore.  After  the  service  v^as  over  I 
retired  for  the  night.  The  rain  continued  to  fall 
when  I  retired,  and  I  slept  very  comfortably  under 
two  blankets. 

Monday,  21st  August,  1848, —  The  weather  was 
cloudy  and  cool  this  morning,  and  I  fear  will  be  un- 
pleasant during  the  short  stay  I  propose  to  make  at 
the  Springs.  I  walked  to  the  Spring  and  drank 
freely  of  the  water  before  breakfast  this  morning. 
It  begins  to  produce  its  effect  on  my  system.  Sev- 
eral of  the  visitors  left  this  morning,  and  others  speak 
of  leaving  soon  in  consequence  of  the  unfavourable 
character  of  the  weather.  I  find  the  company  pleas- 
ant. Several  persons  from  the  village  of  Bedford 
&  the  surrounding  country  visited  me  to-day.  In  the 
evening  Mr.  Meek,  the  Marshall  of  the  Oregon 
Territory,  arrived  from  Washington  bearing  de- 
spatches to  me  from  Mr.  Buchanan,  the  Secretary  of 
State,  &  a  communication  from  Mr.  Cave  Johnson, 
the  Post  master  Gen'l.  By  them  I  learned  that 
Gen'l  Shields  of  Illinois,  whom  I  had  appointed 
Governor  of  Oregon,  had,  by  a  Telegraphic  de- 
spatch, declined  to  accept.  Before  I  left  Washing- 
ton I  had  made  known  my  intention,  in  the  event 
Gen'l  Shields  should  not  accept,  to  appoint  Gen'l 

^  Rev.  G.  D.  Purviance,  pastor  of  Fourth  Presbyterian  Church, 
Baltimore. 


92  JAMES   K.   POLKAS   DIARY  [22  Aug. 

Joseph  Lane  of  Indiana  to  be  Governor  of  Oregon. 
This  being  known,  Mr.  Buchanan  forwarded  to  me 
by  Mr.  Meek  a  commission  for  Gen'l  Lane,  all  com- 
plete except  my  signature.  I  signed  it  and  wrote  a 
letter  to  Gen'l  Lane.  I  delivered  the  commission 
and  letter  to  Mr.  Meek,  with  directions  to  proceed 
immediately  to  Gen'l  Lane's  residence  on  the  Ohio 
River,  near  Evansville,  Indiana,  and  deliver  them 
to  him.  I  prepared  a  Telegraphic  despatch  for 
Gen'l  Lane,  informing  him  of  his  appointment,  and 
forwarded  it  to  Thos.  J.  Reed,^  P.  M.  at  Louisville, 
with  a  request  that  he  would  send  it  to  him  by  the 
first  boat  descending  the  River.  This  Telegraphic 
despatch  I  delivered  to  Gen'l  Bowman,  the  editor  of 
the  Bedford  Gazette,  who  took  it  to  the  Telegraph 
office  in  the  village  of  Bedford  &  sent  it  oflf  to-night. 
Mr.  Meek  left  in  the  Western  Stage  and  proceeded 
on  his  journey.  My  orders  are  that  the  Governor, 
Marshall,  and  other  officers  of  Oregon  should,  if 
practicable,  proceed  to  Oregon  this  fall,  &  for  this 
purpose  a  military  escort  has  been  ordered  to  be  in 
readiness  at  Fort  Leavenworth,  Mo.,  to  accompany 
them.  If  Gov.  Lane  and  the  other  officers  can 
leave  Fort  Leavenworth  by  the  15th  of  September, 
they  can  cross  the  Rocky  Mountains  before  the  snows 
of  winter  will  obstruct  their  passage. 

Tuesday,  22nd  August,  1848. —  This  morning 
was  cool  &  fires  were  comfortable.  It  is  almost 
too  late  in  the  season  to  visit  this  watering  place.  In 
the  hot  weather  it  must  be  a  delightful  spot.     I  rode 

^  Thomas  J.  Read. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  93 

two  miles  &  visited  Maj'r  Watson  at  his  house  this 
morning.  Major  W.  had  invited  me  to  do  so.  I 
was  accompanied  by  a  party  of  Gentlemen.  When 
we  arrived  we  met  Judge  Black/  who  is  a  candidate 
for  the  Democratic  nomination  for  Governor  of 
Pennsylvania.  There  was  a  cold  collation  and  other 
refreshments.  I  returned  to  the  Springs  &  after 
dinner  rode  to  the  village  of  Bedford  at  the  invita- 
tion of  several  of  the  citizens.  A  party  of  gentle- 
men accompanied  me.  We  stopped  at  a  Hotel 
where  many  citizens  of  the  village  called  and  were 
introduced  to  me.  We  took  supper  and  returned  to 
the  Springs.  I  spend  my  time  very  comfortably. 
Judge  Laporte,  Judge  Black,  Col.  Black  of  Pitts- 
burg, lately  returned  from  Mexico,  Mr.  Magraw,  & 
other  Democratic  friends  are  of  the  company  at  the 
Springs.  The  Hon.  Job  Mann,  the  Representative 
of  the  District  in  Congress,  Gen'l  Bowman,  &  others 
who  reside  in  the  village,  spend  a  part  of  every  day 
with  me  at  the  Springs.  I  use  the  water  freely,  & 
think  the  rest,  mountain  air,  &  water  has  invigorated 
and  improved  me.  On  returning  from  the  village 
this  evening  I  found  the  Hon.  John  McKeon  of  the 
City  of  New  York,  with  whom  I  once  served  in 
Congress,  had  arrived.  He  very  soon  asked  me  to 
walk,  and  informed  me  that  he  had  come  especially 
to  see  me  and  to  say  that  he  would  accept  the  office  of 
Attorney  of  the  U.  S.  for  the  Southern  District  of 
New  York,  if  I  removed  Benjamin  F.  Butler,  who 
now  holds  that  office.     The  day  before  I  left  Wash- 

^  Jeremiah  Sullivan  Black,  18 10-1883,  U.  S.  Attorney  General 
1 85 7- 1 860,  Secretary  of  State  1 860-1 861. 


94  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [23  Aug. 

ington  Mr.  McKeon  called  on  me,  and  I  informed 
him  that  I  intended  to  remove  Mr.  Butler  and  that 
I  had  thought  of  tendering  the  office  to  him.  He 
at  that  time  declined  accepting  it,  and  in  consequence 
of  doubts  on  his  mind  who  should  be  appointed,  he 
requested  me  to  postpone  making  the  removal  &  ap- 
pointment until  after  my  return  from  my  contem- 
plated visit  to  Bedford  Springs,  &  until  he  could  go 
to  N.  York  &  consult  two  friends,  Mr.  Cutting  and 
Mr.  Charles  O'Connor,  as  to  the  proper  person  to  be 
appointed.  I  agreed  to  postpone  action  as  he  had  re- 
quested. The  Secretary  of  War  was  present  during 
that  conversation  with  him.  He  was  to  write  to 
Mr.  Marcy  after  his  return  to  N.  York.  After  he 
left  I  saw  Mr.  Marcy  in  the  evening  &  told  him  that 
I  would  rely  upon  his  opinion  as  to  the  person  I 
would  appoint.  Now  Mr.  McKeon  desires  the  ap- 
pointment himself.  I  informed  him  of  what  I  had 
said  to  Mr.  Marcy  on  thursday,  after  he  left  my 
office,  &  that  I  would  not  act  until  I  saw  Mr.  Marcy, 
and  that  I  would  probably,  after  what  I  had  said  to 
him,  appoint  the  person  whom  he  might  recommend. 

Wednesday,  23rd  August,  1848. —  Mr.  John 
McKeon  of  New  York,  who  arrived  here  on  last 
evening,  left  here  early  this  morning  (see  this  Diary 
of  yesterday).  About  11  O'Clock  to-day  accom- 
panied by  8  or  10  gentlemen  in  carriages  &  in  pur- 
suance of  a  previous  arrangement,  I  set  out  to  ride 
to  the  village  of  Schellsburg,  about  9  miles  on  the 
turnpike  road  in  the  direction  towards  Pittseburg. 
In  passing  through  the  village  of  Bedford  I  called  a 


i848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  95 

few  minutes  at  the  House  of  my  friend,  the  Hon.  Job. 
Mann,    the   Representative   in   Congress   from    this 
District,  &  paid  my  respects  to  his   family.     Mr. 
Mann  accompanied  the  party  to  Schellsburg.     At 
Schellsburg  the  people   from  the  village  &  many 
from  the  country  called  and  shook  hands  with  me  at 
the   tavern   at  which   we  stopped.     Several   ladies 
called.     The  people  seemed  to  be  much  gratified. 
They  said,  and  the  people  of  the  village  of  Bedford, 
that  I  was  the  first  President  of  the  U.  S.  who  had 
ever  visited  them  since  the  Whisky  insurrection  in 
1794,  when  troops  had  been  collected  there  to  sup' 
press   it,   and  when   Gen'l  Washington  was   there. 
The  people  seemed  to  be  much  gratified  at  my  visit. 
We  took  dinner  at  Schellsburg  and  returned  to  the 
Springs,  having  had  a  pleasant  ride  &  spent  the  day 
pleasantly.     On  my  return   I   found  Judge   Long- 
streth   who,   as  well   as  Judge   Black  who   accom- 
panied me  to   Schellsburg,   is  a  candidate  for  the 
Democratic   nomination    as    a   candidate   for   Gov- 
ernor.    He    had    arrived    in    the    afternoon.     The 
State  convention  to  make  the  nomination  will  meet 
at  Harrisburg  on  Wednesday  next,  the  30th  Instant. 
I  was   informed   that   during  my   absence   to    [at] 
Schellsburg  a  fellow  named  Nugent,  the  correspon- 
dent of  the  New  York  Herald  over  the  signature  of 
Galvienses,  and  who  has  been  calumniating  me  for 
the  last  two  years  in  his  letters  to  that  paper,  had  ar- 
rived.    He  is  the  same  fellow  who  was  arraigned 
before  the  Senate  for  contempt  at  its  last  Session. 
He  was  pointed  out  to  me,  for  I  had  never  seen  his 
person  before  to  know  him.     He  has,  no  doubt,  fol- 


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

lowed  me  to  the  Springs  to  see  what  new  slander  he 
can  invent  for  his  employers  to  be  published  in  the 
Herald,  I  informed  Judge  Laporte  who  he  was,  & 
took  especial  care  not  to  speak  to  him  &  not  to  per- 
mit myself  to  converse  in  his  presence.  Though  a 
writer  of  some  smoothness  I  consider  him  an  un- 
principled scoundrel.  I  may  expect  to  see  some 
falsehood  or  other  propagated  by  him  in  the  Herald, 

Thursday,  24th  August,  1848. —  Intending  to 
leave  on  to-morrow  I  spent  a  considerable  portion  of 
the  day  in  writing  in  my  room.  Quite  a  number  of 
persons  from  the  surrounding  country  called  to  see 
me  to-day.  Judge  Black  and  Judge  Longstreth 
both  left  to-day.  The  weather  is  so  damp  and  cool 
that  most  of  the  company  speak  of  leaving  in  two  or 
three  days.  In  the  evening  a  number  of  young  per- 
sons, male  &  female,  came  out  from  the  village  of 
Bedford,  and  there  was  dancing  in  the  Ball-Room. 
I  was  requested  to  walk  into  the  Ball  room.  I  did 
so,  &  after  remaining  a  few  minutes  I  retired.  My 
nephew,  Samuel  P.  Walker,  did  some  copying  for 
me  to-day. 

Friday,  2Sth  August,  1848, —  After  Breakfast  this 
morning  I  set  out  in  the  Stage  for  Cumberland,  Md., 
on  my  return  to  Washington.  I  was  accompanied 
by  my  nephew,  Sam'l  P.  Walker;  Dr.  Foltz,  sur- 
geon of  the  U.  S.  Navy;  Col.  James  Polk  of  Mary- 
land, who  has  been  one  of  my  party  during  my  visit 
to  Bedford;  and  by  Col.  Samuel  Black  of  Pittsburg, 
and  his  wife.    When  the  stage  had  proceeded  about 


i848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  ,        97 

four  miles,  I  was  overtaken  by  a  messenger  with  a 
Telegraphic  despatch  from  Genl  Lane  of  Indiana, 
dated  at  Louisville,  Kentucky,  this  morning,  inform- 
ing me  that  he  had  received  the  Telegraphic  de- 
spatch which  I  had  sent  through  Thos.  J.  Reed, 
P.  M.  of  Louisville,  Ky.,  to  him  on  the  night  of  the 
2ist  Instant  (see  this  Diary  of  that  day)  and  that  he 
accepted  the  appointment  of  Governor  of  Oregon 
and  would  be  ready  to  proceed  to  Oregon  with  Mr. 
Meek,  the  Marshall,  this  fall.  This  telegraphic  de- 
spatch is  dated  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  this  morning,  and 
reached  me  before  10  O'Clock  A.  M.  The  stage  to 
Cumberland  stopped  at  the  half-way  House  between 
the  Bedford  Springs  and  Cumberland  (Anderson's) 
where  I  found  about  20  persons  of  the  neighbour- 
hood assembled  to  see  me.  I  conversed  familiarly 
with  them.  I  stopped  on  the  wayside  an  aged  man 
named  Cisney,  who  was  and  had  been  for  many  years 
a  leading  man  of  the  neighbourhood.  He  told  me 
he  was  88  years  old,  that  he  had  always  been  a  Dem- 
ocratic [Democrat],  &  had  voted  at  every  election 
since  he  was  entitled  to  vote.  He  is  a  remarkable 
person.  We  arrived  at  Cumberland  about  5  O'Clock 
P.  M.  and  remained  there  all  night.  During  the 
evening  many  persons  called  to  see  me.  I  deter- 
mined to-night  to  stop  at  the  Berkeley  Springs  on  to- 
morrow. They  are  situated  about  50  miles  from 
Cumberland  and  two  or  three  miles  from  the  Rail 
Road  from  Cumberland  to  Baltimore. 

Saturday,  26th  August,  1848. —  I  left  Cumber- 
land in  the  cars  at  8  O'Clock  this  morning,   and 


g8         .         JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [26  Aug. 

about  10  O'clock  A.  M.  stopped  at  the  depot  near 
the  Berkeley  Springs.  I  left  the  cars  and  proceeded 
to  the  Springs.  I  was  accompanied  by  my  Nephew, 
Samuel  P.  Walker,  Dr.  Foltz,  and  Col.  James  Polk 
of  Baltimore,  who  constituted  my  party.  We  ar- 
rived at  the  springs  between  11  &  12  O'Clock  and 
stopped  at  Strother's  Hotel.  We  found  a  company 
of  fashionable  people,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  num- 
bering, it  was  said,  between  150  and  200  persons. 
There  were  two  Hotels  at  the  place.  Most  of  the 
visitors  were  at  the  Hotel  at  which  I  stopped. 
There  was  some  competition,  as  I  learned,  as  to  the 
Hotel  at  which  I  should  [stop],  but  in  this  I  took  no 
part  but  left  it  to  Dr.  Foltz,  who  had  written  from 
Cumberland  last  evening  by  the  night  train  of  cars 
to  Capt.  Bowie,  a  friend  of  his,  who  is  a  visitor  at 
the  Springs,  to  engage  rooms.  Capt.  Bowie  had  en- 
gaged the  rooms  accordingly,  and  met  us  at  the 
Depot  to  accompany  us.  I  found  at  the  Springs 
Senator  Johnson  of  Louisiana  and  his  wife;  Judge 
Daniel  ^  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  U.  S.  and  his 
two  daughters;  Judge  Pendleton  &  his  family;  The 
Rev.  Dr.  Laurie  of  Washington  &  his  wife;  Mrs. 
Key  &  her  daughters,  &  many  others,  chiefly  from 
Virginia  &  Maryland.  The  town  of  Berkeley  is 
the  County  seat  of  Morgan  County,  Virginia,  and  is 
situated  in  a  valley  with  mountains  or  hills  around  it. 
It  was  formerly  called  the  bath  springs.  It  has  been 
resorted  to  as  a  bathing  place  for  more  than  half  a 
century.     Gen'l   Washington   occasionally   attended 

^  Peter  Vivian  Daniel,  Associate  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court 
1 840- 1 860. 


i848]  ,      JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  99 

them,  and  a  small  log  house  is  still  standing  and  is 
pointed  out  as  the  one  he  occupied.  There  is  no 
mineral  or  medicinal  water.  There  is  a  clear  boil- 
ing spring  of  water  which  is  warmer  that  [than]  the 
water  of  other  springs  usually  is,  being  of  a  temper- 
ature of  about  75  degrees.  This  water  is  used  for 
bathing,  &  this  is  the  only  inducement  which  I  could 
discover  for  visiting  the  place.  The  grounds  and 
walks  are  handsomely  laid  off,  and  the  Hotel  is  well 
kept.  The  dining  hour  was  2^  O'Clock  P.  M.  A 
good  deal  of  form  and  ceremony  were  observed  at 
Dinner.  In  the  afternoon  I  took  a  bath,  but  could 
not  discover  that  it  was  in  any  respects  superior  to  a 
bath  taken  any  where  else,  where  there  was  puring 
[pure]  running  spring  water.  I  presume  the  chief 
reason  why  this  has  been  a  place  of  resort  in  summer 
must  be  that  it  is  situated  among  hills  and  is  in  a 
healthy  part  of  the  country.  I  was  introduced  in  the 
course  of  the  afternoon  to  many  of  the  visitors,  ladies 
&  gentlemen;  and  to  several  persons  living  in  the 
village  &  adjacent  country  who  called  to  see  me.  In 
the  evening  there  was  dancing  in  the  large  dining 
room,  which  was  used  also  as  a  ball  room.  I  was  in- 
vited to  go  into  the  Bali-Room  &  did  so.  I  remained 
about  an  hour,  when  I  retired  for  the  night. 

Sunday,  27th  August,  1848. —  Nothing  worthy 
of  notice  occurred  this  morning.  At  11  O'Clock  ac- 
companied by  Senator  Johnson  of  Louisiana,  Judge 
Daniel,  Dr.  Foltz,  S.  P.  Walker,  and  Col.  Harmon- 
son,  I  attended  Divine  service  in  a  small  methodist 
church.     The  Rev.  Dr.  Lourie  of  the  Presbyterian 


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

church  preached  a  good  sermon.  Col.  Harmonson 
is  a  leading  citizen  of  the  village,  is  a  Democrat,  and 
has  been  very  attentive  to  me  since  my  arrival.  He 
expressed  his  regret  that  I  had  stopped  at  the  Hotel 
I  did,  as  he  informed  me  that  the  proprietor 
( Strother)  was  a  violent  Federalist  &  very  vindictive. 
He  introduced  to  me  a  number  of  the  people  of  the 
village  &  adjacent  country,  w^ho  had  come  in  to  see 
me.  Among  those  whom  he  introduced  were  two 
methodist  preachers,  named  Whitmore  &  Tyson,  who 
had  come  in  from  the  country  to  see  me.  Col.  James 
Polk  of  Maryland,  who  had  been  one  of  my  party  to 
Bedford  &  here,  left  this  morning.  I  will  leave  for 
Washington  on  to-morrow.  Having  determined  to 
leave  on  to-morrow  morning  for  Washington,  I 
learned  after  night  that  the  carriages  which  run  from 
the  House  (Strother's)  at  which  I  stop  to  convey 
passengers  to  &  from  the  Rail  Road  depot  were  filled, 
&  that  I  could  get  no  passage  on  to-morrow.  The 
distance  is  about  2  ^  miles.  I  inquired  how  this 
was.  Dr.  Foltz  and  Dr.  [Mr.]  S.  P.  Walker  had 
engaged  seats  at  the  bar  on  yesterday  and  were  told 
that  they  would  be  furnished.  Now  it  appeared  that 
they  would  not  be  furnished.  I  felt  that  this  was 
bad  treatment,  and  so  expressed  myself  to  Dr.  Foltz 
and  Mr.  Walker.  Before  bed-time  two  or  three 
young  men,  having  heard  of  the  difficulty,  called  at 
my  room  to  tender  to  me  and  my  party  seats  which 
they  had  engaged.  I  declined  to  accept  them,  stating 
that  I  had  been  badly  treated  by  the  land-lord,  but 
that  I  would  not  put  them  to  any  inconvenience ;  that 
during  my  absence  from  Washington  I  had  no  other 


i848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  loi 

or  greater  privileges  than  any  other  citizen,  and  that 
I  would  take  care  of  myself.  I  learned  afterwards 
that  I  was  to  [be]  put  into  a  Stage  running  to  Han- 
cock, on  the  Rail  Road,  a  distance  of  six  miles.  This 
I  did  not  like.  The  young  men  who  politely 
tendered  me  their  seats  were  Mr.  Davis  of  Baltimore 
(son  of  the  former  mayor)  Capt.  Boyle  of  Annapolis, 
late  of  [the]  U.  S.  Army  in  Mexico,  [and]  Capt. 
Bowie  of  W  [?]  I  was  now  satisfied  that  Col. 
Harmonson  was  right  in  his  regret  that  I  had  not 
stopped  at  the  other  House  (O'Farreirs)  in  the  vil- 
lage. I  had  received  an  invitation  at  Cumberland 
on  friday  evening  from  O'Farrell  &  Co.  to  stop  at 
their  House,  but  Dr.  Foltz  wrote  to  Capt.  Bowie, 
who  was  at  the  Springs,  to  engage  rooms  for  me,  & 
he  had  done  so  &  met  me  at  the  depot  on  the  rail- 
road on  Saturday  morning  &  informed  me  that  he 
had  done  so.  In  this  way  it  happened  that  I  had 
stopped  at  Strother's.  Strother  pretends  to  belong 
to  the  mock  aristocracy,  but  must  be  a  low-bred  man, 
and  I  attribute  the  bad  treatment  I  have  received  to 
his  vindictiveness  in  politics. 

Monday,  28th  August,  1848. —  Learning  of  the 
difficulty  which  had  been  interposed  to  my  getting 
a  passage  in  the  regular  conveyances  this  morning  to 
the  Rail  Road  Depot,  Col.  Harmonson,  who  was  very 
indignant  at,  it  had  procured  a  fine  new  coach  to 
convey  me  &  my  party  to  Hancock.  An  early  break- 
fast was  ordered  by  S.  P.  Walker  &  Dr.  Foltz,  in 
order  to  enable  me  to  reach  Hancock  before  the  cars 
passed.     (See    this    Diary    of    yesterday.)     While 


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

walking  in  the  porch,  waiting  for  breakfast  &  the 
coach,  Mr.  Strother,  the  land-lord  (who  had  no 
doubt  become  uneasy  at  the  dissatisfaction  expressed 
by  all  the  visitors  who  had  heard  of  his  treatment  of 
me)  approached  me  and  introduced  the  subject  by 
inquiring  which  route  I  preferred  to  the  Depot.  I 
had  but  little  to  say  to  him,  as  I  felt  indignant  at 
his  conduct  &  did  not  care  to  converse  with  him. 
I  gave  him  no  satisfaction,  but  said  to  him  that  I  had 
taken  it  for  granted  that  as  a  matter  of  course  the 
visitors  at  his  house  would  be  furnished  with  a  con- 
veyance to  the  Rail  Road  when  they  wished  to  leave, 
&  like  all  other  visitors  I  had  expected  it  until,  to 
my  surprise,  I  was  informed  last  night  that  he  had 
provided  no  such  conveyance  for  me.  One  or  two 
persons  stepped  up,  and  desiring  to  have  no  conver- 
sation with  him  I  continued  my  walk  in  the  porch. 
Dr.  Foltz,  S.  P.  Walker,  and  myself  took  an  early 
breakfast;  I  paid  a  short  visit  to  Col.  Harmonson's 
family,  and  left  in  a  new  coach  which  Col.  H.  had 
provided  for  Hancock.  I  was  accompanied  by  S.  P. 
Walker,  Dr.  Foltz,  my  servant,  and  two  gentlemen 
from  Pennsylvania.  We  arrived  at  Hancock  half 
an  hour  before  the  cars  passed.  At  Hancock,  or 
rather  at  the  Depot  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Po- 
tomac River  from  the  town,  I  saw  &  shook  hands 
with  a  number  of  persons  who  were  there.  I  took 
the  cars  &  proceeded  on  my  return.  At  the  relay 
House  I  met  Andrew  J.  Polk  of  Tennessee,  who  was 
on  his  way  to  Raleigh,  N.  C.  At  the  Depot  midway 
between  Washington  &  Baltimore  I  met  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan, Sec.  of  State,  who  returned  with  me  to  Wash- 


1848J  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  103 

ington.  He  informed  me  that  he  had  that  evening 
come  that  far  with  his  sister  on  her  return  from  a 
visit  to  Washington.  On  arriving  at  the  President's 
mansion  I  found  the  family  well,  except  my  two 
nieces,  Virginia  Hays  &  Sarah  P.  Rucker,  both  of 
whom,  I  was  informed,  had  chills  and  fevers  on 
yesterday.  My  sister,  Ophelia  C.  Hays,  &  my 
brother,  W.  H.  Polk,  &  his  wife,  were  still  inmates 
of  my  family.  J.  Knox  Walker,  my  Private  Secre- 
tary, left  to-night  to  visit  his  wife  and  children  at 
Lynchburg,  Virginia.  I  learn  that  Rob't  J.  Walker, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  left  the  day  after  I  did 
for  Rockaway,  N.  Y.,  for  the  benefit  of  his  health 
&  was  still  absent;  that  Isaac  Toucey,  the  Atto.  Gen'l, 
had  been  called  home  suddenly  in  consequence  of  the 
illness  of  a  member  of  his  family;  and  that  Cave 
Johnson  &  his  wife  had  left  on  yesterday  morning 
on  a  visit  to  the  North.  I  learn  that  Judge  Mason, 
who  was  absent  in  Va.  when  I  left,  returned  three  or 
four  days  ago.  His  sick  child  whom  he  had  gone 
to  Virginia  to  visit,  I  learn,  died. 

Tuesday,  2Qth  August,  1848, —  I  found  on  my 
table  a  large  number  of  letters  &  communications 
which  had  been  received  in  my  absence  and  been 
opened  &  endorsed  by  my  Private  Secretary;  none 
of  which  were  very  important,  but  most  of  which 
required  attention.  A  number  of  persons  called 
and  among  them  were  a  number  of  office-seekers. 
At  the  usual  hour  of  the  meeting  of  the  Cabi- 
net, Mr.  Buchanan,  Mr.  Marcy,  &  Mr.  Mason 
attended,    being    all    who    were    in    the    City    (see 


104  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [29  Aug. 

this  Diary  of  yesterday).  Many  matters,  chiefly 
of  detail,  which  had  been  awaiting  my  return 
were  considered  &  disposed  of.  The  Secretary  of 
War  presented  a  plan  of  distribution  of  the  regular 
army  among  the  various  posts  &  stations  deemed 
necessary  to  be  occupied  in  a  period  of  peace.  This 
plan,  running  as  it  did  into  much  detail,  I  could  only 
approve  generally.  The  larger  portion  of  the  force 
were  to  be  stationed  on  the  frontier,  in  Oregon  &  the 
newly  acquired  territories  of  New  Mexico  &  Cali- 
fornia. The  Secretary  of  State  brought  to  my 
notice  the  numerous  statements  and  rumours  in  pub- 
lic newspapers  of  a  contemplated  movement  or 
expedition  of  citizens  of  the  U.  S.  of  hostile  charac- 
ter towards  Mexico,  the  object  of  which  was  said  to 
be  to  revolutionize  the  Northern  provinces  of  Mex- 
ico and  to  establish  the  Republic  of  Sierra  Madra. 
If  such  a  movement  is  on  foot,  or  such  an  expedition 
contemplated,  any  attempt  to  exercise  [execute]  it 
would  be  a  clear  violation  of  our  international  obli- 
gations under  the  late  Treaty  with  Mexico,  &  a  vio- 
lation of  our  neutrality  laws  as  applied  to  all  nations 
with  which  the  U.  S.  are  at  peace,  and  it  would  be 
the  imperative  duty  of  the  President  of  the  U.  S.  to 
take  all  legal  measures  in  his  power  to  arrest  and 
prevent  it.  The  persons  supposed  to  be  engaged  in 
the  contemplated  expedition  against  Mexico  are 
called  in  the  newspapers  Buffalo  Hunters,  meaning 
that  they  are  to  organize  &  invade  Mexico,  under  the 
pretense  that  they  are  engaging  simply  in  a  Buffalo 
Hunt.  After  discussing  the  subject  it  was  the  unani- 
mous opinion  of  the  members  of  the  cabinet  present 


I&48]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  105 

&  myself  that  precautionary  measures  should  be 
adopted  to  repress  &  prevent  as  [any]  such  contem- 
plated expedition.  With  that  view  it  was  agreed 
that  the  Secretary  of  State  should  immediately  ad- 
dress instructions  to  the  Attorneys  of  the  U.  S.  in 
Louisiana,  Texas,  &  other  Western  States  to  be  vigi- 
lent  in  ascertaining  if  such  a  design  was  on  foot,  & 
if  so  and  he  could  obtain  the  requisite  proof,  to  insti- 
tute prosecutions  against  all  persons  concerned  in  it. 
It  was  agreed  also  that  the  Secretary  of  War  should 
address  without  delay  instructions  to  Gen'l  Taylor, 
commanding  the  Western  Division  of  the  army,  in- 
cluding Texas  &  the  Rio  Grande  frontier,  to  use 
military  force  if  necessary  to  check  &  repress  such 
a  movement,  if  one  were  attempted.  Both  the  U.  S. 
Attorneys  and  Gen'l  Taylor  were  to  be  instructed  to 
Report  all  the  information  on  the  subject  which  they 
possessed  or  could  obtain,  to  the  Government.  Mr. 
Buchanan  informed  me  that  during  my  absence  at 
the  Bedford  Springs  Mr.  Crampton,  Brittish  charge 
d'affaires,  had  called  at  the  Department  of  State  and 
informed  him  that  he  had  a  despatch  from  his  Gov- 
ernment instructing  him  to  call  on  the  Government 
of  the  U.  S.  to  perform  their  Treaty  obligations  to 
Great  Brittain  and  to  enforce  our  neutrality  laws,  by 
preventing  our  citizens  from  taking  part  with  the 
people  of  Ireland  in  their  present  attempt  to  resist 
the  authority  of  the  Brittish  Government.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan informed  me  that  at  his  suggestion  Mr. 
Crampton  agreed  to  postpone  executing  his  instruc- 
tions by  making  the  demand  upon  this  Government, 
until  after  the  arrival  of  the  next  Steamer  from  Eng- 


io6  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [29  Aug. 

land,  which  was  then  daily  expected,  as  the  intelli- 
gence which  that  Steamer  might  bring  might  render 
such  a  step  unnecessary.  The  Steamer  had  since 
arrived  bringing  intelligence  unfavourable  to  the 
success  of  the  Irish  patriots  and  rendering  it  probable 
that  they  had  been  overpowered  by  the  Brittish  army 
in  Ireland,  and  since  this  news  was  received  he  had 
heard  nothing  from  Mr.  Crampton.  All  my  sym- 
pathies are  with  the  oppressed  and  suffering  people 
of  Ireland,  and  I  hope  no  occasion  will  occur  to 
render  it  necessary  for  the  Executive  to  act  in  enforc- 
ing our  neutrality  laws.  I  sincerely  wish  the  Irish 
patriots  success,  but  though  this  is  the  case,  it  would 
be  my  imperative  duty  to  see  our  neutrality  laws 
faithfully  executed.  No  action  is  at  present  required 
in  the  matter. 

I  stated  to  the  members  of  the  Cabinet  who  were 
present  that  I  wished  now  to  execute  the  purpose 
which  I  had  for  some  weeks  resolved  upon,  by  re- 
moving Benjamin  F.  Butler  of  New  York  from  the 
ofRce  of  United  States  Attorney  for  the  Southern 
District  of  New  York.  The  subject  had  been  previ- 
ously submitted  to  the  Cabinet,  &  I  now  called  their 
attention  to  the  very  exceptionable  speech,  recently 
published,  which  he  made  at  the  Buffalo  Convention, 
assembled  on  the  9th  Instant,  and  to  paragraphs  in 
the  New  York  Evening  Post  almost  challenging  his 
removal.  I  stated  I  had  resolved  to  remove  him,  & 
that  they  might  consider  that  as  settled.  I  informed 
them  that  I  had  difficulties  in  determining  who 
should  be  appointed  in  his  stead,  and  it  was  upon  that 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  107 

point  I  wished  their  advice.  On  thursday,  the  17th 
Inst,  the  day  before  I  left  Washington  on  my  visit 
to  the  Bedford  Springs,  the  Hon.  John  McKeon 
called,  &  the  Secretary  of  War  and  myself  held  a  con- 
versation with  him  on  the  subject  (see  this  Diary  of 
that  day) .  At  that  time  Mr.  McKeon  did  not  desire 
the  appointment.  He  requested  me  to  postpone  act- 
ing on  the  subject  until  my  return  from  the  Springs, 
for  the  reason  that  he  was  not  satisfied  who  ought  to 
be  appointed.  I  acceded  to  his  wishes,  with  [and] 
the  understanding  was  that  he  was  to  return  to  New 
York  &  after  consulting  Mr.  Charles  O'Conner  & 
Mr.  Cutting,  he  was  to  write  to  the  Secretary  of  War 
recommending  the  person  whom  he  thought  it  proper 
to  be  appointed.  To  my  surprise  Mr.  McKeon 
visited  me  at  the  Bedford  Springs  on  the  22nd  Inst., 
&  made  known  to  me  that  he  had  changed  his  mind 
&  was  then  willing  to  accept  the  appointment  himself 
(see  this  Diary  of  that  day) .  On  the  morning  of  the 
23rd  Inst.,  Mr.  McKeon  [left]  the  Springs  without 
my  seeing  him.  After  he  left  I  observed  an  article 
in  the  Pennsylvanian,  signed  by  himself  &  others 
styling  themselves  a  directory  to  take  measures  to  aid 
the  Irish  people  in  their  resistance  to  the  Brittish 
Government.  As  soon  as  I  read  this  article  I  had 
apprehensions  that  Mr.  McKeon  may  have  subjected 
himself  to  the  penal  provisions  of  our  neutrality  laws, 
which  as  President  of  the  U.  S.  I  would  be  bound  to 
see  faithfully  executed.  If  any  occasion  should  arise 
making  [it]  my  duty  to  enforce  these  laws  it  must 
be  done  through  the  agency  of  the  District  attorneys 


io8  JAMES   K.   POLKAS    DIARY  [30  Aug. 

of  the  U.  S.,  and  in  such  case  it  would  be  very  em- 
barrassing that  Mr.  McKeon  himself  should  hold 
that  office  in  New  York.  I  accordingly  immediately 
addressed  a  letter  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  enclosing 
the  newspaper  article  and  expressing  my  doubts  of 
the  propriety  of  appointing  him.  I  kept  a  copy  of 
this  letter.  The  subject  was  discussed  and  all  the 
members  of  the  Cabinet  present  concurred  with  me 
in  the  opinion  that  Mi.  McKeon  ought  not  to  be 
appointed;  but  after  all  that  had  ocurred  with  Mr. 
McKeon,  and  in  view  of  the  interview  stated  in  this 
day's  diary  held  by  Mr.  Crampton,  the  Brittish 
charge  d'affaires,  on  the  subject  of  the  enforcement 
of  our  neutrality  laws  as  respects  the  Irish  question, 
Mr.  Marcy  suggested  that  it  would  be  important  to 
satisfy  Mr.  McKeon  that  he  ought  not  to  desire  or 
insist  upon  being  appointed ;  and  with  a  view  to  have 
an  opportunity  to  confer  with  him  &  to  satisfy  him 
upon  this  point,  Mr.  Marcy  proposed  that  he  would 
send  a  Telegraphic  despatch  to  Mr.  McKeon  & 
request  him  to  come  to  Washington,  &  that  for  that 
purpose  I  should  postpone  making  the  appointment 
for  two  or  three  days.  To  this  I  agreed,  &  Mr. 
Marcy  prepared  a  Telegraphic  despatch  &  sent  it 
off.  I  despatched  much  business  which  had  accumu- 
lated on  my  table  to-day.  This  being  reception  even- 
ing a  number  of  persons  called. 

Wednesday,  30th  August,  1848. —  I  was  sur- 
prised to  learn,  as  soon  as  I  rose  this  morning,  from 
the  servants  that  an  old  servant  named  Smith,  a 
colored  man  whom  I  have  hired  &  had  in  my  employ- 
ment as  a  fire-maker  during  my  whole  term,  died  in 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  109 

his  room  in  the  President's  House  about  i  O'Clock 
this  morning.  He  has  been  confined  to  his  room  by 
a  chronic  disease  for  some  weeks  past,  but  his  imme- 
diate dissolution  was  not  anticipated.  He  was  a 
free  man  &  a  faithful  old  servant.  During  his  illness 
he  was  waited  on  &  all  his  wants  supplied  by  the 
other  servants.  I  directed  my  Stewart  [steward]  to 
procure  a  coffin  &  see  that  he  was  decently  &  properly 
interred.  He  was  interred  late  in  the  evening.  The 
expenses,  as  the  Stewart  [steward]  reported,  were 
twenty  dollars,  which  I  directed  him  to  pay  &  he 
did  so.  In  the  course  of  the  day  Mr.  Buchanan 
called  and  read  to  rne  the  instructions  ^  which  he  had 
prepared,  in  pursuance  of  the  understanding  in 
Cabinet  on  yesterday,  to  the  U.  S.  District  attorneys 
to  take  measures  to  prevent  the  ^'Buffalo  Hunters," 
as  they  were  styled  in  the  newspapers,  from  making 
any  hostile  movement  upon  Mexico,  or  fitting  out 
an  expedition  with  a  view  to  invade  the  Northern 
Provinces  of  Mexico  (see  this  Diary  of  yesterday). 
Mr.  Marcy  also  called  &  read  instructions  which  he 
had  prepared  to  Gen'l  Taylor  on  the  same  subject. 
I  approved  the  instructions  which  they  had  prepared, 
and  directed  them  to  be  sent  off  by  mail  without 
delay.  I  was  occupied  with  business  and  visitors  in 
my  office  to-day.  The  Hon.  Mr.  Bowden,  one  of 
the  Representatives  in  Congress  from  Alabama,  who 
still  remains  in  the  City,  called  to-day.  The  Hon. 
Isaac  Toucey,  Attorney  General  of  the  U.  S.,  re- 
turned to-day  from  a  visit  to  his  family  in  Connecti- 
cut, one  of  whom  had  been  seriously  ill.     He  called 

^  Moore,  Buchanan,  VIII,  192 


no  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [31  Aug. 

to  see  me  as  soon  as  he  reached  the  City.  My 
nephew,  Samuel  P.  Walker,  left  for  his  residence  in 
Tennessee  this  morning. 

Thursday,  31st  August,  1848. —  Desiring  to  have 
time  to  attend  to  business  in  my  office  to-day  &  to  be 
free  from  the  annoyance  of  office-seekers,  I  directed 
my  porter  not  to  admit  company  until  2  O'Clock 
P.  M.,  except  officers  of  the  Government  on  public 
business.  Several  public  officers  called  &  I  trans- 
acted public  business  with  them.  The  Secretary  of 
War  called,  accompanied  by  Mr.  John  McKeon  of 
New  York,  to  whom  he  had  addressed  a  Telegraphic 
despatch  on  tuesday,  the  29th  Inst,  (see  this  Diary  of 
that  day)  The  object  which  the  Secretary  of  War 
had  in  desiring  Mr.  McKeon  to  come  to  Washing- 
ton, was  to  confer  with  him  in  relation  to  the  person 
proper  to  be  appointed  U.  S.  Attorney  for  the 
Southern  District  of  New  York,  in  place  of  Benja- 
min F.  Butler  whom  I  designed  to  remove.  A  full 
consversation  took  place  between  Mr.  McKeon,  Mr. 
Marcy,  and  myself  on  the  subject.  Though  Mr. 
McKeon  had  positively  declined  to  accept  the  office 
on  the  17th  Instant  (see  this  Diary  of  that  day)  he 
was  now  anxious  to  be  appointed.  Mr.  Marcy  had 
this  morning  shown  to  Mr.  McKeon  the  letter  which 
I  had  addressed  to  him  from  the  Bedford  Springs  on 
the  23rd  Inst.  Mr.  Marcy  and  myself  both  thought 
that  in  view  of  the  developments  which  had  taken 
place  since  our  interview  with  Mr.  McKeon  on  the 
17th  Instant,  it  would  be  improper  to  appoint  him, 
&    so    informed    him.     Since    that    interview    Mr. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  in 

Crampton,  the  Brittish  charge  d'affaires,  had  called 
on  the  Secretary  of  State  to  enforce  our  Treaty  obli- 
gations &  to  enforce  our  neutrality  laws  with  Great 
Brittain,  in  suppressing  the  movements  in  favour  of 
the  oppressed  and  suffering  people  of  Ireland  (see 
this  Diary  of  the  29th  Instant)  but  had  been  induced 
by  Mr.  Buchanan  to  postpone  making  the  formal 
application  for  the  present.  He  will,  however,  cer- 
tainly renew  the  demand  should  there  be  an  occasion 
for  it.  Mr.  McKeon  admitted  that  he  was  a  member 
of  the  Irish  directory  in  New  York  who  had  been  ac- 
tively engaged  for  some  time  past  in  raising  money 
to  aid  the  Irish  people  against  the  oppressions  of  the 
Brittish  Government,  but  he  said  he  had  done  noth- 
ing which  would  subject  himself  to  a  criminal  prose- 
cution under  our  neutrality  laws.  I  read  these  laws 
to  him,  and  their  stringent  provisions  seemed  to 
strike  him  with  surprise.  He  admitted  that  in  his 
conference  with  Mr.  Charles  O'Conner  of  New 
York,  the  reason  assigned  by  him  why  he  would  be 
unwilling  to  accept  the  office  was  that  he  might  be 
subject  to  the  penalties  of  our  neutrality  laws.  Mr. 
O'Conner  is  a  member  with  Mr.  O'Conner  [Mc- 
Keon] of  the  Irish  Directory  of  New  York.  Both 
Mr.  Marcy  and  myself  told  Mr.  McKeon  that  in 
case  it  became  my  duty  to  enforce  our  neutrality  laws 
it  must  be  done,  as  he  knew,  through  the  agency  of 
the  attorneys  of  the  U.  S.,  and  that  if  he  were  ap- 
pointed and  were  called  upon  to  prosecute  Mr. 
O'Conner  or  any  other  of  his  associates  of  the  Irish 
directory,  he  would  be  in  a  very  embarrassing  con- 
dition.    I  told  him  and  repeated  it  to  him  (because 


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

I  was  determined  that  he  should  not  misunderstand 
me  or  my  motives  in  not  appointing  him)  that  all  my 
sympathies  were  enlisted  on  behalf  of  the  Irish  Pa- 
triots in  their  struggle  to  relieve  themselves  from 
the  oppressions  of  their  Government,  and  that  I 
heartily  wished  them  success,  but  at  the  same  time 
that  these  were  my  individual  feelings,  I  would  be 
imperatively  bound  by  my  oath  of  office,  if  called 
on,  to  see  that  our  neutrality  laws  were  inforced.  I 
told  him  that  when  I  entered  upon  my  duties  of 
President  of  the  U.  S.  I  had  taken  a  solemn  oath 
to  see  that  the  laws  were  faithfully  executed,  and 
this  duty  I  must  perform  in  the  case  of  our  neutrality 
laws  if  required  to  do  so.  I  submitted  to  him 
whether,  under  all  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  it 
was  not  better  for  himself,  better  for  the  Democratic 
party,  and  better  for  my  administration  that  he  should 
not  be  appointed.  I  told  him  in  the  course  of  the 
conversation  that  I  had  within  a  day  or  two  past  is- 
sued orders  to  the  attorneys  of  the  U.  S.  and  to  our 
military  commanders  in  the  Western  States,  and  par- 
ticularly on  the  Mexican  frontier,  to  enforce  our 
neutrality  laws,  and  to  arrest  and  prosecute  any  per- 
sons who  under  the  name  of  "Buffalo  Hunters" 
might  attempt  to  invade  Mexico,  or  to  fit  out  an  ex- 
pedition to  revolutionize  the  Northern  states  of 
Mexico,  or  to  establish  the  Republic  of  the  Sierra 
Madra,  as  it  was  reported  in  [the]  newspapers  there 
was  a  design  to  do.  I  told  him  I  had  felt  bound  to 
do  this  in  execution  of  our  neutrality  laws  &  treaty 
stipulations  towards  Mexico.  I  told  him  I  would  be 
bound  to  do  the  same  thing  in  reference  to  those  of 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  113 

our  citizens  engaged  in  the  Irish  cause  who  might 
violate  these  laws.  I  expressed  the  hope  to  him  that 
neither  he  nor  any  other  citizen  in  New  York  would 
violate  these  laws  so  as  to  make  it  my  duty  to  proceed 
against  them.  Nothing  would  give  me  more  pain, 
but  still  it  would  be  my  duty  &  I  must  perform  it. 
Mr.  Marcy  enforced  all  these  views  &  presented 
others,  but  still  Mr.  McKeon  was  not  satisfied,  but 
desired  the  appointment.  He  had  changed  his 
opinion  since  the  17th  Inst.,  when  he  was  unwilling 
to  accept  it,  and  though  the  circumstances  which  had 
since  transpired  made  it  manifestly  improper  now 
to  appoint  him,  he  had  set  his  mind  upon  it.  He, 
however,  became  reasonable  on  the  subject.  It  being 
decided  that  Mr.  McKeon  would  not  be  appointed, 
I  asked  his  advice  whom  I  should  appoint.  Mr. 
Marcy  and  Mr.  McKeon  canvassed  the  qualifications 
and  fitness  of  several  members  of  the  New  York  bar, 
and  after  hearing  them  I  determined  to  appoint  the 
Hon.  Charles  McVean,  whom  I  knew  personally  and 
with  whom  I  had  once  served  in  Congress.  They 
both  agreed  that  his  appointment  would  be  a  good 
[one],  &  they  thought  would  be  agreeable  to  the 
people  of  New  York.  In  answer  to  an  enquiry  made 
by  me,  Mr.  McKeon  said  that  Mr.  McVean  was  not 
unfriendly  to  the  Irish  cause  in  New  York,  and 
would  not  be  unacceptable  to  the  Irish  people  in 
New  York.  He  thought  he  had  taken  no  part  in 
the  recent  movements  upon  that  subject.  I  finally 
said  that  I  would  appoint  Mr.  McVean,  &  would 
make  the  appointment  either  today  or  to-morrow  as 
might  be  preferred.     Mr.  McKeon  requested  that  I 


114  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i  Sept. 

would  postpone  making  the  appointment  until  to- 
morrow, as  he  would  prefer  that  it  should  be  made 
after  he  left  the  City.  I  told  him  I  would  postpone 
it  until  to-morrow.  I  disposed  of  much  business  on 
my  table  to-day  &  saw  several  public  officers  &  trans- 
acted business  with  them. 

Friday,  Ist  September,  1848, —  I  did  not  open 
my  office  for  the  reception  of  company  until  2 
O'clock  P.  M.  to-day.  A  few  persons  were  admit- 
ted before  that  hour,  and  among  them  the  Hon.  Mr. 
Henley  of  the  Ho.  Repts  from  Indiana.  To-day  I 
appointed  Charles  McVean  of  New  York  to  be  at- 
torney of  the  U.  S.,  vice  Benjamin  F.  Butler 
removed.  Shortly  after  I  became  President  I  re- 
moved a  Whig  from  this  office  &  appointed  Mr. 
Butler.  I  did  so  upon  the  general  principle  that  the 
important  subordinate  public  offices  should  be  filled 
by  persons  who  agreed  in  opinion  with  the  President 
as  to  the  policy  to  be  pursued  by  the  Government, 
and  who  would  co-operate  with  the  President  in 
carrying  out  that  policy.  Mr.  Butler  at  the  time  he 
was  appointed  was  a  democrat.  He  has  since 
abandoned  the  Democratic  party;  has  bolted  from 
and  does  not  support  the  regularly  nominated  candi- 
dates of  the  Democratic  party  for  President  &  Vice 
President  of  the  U.  S.;  has  united  himself  with 
Federalists  and  abolitionists;  and  is  endeavoring  to 
divide  the  country  into  geographical  parties.  He 
does  not  now  pretend  to  support  the  measures  or 
principles  of  my  administration.  He  has  made  sev- 
eral public  speeches  recently  at  New  York,  Albany, 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S   DIARY  115 

&  Buffalo  and  other  places,  in  some  of  which  he  has 
been  offensive  and  highly  disrespectful  to  my  admin- 
istration. He  is  now  one  of  the  worst  enemies  to 
the  Democratic  party  and  its  principles  in  the  Union. 
Tht  Post  J  Globe,  and  Atlas  newspapers  in  New  York 
which  are  his  organs,  are  more  abusive  of  me  person- 
ally and  of  my  administration  than  any  Whig  papers 
in  the  Union.  Indeed  the  whole  party  of  Barn-burn- 
ers in  New  York,  of  which  Mr.  Butler  is  a  leading 
&  controlling  member,  are  not  only  abusive  of  me 
&  my  administration,  but  they  seem  to  challenge  and 
defy  me  to  remove  Mr.  Butler,  in  the  hope,  no 
doubt,  that  they  may  enlist  the  public  sympathy  over 
him  as  a  martyr  for  opinion's  sake.  By  his  removal 
to-day  I  have  gratified  [them],  &  they  may  make 
the  most  of  it.  I  should  not  have  removed  Mr. 
Butler  for  his  mere  opinions  upon  any  abstract  ques- 
tion, nor  for  his  free  expression  of  them,  but  when 
he  becomes  a  leading  champion  of  a  faction  in  assail- 
ing me  personally  and  politically,  in  throwing  every 
obstacle  in  his  power  in  the  way  [of]  the  success- 
ful administration  of  the  Government  upon  the  pub- 
licly declared  principles  upon  which  I  conduct  [it], 
I  do  not  hesitate  to  remove  him  from  the  honor- 
able and  profitable  office  which  he  has  heretofore 
held  under  my  administration.  My  nephew,  Capt. 
James  H.  Walker  of  the  regiment  of  Voltigeurs, 
returned  from  Baltimore  and  stopped  at  the  Presi- 
dent's mansion  as  guest  in  my  family.  At  2 
O'clock  P.  M.  I  saw  company  and  during  the  day 
transacted  much  business  in  my  office  &  with  public 
officers. 


ii6  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [2  Sept. 

Saturday,  2nd  September,  1848, —  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan, the  Secretary  of  State,  left  the  City  this 
morning  on  a  visit  to  the  Saratoga  Springs  &  other 
places  at  the  North.  I  appointed  Mr.  Toucey,  the 
Atto.  Gen'l  of  the  U.  S.,  to  act  as  Secretary  of  State 
during  Mr.  Buchanan's  absence.  The  Cabinet  met 
at  the  usual  hour,  present  Mr.  Marcy,  sec.  of  War, 
Mr.  Mason,  sec.  of  the  Navy,  and  Mr.  Toucey,  Atto. 
Gen'l.  The  other  three  members  of  the  Cabinet  are 
absent  from  the  City.  Several  matters  of  business, 
but  of  no  general  importance,  w^ere  considered  and 
disposed  of.  Mr.  Marcy  informed  me  that  he  would 
leave  this  afternoon  on  a  visit  to  his  family  in  New 
York.  I  appointed  Mr.  Mason,  the  Sec.  of  the 
Navy,  to  act  as  Secretary  of  War  during  Mr. 
Marcy's  absence.  I  disposed  of  business  in  my  office 
as  usual  to-day,  and  was  occupied  until  a  late  hour 
at  night.  This  afternoon  my  sister,  Mrs.  Hays,  left 
on  a  visit  to  New  York  accompanied  by  her  hus- 
band's nephew.  Brevet  major  Wm.  Hays  of  the  U.  S. 
army. 

Sunday,  3rd  September,  1 848. —  I  attended  the 
First  Presbyterian  church  to-day  and  was  accom- 
panied by  Mrs.  Polk,  my  nephew,  Capt.  James  H. 
Walker,  late  of  the  Regiment  of  Voltigeurs,  and  by 
Mrs.  Daniel  Graham. 

Monday,  4th  September,  1848, —  This  was  a  busy 
day.  All  of  my  Cabinet  are  absent  from  the  City 
except  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  and  the  Attorney 
General.    The  former  is  also  acting  Secretary  of 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  117 

War,  and  the  latter  acting  Secretary  of  State.  They 
both  called  to  see  me  on  public  business  in  the  course 
of  the  day.  My  attention  was  called  to  several  mat- 
ters of  detail  in  relation  [to  which]  I  gave  direc- 
tions, which  would  not  have  been  brought  to  me  if 
all  the  members  of  the  Cabinet  had  been  in  [their] 
place.  I  disposed  of  much  business  on  my  table. 
Mr.  Rhett  of  S.  C.  and  Mr.  Bowden  of  Alabama, 
both  members  of  the  Ho.  Repts.,  called.  I  disposed 
of  much  business  on  my  table.  At  2  O'Clock  P.  M. 
I  opened  my  office  for  the  reception  of  visitors.  Sev- 
eral persons  called.  All  of  them  were  either  seeking 
office  or  begging  money.  The  herd  of  office  seekers 
who  annoy  me  unceasingly  are  with  rare  exceptions 
worthless  and  contemptible  people.  It  would  be 
much  better  for  them  if  they  would  go  to  their  re- 
spective homes  and  engage  in  some  honest  calling  by 
which  they  could  make  a  living.  To  witness,  as  I 
constantly  do,  healthy  young  men  acting  the  part  of 
gentlemen-loafers,  and  hanging  on  at  Washington 
from  month  to  month  begging  for  offices,  is  most  dis- 
gusting to  me.  Nine-tenths  of  this  class  are  wholly 
unworthy  of  any  public  place. 

Tuesday,  5/A  September,  1848. —  This  was  Cabi- 
net day.  Judge  Mason,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy, 
and  Mr.  Toucey,  the  Attorney  General,  are  all  the 
members  of  the  Cabinet  who  are  in  the  City.  They 
called  at  the  usual  hour  of  the  meeting  of  the  Cabinet, 
and  I  transacted  some  business  with  them.  On 
yesterday  I  had  requested  Mr.  Toucey,  as  acting  Sec- 
retary of  State,  to  prepare  a  despatch  to  Mr.  Ban- 


ii8  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [5  Sept. 

croft,  U.  S.  Minister  at  London,  to  interpose  his  good 
offices  with  the  Brittish  Government  in  behalf  of  any 
American  citizens  who  might  be  under  arrest  for 
participating  in  the  late  disturbances  in  Ireland. 
We  have  no  authentic  information  that  any  such 
American  citizens  have  been  arrested,  but  the  news- 
papers state  the  fact  to  be  so,  and  there  is  reason  to 
believe  the  statement.  I  had  directed  Mr.  Toucey 
to  instruct  Mr.  Bancroft,  if  such  was  the  fact,  to  see 
that  they  had  a  fair  trial,  and,  if  convicted,  to  pro- 
cure their  pardon  if  practicable.  I  had  also  directed 
him  to  instruct  Mr.  B.  to  interpose  in  a  delicate  way, 
&  intimate  to  the  Brittish  Government  that  it  would 
be  very  gratifying  to  the  Gov[ern]ment  &  people  of 
the  U.  S.  if  that  Government  could,  consistently  with 
its  own  sense  of  duty,  extend  a  general  amnesty  or 
pardon  to  English  subjects  in  Ireland,  who  had 
recently  attempted  by  a  revolution  to  free  themselves 
of  the  oppressions  of  their  Government.  We  have 
no  right  to  make  such  a  demand,  but  simply  to  re- 
quest it  and  to  appeal  to  the  magnanimity  of  Great 
Brittain  not  [to]  execute  Mr.  Smith  O'Bryan  and 
other  Irish  Patriots  who  are  understood  to  be  under 
arrest  for  Treason.  Mr.  Toucey  read  the  despatch 
which  he  had  prepared  in  pursuance  of  my  instruc- 
tions. Some  modifications  were  suggested  by  Judge 
Mason  and  myself,  which  he  agreed  to  make,  and 
exhibit  the  modified  despatch  to  me  before  it  was 
sent  off.  The  whole  American  people  with  rare  ex- 
ceptions deeply  sympathise  with  the  oppressed  and 
suffering  people  of  Ireland,  and  if  by  interposing 
our  good  offices  the  lives  of  O'Bryan  and  other  lead- 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  119 

ing  patriots  can  be  saved,  I  am  sure  we  will  do  an 
act  of  humanity,  and  discharge  a  duty  which  will 
be  acceptable  to  our  own  country  and,  indeed,  to  the 
civilized  world,  wherever  liberal  principles  are 
cherished.  I  despatched  a  large  amount  of  busi- 
ness to-day,  chiefly  of  a  character  of  no  general  im- 
portance. I  saw  some  of  the  public  officers,  and 
conferred  with  them  concerning  business  per- 
taining to  their  respective  offices.  In  the  afternoon 
I  took  a  ride  on  horseback  with  my  brother, 
Maj'r  Wm.  H.  Polk.  This  was  reception  evening. 
The  weather  was  very  warm  for  the  season  and 
but  few  persons  called.  My  nephew,  Capt.  James 
H.  Walker,  late  of  the  Regiment  of  Voltigeurs, 
left  tonight  by  the  Southern  Boat  on  his  return  to 
Tennessee. 

Wednesday,  6th  September,  1848, —  I  directed 
my  porter  this  morning  not  to  admit  visitors,  ex- 
cept public  officers  on  business,  until  2  O'Clock 
P.  M.  My  object  was  to  clear  [my]  table  if  pos- 
sible of  the  business  upon  it.  I  was,  however,  fre- 
quently interrupted  before  that  hour  by  the  calls  of 
public  officers  on  business.  The  Secretary  of  the 
Navy  and  the  Atto.  General,  who  are  the  only  mem- 
bers of  the  Cabinet  in  the  City,  called  on  business. 
At  2  O'clock  P.  M.  my  office  was  opened.  A  num- 
ber of  persons  called,  most  of  whom  were  office 
seekers.  I  continued  in  my  office  until  a  later  hour 
than  usual,  disposing  of  the  business  on  my  table. 
The  Hon.  Robert  Smith,  a  member  of  Congress  from 
Illinois,  called  to-day. 


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

Thursday,  7th  September,  1848.—  Several  per- 
sons called  this  morning,  and  among  others  Col. 
Persifer  F.  Smith  of  the  mounted  Rifle  Regiment. 
Col.  Smith  is  now  Maj'r  General  by  Brevet. 
Although  I  appointed  him  originally  and  conferred 
upon  [him]  his  Brevet  promotion,  I  had  never  be- 
fore met  him  personally.  He  v^as  accompanied  by 
Senator  Johnson  ^  of  Louisiana.  I  was  engaged  in 
my  office  until  2  O'Clock,  when  my  doors  were 
opened  for  the  reception  of  company.  A  number 
of  persons  called  and  among  them,  as  is  always  the 
case,  were  some  office  seekers.  In  the  course  of  the 
day  The  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  the  Atto.  Gen'l,  and 
some  other  public  officers  called  on  business. 

Friday,  8th  September,  1848, —  I  was  much 
occupied  in  my  office  to-day.  Many  persons  called. 
I  find  in  the  absence  of  four  members  of  my  Cabi- 
net from  the  City  (Messrs.  Buchanan,  Walker, 
Marcy,  &  Johnson)  that  very  much  of  my  time  is 
taken  up  in  the  details  of  the  executive  duties.  The 
Secretary  of  the  Navy  and  the  Attorney  General 
called  and  spent  an  hour  on  business  with  me  to-day. 
I  had  an  interview  with  Gen'l  Persifer  F.  Smith  & 
Judge  Mason,  who  is  acting  Secretary  of  War  in 
Mr.  Marcy's  absence.  Mr.  Toucey  read  to  me  the 
despatch  which,  as  acting  Secretary  of  State,  he  had 
prepared  to  Mr.  Bancroft  (see  this  Diary  of  the  5th 
Instant).  At  my  suggestion  a  single  modification 
was  made,   &   I    approved    it.      Though    occupied 

^  Henry  Johnson,    1 783-1 864,   Senator  from   Louisiana   1818- 
1824,  and  1 845-1 849. 


i 


i848]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  .  121 

through  the  day  nothing  of  much  importance  tran- 
spired. 

Saturday,  gth  September,  1848. —  This  was  the 
regular  day  for  the  meeting  of  the  Cabinet.  The 
Secretary  of  the  Navy  and  [the]  Atto.  General  were 
the  only  members  of  the  Cabinet  in  the  City.  They 
attended  at  the  regular  hour.  Some  matters  of  minor 
importance  were  considered  and  disposed  of.  They 
retired  about  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  I  attended  to  busi- 
ness on  my  table  as  usual.  Nothing  of  special  inter- 
est occurred  to-day. 

Sunday,  lOth  September,  1848, —  I  attended  the 
First  Presbyterian  church  to-day.  Mrs.  Polk,  Miss 
Rucker,  and  Miss  Hays  accompanied  me.  The  Rev. 
Dr.  McGuflfy,^  a  Professor  at  the  university  of  Vir- 
ginia, preached. 

Monday,  nth  September,  1848, —  I  was  much 
occupied  with  business  this  morning.  I  kept  my 
office  closed  until  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  The  Attorney 
General  called  &  I  transacted  business  with  him. 
When  I  opened  my  office  a  number  of  persons  called, 
almost  all  of  whom  were  seeking  office.  I  have 
become  so  disgusted  by  the  importunities  of  this  class 
of  persons  that  I  can  scarcely  be  patient  with  them. 
I  despatched  them  very  summarily  to-day.  After 
night  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  called  and  spent  an 
hour  with  me  on  business.  Nothing  of  special  in- 
terest occurred  to-day. 

^William  Holmes  McGufifey,  1 800-1 873,  prominent  educator, 
editor  of  the  "  Eclectic  "  series  of  readers  and  spellers. 


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

Tuesday,  12th  September,  1848, —  I  was  engaged 
as  usual  in  my  office  this  morning.  Mr.  Rhett  of 
S.  C.  and  Mr.  Robert  Smith  of  Illinois,  both  of  the 
Ho.  Repts.,  called.  At  the  usual  hour  for  the  meet- 
ing of  the  Cabinet  Judge  Mason  and  Gov.  Toucey, 
the  only  members  of  my  Cabinet  in  the  City,  called. 
Several  matters  of  no  general  importance  were  con- 
sidered and  disposed  of.  They  retired  about  2 
O'clock  P.  M.  I  was  occupied  during  the  re- 
mainder of  the  afternoon  in  disposing  of  the  business 
on  my  table.  This  was  reception  evening.  A  few 
persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

Wednesday,  13th  September,  1848. —  Mr.  C. 
Johnson,  the  Postmaster  General,  returned  to  the 
City  last  evening,  and  called  on  me  this  morning. 
He  has  been  absent  with  his  wife  two  or  three  weeks 
on  a  tour  to  the  North.  I  was  engaged  as  usual  in 
my  office  until  2  O'Clock  P.  M.,  when  I  opened  my 
doors  for  .the  reception  of  company.  A  number  of 
persons,  some  of  them  strangers  who  called  to  pay 
their  respects,  and  others  anxiously  seeking  office 
[called].  The  purpose  of  the  herd  of  office-seekers 
is  as  constant  and  unceasing  as  the  current  of  the 
Mississippi.  Professional  office-seekers,  I  must  say, 
have  become  in  my  estimation  the  most  contemptible 
of  our  race.  After  night  the  Postmaster  General, 
Mr.  Bowden  of  Alabama,  &  two  or  three  other  per- 
sons called. 

Thursday,  14th  September,  1848.— 1  saw  & 
transacted  business  with  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  123 

and  some  of  the  subordinate  public  officers  to-day. 
At  2  O'clock  P.  M.  I  opened  my  office,  and  had  to 
endure  the  customary  annoyance  of  applications  for 
offices  which  I  had  not  to  bestow.  A  number  of 
persons  of  this  class  called.  I  disposed  of  business 
on  my  table  as  usual.  Nothing  of  importance 
occurred  to-day. 

Friday,  I^th  September,  1848. —  I  was  engaged 
in  my  office  during  the  forenoon.  The  Secretary 
of  the  Navy  and  the  Attorney  General  called  on  busi- 
ness. The  latter,  who  is  acting  as  Secretary  of  State, 
brought  with  him  important  despatches  from  Mr. 
Saunders,  U.  S.  minister  at  Madrid.  I  saw  other 
public  officers  in  the  course  of  the  day.  I  disposed 
of  much  business  on  my  table.  My  correspondence 
is  very  heavy.  On  yesterday  I  received  more  than 
forty  letters,  and  to-day  nearly  as  many.  In  the 
absence  of  my  Private  Secretary  my  labours  in  mat- 
ters of  detail  are  much  increased.  At  2  O'Clock 
P.  M.  I  opened  my  office  for  the  reception  of  com- 
pany. A  number  of  persons  called,  some  to  pay  their 
respects  and  others  on  business  and  seeking  office. 

Saturday,  l6th  September,  1848, —  My  brother, 
Maj'r  William  H.  Polk,  and  his  wife  left  this  morn- 
ing for  Tennessee.  They  intend  to  make  a  visit  to 
Columbia,  Tenn.,  and  go  then[c]e  to  Memphis, 
Tennessee,  where  it  is  the  intention  of  my  brother  to 
settle  and  engage  in  his  profession,  the  practice  of 
law.  They  have  been  inmates  of  my  family  for  near 
two  months.     At  the  usual  hour  for  the  meeting  of 


124  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [17  Sept. 

the  Cabinet,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  the  Post- 
master General,  and  the  Attorney  General  called. 
They  were  all  the  members  of  the  Cabinet  who  were 
in  the  City.  The  despatch  received  on  yesterday 
from  Mr.  Saunders,  U.  S.  minister  to  Spain,  was 
presented  and  read  by  Mr.  Toucey,  the  acting  Secre- 
tary of  State.  Despatches  received  from  Commo- 
dore Jones,  commanding  the  Naval  forces  in  the 
Pacific,  were  presented  and  read  by  Judge  Mason. 
Several  subjects  of  no  general  importance  were  con- 
sidered and  disposed  of.  About  3  O'Clock  P.  M. 
the  members  of  the  Cabinet  who  were  present  retired. 

1  was  engaged  in  my  office  during  the  remainder  of 
the  day,  and,  what  is  very  remarkable,  I  received  no 
visitors  during  the  day. 

Sunday,  lyth  September,  1848. —  I  attended  the 
First  Presbyterian  church  to-day.  Mrs.  Polk,  Miss 
Rucker,  &  Miss  Hays  accompanied  me. 

Monday,  l8th  September,  1848. —  I  saw  no  com- 
pany to-day,  except  public  officers  on  business,  until 

2  O'clock  P.  M.  The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  and 
several  other  public  officers  called.  When  I  opened 
my  doors  I  was  subjected  to  the  usual  penance,  which 
I  have  to  endure  every  day,  of  listening  to  the  impor- 
tunities of  office-seekers.  To-day  a  set  of  lazy-look- 
ing loafers  made  their  appearance  upon  that  busi- 
ness. Some  of  them  were  old  customers,  having 
called  repeatedly  before.  I  know  [no]  way  to  avoid 
this  annoyance  and  consumption  of  my  time.  I  can- 
not insult  or  be  rude  to  my  fellow  citizens  who  call, 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  125 

however  undeserving  or  worthless  I  may  believe 
them  to  be.  I  attended  to  business  and  wrote  some 
letters  to-day.     Nothing  of  importance  occurred. 

Tuesday,  igth  September,  1848, —  I  was  engaged 
in  my  office  as  usual  to-day.  At  the  usual  hour  of 
meeting  of  the  Cabinet  Judge  Mason,  Mr.  Johnson, 
and  Mr.  Toucey,  being  all  the  members  of  the  Cabi- 
net in  the  City,  called.  Several  public  matters  were 
considered  and  disposed  of.  While  the  Cabinet  were 
in  Session  Mr.  Mayor  Seaton  and  several  members 
of  the  City  authorities  called,  and  in  presence 
of  the  Cabinet  represented  to  me  the  inconvenience 
&  injury  to  the  City  which  would  arise  if  the  im- 
provement of  certain  streets  &  avenues,  authorized 
by  an  appropriation  at  the  last  Session  of  Congress, 
was  delayed  by  the  commissioner  of  public  build- 
ings, if  he  proceeded  to  execute  the  work  by  contract 
instead  of  going  on  at  once  with  the  work  &  having 
it  executed  under  his  own  inspection  by  labour  em- 
ployed by  himself.  The  latter  mode  was  the  one 
which  the  commissioner  had  at  first  resolved  to  adopt 
and  had  actually  commenced  the  work,  but  had  been 
induced  to  abandon  his  purpose  in  consequence  of 
complaints  by  some  citizens  that  the  job  had  not  been 
let  out  to  contract.  Mr.  Seaton  and  the  gentlemen 
with  him  insisted  that  the  work  could  be  more  eco- 
nomically done  by  the  commissioner  than  by  contract, 
and  that  it  could  be  done  this  season,  whereas  if  he 
advertised  for  bidders  to  do  it  by  contract  the  exe- 
cution of  the  work  must  be  postponed  until  next  year. 
They  said  the  commissioner  was  of  this  opinion  & 


126  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [20  Sept. 

that  he  would  still  go  on  and  have  the  work  done 
himself  if  I  would  authorize  him  to  do  so.  The  mat- 
ter, including  the  proper  construction  of  the  law  was 
discussed  by  these  gentlemen  and  Mr.  Mason  and 
Mr.  Toucey.  I  told  Mr.  Seaton  and  the  gentlemen 
with  him  that  I  would  look  into  the  matter  and  let 
them  know  the  result.  They  retired.  Upon  consul- 
tation with  Judge  Mason  and  Mr.  Toucey  I  deter- 
mined to  send  after  Mr.  Seaton  &  request  him  to 
return.  When  he  returned  I  informed  him  that  if  the 
City  authorities  chose  to  make  a  communication  to  me 
in  writing,  such  as  they  had  verbally  communicated, 
I  would  refer  it  to  the  commissioner  and  leave  it  to 
his  discretion  to  have  the  work  done  in  either  mode, 
as  he  might  determine  was  for  the  public  interest. 
This  was  entirely  satisfactory  to  Mr.  Seaton  and  he 
said  he  would  do  so.  The  Cabinet  resumed  its  busi- 
ness and  about  3  O'Clock  P.  M.  adjourned.  During 
its  sitting  the  Hon.  Robert  M.  McLane  of  Baltimore 
called  and  spent  half  an  hour.  I  disposed  of  the 
business  on  my  table.  Nothing  of  much  importance 
occurred  to-day. 

Wednesday,  20th  September,  1848. —  Mr.  Cave 
Johnson  and  Mr.  Mason  called  at  different  hours 
this  morning,  &  I  delivered  to  each  of  them  a  letter 
which  I  had  addressed  to  them  respectfully  [respect- 
ively], requesting  full  statements  of  all  they  may 
know  of  my  opinions  &  action  on  the  subject  of  the 
annexation  of  Texas  in  February,  1845,  and  imme- 
diately after  the  commencement  of  my  administra- 
tion.    These  letters  were  written  &  dated  on  the  i8th 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  127 

Instant.  I  have  preserved  copies  of  them  in  my  let- 
ter book.  A  few  days  ago  I  addressed  letters  on  the 
same  subject  to  Gov.  A.  V.  Brown  of  Tennessee  and 
Hon.  George  Bancroft,  U.  S.  Minister  at  London. 
Copies  of  these  letters  are  also  preserved  in  my  letter 
book.  I  will  address  similar  letters  to  the  other 
members  of  my  Cabinet  as  soon  as  they  return  to 
Washington.  I  have  been  induced  to  adopt  this 
mode  of  vindicating  my  own  course  and  the  truth  of 
history  in  consequence  of  two  publications  which 
made  their  appearance  in  the  New  York  Evening 
Post  of  the  28th  of  July,  and  were  re-published  in 
the  Daily  National  Intelligencer  of  the  ist  of  August 
last.  My  letters  to  Mr.  Brown  and  Mr.  Bancroft 
will  explain  the  subject  and  my  object  more  fully. 
I  addressed  a  letter  to-day  to  Mr.  William  H. 
Winder  of  Phila.,  in  answer  to  several  communica- 
tions received  from  him  in  relation  to  the  genealogy 
of  the  Polk  family,  from  one  branch  of  which  Mr. 
Winder  is  descended.  Mr.  Winder  being  in  Wash- 
ington, I  sent  for  him  and  delivered  my  letter  to  him 
in  person.  A  copy  of  my  letter  I  have  preserved  in 
my  letter  book.  Mr.  Toucey  called  with  despatches 
received  from  Mr.  Clifford,  U.  S.  minister  in  Mex- 
ico. I  addressed  a  letter  to-day  to  the  Hon.  Rob't 
J.  Walker,  Sec.  of  the  Treasury,  who  is  in  New  York 
(see  letter  Book).  At  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  I  opened 
my  office  for  the  reception  of  company.  But  few 
persons  called.  One  of  these  was  seeking  an  office 
and  begging  money.  He  was  a  stout-looking  young 
man,  in  good  health,  and  I  gave  him  neither.  I  at- 
tended to  business  in  my  office  as  usual  to-day. 


128  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [21  Sept. 

Thursday,  2Ist September,  1848. —  This  morning 
my  sister,  Mrs.  Hays,  returned  from  a  visit  to  New 
York.  She  left  Washington  to  visit  her  husband's  re- 
lations in  New  York  on  the  2nd  Instant.  Her  hus- 
band's nephew,  Lieut.  Campbell  Hays,  late  of  the  vol- 
unteer army  in  Mexico,  returned  with  her.  Mrs.  Polk 
invited  him  to  take  a  room  in  the  President's  House 
and  be  a  part  of  our  family  during  his  stay  in  Wash- 
ington and  he  did  so.  The  Secretary  of  the  Navy 
called  on  business  this  morning.  When  I  opened 
my  doors  at  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  to-day,  fewer  persons 
called  than  is  usual.  I  disposed  of  the  business  on 
my  table,  and  devoted  a  part  of  the  day  to  the  reading 
of  a  Report  ^  made  at  the  late  Session  of  Congress 
by  the  committee  of  commerce  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  on 
the  subject  of  improving  Harbours  and  Rivers. 
This  report  undertakes  to  review  and  to  answer  my 
veto  message  of  the  15th  of  December,  1847,  on  that 
subject.  I  had  never  before  had  leisure  to  read  it. 
It  is  a  weak  document  and  in  my  judgment  utterly 
fails  to  answer  my  message.  It  indulges  in  a  good 
deal  of  partizan  bitterness,  better  suited  to  an  irre- 
sponsible newspaper  than  to  an  official  document, 
and  contains  but  little  argument.  As  it  is  probable 
that  a  Harbour  &  River  Improvement  Bill,  and 
probably  other  Bills  for  Internal  Improvements,  will 
pass  at  the  next  Session  of  Congress,  which  I  cannot 
approve,  I  will  devote  a  portion  of  my  time  during 
the  present  recess  to  a  thorough  investigation  of  that 
subject,  so  as  to  be  prepared  with  the  less  labour  to 
meet  them  with  a  veto.     If  the  occasion  occurs  I  am 

^  H.  Rep.  741,  30  Cong,  i  Sess.  IV. 


1848]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  129 

resolved  to  leave  on  record  another  message  on  that 
subject,  and  as  I  have  more  leisure  to  prepare  my 
views  now  than  I  can  have  during  the  next  Session, 
I  will  devote  a  part  of  my  time  to  that  subject. 

Friday,  22nd  September,  1848, —  This  was  a  re- 
markably quiet  day,  but  few  persons  having  called. 
I  disposed  of  the  current  business  on  my  table  and 
devoted  some  time  to  the  investigation  of  the  Report 
of  the  committee  of  Commerce  of  the  Ho.  Repts., 
and  of  the  report  of  the  Chicago  Convention  on  the 
subject  of  Harbour  and  River  Improvements.  I 
make  this  investigation  now,  when  I  have  leisure  to 
do  so,  that  I  may  be  prepared  with  my  views  drawn 
up  if  Congress  at  its  next  Session  should  pass  any 
Bill  on  that  subject.  To-day  Mr.  Roseborough  of 
Columbia,  Tennessee,  took  dinner  with  the  family. 
He  has  been  for  many  years  the  Editor  of  the 
Observer,  a  bitter  Whig  paper  at  Columbia.  I  have 
been  often  assailed  in  his  paper  and  have  scarcely 
ever  spoken  to  him  before  I  was  elected  President. 
The  circumstances  under  which  he  happened  to  dine 
with  me  to-day  are  these.  My  sister,  Mrs.  Hays, 
on  her  arrival  here  from  New  York  on  yesterday, 
informed  me  that  she  had  met  with  Mr.  Roseborough 
at  the  North;  and  as  she  desired  to  return  home  Mr. 
R.  had  agreed  to  accompany  her,  as  he  was  returning 
also,  and  that  he  had  agreed  to  call  for  her  in  a  day 
or  two.  Accordingly  he  called  last  night.  I  saw 
him  and  of  course  treated  him  courteously.  On  his 
retiring,  considering  he  had  called  to  wait  on  Mrs. 
Hays  to  Tennessee,  I  invited  him  to  return  and  take 


130  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [23  Sept. 

dinner.     He  did  so.     Nothing  of  any  interest  oc- 
curred to-day. 

Saturday,  23rd  September,  1848,— This  morn- 
ing my  sister  (Mrs.  Ophelia  C.  Hays)  left  for  her 
residence  in  Tennessee.  She  was  accompanied  by 
Mr.  Roseborough  of  Columbia,  Tennessee,  who  was 
the  former  Editor  of  the  Columbia  Observer,  At 
the  usual  hour  Mr.  Mason,  Mr.  Johnson,  and  Mr. 
Toucey,  who  are  the  only  members  of  the  Cabinet 
in  Washington,  assembled.  Various  matters  of  de- 
tail of  no  great  importance  were  considered  and  dis- 
posed of.  At  3  O'clock  the  Cabinet  dispersed. 
Hon.  Rob't  Smith  of  Illinois  of  the  Ho.  Repts. 
called  to-day.  He  has  not  been  to  Illinois  since  the 
adjournment  of  Congress.  He  informed  me  that  he 
would  leave  this  evening.  My  sister  (Mrs.  Hays) 
left  with  us  her  daughter  (Virginia  Hays)  who  will 
spend  the  remainder  of  my  Presidential  term  with  us 
and  will  return  with  us  to  Tennessee  in  March  next. 
Miss  Sarah  Polk  Rucker,  Mrs.  Polk's  niece,  will 
also  remain  with  us  and  return  to  Tennessee  at  the 
same  time.  The  Hon.  James  Buchanan,  Secretary 
of  State,  who  has  been  absent  from  Washington  on 
an  excursion  to  the  North  for  the  last  three  weeks, 
returned  this  afternoon,  and  about  9  O'Clock  P.  M. 
called  to  see  me.  Mr.  Walker  &  Mr.  Marcy  are  still 
absent,  but  I  hope  will  return  next  week.  I  have 
not  had  my  full  Cabinet  together  in  council  since 
the  adjournment  of  Congress  on  the  14th  of  August 
last.  I  have  conducted  the  Government  without 
their  aid.     Indeed,  I  have  become  so  familiar  with 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  131 

the  duties  and  workings  of  the  Government,  not  only 
upon  general  principles,  but  in  most  of  its  minute 
details,  that  I  find  but  little  difficulty  in  doing  this. 
I  have  made  myself  acquainted  with  the  duties  of 
the  subordinate  officers,  and  have  probably  given 
more  attention  to  details  than  any  of  my  prede- 
cessors. It  is  only  occasi[on]ally  that  a  great  meas- 
ure or  a  new  question  arises,  upon  which  I  desire 
the  aid  and' advice  of  my  Cabinet.  At  each  meeting 
of  the  Cabinet  I  learn  from  each  member  what  is 
being  done  in  his  particular  Department,  and  espe- 
cially if  any  question  of  doubt  or  difficulty  has  arisen. 
I  have  never  called  for  any  written  opinions  from 
my  Cabinet,  preferring  to  take  their  opinions,  after 
discussion,  in  Cabinet  &  in  the  presence  of  each  other. 
In  this  way  harmony  of  opinion  is  more  likely  to 
exist. 

Sunday,  24th  September,  1848. —  I  attended  the 
First  Presbyterian  church  to-day.  Mrs.  Polk  and 
my  niece,  Miss  Hays,  accompanied  me. 

Monday,  2Sth  September,  1848. —  The  Secre- 
tary of  the  Navy  called  on  business  this  morning. 
I  was  occupied  as  usual  in  my  office  until  2  O'Clock 
P.  M.,  when  I  opened  my  doors  for  the  reception 
of  company.  Many  persons  called  and  among  them 
several  ladies  to  pay  their  respects.  None  of  them 
had  any  special  business,  except  to  seek  office.  The 
atto.  General  called  about  2^  O'Clock  on  business. 
Dr.  Richard  W.  Gardner  of  Tennessee,  who  was  an 
assistant  surgeon  with  the  army  in  Mexico,  called, 


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

and  being  in  my  office  when  Dinner  was  announced 
I  invited  him  to  dine  with  me  and  he  did  so. 

Tuesday,  26th  September,  1848,— The  Hon. 
Ralph  I.  Ingersoll,  late  U.  S.  minister  to  Russia, 
called  this  morning.  The  Cabinet  assembled  at  the 
usual  hour,  present  Mr.  Buchanan,  Mr.  Mason,  Mr. 
Johnson,  and  Mr.  Toucy.  The  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  and  the  Secretary  of  War  being  [are]  still 
absent  from  Washington.  Mr.  Buchanan  read 
despatches  received  to-day  from  Mr.  Bancroft,  U.  S. 
minister  to  Great  Brittain,  and  also  an  interesting 
despatch  from  Mr.  J.  L.  Martin,  U.  S.  charge 
d'affaires  to  the  Papal  States,  dated  at  Rome  on  the 
20th  of  August  last.  The  same  steamer  which 
brought  this  despatch  from  Mr.  Martin  brought  also 
the  melancholy  intelligence  that  he  died  after  a  short 
illness  on  the  28th  of  August.  At  the  date  of  his 
despatch  Mr.  Martin  makes  no  mention  of  his  ill- 
ness, and,  I  learn,  was  seized  of  the  disease  from 
which  he  died  only  two  days  before  his  death.  I 
deeply  regret  his  premature  death.  He  was  an  able 
and  learned  man  and  eminently  qualified  for  his 
mission.  He  was,  moreover,  my  personal  as  well 
as  my  political  friend.  During  the  period  I  was 
Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  he  wrote 
a  biographical  sketch  of  myself,  which  was  published 
in  the  Democratic  Review}  Several  subjects  of  no 
general  importance  were  considered  and  disposed 
of  to-day.  During  the  sitting  of  the  Cabinet  Mr. 
W.  W.  Seaton,  Mayor  of  the  City  of  Washington, 

'^Democratic  Review,  May,  1838,  II,  197-208. 


i848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  133 

called  and  handed  to  me  certain  Resolves  which  had 
been  passed  by  the  corporate  authorities  of  Wash- 
ington in  relation  to  the  manner  of  improving  cer- 
tain streets  and  avenues  in  the  City  of  Washington, 
for  which  purpose  Congress  at  its  last  session  made 
appropriations  (see  this  Diary  of  the  19th  Inst.). 
I  sent  for  the  commissioner  of  Public  Buildings  and 
referred  the  Resolutions  to  him,  with  instructions  to 
execute  the  law  in  such  manner  as  in  his  judgment 
would  promote  the  public  interests,  having  regard 
to  economy  and  the  speedy  completion  of  the  work. 
I  disposed  of  business  on  my  table  as  usual  to-day. 
This  was  reception  evening.  But  few  persons, 
ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

Wednesday,  27th  September,  1848, —  I  was  in 
my  office  at  the  usual  hour  this  morning.  Mr. 
Buchanan  called  with  despatches  received  from 
abroad  by  the  last  steamer.  None  of  them  were  very 
important.  In  the  course  of  the  day  Mr.  Mason  & 
Mr.  Johnson  called  on  business.  I  transacted  busi- 
ness with  some  other  public  officers.  When  I 
opened  my  office  quite  a  number  of  persons  came  in, 
some  to  pay  their  respects  and  none  of  them  upon 
business  of  any  importance.  The  Hon.  Ralph  I. 
IngersoU  of  Connecticut,  late  U.  S.  minister  to 
Russia,  and  Mr.  Toucey,  the  Atto.  General,  took  a 
•  family  Dinner  with  me  to-day. 

Thursday,  28th  September,  1848, —  I  was  in  my 
office  as  is  usual  to-day.  Mr.  Buchanan  called  and 
I  transacted  business  with  him.     I  disposed  of  the 


134  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [28  Sept. 


• 


business  on  my  table  and  devoted  part  of  the  day  to 
the  preperation  of  further  views  on  the  subject  of 
Internal  Improvements,  anticipating  that  I  may  have 
occasion  to  communicate  them  to  Congress  at  its 
next  session.  Many  persons  called  to-day,  and 
among  them  an  unusual  number  of  military  officers 
who  had  served  in  Mexico.  Among  them  were 
Gen'l  Persifer  F.  Smith  &  Col.  Randolph  '  of  the 
Virginia  Regiment.  Many  of  the  junior  officers  de- 
sire to  be  continued  in  the  service.  I[t]  having  be- 
come known  two  days  ago  that  Dr.  J.  L.  Martin,  the 
U.  S.  charge  d'affaires  to  Rome,  was  dead,  the  appli- 
cations for  the  place  begin  to  pour  in  upon  me.  I 
received  several  letters  upon  the  subject  this  morning. 
Lewis  Cass,  jr.,  of  Michigan  called  and  was  exceed- 
ingly importunate  that  I  should  appoint  him.  I  told 
him  frankly  that  whilst  his  father  was  a  candidate 
for  the  Presidency,  if  I  were  to  gratify  his  wishes  it 
would  do  his  father  great  injury  in  his  election,  be- 
cause it  would  dissatisfy  every  other  applicant. 
They  would  be  apt  to  think  that  the  son  of  a  candi- 
date for  the  Presidency  whom  they  were  supporting 
should  have  given  way  to  them.  He  then  insisted  that 
I  should  promise  him  the  office  as  soon  as  the  election 
was  over.  This  I  declined  to  do.  Mr.  Cass  mani- 
fested great  anxiety  and  was  scarcely  rational  on  the 
subject.  There  is  nothing  that  is  more  unpleasant  or 
that  I  dislike  more  than  these  personal  importunities 
for  office.  My  interview  with  Mr.  Cass  was  a  pain- 
ful one.     I  am  the  friend  of  his  father  and  anxiously 

^  Thomas  Beverly  Randolph,  Lieutenant  Colonel  of  the  ist  Vir- 
ginia Volunteers. 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  135 

desire  his  election,  and  I  am  sure  I  should  have 
seriously  injured  him  if  I  had  gratified  the  wishes 
of  his  son. 

Friday,  2Qth  September,  1848. —  The  Hon.  Wil- 
liam L.  Marcy,  Secretary  of  War,  returned  from  his 
visit  to  New  York  this  morning.  He  has  been  ab- 
sent from  Washington  since  the  2nd  Instant.  He 
called  to  see  me  as  soon  as  he  returned.  Mr. 
Buchanan  called  and  I  transacted  business  with  him. 
I  was  engaged  in  my  office  as  usual  until  2  O'Clock 
P.  M.,  when  I  opened  my  doors  for  the  reception  of 
company.  A  number  of  persons  called  and  among 
them  the  Hon.  Mr.  Bowden  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  from 
Alabama.  Nothing  of  special  interest  occurred 
to-day. 

Saturday,  30th  September,  1848, —  The  Hon. 
Robert  J.  Walker  returned  this  morning  after  an 
absence  of  more  than  a  month  from  the  Seat  of  Gov- 
ernment. He  required  relaxation  for  the  benefit  of 
his  health  and  had  been  to  the  North  for  that  pur- 
pose. At  II  O'clock  the  Cabinet  assembled,  all  the 
members  being  present.  It  is  the  first  time  there  has 
been  a  full  meeting  of  the  Cabinet  since  the  adjourn- 
ment of  Congress  on  the  14th  of  August  last.  Several 
subjects  in  relation  to  matters  of  detail  were  consid- 
ered and  disposed  of.  After  which  I  brought  to 
the  notice  of  the  Cabinet  the  condition  of  New 
Mexico  and  California,  and  particularly  of  the  latter. 
These  territories,  acquired  by  the  Treaty  with 
Mexico,  have  been  left  by  Congress  without  any  pro- 


136  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [30  Sept. 

vision  for  their  Government.  The  temporary  mili- 
tary Governments,  which  had  been  established  under 
the  authority  of  our  Military  and  Naval  commanders 
by  virtue  of  the  rights  of  conquest,  during  the  war, 
had  ceased  to  exist  upon  the  ratification  of  the  Treaty 
of  peace.  The  Mexican  authority  over  the  country 
had  ceased.  Our  squadron  is  on  the  coast  of  Cali- 
fornia and  we  have  a  small  military  force  in  the 
country.  An  additional  Regiment  under  the  com- 
mand of  Brevet  Brig.  Gen'l  Riley,  is  about  to  em- 
bark. These  forces  will  hold  the  country  and  pro- 
tect the  inhabitants  against  Mexican,  Indian,  or  other 
enemies  who  might  disturb  them,  but  the  Executive 
has  no  authority  to  organize  a  civil  Government  over 
them.  In  this  state  of  things  I  brought  to  the  notice 
of  the  Cabinet  an  extraordinary  letter  [from]  Mr. 
Thomas  H.  Benton,  Senator  from  Missouri,  ad- 
dressed "  To  the  people  of  California,"  and  closing  as 
follows,  viz.,  "  written  at  Washington  City,  this  27th 
day  of  August,  1848,  and  sent  by  Col.  Fremont." 
This  letter  is  published  in  the  New  York  Herald  of 
the  26th  Inst.  I  am  told  it  first  appeared  in  a  west- 
ern paper.  It  assumes  to  speak  as  from  one  in  au- 
thority, and  is  in  an  arrogant  tone  and  calculated 
to  do  much  mischief.  Among  other  things  it  ad- 
vises the  people  *^  to  meet  in  convention  "  and  form 
an  Independant  Government  of  their  own  until  Con- 
gress shall  act,  and  instructs  them  what  kind  of  Gov- 
ernment they  should  form.  It  is  sent  by  Col.  Fre- 
mont, the  son-in-law  of  the  writer,  and  the  inference 
is  plain  enough  that  he  means  they  shall  make  Col. 
Fremont  the  Governor  of  the  Independant  Govern- 


1848J  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  137 

ment  they  shall  form.  Indeed  I  think  it  pretty  clear 
that  this  was  the  main  object.  The  arrogance  & 
whole  tone  of  the  letter  are  offensive  and  must  do 
harm,  unless  the  people  of  California  have  assurances 
from  the  Government  that  they  will  be  taken  care  of 
by  the  Government.  I  expressed  the  opinion  that 
the  Secretary  of  State  should  address  a  letter  to  them, 
similar  to  the  one  he  addressed  by  my  direction  to 
the  people  of  Oregon  on  the  29th  of  March,  1847, 
when  Congress  had  failed  to  establish  a  Territorial 
Government  over  that  Territory.  I  thought  that  the 
assurance  should  be  given  to  them  that  I  would,  at 
the  next  Session  of  Congress,  earnestly  recommend 
the  establishment  of  a  Territorial  Government  &  the 
extension  of  our  laws  over  them.  This  would  prob- 
ably satisfy  them  until  Congress  can  act,  and  prevent 
any  revolutionary  movement  among  them.  It  would 
satisfy  them,  too,  that  the  Government  was  attending 
to  their  interests  and  that  they  need  not  be  deceived 
by  the  semi-official  and  officious  proclamation  of  Sen- 
ator Benton,  by  which  they  might  be  led  to  believe 
that  he  spoke  by  the  authority  of  the  Government 
here.  I  expressed  my  indignation  in  strong  terms 
at'  Mr.  Benton's  course.  Mr.  Buchanan  expressed 
some  doubts  of  the  propriety  of  writing  such  a  letter. 
I  did  not  press  the  subject,  but  will,  at  the  next  Cabi- 
net meeting,  bring  the  subject  up  again  and  direct 
the  letter,  such  as  I  suggested  to-day,  to  be  written. 
Mr.  Walker,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  stated 
that  he  had  been  called  upon  by  the  collector  of 
Boston  to  decide  whether  goods,  being  the  produc- 
tions of  California,  imported  into  the  U.  S.,  were 


138  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i  Oct. 

subject  to  duty.  I  decided  promptly  that  as  Cali- 
fornia was  a  part  of  our  own  country  by  the  T[r]eaty 
with  Mexico,  that  such  importations  were  not  subject 
to  duty.  In  this  he  and  all  the  other  members  of 
the  Cabinet  concurred.  They  concurred  also  in  the 
opinion  that  goods,  the  products  of  the  U.  S.,  shipped 
to  California  were  subject  to  no  duties.  The  Secre- 
tary of  the  Treasury  had  doubts  whether  foreign  car- 
goes shipped  to  California  could  be  permitted  to 
land  and  be  vended  duty  free,  or  whether  they  should 
not  be  required  to  pay  duties  in  Oregon  or  some 
other  collection  district  of  the  U.  S.,  and  then  be 
landed  in  California.  This  question  was  not  decided 
but  was  reserved  for  further  consideration.  The 
Revenue  laws  of  the  U.  S.  have  not  been  extended 
over  California,  and  we  have  no  collection  districts 
in  that  country.  Some  other  matters  were  consid- 
ered, and  about  3  O'Clock  P.  M.  the  Cabinet  ad- 
journed. I  spent  the  balance  of  the  afternoon  in 
my  office  as  is  my  usual  habit. 

Sunday,  1st  October,  1848, —  By  special  invita- 
tion I  attended  to-day  the  dedication  of  a  new  church 
in  this  city,  denominated  ''  The  English  Evangelical 
Lutheran  Church  of  St.  Pauls."  Mrs.  Polk  and  our 
two  nieces.  Miss  Hays  and  Miss  Rucker,  accom- 
panied me. 

After  night  the  Hon.  Rob't  J.  Walker,  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Treasury,  called  at  my  request  and  spent 
an  hour  with  me.  He  had  [been]  absent  until  yes- 
terday for  more  than  a  month. 


i848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  139 

Monday,  2nd  October,  1848, —  This  was  a  wet 
day  and  but  few  persons  called.  No  member  of  my 
Cabinet  called  during  the  day,  which  is  a  remark- 
able circumstance.  I  was  occupied  in  my  office  as 
usual,  and  devoted  a  part  of  the  day  to  the  prepara- 
tion of  some  passages  which  I  may  introduce  into 
my  next  annual  message.  Nothing  worthy  of  special 
notice  occurred  to-day. 

Tuesday,  3rd  October,  1848, —  The  Cabinet  met 
at  the  usual  hour  to-day;  all  the  members  present. 
After  disposing  of  some  matters  of  minor  impor- 
tance, Mr.  Buchanan  stated  that  there  was  a  subject 
which  he  considered  of  some  importance.  It  was 
this.  By  the  late  Treaty  ^  between  the  Republic  of 
New  Granada  and  the  U.  States,  the  latter  had 
secured  for  her  citizens  the  right  of  passage  through 
the  New  Granadian  territory  across  the  istmus  of 
Panama.  Mr.  Buchanan  stated  that  it  was  of  great 
importance  to  our  interests  on  both  oceans  that  a 
Rail  Road  or  canal  should  be  constructed  across  that 
istmus,  and  that  a  number  of  American[s]  were 
speaking  of  embarking  in  the  enterprise,  and  that  it 
was  very  desirable  that  a  scientific  survey  of  the 
route  should  be  made.  For  this  purpose  Mr.  Buch- 
anan recommended  that  some  of  our  Topographical 
corps  of  Engineers  should  be  ordered  to  make  the 
survey,  and  Report  upon  the  subject,  and  he  added 
that  Mr.  Herron,  the  Minister  to  the  U.  S.  from 
New  Granada,  was  desirous  that  this  should  be  done. 

^  17.  5.  Stat,  at  Large,  IX,  881-903. 


I40  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  Oct. 

I  promptly  informed  Mr.  Buchanan  that  I  had  ob- 
jections to  the  proposition,  and  stated  them  at  some 
length.  They  were  in  substance  ist,  that  the  Treaty 
stipulation  giving  to  citizens  of  the  U.  S.  the  right 
of  way,  imposed  no  obligation  on  the  Government 
to  make  the  survey,  2nd,  That  there  was  no  appro- 
priation out  of  which  the  expense  could  be  paid, 
3rd,  that  we  had  no  power  to  expend  money  for  such 
a  purpose,  and  that  if  we  could  make  the  survey  then 
upon  the  same  principle  we  could  construct  the 
works,  &  4th,  that  I  was  of  opinion  that  there  was 
no  constitutional  authority  to  do  either.  I  told  him 
that  he  was  aware  that  I  denied  the  power  to  make 
internal  improvements,  &  that  I  could  not  see  upon 
what  principle  we  possessed  the  power  to  make  ex- 
ternal improvements  in  a  foreign  country.  I  told 
him  furthermore  that  if  any  improvement  Bill 
should  during  my  time  be  presented  to  me,  I  should 
certainly  veto  it,  and  that  if  I  were  to  yield  my  sanc- 
tion to  his  proposition  it  would  be  argued  by  my 
opponents  in  Congress  that  while  I  denied  the  power 
to  make  internal  improvements,  I  was  exercising 
the  power,  and  that  too  without  an  act  of  Congress, 
to  make  foreign  surveys  with  a  view  to  make  foreign 
improvements.  The  discussion,  which  lasted  some 
time,  was  exclusively  between  Mr.  Buchanan  and 
myself.  My  mind  was  clear  on  the  subject  and  1 
did  not  call  upon  any  other  member  of  the  Cabinet 
and  none  of  them  gave  an  opinion.  I  brought  again 
before  the  Cabinet  the  subject  of  New  Mexico  & 
California  and  Senator  Benton's  extraordinary  let- 
ter to  the  people  of  California   (see  this  Diary  of 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  141 

Saturday  last,  the  30th  of  Sept.).  I  stated  that  I  still 
thought  a  letter  should  be  addressed  to  the  people 
of  California  by  the  Secretary  of  State,  such  as  I 
suggested  on  Saturday,  and  that  I  thought  also  that 
the  instructions  to  be  given  to  Gen'l  Riley,  who 
would  command  our  land  forces  in  California, 
should  be  now  considered  and  settled.  An  earnest 
and  protracted  discussion,  or  rather  comparison  of 
views,  upon  these  points  took  place,  in  which  all  the 
members  of  the  Cabinet  took  part.  Congress  had 
left  California  without  a  Territorial  Government. 
That  territory  is  now  a  part  of  the  U.  S.,  and  by  an 
act  of  Congress  our  Post  office  laws  have  been  ex- 
tended over  it.  In  my  message  to  Congress  an- 
nouncing the  peace  with  Mexico,  I  expressed  the 
opinion  that  at  the  termination  of  the  war  the  Mili- 
tary Government,  established  over  it  during  the  war 
&  when  it  was  a  conquered  province,  ceased,  &  that 
the  authority  of  Mexico  over  it  had  ceased  also  when 
the  Treaty  ceding  it  to  the  U.  S.  was  ratified.  The 
question  of  difficulty  was  what  Government  existed 
over  the  country  until  Congress  should  act,  and  what 
power  to  govern  it  the  Executive  possessed.  That 
the  late  military  Government  was  a  Government  de 
facto  in  existence,  was  probable,  but  could  the  Exec- 
utive enforce  obedience  to  it.  Senator  Benton  in 
his  letter  had  recommended  that  the  people  should 
meet  in  Convention  and  form  a  Government  for 
themselves.  Mr  Toucey  thought  that  the  sover- 
eignty of  the  territory  rested  in  the  people,  and  that 
they  could,  in  the  absence  of  the  action  of  Congress, 
Govern  themselves  as  they  chose,  and  that  the  exist- 


142  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  Oct. 

ing  Government  de  facto  was  presumed  to  be  in  force 
by  their  consent.  Mr.  Mason  was  of  a  different 
opinion.  He  thought  that  the  Sovereignty  rested  in 
the  people  of  the  U.  S.  and  not  in  the  people  of  the 
Territory.  Mr  Walker  concurred  in  opinion  with 
Mr.  Mason.  He  thought  that  if  the  right  to  form 
such  a  Government  as  they  chose  was  conceded  to 
the  people  of  California,  there  was  nothing  to  pre- 
vent them  from  establishing  a  Monarchy,  or  from 
disposing  of  the  public  lands.  Mr.  Johnson  thought 
that  the  existing  Government  de  facto  was  the  only 
one  which  could  exist  until  Congress  acted.  Mr. 
Marcy  was  also  of  this  opinion.  Mr.  Buchanan 
thought  that  the  people  might  form  a  temporary 
Government  not  inconsistent  with  the  constitution 
of  the  U.  S.,  but  that  it  would  be  very  unwise  for 
them  to  do  so,  and  that  they  should  be  advised  to 
submit  by  consent  to  the  existing  Government.  He 
concurred  with  me  in  the  opinion  that  it  was  im- 
portant to  write  the  instructions  I  had  proposed,  and 
to  send  them  to  California  before  Senator  Benton's 
letter  reached  California.  After  an  anxious  and 
very  patient  discussion,  I  stated  that  it  was  a  subject 
which  from  its  novelty  was  surrounded  with  many 
difficulties,  but  I  thought  instructions  could  be  pre- 
pared which  would  avoid  the  decision  of  any  ab- 
stract, doubtful  question.  I  proposed  for  considera- 
tion that  Mr.  Buchanan  should  prepare  instructions 
for  Mr.  Voorhies,  the  Post  office  agent  who  is  about 
to  proceed  to  California,  which  instructions  he 
should  make  known,  on  his  arrival  in  the  country,  to 
the  following  effect,  viz,,  That  the  inhabitants  should 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  143 

be  informed  that  California  was  now  a  part  of  the 
U.  S.,  that  the  constitution  of  the  U.  S.  extended 
over  them  &  was  in  force,  that  Congress  had  failed 
to  establish  a  Territorial  Government  over  them,  that 
the  President  would  strongly  recommend  the  estab- 
lishment of  such  a  Government  at  the  next  Session, 
and  that  there  was  every  reason  to  believe  that  it 
would  be  done,  and  that  in  the  mean-time  they  were 
advised  to  consent  to  the  existing  Government  de 
facto,  so  far  at  least  as  the  rights  of  person  &  prop- 
erty were  concerned.  To  this  all  agreed.  I  pro- 
posed further  that  he  should  inform  them  that  they 
had  no  right,  under  the  Constitution,  to  meet  in  Con- 
vention and  abrogate  the  present  Government  de 
facto  and  form  a  new  one,  that  if  this  was  done  it 
would  not  be  by  virtue  of  any  authority  derived  from 
the  constitution,  and  could  only  be  justified  by  the 
extreme  necessity  of  their  condition.  Upon  this  lat- 
ter point  no  distinct  question  was  taken,  but  it  seemed 
to  be  acquiesced  in.  I  proposed  that  Mr.  Marcy 
should  give  Gen'l  Riley  similar  instructions.  It  was 
agreed  that  Mr.  Buchanan  &  Mr.  Marcy  should  pre- 
pare instructions  accordingly,  &  submit  them  for 
consideration  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  Cabinet.  I 
requested  Mr.  Walker  to  prepare  and  report  at  the 
next  meeting  of  the  Cabinet  what  regulations  he 
possessed  the  power  to  make  in  relation  to  Foreign 
commerce  with  that  territory.  In  regard  to  our  own 
commerce  it  was  agreed  that  this  was  regulated  by 
our  laws  relating  to  the  coasting  trade.  After  a  sit- 
ting of  5  hours  the  Cabinet  adjourned  about  4 
O'clock  P.  M. 


144  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [4  Oct. 

This  was  reception  evening.  It  was  a  wet  night 
and  but  half  a  dozen  people  called. 

This  morning  I  made  a  present  of  $50  in  gold  to 
each  of  my  nieces,  Miss  Sarah  P.  Rucker  &  Miss  Vir- 
ginia Hays. 

Wednesday,  4th  October,  1848,— The  Secretary 
of  the  Navy  called  and  transacted  business  with  me 
this  morning.  He  was  the  only  member  of  the  Cabi- 
net who  called  to-day.  At  2  O'Clock  I  opened  my 
doors  and  a  number  of  persons  called,  chiefly  seek- 
ing petty  offices.  I  had  none  to  bestow  and  disposed 
of  their  applications  very  summarily.  I  disposed 
of  business  on  my  table  as  usual,  and  devoted  a  con- 
siderable portion  of  the  day  in  preparing  an  expose 
of  the  "  American  system,"  as  it  was  falsely  called 
by  its  authors.  This  I  designed  to  insert  either  in 
my  next  annual  message  or  reserve  it  for  the  next 
veto  message  I  may  have  to  send  to  Congress  on  the 
subject  of  Internal  Improvement.  I  consider  it  al- 
most certain  that  at  the  next  session  of  Congress  I 
may  have  occasion  to  send  such  a  message.  With 
this  view  I  occasionally  [devote]  a  leisure  hour  to 
the  examination  of  the  subject,  and  in  reducing  to 
writing  such  views  as  may  occur  to  me. 

This  evening  my  Private  Secretary,  J.  Knox 
Walker,  with  his  wife  and  four  children  and  his 
wife's  brother,  Blutcher  Tabb,  returned  to  Wash- 
ington. His  family  have  been  spending  several 
months  with  their  relations  at  Lynchburg,  Virginia. 
My  Private  Secretary  has  been  absent  with  them 
since  the  28th  of  August  last.     During  that  period 


i848]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  145 

I  have  had  the  occasional  assistance  of  Mr.  H.  C. 
Williams,  who  has  acted  as  Private  Secretary. 

Thursday,  5/A  October,  1848. —  Since  it  has  be- 
come generally  understood  that  I  do  not  open  my 
doors  for  the  reception  of  company  until  2  O'Clock 
P.  M.  each  day,  I  am  but  little  interrupted  until  that 
hour.  Public  officers  who  call  on  business  are  an 
exception  to  this  rule.  These  I  see  at  any  hour  they 
may  call.  To-day  the  Secretary  of  State  &  the  Sec- 
retary of  War  called  on  business.  I  disposed  of  the 
current  business  on  my  table  as  usual.  After  night 
the  Post  Master  General  called  and  spent  an  hour 
with  me.  I  read  to  him  the  expose  which  I  had 
prepared  on  the  "  American  system  "  (see  this  Diary 
of  yesterday)  and  which  I  may  make  a  part  of  my 
next  annual  message.  He  approved  of  it  &  was 
pleased  with  it. 

Friday,  6th  October,  1848, —  I  spent  this  morn- 
ing in  my  office  as  usual.  I  saw  the  Secretary  of 
State  and  the  Secretary  of  War  on  business.  The 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  called  about  one  O'Clock 
P.  M.  I  read  to  him  the  expose  of  the  *^  American 
system"  which  I  had  prepared  (see  this  Diary  of 
the  4th,  Instant).  He  approved  it  and  was  much 
pleased  with  it.  About  2  O'Clock  P.  M.,  in  pur- 
suance of  a  previous  arrangement,  the  Secretary  of 
the  Navy  called.  Accompanied  by  the  Secretary 
of  the  Navy,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  Commo- 
dore Warrington,  &  Mrs.  Polk  I  visited  the  Navy 
yard   [Yard].     We  were  received  by  Commodore 


146  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [7  Oct. 

McCauley,^  the  officers,  and  marines  in  an  appro- 
priate manner.  Accompanied  by  the  officers  we 
visited  various  parts  of  the  yard  and  witnessed  the 
operations  of  the  mechanics  who  were  imployed  in 
the  different  branches  of  business.  We  witnessed 
also  the  firing  of  a  32  pounder  at  a  target  at  the  dis- 
tance of  600  years  [yards].  The  shots  were  made 
with  great  precision.  We  spent  a  few  minutes  at 
Commodore  McCauley's  house,  took  a  glass  of  Wine, 
and  returned  about  4  O'Clock.  I  spent  the  evening 
in  my  office  and  disposed  of  the  current  business  on 
my  table. 

Saturday,  yth  October,  1848.— ]udgt  Mason, 
the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  left  the  City  this  morn- 
ing on  a  visit  to  the  North,  for  the  purpose  of  in- 
specting the  Navy  Yards  at  New  York,  Boston,  & 
Kittera  [Kittery].  The  Cabinet  assembled  at  the 
usual  hour,  all  the  members  present  except  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Navy.  Mr.  Buchanan  submitted  the 
draft  of  instructions  ^  which  he  had  prepared  to  the 
people  of  California,  in  the  form  of  a  letter  to  be 
addressed  to  Mr.  Wm.  Voorhies,  who  was  about  to 
proceed  to  California  as  an  agent  of  the  Post  Office 
Department.  These  instructions  were  prepared  in 
pursuance  of  my  directions  at  the  last  Cabinet  meet- 
ing (see  this  Diary  of  the  3rd  Instant).  They  were 
read  and  after  full  discussion  were  modified  in  some 
respects.     Besides  other  modifications  it  was  agreed 

^  Charles   S.   McCauley   of   Pennsylvania,   commander   of   the 
Washington  navy  yard. 

^  Moore,  Buchanan,  VIII,  211-216. 


1848J  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  147 

to  insert  a  clause  in  relation  to  the  revenue  laws  and 
regulations  established  by  the  temporary  military 
Government  during  the  late  war  with  Mexico,  this 
being  regarded  as  a  Government  de  facto,  still  ex- 
isting by  the  presumed  consent  of  the  people  of  Cali- 
fornia. It  was  agreed  that  the  duties  levied  on  im- 
portations into  California  by  this  de  facto  Govern- 
ment could  not  continue  to  be  collected  by  it  con- 
formably to  the  constitution  of  the  U.  S.  The 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  presented  his  views,  which 
were  that  California  being  now  a  part  of  the  U.  S., 
all  the  productions  of  California  were  entitled  to  be 
imported  into  any  of  our  ports  on  the  Atlantic  free 
of  du[t]y;  that  all  the  products  of  foreign  countries 
which  had  paid  duties  at  any  custom  house  in  the 
U.  S.,  and  all  foreign  articles  which  by  our  tariff 
were  duty  free,  were  entitled  to  be  imported  into 
California  duty  free.  In  other  words,  California 
being  now  a  part  of  the  territory  of  the  U.  S.,  our 
laws  regulating  the  coasting  trade  were  applicable 
to  that  country.  The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  also 
expressed  the  opinion  that  foreign  cargoes  subject  by 
our  laws  to  pay  duty  would  also  be  subject  to  such 
duties  in  California,  but  that  as  Congress  had  estab- 
lished no  collection  districts  &  authorized  the  ap- 
pointment of  no  officers  to  collect  such  duties,  he 
possessed  no  power  to  do  so.  He  said  further  that 
if  foreign  goods  were  taken  into  California  without 
paying  duties  and  should  afterwards  be  shipped  to 
any  of  our  Atlantic  ports,  or  collection  Districts,  they 
would  be  subject  to  pay  duties.  These  views  were 
approved  by  the  Cabinet.     Mr.  Buchanan  had  ex- 


148  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [7  Oct. 

pressed  an  unwillingness  to  insert  in  his  letter  of 
instructions  anything  which  would  break  up  the  for- 
eign trade  of  California  with  the  Sandwich  Islands, 
the  South  American  States,  &  any  other  countries, 
fearing  that  if  done  it  might  dissatisfy  the  people 
and  incline  them  to  pursue  Senator  Benton's  advice, 
&  attempt  to  hold  a  convention  &  establish  an  Inde- 
pendent Government  for  themselves.  He  wished  to 
avoid  this  and  thought  it  better  to  say  nothing  about 
the  foreign  trade  with  California,  &  leave  it  as  it 
was  for  the  short  time  which  would  intervene  until 
Congress  could  meet  and  act  on  the  subject.  He 
however  concurred  &  asquiesced  in  the  views  upon 
the  subject  presented  by  Mr.  Walker.  Mr.  Buch- 
anan retired  to  the  adjoining  room  to  prepare  a  para- 
graph embodying  Mr.  Walker's  suggestions.  While 
he  was  gone  from  my  office  Mr.  Walker  also  pre- 
pared the  draft  of  a  paragraph  at  my  table.  When 
Mr.  Buchanan  returned  both  paragraphs  were  read. 
The  substance  of  both  was  the  same  though  the 
phraseology  of  neither  was  satisfactory,  and  it  was 
agreed  that  they  should  prepare  the  draft  after  the 
Cabinet  adjourned.  The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury 
stated  that  he  had  been  called  on  from  Boston  and 
other  places  for  his  opinion  both  in  regard  to  the 
coasting  &  foreign  trade  with  California.  It  was 
agreed  that  he  should  prepare  an  answer  in  con- 
formity to  the  suggestions  upon  the  subject  which 
he  had  made  to-day,  &  which  it  had  been  determined 
should  be  inserted  in  Mr.  Buchanan's  instructions, 
&  that  Mr.  Buchanan  should  accompany  his  instruc- 
tions with  a  copy  of  this  answer.     It  was  agreed  that 


1848J  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  149 

the  Secretary  of  War  should  furnish  the  military 
ofBcer  in  command  in  California  with  a  copy  of  Mr. 
Buchanan's  instructions  &  also  a  copy  of  Mr. 
Walker's  answer  to  the  communications  from  Bos- 
ton &  other  places,  and  should  incorporate  them  into 
his  instructions  to  that  officer.  The  Secretary  of 
War  read  the  draft  of  instructions  on  the  subject 
which  he  had  prepared  in  pursuance  of  my  direc- 
tions at  the  last  Cabinet  meeting.  They  required 
modification,  and  after  considering  his  paper  he  said 
he  would  make  another  draft  &  submit  it  to  me  be- 
fore it  was  sent  off.  I  submitted  to  the  Cabinet  the 
propriety  of  uniting  the  two  military  departments  or 
districts  in  Oregon  &  California  into  one,  and  of 
putting  it  under  the  command  of  Gen'l  Persifer  F. 
Smith,  putting  him  upon  his  Brevet  rank  as  a  Briga- 
dier General.  This  had  been  suggested  to  me  by 
Mr.  Buchanan  on  yesterday.  On  reflecting  upon  the 
subject  I  approved  it,  and  so  did  the  whole  Cabinet 
when  I  presented  it  to  them.  Gen'l  Smith  had  been 
previously  ordered  with  his  Regiment  of  Mounted 
Riflemen  to  Oregon,  and  Gen'l  Riley  with  his  Regi- 
ment of  Infantry  to  California,  both  to  be  in  com- 
mand as  Colonels  of  the  line  &  not  to  be  put  on  their 
Brevet  Rank.  Gen'l  Smith  is  a  man  of  education 
&  intelligence  &  possessed  of  much  knowledge  of 
civil  government  as  well  as  military  command,  and 
it  was  desirable  to  have  such  an  officer  in  chief  com- 
mand in  California  in  the  present  anomylous  state  of 
that  country.  These  were  the  reasons  for  making 
the  change  of  the  original  arrangement.  The  Cabi- 
net all  approving  the  suggestion,  I  determined  to 


150  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [7  Oct. 

carry  it  out.  General  Smith  being  in  the  City,  I 
addressed  a  note  to  him  requesting  him  to  call.  He 
did  so  &  I  communicated  to  him,  in  the  room  adjoin- 
ing my  office,  what  my  wish  was,  and  that  I  desired 
to  know  whether  such  a  change  of  the  orders  which 
had  been  previously  given  would  be  agreeable  to  him. 
He  said  it  would  be  entirely  so,  and  added  that  he 
was  ready  to  perform  any  service  he  might  be  or- 
dered to  perform,  and  that  he  was  very  grateful  to 
me  for  the  advancement  I  had  heretofore  conferred 
upon  him.  He  left  and  I  informed  the  Cabinet  of 
my  interview  with  him. 

I  called  the  attention  of  the  Secretary  of  War  to 
the  fact  that  The  State  of  Texas  had  organized  a 
County  &  laid  off  a  Judicial  Circuit  &  extended  her 
laws  over  that  part  of  New  Mexico  lying  East  of  the 
Rio  Grande  &  within  her  limits,  and  suggested  the 
importance  of  his  giving  instructions  to  the  Military 
officer  in  command  at  Sante  Fe  to  respect  the  officers 
and  authorities  of  the  State  of  Texas  in  that  Terri- 
tory, and  to  sustain  them  &  avoid  coming  in  collision 
with  them.  This  I  deemed  necessary  fearing  that 
the  military  officers  in  command  at  Santa  Fe,  in  the 
absence  of  instructions,  might  come  in  collision  with 
the  authorities  of  Texas.  The  Secretary  of  War  con- 
curred with  me  in  my  suggestions,  &  said  he  would 
prepare  such  instructions.  In  a  message  to  Congress 
at  the  last  session,  or  rather  to  the  Ho.  Repts.,  in  an- 
swer to  a  Resolution  of  that  body,  I  had  expressed  the 
opinion  that  the  Western  Boundary  of  Texas  ex- 
tended to  the  Rio  Grande,  and  that  all  that  part  of 
New  Mexico  on  the  East  of  that  River  was  within 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  151 

the  state  of  Texas.  Such  is  still  my  opinion.  Con- 
gress with  a  full  knowledge  of  my  opinion  before 
them  has  done  nothing  to  indicate  a  different  opinion, 
and  therefore  I  have  no  hesitation  in  giving  the  or- 
ders which  I  have  directed  the  Secretary  of  War 
to  prepare.  The  Cabinet  adjourned  about  4 
O'clock  P.  M. 

Sunday,  8th  October,  1848, —  Mrs.  Polk  and  my- 
self attended  the  first  Presbyterian  church  to-day. 
Our  two  nieces.  Miss  Hays  and  Miss  Rucker,  accom- 
panied Col.  Walker  and  attended  the  Episcopal 
church. 

Monday,  gth  October,  1848. —  I  was  occupied 
as  usual  in  my  office  this  morning.  I  saw  the  Secre- 
taries of  State,  of  the  Treasury,  and  of  War  at  differ- 
ent periods  of  the  day  on  business,  &  at  one  time  they 
were  all  in  my  Office  together.  I  saw  also  the  com- 
missioner of  Public  Lands  and  other  subordinate  offi- 
cers on  business.  The  Secretary  of  War  read  to  me 
his  instructions  to  the  officers  in  command  of  the  mil- 
itary forces  in  California,  prepared  in  pursuance  of 
my  directions  at  the  Cabinet  meeting  on  the  7th  In- 
stant (see  this  Diary  of  that  day).  With  one  or  two 
Modifications,  which  he  made  at  my  suggestion,  I 
approved  them.  He  read  to  me  also  a  copy  of  the 
Circular  letter  to  collectors  of  the  customs  on  the  sub- 
ject of  duties  in  California,  &C.,  prepared  by  him  in 
pursuance  of  the  decision  made  in  the  Cabinet  on 
the  7th  Instant.  The  Secretary  of  War  transmitted 
a  copy  of  this  Circular  and  a  copy  of  Mr.  Buchanan's 


152  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [lo  Oct. 

letter  of  Instructions  to  Mr.  Voorhies,  with  his  in- 
structions. When  I  opened  my  office  for  the  recep- 
tion of  company  at  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  a  number  of 
persons  called,  and  among  others,  Bishop  Janes  ^  of 
N.  York,  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  accom- 
panied by  the  Rev'd  Mr.  Slicer  &  the  Rev'd  Mr. 
Hamilton. 

Brevet  Maj'r  Gen'l  Persifer  F.  Smith,  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan, and  Mr.  Marcy  took  a  family  Dinner  with 
me  to-day.  I  disposed  of  the  business  on  my  table  as 
usual. 

My  private  Secretary,  Col.  Walker,  went  to  An- 
napolis this  morning  with  his  wife's  brother.  Mid- 
shipman Blutcher  Tabb,  who  is  about  to  enter  the 
naval  school  at  that  place. 

Tuesday,  lOth  October,  1848, —  I  saw  a  few  per- 
sons on  business  before  the  meeting  of  the  Cabinet 
this  morning.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour, 
all  the  members  present  except  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy,  who  is  absent  on  a  visit  to  the  Navy  yards  at 
New  York,  Boston,  &  Kittera.  Mr.  Buchanan 
brought  to  my  notice  the  subject  of  the  Sound  duties 
levied  &  collected  by  Denmark  on  the  vessels  of  all 
other  nations  trading  to  the  Baltic.  He  showed  from 
statistics  which  he  had  collected  that  the  amount  of 
these  duties  or  tolls  collected  from  American  vessels 
had  amounted  for  several  years  past  to  more  than 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars  annually.  This  is  a 
heavy  tax  upon  our  commerce  and  ought,  if  prac- 

^  Edmund  Storer  Janes,  1807-1876,  bishop  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  1 844-1 876. 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  153 

ticable,  to  be  removed.  Mr.  Buchanan  had  pre- 
viously brought  the  subject  to  my  notice,  and  to-day 
he  read  the  draft  of  part  of  a  despatch  ^  which  he 
had  prepared  to  Mr.  Flenegan,^  the  U.  S.  charge 
d'affaires  to  Denmark,  the  object  of  which  was  to 
authorize  him  to  make  a  Treaty  by  which  our  com- 
merce in  that  quarter  might  be  relieved  from  these 
tolls.  It  would  seem  clear  from  the  laws  of  Nations 
that  these  duties  or  tolls  were  not  warranted,  but  the 
Nations  of  Europe  having  submitted  to  their  im- 
position for  centuries,  and  the  U.  S.  having  by  a 
Treaty  with  Denmark  acquiesced  in  her  right  to  do 
so,  it  is  perhaps  too  late  now  to  controvert  that  right. 
Although  this  be  so,  we  have  an  undoubted  right, 
upon  giving  a  year's  notice,  to  abrogate  our  Treaty 
with  Denmark,  which  is  a  very  beneficial  one  to  that 
country.  Mr.  Buchanan  proposed  in  his  despatch 
to  instruct  Mr.  Flennigan  to  bring  the  subject  to  the 
Notice  of  the  Danish  Government  with  a  distinct  in- 
timation that  unless  a  satisfactory  arrangement  was 
made  as  respects  the  Sound  duties  or  tolls,  the  U.  S. 
would  give  the  notice  and  abrogate  the  Treaty.  He 
proposed  to  authorize  him  to  agree  to  pay  one  or  two 
hundred  thousand  dollars  in  consideration  of  the  re- 
linquishment by  Denmark  of  these  tolls  or  duties  on 
American  Vessels,  that  sum  not  being  greater  than 
that  we  would  have  to  pay  during  the  year's  notice 
for  the  abrogation  of  the  Treaty.  The  subject  was 
discussed  and  I  approved  the  suggestions  of  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan, and  requested  him  to  complete  his  despatch 

^  Moore,  Buchanan,  VIII,  220-225. 
^  Robert  P.  Flenniken. 


154  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [lo  Oct. 

and  send  it  to  Mr.  Flannegan.  Mr.  Buchanan  again 
brought  up  the  subject  of  the  survey  of  the  Istmus 
of  Panama  (see  this  Diary  of  the  3rd  Instant),  and 
urged  the  importance  of  detailing  some  officers  of 
our  corps  of  Engineers  to  make  the  survey,  stating 
that  Gen'l  Herron,  the  Granadian  Minister,  was  very 
anxious  on  the  subject.  I  repeated  my  former  ob- 
jections. He  then  enquired  of  me  if  the  Minister  of 
New  Granada  should  request  the  services  of  one  of 
our  officers  of  Topographical  Engineers  to  make  the 
survey  for  his  Government  &  at  their  expense, 
[whether]  I  would  agree  to  detail  such  an  officer. 
I  replied  that  the  time  and  services  of  such  an  officer 
belonged  to  his  own  Government,  which  paid  his 
salary,  and  that  I  must  in  such  case  decline  giving 
my  sanction  to  such  an  application.  I  added  that  if 
we  had  no  employment  for  our  officers  they  had  bet- 
ter be  disbanded.  A  suggestion  was  made  that  such 
officers  might  be  relieved  from  duty  for  a  few 
months,  and  be  employed  in  this  work.  I  thought 
it  best  not  to  give  my  sanction  to  the  proposition  even 
in  this  modified  form,  because  it  would  be  suscepti- 
ble of  misconstruction.  Some  other  matters  of  no 
general  importance  were  considered  and  disposed  of. 
I  read  to  the  Cabinet  a  communication  which  I  re- 
ceived this  morning  from  George  Abernathy,  the 
Governor  of  the  Temporary  Government  in  Oregon, 
dated  April  3rd,  1848,  in  which  he  states  that  an  In- 
dian war  is  raging  in  Oregon,  presents  their  destitu- 
tion of  arms  and  the  means  of  defense,  and  earnestly 
calls  upon  the  Government  of  the  U.  States  for  as- 
sistance   and    protection.     We    have    no    means    of 


1848J  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  155 

affording  timely  aid  other  than  that  which  has  been 
already  ordered.  It  is  most  unfortunate  that  Con- 
gress had  not  granted  the  force  for  which  I  called  to 
protect  the  people  of  Oregon  in  my  message  of  May 
last  communicating  to  that  body  the  information 
brought  by  Mr.  Meek.  Congress  not  only  refused  to 
do  this,  but  after  the  orders  had  been  issued,  upon  the 
conclusion  of  the  Mexican  War,  to  have  the  mounted 
Rifle  Regt.  march  to  Oregon  the  last  summer  for 
their  protection,  that  body,  without  the  recommen- 
dation of  the  Executive  &  against  our  wishes,  author- 
ized every  man  of  that  Regiment  who  would  ask  it 
to  be  discharged.  The  effect  [of]  this  was,  in  effect, 
to  disband  the  Regiment  &  to  recruit  it  again,  and  in 
the  mean-time  the  season  was  too  far  advanced  to 
enable  the  Regiment  to  be  marched  across  the  Rocky 
mountains  before  the  impassable  snows  of  winter 
would  set  in.  The  present  defenseless  condition  of 
the  people  of  Oregon  is  wholly  to  be  attributed  to  the 
neglect  and  inattention  of  Congress  to  their  condi- 
tion, and  their  refusal  to  legislate  in  accordance  with 
the  Executive  recommendation  at  the  last  Session. 
The  truth  is  that  Congress  were  more  occupied  at  the 
last  session  in  President  making  than  in  attending  to 
the  public  business.  After  reading  the  papers  just 
received  the  subject  was  discussed,  but  no  order  upon 
it  was  made  to-day.  This  was  reception  evening,  but 
few  persons  called.  Col.  Walker  returned  from  An- 
napolis to-night. 

Wednesday,   nth   October,  1848, —  I  saw  the 
Secretaries  of  State,  Treasury,  and  War  on  business 


156  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [12  Oct. 

in  the  course  of  the  morning.  I  sent  for  Gen'l  P.  F. 
Smith,  who  has  been  assigned  to  command  our 
forces  in  Oregon  &  California,  &  submitted  to  his 
perusal  the  communication  which  I  received  from 
the  Governor  of  the  Temporary  Government  of  Ore- 
gon on  yesterday  (see  this  Diary  of  yesterday).  I 
directed  Mr.  Marcy,  who  is  the  acting  Secretary  of 
the  Navy  in  Mr.  Mason's  absence,  to  prepare  a  de- 
spatch to  the  commander  of  our  Squadron  in  the 
Pacific,  directing  him  to  proceed  at  once  with  a  part 
of  his  force  to  Oregon  to  furnish  the  inhabitants  of 
that  territory  with  arms  &  munitions  of  War,  and 
such  disposible  force  as  he  could  spare  for  their  pro- 
tection and  defense  against  the  Indians  who  are 
making  war  upon  them.  This  is  all  that  it  is  in  the 
power  of  the  Government  to  do.  The  responsibility 
of  Congress  for  its  culpable  neglect  at  the  last  session 
&  their  refusal  to  grant  the  means  of  protecting  the 
people  of  Oregon,  as  recommended  by  me,  is  very 
great  (see  this  Diary  of  yesterday).  The  despatch 
which  I  directed  the  acting  Secretary  of  the  Navy  to 
prepare  can  be  sent  out  by  Mr.  John  Parrot,  a  special 
bearer  of  dispatches,  who  will  sail  from  New  York  in 
two  or  three  days  for  Vera  Cruz,  &  who  designs 
crossing  through  Mexico  to  the  Pacific.  I  disposed 
of  business  on  my  table  to-day  as  usual. 

Thursday,  12th  October,  1848. —  Mr.  Buchanan 
and  Mr.  Marcy  called  on  business  this  morning. 
Mr.  Marcy  read  to  me  the  despatch  to  the  com- 
mander of  our  naval  forces  in  the  Pacific,  which  he 
had  prepared  as  acting  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  direct- 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  157 

ing  him  to  furnish  arms,  &C.  to  the  people  of  Ore- 
gon, and  to  afford  to  them  such  assistance  as  might 
be  in  his  power  (see  this  Diary  of  yesterday  &  the 
day  preceding).  I  saw  and  conferred  with  Genl 
P.  F.  Smith  to-day  in  relation  to  the  existing  state  of 
things  in  Oregon  &  California  &  the  means  of  afford- 
ing speedy  protection  &  defense  to  the  people  of  these 
territories.  Gen'l  Smith  was  present  when  Mr. 
Marcy  read  his  despatch  to  Commodore  Jones  com- 
manding our  Squadron  in  the  Pacific.  At  2  O'Clock 
P.  M.  I  opened  my  office  for  the  reception  of  visitors. 
A  larger  number  of  persons  than  usual  called.  Sev- 
eral of  them  were  strangers  who  called  to  pay  their 
respects.  The  larger  number  were  of  a  different 
claims  [class].  They  were  seeking  office.  I  had 
applications  to-day  for  offices  of  all  grades  from 
ministers  abroad  down  to  messengers'  places.  I  had 
applications  also  from  persons  begging  money.  I 
made  a  donation  to  the  English  Lutheran  church  of 
this  City.  I  disposed  of  business  on  my  table  as 
usual  to-day. 

Friday,  13th  October,  1848. —  I  was  closely  en- 
gaged in  my  office  to-day.  I  disposed  of  the  current 
business  on  my  table.  I  devoted  the  greater  part  of 
the  day  in  preparing  an  elaborate  draft  of  my  views 
on  the  subject  of  Internal  Improvements,  and  espe- 
cially Harbour  and  River  improvements,  by  the  Fed- 
eral Government.  Denying,  as  I  do,  the  power  of 
the  General  Government  to  make  such  improve- 
ments, and  deeming  it  probable,  if  not  certain,  that 
such  a  Bill  will  be  presented  to  me  for  my  approval 


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

at  the  next  Session  of  Congress,  I  desire  to  be  pre- 
pared to  meet  it  with  a  veto.  Should  another  veto 
become  necessary  I  desire  to  make  it  a  strong  paper, 
so  that  if  I  should  be  over-ruled,  as  I  may  be,  by  a 
united  Whig  vote  and  a  part  of  the  Democratic  mem- 
bers, making  a  vote  of  two  thirds,  I  may  leave  my  full 
views  on  record  to  be  judged  of  by  my  countrymen 
&  by  posterity.  I  can  add  to  the  strength  of  my  veto 
message  on  the  same  subject  of  the  15th  of  December 
last.  If  I  should  not  have  occasion  to  use  it,  it  will 
be  left  among  my  papers  at  my  death.  I  am  thor- 
oughly convinced  that  I  am  right  upon  the  subject, 
and  therefore  I  have  bestowed  much  labour  in  pre- 
paring a  paper  which  may  contribute  to  convince 
others  that  I  am  so.  I  opened  my  office  for  the  re- 
ception of  company  at  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  Many  per- 
sons called,  some,  of  course,  seeking  office,  but  none 
of  them  having  any  business  of  importance. 

Saturday,  14th  October,  1848, —  I  was  occupied 
in  my  office  during  the  morning  as  usual.  The  Cab- 
inet met  at  11  O'Clock;  all  the  members  present  ex- 
cept the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  who  has  been  absent 
for  the  last  week  visiting  the  Navy  Yards  at  New 
York,  Boston,  and  Kittera.  Several  matters  of  de- 
tail and  of  no  general  importance  were  considered 
and  disposed  of.  The  Cabinet  adjourned  about  2 
O'clock  P.  M.  I  disposed  of  the  business  on  my 
table.  Nothing  of  interest  occurred  during  the  day. 
Senator  Cameron  of  Penn.  called  after  night.  He 
informed  me  that  he  was  on  a  visit  of  business  to 
this  City,  and  would  remain  two  or  three  days. 


1848J  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  159 

Sunday,  l^th  October,  1848,—  Mrs.  Polk  &  my- 
self attended  the  First  Presbyterian  church  to-day. 
Our  two  nieces,  Miss  Rucker  &  Miss  Hays,  attended 
one  of  the  Catholic  churches.  They  had  never  be- 
fore attended  the  Catholic  worship. 

Monday,  l6th  October,  1848. —  I  attended  to 
business  in  my  office  as  usual  to-day.  The  Secretary 
of  State,  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  the  Attorney 
General  called  on  business  at  different  hours  of  the 
day.  At  2  O'Clock  I  received  company.  A  num- 
ber of  persons  called.  Nothing  of  importance  oc- 
curred to-day.  After  night  Senator  Cameron  of 
Pennsylvania  called  &  spent  an  hour  with  me. 

Tuesday,  lyth  October,  1848. —  I  was  engaged 
in  attending  to  business  in  my  office  as  usual  this 
morning.  The  Cabinet  assembled  at  the  usual  hour; 
all  the  members  present  except  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy,  who  is  still  absent  on  a  visit  to  the  Navy  Yards 
at  New  York,  Boston,  and  Kittera.  No  subject  of 
importance  was  submitted  to  the  Cabinet  to-day. 
Some  minor  subjects  of  detail  were  disposed  of  and 
about  I  O'clock  P.  M.  they  dispersed.  I  walked  out 
with  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  for  exercise  and 
accompanying  [accompanied]  him  to  the  Treasury 
buildings,  and  went  in  and  sat  a  few  minutes  in  his 
office  with  him.  It  was  the  first  time  I  had  ever  been 
in  his  office.  After  sitting  with  him  a  short  time  I 
continued  my  walk.  Mr.  Bowden  of  the  Ho.  Repts. 
from  Alabama  took  a  family  dinner  with  me  to-day. 
This  being  reception  evening  a  number  of  persons 


i6o  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i8  Oct. 

called.     I  received  them  as  is  usual  on  such  occasions 
in  the  parlour. 

Wednesday,  i8th  October,  1848. —  I  saw  a  num- 
ber of  persons  and  others  who  called  in  the  course  of 
the  day.  When  I  opened  my  office  at  2  O'Clock 
P.  M.  for  the  reception  of  company  generally  a  num- 
ber of  persons  [called],  all  of  whom,  with  two  or 
three  exceptions,  were  office-seekers.  The  day  was 
spent  in  attending  to  various  matters  of  duty,  none 
of  them  of  any  general  importance.  It  happens  to 
occur  to  me  and  I  therefore  record  it,  that  thirty 
years  ago  this  day  I  arrived  at  my  father's  house  in 
Tennessee  on  my  return  from  the  University  of 
North  Carolina,  where  I  had  graduated  in  the  month 
of  June  preceding.  I  closed  my  education  at  a  later 
period  of  life  than  is  usual,  in  consequence  of  having 
been  very  much  afflicted  and  enjoyed  very  bad  health 
in  my  youth.  I  did  not  commence  the  Latin  Gram- 
mer  until  the  13th  of  July,  1813.  My  instructor  was 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Robert  Henderson  of  the  Presbyterian 
church,  who  taught  an  Academy  two  or  three  miles 
South  of  Columbia,  Tennessee. 

Thursday,  igth  October,  1848, —  I  was  busily 
engaged  during  the  day  in  my  office.  I  transacted 
business  on  my  table  and  at  2  O'Clock  opened  my 
office  for  the  reception  of  company.  Quite  a  num- 
ber of  persons  came  in,  several  of  whom  were  beg- 
ging money  and  others,  who  from  their  appearance 
were  to[o]  lazy  to  work,  were  asking  for  office.  The 
office  of  President  is  generally  esteemed  a  very  high 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  161 

&  dignified  position,  but  really  I  think  the  public 
would  not  so  regard  it  if  they  could  look  in  occa- 
sionally and  observe  the  kind  of  people  by  whom  I 
am  often  annoyed.  I  cannot  seclude  myself  but 
must  be  accessible  to  my  fellow-citizens,  and  this 
gives  an  opportunity  to  all  classes  and  descriptions 
of  people  to  obtrude  themselves  upon  me  about  mat- 
ters in  which  the  public  has  not  the  slightest  interest. 
There  is  no  class  of  our  population  by  whom  I  am 
annoyed  so  much,  or  for  whom  I  entertain  a  more 
sovereign  contempt,  than  for  the  professed  office- 
seekers  who  have  beseiged  me  ever  since  I  have  been 
in  the  Presidential  office. 

Friday,  20th  October,  1848. —  Nothing  of  any 
importance  occurred  to-day.  I  was  engaged  as 
usual  in  my  office.  At  2  O'Clock  when  my  office 
was  opened  for  the  reception  of  company  a  few  per- 
sons called.  All  of  those  who  did  call  wanted  to 
serve  the  Government  in  some  office,  except  one  hale, 
stout  looking  man  of  middle  age  who  was  begging 
money.  His  story  was  that  he  had  faithfully  served 
the  Democratic  party  &  had  made  some  sacrifices,  & 
he  thought  now  that  he  needed  money  they  should 
furnish  it  to  him.  Of  course  I  gave  him  nothing. 
He  had  health  and  strength  and  I  told  him  he  had 
better  engage  in  some  honest  calling  for  a  livelihood 
than  to  degrade  himself  by  begging. 

Saturday,  21st  October,  1848, —  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour  this  morning;  all  the  members 
present  except  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  who  is  still 


i62  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [21  Oct. 

absent  on  a  visit  to  the  Navy  yards  at  the  North.  He 
has  been  absent  for  the  last  two  v^eeks.  Several  mat- 
ters of  no  general  importance  were  considered  and 
disposed  of  to-day.  I  made  enquiries  of  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Treasury  in  regard  to  the  State  of  the 
revenue  and  the  demands  upon  the  Treasury.  He 
informed  me  that  the  amount  received  from  customs 
since  the  end  of  the  last  fiscal  year  was  quite  as  large 
as  had  been  anticipated,  and  he  expressed  the  confi- 
dent opinion  that  the  amount  received  for  the  year 
would  be  equal  to  the  estimates  which  had  been 
made.  On  the  27th  of  the  present  month  the  liqui- 
dated claims  of  our  citizens  against  Mexico,  amount- 
ing to  something  more  than  two  millions  of  Dollars, 
is  to  be  paid.  These  claims  were  assumed  by  the 
United  States  by  the  late  Treaty  with  Mexico.  There 
will  be  money  enough  in  the  Treasury  to  meet  this  de- 
mand and  all  others  authorized  by  appropriations  of 
Congress.  I  informed  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury 
that  I  was  desirous  during  my  term  to  commence  the 
payment  of  the  public  debt  by  the  purchasing  of  U.  S. 
Stock  as  authorized  by  law,  however  small  the  sum 
paid  might  be,  if  the  means  of  the  Treasury  would 
permit  it.  I  informed  him  that  I  desired  to  do  this 
supposing  it  might  exert  some  influence  over  the  pol- 
icy of  my  successor.  I  deem  the  speedy  payment  of 
the  public  debt  of  great  national  importance.  If  I 
commence  its  payment  my  successor  may  dislike  to 
take  the  responsibility  of  reversing  my  policy  in  this 
respect.  The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  concurred 
with  me  in  these  views,  but  said  until  the  estimates 
of  expenditures  which  would  be  required  for  the  next 


i848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  163 

year  were  received  by  him  from  the  Heads  of  the 
several  Executive  Departments,  he  could  not  be  pre- 
pared to  say  whether  there  would  [be]  money  suffi- 
cient in  the  Treasury  to  justify  the  application  of  a 
portion  of  it  to  the  payment  of  the  debt.  He  said 
as  soon  as  he  received  the  estimates  of  the  amounts 
to  be  expended  for  other  objects  he  would  give  me 
an  answer.  The  Cabinet  retired  between  i  &  2 
O'clock. 

At  5>^  O'clock  P.  M.  between  twenty  and  thirty 
Presbyterian  clergymen  who  are  now  attending  a 
meeting  of  the  Synod  of  their  church  in  this  City 
called  to  pay  their  respects.  They  called  in  a  body 
in  pursuance  of  a  previous  arrangement  which  had 
been  made  through  the  Rev.  Mr.  Smith  of  this  City 
that  I  would  receive  them  at  that  hour.  Mrs.  Polk 
and  myself  received  them  in  the  parlour  and  were  in- 
troduced to  them.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Smith  proposed 
that  [there]  be  prayers  if  it  was  agreeable.  It  was, 
of  course,  agreeable  &  a  very  impressive  and  appro- 
priate prayer  was  made  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Roland 
Hill,  of  Winchester,  Virginia.  Mr.  Hill  is  a  man 
of  eighty  years  of  age  &  is  a  very  interesting  man. 
He  informed  me  that  he  had  been  a  minister  of  the 
Gospel  since  1789,  and  that  he  had  kept  a  Diary  since 
that  period  until  a  few  years  past,  when  he  had  neg- 
lected it  to  some  extent.  He  said  he  had  been  read- 
ing it  over  lately  and  that  it  brought  up  fresh  to  his 
memory  so  many  events  of  years  gone  bye  that  it  was 
almost  like  living  his  life  over  again.  I  regret  very 
much  that  I  had  not  commenced  keeping  a  Diary  at 
the  beginning  of  my  political  life.     All  public  men 


i64  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [22  Oct. 

should  do  so.  After  remaining  about  half  an  hour 
the  Rev.  gentlemen  retired.  There  were  three  or 
four  ladies  with  them.  They  belong  to  what  are 
called  the  New  School  Presbyterians. 

Sunday,  22nd.  October,  1848. —  Accompanied 
by  Mrs.  Polk  and  our  two  nieces,  Miss  Rucker  and 
Miss  Hays,  I  attended  Divine  Service  to-day  at  the 
Fourth  Presbyterian  church  in  this  City  (The  Rev. 
Mr.  Smith).  The  Synod  now  assembled  in  this 
City  hold  their  sessions  in  that  church.  The  Con- 
gregation was  large  and  a  good  sermon  was  preached 
by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Boyd  of  Winchester,  Virginia. 

Monday,  23rd  October,  1848, —  Judge  Mason, 
the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  called  this  morning.  He 
informed  me  that  he  returned  on  Saturday  evening 
from  his  visit  to  inspect  the  Navy  yards  in  the  North- 
ern Cities.  Mr.  Buchanan  called  and  informed  me 
that  he  had  received  numerous  despatches  from  our 
ministers  and  consuls  abroad  by  the  last  Steamer, 
that  he  had  not  yet  had  time  to  read  some  of  them,  & 
none  of  them  with  care,  but  would  do  so  and  bring 
such  of  them  as  were  of  any  importance  to  my  notice. 
I  was  occupied  &  transacted  business  in  my  office  as 
usual  to-day.  At  2  O'Clock  I  received  company.  A 
number  of  persons  called.  Nothing  of  importance 
occurred. 

Tuesday,  24th  October,  1848. —  The  Cabinet  met 
at  the  usual  hour  this  morning;  all  the  members  pres- 
ent.    Mr.  Buchanan  read  despatches  which  he  had 


i848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  165 

received  from  Mr.  Bancroft,  relating  to  two  Ameri- 
can citizens,  one  of  them  a  naturalized  citizen,  who 
had  been  arrested  under  the  charge  of  Treasonable 
conduct  against  the  Brittish  Government  for  having 
given  aid  &  excited  the  Irish  population  in  the  late 
disturbances  in  that  country.  It  was  agreed  that  not 
being  Brittish  subjects  they  could  not  be  punished  for 
Treason  against  the  Brittish  crown.  Mr.  Buchanan 
said  he  had  so  written  to  Mr.  Bancroft.  Mr.  Ban- 
croft has  been  heretofore  instructed  to  see  that  they 
have  a  fair  trial,  and  to  protect  &  defend  them  as  far 
as  may  be  practicable,  compatably  with  our  Treaty 
obligations.  I  held  a  conversation  with  the  Cabinet 
about  the  estimates  to  be  submitted  to  Congress  of 
expenditures  for  the  next  fiscal  year.  I  expressed 
my  great  desire  to  commence  the  reduction  of  the 
public  debt,  if  the  means  of  the  Treasury  would  per- 
mit it,  during  my  term,  because  I  desired  to  establish 
that  policy  before  I  went  out,  in  the  hope  that  it 
would  be  followed  by  my  successor  and  that  the 
whole  debt  would  be  speedily  paid  off.  With  this 
view  I  expressed  the  desire  that  the  estimates  of  ex- 
penditure for  the  next  fiscal  year  should  be  as  small 
as  was  compatable  with  the  absolute  necessities  of  the 
public  service.  I  called  the  attention  of  the  Heads 
of  Departments  to  this  point  to-day,  that  they  might 
give  it  their  personal  attention.  It  has  heretofore, 
I  learn,  been  the  habit  of  the  Heads  of  Bureaus  of 
the  Diffe[re]nt  Departments  who  have  been  charged 
with  the  duty  of  preparing  these  estimates  to  make 
them  larger  than  is  necessary,  calculating  that  they 
will  be  cut  down  and  reduced  by  Congress.     This  is 


i66  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [25  Oct. 

wrong  and  I  directed  my  Cabinet  to  look  to  it  this 
year  that  no  larger  sums  were  estimated  for  than 
would  be  actually  needed.  Some  other  matters  of 
no  general  interest  were  considered  and  disposed  of. 
The  Cabinet  adjourned  about  2^  O'Clock.  Col. 
Jno.  A.  Thomas  of  New  York  called  about  3 
O'clock.  I  held  a  conversation  with  him  about  the 
prospects  and  probable  result  of  the  Presidential 
election.  He  agreed  with  me  that  if  Gen'l  Cass  car- 
ried Pennsylvania  he  would  be  elected.  He  agreed 
with  me  also  that  the  vote  of  that  State  would  prob- 
ably depend  upon  the  course  of  Mr.  Wilmot  and  the 
Free  Soil  faction.  He  suggested  the  importance  of 
seeing  Mr.  McClelland,  a  member  of  Congress  from 
Michigan,  who  was  understood  to  have  influence 
with  Wilmot  and  might  induce  him  to  abandon  the 
Free  Soil  ticket  and  vote  for  Gen'l  Cass.  After  a 
conversation  of  some  length  with  him  he  determined 
to  visit  Mr.  McClelland  and  I  gave  him  an  intro- 
ductory note  to  Gen'l  Cass.  This  was  reception 
evening.  Not  more  than  half  a  dozen  persons  called, 
all  gentlemen.  Mrs.  Polk  &  the  ladies  of  my  house- 
hold did  not  appear  in  the  parlour. 

Wednesday,  2Sth  October,  1848, —  I  was  en- 
gaged in  my  office  as  usual  to-day.  The  Secretary  of 
State  and  the  Secretary  of  War  called  on  business. 
I  disposed  of  the  business  on  my  table.  Nothing  im- 
portant occurred.  At  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  I  saw  com- 
pany. Several  persons  called.  None  of  them  had 
any  more  important  business  than  to  seek  office  and 
to  beg  for  money.     One  woman  told  me  she  lived  in 


1848J  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  167 

Baltimore,  and  had  come  down  to  ask  me  to  give  her 
some  money.  She  brought  no  letters,  &  from  her  ap- 
pearance she  was  not  an  object  of  charity  &  [I]  de- 
clined to  give  her  any  money.  I  am  much  annoyed 
by  such  people. 

Thursday,  26th  October,  1848. —  Judge  Mason, 
the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  called  this  morning  at  my 
request.  I  read  to  [him]  a  paper  of  some  length 
which  I  had  prepared  on  the  subject  of  the  system 
which  was  called  by  its  authors  and  advocates  the 
"  American  system."  The  object  of  this  paper  was 
to  show  that  the  "  American  system  "  consisted  of 
Several  branches,  viz.,  A  Bank,  Protective  Tariff, 
Distribution  of  the  land  fund,  &  Internal  Improve- 
ments; that  it  had  been  overthrown  in  all  its  branches 
except  the  internal  improvement  branch,  and  that  if 
this  was  revived  the  others  would  necessarily  be  re- 
vived also.  I  read  to  him  also  a  paper  which  I  had 
prepared  on  the  ^^  Executive  Veto."  Both  these 
papers  were  written  with  a  view  to  make  them  a  part 
of  a  Veto  Message,  if  any  River  &  Harbour  appro- 
priation Bill  should  pass  and  be  presented  to  me  for 
my  approval  at  the  next  Session  of  Congress,  which  I 
think  is  probable.  I  read  the  former  of  these  papers 
to  Mr.  Marcy  on  yesterday,  who  thought  it  might 
appropriately  form  a  part  of  my  next  annual  mes- 
sage. Mr.  Mason  concurred  with  Mr.  Marcy  & 
thought  that  both  papers  might  form  a  part  of  the 
annual  message  with  propriety.  The  Attorney 
Gen'l,  Mr.  Toucy,  called,  and  I  took  his  opinion. 
He  thought  that  both  papers  belonged  appropriately 


i68  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [27  Oct. 

to  the  annual  message.  They  all  approved  the  views 
presented  in  these  papers.  Though  neither  of  the 
papers  were  written  with  any  such  view,  I  am  in- 
clined to  insert  them  in  the  annual  message.  I  spent 
some  time  in  revising  them  to-day.  I  was  informed 
to-day  that  the  Hon.  Dixon  H.  Lewis,  one  of  the 
Senators  in  Congress  from  the  State  of  Alabama, 
died  at  the  City  of  New  York  on  yesterday.  Mr. 
Lewis  had  remained  in  Washington  after  the  ad- 
journment of  the  last  session  of  Congress.  I  learn 
that  he  went  to  New  York  on  a  visit  a  few  days  ago. 
I  was  occupied  in  my  office  as  usual  during  the  day. 
I  saw  company  at  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  Nothing  im- 
portant occurred. 

Friday,  27th  October,  1848, —  I  was  occupied  in 
my  office  as  usual  today.  The  Secretary  of  State 
and  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  called  on  business 
in  the  forenoon.  I  read  to  the  latter  the  views  which 
I  had  prepared  on  the  Executive  Veto,  which  I  had 
intended  to  reserve  for  a  veto  message  on  Internal 
Improvements,  if  any  Bill  of  that  kind  should  pass 
and  be  presented  to  me  at  the  next  Session  of  Con- 
gress. He  advised  that  it  be  made  a  part  of  my  an- 
nual message,  and  my  present  impression  is  that  I 
will  modify  it  and  insert  it  in  that  message.  At  2 
O'clock  I  saw  the  office  seekers  as  usual.  Some 
other  persons  called  to  pay  their  respects. 

Saturday,  28th  October,  1848, —  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour  to-day;  all  the  members  pres- 
ent.    Mr.  Buchanan  stated  that  in  a  despatch  to  Mr. 


1848J  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  169 

Bancroft  a  few  days  ago,  in  relation  to  two  American 
citizens  who  had  been  arrested  in  England  under  a 
charge  of  having  participated  in  the  late  outbreak 
or  attempted  rebellion  in  Ireland,  he  had  mistaken 
the  law  of  Treason.  In  that  despatch  he  had  laid 
down  the  public  law  to  be  that  an  American  citizen 
could  not  be  arrested  &  tried  for  Treason  by  the 
Brittish  authorities.  He  said  on  examination  of  the 
laws  of  England  he  found  that  in  this  he  had  been 
mistaken.  He  read  a  second  despatch  which  he  had 
prepared  correcting  the  error,  in  which  he  cited  au- 
thorities to  show  that  there  were  two  descriptions  of 
allegiance,  the  one  perpetual  and  the  other  tempo- 
rary, and  that  persons  belonging  to  other  nations, 
who  were  temporarily  domiciled  in  England  and 
under  the  protection  of  Brittish  laws,  might  commit 
Treason.  The  Attorney  Gen'l  thought  Mr.  B.  was 
right  in  this  latter  exposition  of  the  law.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan next  presented  an  application  from  the  Gov- 
ernment of  the  German  confederation  at  Frankfort 
to  the  Government  of  the  U.  S.,  made  through  Mr. 
Donelson,  for  the  services  of  an  experienced  Naval 
officer  of  rank  to  take  command  of  the  German  Navy. 
Their  object  was  to  have  the  benefit  of  the  scientific 
knowledge  and  experience  of  such  an  officer  to  in- 
struct them  in  the  organization  of  their  Navy.  Mr. 
Buchanan,  Mr.  Mason,  Mr.  Walker,  &  Mr.  Toucey 
expressed  themselves  decidedly  in  favour  of  granting 
the  request.  Mr.  Marcy  &  Mr.  Johnson  did  not 
enter  into  the  conversation.  There  were  objections 
to  it  in  my  mind,  which  I  stated.  In  the  first  place 
an  officer  of  the  U.  S.  Navy  would  be  in  an  anomy- 


170  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [28  Oct. 

lous  condition  if  he  held  also  a  commission  as  com- 
mander (Admiral  was  the  title  which  it  was  stated 
he  was  to  hold)  in  the  German  Navy.  In  the  second 
place  he  would  continue  to  receive  his  pay  as  an 
officer  of  the  U.  S.  whilst  he  was  in  a  foreign  service 
&  was  performmg  no  service  for  the  U.  S.  It  was 
then  urged  by  Mr.  Buchanan  &  Mr.  Toucey  that  he 
might  have  leave  of  absence  to  go  abroad,  relinquish- 
ing his  pay  during  his  absence,  that  no  order  need 
be  given  to  him  to  go  into  the  German  service,  but 
leave  it  to  him  to  do  so  if  he  chose.  This  did  not 
satisfy  me.  It  was  then  said  the  President  of  the 
U.  S.  as  commander  in  chief  of  the  army  and  Navy 
might  order  an  officer  to  perform  any  duty  he 
pleased.  To  this  I  replied  that  he  might  give  an 
order  to  perform  any  duty  in  the  service  of  the  U.  S., 
but  not  in  that  of  a  Foreign  country.  I  then  stated 
that  the  extent  to  which  I  could  consent  to  go  would 
be  to  say  that  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  might  give 
leave  of  absence  for  six  months  to  any  officer  of  the 
Navy  if  there  were  no  services  for  such  officer  to 
perform  at  home ;  but  that  if  such  officer  should  take 
a  command  in  the  German  service  he  must  either  re- 
sign &  [or]  Congress  must  pass  a  law  authorizing 
the  President  to  permit  him  [to]  perform  such  For- 
eign service.  I  stated  that  I  was  unwilling,  without 
the  previous  authority  of  Congress,  to  give  the  order 
or  permission  proposed.  I  gave  other  reasons  which 
it  is  unnecessary  to  state.  Mr.  Buchanan  then  read 
despatches  from  Mr.  Donelson  requesting  to  be  em- 
powered to  negotiate  a  commercial  Treaty  with  the 
German  confederation.     After  some  discussion,   in 


i848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  171 

which  Mr.  Buchanan,  Mr.  Walker,  and  myself 
chiefly  participated,  I  accorded  with  Mr.  Buchanan's 
views  that  it  was  prudent  to  postpone  giving  such  in- 
structions until  the  German  confederation  was  more 
firmly  established,  &  until  that  Government  had  ap- 
pointed a  minister  to  represent  it  in  the  U.  States. 
Some  other  subjects,  of  no  general  importance,  were 
considered  and  disposed  of.  The  Cabinet  adjourned 
about  3  O'clock  P.  M.  In  the  evening  I  disposed  of 
business  on  my  table  as  usual. 

Sunday,  2gth  October,  1848. —  Mrs.  Polk  &  my- 
self attended  Divine  service  at  the  First  Presbyterian 
church  to-day.  Our  two  nieces.  Miss  Hays  and  Miss 
Rucker,  accompanied  Col.  Walker's  family  to  the 
Episcopal  Church. 

Miss  Henrietta  Rachel  Armstrong,  the  daughter 
of  Gen'l  R.  Armstrong,  U.  S.  consul  at  Liverpool, 
Miss  Ihrine  Johnson,  the  daughter  of  Judge  John- 
son of  Arkansas,  and  Miss  Matilda  Sevier,  the 
daughter  of  Senator  Sevier  of  Arkansas,  came  over 
last  evening  from  their  school  in  Georgetown  and 
spent  the  night  &  to-day  with  my  family.  They 
come  occasionally  &  spend  from  Saturday  evening 
until  monday  morning  with  us.  They  did  not  attend 
church  to-day. 

Monday,  30th  October,  1848. —  I  resolved  this 
morning  to  devote  a  considerable  portion  of  the  day 
to  the  preperation  of  such  portions  of  my  annual 
message  upon  such  pomts  as  I  could  foresee  it  would 
be  proper  to  bring  to  the  notice  of  Congress.     I  was 


172  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [30  Oct. 

SO  constantly  interrupted,  however,  by  persons  call- 
ing on  special  business,  as  they  said,  and  by  public 
officers  calling  on  official  business,  that  I  had  but 
little  time  to  give  to  it.  The  Special  business  upon 
which  several  persons  gained  admittance  before  my 
regular  hour  for  receiving  company,  turned  out  to 
be  the  usual  and  very  important  business  of  impor- 
tuning me  for  offices  which  I  had  not  to  bestow  with- 
out turning  better  men  out  of  office  to  make  room  for 
them.  When  I  opened  my  doors  at  2  O'Clock  P.  M. 
for  the  reception  of  company  generally  quite  a  num- 
ber of  persons  came  in,  most  of  them  seeking  office, 
and  one  of  them  begging  money.  A  more  hungry 
set  of  office  seekers  I  have  not  seen  for  several  days. 
The  annoyance  of  this  class  of  persons  is  a  penance 
which  I  suppose  I  will  have  to  endure  until  the  last 
day  of  my  term  of  office.  Two  or  three  gentlemen 
of  very  genteel  appearance  and  manners  called 
simply  to  pay  their  respects  &  wanted  no  office;  and 
this  was  some  relief  to  me. 

Mr.  Buchanan  called  and  read  to  me  the  despatch 
which  he  had  prepared  to  Mr.  Donelson,  in  answer 
to  the  request  of  the  Government  of  the  German  con- 
federation to  be  furnished  with  an  officer  of  the  U.  S. 
Navy  to  command  the  German  Navy  (see  this  Diary 
of  the  28th  Instant) .  At  my  suggestion  he  modified 
the  despatch  so  as  make  it  conform  more  exactly 
to  my  views.  The  commissioner  of  the  General 
Land  office  called,  and  while  engaged  in  official  busi- 
ness with  him  about  3  O'Clock  P.  M.,  my  messenger 
informed  me  that  about  30  journeymen  painters  who 
were  employed  in  painting  the  Capitol,  had  called  in 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  i73 

a  body  &  wished  to  see  me.  They  were  shown  in, 
&  in  the  presence  of  the  commissioner  of  the  Land 
office  &  my  Private  Secretary  they  made  known  to 
me  a  misunderstanding  that  had  taken  place  between 
the  commissioner  of  the  Public  buildings,  who  had 
employed  them  to  paint  the  Capitol,  and  themselves. 
The  point  of  their  complaint  as  well  as  I  could 
understand  it,  was  whether  they  should  be  paid  for 
wet  days,  when  they  did  not  work.  It  appeared  that 
they  had  been  employed  to  work  by  the  day.  I  told 
them  that  Congress  had  made  an  appropriation  to 
paint  the  Capitol,  that  it  was  the  duty  of  the  commis- 
sioner to  execute  the  law,  that  the  President  could 
not  go  to  the  Capitol  &  superintend  the  work  in  per- 
son, and  that  whatever  their  contract  with  the  com- 
missioner was  they  were  entitled  to.  I  told  them 
what  their  contract  was  I  did  not  know,  and  that  I 
was  not  a  judge  of  such  work  and  did  not  know  what 
ought  to  be  paid  for  it,  or  whether  it  was  usual  to 
pay  for  wet  days,  when  they  did  not  work,  or  not.  I 
told  them  that  the  public  wished  no  man  to  work 
without  being  fully  paid  for  it,  and  that  I  would 
send  for  the  commissioner  of  Public  Buildings  &  tell 
him  to  do  them  justice.  It  is  very  annoying  to  me 
to  be  troubled  with  such  trifling  matters.  They  left, 
and  in  the  evening  I  sent  for  the  commissioner  and 
told  him  what  I  had  informed  them  I  would.  He 
had  one  of  the  Superintendents  of  the  work  with 
him.  The  Commissioner  said  they  had  no  earthly 
cause  of  complaint,  but  were  disposed  to  be  factious 
and  troublesome.  I  told  him  to  pay  them  full  wages 
and  if  he  thought  it  right  or  it  was  usual  to  pay 


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

for  wet  days,  when  they  did  not  work,  of  which  I 
knew  nothing,  to  do  so.  He  said  he  was  perfectly 
willing  to  do  this.  I  have  a  suspicion  that  these 
workmen  are  Whigs  and  desire  to  get  up  a  petty 
excitement  on  the  eve  of  the  Presidential  election, 
with  a  view  to  control  votes  in  Baltimore  and  Alex- 
andria where  some  of  them  reside.  The  Commis- 
sioner left,  saying  that  he  would  do  them  full  justice 
and  do  everything  in  his  power  to  satisfy  them. 
After  night  Mr.  Lawrenson,  the  correspondent  of 
the  Baltimore  Sun,  called,  accompanied  with  another 
of  the  superintendants  of  the  work,  and  informed 
me  that  the  workmen  were  getting  up  some  excite- 
ment on  the  subject.  I  told  them  what  I  had  told 
the  workmen  and  the  commissioner,  and  what  the 
commissioner  had  said.  My  suspicion  is  confirmed 
that  the  complaint  of  the  workmen  is  groundless,  and 
that  they  have  probably  been  prompted  to  it  for  po- 
litical efifect. 

Tuesday,  Jlst  October,  1848, —  I  gave  orders  to 
admit  no  one  into  my  office  this  morning.  Until  the 
hour  of  meeting  of  the  Cabinet  I  was  occupied  in 
writing  some  paragraphs  for  my  next  annual  mes- 
sage. All  the  members  of  the  Cabinet  attended  at 
the  usual  hour.  I  enquired  of  the  members  of  the 
Cabinet  how  soon  the  estimates  for  appropriations 
for  the  next  fiscal  year  would  be  prepared.  All  of 
them  except  those  of  the  War  and  Navy  Depart- 
ments, I  was  told,  were  ready,  or  would  be  in  a  day 
or  two.  I  gave  directions  that  all  the  estimates 
should  be  critically  examined  and  that  no  appropria- 


i848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  175 

tion  which  could  be  dispensed  with  consistently  with 
the  interests  of  the  public  service,  should  be  asked 
for.  The  manner  of  preparing  the  estimates  in  the 
War  and  Navy  Departments  is  for  the  Secretary  of 
each  of  these  Departments  to  require  a  Report  from 
the  heads  of  the  several  Bureau[s]  connected  with 
his  Department,  of  the  expenditures  which  will  be 
required  for  the  year.  These  Heads  of  Bureau  are 
[in]  the  habit  of  estimating  for  very  large  and  some- 
times extravagant  sums.  They  do  this  for  two  rea- 
sons, first,  because  they  suppose  their  own  conse- 
quence depends  somewhat  on  the  sums  they  may 
[have]  to  disburse  in  their  respective  branches  of  the 
service  during  the  year;  and  secondly,  because  they 
say  their  estimates  may  be  cut  down  by  Congress. 
These  Bureau  officers  are,  moreover,  generally  Fed- 
eralists, and  in  favour  of  large  expenditures.  They 
are  not  responsible  to  the  public,  and  I  charged  the 
Secretaries  of  War  and  the  Navy  to  examine  their 
Reported  estimates  themselves.  I  stated  to  the  Cabi- 
net that  as  the  estimates  for  the  next  year  were  for  a 
period  of  peace,  and  that  I  desired  to  set  an  example 
of  economy  which  might  have  its  influence  on  the 
policy  of  my  successor.  I  informed  them  that  I  de- 
sired, if  possible,  to  commence  the  payment  of  the 
public  debt  before  the  close  of  my  term,  by  buying 
in  a  small  portion  of  the  outstanding  public  stocks. 
I  informed  them  that  I  would  strongly  recommend 
the  early  payment  of  the  public  debt  in  my  next  an- 
nual message,  and  that  this  recommendation  would 
come  with  the  more  force  if  I  was  at  the  same  time 
enabled  to  state  that  I  had  paid  off  a  small  portion 


176  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i  Nov. 

of  it  The  payment  of  the  public  debt,  I  thought, 
should  be  regarded  as  a  vital  principle  of  the  future 
policy  of  the  Government.  The  Secretaries  of  War 
and  the  Navy  informed  me  that  before  they  delivered 
the  estimates  from  their  respective  Departments  to 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  they  would  submit 
them  to  me  for  my  revision.  I  told  them  that  I  de- 
sired that  they  would  do  so.  The  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  stated  that  as  soon  as  he  received  the  esti- 
mates from  the  several  Departments,  he  would  be 
enabled  to  tell  whether  the  means  in  the  Treasury 
would  be  sufficient  to  enable  him  to  purchase  in  a 
small  amount  of  the  public  debt.  No  other  general 
subject  was  considered  to-day.  After  attending  to 
some  matters  of  detail  the  Cabinet  dispersed  about 
3  O'clock  P.  M. 

Wednesday,  Ist  November,  1848, —  I  directed 
my  messenger  to  admit  no  company  to-day  until  2 
O'clock  P.  M.  I  had  business  on  my  table  requir- 
ing my  attention  and  did  not  wish  to  be  interrupted. 
Before  that  hour,  however,  my  Private  Secretary  in- 
troduced into  my  office  Col.  John  D.  Hawkins  of 
N.  C,  who  was  about  to  leave  the  City  and  desired 
to  see  me.  At  2  O'Clock  quite  a  number  of  persons 
called.  Some  of  them  were  strangers  who  called  to 
pay  their  respects.  Most  of  them  were  seeking 
office  and  one  woman  was  begging  money.  She  only 
wanted  $80.  She  thought  that  sum  was  very  mod- 
erate &  that  it  would  answer  her  purpose.  The 
Secretary  of  the  Navy  called  about  3  O'Clock  &  the 
P.  M.  General  after  night.     I  [was]  busily  occupied 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  177 

in  my  office  all  day.     Nothing  of  importance  oc- 
curred. 

Thursday,  2nd  November,  1848, —  This  is  my 
birthday.  According  to  the  record  in  my  father's 
family  Bible  I  was  born  on  the  2nd  of  November, 
1795.  I  am,  therefore.  Fifty  three  years  old.  It 
will  be  21  years  on  to-morrow  since  my  father  died. 
My  mother  is  still  living.  Upon  each  recurrence  of 
my  birthday  I  am  solemnly  impressed  with  the  van- 
ity &  emptiness  of  worldly  honors  and  worldly  en- 
joyments, and  of  [the  wisdom  of]  preparing  for  a 
future  estate.  In  four  months  I  shall  retire  from 
public  life  forever.  I  have  lived  three  fourths  of 
the  period  ordinarily  allotted  to  man  on  earth.  I 
have  been  highly  honoured  by  my  fellow-men  and 
have  filled  the  highest  station  on  earth,  but  I  will  soon 
go  the  way  of  all  the  earth.  I  pray  God  to  prepare 
me  to  meet  the  great  event. 

I  was  busily  occupied  in  my  office  during  the 
whole  day.  A  part  of  the  day  I  spent  in  preparing 
my  annual  Message.  I  desire  to  have  it  in  a  state  of 
forwardness,  as  far  as  I  can  anticipate  the  topics 
upon  which  I  should  treat,  before  the  members  of 
Congress  begin  to  assemble  in  Washington,  which 
may  be  expected  shortly  after  the  Presidential  elec- 
tion, which  will  take  place  on  the  7th  of  the  present 
month.  When  they  begin  to  assemble  they  will  oc- 
cupy much  of  my  time,  and  I  have  more  leisure  to 
devote  to  the  message  now  than  I  will  have  then. 

None  of  my  secretaries  called  to-day.  I  saw  two 
or  three  subordinate  officers  on  business.     I  disposed 


178  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  Nov. 

of  business  on  my  table  and  saw  company  as  usual  at 
2  O'clock  P.  M.  It  was  [a]  quiet  day  with  me  and 
nothing  of  importance  occurred. 

Friday,  3rd  November,  1848. —  Nothing  of  in- 
terest occurred  to-day.  The  Secretary  of  the  Navy 
called  and  submitted  to  me  the  estimates  of  appropri- 
ations for  his  Department  for  the  next  fiscal  year. 
They  were  considerably  reduced  in  amount  below 
those  of  last  year,  and  I  thought  them  reasonable  (see 
this  Diary  of  the  31st  ultimo).  The  Secretary  of 
War  called  and  informed  me  that  estimates  for  his 
Department  would  be  ready  by  to-morrow.  He  in- 
formed me  that  he  had  much  difficulty  with  the 
Heads  of  Bureaus  in  his  Department  in  having  them 
[their  estimates]  reduced  to  reasonable  amounts.    • 

I  saw  company  at  2  O'Clock,  &  was  occupied  as 
usual  in  my  office  During  the  day.  When  the  Sec- 
retary of  War  called  I  read  to  him  the  rough  draft 
of  a  part  of  my  message  which  I  had  prepared.  He 
approved  it. 

Saturday,  4th  November,  1848, —  The  Cabinet 
assembled  at  the  usual  hour  this  morning;  all  the 
members  present.  Mr.  Buchanan  read  a  despatch 
which  he  had  prepared  to  Mr.  Donelson  in  relation 
to  the  negotiation  of  a  commercial  Treaty  with  the 
German  confederation,  in  the  event  it  should  be 
finally  established  and  invested  with  the  power  to 
conduct  the  Foreign  relations  of  all  the  German 
States.  They  contained  Mr.  Buchanan's  views  of 
what  the  Treaty  should  be  in  that,  but  postpone  [to] 


i848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  179 

confer  powers  on  Mr.  Donelson  to  Treat,  but  in- 
formed him  that  such  powers  would  be  conferred  as 
soon  as  the  German  confederation  was  firmly  estab- 
lished. Mr.  Walker  objected  to  the  doctrine  of  a 
part  of  the  despatch,  and  quite  an  animated  discus- 
sion took  place  between  Mr.  Buchanan  &  himself. 
It  was  upon  that  part  of  the  despatch  which  declared 
that  one  object  of  the  Treaty,  as  in  the  Treaty  with 
Hanover,^  would  be  designed  to  protect  American 
Navigation  against  unequal  foreign  competition.  It 
was  the  protective  principle  to  which  Mr.  Walker 
objected,  or  rather  to  the  argument  which  asserted  it, 
and  not  to  the  terms  of  the  Treaty  which  were  pro- 
posed. Mr.  Buchanan  objected  to  the  4th  article  of 
the  Treaty  of  1827  with  the  Hansa  towns  as  being 
unequal  and  unjust  to  the  U.  S.,  or  to  American  Navi- 
gation. Mr.  Toucey  agreed  with  Mr.  Buchanan. 
The  subject  was  presented  unexpectedly  and  I  was 
not  at  first  prepared  to  decide  between  them.  After 
a  protracted  discussion,  however,  in  which  many 
collateral  matters  were  introduced,  I  suggested  some 
modifications  of  one  or  two  paragraphs  of  the 
dispatch.  The  despatch  was  finally  modified  so  as 
to  have  the  assent  of  both  Mr.  Buchanan  &  Mr. 
Walker  and  the  concurrence  of  the  other  members  of 
the  Cabinet.  No  other  business  of  importance  was 
brought  before  the  Cabinet  and  they  dispersed  about 
3  O'clock  P.  M. 

I  had  a  small  dinner  party  to-day,  consisting  of 
Baron  Gerolt,  the  Prussian  minister,  &  his  wife,  Mr. 

^  Concluded  June  10,  1846.     Printed  in  U.  S.  Stat,  at  Large, 
IX,  857-868. 


i8o  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [s  Nov. 

R.  J.  Walker,  &  Judge  Mason.  I  invited  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan &  Mr.  Ritchie,  but  they  did  not  attend. 
Baron  Gerolt  has  been  recalled  by  his  Government 
and  is  about  to  leave  the  U.  S.,  and  I  desired  to 
signify  the  respect  v^hich  I  had  for  him,  by  inviting 
him  to  dinner.  He  has  conducted  himself  in  a  man- 
ner highly  satisfactory  to  this  Government.  He  is, 
I  believe,  the  only  Foreign  Minister  at  Washington, 
unless  the  Minister  of  the  French  Republic  may  be, 
whose  feelings  and  opinions  are  v^ith  the  Democratic 
party  of  the  U.  S.  I  took  pleasure  in  paying  him 
the  compliment  of  a  Dinner  on  the  eve  of  his  de- 
parture on  his  return  to  his  ov^n  country. 

Sunday,  5/A  November,  1 848. —  The  forenoon  of 
to-day  w^as  rainy  and  unpleasant  and  Mrs.  Polk  de- 
clined attending  church.  It  was  a  very  quiet  day. 
It  being  known  that  my  rule  is  to  receive  no  com- 
pany on  Sunday  no  one  called. 

Monday,  6th  November,  1 848. —  I  had  several 
calls  by  official  persons  on  business  this  morning. 
Among  others  the  Secretary  of  War  and  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Navy  called  at  different  hours.  The 
Secretary  of  War  submitted  to  me  the  estimates  of 
appropriations  for  his  Department  for  the  next  fiscal 
year,  as  prepared  by  the  Heads  of  the  several  Bu- 
reau[s]  in  the  War  Department.  On  comparing 
them  with  the  appropriations  for  similar  objects  for 
previous  years,  and  before  the  Mexican  war,  they 
were  found  in  some  branches  to  exceed  these  appro- 
priations.    The  Secretary  informed  me  that  as  origi- 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  181 

nally  prepared  they  had  been  much  higher  and  that 
he  had  much  difficulty  with  his  Bureau  officers  in 
having  them  reduced  to  what  they  now  were.  I  di- 
rected further  reductions  of  some  of  the  items  to  be 
made,  and  directed  some  of  the  items  to  be  struck 
out  altogether.  After  spending  one  or  two  hours 
with  the  Secretary  in  examining  them  I  requested 
him  to  see  his  Bureau  officers  again,  and  to  reduce 
still  further,  whenever  the  public  service  will  permit. 
The  Bureau  officers,  whose  duty  it  is  to  prepare  the 
estimates,  are  always  in  favour  of  large  appropria- 
tions. They  are  not  responsible  to  the  public  but  to 
the  Executive,  &  must  be  watched  and  controlled  in 
this  respect  (see  this  diary  of  tuesday  last).  I  dis- 
posed of  the  business  on  my  tabic  and  devoted  a  part 
of  the  day  to  the  preperation  of  my  annual  message. 
I  desire  to  have  it  in  a  state  of  forwardness  before 
the  members  of  Congress  begin  to  arrive,  when  I  may 
expect  to  be  much  interrupted  &  have  my  time  taken 
up  by  their  calls.  I  saw  company  at  2  O'Clock. 
Several  persons  called. 

Tuesday,  7th  November,  1848.— Th\%  is  the  day 
appointed  by  law  ^  for  the  election  of  President  and 
Vice  President  of  the  U.  S.  Heretofore  the  people 
of  the  several  states  have  by  state  laws  fixed  the 
period  of  holding  the  election  in  each  state.  Since 
the  last  Presidential  election  Congress  for  the  first 
time  exercised  the  power  vested  in  them  by  the  con- 
stitution, and  fixed  the  same  day  for  holding  the  elec- 
tion in  all  the  states.     There  will  be  probably  not 

^  Act  of  January  23,  1845.     U,  S.  Stat,  at  Large,  V,  721. 


i82  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [7  Nov. 

less   than   three   millions  ^   of  votes   polled  in   this 
election. 

The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour,  all  the  mem- 
bers present.  There  being  no  other  pressing  busi- 
ness, I  read  to  the  Cabinet  the  portions  of  my  next 
annual  message  which  I  had  prepared,  and  invited 
the  freest  suggestions  or  criticism  which  any  member 
of  the  Cabinet  might  think  proper  to  make.  The 
subjects  mainly  treated  of  in  the  paper  which  I  read, 
were  the  veto  power,  a  review  of  the  system  estab- 
lished shortly  after  the  close  of  the  war  with  Great 
Brittain  in  181 5,  called  the  "  American  system,"  the 
physical  strength  of  our  country  in  war,  the  vast 
territorial  acquisitions  we  had  made,  their  great  im- 
portance and  value,  and  the  urgent  necessity  of 
establishing  Territorial  Governments  over  them. 
In  connection  with  the  latter  subject  the  slavery 
question  was  considered,  and  concession  and  com- 
promise recommended.  Mr.  Buchanan  expressed 
his  approbation  of  the  paper.  He  said  in  that  part 
of  the  paper  which  treated  of  the  ^^  American  sys- 
tem "  he  did  not  go  as  far  as  I  did  in  relation  to 
Internal  Improvements.  He  thought  the  Govern- 
ment had  power  to  make  improvements  for  purely 
military  or  Naval  purposes,  and  if  in  making  such 
as  were  strictly  of  this  character  incidental  advan- 
tages accrued  to  commerce,  it  was  well.  He  avowed 
himself  opposed  to  a  system  of  Internal  Improve- 
ments as  such.  As  to  that  part  of  the  paper  which 
treated  of  the  protective  tariff  as  a  branch  of  the 

^  The  total  popular  vote  for  President  in   1848  was  approxi- 
mately 2,875,000. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  183 

American  system  he  said  he  approved  the  doctrines 
of  my  Inaugural  Address.  He  was  opposed  to  the 
tariff  of  1842,  &  thought  there  should  be  increased 
protection  by  specific  duties  on  coal  and  Iron,  & 
that  the  tariff  of  1846  should  be  modified  in  this 
respect.  With  the  expression  of  these  general  views, 
he  approved  that  part  of  the  paper  as  I  had  written 
it,  and  thought  it  should  go  into  the  message.  Mr. 
Toucey  called  my  attention  and  made  a  suggestion 
of  modification  to  that  part  of  the  paper  which  re- 
lated to  the  Wilmot  Proviso  &  the  subject  of  Slavery. 
The  paper  as  read  by  me  had  been  prepared  at  dif- 
ferent times  within  the  last  few  weeks  as  I  had  leis- 
ure. The  other  members  of  the  Cabinet  expressed 
their  approbation  of  the  views  which  it  contained. 
Mr.  Marcy  said  when  it  came  to  be  carefully  re- 
vised there  might  be  two  or  three  changes  of  phrase- 
ology which  he  would  suggest,  but  these  were  merely 
verbal  and  would  not  afifect  its  substance.  The 
paper  read  was  most  of  it  the  first  draft  and  had 
many  interlineations  &  erasures.  I  told  the  Cabinet 
I  would  cause  it  to  be  copied  in  a  fair  hand  writing 
&  submit  it  again  for  a  more  critical  &  minute  exam- 
ination. I  was  gratified  that  the  paper  met  so  much 
favour  from  the  Cabinet.  Judge  Mason  thought  it 
would  be  the  ablest  &  most  interesting  message  I  had 
ever  sent  to  Congress.  I  have  other  parts  of  the  mes- 
sage yet  to  prepare,  some  of  which,  relating  to  the 
operations  of  the  several  Executive  departments,  I 
cannot  prepare  until  I  receive  the  Reports  of  the 
Heads  of  these  Departments,  which  will  be  near  the 
time  of  the  meeting  of  Congress.     No  other  subject  of 


i84  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [8  Nov. 

any  importance  was  considered  to-day.  The  Cabi- 
net adjourned  about  3  O'Clock  P.  M.  I  saw  no 
company  to-day.  After  the  Cabinet  adjourned  I  at- 
tended to  business  on  my  table. 

Wednesday,  8th  November,  1848. —  Information 
received  by  the  telegraph  and  published  in  the  morn- 
ing papers  of  this  City  and  Baltimore  indicate  the 
election  of  Gen'l  Taylor  as  President  of  the  U.  S. 
Should  this  be  so,  it  is  deeply  to  be  regretted.  With- 
out political  information  and  without  experience  in 
civil  life,  he  is  wholly  unqualified  for  the  station, 
and  being  elected  by  the  Federal  party  and  the  va- 
rious factions  of  dissatisfied  persons  who  have  from 
time  to  time  broken  ofif  from  the  Democratic  party, 
he  must  be  in  their  hands  and  be  under  their  absolute 
control.  Having  no  opinions  or  judgment  of  his 
own  upon  any  one  public  subject,  foreign  or  domes- 
tic, he  will  be  compelled  to  rely  upon  the  designing 
men  of  the  Federal  party  who  will  cluster  around 
him,  and  will  be  made  to  reverse,  so  far  as  the 
Executive  can  reverse,  the  whole  policy  of  my  ad- 
ministration, and  to  substitute  the  Federal  policy  in 
its  stead.  The  country  will  be  the  loose  [loser]  by 
his  election,  and  on  this  account  it  is  an  event  which 
I  should  deeply  regret.  In  view  of  the  probabili- 
ties of  his  election  it  is  fortunate  that  I  read  to  the 
Cabinet  on  yesterday  the  portions  of  my  annual  mes- 
sage which  I  had  previously  prepared.  The  Federal 
party  will  doubtless  consider  parts  of  it  as  having 
been  prepared  after  I  had  known  that  Gen'l  Taylor 
was  elected,  and  as  being  intended  for  him,  especially 


1848]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  185 

those  portions  of  it  which  relate  to  the  Veto  power 
&  the  "  American  system."  In  the  course  of  the  day 
the  Secretary  of  State,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  and 
the  attorney  General  called  and  I  transacted  business 
with  them.  I  was  occupied  as  usual  in  my  office 
during  the  remainder  of  the  day. 

I  placed  a  portion  of  the  draft  of  my  annual  mes- 
sage, which  I  read  to  the  Cabinet  on  yesterday,  in 
the  hands  of  a  confidential  clerk  (Wm.  V.  Voorhies) 
to  be  copied.  Mr.  Voorhies  occupied  the  room  ad- 
joining my  office.  The  original  draft  was  much 
interlined  and  erased  &  I  desired  a  fair  copy  that  I 
might  revise  it  with  the  greater  facility. 

Mr.  Buchanan  handed  to  me  to-day  his  answer 
to  my  letter  to  him  of  the  30th  of  September  last,  in 
relation  to  the  publications  of  Benjamin  Tappan  of 
Ohio  &  Francis  P.  Blair  respecting  the  annexation 
of  Texas.  A  copy  of  my  letter  to  Mr.  Buchanan 
and  also  copies  of  similar  letters  addressed  to  each 
member  of  my  Cabinet,  of  different  dates  (for  I  had 
not  time  to  write  them  all  on  the  same  day)  will 
be  found  in  my  letter-book.  I  had  previously  re- 
ceived answers  from  Mr.  Bancroft  and  Mr.  Cave 
Johnson  which  were  full  &  satisfactory,  stating  facts 
within  their  knowledge  as  they  were.  Mr.  Buch- 
anan's answer  is  short,  is  couched  in  general  terms, 
fails  to  answer  my  special  enquiries  with  the  direct- 
ness &  precision  which  I  had  expected,  and  as  has 
been  done  by  Mr.  Bancroft  and  Mr.  Johnson.  Mr. 
Buchanan  has  stated  to  me  in  conversation  facts  as 
fully  as  they  have  done,  but  he  has  failed  to  put  the 
same  statements  in  his  letter.     His  letter  seems  to 


i86  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [9  Nov. 

have  been  made  general  in  its  terms,  and  to  have 
been  made  so  probably  with  a  view  of  avoiding  the 
displeasure  of  Mr.  Blair  and  Mr.  Tappan.  What 
he  states  is  true,  but  he  has  not  stated  all  he  knows, 
as  he  has  done  in  conversation  with  me.  His 
answer  is,  in  this  respect,  unsatisfactory,  but  the  deli- 
cacy of  my  position  must  prevent  me  from  intimating 
this  to  him.  His  answer  can  do  no  harm  &  will  be 
of  but  little  service  to  me  in  bringing  out  the  truth. 

Thursday,  gth  November,  1848, —  At  6  O'Clock 
this  morning  Mrs.  Polk  left  in  the  Eastern  cars  for 
New  York.  She  was  accompanied  by  my  Private 
Secretary  (Col.  Walker)  and  our  two  nieces  (Miss 
Rucker  &  Miss  Hays)  a  man-servant  (Bowman) 
and  a  maid  servant  (Teresa).  Her  object  in  visit- 
ing New  York  was  first  to  afford  the  young  ladies 
an  opportunity  of  seeing  that  City,  but  mainly  to 
select  some  articles  of  furniture  for  our  house,  which 
is  building  at  Nashville,  Tennessee,  and  to  have  them 
shipped  home  via  New  Orleans.  She  will  probably 
be  absent  10  days,  as  she  contemplates  visiting  my 
nephew.  Cadet  Marshall  T.  Polk,  at  West  Point. 

Mr.  Buchanan  called  this  forenoon  and,  without 
the  slightest  allusion  to  the  subject  on  my  part,  asked 
to  withdraw  his  answer,  handed  to  me  on  yesterday 
(see  this  Diary  of  yesterday)  in  relation  to  the  pub- 
lications of  Messrs.  Tappan  &  Blair  respecting  the 
annexation  of  Texas.  He  said  his  object  was  to 
make  some  modifications  of  his  answer.  He  no 
doubt  felt  conscious  that  his  letter  was  not  as  full 
as  he  had  stated  to  me  in  conversation,  and  that  he 


1848J  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  187 

had  not  done  me  justice.  I  handed  him  his  answer 
as  he  requested.  He  left  and  returned  about  3 
O'clock  P.  M.  with  a  re-draft  of  his  answer  which 
he  read  to  me.  It  was  fuller  than  the  former  draft, 
and  more  satisfactory,  but  was  still  not  so  full  upon 
some  points  as  he  had  repeated  to  me  in  conversation. 
I  did  not  manifest  to  him  th^t  I  had  any  feeling  on 
the  subject,  but  received  his  modified  answer  as  he 
had  prepared  it  &  handed  it  to  me.  Before  Mr. 
Buchanan  left  Mr.  Walker,  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  came  in,  and  shortly  afterwards  Mr. 
Buchanan  retired.  Without  any  preconcert  or  un- 
derstanding, it  so  happened  that  Mr.  Walker  had 
called  to  read  to  me,  as  he  did,  the  draft  of  his 
answer  to  my  letter  to  him  on  the  subject  of  the 
Blair  &  Tappan  publications  respecting  the  annexa- 
tion of  Texas.  His  draft  of  his  answer  was  a  full, 
frank,  and  honest  statement  of  all  the  facts  in  his 
knowledge  in  reply  to  the  enquiries  of  my  letter.  I 
expressed  myself  to  him  that  it  was  so.  He  said  he 
would  copy  it  and  hand  it  to  me  in  a  day  or  two. 
I  have  not  yet  received  an  answer  from  Gov.  A.  V. 
Brown  of  Tennessee  upon  the  same  subject  (see  my 
letter  Book  for  my  letter  to  him  and  also  a  letter 
to  him  of  yesterday's  date) .  I  read  the  letter  to  him 
of  yesterday  to  Mr.  Cave  Johnson,  who  called  to-day. 
Mr.  Buchanan  advised  me  to-day  to  make  no  publi- 
cation on  the  subject  until  after  I  retired  from  office, 
and  then,  if  I  did  so,  to  leave  it  as  a  historical  cor- 
rection of  the  errors  of  the  statements  of  Messrs. 
Tappan  &  Blair.  He  repeated  to  me  that  he  had 
no   doubt  they  were  mistaken   and  had  misappre- 


i88  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [lo  Nov. 

hended  me  in  the  material  statements  of  their  pub- 
lications. 

The  Attorney  General  called  on  business  to-day. 
Mr.  Voorhies,  assisted  by  Mr.  H.  C.  Williams,  both 
confidential  clerks,  continued  the  copying  the  rough 
draft  of  my  annual  message  today  (see  this  Diary 
of  yesterday).  They  occupied  the  private  room  ad- 
joining my  office.  I  disposed  of  business  on  my 
table  and  devoted  a  part  of  the  day  to  writing  other 
portions  of  my  annual  message. 

Friday,  lOth  November,  1 848, —  I  transacted 
business  in  my  office  as  usual  to-day.  The  Attorney 
Gen'l,  the  commissioner  of  the  General  Land  office, 
&  other  public  officers  called  on  business.  At  2 
O'clock  P.  M.  I  received  company  as  usual.  Many 
persons  came  in,  and  it  appears  that  the  rage  for 
office  has  not  been  abated  by  the  probable  elec- 
tion of  Gen'l  Taylor,  the  Whig  candidate.  To-day 
among  others  Lewis  Cass,  jr.,  called  again  [and]  im- 
portuned me  for  the  mission  to  Rome.  Though  I 
may  hereafter  appoint  him  I  thought  his  visit  out  of 
time  and  gave  him  no  satisfaction.  I  have  great 
respect  for  his  father  &  on  his  account  I  may  here- 
after appoint  him.  On  yesterday  I  had  an  applica- 
tion from  New  York  (Mr.  John  A.  Thomas^)  for 
the  same  office,  and  to-day  a  similar  application  by 
Thos.  F.  Marshall  ^  of  Kentucky.  These  gentlemen 
simply  suggested  their  willingness  to  accept  if  the 
mission  was  still  open,  and  acted  very  properly  on 

^  These  names  have  been  written  in  the  original  manuscript  and 
then  crossed  out. 


i848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  189 

the  subject.  Either  of  them  are  worthy  and  I  regret 
that  I  cannot  give  it  to  either,  and  especially  to  the 
latter.  Other  applications  for  other  places  were 
made  to-day.  After  night  Mr.  Buchanan  [called] 
and  I  held  a  conversation  with  him  in  relation  to  the 
Notice  of  our  Foreign  Relations  which  it  would  be 
proper  for  me  to  take  in  my  next  annual  Message. 
After  he  retired  Thomas  F.  Marshall,  Esqr.,  of  Ken- 
tucky called  and  spent  an  hour  or  more  with  me. 
He  is  a  talented  &  very  interesting  man. 

Mr.  Wm.  V.  Voorhies  &  Mr.  H.  C.  Williams 
were  occupied  a  part  of  to-day  in  copying  the  parts 
of  my  annual  message  which  I  had  prepared. 

Saturday,  nth  November,  1848. —  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour  this  morning;  all  the  members 
present.  The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  stated  that 
he  had  received  the  estimates  from  the  several  De- 
partments of  expenditures  for  the  next  fiscal  year. 
He  stated  that  before  he  could  be  prepared  to  state 
with  precision  the  State  of  the  finances,  and  what  the 
condition  of  the  Treasury  would  be  at  the  end  of  the 
present  fiscal  year  (30th  June,  1849)  he  desired  to 
obtain  from  the  Secretary  of  War,  as  he  had  done 
from  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  an  estimate  of  the 
balances  of  appropriation  for  the  present  fiscal  year 
which  would  remain  unexpended  on  the  30th  of 
June,  1849.  He  had  brought  with  him  a  statement 
of  these  balances  under  each  specific  head  of  appro- 
priation up  to  the  present  time  which  remained  un- 
drawn from  the  Treasury.  After  examining  some 
of  these  heads  of  appropriation  with  the  Secretary 


190  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [n  Nov. 

of  War  they  retired  together  to  the  War  Depart- 
ment to  complete  the  examination.  Mr.  Walker  re- 
turned about  3  O'clock  P.  M.  and  informed  me  that 
they  had  not  completed  the  examination  and  that 
after  they  had  done  so  he  would  see  me  on  the  sub- 
ject. I  requested  him  to  call  on  Monday  morning. 
My  secretaries  have  a  constant  struggle  with  the 
Heads  of  Bureau[s],  who  are  charged  with  preparing 
the  detailed  estimates,  to  keep  down  the  expenditures 
to  a  reasonable  point.  These  Bureau  officers  are  in 
favour  of  the  largest  and  most  extravagant  expendi- 
tures and  it  becomes  necessary  to  be  vigilant  to  keep 
them  in  check.  With  my  views  upon  the  subject  of 
River  &  Harbour  Improvements,  I  have  directed 
that  no  estimates  for  these  objects  should  be  sub- 
mitted for  the  next  fiscal  year,  and  none  were  sub- 
mitted, but  to  my  surprise  I  learned  from  Mr. 
Walker  to-day  that  estimates  had  been  sent  to  him 
for  the  reappropriation  of  large  sums  which  had 
been  formerly  appropriated  for  such  objects  and,  re- 
maining unexpended,  had  gone  to  the  surplus  fund. 
They  amounted  to  several  hundred  thousand  dollars. 
I  at  once  directed  them  to  be  struck  out.  I  was  indig- 
nant that  they  had  been  smuggled  into  the  estimates. 
The  Secretary  of  War  had  not  observed  them  or  had 
[not]  known  that  they  had  gone  to  the  surplus  fund. 
There  would  be  no  distinction  in  principle  in  re- 
appropriating  these  sums  after,  by  the  operation  of 
law,  they  had  gone  back  to  the  surplus  fund,  &  mak- 
ing new  appropriations  for  the  same  objects,  and  I 
would  feel  it  to  be  my  duty  to  veto  a  Bill  in  the  one 
case  as  soon  as  in  the  other.     To  have  these  estimates 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  191 

for  re-appropriations  &  then  to  be  compelled  to  veto 
a  Bill  making  the  re-appropriations,  would  have 
placed  me  in  an  awkward  and  indefensible  position. 

Sunday,  12th  November,  1 848. —  This  was  a 
damp  and  unpleasant  day  and  I  did  not  go  to  church. 
Mrs.  Polk  is  absent  on  a  visit  to  New  York,  and  Mrs. 
J.  Knox  Walker  informed  me  at  breakfast  that  in 
consequence  of  the  weather  she  would  not  attend 
church.  Mr.  Ritchie  called  about  12  O'Clock  and 
I  read  to  him  the  portions  of  my  message  which  I 
had  prepared.  He  made  no  suggestions,  except  one 
or  two  verbal  ones  which  were  not  material.  He  ap- 
proved the  paper  and  expressed  the  opinion  that  its 
doctrines  were  sound,  and  he  thought  it  would  make 
a  profound  impression  on  the  country.  Mr.  Ritchie 
took  dinner  with  me  and  left  about  3  O'Clock  P.  M. 

Monday,  13th  November,  1848, —  I  was  in  my 
office  at  the  usual  hour  this  morning.  I  was  desir- 
ous to  know  the  result  of  the  examination  of  the  esti- 
mates of  appropriations  for  the  next  year  which  the 
Secretaries  of  the  Treasury  and  War  retired  from  the 
Cabinet  on  Saturday  to  make  (see  this  diary  of  that 
day)  and  I  sent  for  the  Secretary  of  War.  He  called 
and  stated  that  the  examination  was  not  yet  completed 
by  his  Heads  of  Bureau[s]  under  the  orders  he  had 
given  to  them  on  Saturday,  but  that  they  had  pro- 
gressed so  far  as  to  enable  him  to  say  that  more  [than] 
two  millions  of  the  unexpended  balances  of  former 
appropriations  for  former  years  had,  by  operation 
of  law,  gone  to  the  surplus  fund,  which  would  of 


192  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [13  Nov. 

course  increase  the  means  in  the  Treasury  for  the 
next  fiscal  year  by  that  amount.  I  wrote  a  note  to 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  requesting  him  to  call 
on  the  same  subject,  and  received  an  answer  stating 
that  he  would  not  be  prepared  to  give  me  the  infor- 
mation I  wanted  before  to-morrow.  The  Secretary 
of  State  called  on  business.  I  saw  the  commissioner 
of  the  General  Land  office  and  other  public  officers 
on  business.  Senator  Douglass  of  Illinois  called. 
He  informed  me  that  he  had  spent  the  time  since  the 
adjournment  of  Congress  with  his  wife's  relatives  in 
N.  Carolina.  It  was  the  first  time  I  had  seen  him 
since  the  unpleasant  interview  I  had  with  him  two 
or  three  days  after  the  adjournment  of  Congress  in 
August  last,  a  note  of  which  I  recorded  in  this  diary 
at  that  time  (see  this  diary  of  that  day[?]).  I  re- 
ceived him  with  my  usual  cordiality.  He  was  very 
pleasant  in  his  manner  and  conversation.  After 
some  time  I  alluded  to  our  unpleasant  interview  and 
told  him  I  was  glad  he  had  called,  for  that  after  my 
former  intimacy  with  him  I  felt  deep  regret  that 
anything  should  have  occurred  to  have  produced  a 
different  relation  between  us.  He  interrupted  me 
by  saying  that  he  had  felt  unpleasant  about  it,  that 
the  remarks  he  had  made  at  the  time  were  hasty  and 
imprudent  and  about  a  man  (J.  Quin  Thornton)  that 
he  cared  nothing  about,  &  owed  me  an  apology  for 
them  &  had  called  to  make  it.  I  told  him  that  our 
regret  was  mutual  at  the  occurrence,  and  that  in  re- 
flecting upon  it  I  ought  to  have  known  that  his  re- 
mark (as  he  now  stated)  was  hastily  made,  and  that 
he  could  not  have  meant  what  it  imported.     I  told 


i848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  193 

him  that  I  had  intended,  as  soon  as  I  heard  of  his  ar- 
rival at  the  meeting  of  Congress,  to  have  addressed 
him  a  note  requesting  him  to  call,  and  would  have 
frankly  held  this  conversation  w^ith  him.  He  said 
he  was  glad  he  had  called  without  receiving  such  a 
note,  and  had  voluntarily  made  the  apology,  which 
he  felt  he  ought  to  make.  The  explanations  were 
cordial  and  mutually  satisfactory,  and  it  was  agreed 
to  suffer  the  matter  to  sleep  in  oblivion.  Senator 
Douglass  has  been  one  of  my  most  ardent  and  active 
political  supporters  &  friends,  and  I  am  much  grati- 
fied that  our  former  relations  are  restored.  I  trans- 
acted much  business  which  had  accumulated  on  my 
table  to-day.  At  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  I  received  com- 
pany generally  as  usual.  Several  persons  called,  and 
among  them  as  is  always  the  case  were  several  office- 
hunters,  and  one  woman  and  one  man  begging  money. 
The  herd  of  office-seekers  are  the  most  unprincipled 
persons  in  the  country.  As  a  mass  they  are  governed 
by  no  principle.  As  an  illustration  of  this  I  received 
to-day  a  slanderous  &  abusive  letter  from  a  man 
named  Henry  Simpson  of  Philadelphia.  This  man 
annoyed  me  by  his  letters  for  an  office  for  more  than 
two  years  of  my  time.  He  was  disappointed,  and 
now  that  I  am  about  retiring  he  vents  his  bitter  feel- 
ings. Such  persons  as  he  contributed  largely  to  swell 
the  vote  of  Taylor,  the  Whig  candidate  for  the  Presi- 
dency at  the  late  election.  This  man  Simpson  pro- 
fessed to  be  an  ardent  Democrat  whilst  he  was  seek- 
ing oflice  from  me.  He  will  now,  I  have  little  doubt, 
profess  to  be  a  Whig  and  be  among  the  crowd  of 
office  seekers  to  Gen'l  Taylor.     There  are  thousands 


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

of  unprincipled  men  like  him  who  vote  in  elections 
according  to  their  calculation  of  chances  to  get  an 
office.  The  party  in  power  will  always  be  weakened 
by  the  votes  of  this  class  of  persons.  I  am  confirmed 
in  the  truth  of  the  remark  which  I  have  long  since 
made,  that  the  patronage  of  the  Government  will, 
from  the  day  any  President  enters  upon  his  duties, 
weaken  his  administration.  For  every  important  ap- 
pointment he  makes  there  are  many  applicants.  All 
cannot  be  gratified,  and  those  who  are  disappointed 
are  soured  and  disappointed,  and  if  they  do  not  go 
over  openly  to  the  opposite  party  many  of  them 
secretly  wish  it  success  and  throw  their  influence  into 
their  scale.  It  has  happened  in  consequence  of  the 
war  with  Mexico  that  during  my  administration  I 
have  had  to  dispense  an  unusually  large  patronage, 
and  the  number  of  disappointed  applicants  for  place 
have  been  unusually  great. 

After  night  Senator  Douglass  of  Illinois  [called], 
and  I  read  to  him  confidentially  the  portions  of  my 
annual  message  which  related  to  my  view  of  the 
^'  American  system,"  the  Veto  power,  and  the  estab- 
lishment of  Territorial  Governments  over  California 
and  New  Mexico,  &  the  slave  question.  He  ap- 
proved it  &,  indeed,  expressed  himself  as  delighted 
with  it. 

Tuesday,  14th  November,  1848.— The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour  to-day,  all  the  members  pres- 
ent. The  subject  of  the  estimates  of  appropriations 
for  the  next  fiscal  year,  which  was  under  consider- 
ation at  the  last  Cabinet  meeting,  and  concerning 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  195 

which  I  saw  the  Secretary  of  War  on  yesterday,  was 
resumed  to-day.  From  the  investigations  which  had 
been  made  by  the  Secretaries  of  War,  Navy,  and 
Treasury  into  the  balances  of  appropriations  hereto- 
fore made  and  remaining  unexpended,  and  their  con- 
dition, the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  stated  that  the 
estimates  for  the  next  fiscal  year  would  be  between 
25  &  26  millions  of  Dollars,  exclusive  of  interest  on 
the  public  debt  &  the  three  millions  to  be  paid  to 
Mexico  under  the  Treaty  of  Peace.  Including  the 
payment  of  this  interest  and  the  next  installment  due 
to  Mexico,  the  estimates  would  be  a  fraction  over  33 
millions.  He  stated  that  the  amount  of  the  estimates 
being  thus  ascertained,  he  was  now  enabled  to  say 
that  the  means  in  the  Treasury  were  sufficient  to 
justify  the  payment  at  this  time  of  half  a  million,  and 
perhaps  a  million  of  the  Public  Debt.  The  law  was 
then  examined  which  authorized  the  purchase  of  the 
public  stock  of  the  U.  S.  at  its  market  value,  in  an- 
ticipation of  the  period  of  its  re-imbursement.  Au- 
thority exists  to  purchase  in  the  market  a  portion  of 
the  Stocks  but  not  of  others.  I  then  directed  the 
purchase  of  half  a  Million  to  be  made.  The  agency 
through  whom  the  purchase  was  to  be  made  was  then 
considered.  The  Collectors  of  Boston,  N.  York, 
Philadelphia,  &  Baltimore  were  suggested.  After 
discussion  it  was  concluded  to  entrust  the  agency  to 
make  the  purchase  exclusively  to  Mr.  C.  W.  Law- 
rence, the  collector  of  New  York.  It  is  important 
that  the  intention  of  the  Government  to  make  the  pur- 
chase should  not  be  known  until  it  was  effected,  for 
otherwise  the  holders  of  the  Stocks  would  raise  the 


196  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [14  Nov 

price  of  it,  and  to  avoid  the  danger  of  its  becoming 
known  it  was  deemed  best  to  employ  but  one  person 
to  make  the  purchase.  I  am  much  gratified  that  dur- 
ing my  administration  I  am  enabled  to  commence  the 
payment  of  the  Public  Debt.  I  will  thus  set  an  ex- 
ample to  my  successor  of  the  policy  which  in  my  judg- 
ment should  be  pursued.  There  was  unanimity  of 
opinion  in  the  Cabinet  on  the  subject.  The  Secre- 
tary of  War  laid  before  me  a  remarkable  account  of 
expenditures  made  by  Gen'l  Scott  in  Mexico,  amount- 
ing to  between  two  and  three  Hundred  Thousand 
Dollars,  and  for  which  no  vouchers  were  submitted. 
This  account,  the  Secretary  stated,  had  been  sent  to 
him  by  Gen'l  Scott.  I  told  him  he  had  no  authority 
to  pay  any  such  account.  Gen'l  Scott  it  is  under- 
stood alleges  that  the  expenditures  were  made  for 
secret  service  while  he  commanded  the  army  in 
Mexico,  and  accompanying  the  account  he  offers  to 
make  verbal  explanations.  The  Secretary  of  War 
concurred  with  me  in  opinion  that  he  was  not  author- 
ized by  law  to  settle  any  such  account.  It  was  agreed 
that  he  should  so  inform  Gen'l  Scott,  and  leave  it  to 
Congress  to  make  provision  for  the  case,  if  they 
thought  it  proper  to  do  so. 

Mr.  Thomas  G.  Clemson,  U.  S.  chargb  des  affaires 
to  Belgium,  who  recently  returned  to  the  United 
States  on  leave  of  absence,  called  about  2  O'Clock  to 
pay  his  respects.  He  was  introduced  into  my  office, 
where  the  Cabinet  were  in  Session,  by  Mr.  Buchanan, 
and  was  introduced  to  me  and  to  the  members  of  the 
Cabinet.  He  remained  a  few  minutes  &  retired. 
Mr.  Clemson  married  the  daughter  of  Mr.  John  C. 


i848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  197 

Calhoun  of  S.  C.    After  the  Cabinet  adjourned  I 
attended  to  business  in  my  office  as  usual. 

This  was  reception  evening.  Mrs.  Polk  being  ab- 
sent on  a  visit  to  New  York,  Mrs.  Walker  was  in  the 
parlour.  Not  more  than  half  a  dozen  persons  called, 
all  gentlemen. 

Wednesday,  /5/A  November,  1848,—  I  spent  the 
day  in  attending  to  the  current  business  on  my  table 
and  in  preparing  some  passages  and  revising  others 
which  I  had  previously  written  for  my  annual  mes- 
sage. No  member  of  the  Cabinet  called.  Two  or 
three  public  officers  called  and  I  transacted  public 
business  with  them.  At  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  I  received 
company.  Quite  a  number  of  persons,  ladies  &  gen- 
tlemen, called,  most  of  them  to  pay  their  respects,  but 
some  of  them  on  the  business  which  so  much  annoys 
me  of  seeking  office. 

Thursday,  16th  November,  1848. —  I  was  occu- 
pied as  usual  in  my  office  to-day.  I  attended  to  busi- 
ness on  my  table,  and  devoted  a  part  of  the  day  to 
writing  passages  for  my  annual  message.  Mr.  H.  C. 
Williams  &  Mr.  Loving,  two  confidential  clerks, 
were  engaged  during  the  day  in  the  room  adjoining 
my  office  in  copying  parts  of  my  message  which  I  had 
previously  prepared.  They  finished  the  copy  after 
night  and  I  compared  it  with  the  original.  At  my 
request  Judge  Mason  called  about  8  O'Clock  and 
read  over  with  me  a  part  of  my  message.  He  made 
some  suggestions  of  verbal  alteration.  I  read  to  him 
my  introductory  and  concluding  paragraphs.     He 


ipS  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [17  Nov. 

approved  the  latter  &  made  some  suggestions  of 
modifications  of  the  former.  The  part  of  the  body 
of  the  message  which  he  examined  was  that  relating 
to  the  veto  power.  He  approved  it  and  made  no 
suggestion  of  m[o]dification  of  it.  Before  my  hour 
for  receiving  company,  my  door  happening  to  be  a 
little  [open]  a  fat,  well-fed-looking  man  pushed  it 
open  and  walked  in.  He  was  a  man  whom  I  had 
removed  from  office  and  his  business  was  to  be  re- 
instated. He  occupied  half  an  hour  of  my  time 
much  to  my  annoyance,  when  finally  I  lost  all 
patience  &  told  him  that  it  was  not  my  hour  to  receive 
company  and  that  I  was  much  occupied  with  other 
business.  I  took  up  my  pen  &  commenced  writing 
&  he  left.  At  2  O'Clock  when  I  received  company 
generally  I  was  besieged  by  office-seekers.  This  is  a 
penance  which  I  have  to  pay  daily.  As  my  term  of 
office  approaches  its  close  the  passion  for  office  seems 
to  increase,  and  the  very  scum  of  society  seem  to  have 
been  let  loose  upon  me.  From  missions  abroad  down 
to  clerkships  and  messengers'  places,  I  am  troubled 
daily.  Scarcely  a  day  passes,  too,  that  [some]  stout- 
looking  fellow  does  not  call  to  beg  money.  It  is 
some  relief  that  sometimes  persons  call  simply  to  pay 
their  respects. 

Mr.  Buchanan  called  on  business  in  the  fore-part 
of  the  day.  I  retired  late  at  night  considerably  in- 
disposed from  the  effects  of  severe  cold. 

Friday,  17th  November,  1848, —  In  taking  my 
usual  walk  about  8  O'Clock  this  morning  I  was 
stopped  near  the  Treasury  Building  by  Mr.  McCul- 


1848]  JAMES   K.   POLKAS   DIARY  199 

loch,  the  First  comptroller  of  the  Treasury,  who  said 
that  he  had  not  yet  prepared  a  Report  which  I  had 
required  him  to  make  to  me  some  time  ago.  The 
Secretary  of  State  had  made  a  written  Report  to  me 
stating  that  the  First  comptroller  had  improperly 
passed  an  account  in  favour  of  John  H.  Eaton  ^  for  a 
month's  salary  when  he  was  minister  to  Spain;  stat- 
ing also  that  Mr.  Eaton's  account  had  long  since  been 
settled;  that  he  had  subsequently  presented  this  claim 
for  an  additional  month's  salary  and  that  it  had  been 
rejected  by  Messrs.  Forsyth,^  Webster,  Upsher,^  & 
himself  severally  as  Secretaries  of  State.  He  stated 
that  notwithstanding  all  this  the  first  comptroller  had 
taken  up  the  case,  overruled  the  whole  of  them  and 
ordered  the  money  to  be  paid  to  Mr.  Eaton,  &  that 
it  had  been  paid.  Upon  receiving  this  communica- 
tion from  Mr.  Buchanan,  I  referred  it  to  the  First 
comptroller  with  a  written  endorsement  ther[e]on, 
requiring  him  to  make  a  Report  of  any  explanation  he 
had  to  make  on  the  subject.  It  was  this  Report  which 
Mr.  McCulloch  stopped  me  in  my  walk  this  morning 
to  inform  me  he  had  not  yet  prepared.  I  told  him  I 
had  intended  on  yesterday,  but  had  omitted  it,  to  ad- 
dress him  a  note  enquiring  the  cause  of  the  delay,  and 
that  I  had  intended  as  soon  as  I  returned  to  my  office 

^  John  H.  Eaton  of  Tennessee,  1 790-1 856,  Secretary  of  War 
1829-1831,  minister  to  Spain  1836-1840. 

^  John  Forsyth  of  Georgia,  Secretary  of  State  under  Jackson 
and  Van  Buren,  1 834-1841. 

^Abel  Parker  Upshur  of  Virginia,  1790-1844,  Secretary  of 
the  Navy  1841-1843,  Secretary  of  State  1 843-1 844;  killed  by 
the  bursting  of  a  gun  which  was  being  tested  on  the  U.  S.  war 
ship  Princeton  in  1844. 


200  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [17  Nov, 

this  morning  to  address  him  such  a  note.  He  said 
he  would  make  it  in  a  day  or  two ;  that  he  had  been 
busy  and  had  been  examining  the  subject.  I  replied 
that  it  was  a  very  simple  affair  and  could  not  require 
much  time,  and  that  it  had  been  more  than  six  weeks 
since  it  had  been  referred  to  him.  He  was  about  to 
make  some  other  remarks,  when,  feeling  indignant 
at  his  conduct,  I  told  him  that  I  thought  it  probable, 
as  I  was  to  retire  from  office  shortly,  he  regarded  me 
as  a  setting  sun,  and  did  not  deem  it  necessary  to  obey 
my  orders.  This  he  disavowed  &  said  he  had  too 
much  respect  for  my  office.  Not  wishing  to  hold 
further  conversation  with  him,  I  told  him  I  should 
expect  his  Report  in  a  day  or  two  &  left  him.  He  is 
a  Whig  whom  I  have  permitted  to  remain  against 
much  importunity  to  have  him  removed,  particularly 
in  the  early  part  of  my  administration.  There  have 
been  many  complaints  against  his  delay  in  transact- 
ing business,  and  I  have  several  times  spoke[n]  of  re- 
moving him  and  would  have  done  so,  but  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Treasury  always  objected  to  it  because  he 
considered  him  a  man  of  ability,  and  found  his  ex- 
perience and  knowledge  useful  to  him  in  transacting 
the  business  of  the  Treasury  Department. 

Mr.  Chase,  a  member  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  from  Ten- 
nessee, called  this  morning.  He  has  spent  his  time 
since  the  adjournment  of  Congress  in  the  Eastern 
States.  Brigadier  General  Sterling  Price  of  Mis- 
souri, who  commanded  the  U.  S.  army  in  New  Mex- 
ico in  the  latter  part  of  the  War  with  Mexico,  called 
to-day.  Brt.  Maj'r  Gen'l  Persifer  F.  Smith  of  the 
U.  S.  army  also  called.     He  is  about  to  leave  for 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  201 

Oregon  &  California.  Mr.  Bodisco,  the  Russian 
minister,  called  and  delivered  to  me  an  official  letter 
from  the  Emperor,  his  master,  announcing  the  mar- 
riage of  one  of  his  sons.  I  received  him  in  the  par- 
lour. Such  ceremonies  seem  very  ridiculous  to  an 
American. 

Mr.  Buchanan  called  early  in  the  day  and  spent 
three  or  four  hours  in  the  private  room  adjoining  my 
office  in  examining  the  portions  of  my  annual  mes- 
sage which  I  had  prepared  &  had  copied.  After  he 
had  done  so  he  returned  to  my  office  and  expressed 
his  dissent  from  some  of  my  views  on  the  slavery 
question,  as  connected  with  the  establishment  of  Ter- 
ritorial Governments  in  California  &  New  Mexico. 
After  some  conversation  on  the  points  of  difference  I 
requested  him  to  take  my  draft  &  prepare  one  of  his 
own  embodying  his  views,  and  I  would  then  compare 
them  and  consider  his  suggestions.  I  told  him  that 
my  desire  was  to  have  the  question  settled  at  the  next 
Session  of  Congress,  and  with  that  view  I  desired  at 
the  same  time  that  I  expressed  my  own  views  in  the 
message  to  conciliate,  as  far  as  was  practicable,  the 
North  and  the  South.  I  told  him  I  was  willing  to 
omit  a  portion  of  the  argument  with  this  view,  if  it 
was  deemed  proper.  He  took  my  draft  with  him  to 
his  lodgings  &  will  submit  his  to  me  for  my  consid- 
eration as  soon  as  it  is  prepared. 

I  transacted  business  &  saw  company  at  2  O'Clock 
as  usual  to-day. 

Saturday,  l8th  November,  1848. —  The  Cabinet 
met  to-day  at  the  usual  hour.     The  attorney  General 


202  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i8  Nov. 

submitted  to  me  an  able  opinion  in  writing  upon  the 
case  of  Lieut.  Gofif  ^  of  the  Pennsylvania  volunteers, 
who  was  murdered  at  P[e]rote  in  Mexico  by  Capt. 
Foster  of  the  Georgia  volunteers.  Capt.  Foster  was 
arrested  and  put  upon  his  trial  in  Mexico  before  a 
military  Court,  but  broke  custody  and  made  his  es- 
cape to  Georgia  before  the  trial  was  concluded.  The 
case  was  brought  to  my  notice  by  the  Governor  of 
Pennsylvania,  who  transmitted  to  me  a  communica- 
tion addressed  to  him  upon  the  subject  by  Maj'r  Gen'l 
Patterson.  I  referred  the  question  to  the  attorney 
General  for  his  opinion,  whether  Capt.  Foster  could 
be  now  arrested  &  tried  in  the  Courts  of  the  U.  S. 
The  Attorney  General  decides  that  he  cannot  be  so 
arrested  and  tried,  upon  the  ground  that  Congress  has 
passed  no  law  making  provision  for  such  a  case.  The 
opinion  was  a  very  satisfactory  [one].  I  hand  it 
[handed]  the  papers  to  the  Sec.  of  State,  upon  which 
I  made  an  endorsement  directing  that  he  should  write 
to  the  Gov.  of  Penn.  and  transmit  to  him  a  copy  of 
the  opinion  of  the  Atto.  Gen'l. 

Not  having  anything  of  special  interest  to  submit 
to  the  Cabinet  to-day,  the  sitting  was  a  short  one. 
Messrs.  Buchanan,  Marcy,  &  Mason  retired  early. 
I  requested  Messrs.  Walker,  Johnson,  and  Toucey  to 
remain.  They  did  so,  and  I  read  to  them  a  portion 
of  my  message  which  I  had  revised,  and  which  I  had 
submitted  to  Mr.  Buchanan  on  yesterday  and  to  Mr. 
Marcy  and  Mason  last  night.  The  parts  read  were 
those  relating  to  the  Veto  power.  The  ^^  American 
system,"  the  Foreign  Relations,  and  the  Introductory 

^  Marvin  H.  Goff,  stabbed  at  Perote,  April  lO,  1848. 


1848J  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  203 

and  concluding  passages.  They  approved  it  all,  and 
only  suggested  two  or  three  additional  paragraphs  to 
amplify  the  views  I  had  taken.  The  additions  sug- 
gested were  not  material. 

Mr.  Buchanan  returned  whilst  the  reading  was 
going  on,  and  laid  on  my  table  the  sheets  of  my  mes- 
sage relating  to  the  slavery  question  as  connected  with 
the  establishment  of  Territorial  Government  in  Cal- 
ifornia &  New  Mexico,  which  he  had  taken  with 
him  to  his  lodgings  on  yesterday  (see  this  diary  of  yes- 
terday). Mr.  Buchanan  retired  as  soon  as  he 
stepped  in,  only  remaining  long  enough  to  lay  the 
papers  on  my  table.  On  examining  what  he  had 
written  in  the  afternoon,  I  found  he  had  not  prepared 
a  draft  of  his  own  as  I  expected,  but  had  written  a 
single  paragraph  not  covering  a  page  of  letter  paper, 
and  had  made  a  few  interlineations  in  pencil  on  my 
draft.  I  had  not  time  to-day  to  examine  his  sug- 
gestions, and  simply  looked  into  the  papers  to  see 
what  he  had  written. 

Mrs.  Polk  returned  at  8  O'Clock  this  evening  from 
her  visit  to  New  York.  She  left  here  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  9th  Instant.  She  was  accompanied  on  her 
return  by  Col.  Walker  and  our  two  nieces.  Miss  Hays 
and  Miss  Rucker,  and  the  two  servants  whom  she 
took  with  her. 

Sunday,  igth  November,  1 848. —  I  was  indis- 
posed to-day  from  the  effects  of  a  severe  cold.  Mrs. 
Polk  was  fatigued  from  her  journey  to  New  York 
and  we  did  not  attend  church.  The  day  was  cold  & 
I  remained  quietly  in  my  chamber. 


k 


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

Monday,  20th  November,  1 848, —  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan, the  Secretary  of  State,  left  Washington  last 
evening  on  a  visit  to  his  residence  in  Pennsylvania. 
This  morning  I  appointed  Mr.  Toucey,  the  Attorney 
General,  to  be  acting  Secretary  of  State  during  Mr. 
Buchanan's  absence.  Mr.  Marcy,  the  Sec.  of  War, 
called  this  morning  and  spent  three  hours  or  more  in 
the  private  room  adjoining  my  office  examining  a 
portion  of  my  message.  He  made  in  pencil  some 
brief  suggestions  of  change  of  phraseology,  none  of 
them  affecting  any  sentiment  of  the  paper.  I  was 
occupied  in  revising  other  parts  of  the  message  and  in 
disposing  of  the  business  on  my  table.  At  2  O'Clock 
P.  M.  I  saw  company.  A  number  of  persons  called 
&,  as  never  fails  to  be  the  case,  some  of  them  were 
seeking  office.  After  [night]  Mr.  R.  J.  Walker  & 
Judge  Mason  called  at  my  request,  and  assisted  me  in 
examining  &  carefully  revising  a  part  of  my  annual 
message. 

Tuesday,  21st  November,  1848. —  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour;  all  the  members  present  ex- 
cept Mr.  Buchanan,  who  is  absent  on  a  visit  to  Penn- 
sylvania. The  whole  time  was  occupied  to-day 
in  reading  and  examining  my  annual  message. 
Verbal  alterations,  not  affecting  any  doctrine  or  senti- 
ment, were  suggested  and  made.  It  is  a  very  lengthy 
paper  and  requires  if  possible  to  be  condensed.  The 
Cabinet  retired  between  3  &  4  O'Clock.  I  saw  two 
or  three  public  officers  on  business  before  the  meet- 
ing of  the  Cabinet.  After  night  I  spent  two  or  three 
hours  alone  in  examining  my  message  with  a  view  to 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  205 

condense  it  and  reduce  its  length.  I  succeeded  to 
some  extent,  but  it  will  still  be  an  unusually  long  mes- 
sage. This  was  reception  evening  but  I  did  not  go 
to  the  parlour.  Mrs.  Polk  attended  to  the  company 
who  called. 

Wednesday,  22nd  November,  1848, —  I  was  oc- 
cupied in  my  office  as  usual  to-day.  I  devoted  a  part 
of  the  day  to  my  annual  message,  endeavouring  to 
condense  it.  It  will  be  very  long  in  spite  of  any  con- 
densation which  I  can  make.  Mr.  Marcy  and  Mr. 
Toucy  called  at  my  request  and  spent  three  or  four 
hours  in  the  private  room  adjoining  my  office,  in  ex- 
amining my  message  with  a  view  chiefly  to  suggest 
any  parts  of  it  which  might  be  omitted,  so  as  to  reduce 
its  length  without  impairing  its  strength.  They  called 
again  after  night  and  spent  some  time  on  the  same 
business.  They  found  this  a  difficult  work.  The 
subjects  embraced  in  the  paper  are  very  important, 
requiring  not  a  casual  notice  but  a  full  examination. 
To  make  it  as  full  as  I  desire  the  danger  is  that  it  will 
be  so  long  that  it  will  not  be  read  by  the  mass  of  peo- 
ple, and  by  none  but  the  politicians.  I  sent  for  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  and  saw  him  on  business 
to-day.  The  Hon.  Mr.  McLane  of  Maryland  and 
the  Hon.  Mr.  Henley  of  Indiana,  both  members  of 
Congress,  called  at  different  hours  to-day.  The 
members  of  Congress  may  be  expected  to  arrive  daily 
until  the  meeting  of  Congress  on  the  4th  proximo. 

Thursday,  23rd  November,  1848. —  By  a  Proc- 
lamation issued  by  the  Mayor  of  Washington  this  day 


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

was  set  apart  as  a  day  of  thanksgiving.  To  afford 
the  public  officers  an  opportunity  to  observe  it  as 
such,  I  directed  that  the  several  Executive  Depart- 
ments should  be  closed.  I  was  much  occupied  in  re- 
vising my  annual  message  and  in  preparing  some  ad- 
ditional paragraphs  during  the  whole  day.  It  is 
very  remarkable  that  not  a  single  public  officer  or 
visitor  called  to-day.  I  do  not  remember  that  this 
has  ever  happened  since  I  have  been  President.  A 
few  individuals,  I  believe,  visited  my  Private  Secre- 
tary in  his  office.  On  examining  the  pencil  notes  on 
the  sheets  of  my  message  made  by  Mr.  Marcy  and 
Mr.  Toucey  on  yesterday,  I  found  that  they  had  sug- 
gested verbal  changes  and  modifications  of  para- 
graphs, but  had  not  changed  its  purport  or  meaning 
in  any  respect;  nor  had  they  effected  much  by  way  of 
condensation.  A  few  passages  which  were  not  ma- 
terial they  proposed  to  omit.  (See  this  Diary  of 
yesterday.)  After  night  Mr.  Walker  and  Mr.  Ma- 
son called  at  my  request  and  assisted  me  in  revising 
a  part  of  the  sheets  of  my  message.  No  material 
changes  were  made.  They  promised  to  call  on  to- 
morrow morning  &  assist  me  in  revising  the  remain- 
ing sheets. 

This  morning  I  had  made  a  material  change  in  that 
part  of  the  message  which  relates  to  the  slave-ques- 
tion, as  connected  with  the  establishment  of  Terri- 
torial Governments  in  California  &  New  Mexico.  I 
read  the  modification  to  Mr.  Walker  &  Mr.  Mason, 
who  highly  approved  it  and  thought  it  a  valuable 
change  of  my  original  draft.  The  substance  of  the 
modified  draft  was,  ist,  non-interference  by  Congress, 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S   DIARY  207 

which  I  thought  the  true  course;  2nd,  the  Missouri 
compromise  line,  to  which  I  was  willing  to  accede 
as  a  compromise;  &  3rd,  to  leave  the  subject  to  the 
decision  of  the  Judiciary. 

Friday,  24th  November,  1 848. —  Mr.  Walker 
&  Mr.  Mason  called  at  9  O'Clock  this  morning  and 
assisted  me  in  revising  the  remaining  sheets  of  my 
annual  message  (see  this  Diary  of  yesterday),  Mr. 
H.  C.  Williams  &  Mr.  Loving,  two  confidential 
clerks,  commenced  this  morning  to  make  fair  copies 
of  my  message  for  the  two  Houses  of  Congress. 
They  occupied  the  private  room  adjacent  to  my  office. 
Several  passages  of  the  Message  relating  to  the  op- 
erations of  the  several  Executive  Departments  re- 
main to  be  written.  They  will  be  short  and  it  will 
require  but  little  time  to  prepare  them.  They  can- 
not be  written  until  I  receive  detailed  information 
from  my  Secretaries.  Mr.  Young,  the  Commis- 
sioner of  the  General  Land  office,  made  a  Report  to 
me  to-day  in  pursuance  of  previous  instructions, 
showing  the  area  of  the  recently  acquired  territories 
of  the  U.  S. ;  and  also  that  possessed  by  the  U.  S.  be- 
fore their  acquisition;  &  showing  also  the  addition 
of  sea  coast  which  we  had  acquired.  This  Report 
was  accompanied  by  a  map.  The  information  con- 
tained in  this  Report  I  will  present  to  Congress  in  my 
message.  Mr.  Broadhead,^  a  member  of  Congress 
from  Pennsylvania,  called  to-day.  At  2  O'Clock 
P.M.  I  received  company.     Many  persons  called; 

^  Richard  Broadhead,  Representative  from  Pennsylvania  1843- 
1849,  Senator  1851-1857. 


(    i 


208  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [25  Nov. 

and  I  was  besieged  for  an  hour  by  importunate  ap- 
plicants for  office. 

In  the  afternoon  I  sent  for  Mr.  Toucy,  the 
Atto.  Gen'l,  &  Mr.  Johnson,  the  P.  M.  Gen'l,  and 
read  to  them  the  modifications  I  had  made  in  the  first 
draft  of  my  message  on  the  subject  of  slavery 
(see  this  Diary  of  yesterday).  They  highly  ap- 
proved the  modifications.  After  night  Mr.  Stanton, 
a  member  of  Congress  from  Tennessee,  called;  and 
w^hilst  he  was  in  my  office  the  Hon.  Nathan  Clifford, 
U.  S.  minister  to  Mexico,  accompanied  by  Mr. 
Toucy,  the  Atto.  Gen'l,  called.  Mr.  Clifford  had 
obtained  leave  of  absence  for  a  short  time,  &  ar- 
rived in  Washington  by  the  Southern  Boat  this  after- 
noon. Mr.  De  La  Rosa,  he  informed  me,  had  ac- 
companied him  as  Envoy  Extraordinary  &  minister 
Plenipotentiary  from  Mexico  to  the  U.  States.  Mr. 
Clifford  remained  for  two  hours  and  more,  and  gave 
me  an  interesting  account  of  the  Condition  of  things 
in  Mexico.  Mr.  H.  C.  Williams  &  Mr.  W.  W. 
Loving,  two  confidential  clerks,  were  engaged  to-day 
in  copying  my  message.  They  occupied  the  room 
adjoining  my  office. 

Saturday,  2Sth  November,  1848, —  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour;  all  the  members  present  ex- 
cept Mr.  Buchanan,  who  is  absent  from  Washington 
on  a  visit  to  Pennsylvania.  I  read  to  the  Cabinet  the 
modified  draft  which  I  had  prepared  of  the  passage 
of  my  Message  which  relates  to  slavery  (see  this 
Diary  of  yesterday  &  the  day  preceding).  I  had 
previously  submitted  it  to  the  members  of  the  Cab- 


1848]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  209 

inet  individually,  except  to  Mr.  Marcy,  &  they  had 
approved  it.  Upon  hearing  it  read  Mr.  Marcy  ap- 
proved it  also.  Two  or  three  verbal  alterations  were 
suggested  &  were  made.  I  informed  the  Cabinet 
that  I  would  substitute  it  for  the  passage  on  the  same 
subject  which  I  had  first  prepared.  Mr.  Clifford, 
formerly  atto.  Gen'l  of  the  U.  S.  and  now  Minister  to 
Mexico,  called.  There  being  no  special  business  to 
lay  before  the  Cabinet  to-day,  Mr.  Clifford  remained 
&  was  engaged  in  free  conversation  about  Mexican 
affairs  until  the  Cabinet  adjourned. 

Judge  Bryant  ^  of  Indiana,  the  Chief  Justice  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  Oregon,  &  Mr.  Adair,  the  Collec- 
tor of  the  Customs  for  that  Territory,  called.  They 
were  on  their  way  to  Oregon,  &  expect  to  take  pas- 
sage [on]  a  vessel  which  will  leave  New  York  for 
Chagres  on  the  ist  of  December.  Mr.  Walker  & 
Mr.  Mason  each  handed  to  me  to-day  passages  which 
they  had  prepared  for  my  message,  relating  to  their 
respective  Departments.  After  night  I  revised  & 
modified  them  and  made  paragraphs  of  my  own. 
Mr.  Williams,  Mr.  Loving,  &  Mr.  Dibrell  of  Nash- 
ville were  engaged  to-day  making  copies  of  my  mes- 
sage. Mr.  Williams  was  taken  with  a  violent  chill 
&  remained  all  night. 

Sunday,  26th  November,  1 848.—  I  attended  the 
First  Presbyterian  church  to-day.  Mrs.  Polk  and 
our  two  nieces.  Miss  Hays  and  Miss  Rucker,  accom- 
panied me. 

^  William  Perkins  Bryant. 


2IO  JAMES    K.    POLK'S   DIARY  [27  Nov. 

Monday,  2ph  November,  1848, —  I  was  in  my 
office  as  usual  early  this  morning  and  was  busily  en- 
gaged during  the  day.  Mr.  Buchanan,  who  has  been 
absent  for  some  days  on  a  visit  to  Pennsylvania,  called 
this  morning.  I  delivered  to  him  some  Foreign  de- 
spatches which  had  been  received  in  his  absence.  I 
delivered  to  him  also  a  Report  made  to  me  by  the 
I  St  comptroller  of  the  Treasury  on  a  communication 
made  to  me  by  Mr.  Buchanan  some  weeks  ago,  in  re- 
lation to  a  payment  which  had  been  made  to  John 
H.  Eaton,  late  minister  to  Spain,  by  the  comptroller. 
(See  this  Diary  a  few  weeks  ago.)  I  had  not  had 
time  to  read  the  Report,  but  as  the  Report  had  been 
made  by  Mr.  Buchanan  I  handed  it  to  him  for  his 
examination  first.  If  it  shall  not  be  satisfactory  to 
him  I  will  then  examine  it.  I  read  to  Mr.  Buchanan, 
in  the  presence  of  Mr.  Marcy  who  had  called  in,  the 
modification  which  I  had  made  during  his  absence  of 
that  part  of  my  message  which  related  to  the  subject 
of  slavery  in  the  establishment  of  Territorial  Govern- 
ments in  California  and  New  Mexico.  He  ap- 
proved the  modification  which  had  been  made.  I 
requested  Mr.  Marcy  to  furnish  me  with  a  brief 
statement  of  the  general  operations  of  the  army,  with 
a  view  to  enable  me  to  take  the  proper  notice  of  these 
operations  in  my  message.  In  the  evening  Mr. 
Marcy  sent  to  me  the  information  I  had  requested. 
Mr.  Walker  called  and  handed  to  me  a  rough  state- 
ment of  the  finances,  imports  &  exports,  public  debt, 
&C.  Mr.  Mason  called  and  informed  me  confiden- 
tially that  his  friends  in  Virginia  desired,  on  his  re- 
turn to  the  state  at  the  close  of  my  term,  he  should 


i848]  JAMES   K.   POLKAS   DIARY  211 

either  go  on  the  Bench  of  the  State  or  be  a  candidate 
for  Congress  in  his  District;  or  be  elected  Governor 
of  the  State  by  the  Legislature  next  winter.  He 
stated  that  he  would  be  unwilling  to  accept  either  of 
the  two  former  positions ;  and  that  if  he  were  to  be 
chosen  Governor  it  would  be  necessary  for  him  to 
enter  [on]  the  duties  of  the  office  on  the  ist  of  Jan- 
uary next,  and  in  that  event  [he]  would  have  to  leave 
the  Navy  Department  at  that  time.  It  was  in  rela- 
tiori  to  this  that  he  wished  to  consult  me.  I  told  him 
I  should  regret  to  loose  his  services  as  Secretary  of 
the  Navy,  but  that  if  he  regarded  it  for  his  interest  I 
would  interpose  no  objection  to  his  leaving  the  De- 
partment. I  told  him  I  would  not  be  in  the  way  of 
his  advancement  in  his  own  State,  and  that  I  thought 
if  he  could  be  elected  Governor  of  Virginia  it  would 
be  a  dignified  &  highly  honorable  position,  and  that 
he  ought  to  accept  it.  Mr.  Toucey,  the  Atto.  Gen'l, 
called  at  my  request,  and  I  consulted  him  upon  the 
legal  question  whether  under  the  Mexican  Treaty  it 
would  be  competent  for  the  President  to  nominate 
to  the  Senate  a  commissioner  &  surveyor  to  run  & 
mark  the  Boundary  line  between  the  two  countries, 
without  a  previous  act  of  Congress.  He  thought  the 
President  had  the  power  to  do  so  under  the  Treaty, 
without  an  act  of  Congress.  I  concurred  with  him 
in  opinion  &  prepared  a  paragraph  for  my  message 
relating  to  the  subject  accordingly.  Mr.  Calderon, 
the  Spanish  minister,  called  &  delivered  to  me  a  letter 
from  the  Queen  of  Spain  announcing  that  her  sister, 
who  was  married  to  the  Duke  Montpensier,  the  son 
of  Louis  Phillipe,  late  king  of  France,  had  given 


212  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  [28  Nov. 

birth  to  a  daughter.  I  received  Mr.  Calderon  in  the 
parlour  below  &  received  the  important  announce- 
ment w^hich  v^as  delivered  with  due  form  &  cere- 
mony. Such  ceremonies  are  supremely  ridiculous  to 
an  American.  At  2  O'Clock  I  received  company, 
and  was  annoyed  as  usual  for  more  than  an  hour  by 
office-seekers.  Mr.  Williams  &  Mr.  Loving  and 
Mr.  Dibrell,  confidential  clerks,  were  employed  to- 
day in  making  copies  of  my  message.  Mr.  Williams, 
who  was  taken  ill  on  Saturday,  remained  but  a  short 
time.  After  night  Senator  Dix  of  New  York  and 
his  son  called.  Senator  Dix  has  been  in  the  City 
some  days,  but  had  [not]  before  called.  He  was  the 
candidate  of  the  Barnburners  for  Governor  of  New 
York  and  was  defeated  at  the  late  election.  He  was 
the  Free-Soil  candidate  and  run  [ran]  on  the  same 
[ticket]  with  the  Abolitionist,  Seth  M.  Gales,  who 
was  a  candidate  for  Lieutenant  Governor.  He  had 
contributed  with  Mr.  Van  Buren,  therefore,  to  defeat 
the  Democratic  candidate  for  President  at  the  late 
election.  I  received  him  courteously  but  no  allusion 
was  made  during  his  visit  to  the  late  election  or  to 
any  party  political  subject. 

Tuesday,  28th  November,  1848. —  I  was  busily 
engaged  in  my  office  until  the  hour  of  the  meeting  of 
the  Cabinet.  All  the  members  of  the  Cabinet  at- 
tended. I  conferred  with  them  in  relation  to  several 
passages  for  my  message,  relating  to  the  finances,  the 
Constitutional  Treasury,  &  the  public  debt.  These 
several  paragraphs  were  read  &  some  modification  of 
phraseology  suggested.     Mr.  Walker  had  furnished 


i848]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  213 

me  at  my  request  a  rough  draft  setting  forth  the  op- 
erations of  the  tariff  of  1846.  Not  being  satisfied 
with  it  I  told  him  to  leave  it  with  me  and  that  I  would 
make  a  draft  of  my  own,  which  I  did  after  night. 
Mr.  Walker  had  not  furnished  me  with  the  statistics 
for  the  financial  statement  of  my  message.  I  urged 
him  to  do  so  as  early  on  to-morrow  as  possible.  The 
Secretary  of  War  had  given  to  me  a  short  paragraph 
relating  to  the  War  Department  &  Indian  affairs. 
The  Post  master  General  left  with  me  a  statement  of 
the  operations  of  the  Post  Office  Department.  The 
Secretary  of  the  Navy  has  as  yet  furnished  no  state- 
ment of  the  operations  of  his  Department.  I  saw 
the  Hon.  Mr.  Cummins/  a  member  of  the  Ho. 
Repts.,  and  some  others  in  the  course  of  the  day. 
Messrs.  Williams,  Dibrell,  and  Loving,  the  three  con- 
fidential clerks  who  have  been  employed  for  several 
days  making  three  fair  copies  of  my  message  for 
Congress  and  the  printer,  continued  their  work  to- 
day in  the  room  adjoining  my  office.  This  was  re- 
ception evening.  A  larger  number  of  persons,  ladies 
&  gentlemen,  called  than  have  done  so  for  some  weeks 
past.  Among  them  were  several  members  of  Con- 
gress. 

Wednesday,  2gth  November,  1848, —  I  was 
busily  employed  in  revising  and  correcting  my  mes- 
sage and  adding  new  paragraphs  to  it  to-day.  The 
Secretary  of  the  Navy  furnished  the  paragraph  re- 
lating to  the  Navy.  I  revised  [it]  with  him,  and 
made  several   changes,   omitting  some  sentences  & 

^John  D.  Cummins,  Representative  from  Ohio  1 845-1 849. 


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

modifying  others.  He  took  the  revised  draft  and 
had  a  copy  made.  I  revised  the  draft  of  the  passage 
relating  to  the  War  Department,  which  the  Secretary 
of  War  had  left  with  me.  The  Secretary  of  the 
Navy  have  [having]  furnished  a  copy  of  his  para- 
graph as  it  had  been  altered  by  me,  I  sent  for  the  Sec- 
retary of  War  and  went  over  with  him  and  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Navy  both  their  drafts.  The  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury  called  and  furnished  me  with  the 
statistics  required  for  the  financial  statement  in  the 
message.  I  submitted  to  him  my  draft  of  passages 
relating  to  the  payment  of  the  public  debt  and  the 
operations  of  the  tariff  act  of  1846  and  the  Constitu- 
tional Treasury.  He  approved  them.  I  sent  for  the 
Post  master  Gen'l  and  submitted  to  him  the  changes 
I  had  made  in  the  paragraph  which  he  had  furnished 
me  in  relation  to  his  Dept.  It  was  after  night  when 
he  called.  He  approved  of  the  modifications  which 
I  had  suggested  by  interlineations  &  additions  & 
omissions.  I  took  the  paper  and  at  my  table  made  a 
fair  copy  of  it  as  modified.  I  put  all  these  paragraphs 
into  the  hands  of  the  three  clerks  (Messrs.  Wil- 
liams, Dibrell,  &  Loving)  who  were  copying  for  me. 

A  number  of  members  of  Congress  called  to-day 
and  among  them  were  Senator  Turney  from  Tennes- 
see, Senator  Felch  &  Mr.  McClelland  of  Michigan; 
Mr.  Wick  of  Indiana,  &  Mr.  Morse  of  La. 

I  was  quite  as  busy  to-day  as  I  have  been  any  day 
during  my  term.     My  message  will  be  very  long. 

The  Union  of  this  morning  contains  an  article  un- 
dertaking to  state  what  my  message  will  contain.  I 
was  much  vexed  when  I  saw  it.     It  is  an  infirmity  of 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  215 

Mr.  Ritchie  that  he  cannot  keep  a  secret.  I  had  read 
to  him  some  days  ago  a  considerable  portion  of  my 
message,  but  I  informed  him  expressly  that  it  was 
communicated  to  him  confidentially.  Without 
meaning  to  do  wrong,  such  is  his  propensity  to  give 
news  to  the  public,  and  to  appear  to  the  public  to  be 
the  Executive  organ,  that  in  this  morning's  paper  he 
shadows  forth  what  I  may  say  in  it.  Mr.  Ames,  the 
assistant  Editor  of  the  Union  called,  and  I  expressed 
my  dissatisfaction  at  Mr.  Ritchie's  course  in  strong 
terms.  He  informed  Mr.  Ritchie,  and  in  the  course 
of  the  day  I  received  a  note  from  him  explaining  the 
appearance  of  the  article  in  his  paper,  but  it  was  not 
satisfactory. 

Thursday,  30th  November,  1848. —  In  the  course 
of  the  day  I  saw  at  different  times  the  Secretaries  of 
State,  Treasury,  War,  and  Navy  and  transacted  busi- 
ness with  them.  My  three  confidential  clerks,  Messrs. 
Williams,  Loving,  &  Debrell,  continued  to  occupy  the 
room  adjoining  my  office  and  were  employed  in 
finishing  their  respective  copies  of  my  message.  I 
made  some  verbal  changes  and  modifications,  which 
made  it  necessary  to  recopy  portions  of  it.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan informed  me  that  he  had  appointed  Saturday 
next,  the  2nd  Dec'r,  for  Mr.  De  La  Rosa,  the  Mex- 
ican Minister,  to  present  his  credentials.  He  fur- 
nished me  with  a  translation  of  an  address  which  Mr. 
De  La  Rosa  proposed  to  deliver  on  the  occasion  of 
his  presentation. 

Several  members  of  Congress  called;  among  them 
the  Hon.  Geo.  W.  Jones  of  Tennessee  and  the  Hon.  A, 


2i6  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i  Dec 

G.  Brown  of  Mississippi.  I  saw  company  for  a  few 
minutes  at  2  O'Clock  P.  M.  when  I  closed  my  office 
&  resumed  my  business.  I  was  constantly  occupied 
through  the  day  with  my  message  and  other  matters 
requiring  my  attention.  Mr.  Dibrell  and  Mr. 
Loving  finished  complete  copies  of  my  message  to- 
night. Mr.  Williams  will  finish  his  copy  on  to- 
morrow. 

Mr.  Ritchie  called  this  morning  and  appeared  to 
be  very  much  mortified  at  the  indiscreet  publication 
of  the  article  in  his  paper  on  yesterday.  He  meant  no 
harm  I  am  satisfied.  It  is  a  constitutional  infirmity 
with  him,  I  believe,  that  he  cannot  keep  a  secret:  all 
he  knows,  though  given  him  in  confidence,  he  is  al- 
most certain  to  put  into  his  newspaper.  My  sym- 
pathies were  excited  at  seeing  his  mortification,  and  I 
relieved  him  by  telling  him  to  let  it  all  pass  (see  this 
Diary  of  yesterday).  I  sent  for  Mr.  Ames,  who  is 
Mr.  Ritchie's  co-editor  of  the  Union,  and  told  him 
that  I  was  vexed  when  I  saw  him  on  yesterday,  and 
spoke  perhaps  too  strongly;  that  I  was  satisfied  Mr. 
Ritchie  meant  no  harm  by  the  publication  of  the 
article,  and  requested  him  not  to  repeat  what  I  had 
said  to  him  on  yesterday.  After  night  Mr.  Ritchie 
called  and  read  a  part  of  my  message. 

Friday,  Ist  December,  1 848, —  I  called  a  meet- 
ing of  the  Cabinet  at  11  O'Clock  to-day.  All  the 
members  were  present.  Having  had  my  message 
copied  into  a  fair  hand  writing  I  read  it  to  the  Cab- 
inet. It  is  now  complete  except  the  detailed  state- 
ments of  sums,  &C,  to  be  obtained  from  the  respec- 


1848J  JAMES   K.    POLK'S   DIARY  217 

tive  Executive  Departments.  When  I  had  finished 
reading  it  Mr.  Buchanan  said  that  he  thought  it 
would  be  a  complete  paper  if  I  left  out  those  parts  of 
it  which  related  to  the  *^  American  system  "  and  the 
"  Veto  "  power.  Though  he  considered  the  views 
presented  upon  these  points  able,  he  thought  they 
would  produce  excitement  in  Congress  and  that  they 
might  be  considered  out  of  place  in  the  annual  mes- 
sage. He  thought  the  Whigs  would  consider  them 
as  an  attack  on  Gen'l  Taylor;  and  that  they  might  be 
used  in  a  veto  message  of  an  Internal  Improvement 
Bill,  if  one  should  be  presented  to  me,  as  he  thought 
it  probable  there  would  be  at  the  approaching  session 
of  Congress.  I  told  him  that  I  had  read  these  parts 
of  the  message  to  the  Cabinet  on  the  day  of  the  Presi- 
dential election  (the  7th  Instant)  and  they  had  ad- 
vised me  to  put  these  passages  in  the  message.  I 
stated  that  I  had  informed  the  Cabinet  at  that  time 
that  they  had  been  prepared  during  the  summer,  with 
a  view  originally  to  be  used  in  a  veto  message,  and 
that  I  had  so  informed  the  Cabinet  when  I  first  read 
them  to  them  on  the  7th  Inst,  and  had  at  that  time 
informed  them  that  I  then  thought  of  transferring 
them  to  the  annual  message,  and  that  the  Cabinet  had 
approved  the  suggestion.  I  stated  to  him  that  I 
had  on  that  day,  after  consulting  the  Cabinet,  made 
up  my  own  mind  to  make  them  a  part  of  the  annual 
message,  that  I  had  accordingly  revised  them,  and 
on  the  9th  of  November  put  them  into  the  hands  of 
a  confidential  clerk  (H.  C.  Williams)  to  be  copied 
in  an  open  hand  writing  for  further  revision  and  ex- 
amination.    I  stated  that  with  this  open  copy  I  had 


2i8  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i  Dec. 

further  revised  and  perfected  them,  and  that  it  would 
greatly  embarrass  me  in  making  up  my  message  if 
at  this  late  day,  and  just  on  the  eve  of  the  meeting 
of  Congress,  they  were  now  left  out  of  it.  Mr. 
Walker  thought  they  would  do  better  for  a  Veto  mes- 
sage than  for  the  annual  message,  and  he  would  ad- 
vise that  they  be  omitted  in  the  latter  if  he  were 
certain  an  internal  improvement  Bill  would  be  pre- 
sented to  me  at  the  next  session.  Other  members  of 
the  Cabinet  engaged  in  the  conversation.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan &  Mr.  Walker  made  the  only  objections,  such 
as  are  here  stated.  Mr.  Johnson  and  Mr.  Mason 
thought  they  were  proper  for  the  annual  message. 
Mr.  Toucey  thought,  there  might  be  a  paragraph 
prepared  to  show  more  distinctly  the  reason  why 
they  were  inserted  in  the  annual  message.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan thought  they  would  not  fall  under  the  clause 
of  the  constitution  which  authorized  the  President 
to  give  to  Congress,  "  information  of  the  state  of  the 
Union."  I  was  somewhat  troubled  at  the  objections 
to  their  insertion,  and  said  that  if  the  objection  had 
been  made  when  they  were  first  read  to  the  Cabinet 
I  would  then  have  had  time  to  shape  my  message 
without  them,  but  it  was  now  almost  too  late.  The 
Cabinet  adjourned  near  4  O'Clock  P.  M.  No  other 
subject  was  considered  but  the  message. 

The  three  clerks  (Dibrell,  Williams,  &  Loving) 
continued  to  occupy  the  room  adjoining  my  office 
making  out  fair  copies  of  the  message  for  Congress. 
I  made,  on  a  review  of  it,  frequent  alterations  by  in- 
terlineations, erasures,  &  insertions,  which  caused  the 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S   DIARY  219 

necessity  of  re-copying  many  portions  of  it.     I  re- 
tired late  at  night  much  fatigued. 

Saturday,  2nd  December,  1848, —  No  meeting 
of  the  Cabinet  was  held  to-day,  though  at  different 
hours  I  saw  every  member  of  it  in  relation  to  busi- 
ness connected  with  his  particular  Department. 
The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  called  in  the  forenoon 
&  read  to  me  his  annual  Report.  At  2  O'Clock 
P.  M.  I  received  Mr.  De  La  Rosa,  the  Envoy 
Extraordinary  &  minister  Plenipotentiary  from 
the  Republic  of  Mexico.  He  was  presented  to  me 
by  the  Secretary  of  State  in  the  parlour.  He  was 
attended  by  his  Secretary  of  Legation  &  Interpreter. 
My  Private  Secretary  accompanied  me  to  the  par- 
lour. Mr.  De  La  Rosa  did  not  speak  English,  but 
addressed  me  in  Spanish,  to  which  I  responded  in 
English.  He  had  previously  furnished  to  the  Secre- 
tary of  State  a  copy  of  his  address  and  a  copy  of  my 
response  had  been  furnished  to  him.  The  address 
and  response  will  be  published  in  the  Union  on  to- 
morrow. It  was  an  interesting  ceremony.  I  saw 
several  members  of  Congress  to-day.  I  was  busily 
occupied  with  my  message.  The  three  clerks  (Lov- 
ing, Dibrell,  &  Williams)  continued  the  copying  in 
the  room  adjoining  my  office.  My  Private  Secre- 
tary assisted  them  in  comparing  their  copies.  I  was 
frequently  in  the  room  with  them,  giving  directions. 
Mr.  Ritchie  called  in  the  evening,  and  I  read  to  him 
the  portion  of  the  message  which  related  to  the 
"  Veto."     After  night  the  Post  Master  Gen'l  called 


220  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  Dec. 

and  read  to  me  his  annual  Report.  After  he  retired 
I  was  occupied  until  near  12  O'Clock  comparing 
the  copies  of  my  message  and  making  critical  cor- 
rections of  it,  so  as  to  have  the  copies  precisely  alike. 
We  did  not  finish  more  than  half  of  it.  It  is  a  very 
long  paper;  I  fear  too  long,  but  I  do  not  see  any 
part  of  it  v^hich  I  can  omit.  The  Secretary  of  War 
sent  to  me  his  annual  Report  this  evening,  but  I  had 
not  time  to  read  it  to-day. 

Sunday,  Jrd  December,  1 848, —  From  the  neces- 
sity of  the  case  I  continued  the  examination  of  the 
copies  of  my  message  with  my  clerks,  which  had  been 
left  unfinished  on  yesterday  (see  this  Diary  of  yester- 
day). Mr.  Daniel  Graham,  the  Register  of  the 
Treasury,  assisted  us.  Mr.  Graham,  Mr.  Dibrell, 
&  Mr.  Loving  took  dinner  with  me.  Mrs.  Polk  at- 
tended church.  I  continued  to  be  occupied  with 
the  message  until  night.  After  night  I  read  it  con- 
fidentially to  Messrs.  Cobb  of  Georgia,  Thompson 
of  Pennsylvania,  &  Jones  of  Tennessee,  all  members 
of  the  Ho.  Repts.  I  had  directed  my  Private  Secre- 
tary to  request  them  to  call.  I  thought  it  prudent 
to  do  this  that  some  of  my  friends  in  Congress  might 
be  apprised  of  what  it  contained  before  it  was  sent 
in.  Mr.  Ames,  the  assistant  Editor  of  the  Union, 
had  requested  to  see  it.  He  called  and  I  submitted 
one  of  the  copies  of  it  to  him  &  Mr.  Edmund  Burke, 
the  commissioner  of  Patents.  They  read  it  in  my 
Private  Secretary's  office.  They  both  expressed 
themselves  as  highly  pleased  with  it.  The  three 
members  of  Congress,  to  whom  I  also  read  it,  ex- 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  221 

pressed  themselves  as  pleased  with  it.  Mr.  Thomp- 
son of  Penn.  seemed  to  be  a  little  tender-footed  about 
slavery  and  the  tariff.  Upon  the  vs^hole  he  thought 
v^ell  of  it.  It  v^as  about  12  O'Clock  before  I  re- 
tired from  my  office.  I  w^as  much  fatigued.  I 
regret  the  necessity  of  having  to  spend  the  sabbath 
as  this  day  w^as  spent.  This,  however,  is  my  last 
annual  message.  It  is  very  long  and  I  shall  be  so 
occupied  with  company  to-morrow  as  not  probably 
to  be  able  to  give  attention  to  it. 

Monday,  4th  December,  1848, —  My  three  con- 
fidential clerks  (Messrs.  Williams,  Loving,  &  Dib- 
rell)  were  engaged  with  my  Private  Secretary  in 
correcting  and  comparing  the  three  copies  of  my 
message  during  the  whole  day.  I  was  frequently  in 
the  room  with  them.  During  the  day  many  mem- 
bers of  Congress  called.  The  Judges  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  U.  S.,  the  Atto.  Gen'l,  the  Clerk,  & 
Marshall  called  in  a  body  to  pay  their  respects.  All 
the  Judges  were  present  except  Chief  Justice  Taney,^ 
who  is  detained  at  home  by  indisposition.  Justice 
Wayne  ^  was  not  with  the  other  members  of  the 
Court,  but  called  a  few  minutes  after  they  retired. 
A  Joint  committee  of  the  two  Houses  of  Congress 
called  to  notify  me  that  Congress  was  organized  and 
ready  to  receive  any  communication  I  might  have  to 
make.  I  return [ed]  for  answer  that  I  would  make 
a  communication  in  writing  to  the  two  Houses  to- 

^  Roger  Brooks  Taney,  17 77-1 864. 

^  James  Moore  Wayne,  1 790-1 867,  Associate  Justice  of  the 
Supreme  Court  1 835-1 867. 


222  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [5  Dec. 

morrow  at  12  O'Clock.  The  committee  consisted  of 
Senators  King  of  Alabama  and  Davis  of  Massachu- 
setts, and  of  Messrs.  Wentworth  of  Illinois,  Rock- 
well of  Connecticut,  &  Shepherd  ^  of  N.  Carolina. 
At  I  O'clock  I  gave  the  copy  of  my  message  which 
had  been  prepared  by  Mr.  Dibrell,  to  the  foreman 
(Mr.  Teenum)  of  the  Union  office,  for  the  purpose 
of  having  it  printed  for  the  use  of  Congress  by  the 
time  it  was  sent  in  on  to-morrow.  I  entrusted  it  to 
him  confidentially.  After  night  I  examined  the 
proof  sheets  of  my  message  as  it  had  been  printed  at 
the  Union  office.  I  invited  Mr.  Dickins,  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Senate,  and  Mr.  Thos.  J.  Campbell,  the 
Clerk  of  the  Ho.  Repts.,  to  call  and  read  the  message 
that  they  might  become  familiar  with  the  handwrit- 
ing and  be  enabled  to  read  to  their  respective  Houses 
on  to-morrow  with  the  more  facility.  They  called 
accordingly,  and  read  the  copies  as  I  examined  the 
proof  with  the  printer.  The  printed  and  manu- 
script copies  were  literally  copies  of  each  other. 
Judge  Mason,  my  Private  Secretary,  the  three  clerks 
who  had  copied  the  message,  and  the  Hon.  James  H. 
Thomas,  the  latter  the  Representative  in  Congress 
from  my  immediate  District  in  Tennessee,  were  pres- 
ent during  the  reading  and  comparison.  I  finished 
between  12  and  i  O'Clock  at  night,  and  retired  to 
rest,  being  exceedingly  fatigued. 

Tuesday,  ^th  December,  1848. —  Being  much  en- 
gaged this  morning  in  arranging  the  Reports  and 
Documents  from  the  several  Executive  Departments, 

^  Augustine  H.  Shepperd. 


I848J  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  223 

which  were  to  accompany  my  message  to  Congress, 
I  gave  orders  to  my  porter  to  admit  no  company. 
He  afterwards  informed  me  that  many  members  of 
Congress  and  others  called.  At  a  quarter  before  12 
O'clock  [my  Private  Secretary]  left  with  my  mes- 
sage ^  for  the  Capitol,  and  delivered  it  to  the  two 
Houses  a  few  minutes  after  12  O'Clock.  The  Secre- 
taries of  State,  War,  Navy,  &  Treasury  and  the  Post 
master  Gen'l  called,  and  were  present  when  I  sent 
off  my  message.  The  Attorney  General  was  engaged 
in  the  Supreme  Court  &  was  not  present.  This  was 
the  regular  day  for  the  meeting  of  the  Cabinet;  but 
I  informed  my  Secretaries  that  I  was  too  much  fa- 
tigued to  transact  any  further  business,  and  they  dis- 
persed before  i  O'Clock  P.  M.  I  arranged  the 
original  manuscripts  and  passages  which  had  been 
written  during  the  preparation  &  revision  of  my  mes- 
sage and  put  them  under  envelopes  with  a  view  to 
preserve  them.  It  may  be  interesting  to  refer 
to  them  in  after  years. 

This  was  the  regular  evening  for  receiving  com- 
pany. A  large  number  of  persons,  ladies  &  gentle- 
men, called.  Among  those  present  were  the  Vice 
President  of  the  U.  S.,  the  Speaker  of  the  Ho.  Repts., 
and  a  number  of  Senators  &  Representatives.  The 
French  minister  and  several  other  members  of  the 
Diplomatic  corps  were  also  present.  Many  persons 
expressed  to  me  their  approval  of  my  message.  I 
learn  that  it  is  generally  received  well  by  the  Demo- 
cratic party  in  Congress. 

^  Richardson,  Messages  and  Papers  of  the  Presidents,  IV,  629- 
670. 


224  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [6  Dec. 

Wednesday,  6th  December,  1848, —  A  large 
number  of  members  of  Congress  called  to-day. 
They  were  all  of  the  Democratic  party,  except  four 
Senators  of  the  Whig  party  who  called  together 
about  2  o'clock,  viz.,  Senators  Berrien  of  Georgia, 
Dayton  &  Miller  ^  of  New  Jersey,  and  Baldwin  ^  of 
Connecticut.  The  Democratic  members  all  ex- 
pressed their  satisfaction  with  my  message.  I 
received  the  Whig  Senators  with  courtesy  &  en 
deavoured  to  make  their  visit  agreeable.  No  politi- 
cal topic  was  introduced.  I  learn  that  no  business 
of  importance  was  transacted  in  either  House  of 
Congress  to-day.  I  disposed  of  some  of  the  business 
which  had  accumulated  on  my  table.  I  feel  much 
wearied  by  my  great  confinement  and  labour  for  the 
last  few  days. 

Thursday,  yth  December,  1848, —  Many  mem- 
bers of  Congress  called  to-day.  I  directed  my  porter 
to  admit  them  at  any  hour  of  the  day.  Mr.  Walker 
called  and  read  to  me  that  part  of  his  annual  Report 
which  relates  to  the  tariff.  It  is  one  of  his  ablest 
papers.  The  Secretary  of  War  called  and  exhibited 
to  me  specimens  of  California  Gold,  which  had  been 
sent  him  by  Col.  Mason  commanding  the  U.  S. 
troops  in  California.  A  portion  of  these  specimens 
he  will  retain  in  the  War  Dept.  and  the  balance  he 
will  send  to  the  mint  of  the  U.  S.  at  Philadelphia 
to  be  coined.     So  numerous  were  the  visits  of  mem- 

^  Jacob  W.  Miller,  Senator  from  New  Jersey  1841-1853. 
^  Roger  Sherman  Baldwin,  Governor  of  Connecticut  1 844-1 846, 
Senator  1847-185 1. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  225 

bers  of  Congress  to-day  that  I  had  but  little  oppor- 
tunity to  attend  to  business  on  my  table.  I  learn  that 
the  death  of  the  Hon.  Dixon  H.  Lewis,  late  Senator 
from  Alabama,  was  announced  in  the  Senate  to-day 
&  both  Houses  adjourned  without  transacting  any 
business. 

Friday,  8th  December,  1 848. —  Neither  house  of 
Congress  set  [sat]  to-day,  both  having  adjourned 
over  on  yesterday  until  monday  next.  Many  mem- 
bers of  Congress  called  at  different  periods  of  the 
day.  The  Democratic  members  all  express  their 
satisfaction  at  my  message.  The  subject  is  not  in- 
troduced by  the  Whig  members  who  call,  &  I,  of 
course,  do  not  allude  to  it.  The  Whig  newspapers, 
so  far  as  I  have  seen  them,  are  very  abusive  of  it, 
but  none  of  them  attempt  by  argument  to  answer  it. 
Any  low  fellow  can  use  hard  words,  and  this  is 
usually  the  resort  of  those  who  cannot  answer  an 
argument,  or  successfully  gainsay  the  truth  of  argu- 
ments used.  Democratic  papers  generally  speak 
favourably  of  it. 

Saturday,  gth  December,  1848. —  Before  the 
hour  of  the  meeting  of  the  Cabinet  this  morning  I 
saw  a  number  of  members  of  Congress.  Henry  A. 
Wise,  Esqr.,  of  Virginia,  called.  It  was  the  second 
time  Mr.  Wise  had  called  since  he  returned  from  his 
mission  to  Brazil.  He  appreciated  my  forbearance 
in  not  recalling  him  from  his  mission,  and,  as  I  have 
heretofore  learned  from  Judge  Mason,  is  very  grate- 
ful for  what  he  regards  as  my  magnanimity  towards 


226  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [lo  Dec. 

him.  When  I  was  Speaker  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  he 
assailed  me  with  great  bitterness,  but  has  long  since, 
as  I  learn,  become  satisfied  that  he  had  done  me  great 
injustice.  He  was  one  of  the  Democratic  Electors 
of  President  and  Vice  President  in  Virginia  in  the 
late  election,  &  in  that  contest  has  behaved  well.  I 
received  and  treated  him  with  politeness  &  courtesy. 
He  entered  into  conversation  on  public  affairs,  and 
I  conversed  freely  with  him.  Whilst  he  was  with 
me  Judge  Mason,  Mr.  Toucey,  &  Mr.  Johnson  came 
in.  He  remained  a  few  minutes  and  retired.  The 
other  members  of  the  Cabinet  came  in  shortly  after- 
wards, except  Mr.  Walker,  who  did  not  attend  to-day, 
being  engaged,  as  I  presume,  in  revising  his  annual 
Report,  which,  as  I  understand,  he  intends  to  send 
to  Congress  on  Monday  next.  Mr.  Buchanan 
brought  to  my  notice  several  matters  connected  with 
our  Foreign  affairs  and  obtained  my  views  in  rela- 
tion to  them.  They  were  none  of  them  of  general 
importance.  Several  other  matters  of  no  great  im- 
portance were  considered  and  disposed  of.  Judge 
Catron  &  his  wife,  Mrs.  Benson,  Mr.  Daniel  Gra- 
ham &  his  wife,  Hon.  James  H.  Thomas  of  the  Ho. 
Repts.,  and  Mr.  John  C.  McLemore  of  Tennessee 
took  a  family  dinner  with  me  to-day.  After  night  I 
disposed  of  some  of  the  business  which  had  accumu- 
lated on  my  table. 

Sunday,  lOth  December,  1 848. —  Mrs.  Polk  and 
myself,  accompanied  by  our  two  nieces.  Miss  Rucker 
and  Miss  Hays,  attended  the  First  Presbyterian 
church  to-day.     After  night  Judge   Mason   called 


I848J  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  227 

and  sat  an  hour  with  me  in  conversation  in  relation 
to  the  public  events  of  my  administration.  His 
name  is  being  used  by  his  friends  of  the  Virginia 
Legislature,  now  in  session,  for  the  office  of  Gov- 
ernor of  that  State.  He  is  not  a  candidate  for  the 
office,  but  would  accept  it  if  elected.  In  the  course 
of  conversation  he  asked  me  if  I  had  ever  written 
any  letter  to  Col.  Benton  which  could  do  me  any  in- 
jury if  published.  I  told  him  I  had  not.  I  told  him 
I  had  held  no  correspondence  with  Col.  Benton,  un- 
less it  might  be  to  address  him  a  note  during  the  earlier 
period  of  my  administration,  when  he  professed 
to  support  it  and  be  my  friend ;  that  any  such  notes, 
if  published,  could  do  me  no  harm.  I  stated  to  him 
that  Col.  Benton  had  occasionally  addressed  notes 
to  me  during  the  same  period.  Judge  Mason  then 
said  that  his  reason  for  asking  the  question  was  that 
he  had  learned  from  a  lady,  whose  name  he  did  not 
give,  that  she  had  learned  from  the  Blair  family  that 
Col.  Benton  would  probably  publish  some  letter  of 
mine  which  would  do  me  an  injury.  I  told  Judge 
Mason  that  he  had  no  such  letter.  I  do  not  know 
what  this  means.  I  am,  however,  at  the  defiance  of 
both  Blair  &  Benton.  The  former  has  proved  him- 
self to  be  unprincipled  and  the  latter,  I  fear,  is  no 
better.  From  the  day  I  approved  the  sentence  of 
the  Court  martial  in  Col.  Fremont's  case.  Col.  Ben- 
ton, for  no  other  cause  than  that  I  dared  to  do  my 
duty,  has  been  exceedingly  hostile  to  me.  He  has 
not  called  on  me,  nor  have  I  spoken  to  him  for  more 
than  twelve  months.  He  was  at  the  same  church 
which  I  attended  to-day. 


228  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [n  Dec. 

Monday,  nth  December,  1848. —  Many  mem- 
bers of  Congress  called  this  morning.  The  Secre- 
tary of  War  &  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  called  on 
business.  I  was  engaged  during  the  greater  part  of 
the  day  after  12  O'Clock  in  disposing  of  a  mass 
of  business  which  had  accumulated  on  my  table. 
Nothing  worthy  of  special  notice  occurred  during 
the  day.  After  night  the  Post  master  General,  Sen- 
ator Turney,  &  Mr.  James  H.  Thomas  called  & 
spent  an  hour  in  conversation  with  me  in  relation 
to  public  affairs.  After  they  retired  Senator  Doug- 
lass of  Illinois  called  and  held  a  long  conversation 
with  me  on  the  subject  of  A  Bill  which  he  had  in- 
troduced into  the  Senate  to  admit  California  &  New 
Mexico  into  the  Union  as  a  State,  instead  of  estab- 
lishing Territorial  Governments  in  the  first  instance 
over  them.  I  was  surprised  to  learn  to-day  from 
Senator  Dickinson  of  New  York  and  the  Secretary 
of  War  that  Mr.  Buchanan  had  selected  a  newspaper 
in  Rochester,  New  York,  as  the  publisher  of  the  laws 
of  the  United  States  for  the  next  year,  which  is  a 
free-soil  paper,  &  opposed  the  election  of  the  regular 
Democratic  candidates  for  the  President  &  the  Vice 
President  of  the  U.  States.  I  highly  disapprove  of 
the  selection.  I  think  no  paper  should  have  been 
selected  but  one  which  was  sound  and  had  supported 
my  administration,  &  if  I  had  known  Mr.  Buchanan's 
intention  before  he  acted  I  would  have  prevented  it. 
He  is  undoubtedly  endeavoring  to  conciliate  the 
barnburners  of  New  York. 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  229 

Tuesday,  12th  December,  1848, —  Several  mem- 
bers of  Congress  called  to  see  me  this  morning. 
Among  others  Senator  Breese  of  Illinois,  accom- 
panied by  a  Mr.  Cooper,  who  is,  as  I  understood 
him,  a  member  of  the  legislature  of  Illinois.  Mr. 
Breese  read  to  me  a  passage  from  a  New  York 
paper;  I  think  it  was  a  part  of  [a]  letter  from  Wash- 
ington to  the  New  York  Herald,  to  the  effect  that 
the  administration  desired  Mr.  Breese's  defeat  in  the 
election  of  U.  S.  Senator  from  that  State.  Mr. 
Cooper  said  that  Gen'l  Shields  was  a  candidate  for 
the  Senate  and  had  informed  him  (Cooper)  at  his 
house  some  time  ago  that  he  had  a  letter  from  Bu- 
chanan expressing  the  wish  that  Gen'l  Shields  might 
be  elected  and  that  Mr.  Breese  might  be  defeated. 
I  told  Mr.  Breese  that  I  had  never  heard  of  the  mat- 
ter which  he  brought  to  my  notice  before,  and  that 
I  had  never  uttered  a  syllable  upon  the  subject.  I 
told  him  that  the  President's  situation  was  a  very 
delicate  one  between  political  friends,  and  that  I 
had  never  interfered  in  any  way  in  the  elections  in 
the  States.  Mr.  Breese  said  that  he  had  given  to 
the  administration  a  faithful  support  and  that  it  was 
unjust  to  him  &  calculated  to  do  him  great  injury  if 
the  story  was  not  contradicted.  I  told  him  I  did  not 
desire  to  be  connected  with  the  matter  in  any  way. 
I  repeated  to  him  that  I  had  never  heard  of  it  before, 
and  that  I  desired  to  have  nothing  to  say  in  relation 
to  it.  I  was  on  my  guard  to  say  nothing  which  could 
be  used  so  as  to  mix  my  name  up  with  the  Senatorial 


230  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [12  Dec. 

election  in  Illinois.  I  suspected  that  Mr.  Breese  had 
called  and  brought  Mr.  Cooper  with  him  that  the 
latter  might  repeat  what  I  might  say.  The  whole 
story,  I  have  no  doubt,  has  originated  in  the  impru- 
dence of  Mr.  Buchanan,  who  dislikes  Mr.  Breese  and 
is  the  friend  of  Gen'l  Shields. 

Senator  Borland  of  Arkansas  called  and  made 
application  to  me  to  appoint  his  son  a  cadet  at  West 
Point.  I  made  him  no  promise  but  told  him  the 
10  cadets  at  large  would  not  be  appointed  until 
February,  that  the  applications  were  very  numerous, 
but  that  I  would  consider  his  application  with  others 
when  the  time  came  to  make  the  appointments. 
Though  Mr.  Borland  has  just  been  elected  to  the 
Senate  of  the  U.  S.  from  Arkansas  I  have  no  confi- 
dence in  him  as  a  politician.  He  professes  to  be  a 
Democrat,  but  I  have  a  strong  conviction  that  he 
will  continue  to  do  so  only  so  long  as  he  may  con- 
sider it  his  interest. 

The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour;  all  the  mem- 
bers present  except  Mr.  Walker,  who  wrote  me  a 
note  informing  me  that  he  was  much  engaged  in 
his  office  and  asking  to  be  excused  from  attending 
to-day  unless  something  important  was  before  the 
Cabinet  in  relation  to  which  I  might  deem  his  pres- 
ence necessary.  The  Atto.  Gen'l  was  also  absent 
attending  the  Supreme  Court.  I  sent  to  the  Senate 
to-day  nominations  for  all  the  appointments  I  made 
during  the  last  recess,  and  some  other  nominations. 
I  sent  to  the  Senate  also  two  Indian  Treaties  ^  for 
their  consideration  with  a  view  to  their  ratification. 
One  of  them    (the  Treaty  with  the  Menomonees) 

^  U,  S»  Stat,  at  Large,  IX,  949-955. 


1848J  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  231 

was  an  important  one.  Several  matters  of  detail 
were  considered  and  disposed  of,  none  of  them  of 
much  importance.  I  then  stated  to  the  Cabinet 
that  I  feared  no  action  would  be  had  at  the  present 
session  of  Congress  for  the  Government  of  Cali- 
fornia &  New  Mexico ;  that  I  feared  this  would  be 
the  case  from  the  want  of  concert  of  action  or  any 
common  views  among  the  members  of  Congress  with 
whom  I  had  conversed.  I  stated  further  that  I 
apprehended  if  these  territories  were  left  without  a 
Government  for  another  year,  and  especially  Cali- 
fornia, they  might  be  lost  to  the  Union.  I  gave  my 
views  at  some  length  for  this  apprehension.  They 
were,  in  substance,  that  in  the  course  of  the  next  year 
a  large  population  would  be  attracted  to  California 
by  its  mineral  wealth  and  other  advantages,  that 
among  the  emigrants  would  be  men  of  enterprise 
and  adventure,  men  of  talents  and  Capital;  and  that 
finding  themselves  without  a  Government  or  the  pro- 
tection of  law,  they  would  probably  organize  an 
independant  Government,  calling  it  California  or 
Pacific  Republic,  and  might  endeavour  to  induce 
Oregon  to  join  them.  I  stated  that  if  this  state  of 
things  existed  when  Congress  came  together  twelve 
months  hence,  that  the  leading  Federalists  (alias 
Whigs)  would  be  glad  to  avail  themselves  of  the 
opportunity  to  give  up  the  country  for  the  purpose 
of  relieving  Gen'l  Taylor  of  his  embarrassments 
upon  the  Wilmot  Proviso.  I  added  that  the  Fed- 
eral party  had  from  the  commencement  of  our  his- 
tory been  opposed  to  the  extension  of  our  limits; 
that  they  opposed  the  acquisition  of  Louisiana  as 
they  had  recently  done  that  of  our  new  possessions. 


232  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [12  Dec. 

To  guard  against  the  loss  of  California  I  deemed  it 
very  important  that  the  question  of  its  Government 
should  be  settled  at  the  present  Session  of  Congress. 
I  then  stated  that  I  thought  [it]  indispensible  that 
we  should  agree  upon  a  plan  of  settlement  (for  Con- 
gress seemed  to  have  no  plan)  and  exercise  what 
influence  we  might  possess  to  carry  it  through  at 
the  present  Session.  All  present  agreed  that  this 
would  be  proper  and,  indeed,  our  duty.  It  is  a  ques- 
tion rising  above  ordinary  party  considerations.  We 
have  a  country  to  serve  as  well  as  a  party  to  obey. 
On  comparing  information,  as  far  as  we  had  been 
able  to  collect  it  from  conversations  with  members 
of  Congress,  we  were  satisfied  that  neither  of  the 
propositions  for  the  settlement  of  the  Slavery  ques- 
tion presented  at  the  last  Session  of  Congress  could 
prevail;  and  that  either  of  them  would  be  embar- 
rassed by  the  Wilmot  Proviso  in  the  Ho.  Repts. 
What  then  was  to  be  done,  was  the  question.  Sena- 
tor Douglass  of  Illinois  had  introduced  a  Bill  into 
the  Senate  to  admit  both  California  and  New  Mex- 
ico into  the  Union  as  one  State.  The  territory,  we 
were  all  of  opinion,  was  too  large,  and  the  settle- 
ments in  it  too  detached  &  distant  from  each  other  to 
form  one  State.  After  full  consideration  it  was 
agreed  that  I  should  see  Senator  Douglass  and  ad- 
vise him  to  modify  his  Bill  so  as  to  admit  California 
alone  into  the  Union  as  a  State,  and  to  bring  in  a 
seperate  Bill  for  the  Government  of  New  Mexico. 
All  were  agreed  that  this  was  the  most  feasible  plan 
of  settling  the  slavery  question,  by  leaving  it  to  the 
inhabitants  of  the  new  state  to  decide  the  question  for 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  233 

themselves,  and  at  the  same  time  avoid  the  danger 
of  loosing  California,  of  which  there  was  very  great 
danger  if  the  present  session  of  Congress  adjourned 
without  acting  on  the  subject. 

This  being  reception  evening  an  unusually  large 
number  of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  members  of 
Congress,  citizens,  &  strangers  attended. 

Wednesday,  13th  December,  1848. —  Senator 
Douglass  of  Illinois  called  this  morning  at  my  re- 
quest, and  I  communicated  to  him  fully  my  views 
in  relation  to  the  slavery  question  and  the  admission 
of  California  into  the  Union  as  a  state,  and  the  pro- 
priety of  bringing  in  a  seperate  Bill  for  the  Govern- 
ment of  New  Mexico  (see  this  Diary  of  yesterday). 
He  thought  well  of  my  suggestions  of  modification 
of  the  Bill  he  had  introduced  into  the  Senate,  and 
said  he  would  consider  them  and  confer  with  Sena- 
tors on  the  subject.  At  my  suggestion  he  said  he 
would  call  &  see  Mr.  Buchanan  on  the  subject. 
Many  members  of  Congress  called  this  morning  & 
among  them  Mr.  Calhoun  of  S.  Carolina,  who  had 
reached  Washington  only  a  day  or  two  ago.  I  had 
some  conversation  with  him,  in  which  I  expressed 
my  opinions  on  the  subject  of  the  slavery  question 
and  the  government  of  California  &  New  Mexico. 
They  were,  in  substance,  the  views  entertained  in 
the  Cabinet  on  yesterday  (see  this  Diary  of  that  day) . 
He  expressed  no  decided  opinion,  said  he  had  not 
read  Mr.  Douglass's  Bill  or  my  message,  but  ex- 
pressed himself  as  anxious  to  settle  the  question  at 
the  present  session.     It  was  after  i  O'Clock  before 


234  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [13  Dec. 

members  of  Congress  ceased  to  occupy  my  attention, 
and  up  to  that  hour  I  had  not  time  to  read  a  single 
letter  or  transact  any  business.  Among  others  Sena- 
tor Dickinson  of  New  York  called,  much  excited, 
&  showed  me  a  letter  from  a  citizen  of  Rochester, 
N.  York  (Mr.  H.  Gay)  denou[nc]ing  in  strong 
terms  the  selection  by  Mr.  Buchanan  of  a  Barn- 
burning  paper  in  that  town  in  which  to  publish  the 
laws  of  the  U.  States,  because  that  paper  had  opposed 
the  Democratic  nominees  for  President  at  the  last 
election  and  was  opposed  to  my  administration.  I 
told  him  Mr.  Buchanan  had  certainly  committed  an 
error.  He  had  previously  spoken  to  me  on  the  sub- 
ject (see  this  Diary  of  the  nth  Inst.).  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan called  on  business  at  a  subsequent  part  of  the 
day  &  [I]  showed  him  Mr.  Gay's  letter.  He  said 
that  he  had  made  the  selection  of  that  paper  with- 
out consulting  me  &  that  he  took  the  whole  responsi- 
bility. I  told  him  that  although  the  law  authorized 
him  to  make  the  selection  I  would  be  held  responsi- 
ble for  it.  He  said  he  had  obtained  the  best  infor- 
mation he  could,  and  understanding  that  it  was  a 
moderate  Barnbu[rn]ing  paper,  &  not  desiring  to 
take  part  between  the  Hunkers  &  Barnburners  he 
had  selected  on[e]  Hunker  and  one  Barnburner 
paper,  &  he  desired  me  to  say  to  Senator  Dickinson 
that  he  had  not  consulted  me  on  the  subject  and  was 
alone  responsible.  I  told  him  I  disapproved  the 
selection  &  feared  it  would  do  mischief.  His  future 
personal  aspirations  for  the  Presidency  undoubtedly 
induced  Mr.  Buchanan  to  commit  this  great  mistake. 
I  desire  to  avoid  a  rupture  with  him  at  this  late 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  235 

period  of  my  administration  or  I  would  order  the 
paper  to  be  discontinued.  I  learn  from  my  Private 
Secretary  this  afternoon  that  a  vote  was  taken  in  the 
Ho.  Repts.  to-day  approving  the  Wilmot  Proviso  by 
a  considerable  majority.  Some  of  the  Northern 
Democrats  are  giving  way  and  reversing  their  votes 
of  the  last  session,  and  I  am  the  more  satisfied  that 
unless  Senator  Douglass's  Bill  is  accepted,  no  adjust- 
ment of  the  territorial  questions  can  be  affected  [ef- 
fected] at  the  present  session.  After  night  Senator 
Foote  of  Miss,  called,  &  I  had  a  full  conversation 
with  him  on  the  subject  and  gave  him  my  views  as 
entertained  and  expressed  in  Cabinet  on  yesterday 
(see  this  Diary  of  that  day).  After  my  company 
retired  to-day  I  disposed  of  much  business  on  my 
table.  I  am  daily  applied  to  for  office.  The  pas- 
sion for  place  is  quite  as  great  and  the  applications 
quite  as  numerous  as  at  any  former  period  of  my  ad- 
ministration. Senator  Foote  informed  me  that  it 
was  believed  in  the  City  that  Gen'l  Cass  would  be 
returned  to  the  Senate  of  the  U.  S.,  &  that  some  of 
the  Whigs  predicted  that  he  would  be  instructed  to 
vote  for  the  Wilmot  Proviso. 

Thursday,  14th  December,  1848. —  I  had  many 
visitors  this  morning,  members  of  Congress  and 
others.  Among  them  Senator  Dickinson  of  New 
York  called  again  to  see  me  on  the  subject  of  the 
selection  made  by  Mr.  Buchanan  of  a  Barnbu[rn]ing 
Abolition  paper  in  Rochester,  New  York,  in  which 
to  publish  the  laws  of  the  U.  S.  This  selection  was 
a  great  mistake  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Buchanan.     Mr. 


236  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [14  Dec. 

Dickinson  delivered  to  me  several  letters  which  he 
had  received,  strongly  condemning  the  selection.  I 
strongly  disapprove  the  selection,  but  dislike  to  have 
a  rupture  or  any  difficulty  vs^ith  my  Secretary  of  State 
so  near  the  close  of  my  administration.  At  12 
O'clock  I  received  in  the  parlour  Don  Rafael 
Anvida,  the  first  charge  d'affaires  from  Venezuela, 
who  had  ever  been  accredited  to  the  U.  States.  He 
was  presented  to  me  by  Mr.  Buchanan.  He  did  not 
speak  English,  but  was  accompanied  by  an  inter- 
preter. My  Private  Secretary  was  with  me.  Mr. 
Anvida  made  an  address  to  me,  with  a  translation 
of  which  I  had  been  previously  furnished,  to  which 
I  responded  in  a  short  address. 

I  gave  a  Cabinet  Dinner  to-day  at  which  were 
present  all  the  members  of  the  Cabinet  and  some  of 
the  ladies  of  their  respective  families:  Senators 
Atchison  of  Mo.,  Sturgeon  of  Penn.,  Douglass  & 
Breese  of  Illinois,  Butler,  S.  C,  Atherton  of  N. 
Hampshire,  Hunter  of  Va.,  King  of  AL,  Bright  of 
Indiana,  &  Houston  of  Texas  were  of  the  company. 
Mr.  Venable  of  N.  C,  Ho.  Repts.,  Mr.  Ritchie  & 
daughter,  Walker  Anderson  of  Florida,  Dr.  Foltz 
of  the  Navy,  Mr.  Aspenwall  ^  and  Stevens  of  N. 
York,  the  latter  the  traveller,  were  also  of  the  party. 
Senator  Douglass  remained  after  dinner  &  [after] 
the  company  had  retired  and  I  held  a  long  conversa- 
tion with  him  on  the  subject  of  the  Bill  he  had  in- 

^  William  H.  Aspinwall,  merchant,  of  New  York.  In  1850 
he  started  a  steamship  line  to  California  by  way  of  the  Isthmus 
of  Panama;  he  was  the  builder  of  the  railroad  across  the  Isthmus 
opened  in  1855. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  237 

troduced  into  the  Senate,  to  admit  New  Mexico  & 
California  into  the  Union  as  one  State,  in  which  I 
strongly  advised  him  to  modify  the  Bill  so  as  to 
admit  California  alone  as  a  state,  as  more  likely  to 
succeed.  I  told  him  this  would  secure  the  acquired 
territory  to  the  Union,  and  that  he  could  bring  in  a 
seperate  Bill  for  the  Government  of  New  Mexico. 
He  was  favourably  inclined  to  adopt  my  suggestions, 
but  did  not  decide  positively  to  do  so.  My  time 
was  so  constantly  occupied  with  company  to-day 
that  I  had  but  little  time  to  dispose  of  business  on 
my  table. 

Friday,  /5/A  December,  1 848, —  Many  members 
of  Congress  called  this  morning.  Among  them 
Senator  Dickinson  called  to  know  whether  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan's order,  selecting  a  Barnburning  abolition 
paper  at  Rochester,  N.  York,  in  which  to  publish  the 
laws  of  the  U.  S.,  had  been  or  would  be  revoked.  He 
said  if  it  was  not  revoked  he  would  make  a  publica- 
tion exposing  the  Secretary  for  the  act  (see  this  Diary 
for  several  days  past).  Finding  that  he  was  still 
much  excited  and  resolved  to  make  a  publication  in 
the  newspapers,  and  desiring  to  prevent  a  newspaper 
quarrel  between  him  and  the  Secretary  of  State,  I 
availed  myself,  at  a  subsequent  period  of  the  day 
when  Mr.  Buchanan  [called,  of  the  opportunity]  to 
inform  him  of  Mr.  Dickinson's  intention,  and  to 
submit  to  him  whether  it  would  not  be  better  for 
him  to  revoke  the  order  and  select  some  other  paper, 
which  was  friendly  to  my  administration.  I  told 
him  I  thought  he  had  made  a  mistake  in  the  paper 


238  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [15  Dec. 

he  had  selected,  but  that  I  would  not,  if  it  was  dis- 
agreeable to  him,  order  the  change,  though  I  would 
be  gratified  if  he  consented  to  make  the  change.  He 
said  he  cared  nothing  for  Dickinson's  threatened 
publication,  for  that  he  could  answer.  He  said  if 
I  chose  to  take  the  responsibility  of  requesting  that 
the  change  be  made,  he  would  make  it,  and  state  to 
the  Editor  that  it  was  done  at  my  request,  and  that 
he  would  have  no  unpleasant  feeling  toward  me  on 
the  subject.  I  told  him  I  thought,  on  his  own  ac- 
count as  well  as  that  of  the  administration,  it  was 
very  unfortunate  the  selection  had  been  made,  &  that 
I  was  ready  to  take  the  responsibility.  I  told  him 
that  I  would  see  Mr.  Marcy  on  the  subject  &  let  him 
know  on  to-morrow  what  [I]  determined  to  do. 

Senator  Hunter  called  by  previous  appointment  at 
I  O'clock,  and  I  had  a  full  conversation  with  him 
on  the  territorial  &  slavery  question,  as  connected 
with  New  Mexico  &  California.  I  repeated  to  him 
the  views  which  I  had  expressed  in  Cabinet  on  tues- 
day  last,  and  which  I  have  since  expressed  to  Sena- 
tor Douglass  and  others.  He  expressed  himself  as 
very  desirous  to  settle  the  question  in  any  way  to 
avoid  the  degradation  of  the  South,  by  getting  clear 
of  the  Wilmot  Proviso,  but  expressed  his  fears  that 
this  was  impracticable.  After  night  Mr.  Venable  of 
the  Ho.  Repts.  called,  and  I  held  a  similar  conversa- 
tion with  him.  He  concurred  with  me  in  my  views 
and  will  co-operate  in  carrying  them  out.  I  ad- 
dressed a  letter  to  Gen'l  Cass  to-day,  giving  him  a 
statement  of  the  difficulties  which  were  encountered 
on  this  subject.     I  took  the  occasion  also  to  inform 


1848J  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  239 

him  of  what  I  had  learned  from  Senator  Foote  on 
the  13th  Inst,  (see  this  Diary  of  that  day)  that  he 
might  be  returned  to  the  Senate  from  Michigan,  and 
that,  in  that  event,  some  of  the  Whigs  were  predict- 
ing that  he  would  be  instructed  to  vote  for  the  Wil- 
mot  Proviso,  and  that  if  he  obeyed  he  would  have 
to  abandon  the  ground  he  had  taken  in  his  Nicholson 
letter,  &  I  gave  him  my  opinion  on  the  subject.  I 
refer  to  my  letter  to  him,  a  copy  of  which  will  be 
found  in  my  letter  book. 

After  night  Senators  Atchison  of  Missouri  & 
Cameron  of  Penn.,  called  &  enquired  of  me  if  I  had 
nominated  Lewis  Cass,  jr.,  to  the  Senate  as  charge 
d'affaires  to  Rome  (his  nomination  is  now  before  the 
Senate)  at  the  request  of  his  father  (Gen'l  Cass).  I 
replied  that  it  was  a  question  of  some  delicacy,  but, 
as  they  were  both  the  friends  of  Gen'l  Cass,  I  would 
say  to  them  confidentially  that  it  was  done  at  the 
request  of  Gen'l  Cass,  who  was  anxious  he  should 
receive  the  appointment  and  thought  him  well  quali- 
fied for  it.  I  told  them  I  knew  very  little  of  the 
young  man  personally,  and  had  nominated  him  from 
the  belief  that  he  was  qualified  &  from  the  great 
respect  I  had  for  his  father.  They  expressed  deep 
regret  at  it,  and  expressed  the  opinion  [that  he]  had 
no  claims  &  that  he  would  be  rejected  by  the  Senate. 
Mr.  Atchison  declared  his  intention  to  vote  against 
his  nomination.  They  desired  to  know  if  I  would 
withdraw  his  nomination.  I  told  them  I  could  not 
unless  his  father  voluntarily  requested  it.  They  en- 
quired of  me,  if  he  was  rejected,  if  I  would  then 
appoint  Senator  Hannegan  in  his  place  (information 


240  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i6  Dbc. 

1. 

having  been  received  here  to-day  that  Mr.  Hannegan 
had  been  defeated  in  the  Senatorial  election  for  the 
next  term)  as  they  were  very  anxious  to  see  him  pro- 
vided for.  I  told  them  I  deemed  it  improper  to 
say  anything  on  that  point.  In  the  course  of  the  day 
I  disposed  of  much  business  on  my  table. 

Saturday,  l6th  December,  1848, —  I  had  scarcely 
reached  my  office  this  morning  before  members  of 
Congress  and  others  commenced  calling.  I  received, 
as  is  usual,  a  large  mail  this  morning,  but  had  no 
opportunity  to  open  or  read  a  single  [letter]  before 
the  hour  of  meeting  of  the  Cabinet.  I  have  omitted 
to  note  for  some  time  past  the  annoyance  to  which 
I  am  daily  subjected  by  importunate  office  seekers. 
There  has  been  no  period  of  my  administration  when 
the  applicants  for  office  have  been  more  numerous 
or  pressing,  unless  it  may  have  been  the  first  two 
months  of  my  Presidential  term.  I  regard  office 
seekers  as  a  class,  I  mean  such  (and  there  are  many 
of  them)  and  [as]  make  it  their  study  [to]  devise 
means  to  live  off  the  public  without  relying  upon 
their  own  resources  and  exertions,  as  the  most  useless 
and  least  deserving  portion  of  society.  The  impres- 
sion seems  to  have  obtained  to  some  extent  that  Gen'l 
Taylor  will  make  but  few  if  any  removals  from 
office,  and  to  this  I  attribute  the  press  for  place  at 
the  close  of  my  term.  Since  the  commencement  of 
the  present  session  of  Congress  members  of  Congress, 
who  are  doubtless  urged  to  it  by  their  constituents, 
call  on  me  daily  to  procure  places  for  their  friends. 
There  is  a  class  of  gentlemen  loafers  who  congregate 


1848]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARY  241 

at  Washington  during  every  session  of  Congress, 
who  are  standing  applicants  for  every  vacancy. 
This  class  is  more  numerous  at  the  present  session 
than  I  have  known  it  to  be  during  my  term. 

The  Cabinet  assembled  to-day  at  the  usual  hour; 
all  the  members  present.  Some  subjects  of  minor 
importance  were  considered  and  disposed  of.  I  in- 
formed the  Cabinet  that  I  proposed  on  monday  next 
to  nominate  the  Hon.  Ambrose  H.  Sevier  of  Arkan- 
sas to  the  Senate  as  the  commissioner  on  the  part  of 
the  U.  S.  to  run  the  boundary  line  between  Mexico 
and  the  U.  S.  in  pursuance  of  the  Treaty  of  Peace. 
All  the  members  of  the  Cabinet  approved  the  selec- 
tion of  Mr.  Sevier.  About  the  time  the  Cabinet  were 
retiring  I  walked  ^*nto  the  room  adjoining  my  ofRce 
with  Mr.  Buchanai  and  informed  him  that  I  would 
take  the  whole  responsibility  of  revoking  the  appoint- 
ment of  an  Editor  of  a  barnburning  abolition  paper 
at  Rochester  in  N.  York,  as  one  of  the  publishers  of 
the  laws  of  the  U.  S.  (see  this  Diary  of  yesterday). 
I  told  him  that  he  could  select  any  other  paper  he 
chose  provided  it  was  a  Democratic  paper,  friendly 
to  my  administration,  and  which  had  supported  the 
election  of  the  Democratic  candidates  for  President 
&  Vice  President  at  the  last  election.  I  read  to  him 
a  paragraph  from  the  paper  at  Rochester  which  he 
had  selected,  &  which  was  published  since  he  selected 
it,  vaunting  his  appointment,  of  an  exceptionable 
character.  Mr.  Buchanan  said  it  was  an  exception- 
able article  and  that  he  would  yield  to  my  request 
&  revoke  the  appointment.  About  an  hour  after- 
wards Mr.  Buchanan  sent  by  his  messenger  the  draft 


242  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i6  Dec. 

of  a  letter  in  his  own  hand-writing  to  be  addressed 
"  to  the  publisher  of  the  Rochester  daily  advertiser, 
New  York."  The  draft  of  the  letter  was  not  signed, 
but  there  was  a  note  at  the  bottom  in  pencil  "  is  this 
right."  I  took  a  copy  of  the  draft  which  I  will  pre- 
serve. I  did  not  like  it,  but  determined,  if  Mr. 
Buchanan  desired  it,  to  let  it  go.  I  sent  for  Mr. 
Marcy  and  showed  it  to  him.  He  thought  as  I  did 
that  it  was  exceptionable.  It  would  undoubtedly  be 
published  by  the  dismissed  Editor  and  would  show 
that  Mr.  B.  had  not  yielded  to  my  suggestions  cheer- 
fully or  willingly,  but  under  constraint.  He 
thought  it  was  enough  to  say  that  the  arrangement 
had  been  changed  at  my  request  or  on  my  suggestion, 
instead  of  saying  as  he  had  done  "  I  have  deemed  it 
to  be  my  duty  to  [accede  to]  the  special  request  of 
the  President,  &  C."  At  my  request  Mr.  Marcy 
wrote  a  draft  of  a  letter  somewhat  modifying  Mr. 
Buchanan's  draft.  After  Mr.  Marcy  retired  I  sent 
for  Mr.  B.,  and  while  the  messenger  was  gone  after 
him  I  prepared  two  drafts  of  my  own,  copies  of  which 
I  will  preserve  with  the  copy  of  his.  When  Mr. 
Buchan[an]  came  I  submitted  my  drafts  to  him  & 
said  to  him  that  if  he  preferred  [?]  his  own  to  either 
of  them  he  could  send  it  if  he  chose,  but  that  I 
thought  it  unnecessary,  as  I  had  taken  the  whole 
responsibility,  for  him  to  say  that  he  had  acted  at 
my  special  request,  for  this  would  indicate  that  I  had 
some  motive  towards  the  particular  paper  he  had 
selected,  which  I  had  not,  but  had  objections  to  giv- 
ing the  patronage  of  my  administration  to  an  aboli- 


1848]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARY  243 

tion  paper  which  opposed  it,  that  I  desired  some 
paper  to  be  employed  to  publish  the  laws  which  was 
Republican  in  its  character,  and  not  one  which 
agitated  a  sectional  issue  which  might  endanger  the 
Union,  and  which  in  the  last  election  had  contributed 
to  defeat  the  Democratic  party.  He  took  one  of  my 
drafts  and  his  own,  and  as  he  left  my  office  he  said 
he  would  omit  the  word  ^^  special "  in  his  at  all 
events.  What  precise  form  of  letter  he  will  send 
off  I  do  not  know.  I  note  this  small  affair  thus 
particularly  because  when  his  letter,  whatever  it  may 
be,  is  published,  it  may  produce  some  excitement, 
and  I  desire  to  preserve  all  the  facts.  It  is  a  weakness 
of  Mr.  Buchanan  that  he  is  too  much  inclined  to  court 
his  political  opponents,  and  especially  the  barn- 
burners of  N.  York,  in  the  vain  hope,  as  it  seems  to 
me,  that  he  may  win  them  over  &  make  them  his 
friends.  He  does  not  reflect  that  in  attempting  this 
he  is  driving  ofif  the  true  Democrats  of  New  York 
who  remained  faithful  in  the  last  Presidential  elec- 
tion and  continued  firm  in  the  support  of  my  admin- 
istration. Such  occurrences  with  any  member  of  my 
Cabinet  are  exceedingly  unpleasant  to  me.  Though 
Mr.  Buchanan  said  to  me  on  yesterday  (see  this 
Diary)  that  he  would  yield  to  my  wishes  in  this 
matter  without  any  feeling  on  his  part,  his  whole 
manner  &  conduct  to-day  indicates  that  he  has  feel- 
ing upon  the  subject. 

In  the  afternoon  I  disposed  of  some  of  the  business 
on  my  table.  After  night  Hon.  R.  W.  Johnson  of 
Ar.  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  called,  &  I  informed  him  of 


244  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [17  Dec. 

my  intention  to  appoint  Mr.  Sevier  commissioner  to 
run  the  Mexican  boundary  line.  Mr.  J.  is  Mr. 
Sevier's  brother-in-law. 

Sunday,  lyth  December,  1848, —  Accompanied 
by  Mrs.  Polk  and  our  two  nieces,  Miss  Rucker  and 
Miss  Hays,  I  attended  the  First  Presbyterian  Church 
to-day. 

Monday,  l8th  December,  1 848. —  As  soon  as  I 
was  in  my  office  this  morning  members  of  Congress 
and  others  commenced  calling,  and  my  time  was 
occupied  with  company  until  after  12  O'Clock. 
The  Secretary  of  State  and  the  Secretary  of  War 
called  at  different  hours  on  business.  I  disposed  of 
several  applications  for  pardon  &  of  other  business 
which  had  accumulated  on  my  table.  I  was  very 
busy  during  the  day,  but  nothing  of  special  interest 
occurred.  After  night  Hon.  George  S.  Houston  of 
Alabama  &  Senator  Turney  of  Tennessee  called. 
Mr.  Houston  arrived  in  the  City  a  day  or  two  ago 
and  I  had  not  before  seen  him.  I  had  a  long  con- 
versation with  them  about  public  affairs  and  par- 
ticularly urged  upon  them  the  importance  of  pro- 
viding a  Government  for  California  at  the  present 
Session  [of]  Congress. 

Tuesday,  igth  December,  1848. —  A  large  num- 
ber of  members  of  Congress  called  this  morning, 
some  of  them  bringing  with  them  some  office-seeker 
to  introduce  to  me.  Almost  every  member  who 
called  was  seeking  an  office  for  some  constituent  or 


i848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  245 

friend.  The  number  of  applications  and  the  pres- 
sure for  office  has  not  been  greater  at  any  period  of 
my  administration  than  it  has  been  since  the  meet- 
ing of  the  present  session  of  Congress,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  first  two  or  three  months  of  my  term. 
Many  persons  have  taken  up  the  impression  that 
Gen'l  Taylor  will  make  but  few  removals  from 
office,  and  to  this  I  attribute  the  anxiety  of  so  many 
[to]  get  places.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour, 
all  the  members  present.  Mr.  Walker,  having  im- 
portant business  to  attend  to  at  his  office,  retired  be- 
fore all  the  other  members  came  in.  There  was  no 
business  of  importance  before  the  Cabinet  to-day  and 
after  a  short  sitting  they  retired.  I  attended  to  busi- 
ness on  my  table  as  usual. 

This  was  the  regular  weekly  evening  for  receiving 
company.  An  unusually  large  number  of  persons, 
ladies  and  gentlemen,  members  of  Congress  and  of 
the  Judiciary,  Foreign  Ministers,  strangers,  and  citi- 
zens called.  The  Circular  parlour  and  one  or  two 
of  the  adjoining  parlours  were  filled.  Among  others 
who  were  present  I  noticed  Mr.  John  Van  Buren. 
Though  he  had  been  several  times  in  Washington 
&  had  called  on  me  this  was  the  first  time  he  had 
called  on  Mrs.  Polk.  Upon  two  or  three  occasions 
I  had  decided  that  he  should  be  invited  to  dinner, 
and  in  each  case  Mrs.  Polk  had  countermanded  the 
order.  This  she  did  upon  the  ground  that  if  he  so 
far  neglected  the  courtesies  of  life  as  not  to  call  and 
pay  his  respects  to  her  that  he  should  not  be  honoured 
with  an  invitation  to  dinner  at  [by]  the  President. 
Upon  one  of  these  occasions  I  was  amused  when  she 


24^  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [20  Dec. 

told  me  she  had  burned  John  Van  Buren's  dinner 
ticket,  which  I  had  requested  my  Private  Secretary 
to  send  to  him.  During  the  past  year  he  has  been 
traversing  the  country  making  violent  political 
speeches  against  my  administration,  and  advocating 
the  "  free-soil  "  doctrine  and  his  father's  claims  to 
the  Presidency.  I,  of  course,  treated  him  cour- 
teously in  my  own  parlour. 

Wednesday,  20th  December,  1848. —  I  was 
scarcely  in  my  office  this  morning  when  my  mes- 
senger informed  me  that  some  gentlemen  had  called. 
When  they  were  shown  in  I  found  their  business  to 
be  to  annoy  me  about  clerkships  and  other  petty 
offices.  My  time  was  occupied  until  near  i 
O'clock  by  members  of  Congress  and  others  who 
called.  The  business  of  most  of  them  was  to  seek 
offices  for  themselves  or  their  friends.  After  I  got 
clear  of  the  office  hunters  I  told  my  Private  Secre- 
tary, jestingly,  that  I  required  to  have  one  of  Colt's 
revolving  pistols  to  clear  my  office  of  the  office  seek- 
ers and  to  enable  me  to  attend  to  my  public  duties. 
The  Secretaries  of  State,  Treasury,  War,  Navy,  & 
the  atto.  Gen'l  called  at  different  periods  of  the  day 
on  official  business.  Mr.  Clifford,  U.  S.  Minister 
to  Mexico,  called.  He  is  on  his  return  to  Mexico 
to  resume  the  duties  of  his  Mission.  He  takes  his 
wife  and  two  of  his  children  with  him.  I  invited 
him  to  the  Diplomatic  Dinner  which  I  will  give 
on  to-morrow.  The  Clerk  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  called 
to-day  and  delivered  to  me  a  Resolution  of  that 
House  calling  for  information  and  the  constitutional 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  247 

or  legal  authority  under  which  I  had  ordered  mili' 
tary  contributions  to  be  collected  &  disbursed  for 
the  support  of  the  army  during  the  late  war  with 
Mexico.  I  have  heretofore  given  information  on 
this  subject  to  Congress  which  appeared  to  be  satis- 
factory. I  will,  however,  now  prepare  and  send  to 
the  House  a  more  full  and  elaborate  message  on  the 
subject.  I  attended  to  much  business  on  my  table 
to-day. 

Thursday,  21st  December,  1848, —  I  was  in  my 
office  at  the  usual  hour  this  morning.  The  first  per- 
son who  entered  was  a  young  man  seeking  office. 
He  was  a  stout  looking  fellow  who  was  able  to  pur- 
sue any  honest  calling  for  a  livelihood.  He  had  no 
particular  office  in  view,  but  was  ready  to  accept  any 
that  was  going.  I  have  great  contempt  for  such 
persons  and  I  made  short  work  of  him.  My  time 
was  taken  up  until  after  12  O'Clock  by  members  of 
Congress  seeking  offices  for  their  constituents  and 
for  loafers  about  this  City,  who  by  their  importunities 
had  induced  them  to  call  to  see  me  in  their  behalf. 
At  different  hours  of  the  day  I  saw  the  Secretaries 
of  State,  Treasury,  War,  &  Navy  and  the  atto.  Gen'l 
on  official  business.  I  saw  also,  Mr.  Clifford,  U.  S. 
Minister  to  Mexico.  He  came  to  the  United  States 
on  leave  of  absence  a  few  weeks  ago  and  is  now  on 
his  return  to  Mexico,  taking  with  him  his  wife  and 
two  children.  He  leaves  in  the  Southern  boat  on  to- 
morrow morning.  I  invited  him  and  his  wife  to 
dine  with  me  to-day,  and  they  did  so.  This  was 
the  day  on  which  I  gave  a  dinner  to  the  Diplomatic 


248  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [22  Dec 

corps.  All  the  Foreign  ministers,  their  wives  & 
daughters,  &  their  Secretaries  of  Legation  dined 
with  me.  In  addition  to  the  Foreign  corps  &  Mr. 
&  Mrs.  Clifford,  Miss  White  of  this  City  and  Messrs. 
Vinton  ^  of  Ohio,  C.  J.  IngersoU  of  Pennsylvania, 
McClelland  of  Michigan,  Iverson  ^  of  Georgia,  all 
of  the  Ho.  Repts.,  and  Mr.  Buchanan,  the  Secretary 
of  State,  dined  with  me.  Tht  whole  dinner  party 
consisted  of  37  persons.  As  it  was  a  Diplomatic 
Dinner  there  was  more  form  and  ceremony  than  I 
am  accustomed  to  observe.  Among  the  Foreigners 
present  I  was  gratified  to  have  Mr.  De  La  Rosa,  the 
Mexican  Minister,  his  wife  &  daughter,  and  his  Sec- 
retary of  Legation.  The  party  passed  off  very  pleas- 
antly. 

1  learn  that  a  Resolution  was  passed  in  the  Ho. 
Repts.  to-day  instructing  the  Committee  on  the  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia  to  bring  in  a  Bill  to  abolish  the 
slave-trade  in  said  District.  I  learned  this  from  the 
Hon.  Mr.  Iverson  of  Georgia,  who  was  one  of  my 
Dinner  party  to-day.  He  informed  me  that  the 
adoption  of  the  Resolution  had  produced  consider- 
able excitement  among  the  Southern  Members. 

Friday,  22nd  December,  1 848. —  I  was  in  my 
office  at  the  usual  hour  this  morning.  A  number  of 
persons  called.  After  12  O'Clock  I  transacted  busi- 
ness with  the  Secretary  of  State  and  the  Secretary  of 
the  Navy.     About  2  O'Clock  the  Hon.  Mr.  Inge  of 

^Samuel  Finley  Vinton,  Representative  from  Ohio  1 843-1 851. 

2  Alfred  Iverson,  Representative  from  Georgia  1 847-1 849,  Sen- 
ator I 855-1 86 I. 


1848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  249 

Alabama  called  to  see  me  about  the  appointment  of 
a  Land  officer  at  Tuscaloosa,  Ala.,  to  fill  a  vacancy 
which  had  occurred  in  consequence  of  the  death  of 
the  former  incumbent.  After  conversing  on  that 
subject  Mr.  Inge  informed  me  that  considerable  ex- 
citement existed  in  the  Ho.  Repts.  to-day  in  conse- 
quence of  the  Resolution  passed  on  yesterday  direct- 
ing the  Committee  on  the  District  of  Columbia  to 
bring  in  a  Bill  to  abolish  the  slave-trade  in  the  said 
District.  He  informed  me  that  before  he  left  the 
House  a  paper  was  being  handed  round  for  the 
Southern  members  to  sign  calling  a  meeting  of  all 
the  Senators  &  Representatives  from  the  slave-hold- 
ing states,  to  take  place  this  evening.  He  said  that 
the  movement  had  been  set  on  foot  by  Southern  Sen- 
ators, and  that  Senator  Foote  of  Mississippi  had  been 
in  the  Hall  of  the  House  and  was  active  in  promoting 
it.  He  informed  me  that  the  Southern  Whig  mem- 
bers disapproved  the  vote  of  yesterday  and  were  as 
much  excited  at  it  as  Southern  Democrats,  but  that 
some  of  them  had  declined  to  sign  the  paper,  and 
among  these  he  named  Mr.  Stephens  of  Georgia. 
This  was  the  first  intimation  I  had  that  such  a  move- 
ment was  contemplated.  I  felt  the  delicacy  as  well 
as  the  responsibility  of  my  station  and  gave  no  ex- 
pression of  opinion  further  that  [than]  my  disap- 
proval of  the  Resolution  passed  on  yesterday  and  my 
hope  that  the  Northern  members  would  not  press  so 
mischievous  a  proposition.  About  dark  Mr.  James 
H.  Thomas  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  from  Tennessee  called 
to  consult  with  me  on  the  same  subject.  He  stated 
to  me  in  substance  what  Mr.  Inge  had  told  me.     He 


250  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [22  Dec. 

said  the  paper  calling  a  meeting  of  Southern  mem- 
bers of  both  Houses  for  to-night  had  been  presented 
to  him  for  his  signature  and  that  he  had  declined  to 
sign  it,  but  had  stated  he  was  willing  to  attend  the 
meeting,  reserving  to  himself  the  right  to  approve  or 
not  of  its  proceedings  after  he  saw  what  they  were. 
He  said  he  was  informed  that  the  object  was  to  agree 
upon  an  address  to  the  people  of  the  slave-holding 
states  on  the  subject  of  the  proceedings  of  the  Ho. 
Repts.  on  yesterday.  He  asked  me  what  I  would 
advise  him  to  do.  This  it  was  natural  he  should  do, 
as  he  represents  the  District  in  Tennessee  in  which  I 
reside,  and  is  a  citizen  of  the  same  village.  He  is  a 
prudent  man  and  desires  to  do  what  is  right.  I  told 
him  that  as  President  of  the  U.  S.  it  would  be  my 
duty  to  allay  any  sectional  excitement  which  might 
arise,  and  to  do  all  in  my  power  to  prevent  any  vio- 
lent proceedings  which  might  endanger  the  harmony 
of  the  Union.  I  told  him  that  considering  the  deli- 
cacy &  responsibility  of  my  position  I  deemed  it  im- 
proper to  advise  him  as  to  his  course.  I  remarked 
further  that  if  I  was  a  member  of  either  House  I 
should  not  deem  it  improper  to  meet  &  consult  with 
others,  but  that  I  would  judge  for  myself  how  far  I 
would  give  my  assent  to  any  proposition  which  might 
be  made.  He  said  such  was  his  view  of  the  subject, 
and  that  he  thought  he  would  attend  the  meeting 
and  see  what  was  proposed.  I  stated  to  him  that  I 
approved  his  course  in  declining  to  sign  any  paper 
for  the  call  of  the  meeting.  He  informed  me  that 
he  knew  several  members  who  had  refused  to  sign 
the  paper,  who  said  they  would  attend  the  meeting. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  251 

The  agitation  of  the  slavery  question  is  mischie- 
vous &  wicked,  and  proceeds  from  no  patriotic  mo- 
tive by  its  authors.  It  is  a  mere  political  question 
on  which  demagogues  &  ambitious  politicians  hope 
to  promote  their  own  prospects  for  political  promo- 
tion. And  this  they  seem  willing  to  do  even  at  the 
hazard  of  disturbing  the  harmony  if  not  dissolving 
the  Union  itself.  Such  agitation  with  such  objects 
deserves  the  reprobation  of  all  the  lovers  of  the 
Union  &  of  their  country.  I  disposed  of  much  busi- 
ness on  my  table  to-day. 

Saturday,  23rd  December,  1848. —  Several 
members  of  Congress  and  others  called  this  morn- 
ing. The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour,  all  the 
members  present.  After  disposing  of  some  business 
of  minor  importance,  Mr.  Buchanan  [stated]  that 
he  had  brought  over  copies  of  the  correspondence 
called  for  by  a  Resolution  of  the  Ho.  Repts.,  passed 
some  days  ago,  requesting  the  President  to  commu- 
nicate any  information  in  his  possession  relating  to 
the  imprisonment  of  American  citizens  in  Ireland 
suspected  of  being  guilty  of  treasonable  purposes 
against  the  Brittish  Government.  At  my  request 
he  read  over  the  whole  correspondence  upon  the 
subject  which  had  taken  place  between  the  Secre- 
tary of  State  and  Mr.  Bancroft,  and  between  the 
latter  and  the  Brittish  Government.  All  the  corre- 
spondence ^  deemed  important,  omitting  such  por- 
tions of  it  as  consisted  in  speculations  and  opinions 
of  the  Secretary  of  State  and  Mr.  Bancroft,  it  was 

^H,  Ex.  Doc.  19,  30  Cong.  2  Sess.  IV. 


252  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [23  Dec. 

decided  should  be  sent  to  the  House  in  answer  to 
their  call.  Mr.  Bancroft  deserves  high  praise  for 
the  vigilant  &  able  manner  in  which  he  conducted 
the  affair  and  finally  succeeded  in  procuring  the  re- 
lease from  imprisonment  of  Mr.  Bergen  &  Mr. 
Ryan,  two  American  citizens  who  had  been  arrested 
on  suspicion  that  they  had  visited  Ireland  with  trea- 
sonable designs.  After  considering  some  other  mat- 
ters of  minor  importance  the  Cabinet  at  about  3 
O'clock  adjourned. 

Between  sunset  &  dark,  Senator  Foote  of  Missis- 
sippi called  and  enquired  of  me  if  I  had  heard  what 
had  occurred  at  the  meeting  of  the  Southern  mem- 
bers of  Congress  held  at  the  Senate-chamber  last 
night  on  the  subject  of  the  slavery  question  and  the 
agitation  of  it  by  Congress,  and  particularly  by  the 
Ho.  Repts.  (see  this  Diary  of  yesterday).  I  told 
[him]  that  I  had  heard  generally  that  such  a  meet- 
ing had  been  held,  but  that  I  had  not  been  informed 
minutely  or  particularly  what  had  been  done.  He 
then  informed  me  that  Senator  Metcalfe  of  Ken- 
tucky had  been  placed  in  the  chair;  that  Senator 
Atchison  of  Mo.  &  Mr.  Gayle  of  Al.  of  the  Ho. 
Repts.  were  Vice  Presidents,  &  that  Mr.  Venable  of 
N.  C.  had  been  appointed  Secretary.  He  informed 
me  that  about  70  members  of  both  political  parties 
from  the  slave-holding  states  were  present,  and  that 
Mr.  Bayley  of  Va.  had  offered  Resolutions,^  which 
on  motion  of  Mr.  Stephens  of  Georgia  had  been  re- 
ferred to  a  committee  of  one  from  each  of  the  slave- 

^  For   an   account   of   the   entire   proceedings   see   Washington 
Union  J  January  28,  1849. 


1848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  253 

holding  states,  who  were  to  report  to  an  adjourned 
meeting  on  or  before  the  15th  of  January  next.  He 
informed  me  that  this  was  done  by  the  unanimous 
voice  of  those  present.  He  said  there  was  no  vio- 
lence, but  a  calm  and  firm  purpose  on  the  part  of 
those  present  to  assert  &  maintain  the  constitutional 
rights  of  the  Southern  States  if  the  majority  in  Con- 
gress should  attempt  to  carry  out  the  purpose  indi- 
cated by  the  late  votes  in  the  House  of  Represent- 
atives on  the  subject  of  slavery  in  this  District.  He 
said  that  the  Committee  appointed  would  prepare 
an  address  to  the  State  Governments  of  the  slave- 
holding  states  on  the  subject,  if  the  measures  threat- 
ened in  Congress  assailing  the  constitutional  rights 
of  the  South  were  pressed.  I  said  but  little  in  reply, 
but  said  Generally  that  my  position  as  President  of 
the  U.  S.  made  [it]  my  duty  to  represent  all  the 
States  &  to  preserve  the  harmony  of  the  Union  as 
far  as  I  possessed  the  power  to  do  so.  I  expressed 
the  hope  to  him  that  the  threatened  interference  from 
the  North  with  the  delicate  subject  of  slavery  would 
not  be  pressed  to  extremities.  I  expressed  also  the 
belief  that  the  North  would  not  so  press  it  if  they 
ascertained  that  the  South  of  both  political  parties 
were  firm  and  united  in  resisting  encroachments  on 
their  rights.  I  expressed  my  satisfaction  at  learn- 
ing from  him  that  no  violent  measures,  or  such  as 
look  to  the  possibility  of  disunion  had  been  adopted 
at  the  meeting  of  the  Southern  members  of  Congress 
last  night,  and  I  expressed  the  hope  that  none  such 
would  be  hereafter  adopted.  After  Foote  retired 
Senator  Butler  of  S.  C,  to  whom  I  had  sent  a  request 


254  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [23  Dec. 

to  do  so  by  my  Private  Secretary  this  morning,  called. 
He  is  Chairman  of  the  Judiciary  committee  of  the 
Senate,  to  which  is  referred  a  Bill  brought  in  by  Sen- 
ator Douglass  of  Illinois  proposing  to  admit  Cali- 
fornia &  new  Mexico  into  the  Union  as  a  State.  It 
was  upon  that  subject  that  I  desired  to  converse  with 
him.  I  accordingly  held  a  long  conversation  with 
him,  heard  his  views,  and  gave  him  mine.  I  found 
him  well  disposed  to  settle  the  question  of  providing 
Governments  for  these  Territories  at  the  present  Ses- 
sion. He  had  decided  objections  to  Mr.  Douglass's 
Bill,  and  in  its  present  form  he  said  he  could  not  vote 
for  it.  I  stated  to  him  that  I  was  informed  by  several 
members  of  Congress  that  no  Bill  establishing  a  Ter- 
ritorial Government  over  these  Territories  could  be 
passed  through  the  Ho.  Repts.  without  having  the 
Wilmot  Proviso  attached  to  it;  and  that  if  that  Pro- 
viso should  pass  both  Houses  and  be  applied  to  the 
acquired  country  lying  South  of  the  Missouri  com- 
promise line  of  36°  30'  I  could  not  approve  it,  and 
that  if  [in]  the  discharge  of  my  constitutional  duty 
I  should  be  compelled  to  veto  such  a  Bill,  involving 
as  it  would  a  geographical  question,  it  would  pro- 
duce vast  excitement  in  the  country,  which  should  if 
possible  be  avoided.  I  stated  further  to  him  that  I 
had  been  informed  that  a  Bill  to  admit  a  State  in- 
stead of  creating  a  Territorial  Government  might, 
&  probably  could,  be  passed  without  being  embar- 
rassed by  the  Proviso.  I  gave  him  my  opinion  that 
the  only  mode  of  avoiding  the  Proviso  would  be  to 
amend  Mr.  Douglass's  Bill  and  confine  the  State  to 


i848]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  255 

be  admitted  to  the  country  West  of  [the]  Range  of 
Mountains  which  seperated  the  Pacific  portion  of 
California  from  New  Mexico;  &  provide  for  New 
Mexico  and  the  country  East  of  these  mountains  in  a 
seperate  Bill.  I  urged  him  to  adopt  this  course  & 
expressed  to  him  the  opinion  that  if  this  Session  of 
Congress  adjourned  without  providing  any  Govern- 
ment for  California,  there  was  danger  of  its  being 
lost  to  the  Union.  I  gave  him  my  reasons  at  some 
length  for  this  opinion  (they  are  already  recorded 
in  a  previous  part  of  this  Diary) .  After  a  long  con- 
versation he  left  me  in  doubt  what  course  he  would 
pursue.  New  Mexico  being  an  interior  country, 
the  same  danger  of  losing  it  by  the  establishment  of 
an  Independent  [government]  does  not  exist  in  its 
limits  that  does  in  California.  Mr.  Butler  said 
nothing  to  me  about  the  meeting  of  the  Southern 
members  of  Congress  last  night  to  consider  the 
slavery  question,  &  I  was  glad  he  did  not.  I  do  not 
know  whether  he  was  at  the  meeting  or  not.  It  is  a 
delicate  subject  upon  which,  in  view  of  my  respon- 
sibilities &  duties,  I  do  not  desire  to  converse  with 
members  of  Congress,  &  shall  not  do  so  unless  they 
introduce  the  subject.  My  opinions  as  [to]  the 
wickedness  of  agitating  the  subject  in  Congress  are 
well  settled,  &  events  may  occur  which  will  make 
it  my  duty  to  incur  high  &  vast  responsibilities.  I 
will  meet  them,  but  am  resolved  to  give  no  favour  to 
violent  or  disunion  movements,  but  on  the  contrary 
to  do  everything,  consistently  with  my  sense  of  con- 
stitutional duty,  to  preserve  the  Union  &  its  harmony. 


256  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [24  Dec. 

Sunday,  24th  December,  1848. —  I  attended  the 
First  Presbyterian  church  to-day.  Mrs.  Polk  &  our 
two  nieces,  Miss  Rucker  &  Miss  Hays,  accompanied 
me.  Shortly  after  returning  from  church  a  serv- 
ant informed  Mrs.  Polk  and  myself  that  the  French 
minister  had  called  to  pay  his  respects.  As  it  is  con- 
trary to  our  fixed  rule  to  receive  company  on  the 
sabbath  the  servant  was  directed  to  ask  hirn  to  be 
pleased  to  excuse  us.  He  did  so,  and  the  minister 
sent  up  his  card. 

After  night  the  Secretary  of  War  &  the  Secretary 
of  the  Navy  called  &  remained  with  me  half  an  hour 
in  my  office.  Mr.  Mason  informed  me  that  he  would 
leave  to-night  in  the  Southern  Boat  on  a  visit  to  his 
residence  in  Va.,  &  that  he  expected  to  be  absent  a 
Week  or  ten  days. 

Monday,  ^5/A  December,  1848, —  This  being 
Christmas  Day  neither  House  of  Congress  was  in 
Session ;  the  Executive  offices  were  all  closed,  and  I 
spent  perhaps  the  most  quiet  day  of  my  Presidential 
term.  I  saw  not  a  single  visitor  during  the  day,  ex- 
cept two  persons  who  called  to  see  me  about  a  pardon 
for  a  convict  now  in  prison  in  this  District.  The 
day  was  damp  and  gloomy.  Mrs.  Polk  &  the  family 
attended  church.  Being  relieved  from  company  I 
was  busily  engaged  during  the  whole  day  in  writing 
a  message  to  the  Ho.  Repts.  in  answer  to  [a]  Reso- 
lution calling  for  information  as  to  the  legal  author- 
ity to  levy  contributions  on  the  enemy  by  means  of 
duties  collected  on  imports  into  the  mexican  ports  in 
our  military  possessions  during  the  war  with  Mexico. 


i848]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIAHY  257 

I  have  heretofore  communioated  to  Congress  the 
general  ground  on  which  the  power  to  levy  contribu- 
tions in  this  mode  was  exercised.  The  Ho.  Repts. 
have,  however,  made  another  call,  and  I  deem  it  to 
be  proper  to  go  fully  into  the  subject  in  answer  to 
their  Resolution.  I  sent  for  the  atto.  Gen'l  in  the 
afternoon  and  requested  him  to  turn  me  to  a  legal 
authority  on  the  subject,  and  especially  upon  the 
point  that  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  U.  S.  had  rec- 
ognized the  public  law  of  nations  as  being  binding 
on  the  U.  S.  He  promised  to  do  so,  and  to  furnish 
me  the  authority  on  to-morrow. 

Tuesday,  26th  December,  1848, —  Several  mem- 
bers of  Congress  called  this  morning.  I  sent  for 
Senator  Douglass  of  Illinois  and  had  a  long  conver- 
sation with  him  in  relation  to  the  Bill  he  had  intro- 
duced-into  the  Senate  &  which  had  been  referred  to 
the  Judiciary  committee,  providing  for  the  admis- 
sion of  California  &  New  Mexico  into  the  Union 
as  a  State.  I  urged  him  to  consent  to  seperate  the 
two  territories  and  to  confine  the  State  proposed  to 
be  admitted  to  California;  and  to  provide  for  the 
Government  of  New  Mexico  in  a  seperate  Bill.  I 
urged  this  course  as  the  only  one  by  which  he  could 
probably  succeed.  He  finally  agreed  to  do  so  and 
expressed  the  opinion  that  if  the  Judiciary  commit- 
tee would  Report  the  Bill  back  to  the  Senate  in  a 
reasonable  time  it  could  be  passed  by  that  body.  I 
informed  him  of  my  conversation  with  Senator  But' 
ler  of  S.  C,  who  is  chairman  of  the  Judiciary  com- 
mittee   (see   this   Diary  of    Saturday  last).     I   ex- 


258  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [27  Dec. 

pressed  to  him  my  great  anxiety  that  the  Bill  should 
pass  in  some  form. 

This  was  Cabinet  day.  All  the  members  at- 
tended except  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  who  left 
on  yesterday  morning  on  a  visit  to  his  residence  in 
Virginia.  The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  &  the 
atto.  General  remained  but  a  few  minutes,  the 
former  having  pressing  business  in  his  Department 
&  the  latter  having  business  in  the  Supreme  Court 
of  the  U.  S.  I  read  to  the  remaining  three  mem- 
bers of  the  Cabinet  the  rough  draft  of  my  message 
prepared  on  yesterday  in  answer  to  the  Resolution 
of  the  Ho.  Repts.  calling  for  the  legal  authority  by 
virtue  of  which  contributions  in  the  form  of  a  tariff 
of  duties  had  been  levied  and  expended  in  Mexico 
during  the  late  war  with  that  Republic  (see  this 
Diary  of  yesterday).  There  was  no  business  of  im- 
portance before  the  Cabinet  and  about  i  O'Clock 
they  adjourned.  I  had  not  finished  my  message,  a 
part  of  which  I  read  to  them,  and  devoted  a  part  of 
the  day  to  that  subject.  I  attended  to  the  business 
on  my  table  as  usual.  This  was  reception  evening. 
A  large  number  of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen, 
members  of  Congress,  Foreign  ministers,  citizens, 
and  strangers  called. 

Wednesday,  27th  December,  1848. —  The  morn- 
ing until  after  12  O'Clock  was  spent  as  usual  in  re- 
ceiving visitors.  Many  persons,  members  of  Con- 
gress and  others,  called.  I  was  occupied  during  the 
day  in  attending  to  the  business  which  had  accumu- 
lated on  my  table.     There  was  a  fall  of  snow  to-day. 


1848J  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  259 

the  first  that  has  occurred  during  the  winter.  Noth- 
ing worthy  of  special  notice  occurred.  Mark  Pil- 
low of  Tennessee,  now  a  temporary  clerk  in  one  of 
the  Departments,  took  dinner  with  my  family  to-day. 
After  night  the  Secretary  of  War  called  at  my  re- 
quest &  examined  with  me  the  draft  of  the  message 
to  the  Ho.  Repts.  which  I  had  prepared  in  answer 
to  a  Resolution  upon  the  subject  of  contributions 
levied  in  Mexico  during  the  late  war  with  that 
country.  Whilst  making  the  examination  Judge 
John  K.  Kane  of  Philadelphia  called  &  spent  half 
an  hour.  His  object  was  to  have  his  son,  who  is  a 
surgeon  in  the  Navy,  ordered  to  accompany  the 
Joint  commission  of  officers  of  the  army  &  Navy  who 
are  about  to  proceed  to  the  coast  of  California  and 
Oregon  with  a  view  to  select  suitable  points  for  naval 
stations  and  for  military  defense.  After  Judge  K. 
retired  my  porter  reported  that  a  young  man  had 
called  twice  to-night  and  insisted  that  I  would  see 
him,  as  [he]  must  leave  the  City  in  the  morning.  I 
directed  him  to  be  shown  up.  He  came  in.  He 
had  but  one  arm.  He  said  he  wished  to  see  me 
privately.  The  Secretary  of  War  proposed  to  re- 
tire. The  young  man  seemed  to  be  embarrassed, 
&  without  giving  me  his  name  or  making  known  his 
business  retired. 

Thursday,  28th  December,  1848. —  Saw  mem- 
bers of  Congress,  office-seekers,  and  others  as  usual 
this  morning.     Among  others  Hon.  A.  C.  Dodge  ^ 

^Augustus  Caesar  Dodge,  Senator  from  Iowa  1848-1855,  min- 
ister to  Spain  1855-1859. 


26o  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [29  Dec. 

&  Geo.  W.  Jones,^  the  two  U.  S.  Senators  from  the 
State  of  Iowa,  who  took  their  seats  in  the  Senate 
two  or  three  days  ago,  called.  They  are  the  first 
Senators  in  Congress  from  that  State.  After  12 
O'clock  I  put  a  part  of  my  message  to  the  Ho. 
Repts.  in  answer  to  their  Resolution  on  the  subject 
of  contributions  collected  in  Mexico,  in  the  hands 
of  Mr.  Loving,  a  confidential  clerk,  to  be  copied. 
He  occupied  a  room  adjoining  my  office.  I  finished 
the  message  in  the  course  of  the  day.  After  it  is 
copied  in  a  fair  hand  and  without  interlineations  & 
[I]  will  carefully  revise  it.  After  night  Senator 
Hannegan  of  Indiana  called.  He  reached  Wash- 
ington to-day,  having  been  defeated  in  his  election 
for  another  Senatorial  term.  Senator  Atchison  of 
Mo.  called  with  him.  Nothing  important  occurred 
to-day. 

Friday,  2gth  December,  1 848. —  This  morning 
was  occupied  as  usual  in  receiving  company.  Many 
members  of  Congress  &  others  called.  Among 
them,  of  course,  were  some  office-seekers.  After 
12  O'clock  I  devoted  some  time  &  [to]  revising  my 
message  in  answer  to  the  Resolution  of  the  House 
in  relation  to  military  contributions  levied  in  Mex- 
ico. Mr.  Loving,  a  confidential  clerk,  finished  the 
copy  of  the  message  which  he  was  making.  The 
Secretaries  of  State  and  the  Treasury  called  and  I 
read  the  message  to  them.  The  latter  suggested  an 
additional  view  which  I  had  not  presented  in  the 
paper.     It  was  that  by  the  Treaty  of  peace  with 

^  George  Wallace  Jones,  Senator  from  Iowa  1 848-1 859. 


i848]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  261 

Mexico,  ratified  by  the  Senate  of  the  U.  S.,  the  power 
which  I  had  exercised  of  levying  &  collecting  con- 
tributions on  the  enemy  in  the  form  of  duties  on 
merchandise  imported  into  the  Mexican  ports  in  the 
military  occupancy  of  our  army  had  been  recognized 
and  affirmed.  After  they  retired  I  prepared  a 
paragraph  on  this  point.  I  attended  to  some  of  the 
business  on  my  table  to-day.  Many  matters  of  minor 
importance  and  of  detail  remain  on  my  table  to  be 
attended  to.  The  public  have  no  idea  of  the  con- 
stant accumulation  of  business  requiring  the  Presi- 
dent's attention.  No  President  who  performs  his 
duty  faithfully  and  conscientiously  can  have  any 
leisure.  If  he  entrusts  the  details  and  smaller  mat- 
ters to  subordinates  constant  errors  will  occur.  I 
prefer  to  supervise  the  whole  operations  of  the  Gov- 
ernment myself  rather  than  entrust  the  public  busi- 
ness to  subordinates,  and  this  makes  my  duties  very 
great. " 

Saturday,  30th  December,  1848. —  A  few  mem- 
bers of  the  Cabinet  called  this  morning  before  the 
hour  of  meeting  of  the  Cabinet.  The  Cabinet  as- 
sembled at  the  usual  hour;  all  the  members  present 
except  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  who  is  absent  on 
a  visit  to  his  residence  in  Virginia.  I  read  my  mes- 
sage to  the  Cabinet  in  answer  to  a  Resolution  of  the 
Ho.  Repts.,  on  the  subject  of  military  contributions 
levied  and  expended  in  Mexico  for  the  support  of 
our  army.  The  paper  was  fully  discussed  and  was 
approved  by  the  Cabinet.  Some  slight  modifica- 
tions of  it  were  suggested  and  made.     I  had  pre- 


262  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [30  Dec. 

pared  a  paragraph  &  Mr.  Buchanan  one  at  my  re- 
quest on  the  point  suggested  by  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  on  yesterday,  in  relation  to  the  affirmance 
made  by  the  Senate  of  the  U.  S.  in  the  ratification 
of  the  Mexican  Treaty  of  the  power  of  the  President 
to  levy  military  contributions  by  means  of  duties  on 
imports  (see  this  Diary  of  yesterday).  Both  para- 
graphs were  read,  when  I  observed  to  the  Cabinet 
that  I  would  prepare  a  new  paragraph  embodying 
a  part  of  both  drafts.  Some  other  unimportant  mat- 
ters were  considered  &  disposed  of,  and  the  Cabinet 
adjourned  near  4  O'Clock  P.  M.  At  my  request 
Hon.  James  H.  Thomas,  of  Tennessee,  Hon.  Mr. 
Iverson  of  Geo.,  and  Hon.  Mr.  McClernand  of 
Illinois  called  and  I  read  to  them  my  message  in 
answer  to  the  Resolution  of  the  House  on  the  sub- 
ject of  military  contributions  and  explained  to 
[them]  the  principles  on  which  I  had  acted.  I  did 
this  that  they  might  be  prepared  to  defend  my  course 
if  it  should  be  assailed  on  the  going  in  of  the  mes- 
sage. To-day  Senator  Allen  of  Ohio  called  in  com- 
pany with  Ex.  Gov.  Bartley  of  Ohio  and  another 
person  whom  he  introduced  to  me.  I  note  the  fact 
of  Senator  Allen's  call  because  it  is  the  first  time  he 
has  visited  me  since  the  latter  part  of  the  winter  or 
early  last  Spring.  I  could  not  but  observe  that  he 
had  not  called,  &  supposed  that  he  had  taken  offense 
at  something,  or  was  dissatisfied  with  some  measure 
of  my  administration,  but  I  knew  not  the  cause.  I 
received  him  as  though  nothing  had  occurred,  and 
no  explanation  took  place. 


i849]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  263 

Sunday,  31st  December,  1848, —  Mrs.  Polk  and 
myself,  accompanied  by  our  niece.  Miss  Rucker,  at- 
tended the  First  Presbyterian  church  to-day  and 
listened  to  a  very  solemn  and  impressive  sermon  by 
the  Pastor  (Mr.  Ballentine)  addressed  chiefly  to 
those  who  had  passed  the  meridian  of  life.  Our 
niece,  Miss  Hays,  accompanied  Col.  Walker's  family 
&  attended  the  Episcopal  church. 

Monday,  Ist  January,  l84g. —  This  being  the 
first  day  of  a  new  year  the  President's  mansion  was 
thrown  open  for  the  reception  of  visitors.  Between 
II  and  12  O'clock  company  commenced  arriving. 
A  very  large  crowd  called,  larger  than  is  usual  on 
such  occasions.  Every  parlour,  the  East  room,  & 
outer  hall  were  crowded.  All  the  foreign  ministers 
and  the  persons  attached  to  their  respective  Lega- 
tions appeared  in  their  Court  Dresses.  Many  offi- 
cers of  .the  army  &  Navy  were  present  in  their  full 
uniform.  The  Cabinet  and  their  families.  Judges 
of  the  Supreme  &  District  Courts,  Senators  and  Rep- 
resentatives in  Congress,  citizens  and  strangers,  were 
of  the  immense  crowd.  I  received  the  crowd  in  the 
Circular  parlour  and  for  three  hours  shook  hands 
with  a  dense  column  of  human  beings  of  all  ages 
and  sexes.  The  Marshall  of  the  D.  C.  and  his  Dep- 
uties and  the  commissioner  of  Public  Buildings  stood 
near  me  and  preserved  order  and  caused  the  crowd, 
after  shaking  hands,  to  pass  on  into  the  other  par- 
lours and  the  East  Room.  So  dense  was  the  crowd 
&  so  great  the  jam  that  many  persons,  I  learn,  left 


264  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i  Jan. 

early.  During  the  period  of  reception  the  fine 
marine  band  of  music  played  in  the  outer  Hall.  I 
must  have  shook  hands  with  several  thousand  per- 
sons. Toward  the  close  of  the  day  some  gentlemen 
asked  me  if  my  arm  was  not  sore,  and  if  I  would 
not  suffer  from  the  day's  labour.  I  answered  them 
that  judging  from  my  experience  on  similar  occa- 
sions I  thought  not.  I  told  them  that  I  had  found 
that  there  was  great  art  in  shaking  hands,  and  that  I 
could  shake  hands  during  the  whole  day  without 
suffering  any  bad  effects  from  it.  They  were  curious 
to  know  what  this  art  was.  I  told  them  that  if 
a  man  surrendered  his  arm  to  be  shaken,  by  some 
horizontally,  by  others  perpendicularly,  and  by  oth- 
ers again  with  a  strong  grip,  he  could  not  fail  to  suffer 
severely  from  it,  but  that  if  he  would  shake  and  not 
be  shaken,  grip  and  not  be  gripped,  taking  care  al- 
ways to  squeeze  the  hand  of  his  adversary  as  hard 
as  he  squeezed  him,  that  he  suffered  no  inconvenience 
from  it.  I  told  them  also  that  I  could  generally  an- 
ticipate when  I  was  to  have  a  strong  grip,  and  that 
when  I  observed  a  strong  man  approaching  I  gener- 
ally took  advantage  of  him  by  being  a  little  quicker 
than  he  was  and  seizing  him  by  the  tip  of  his  fingers, 
giving  him  a  hearty  shake,  and  thus  preventing  him 
from  getting  a  full  grip  upon  me.  They  were  much 
amused  at  my  account  of  the  operation,  which  I 
give  [gave]  to  them  playfully,  but  admitted  that 
there  was  much  philosophy  in  it.  But  though  I 
gave  my  account  of  the  operation  playfully,  it  is  all 
true.     About  3  O'Clock  the  company  dispersed. 


i849]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  265 

After  night  I  sent  for  the  Secretary  of  War,  and 
carefully  read  over  and  revised  my  message  to  the 
Ho.  Repts.  in  answer  to  their  Resolution  on  the  sub- 
ject of  military  contributions  levied  in  Mexico,  w^ith 
him  (see  this  Diary  of  Saturday  last).  Some  para- 
graphs v^hich  had  been  suggested  on  Saturday  by 
some  members  of  the  Cabinet,  I  determined,  on  re- 
vising them  with  Mr.  Marcy,  to  omit.  Mr.  Marcy 
thought  the  message  as  I  finally  agreed  it  should 
be  would  be  unanswerable.  Mr.  Loving,  a  confi- 
dential clerk,  who  had  copied  the  original  draft  of 
the  message,  called  to-night  and  corrected  the  copy 
according  to  the  revised  draft.  I  regard  it  as  among 
the  most  important  messages  I  have  made  to  either 
House  of  Congress  during  my  Presidential  term,  and 
therefore  I  have  given  to  it  more  than  ordinary  at- 
tention. 

Among  the  visitors  whom  I  observed  in  the  crowd 
to-day  was  Hon.  Andrew  Johnson  of  the  Ho.  Repts. 
Though  he  represents  a  Democratic  District  in 
Tennessee  (my  own  State)  this  is  the  first  time  I 
have  seen  him  during  the  present  Session  of  Con- 
gress. Professing  to  be  a  Democrat,  he  has  been 
politically  if  not  personally  hostile  to  me  during  my 
whole  term.  He  is  very  vindictive  and  perverse  in 
his  temper  and  conduct.  If  he  had  the  manliness 
or  independence  to  manifest  his  opposition  openly, 
he  knows  he  could  not  be  again  elected  by  his  con- 
stituents. I  am  not  aware  that  I  have  ever  given 
him  cause  of  offense. 


266  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [2  Jan. 

Tuesday,  2nd  January,  l84g. —  A  few  members 
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  Mr. 
Mason,  who  is  absent  on  a  visit  to  his  residence  in 
Virginia.  Mr.  Marcy  did  not  come  in  until  about 
I  O'clock.  I  read  to  the  other  members  of  the  Cab- 
inet my  message  ^  to  the  Ho.  Repts.  on  the  subject 
of  Military  contributions  as  I  had  revised  it,  and 
about  12  O'clock  my  Private  Secretary  took  it  to 
deliver  it  to  the  House.  Nothing  of  much  impor- 
tance was  before  the  Cabinet  to-day.  The  Secretary 
of  War  handed  to  me  a  letter  to  his  Department  from 
Gen'l  Taylor  tendering  his  resignation  as  Major 
General  of  the  Army  of  the  U.  States  to  take  effect 
on  the  31st  of  January,  1849.  He  seerns  resolved 
to  hold  on  to  the  office  as  long  as  possible,  and  there- 
fore fixes  the  period  when  his  resignation  is  to  take 
eflfect  about  the  period  when  he  will  probably  leave 
his  residence  in  Louisiana  to  enter  on  his  duties  as 
President  of  the  U.  S.  Mr.  Marcy  also  presented 
a  letter  from  Capt.  Hughes  of  the  Topographical 
Engineers,  asking  leave  of  absence  for  six  Months 
with  liberty  to  leave  the  U.  S.  Mr.  Marcy  stated 
that  he  learned  from  him  that  his  object  was  to  go 
to  the  Istmus  of  Panama  in  the  employment  of  a 
company  to  survey  the  route  for  a  Rail  Road  between 
the  two  oceans.  I  declined  to  grant  the  leave  asked. 
I  had  some  weeks  ago  declined  to  detail  or  give  leave 
of  absence  to  any  of  our  officers  when  I  was  earnestly 
urged  to  grant  similar  leave  by  Mr.  Buchanan  (see 

^  Richardson,  Messages  and  Papers  of  the  Presidents,  IV,  678. 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  267 

this  Diary).  I  issued  to-day  a  Proclamation  or 
summons  convening  an  Extra  Session  of  the  Senate 
for  Monday,  the  5th  day  of  March  next.  This  is 
usual  when  one  administration  is  about  retiring  and 
another  is  coming  into  Power.  The  object  is  to  en- 
able the  new  President  to  make  such  nominations 
and  changes  of  the  Cabinet  and  other  public  officers 
at  the  commencement  of  his  administration  as  he  may 
desire.  Mr.  Buchanan  presented  a  Postal  Treaty^ 
which  had  been  concluded  by  Mr.  Bancroft  with 
the  Brittish  Government  at  London  on  the  15th  of 
December  last.  Mr.  Buchanan  had  received  the 
printed  copy  of  the  Treaty  which  he  presented  from 
Mr.  Crampton,  the  Brittish  Charge  d'affaires.  The 
mail  of  this  evening  will  probably  bring  despatches 
on  the  subject  from  Mr.  Bancroft.  I  am  gratified 
that  the  differences  between  the  two  Governments 
on  the  subject  of  postages  on  letters  and  other  mail- 
able matters  transported  in  their  respective  packets 
and  Steamers  has  been  settled  during  my  adminis- 
tration. My  successor  will  be  relieved  of  all  exist- 
ing questions  of  difficulty  with  Foreign  Nations  and 
will  have  a  plain  duty  before  [him].  His  situation 
in  this  respect  will  be  very  different  from  mine  when 
I  assumed  the  administration  of  the  Government  on 
the  4th  of  March,  1845. 

This  was  reception  evening.  It  was  a  very  cold 
night,  and  the  company  was  not  large.  A  few  ladies 
&  gentlemen  called.  Among  others  Judge  Mason, 
Sec.  of  the  Navy,  called,  having  returned  from  his 
visit  to  Va.  this  morning. 

^  U.  S,  Stat,  at  Large,  IX,  965-975. 


268  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  Jan. 

Wednesday,  3rd  January,  i84g, —  I  was  engaged 
in  my  office  as  usual  this  morning.  At  i  O'Clock, 
in  pursuance  of  a  request  made  on  yesterday  by  the 
Hon.  Mr.  Duncan  of  Ky.  of  the  Ho.  Repts.,  I  re- 
ceived Mr.  Duncan,  Senators  Foote  &  Davis  of 
Miss[iss]ippi,  Hannegan  of  In[d].,  &  Atchison  of 
Missouri.  According  to  Mr.  Duncan's  request  the 
Secretary  of  War  was  present.  Mr.  Duncan  pre- 
sented to  me  a  letter  from  Maj'r  Crittendon,  late  of 
the  Mounted  Rifle  Regiment,  requesting  me  to  re- 
vise &  reverse  my  approval  of  the  proceedings  of  a 
Court  Martial  [held]  in  Mexico  before  which  he 
was  tried  and  dismissed  from  the  service.  The  pro- 
ceedings of  the  Court  were  approved  in  the  recess 
of  Congress.  Maj'r  Crittendon  was  dismissed 
the  service  and  the  next  in  rank  promoted  in  his 
place.  The  officer  thus  promoted  has  been  nom- 
inated to  the  Senate,  but  his  nomination  has  not  been 
acted  on.  Their  application  was  that  I  should  re- 
consider and  reverse  my  approval  of  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  Court  and  restore  Maj'r  Crittendon  to 
the  service.  Much  discussion  upon  his  case  took 
place  between  these  gentlemen  &  the  Secretary  of 
War  and  myself.  They  did  [not]  question  his  guilt 
of  the  charge  for  which  he  had  been  tried,  but  in- 
sisted that  the  proceedings  of  the  Court  were  illegal. 
I  told  them  I  would  reexamine  the  case,  but  that  if 
I  should  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  proceedings 
had  been  illegal  (about  which  I  expressed  no  opin- 
ion) then  the  only  remedy  would  be  to  withdraw 
the  nomination  of  the  officer  promoted  and  re-nom- 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  269 

inate  MajV  Crittendon.  This  was  my  opinion  be- 
cause Maj'r  Crittendon  was  now  out  of  the  army 
and  could  only  be  restored  by  a  nomination  and  con- 
firmation by  the  Senate.  Maj'r  Crittendon's  offense 
was  being  drunk  on  duty  &  there  is  no  doubt  of  his 
guilt.  It  was  the  third  time  he  had  been  arraigned 
for  the  same  offense.  All  this  they  admitted,  but 
insisted  that  he  had  been  dismissed  illegally,  that  is, 
that  there  was  a  technical  legal  error  in  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  Court.  The  Secretary  of  War  concurred 
with  me  in  the  views  which  I  expressed,  &  enforced 
them  in  the  course  of  the  discussion.  The  interview 
occupied  more  than  an  hour. 

Mr.  Buchanan  called  about  2  O'Clock  &  informed 
me  that  he  had  received  from  Mr.  Bancroft,  U.  S. 
Minister  to  Great  Brittain,  the  Postal  Treaty  which 
he  had  concluded  with  the  Government  of  that 
country.  He  left  the  Treaty  and  also  a  despatch 
from  Mr.  Bancroft  with  me. 

My  Private  Secretary  on  his  return  from  the  Capi- 
tol this  morning  informed  me  that  my  Message  sent 
to  the  Ho.  Repts.  on  yesterday  in  answer  to  their 
Resolution  on  the  subject  of  contributions  levied  in 
Mexico,  had  been  read  to-day  and  [had]  given  rise 
to  a  fierce  debate,  the  Whig  leaders  attacking  it,  and 
that  it  had  been  finally  referred  to  a  select  Commit- 
tee of  nine  members,  to  be  appointed  by  the  Speaker. 
Of  [course]  the  committee  will  be  composed  [of]  a 
Majority  of  Whigs,  who  will  bring  in  a  party  Report. 
I  am  confident  I  am  right  and  did  nothing  but  my 
duty,  and  have  no  fears  of  the  public  verdict  what- 


270  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  U  Jan. 

ever  Report  a  partisan  committee  may  make.  It  is 
unfortunate  so  far  as  the  first  impression  on  the  pub- 
lic mind  is  concerned;  the  debate  to-day,  I  learn, 
was  altogether  or  chiefly  on  the  Whig  side.  Neither 
of  the  gentlemen  to  whom  I  had  read  the  Message 
on  Saturday  evening  last  (see  this  Diary  of  that  day) 
obtained  the  floor.  I  disposed  of  much  business  in 
my  office  to-day,  and  among  other  things  signed  my 
name  to  official  papers  several  hundred  times. 
These  signatures  were  chiefly  to  certificates  of  merit 
to  private  soldiers  for  distinguished  conduct  in  bat- 
tle during  the  War  with  Mexico. 

Thursday,  4th  January,  184Q. —  I  saw  company 
as  usual  this  morning.  Several  members  of  Con- 
gress and  others  called.  I  was  busily  engaged  in  my 
office  during  the  day.  The  Secretaries  of  State, 
War,  and  Navy  called  on  business  at  different  hours. 
Nothing  of  importance  occurred  to-day. 

I  had  a  Dinner  company  to-day  consisting  of  the 
Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  U.  S.,  the  atto. 
Gen'l,  Clerk,  &  Marshall  and  their  families  who  are 
in  Washington;  of  Judge  Crawford  &  Dunlop  of 
this  District;  &  of  the  members  of  the  Judiciary 
committees  of  the  two  Houses  of  Congress,  making 
in  the  whole  near  forty  persons.  All  the  Judges 
of  the  Supreme  Court  were  present  except  Chief 
Justice  Taney  &  Justice  McKinley,^  the  former  be- 
ing absent  at  Baltimore  and  the  latter  being  indis- 
posed. 

^  John  McKInley  of  Alabama,  Associate  Justice  of  the  Supreme 
Court  1837-1852. 


i849]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  271 

Friday,  ^th  January,  l84g. —  Many  persons, 
members  of  Congress  and  others,  called  this  morn- 
ing. Almost  every  member  who  called  applied  for 
offices  for  their  friends,  and  those  who  were  not 
members  applied  for  offices  for  themselves.  I  have 
been  too  busy  for  several  days  past  to  note  in  this 
Diary  the  unceasing  importunities  by  which  I  am 
annoyed  by  the  office-seekers.  I  spent  the  day  in 
disposing  of  many  matters  of  detail  which  had  ac- 
cumulated on  my  table.  The  Secretary  of  the  Navy 
called  on  business.  He  was  the  only  member  of  the 
Cabinet  whom  I  saw  to-day.  The  Secretary  of  the 
Senate  delivered  to  me  this  evening  the  Postal 
Treaty  with  Great  Brittain  which  I  sent  to  the  Senate 
on  yesterday,  with  a  Resolution  giving  the  advice 
&  consent  of  that  body  to  its  ratification. 

Saturday,  6th  January,  i84g. —  A  number  of 
members  of  Congress  called  this  morning.  The 
Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour;  all  the  members  pres- 
ent except  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  who  is  detained 
at  his  house,  as  I  learn,  by  indisposition.  Several 
matters  of  no  general  importance  were  considered 
and  disposed  of,  and  the  Cabinet  dispersed  about 
2  O'clock  P.  M.  I  signed  the  Ratification  of  the 
Postal  Treaty  with  Great  Brittain  this  afternoon. 
This  is  an  important  Treaty,  and  Mr.  Bancroft  de- 
serves high  credit  for  the  zealous  ability  with  which 
he  conducted  the  Negotiation.  It  places  our  own 
Steamers  and  Packets  upon  an  equal  footing  with 
the  Brittish  and  relieves  our  merchants,  naturalized 
citizens,    and   others   from   a   heavy   discriminating 


272  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [7  Jan. 

charge  of  postage  on  letters  and  other  mailable  mat- 
ter conveyed  in  American  vessels.  This  change  has 
been  effected  by  the  policy  of  the  administration. 
Had  it  occurred  under  other  circumstances  &  when 
so  many  other  great  events  had  not  been  crowded 
into  a  single  Presidential  term  it  would  have  at- 
tracted more  public  attention  and  been  regarded  as 
an  important  achievement.  After  the  Cabinet  ad- 
journed to-day  I  disposed  of  much  business  on  my 
table. 

Sunday,  yth  January,  l84g, —  I  attended  the 
First  Presbyterian  church  to-day.  Mrs.  Polk  and 
our  two  nieces,  Miss  Hays  and  Miss  Rucker,  accom- 
panied me.  We  met  at  church  the  Hon.  Abram 
Rencher  ^  of  N.  C.  and  his  wife.  Mr.  Rencher  was 
charge  d'affaires  to  Portugal  at  the  commencement 
of  my  administration,  and  was  recalled  at  his  own 
request.  He  has  spent  some  time  in  travelling  in 
Europe  since  he  relinquished  his  mission,  and  re- 
turned to  the  U.  States  a  few  days  ago.  On  coming 
out  of  church  I  met  him  unexpectedly.  He  served 
in  Congress  with  me  several  years  ago. 

Monday,  8th  January,  l84g. —  This  morning  my 
office  was  crowded  with  an  unusual  number  of  visit- 
ors. Among  them  were  many  members  of  Con- 
gress. The  office-seekers  were  very  importunate.  It 
reminded  me  of  the  first  month  of  my  term,  when 
as  a  matter  of  course  I  expected  them  to  be  numer- 

^  Abraham  Rencher,  Representative  from  North  Carolina  1829- 
1839,  and  1841-1843,  charge  d'affaires  at  Lisbon  1843-1847. 


i849]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  273 

ous.  In  addition  to  office  seekers  there  were  men 
and  women  wanting  money.  I  was  glad  to  get  clear 
of  them.  I  had  no  offices  to  bestow  and  no  money 
to  spare.  I  directed  my  porter  to  close  my  doors 
punctually  at  12  O'Clock,  and  it  was  not  until  that 
hour  that  I  had  an  opportunity  to  attend  to  any  busi- 
ness. The  Atto.  General  was  the  only  member  of 
the  Cabinet  whom  I  saw  to-day.  I  was  busily  en- 
gaged in  my  office  during  the  day,  but  nothing  wor- 
thy of  notice  transpired.  After  night  several  mem- 
bers of  Congress  called. 

Tuesday,  gth  January,  l84g, —  Several  members 
of  Congress  called  this  morning,  most  of  them  seek- 
ing offices  for  their  constituents.  The  Cabinet  met 
at  the  usual  hour;  all  the  members  present  except  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  who  is,  I  learn,  confined  to 
his  house  by  indisposition.  There  being  nothing 
important  to  bring  before  the  Cabinet  to-day,  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  left  before  all  the  other 
members  [had]  assembled.  Several  matters  of 
minor  importance  were  considered  and  disposed  of, 
and  the  Cabinet  dispersed  about  2  O'Clock.  I  was 
engaged  the  remainder  of  the  day  in  attending  to 
the  business  on  my  table.  After  my  doors  were 
closed  &  I  had  directed  no  one  to  be  admitted  a 
man  who  had  evaded  the  vigilance  of  my  porter 
opened  my  office  door  &  stepped  in.  He  wished,  he 
said,  to  sell  me  wine  to  take  home  with  me,  and  to 
get  an  office  for  a  friend.  I  was  at  the  moment  very 
much  engaged  writing  at  my  table  and  was  vexed  at 
his  unceremonious  intrusion.     As  I  wanted  no  wine 


274  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [lo  Jan. 

&  had  no  offices  to  confer,  and  was,  moreover,  much 
engaged  in  my  official  duties  I  made  short  work  of 
it  with  him.  His  name  was  Lawrence.  It  is  not 
the  first  time  that  the  same  person  has  annoyed  me 
about  matters  in  which  neither  the  public  nor  my- 
self could  have  any  interest.  A  Telegraphic  de- 
spatch was  received  in  the  City  to-day  to  the  effect 
that  Paymaster  Dix  ^  of  [the]  U.  S.  Army  had  died 
of  cholera.  The  rumour  thus  brought  requires  con- 
firmation. In  less  [than]  an  hour  I  had  applica- 
tion for  his  place  as  Paymaster.  In  the  course  of 
the  evening  several  other  applications  were  made 
for  it. 

Wednesday,  loth  January,  184Q. —  My  office 
was  crowded  with  visitors  this  morning.  The 
rumour  of  Paymaster  Dix's  death  which  reached  this 
City  on  yesterday  brought  on  me  a  crowd  of  appli- 
cants for  his  vacancy.  Many  members  of  Congress 
called  to  press  the  claims  of  their  friends,  while 
others  called  and  urged  their  own  claims.  One  en- 
tire Delegation  in  Congress,  Senators  and  Repre- 
sentatives, from  one  of  the  States,  called  to  urge  the 
claims  of  one  of  their  constituents  for  the  place. 
One  Lady  (Mrs.  B.)  a  widow,  called  and  impor- 
tuned me  to  appoint  a  gentleman  whom  she  named 
who  is  now  a  clerk  in  one  of  the  Departments.  She 
appealed  to  me  to  appoint  him  upon  the  ground  that 
she  desired  to  marry  him  provided  he  could  get  an 
office  that  would  support  a  family.  She  was  a  gay 
person  of  good  character,  accustomed  to  good  so- 

^  Roger  Sherman  Dix  of  the  ist  Infantry,  died  January  7,  1849. 


i849]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARY  275 

ciety,  and  was  rather  a  pretty  woman.  She  said  she 
could  not  marry  her  lover  while  he  was  a  Clerk, 
but  that  if  I  would  appoint  him  a  Paymaster  in  the 
army  she  would  do  so  and  would  be  very  happy. 
The  dispensation  of  the  patronage  of  the  Govern- 
ment will  weaken  if  not  break  down  any  adminis- 
tration. I  closed  my  doors  at  12  O'Clock  and  at- 
tended for  an  hour  to  business  on  my  table,  when 
Senators  Allen  of  Ohio  &  Bright  of  Indiana  called 
&  gave  me  the  distressing  intelligence  that  a  Tele- 
graphic Despatch  had  announced  the  death  of  the 
late  Senator  Sevier  of  Arkansas.  Mr.  Sevier's  nom- 
ination is  now  before  the  Senate  for  commissioner 
to  run  the  Boundary  between  the  U.  S.  and  Mex- 
ico, and  Messrs.  Allen  &  Bright,  immediately  on 
hearing  of  Mr.  Sevier's  death,  had  left  the  Senate 
in  Session  and  called  to  urge  me  to  appoint  The  Hon. 
John  B.  Weller  ^  of  Ohio  in  Mr.  Sevier's  place. 
The  mojnent  an  office-holder  dies  his  place  is  sought, 
without  waiting  for  the  funeral  ceremonious  [cere- 
monies] to  be  over.  The  Hon.  Rob't  Johnson  of 
Arkansas  called  about  3  O'Clock.  He  is  the  broth- 
er-in-law of  Mr.  Sevier,  and  seemed  much  affected 
by  the  intelligence  of  his  death.  Mr.  Sevier's  little 
daughter  is  at  school  at  Georgetown.  Mr.  John- 
son saw  Mrs.  Polk  and  informed  her  that  he  was 
on  his  way  to  Georgetown  to  communicate  the 
dreadful  intelligence  to  Mr.  Sevier's  daughter. 
Mrs.  Polk  insisted  on  him  to  bring  the  poor  little 

^  John  B.  Weller,  Representative  from  Ohio  1839-1845;  after- 
ward removed  to  California  where  he  was  elected  to  the  U.  S. 
Senate  and  later  Governor. 


276  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [ii  Jan. 

girl  (who  has  often  visited  us)  to  the  President's 
House  and  let  her  remain  with  us  for  a  few  days. 
He  agreed  to  do  so,  and  in  the  evening  brought  her 
over  &  left  her  with  Mrs.  Polk.  Miss  Johnson,  the 
aunt  of  the  little  girl,  who  is  also  at  school  at  George- 
town, accompanied  her,  and  they  are  both  with  us. 

It  having  been  announced  that  the  President's 
Mansion  would  be  open  for  company  this  evening, 
many  hundreds  of  persons,  ladies  and  gentlemen, 
attended.  All  the  parlours,  including  the  spacious 
East  Room,  were  lighted  up  and  were  filled  with 
people.  The  marine  band  played  in  the  outer  Hall. 
Among  the  visitors  were  Foreign  Ministers,  Officers 
of  the  army  and  Navy,  members  of  both  Houses  of 
Congress,  citizens,  &  strangers.  In  the  course  of  the 
evening,  and  as  soon  as  I  could  be  released  from  re- 
ceiving &  shaking  hands  with  company,  I  walked 
through  the  parlours  with  Mrs.  Madison  on  my  arm. 

Thursday,  nth  January,  l84g, —  I  was  besieged 
by  the  office-seekers  this  morning.  It  was  after  i 
O'clock  P.  M.  before  I  could  devote  a  moment  to 
business.  Men  and  women  annoyed  me  for  office 
for  themselves,  their  relatives,  and  friends.  The 
people  of  the  U.  S.  have  no  adequate  conception  of 
the  number  of  persons  who  seek  to  live  upon  the 
Government,  instead  of  applying  themselves  to  some 
honest  calling  to  make  a  living.  Several  of  those 
who  called  to-day  have  importuned  me  half  a  dozen 
times  for  office.  They  have  no  claims  upon  the 
country  and  no  individual  merit.  I  cannot  exclude 
them  from  my  office,  though  I  hold  them  in  very 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  277 

low  repute,  and  indeed  I  almost  loath  them  when  I 
see  them  entering  my  door.  The  Secretary  of  State 
was  the  only  member  of  the  Cabinet  who  called  to- 
day. I  spent  the  after  part  of  the  day  in  attending 
to  the  business  on  my  table. 

Friday,  12th  January,  184Q, —  I  was  in  my  office 
at  the  usual  hour  this  morning.  I  was  exceedingly 
annoyed  by  a  number  of  persons  seeking  office  & 
begging  money.  Some  of  them  were  persons  who 
have  repeatedly  called  on  the  same  business  before, 
others  I  had  never  seen  &  knew  nothing  of  them. 
Some  of  them  were  females.  They  wanted  money 
for  themselves  or  offices  for  their  husbands,  brothers, 
sons,  or  other  relations.  Several  members  of  Con- 
gress called  also,  and  bored  me  for  offices  for  their 
constituents  and  others.  The  number  of  applicants 
for  office  has  greatly  increased  and  is  increasing, 
and  as  a^general  rule  those  who  are  most  importunate 
are  least  deserving.  If  I  had  the  treasury  of  the 
Government  to  bestow  in  charities  I  could  readily 
do  so  to  worthless  people.  After  i  O'Clock  P.  M. 
I  attended  to  business  on  my  table. 

Saturday,  13th  January,  l84g. —  I  was  occupied 
this  morning  by  members  of  Congress  and  others 
about  offices  until  the  hour  of-  meeting  of  the  Cabi- 
net. The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour;  all  the 
members  present.  Several  matters  of  business, 
chiefly  of  detail  and  of  no  general  importance,  were 
considered  and  disposed  of.  The  members  of  the 
Cabinet  entered  into  a  general  conversation  among 


278  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [13  Jan. 

themselves  whether  it  would  be  proper  for  them  to 
resign  to  me  on  the  3rd  of  March,  or  to  Gen'l  Tay- 
lor after  he  was  qualified.  They  agreed  that  their 
resignations  should  be  made  to  me,  but  there  was 
some  diversity  of  opinion  whether  they  should  take 
effect  immediately,  or  when  a  successor  was  ap- 
pointed. If  they  resigned  to  me  on  the  3rd  of 
March  there  would  be  no  Cabinet  on  Sunday,  the 
4th,  &  Monday,  the  5th  of  March,  and  on  the  latter 
day  there  might  be  official  business  to  transact  re- 
quiring their  signatures.  Mr.  Walker  objected  to 
resigning  to  take  effect  when  a  successor  was  ap- 
pointed, because  he  was  unwilling  to  serve  under 
Gen'l  Taylor.  Mr.  Buchanan  was  willing  to  con- 
tinue a  few  days  if  Gen'l  Taylor  should  request  it, 
until  his  successor  could  be  appointed.  Finally, 
upon  the  suggestion  of  Mr.  Toucy,  they  agreed 
to  resign  to  me  on  the  3rd  of  March,  to  take  effect 
on  monday,  the  5th  of  March,  and  suggested  that  I 
should  accept  them  and  enclose  them  to  Gen'l  Tay- 
lor on  the  3rd,  so  as  to  enable  him  to  appoint  persons 
ad  interim  to  take  charge  of  the  several  Departments 
and  conduct  the  business  until  permanent  appoint- 
ments could  be  made.  Some  members  of  the  Cabi- 
net enquired  whether  it  was  my  intention  to  attend 
the  Inauguration  of  Gen'l  Taylor,  to  which  I 
answered  that  if  Gen'l  Taylor  called  on  me  on  his 
arrival  in  the  City,  and  a  place  was  assigned  me  on 
the  occasion  of  the  Inauguration,  I  should  certainly 
attend.  I  informed  them  also  that  if  Gen'l  Taylor 
called,  as  I  presumed  he  would  do,  I  would  invite 
him  to  dinner  &  treat  him  with  all  proper  respect 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  279 

as  the  President  elect  of  the  U.  S.  I  informed  them 
that  I  would  remain  in  the  President's  mansion  in 
performance  of  my  public  duties  until  the  evening 
of  the  3rd  of  March,  that  on  the  night  of  that  day 
I  would  attend  at  the  Capitol  as  is  usual,  for  the  con- 
venience of  Congress  for  the  purpose  of  receiving 
&  signing  Bills,  and  at  12  O'Clock  of  that  night,  my 
official  term  would  expire,  I  would  retire  to  a  Hotel 
where  my  family  would  be.  The  family  will  leave 
the  President's  mansion  on  the  morning  of  the  3rd 
of  March  and  go  to  a  Hotel.  I  will  remain  &  at- 
tend the  Inauguration  ceremonies  on  monday,  the 
5th,  and  on  tuesday,  the  6th,  will  set  out  with  my 
family  for  my  residence  in  Tennessee.  One  of  the 
Cabinet  enquired  whether  I  would  invite  Gen'l  Tay- 
lor to  take  quarters  in  the  President's  House  on  his 
arrival  in  Washington,  to  which  I  replied  that  I 
had  not  thought  upon  that  point.  Some  of  the  Cab- 
inet thought  it  would  be  proper  to  do  so.  The 
Cabinet  adjourned  about  3  O'Clock,  and  in  the 
afternoon  I  attended  to  business  on  my  table. 

After  night  Senators  Douglass  of  Illinois  &  Downs 
of  La.  called  to  consult  me  about  a  bill  which  the 
latter  had  prepared  to  admit  California  as  a  State 
into  the  Union.  I  had  a  long  conversation  with 
them  on  the  subject,  &  think  the  plan  proposed  is 
feasible  &  hope  it  may  succeed. 

Sunday,  14th  January,  184Q. —  Mrs.  Polk  is  suf- 
fering from  the  effects  of  [a]  severe  cold  &  did  not 
attend  church  to-day.  Accompanied  by  our  two 
nieces  (Miss  Hays  &  Miss  Rucker)  I  attended  Di- 


28o  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [14  Jan. 

vine  service  in  the  Hall  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  The 
Rev.  Mr.  Dascomb  of  the  methodist  church  (of 
Ky.)  preached.  There  was  a  very  large  audience, 
the  floor  &  galleries  of  the  Hall  being  filled.  The 
subject  of  the  discourse  was  the  Cross  of  Christ,  a 
noble  theme.  The  minister  laboured  very  much  and 
seemed  to  be  making  a  very  great  effort.  There  was 
nothing  solemn  or  impressive  in  the  manner  or  mat- 
ter of  the  sermon ;  and  the  idea  was  constantly  in  my 
mind  that  the  minister  was  endeavouring  to  make  a 
display  of  eloquence  &  learning,  in  which  I  think 
he  failed. 

After  night  Hon.  Mr.  Houston  of  Alabama  & 
Hon.  Messrs.  Cobb  &  Lumpkin  of  Georgia  called 
to  consult  me  about  an  adjourned  meeting  of  the 
Southern  members  of  Congress  on  the  subject  of 
slavery  which  was  to  take  place  on  to-morrow  night. 
I  have  heretofore  carefully  avoided  having  anything 
to  do  with  this  movement.  I[t]  was  gotten  up 
originally  without  consulting  me.  I  have  feared 
from  the  time  I  first  heard  of  the  first  meeting  of 
the  Southern  members  of  Congress  on  the  slavery 
question  that  there  might  be  a  design  on  the  part  of 
one  or  two  leading  men  to  agitate  the  slavery  ques- 
tion for  selfish  purposes,  &  that  it  might  end  in  no 
good.  These  gentlemen  informed  me  to-night  that 
Mr.  Calhoun  had  drawn  up  an  address  to  the 
Southern  States  to  be  signed  by  all  the  Senators 
and  Representatives  from  the  slave-holding  states, 
and  that  from  what  they  had  heard  of  its  import 
they  could  not  sign  it.  They  informed  me  further 
that  from  what  they  had  heard,  the  Whig  Senators 


I&49]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARY  281 

&  Repts.  from  the  South  would  decline  in  a  body 
to  sign  it.  They  asked  my  opinion  on  the  subject. 
I  replied  that  if  there  was  anything  in  the  proceed- 
ings or  the  address  that  looked  like  or  might  tend  to 
disunion  I  was  opposed  to  it.  I  told  them  if  when 
the  rights  of  the  south  were  threatened  with  invasion 
by  the  late  votes  in  the  Ho.  Repts.  in  relation  to 
slavery  in  the  D.  C.  the  Southern  members  had 
chosen  to  assemble  to  consult  temperately  and  calmly 
for  the  purpose  of  acting  in  concert  &  making  an 
appeal  to  the  Northern  section  of  the  Union  to  ab- 
stain from  making  the  threatened  aggression  on  their 
rights,  that  I  did  not  see  that  such  an  assemblage 
for  such  a  purpose  would  have  been  improper.  I 
told  them  that  as  they  had  suspicions  that  other  ob- 
jects were  in  view  by  some,  and  that  as  the  Whig 
members  would  not  unite,  I  could  see  no  good  that 
could  result  from  an  address  to  be  addressed  to  the 
Southern  states  to  be  signed  by  a  part  only  of  the 
Southern  members.  They  were  all  of  this  opinion. 
I  told  them  that  the  slavery  question  was  a  very  deli- 
cate &  dangerous  one,  and  advised  them  that  in  the 
present  state  of  things  as  they  communicated  them  to 
me  to  abstain  at  present  from  signing  an  address  by 
a  fraction  of  the  Southern  members  &  leave  it  to 
future  developments  to  determine  what  it  might  be 
proper  to  do.  They  concurred  in  my  views,  or 
rather  they  were  their  own  views  in  which  I  con- 
curred. I  think  the  movement  of  the  Southern 
members  was  originally  ill  advised.  The  Whigs,  I 
learn,  at  first  went  zealously  into  it,  but  upon  con- 
sultation have  concluded  to  leave  the  consummation 


282  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [15  Jan. 

of  the  proceedings  exclusively  to  the  Democratic 
members,  alledging  that  they  have  confidence  in 
Gen'l  Taylor,  who  is  a  large  slave-holder,  that  he 
will  protect  the  rights  of  the  South.  If  they  take 
this  course  it  will  produce  a  division  in  the  South 
upon  the  slave  question  and  encourage,  rather  than 
discourage,  the  aggression  of  the  Northern  Aboli- 
tionists and  Whigs  upon  the  rights  of  the  South. 
Should  this  be  the  result  great  mischief  will  be  pro- 
duced by  the  proceeding  of  the  portion  of  the 
Southern  members  who  may  attend  the  meeting  & 
send  forth  an  address.  My  advice  to  the  gentlemen 
who  called  this  evening  was  to  attend  the  meeting 
to-morrow  night  &  endeavour  to  prevent  anything 
from  being  done;  but  not  themselves  to  sign  any 
address. 

Monday,  I^th  January,  l84g. —  A  large  number 
of  persons  called  this  morning,  of  whom  a  consid- 
erable proportion  as  is  usual  were  office  seekers.  It 
was  not  until  about  i  O'Clock  P.  M.  that  I  was  en- 
abled to  attend  to  any  business.  I  sent  for  Hon. 
James  H.  Thomas  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  (of  Tenn.)  and 
for  Mr.  Cave  Johnson,  the  P.  M.  Gen'l,  this  morn- 
ing. Mr.  Thomas  arrived  first  and  while  he  was 
with  me  Mr.  Johnson  came  in.  I  communicated  to 
them  the  information  given  to  me  last  night  by 
Messrs.  Houston  of  Al.  &  Cobb  and  Lumpkin  of 
Georgia  in  relation  to  the  meeting  of  Southern  mem- 
bers of  Congress  proposed  to  be  held  on  to-morrow 
night  on  the  Slavery  question.  I  expressed  to 
[them]  my  opinion  that  such  a  meeting  could  result 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  283 

in  no  good,  and  advised  Mr.  Thomas  not  to  unite  in 
signing  any  address,  as  I  had  advised  the  three  re- 
ferred to  who  called  on  me  last  night  (see  this  Diary 
of  yesterday).  Both  Mr.  Johnson  and  Mr.  Thomas 
concurred  with  me  in  my  views.  Mr.  Johnson 
thought  that  any  member  who  attended  the  meeting 
would  have  to  explain  his  object  in  doing  so  to  his 
constituents,  and  that  it  would  be  a  point  of  attack 
upon  him  as  long  as  he  remained  in  public  life.  I 
remarked  that  as  the  Southern  members  generally, 
both  Whigs  &  Democrats,  had  attended  the  first 
meeting  in  December  last,  that  I  thought  the  sober- 
minded  democrats,  such  as  the  gentlemen  who  called 
on  me  last  night  and  Mr.  Thomas,  might  attend 
to-night  in  order  to  prevent  mischief  from  being 
done.  I  advised  that  no  address  of  any  kind  be 
signed.  In  these  views,  after  I  had  presented  them, 
Mr.  Johnson  and  Mr.  Thomas  concurred.  They 
left  me,  Mr.  Johnson  saying  that  he  would  visit  the 
Capitol  to-day  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  some  of  our 
prudent  Southern  Democratic  friends  with  a  view  to 
induce  them  to  take  the  course  I  had  advised. 
Shortly  after  they  retired  the  Hon.  Mr.  McLane  of 
[the]  Ho.  Repts.  (of  Maryland)  called  to  see  me 
on  the  same  subject.  Before  he  asked  my  opinion 
he  expressed  his  own.  He  declared  his  resolution  to 
sign  no  address,  &  said  he  had  written  to  his  father, 
who  had  advised  him  to  sign  no  address,  but  had 
advised  him  at  the  same  time  to  see  me.  I  repeated 
to  him  the  views  I  had  expressed  to  Messrs.  Hous- 
ton, Cobb,  &  Lumpkin  last  night  &  to  Mr.  Thomas 
&  Mr.  Johnson  to-day.     He  announced  his  inten- 


284  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i6  Jan. 

tion  to  attend  the  meeting  to-night  for  the  purpose 
of  making  known  his  views  &  giving  his  reasons  for 
declining  to  sign  any  address.  I  fear  that  mischief 
will  come  out  of  this  ill-advised  proceeding.  Mr. 
McLane  avowed  his  intention  not  to  act  upon  the 
subject  of  slavery  in  a  caucus,  but  that  he  was  willing 
to  consult  with  other  Southern  members  as  to  what 
action  in  Congress  they  would  deem  proper  to  be 
had  if  the  rights  of  the  South  were  threatened  or 
attempted  to  be  invaded  by  the  North.  In  the  course 
of  the  day  I  disposed  of  business  on  my  table  as  usual. 
Mr.  Buchanan  and  Mr.  Marcy  called  at  different 
hours  of  the  day  to  see  me  on  business.  After  night 
Col.  Weller  of  Ohio  called.  I  tendered  to  him  the 
appointment  of  commissioner  under  the  Mexican 
Treaty  to  run  the  boundary  line  between  the  two 
countries.  He  accepted,  &  I  will  nominate  him  to 
the  Senate  on  to-morrow.  I  had  some  weeks  ago 
nominated  the  late  Senator  Sevier  of  Arkansas  for 
this  office,  and  his  nomination  was  pending  before 
the  Senate  when  information  of  his  death  was  re- 
ceived. After  night  Senators  Dodge  &  Jones  of 
Iowa  called  in  company  with  Mr.  Petrikin  of  Penn., 
who  is  the  son  of  the  late  Dr.  Petrikin,^  with  whom 
I  served  several  years  in  Congress. 

Tuesday,  l6th  January,  l84g. —  I  learned  from 
my  Private  Secretary  this  morning  that  a  meeting  of 
the  Southern  members  of  Congress  was  held  at  the 
Senate  chamber  last  night.  It  was  an  adjourned 
meeting  to  deliberate  on  the  course  proper  to  be 

^  David  Petrikin,  Representative  from  Pennsylvania  1837-1841. 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  285 

taken  by  the  South  on  the  slave  question  (see  this 
Diary  of  yesterday  &  the  preceeding  day).  I  learn 
that  an  address  ^  to  the  Southern  States  was  reported 
by  Senator  Calhoun  of  S.  C,  and  that  great  division 
of  opinion  prevailed  in  the  meeting  upon  the  pro- 
priety of  adopting  it.  Almost  all  of  the  Whig  mem- 
bers &  a  number  of  leading  Democratic  members, 
as  Col.  Walker  informed  me,  refused  to  sign  it;  and 
finally  it  was,  on  motion  of  Senator  Berrien  of 
Georgia,  recommitted  to  the  committee  to  report 
to  an  adjourned  meeting  to  be  held  on  next  monday 
night.  Col.  Walker's  impression  is  that  nothing  will 
be  finally  done,  unless  it  be  by  a  portion  of  the 
Democratic  party  and  perhaps  two  or  three  Whigs 
with  Mr.  Calhoun  at  their  head.  I  have  feared 
from  the  time  I  heard  of  the  ill-advised  movement 
of  holding  a  meeting  of  Southern  members  of  Con- 
gress that  it  would  end  in  no  good  and  might  do 
mischief.  I  am  now  satisfied  that  my  apprehensions 
were  well  founded.  Col.  Walker  gave  me  the  fore- 
going information  immediately  after  I  came  into 
my  office  this  morning.  A  few  persons  called  seek- 
ing office  and  on  like  unprofitable  errands.  Between 
10  &  II  O'clock  Senator  Calhoun  of  S.  C.  called. 
He  has  not  been  to  see  me  since  his  arrival  in  Wash- 
ington shortly  after  the  meeting  of  Congress,  when 
he  called  to  pay  his  respects.  I  anticipated  his  busi- 
ness the  moment  he  entered  my  office,  &  I  was  not 
mistaken.  He  very  soon  introduced  the  subject  of 
the  slavery  question  and  the  meeting  of  the  Southern 
members  of  Congress  at  the  Capitol  last  night.     He 

^Washington  Union,  January  28,  1849. 


286  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i6  Jan. 

was  very  earnest  in  the  expression  of  his  opinion  that 
the  South  should  no  longer  delay  resisting  the  ag- 
gressions of  the  North  upon  their  rights.  As  soon 
as  I  had  an  opportunity  I  expressed  my  strong  at- 
tachment to  the  Union  of  the  States,  the  great  im- 
portance of  preserving* it,  and  my  hope  that  Govern- 
ments might  be  provided  for  California  &  New 
Mexico,  and  especially  the  former,  by  admitting  it 
into  the  Union  as  a  State  without  having  the  Bill  for 
that  purpose  embarrassed  by  the  Wilmot  Proviso. 
I  found  he  was  opposed  to  an  adjustment  in  this 
mode.  I  urged  the  importance  of  the  measure,  and 
expressed  the  opinion  that  the  admission  of  Califor- 
nia into  the  Union  as  a  state  was  the  only  practical 
mode  of  settling  the  slave  question.  In  this  form  the 
question  of  slavery  would  be  left  to  the  people  of  the 
new  states  when  they  came  to  form  a  State  constitu- 
tion for  themselves.  I  told  him  that  I  deemed  it 
of  the  greatest  importance  that  the  agitation  of  the 
delicate  and  dangerous  question  of  slavery  should 
be  arrested,  as  I  thought  it  would  be  by  the  organ- 
ization of  Governments  for  the  territories  acquired 
by  the  Treaty  with  Mexico.  I  told  him  that  Sen- 
ator Douglass  of  Illinois  had  suggested  to  me  that  the 
question  as  to  New  Mexico  might  be  settled  with 
the  assent  of  the  State  of  Texas,  by  making  the 
Northern  boundary  of  that  State  the  parallel  of  36° 
30'  North  Latitude  &  extending  that  parallel  West 
of  the  Rio  Grande,  leaving  all  of  New  Mexico  on 
both  sides  of  that  River  and  South  of  that  parallel 
to  be  a  part  of  the  State  of  Texas,  and  that  that  State 
should  cede  to  the  U.  S.  all  the  territory  within  her 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  287 

limits  lying  North  of  that  line.  I  told  him  that  the 
area  acquired  by  Texas  by  such  an  arrangement 
would  be  about  equal  to  the  area  which  would  be 
ceded  by  Texas  to  the  U.  S.  I  told  him  also,  that 
all  the  inhabited  portion  of  New  Mexico  lay  south  of 
36°  30',  &  would  fall  under  the  Government  of  the 
State  of  Texas,  while  the  country  North  of  that  line 
to  be  ceded  by  Texas  to  the  U.  S.  was  a  wilderness 
country.  I  told  him  that  the  proposition  struck  me 
favourably,  that  I  presumed  it  would  be  satisfactory 
to  the  members  of  Congress  from  Texas  &  to  that 
State,  and  that  coming  as  it  did  from  a  Northern 
Senator  there  was  a  fair  prospect,  if  the  South,  as  I 
thought  they  should  do,  supported  a  Bill  of  this  kind, 
that  it  would  pass.  I  told  him  this  would  provide  a 
Government  for  all  the  inhabited  portion  of  New 
Mexico ;  and  that  if  California,  bounded  by  the  Cal- 
ifornia mountains. was  admitted  as  a  State,  the  whole 
difficulty  would  be  settled,  and  that  the  Free-soil  agi- 
tators or  abolitionists  of  the  North  would  be  pros- 
trate and  powerless,  that  the  country  would  be 
quieted,  and  the  Union  preserved.  He  was  opposed 
to  all  this ;  spoke  in  excited  terms  of  the  Texas  mem- 
bers &  said  that  they  had  betrayed  the  South;  that 
he  had  heard  of  this  proposition  about  New  Mexico 
ten  days  ago,  and  that  it  was  a  bid  for  the  Texas  men. 
I  told  him  I  had  never  heard  of  it  until  last  Saturday 
night,  when  it  was  suggested  by  Senator  Douglass 
of  111.  in  the  presence  of  Senator  Downs  of  La.  He 
was  opposed  to  the  admission  of  California  as  a 
State,  because  slave-holders  had  been  prevented  from 
emigrating  with  their  property  to  it  and  it  would  be 


288  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i6  Jan. 

a  free  state.  I  replied  that  whether  admitted  now 
or  hereafter  the  people  inhabiting  the  country  would 
have  a  right  when  they  came  to  form  a  state  consti- 
tution to  regulate  their  own  domestic  institutions, 
and  that  Congress  could  not  prevent  this.  He  pro- 
posed no  plan  of  adjusting  the  difficulty,  but  insisted 
that  the  aggressions  of  the  North  upon  the  South 
should  be  resisted  and  that  the  time  had  come  for 
action.  I  became  perfectly  satisfied  that  he  did  not 
desire  that  Congress  should  settle  the  question  at  the 
present  Session,  and  that  he  desired  to  influence  the 
South  upon  the  subject,  whether  from  personal  or 
patriotic  views  it  is  not  difficult  to  determine.  I 
was  firm  and  decided  in  my  conversation  with  him, 
intending  to  let  him  understand  distinctly  that  I  gave 
no  countenance  to  any  movement  which  tended  to 
violence  or  the  disunion  of  the  States.  The  conver- 
sation was  inter[r]upted  by  the  arrival  of  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Cabinet,  this  being  the  regular  day  for 
the  meeting  of  the  Cabinet.  All  the  members  of  the 
Cabinet  were  present  except  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury.  Several  matters  of  no  general  impor- 
tance were  considered  and  disposed  of.  After  the 
other  members  of  the  Cabinet  had  retired  I  gave  a 
relation  of  my  interview  with  Mr.  Calhoun  to  Mr. 
Mason  and  Mr.  Johnson,  who  remained.  I  dis- 
posed of  business  on  my  table  as  usual. 

This  being  reception  evening,  a  number  of  per- 
sons (not  a  large  crowd)  ladies  &  gentlemen,  called. 

I  omitted  to  state  that  between  ii  and  12  O'Clock 
to-day  the  Secretary  of  War  informed  me  that  a  fine 
volunteer  uniformed  company  from  New  York  were 


i849j  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  289 

in  the  City,  &  he  desired  that  I  would  review  them. 
I  accompanied  him  to  the  front  porch  &  the  com- 
pany marched  past  in  review.  I  afterwards  received 
the  officers  &  men  of  the  company  in  the  parlour  & 
shook  hands  with  them. 

Wednesday,  lyth  January,  l84g. —  A  number  of 
members  of  Congress  and  others  called  this  morn- 
ing. They  were  on  the  usual  business  of  seeking 
office  for  themselves  and  their  friends.  Among 
others  who  called  was  Mr.  Stanton  of  Tennessee  of 
the  Ho.  Repts.,  and  I  had  a  conversation  with  him 
on  the  subject  of  the  meeting  of  the  Southern  mem- 
bers of  Congress  on  last  Monday  night,  and  on  the 
importance  of  settling  the  slavery  agitation  by  pro- 
viding Governments  for  New  Mexico  and  Califor- 
nia at  the  present  Session.  I  stated  to  him  the  plan 
on  which  I  thought  this  might  be  done.  It  was  the 
same  which  I  had  stated  to  Mr.  Calhoun  (see  this 
Diary  of  yesterday).  I  told  him  that  I  was  for  pre- 
serving the  Union  &  its  harmony,  &  opposed  to  any 
movement,  in  Congress  or  out  of  it,  which  might 
tend  to  disturb  it;  and  that  I  thought  members  of 
Congress  had  better  exert  their  energies  to  settle  it 
in  Congress,  than  to  agitate  the  slavery  question  in 
caucus  out  of  Congress.  I  expressed  to  him  the 
opinion  that  if  Southern  members  would  unite,  it 
might  be  settled  at  the  present  session  upon  the  plan 
suggested  by  Senator  Douglass,  as  stated  to  Mr.  Cal- 
houn as  recorded  in  this  Diary  on  yesterday  (which 
see).  I  found  Mr.  Stanton  in  favour  of  the  South- 
ern members  making  an  address  to  the  Southern 


290  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [17  Jan. 

States.  I  told  him  I  had  not  been  consulted  about 
the  meetings  of  Southern  members  of  Congress 
which  had  taken  place.  I  told  him  that  I  under- 
stood the  immediate  cause  of  the  movement  had  been 
the  adoption  of  a  Resolution  by  the  Ho.  Repts.  in- 
structing a  committee  to  bring  in  a  Bill  in  relation 
to  slavery  in  the  District  of  Columbia,  but  that  since 
that  time  I  had  been  informed  that  the  House  had 
receded  by  reconsidering  that  obnoxious  Resolution, 
and  that  it  was  not  probable  that  any  attempt  would 
be  made  to  revive  it.  I  told  him  that  I  saw  nothing 
improper  in  Southern  or  any  other  gentlemen  con- 
sulting together  when  their  common  rights  were 
seriously  menaced,  if  the  object  of  such  consultation 
was  to  ensure  concert  of  action  to  avert  the  danger, 
but  that  I  was  opposed  to  any  movement  which 
looked  to  or  tended  to  the  possible  dissolution  of  the 
Union.  I  told  him  that  I  had  been  informed  that 
the  whole  of  the  Whig  members  of  Congress,  and 
several  of  the  leading  Democratic  members,  would 
under  existing  circumstances  refuse  to  sign  any  ad- 
dress; and  that  it  would  probably  not  be  signed  by 
more  than  one-third  of  the  Southern  Delegations  in 
Congress.  I  told  him  the  effect  of  this,  instead  of 
preventing  aggression  from  the  North,  would  be  to 
encourage  it;  while  it  could  not  fail  to  produce  a 
conflict  among  Southern  members  &  their  constit- 
uents themselves.  In  this  state  of  things  I  gave  my 
opinion  against  signing  the  address,  and  especially 
such  an  one  as  I  understood  had  been  presented  to 
the  meeting  on  Monday  night  last.  I  told  him  that 
I  could  not  avoid  the  suspicion  that  there  were  two 


i849]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S   DIARY  291 

or  three  individuals,  perhaps  not  more  than  one  (but 
I  named  no  one)  who  desired  to  have  no  set[t]lement 
of  the  question,  but  who  preferred  a  sectional  excite- 
ment in  the  South  &  a  dissolution.  I  told  him  I  set 
my  face  against  all  such  designs,  and  warned  him 
against  being  involved  in  any  such  movement.  I 
urged  the  necessity  and  importance  of  going  to  work 
in  earnest  in  Congress,  and  not  in  caucus,  to  settle 
the  question.  I  told  him  it  was  time  enough  to  think 
of  extreme  measures  when  they  became  inevitable, 
and  that  that  period  had  not  come.  I  told  him  that 
the  people  every  where  were  devoted  to  the  Union, 
and  that  it  would  be  a  heavy  responsibility  if  South- 
ern members  of  Congress  should  prevent  an  adjust- 
ment of  the  slavery  question  by  meeting  in  caucus 
&  publishing  addresses,  instead  of  meeting  in  Con- 
gress, where  their  constituents  had  deputed  them  to 
act.  He  seemed  to  be  surprised  at  these  views.  I 
told  him  I  was  a  Southern  man,  and  as  much  at- 
tached to  Southern  rights  as  any  man  in  Congress, 
but  I  was  in  favour  of  vindicating  and  maintaining 
these  rights  by  constitutional  means ;  and  that  no  such 
an  extreme  case  had  arisen  as  would  justify  a  resort  to 
any  other  means;  that  when  such  a  case  should  arise 
(if  ever)  it  would  be  time  enough  to  consider  what 
should  be  done.  Company  came  in  &  Mr.  Stanton 
retired.  I  held  a  conversation  upon  the  same  sub- 
ject with  Senators  King  and  Fitzpatrick  of  AL,  in 
which  I  stated  the  plan  of  Senator  Douglass  of  set- 
tling the  slave  question  (see  this  Diary  of  yesterday) 
and  stated  to  them  my  opinions.  I  disposed  of  busi- 
ness on  my  table  as  usual  to-day.     I  read  to  Mr. 


292  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i8  Jan. 

Ritchie  to-night  a  letter  which  I  had  received  from 
the  late  Senator  Wm.  H.  Haywood  of  N.  C,  dated 
1 8th  of  December  last,  and  the  answer  which  I  had 
prepared  (see  my  letter  Book).  Some  of  the  facts 
stated  in  my  answer  related  to  Mr.  Ritchie,  and  I 
read  the  letter  &  answer  to  him  to  ascertain  whether 
his  recollection  corresponded  with  my  own.  Mr. 
Ritchie  said  the  facts  were  all  correctly  stated  in  my 
answer. 

Thursday,  l8th  January,  184Q, —  Many  per- 
sons, members  of  Congress  and  others,  called  this 
morning.  The  importunity  for  office  is  unabating. 
I  am  so  annoyed  by  office  seekers,  and  so  much  of 
my  time  is  consumed  by  them,  that  I  sometimes  al- 
most loose  my  patience  and  can  hardly  control  my  in- 
dignation. About  II  O'clock  to-day  a  company  of 
Firemen  from  Baltimore,  30  or  40  in  number,  called 
and  desired  to  see  me.  I  directed  them  to  be  shown 
into  the  parlour  below  stairs,  where  I  met  and  shook 
hands  with  them.  I  returned  to  my  office  and  at- 
tended to  business  throughout  the  day.  The  Secre- 
tary of  the  Treasury  called  on  business. 

I  had  a  large  dinner  party  to-day.  Of  the  party 
were  the  Vice  President  of  the  U.  S. ;  the  Speaker 
of  the  Ho.  Repts. ;  the  Secretary  &  Clerk  of  the  two 
Houses;  Maj'r  General  Jesup,  of  the  U.  S.  army  & 
daughter;  Hon.  Elisha  Whittlesey  of  Ohio  &  wife, 
&  Mr.  Forney,^  Editor  of  the  Pennsylvanian,  The 
balance  of  the  company  consisted  of  Senators  and 

^John  Weiss  Forney,  1817-1881,  journalist;  editor  of  the 
Pennsylvanian  1 845-1 853,  of  the  Washington  Union  1 853-1856, 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  293 

Representatives  in  Congress  and  the  wives  of  several 
of  them;  of  whom  I  rem[em]ber  the  following,  viz., 
Senators  Metcalf  of  Ky.;  Clark  of  R.  I.;  Allen, 
Ohio;  Hannegan,  In[d].;  Johnson,  La.;  Johnson, 
Geo.;  Foote,  Miss.;  Bradbury,  Maine;  &  Repre- 
sentatives McDowell,  Va. ;  Houston,  Al. ;  Thompson, 
Miss.;  Inge,  Al. ;  Houston,  Del.  The  whole  num- 
ber, ladies  &  gentlemen,  made  36  or  37  persons. 

I  conversed  with  several  members  of  Congress  of 
both  Houses  who  called  to-day,  and  urged  upon  them 
the  great  importance  of  passing  a  law  to  admit  Cal- 
ifornia into  the  Union  as  a  State  as  proposed  by 
Bills  introduced  into  the  Senate  by  Senators  Downs 
and  Douglass,  and  providing  a  Government  for  New 
Mexico  (see  this  Diary  of  the  i6th  and  17th  Instant) . 
All  with  whom  I  conversed  listened  favourably  to 
the  plan  suggested,  except  Mr.  Robertson  ^  of  the 
Ho.  Repts.  from  Indiana.  He  wished  to  throw 
the  responsibility  of  settling  the  slavery  question  on 
General  Taylor's  administration,  and  thought  that 
nothing  should  be  done  at  the  present  Session.  I 
told  him  we  had  a  country  to  save  as  well  as  a  party 
to  obey,  and  that  it  was  the  solemn  duty  of  the  pres- 
ent Congress  to  settle  the  question.  Senator  Rusk  of 
Texas  was  present  when  I  held  the  conversation  with 
Mr.  Robertson.  At  Dinner  to-day  I  had  a  casual 
conversation  with  Senator  Clarke  of  R.  I.  on  the 
subject,  in  which  I  remarked  that  there  was  danger 
that  California  would  be  lost  to  the  Union  unless  a 

and  1861-1868;  established  the  Philadelphia  Press  1857,  and  the 
Washington  Chronicle  1861. 

^  John  L.  Robinson,  Representative  from  Indiana  1 847-1 853. 


294  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [19  Jan. 

Government  was  provided  for  the  inhabitants  of  that 
Territory  at  the  present  Session  of  Congress.  To 
which  he  replied,  let  her  go.  I  said  to  him  that 
if  California  set  up  an  independant  Government 
and  seperated  from  the  Union,  the  Eastern  States 
would  be  much  injured  by  it.  He  thought  not,  and 
said  their  ships  &  commerce  would  derive  as  much 
advantage  if  she  was  independant  as  if  she  was 
connected  with  the  Union.  The  sentiments  he  ex- 
pressed confirmed  the  opinion  I  have  heretofore 
expressed  that  the  old  Federal  Party  will  avail  them- 
selves of  any  pretext  to  prevent  the  extension  of  our 
territorial  limits  (see  my  opinions  on  this  point  re- 
corded in  this  Diary  some  days  ago). 

Friday,  igth  January,  l84g. —  My  time  was  oc- 
cupied as  usual  this  morning  with  calls  from  mem- 
bers of  Congress  and  others.  It  was  near  i  O'Clock 
P.  M.  before  I  could  attend  to  any  business  in  my 
office.  I  conversed  with  several  members  of  Con- 
gress as  I  had  done  for  the  last  three  days  (see  this 
Diary)  and  urged  upon  them  to  provide  Govern- 
ments for  California  and  New  Mexico  at  the  present 
Session.  I  begin  to  have  hopes  that  it  may  be  done. 
Among  others  who  called  this  morning  was  rather  an 
elderly  woman  who  said  she  lived  in  Alexandria. 
She  wanted  money  to  pay  her  rents  &  for  other 
purposes.  She  brought  no  letters.  I  did  not  learn 
her  name.  She  said  she  had  lived  in  Alexandria  many 
years.  She  had  a  genteel  appearance.  I  endeav- 
oured to  waive  her  application  by  treating  her  civ- 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  295 

illy  and  telling  her  she  should  apply  to  her  neigh- 
bours &  friends,  who  knew  her.  She  became  more 
&  more  importunate  &  I  was  forced  at  last  to  give 
her  a  positive  denial.  This  did  not  satisfy  her,  and 
she  named  a  sum  which  would  satisfy  her.  I  de- 
clined to  give  it  to  her  and  was  compelled  at  last  to 
tell  her  plainly  that  I  did  not  know  her  or  that  she 
was  worthy.  I  informed  her  that  I  contributed  to 
objects  of  real  charity,  as  far  as  my  means  permitted, 
and  asked  her  again  why  she  had  not  applied  for  aid 
to  her  neighbours  in  Alexandria,  to  which  she  re- 
plied that  she  did  not  wish  to  expose  her  necessities. 
I  note  this  case  to  show  some  of  the  annoyances  to 
which  a  President  of  the  U.  S.  is  subjected. 

The  Secretary  of  State  called  in  the  course  of  the 
day  &  transacted  business  with  me.  After  night 
Vice  President  Dallas  called  and  introduced  his 
friend,  Dr.  Griffin  of  Pennsylvania.  He  spent  an 
hour  with  me. 

Saturday,  20th  January,  l84g. —  Several  mem- 
bers of  Congress  called  this  morning.  The  loafers 
and  hangers  on  about  the  City  importune  members 
of  Congress  to  call  with  them  and  present  them  for 
offices.  They  are  generally  persons  without  merit; 
and  I  must  say  that  some  of  the  worst  appointments 
I  have  made  during  my  administration  have  been 
made  upon  the  recommendation  of  members  of  Con- 
gress. Indeed,  many  members  sign  all  papers  &  rec- 
ommend all  persons  who  apply  to  them,  without 
seeming  to  reflect  that  they  as  [are]  misleading  the 


296  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [20  Jan. 

President,  and  without  considering  that  they  have 
any  responsibility  for  such  appointments  as  they  rec- 
ommend. 

A  delegation  of  Chickasaw  Indians  were  presented 
to  me  this  morning  by  the  commissioner  of  Indian 
afifairs.  They  delivered  to  me  letters  from  their 
Tribe  relating  to  their  interests.  I  held  some  con- 
versation with  them  and  directed  them  to  call  on  the 
commissioner  of  Indian  afifairs  on  Monday  next. 

The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour;  all  the  mem- 
bers present.  The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  read  a  de- 
spatch received  last  night  from  Commodore  Jones, 
commander  of  the  Pacific  squadron;  the  Secretary 
of  War  read  a  letter  to  the  Paymaster  General  from 
Paymaster  Rich  serving  in  California;  and  the  Sec- 
retary of  State  read  a  letter  from  Mr.  Larkin,  for- 
merly U.  S.  consul  at  Monterey  in  California. 
These  several  communications  represent  the  in- 
creased richness  of  the  gold  region  recently  discov- 
ered in  California,  the  rage  which  prevails  among  all 
classes  to  go  in  pursuit  of  it.  Commodore  Jones  & 
Paymaster  Rich  represent  the  desertions  from  the 
squadron  &  the  army  to  go  in  pursuit  of  gold  to  be 
such  as  to  destroy  all  efficient  service  in  both  arms 
of  the  service.  They  represent  also  the  state  of  an- 
archy and  confusion  existing  in  California,  where, 
without  any  regularly  organized  Government,  there 
is  no  security  for  life,  liberty,  or  property,  and  they 
represent  the  urgent  necessity  for  the  establishment 
of  the  authority  of  the  U.  S.  by  the  organization  of  a 
Government  of  some  kind  in  that  Territory.  It  oc- 
curred to  me  at  once  that  it  would  be  proper  for  me 


i849]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  297 

to  transmit  these  communications  to  Congress  with  a 
message  urging  the  establishment  of  civil  Govern- 
ment for  the  inhabitants  of  California  at  the  present 
Session,  and  I  submitted  tw^o  questions  to  the  Cabinet, 
ist,  Whether  these  communications  should  be  sent  to 
Congress,  and  if  so  what  the  recommendations  of  my 
message  should  be.  The  views  of  all  the  members 
of  the  Cabinet  were  freely  given.  Mr.  Marcy  & 
Mr.  Walker  advised  that  the  communications  be 
sent  to  Congress  with  a  message.  Mr.  Buchanan, 
Mr.  Mason,  Mr.  Johnson,  and  Mr.  Toucey  advised 
against  it.  The  latter  gentlemen  thought  they  should 
be  published  without  delay  in  the  Union  newspaper, 
and  that  if  called  for  by  Congress,  as  they  probably 
would  be,  they  should  then  be  transmitted.  They  as- 
signed their  reasons  for  this  opinion.  Among  other 
reasons  they  said  that  I  had  already  in  my  annual 
message  said  all  that  could  be  said  to  induce  Con- 
gress to  act,  and  that  exception  might  be  taken  by  the 
Whig  members,  and  perhaps  some  Democrats,  if  I 
repeated  my  views.  After  their  views  were  ex- 
pressed Mr.  Marcy  expressed  his  willingness  to  ac- 
quiesce in  them,  though  he  rather  preferred  that  the 
papers  should  be  sent  to  Congress  with  a  message. 
Finding  that  Mr.  Walker  alone  concurred  fully  with 
me  in  my  first  impressions,  I  stated  that  I  would  for 
the  present  yield  to  the  views  of  the  majority  of  the 
Cabinet.  I  then  directed  that  copies  of  the  commu- 
nications, or  of  the  material  parts  of  them,  should  be 
furnished  to  the  Editor  of  the  Union  for  publication. 
I  then  stated  to  the  Cabinet  that  I  had  become  per- 
fectly satisfied  that  no  Bill  to  establish  a  Territorial 


298  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [20  Jan. 

Government  could  be  passed  through  the  Ho.  Repts. 
without  having  the  Wilmot  Proviso  attached  to  it 
as  a  condition,  that  with  this  provision  the  Bill  would 
probably  be  rejected  by  the  Senate,  and  that  if  it  was 
not,  and  the  Provision  was  made  to  apply  to  territory 
South  of  36°  30'  I  must  veto  it,  and  in  either  event 
the  people  of  California  would  be  left  without  a 
Government.  I  expressed  to  them  the  opinion  that 
the  only  hope  of  providing  a  Government  for  Cali- 
fornia at  the  present  session  was  to  admit  her  as  one 
of  the  states  of  the  Union,  as  had  been  proposed  in 
the  Senate  by  Senators  Downs  of  La.  &  Douglass  of 
111.  In  this  opinion  all  the  members  of  the  Cabinet 
concurred,  and  expressed  their  desire  that  such  a 
proposition  might  pass.  I  expressed  my  fears  that 
the  extremes  of  the  South  headed  by  Mr.  Calhoun 
and  the  extremes  of  the  North  headed  by  Hale  & 
Giddings  might  unite  to  prevent  such  a  measure 
from  passing,  and  thus  keep  the  subject  of  slavery 
open  for  political  agitation.  I  expressed  my  strong 
desire  that  California  might  be  admitted  as  a  state, 
because  I  believed  if  this  was  not  done  at  the  present 
session  the  danger  was  imminent  that  the  inhabitants 
of  this  nne  country  would,  before  the  next  session  of 
Congress,  set  up  an  independant  Government  for 
themselves,  and  that  the  Whig  party,  who  would 
then  be  in  power,  would  suffer  the  country  to  be  lost 
to  the  Union.  I  gave  my  reasons  at  some  length  for 
this  opinion.  I  expressed  my  disapprobation  of  any 
further  proceedings  of  the  southern  members  of 
Congress  on  the  slave  question  in  caucus.  I  thought 
they  had  much  better  direct  their  energies  in  Con- 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  299 

gress  instead  of  in  caucus  for  the  purpose  of  allay- 
ing excitement  upon  the  subject,  by  authorizing  the 
people  of  California  to  form  a  state  Government, 
leaving  it  to  themselves  to  determine  whether  slavery 
should  exist  or  not.  I  stated  that  a  proposition  v^as 
now  made  by  a  Northern  Senator  (Mr.  Douglass) 
to  admit  California  as  a  state  upon  these  terms,  and 
that  no  Southern  man  ought  to  object  to  it.  I 
thought  it  was  wholly  unjustifyable  for  Southern 
members  of  Congress,  when  a  fair  prospect  was  pre- 
sented of  settling  the  whole  question,  to  withhold 
their  co-operation,  and  instead  of  aiding  in  affect- 
ing [effecting]  such  an  adjustment,  to  be  meeting  in 
a  sectional  caucus  and  publishing  an  address  to  in- 
fluence the  country.  I  added  that  I  feared  there 
were  a  few  Southern  men  who  had  become  so  excited 
that  they  were  indifferent  to  the  preservation  of  the 
Union.  I  stated  that  I  put  my  face  alike  against 
southern  agitators  and  Northern  fanatics,  &  should 
do  everything  in  my  power  to  allay  excitement  by 
adjusting  the  question  of  slavery  &  preserving  the 
Union.  Seeing  that  the  only  hope  of  an  adjustment 
was  to  admit  California  as  a  State,  I  expressed  the 
opinion  that  it  was  our  solemn  duty  to  exert  all  our 
influence  with  members  of  Congress  to  induce  them 
to  pass  the  Bill  of  Mr.  Douglass  or  Mr.  Downs.  In 
this  the  Cabinet  unanimously  concurred,  and  it  was 
agreed  that  each  member  of  the  Cabinet  should  be 
active  in  seeing  members  of  Congress  &  urging  them 
to  support  the  Bill  to  admit  California  at  once  as  a 
State.  Each  member  of  the  Cabinet  agreed  to  do 
this.     At  my  suggestion  each  member  of  the  Cabinet 


300  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [20  Jan. 

agreed  to  visit  and  converse  w^ith  the  members  of 
Congress  from  particular  states,  and  was  to  report 
at  the  next  meeting  of  the  Cabinet.  Messrs.  Bu- 
chanan, Marcy,  &  Toucey  were  to  see  the  members 
from  the  Northern  states,  and  Messrs.  Walker,  Ma- 
son, &  Johnson  were  to  see  the  members  from  the 
southern  or  the  Slave-holding  states.  I  stated  that  I 
would  myself  be  active,  and  converse  with  such  mem- 
bers of  Congress  as  called,  &  that  I  would  send 
special  [ly]  for  some  of  them,  and  endeavour  to  con- 
vince them  that  it  was  their  duty  to  support  such  a 
Bill.  This  is  an  unusual  step  for  the  Executive  to 
take,  but  the  emergency  demands  it.  It  may  be  the 
only  means  of  allaying  a  fearful  sectional  excitement 
&  of  preserving  the  Union,  and  therefore  I  think 
upon  high  public  considerations  it  is  justified.  In 
the  course  of  the  discussion  Mr.  Buchanan  stated  the 
fact  that  he  had  called  on  Mr.  Stephens,  a  Whig 
member  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  from  Georgia,  who  is  a 
member  of  the  committee  of  Ways  &  Means  of  the 
Ho.  Repts.,  and  had  requested  him  to  aid  in  passing 
the  Bill  at  any  [an]  early  day  making  an  appropri- 
ation for  the  payment  of  the  installment  under  the 
Treaty  with  Mexico,  and  that  he  was  much  surprised 
to  learn  from  Mr.  Stephens  that  he  was  opposed  to 
making  any  appropriation  for  that  purpose.  Mr. 
Buchanan  stated  that  he  expressed  to  him  his  sur- 
prise that  he  should  be  willing  to  violate  the  public 
faith  by  with-holding  the  appropriation  stipulated 
by  the  Treaty  to  be  paid  to  Mexico,  &  that  Mr. 
Stephens  had  replied  that  he  was  opposed  to  retain- 
ing  California  &  New   Mexico,    acquired   by  the 


i849]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  301 

Treaty,  as  a  part  of  the  Union.  This  is  in  accord- 
ance with  the  opinion  expressed  to  me  by  Senator 
Clark  of  Rhode  Island  on  the  i8th  Instant  (see  this 
Diary  of  that  day)  and  still  further  satisfies  me  that 
the  Federal  party  only  want  a  pretext  to  surrender 
up  the  valuable  territories  acquired  by  the  late 
Treaty  with  Mexico.  This  makes  the  step  resolved 
on  by  the  Cabinet  to-day  still  more  important. 

iWithin  the  last  three  days  I  have  been  called  upon, 
first  by  Senator  Hannegan  of  In.,  &  next  by  Senator 
Breese  of  111.,  to  know,  if  the  Senate  would  pass  a  Res- 
olution requesting  [it,  whether]  I  would  enter  into 
or  negotiate  a  purchase  from  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com- 
pany in  Oregon  of  their  possessory  rights  in  that  Ter- 
ritory and  of  their  right  to  navigate  the  Columbia 
River.  I  stated  that  Mr.  Hannegan  had  brought  to 
me  the  copy  of  a  despatch  from  Mr.  Addington, 
Under  Secretary  of  Foreign  affairs  in  Great  Brit- 
tain,  addressed  to  the  President  of  the  Hudson's  Bay 
company,  which  he  stated  to  me  he  had  obtained 
from  Mr.  Buchanan  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  it 
to  me.  Mr.  Hannegan  is  chairman  of  the  committee 
of  Foreign  affairs  of  the  Senate,  and  Mr.  Buchanan 
stated  that  at  his  request  he  had  let  him  have  the 
paper  to  bring  to  me.  I  read  the  paper  to  the  Cab- 
inet &  stated  to  them  as  I  had  done  to  Mr.  Hanne- 
gan and  Mr.  Breese,  that  I  was  unwilling  to  make 
such  a  nego[tia]tion  without  more  knowledge  of 
what  we  were  purchasing  &  of  its  value.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan said  he  would  not  do  so  unless  the  Senate 
previously  advised  it.  I  replied  that  I  would  not 
do  so  if  they  did  advise  it,  without  more  knowledge 


302  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [20  Jan. 

of  what  we  were  purchasing  than  we  possessed.  The 
same  proposition  was  brought  before  me,  and  a  Res- 
olution on  the  subject  introduced  in  the  Senate  in 
Executive  session  at  the  last  session  of  Congress. 
At  that  time  the  proposition  was  that  the  U.  S.  should 
pay  a  round  sum  of  a  million  of  dollars  to  extinguish 
all  the  rights  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  company  in  Ore- 
gon. I  refused  to  do  so,  as  I  will  now  refuse,  as  I 
told  Mr.  Hannegan  and  Mr.  Breese,  and  now  re- 
peated to  the  Cabinet.  I  stated  that  I  suspected  it 
was  a  project  of  speculators  who  hung  about  the  lob- 
bies of  Congress  at  the  last  and  present  Session  of 
Congress,  and  whose  only  object  was  to  make  a  hand- 
some sum  for  themselves  as  the  agents  of  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  company.  A  man  named  George  Saun- 
ders of  Ky.,  I  understood  at  the  last  session,  was  in 
Washington  on  this  business,  &  represented  himself 
to  be  the  agent  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  company.  The 
same  individual,  I  understand,  is  again  in  Washing- 
ton on  the  same  business.  From  what  I  have  heard 
of  him  he  is  unscrupulous  and  unprincipled.  By  his 
importunity,  by  with-holding  from  them  his  real  ob- 
ject, probably  some  Senators  have  been  induced  to 
move  in  the  matter. 

After  night  I  sent  for  Senator  Douglass  &  held  a 
long  conversation  with  him  in  relation  to  his  Bill  to 
admit  California  into  the  Union  as  a  state,  &  the 
prospect  of  passing  it.  I  told  him  confidentially  that 
I  and  every  member  of  my  Cabinet  were  in  favour 
of  his  Bill,  as  the  only  thing  that  could  probably  be 
done  at  the  present  session  so  as  to  provide  a  Govern- 
ment for  California,  &  thus  secure  that  valuable 


i849]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARY  303 

country  to  the  Union  &  put  an  end  to  the  slavery 
excitement.  He  expressed  himself  as  much  grati- 
fied, and  thought  there  was  a  fair  prospect  for  pass- 
ing the  Bill. 

Sunday,  21st  January,  l84g, —  Mrs.  Polk  &  Miss 
Rucker  attended  the  First  Presbyterian  church  to- 
day. I  was  somewhat  indisposed  &  did  not  go  out. 
Senator  Turney  &  Mr.  Thomas  of  Tenn.  took  a 
family  dinner  with  me  to-day.  I  urged  them  to  sup- 
port the  Bill  of  Senator  Douglass  of  111.  to  admit 
California  into  the  Union  as  a  state,  as  the  only 
means  of  saving  the  country  to  the  Union  &  allaying 
the  slavery  excitement.  Mr.  Thomas  will  support 
the  Bill.  Mr.  Turney  had  some  objections  to  its  de- 
tails, but  I  think  he  will  yield  them.  I  expressed  my 
apprehensions  that  the  proceedings  of  the  Southern 
members  of  Congress  in  caucus  on  the  slavery  ques- 
tion might  interfere  with  &  possibly  defeat  the  pas- 
sage of  the  Bill,  and  advised  them  to  act  in  Congress 
instead  of  in  caucus.  I  gave  them  my  views  fully, 
as  they  have  already  been  recorded  in  this  Diary,  in 
relation  to  the  proceedings  of  the  Southern  members 
of  Congress  (see  this  diary  for  the  last  two  or  three 
weeks)  and  the  importance  of  providing  Govern- 
ments for  California  &  New  Mexico  at  the  present 
session  of  Congress. 

Monday,  ^2w J  January,  184Q, —  An  unusually 
large  number  of  persons  called  this  morning,  most 
of  them  seeking  office.  Among  them  were  several 
members  of  Congress,  upon  whom  I  urged  the  great 


304  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [22  Jan. 

necessity  of  admitting  California  into  the  Union  as 
a  State,  as  proposed  in  the  Bill  brought  into  the  Sen- 
ate by  Senator  Douglass.  At  different  periods  of 
the  day,  the  attorney  General,  the  Secretary  of  State, 
and  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  called  on  business. 
Some  subordinate  officers  also  called  on  business.  I 
was  busy  in  my  office  throughout  the  day,  though 
nothing  worthy  of  special  notice  occurred. 

After  night  the  Hon.  Rob't  M.  McLane  of  [the] 
Ho.  Repts.  called  and  informed  me  the  Southern 
members  of  Congress  were  to  have  another  meeting 
on  the  slavery  question  to-night,  and  that  as  he  had 
resolved  to  sign  no  address  to  the  people  under  ex- 
isting circumstances  he  doubted  whether  he  ought  to 
attend,  and  he  asked  my  advice.  I  told  him  that  I 
feared  mischief  instead  of  good  would  grow  out  of 
the  proceedings,  but  that  as  he  had  attended  the 
previous  meetings  it  might  be  well  for  him  to  attend 
that  to  be  held  to-night,  for  the  purpose  of  preventing 
mischief.  I  advised  him  if  he  did  attend  to  use  his 
influence  to  have  any  definite  action  postponed, 
either  indefinitely  or  at  all  events  until  near  the  close 
of  the  session  of  Congress,  for  that  by  that  time  I 
hoped  Governments  might  be  organized  for  Cali- 
fornia &  New  Mexico,  and  in  that  event  the  slavery 
agitation  would  cease  and  there  would  be  no  neces- 
sity or  pretext  for  the  Southern  members  of  Congress 
as  such  to  take  any  step  on  the  subject.  I  told  him 
that  I  feared  that  the  proceedings  of  the  Southern 
caucus  might  produce  such  excitement  as  to  prevent 
the  admission  of  California  into  the  Union  as  a 
State  or  any  other  settlement  of  the  slavery  question, 


i849]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARY  305 

and  that  I  approved  his  determination  not  to  sign 
any  address.  I  told  him  that  the  immediate  cause  of 
the  first  meeting  of  the  Southern  members  was  the 
passage  by  the  Ho.  Repts.  of  an  obnoxious  Resolu- 
tion which  they  regarded  as  invading  Southern 
institutions  and  Southern  rights,  but  that  since 
that  time  the  House  had  reconsidered  their  vote 
on  the  Resolution  &  had  thereby  receded,  &  that 
since  that  time  there  was  a  fair  prospect  of  settling 
the  slavery  question  in  the  Territories  acquired  by  the 
Mexican  Treaty,  if  the  Southern  members  [would 
give]  their  support  to  admit  California  as  a  state,  as 
I  thought  they  ought  to  do,  and  that  for  these  reasons 
I  thought  no  further  proceedings  ought  to  be  had 
in  caucus,  but  that  action  should  rather  be  had  in 
Congress. 

Tuesday,  23rd  Januciry,  l84g, —  A  number  of 
persons  called  this  morning.  The  Cabinet  met  at 
the  usual  hour;  all  the  members  present.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan stated  that  Mr.  Eames,  recently  appointed 
Commissioner  to  the  Sandwich  Islands,  desired  to 
draw  an  advance  of  half  a  year's  salary,  viz.,  one 
quarter's  salary  now  (to-day)  and  one  quarter's  sal- 
ary when  he  was  ready  to  sail,  &  Mr.  Buchanan  rec- 
ommended that  he  be  allowed  to  do  so.  Mr.  Bu- 
chanan read  two  opinions  of  the  Attorney  General, 
the  one  by  Mr.  Wert  ^  in  Mr.  Monroe's  administra- 
tion &  the  other  by  Mr.  Berrien  in  Gen'l  Jackson's 
administration,  to  show  that  the  President  had  the 
legal  authority  to  make  the  advance.     These  opin- 

^  William  Wirt. 


3o6  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [24  Jan. 

ions  settled  the  law  of  the  case,  though  I  think  they 
were  wrong  originally.  I  decided  that  Mr.  Eames 
might  be  allowed  to  draw  four  months  of  his  salary 
when  he  was  ready  to  sail  on  his  mission,  but  declined 
to  allow  him  to  do  so  now.  No  formal  question  was 
taken  in  the  Cabinet  on  the  question.  Mr.  Toucey 
and  Mr.  Mason  expressed  themselves  in  conversation 
in  favour  of  allowing  him  an  advance  of  salary.  The 
other  members  of  the  Cabinet  expressed  no  opinion. 
Mr.  Buchanan  then  read  preliminary  instructions 
which  he  had  prepared  to  Mr.  Weller,  the  commis- 
sioner appointed  to  run  the  boundary  line  between 
the  U.  S.  and  Mexico.  Several  questions  of  detail 
were  submitted  &  discussed  &  the  instructions  finally 
agreed  on.  Some  other  matters  of  minor  impor- 
tance were  considered.  The  Cabinet  adjourned 
about  3  O'clock  P.  M.  I  disposed  of  business  on 
my  table  as  usual  in  the  afternoon.  I  learn  that  the 
Southern  members  of  Congress  met  in  caucus  on  the 
slavery  question  last  night  &  that  they  were  nearly 
equally  divided  between  the  draft  of  an  address  pre- 
pared by  Mr.  Calhoun  of  S.  C.  &  [one  by]  Mr. 
Berrien  of  Georgia,  &  that  by  a  majority  of  them 
Mr.  Calhoun's  draft  was  adopted.  I  learn  also  that 
not  more  than  half  the  members  who  were  present 
will  sign  the  address,  and  I  fear  great  mischief  & 
an  increased  excitement  on  the  slavery  question  will 
be  the  result  of  their  proceedings. 

Wednesday,  24th  January,  l84g, —  This  morn- 
ing an  unusual  number  of  persons  called,  and  I  was 
literally  besieged  by  them   for  offices,   from  high 


i849]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARY  307 

places  down  to  clerkships  &  messengers'  places.  The 
impression  seems  to  prevail  among  certain  classes 
that  Gen'l  Taylor  will  make  few  removals,  &  there  is 
therefore  a  general  rush  to  get  into  office  before  he 
succeeds  me.  I  gave  the  herd  who  beset  me  this  morn- 
ing but  little  comfort,  and  disposed  of  them  as  sum- 
marily as  it  was  possible  without  being  rude  in  my 
own  office.  In  the  course  of  the  morning  I  held  con- 
versations with  Senator  Cameron  of  Penn.  &  Mr. 
Bayley  of  Va.  &  Mr.  Ive[r]son  of  Geo.  of  the  Ho. 
Repts.,  and  urged  them  severally  by  all  the  argu- 
ments at  [my]  command  to  support  the  Bill  to  admit 
California  into  the  Union  as  a  state.  The  two  latter 
were  decidedly  favourable  to  the  measure,  while  Mr. 
Cameron  said  he  was  inclined  to  support  it,  but  that 
he  would  examine  the  subject  further.  In  the  course 
of  the  day  I  sent  for  the  Secretaries  of  State,  Treas- 
ury, &  War,  and  saw  each" of  them  on  business.  I 
disposed  of  business  on  my  table  as  usual. 

Thursday,  2^th  January,  i84g, —  Saw  company 
as  usual  this  morning.  A  number  of  persons,  mem- 
bers of  Congress  and  others,  called,  most  of  them  on 
the  old  business  which  annoys  me  so  much,  that  of 
seeking  offices  which  I  have  not  to  bestow  without 
turning  out  better  men  than  the  applicants.  At  12 
O'clock  the  Hon.  Elisha  Whittlesey  of  Ohio  and 
Mr.  Smith  (son  of  the  late  Harrison  Smith  of  this 
City)  called  in  pursuance  of  a  previous  arrange- 
ment; and  Mrs.  Polk  and  myself  accompanied  them 
in  my  carriage  to  see  the  foundation  of  the  Washing- 
ton Monument  and  the  progress  of  the  work.     At 


3o8  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARY  [25  Jan. 

the  monument  we  met  several  of  the  managers  of  the 
Washington  monument  society/  After  viewing  it 
we  drove  [to  see]  the  buildings  now  in  process  of 
erection  for  the  Smithsonian  Institute.  I  returned 
about  2  O'clock  P.  M.  Mr.  Whittlesey,  with  whom 
I  served  many  years  in  Congress  and  whom  I  have 
always  regarded  as  an  honest  man,  in  speaking  of  the 
importance  of  providing  Governments  over  the  ter- 
ritories recently  acquired  from  Mexico  expressed  the 
hope  that  California  might  be  admitted  as  a  State  at 
the  present  Session,  and  leave  it  to  the  people  to  de- 
cide for  themselves  whether  they  would  permit  slav- 
ery to  exist  or  not.  Mr.  Whittlesey  is  a  Whig,  and  I 
remarked  in  reply  that  I  was  glad  to  hear  such  a  sen- 
timent from  him.  This  lead  [led]  to  a  conversation 
in  which  I  gave  him  my  views  fully  on  the  subject, 
as  I  had  done  to  many  members  of  Congress  during 
the  present  Session  of  Congress  (see  them  recorded 
in  this  Diary).  Mr.  Whittlesey  said  he  fully  con- 
curred with  me  in  my  views,  and  that  he  had  felt  so 
deeply  interested  on  the  subject  that  he  had  called 
on  Senator  Clayton  of  Delaware  and  conversed  with 
him  last  evening.  He  informed  me  that  Senator 
Clayton  (who  is  a  Whig)  took  the  same  view  of  the 
subject  and  concurred  with  me  in  my  views.  I  told 
him  that  I  was  glad  to  hear  it,  because  I  regarded 

^  The  Washington  Monument  Society  was  organized  in  1841 
and  collected  $87,000.00  in  contributions  of  $1.00  each,  each  con- 
tributor being  enrolled  as  a  member  of  the  society.  The  corner 
stone  of  the  monument  was  laid  July  4,  1848,  and  construction 
proceeded  slowly  until  1855  when  it  stopped.  In  1876  Congress 
took  up  the  work  and  carried  it  to  completion  in  1885. 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  309 

the  subject  as  rising  above  mere  party  considerations, 
and  wished  it  settled,  I  cared  not  by  whose  votes. 
He  intimated  a  wish  that  I  would  see  Mr.  Clayton. 
I  replied  that  my  political  relations  with  Mr.  Clay- 
ton were  not  such  as  to  justify  me  in  inviting  him  to 
see  me;  but  that  if  he  chose  to  call  I  would  confer 
with  him  on  the  subject  with  pleasure.  I  expressed 
my  views  on  the  same  subject  to  Mr.  Rhett  of  S.  C. 
this  morning.  Mr.  Rhett  said  he  had  understood 
that  I  was  exerting  my  influence  to  prevent  the  South- 
ern members  from  signing  an  address  on  the  subject 
of  slavery,  as  a  part  of  them  had  resolved  to  do  in 
caucus.  I  gave  him  my  views  fully  on  the  whole 
subject  as  they  are  recorded  in  this  Diary.  I  ex- 
pressed to  him  the  apprehension  that  such  a  proceed- 
ing would  increase  the  excitement  and  prevent  a  set- 
tlement of  the  slavery  &  territorial  questions  at  the 
present  session  of  Congress.  He  thought  otherwise, 
&,  to  use  his  own  language,  he  said  the  meeting  of 
the  Southern  members  had  already  made  some  of 
the  Northern  members  begin  to  back.  He  said  he 
was  absent  from  the  City  when  the  first  meeting  had 
been  called  &  that  if  he  had  been  present  he  would 
have  advised  against  it,  but  that  as  it  had  been  called 
it  would  never  do  not  to  act,  by  making  an  address  to 
the  Southern  states.  I  told  him  I  differed  with  him 
in  opinion.  I  disposed  of  business  on  my  table  as 
usual  in  the  after  part  of  the  day.  After  night  Sen- 
ator Bright  of  Indiana  called  &  held  a  long  conversa- 
tion with  me.  I  was  happy  to  hear  from  him  that 
he  would  vote  to  admit  California  as  a  state  without 
the  restriction  of  the  Wilmot  Proviso.     About  9  O'- 


310  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [26  Jan. 

Clock  P.  M.  my  Private  Secretary  informed  me 
that  the  Hon.  James  H.  Thomas  of  Tennessee  had 
received  a  Telegraphic  Despatch  informing  him 
that  his  wife  was  dangerously  ill,  and  that  he  would 
leave  for  home  to-night. 

Friday,  26th  January,  l84g. —  I  spent  the  morn- 
ing as  usual  in  receiving  company.  Several  mem- 
bers of  Congress  and  many  other  persons  called.  I 
omitted  no  favourable  opportunity  which  occurred 
to  urge  upon  such  members  of  Congress  as  I  saw  the 
importance  of  passing  a  law  at  the  present  Session  of 
Congress  to  admit  California  into  the  Union  as  a 
State.  In  pursuance  of  a  previous  arrangement 
made  through  the  Secretary  of  State,  at  the  hour  of 
I  O'clock  P.  M.,  accompanied  by  the  Secretary  of 
State,  I  repaired  to  the  parlour  below  stairs  &  there 
received  &  recognized  the  Baron  Roenne,  the 
Envoy  Extraordinary  &  Minister  Plenipotentiary  of 
the  German  Empire.  He  was  the  first  Diplomatic 
Representative  accredited  from  the  Provisional  Cen- 
tral Power  of  Germany  to  the  U.  S.  The  Minister 
made  an  address  to  me  to  which  I  responded.  The 
Baron  Roenne  was  formerly  for  many  years  the  En- 
voy of  his  Majesty,  the  King  of  Prussia,  to  the  U.  S., 
&  I  remember  him,  having  made  his  acquaintance 
and  seen  him  during  the  period  I  was  a  Represent- 
ative in  Congress.  Shortly  after  I  returned  from  the 
parlour  to  my  office  the  Hon.  Mr.  Tallmadge  of  the 
Ho.  Repts.  from  the  City  of  New  York,  accom- 
panied by  a  dozen  or  more  of  the  members  of  the 
City  Council  of  New  York,  called.     I  received  them 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLKAS    DIARY  311 

in  my  office.  What  the  object  of  the  visit  of  so 
many  members  of  the  City  Council  of  N.  Y.  to 
Washington  in  a  body  may  be  I  do  not  know.  In 
the  course  of  the  day  the  Secretary  of  State  and  the 
Secretary  of  War  called  on  business.  I  disposed  of 
business  on  my  table  as  usual.  After  night  the  Hon. 
Elisha  Whittlesey  of  Ohio  called  to  see  me  again  in 
relation  to  the  conversation  he  held  with  me  on  yes- 
terday, on  the  subject  of  admitting  California  into 
the  Union  as  a  State  (see  this  Diary  of  yesterday). 
He  informed  me  that  he  had  seen  and  conversed 
with  Senator  Clayton  of  Delaware  on  the  subject  and 
that  he  was  very  anxious  to  pass  such  a  Bill.  He  in- 
formed me  that  Senator  Clayton  was  desirous  to  call 
and  confer  with  me  on  the  subject  if  I  would  desig- 
nate a  time  when  I  could  see  him.  I  replied  that  I 
would  see  Mr.  Clayton  at  any  time  he  might  call, 
but  suggested  that  I  would  be  more  likely  to  be  at 
leisure  in  the  evening  than  during  the  earlier  part  of 
the  day. 

Saturday,  27th  January,  184Q, —  A  number  of 
persons,  members  of  Congress  and  others,  called  this 
morning.  Among  them  was  Senator  Sturgeon  of 
Pennsylvania,  with  whom  I  held  a  conversation  on 
the  importance  of  admitting  California  into  the 
Union  as  a  State.  I  expressed  to  him  the  same  views 
which  [I]  have  communicated  to  others  within  the 
last  few  days  (see  this  Diary).  The  Cabinet  as- 
sembled at  the  usual  hour;  all  the  members  present 
except  the  Secretary  of  State,  who  was  detained  at 
his  house  by  indisposition.     No  subject  of  general 


312  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [28  Jan. 

importance  was  considered.  Several  matters  of  de- 
tail were  disposed  of.  I  attended  to  business  on  my 
table  after  the  Cabinet  adjourned. 

Sunday,  28th  January,  l84g. —  I  attended  Divine 
Service  at  the  First  Presbyterian  church  to-day. 
Mrs.  Polk  and  our  two  nieces,  Miss  Hays  and  Miss 
Rucker,  accompanied  us. 

It  is  four  years  ago  this  day  since  I  left  my  resi- 
dence at  Columbia,  Tennessee,  for  Washington.  I 
arrived  in  Washington  on  the  13th  of  February  fol- 
lowing. 

Monday,  2gth  January,  184Q, —  This  was  an  ex- 
ceedingly busy  day  with  me.  My  office  was  thronged 
with  visitors  from  the  time  I  entered  it  until  near  i 
O'clock.  A  few  of  them  called  to  pay  their  re- 
spects, but  most  of  them  were  seeking  offices  for 
themselves  or  their  friends.  I  sent  messages  to  each 
House  of  Congress  to-day  in  answer  to  Resolutions 
calling  for  information.  The  message  ^  to  the  House 
contained  a  detailed  Statement  of  the  amt.  of  mil- 
itary contributions  collected  and  disbursed  in  Mex- 
ico. The  Secretaries  of  State,  War,  and  Navy  called 
in  the  course  of  the  day  on  business.  I  disposed  of 
business  on  my  table  as  usual.  I  learn  to-night  that 
the  select  committee  of  the  Senate  reported  a  Bill  to- 
day providing  for  the  admission  of  California  and 
New  Mexico  into  the  Union  as  two  States.  Senator 
Douglass  called  and  informed  me  that  5  out  of  the 
7  members  of  the  committee,   two  from  the  non- 

^  Richardson,  Messages  and  Papers  of  the  Presidents,  IV,  678. 


i849]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  313 

Slave-holding  and  three  from  the  Slave-holding 
States,  concurred  in  the  Bill.  Mr.  Douglass  [said] 
it  was  favourably  received  by  the  Senate,  and  has 
strong  hope  that  it  may  pass.  I  am  myself  anxious, 
from  what  I  learn  of  its  provisions,  that  it  may  pass. 
Mr.  Elisha  Whittlesey  of  Ohio  called  shortly  after 
Mr.  Douglass  retired  (see  this  Diary  of  the  25th 
&  26th  Instant)  and  informed  me  that  Senator  Clay- 
ton of  Delaware  would  call  to  see  me  to-morrow 
evening.  At  a  still  later  hour  the  Hon.  James 
Bouldin  ^  of  Va.,  with  whom  I  served  several  years 
in  Congress,  called.  He  is  a  sound  Republican.  I 
had  not  met  him  since  I  seperated  with  [from]  him 
in  Congress,  &  was  glad  to  see  him. 

Tuesday,  30th  January,  184Q. —  A  number  of 
persons,  members  of  Congress  and  others,  called  this 
morning.  The  Cabinet  met  at" the  usual  hour;  all 
the  members  present  except  the  Atto.  Gen'l,  who  was 
engaged  officially  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  U. 
States.  Several  matters  of  minor  importance  were 
considered  and  disposed  of.  The  Secretary  of  War 
read  a  letter  which  he  had  received  from  Gen'l  Persi- 
fer  F.  Smith,  U.  S.  army,  dated  at  Panama  on  the 
7th  Instant.  Gen'l  Smith  was  waiting  at  that  point 
for  a  passage  to  California  and  Oregon  to  assume  the 
command  of  the  army  in  these  territories.  Among 
other  things  he  gives  a  description  of  the  bad  con- 
dition of  the  road  across  the  Istmus  &  the  difficulty 
of  obtaining  transportation.  Some  of  the  Cabinet 
engaged  in  a  conversation,  in  which  Mr.  Buchanan 

^  James  W.  Bouldin,  Representative  from  Virginia  1833-1839. 


314  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [30  Jan. 

led,  about  the  practicability  of  making  a  road  across 
the  Istmus  or  at  some  other  point,  and  seemed  to 
treat  the  subject  as  though  it  was  within  the  consti- 
tutional competency  of  the  Government  of  the  U.  S. 
to  apply  the  public  money  in  the  form  of  a  contract 
with  a  company  to  make  the  road.  I  listened  to  the 
conversation  for  some  time,  when  I  arrested  it  by 
expressing  a  decided  opinion  that  no  such  power  ex- 
isted. And  in  relation  to  the  Bill  ^  now  before 
Congress,  which  proposed  to  pay  to  Aspinwall,  Steph- 
ens, and  others  $250,000  per  annum  for  20  years, 
to  enable  them  to  construct  a  road  &  for  transport- 
ing the  mails  &  public  property  across  the  Istmus,  I 
informed  the  Cabinet  that  if  it  passed  I  should  veto  it. 
I  consider  that  the  Government  possesses  no  consti- 
tutional power  to  apply  the  public  money  either 
within  or  without  the  U.  S.  for  any  such  purpose. 
I  stated  that  I  considered  the  proposition  of  that 
Bill  as  but  little  better  than  a  proposition  to  plunder 
the  Treasury,  &  that  it  should  never  pass  with  my 
approval.  I  then  stated  that  this  bill  was  but  one 
of  many  measures  proposing  enormous  expenditures 
of  public  money,  which  I  understood  was  pressed  on 
Congress  by  a  lobby  influence,  consisting  of  leading 
men  out  of  Congress  whose  special  business  it  was  to 
induce  members  of  Congress  to  vote  for  and  support 
them.  It  is  said  that  there  are  persons  now  in  Wash- 
ington, ex-members  of  Congress  and  others,  who 
make  this  their  special  business.  Some  member  of 
the  Cabinet  intimated,  indeed  expressed,  the  con- 
viction that  some  members  of  Congress  were  feed 

^  Globe,  30  Cong.  2  Sess.  382. 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  315 

attornies  to  get  some  of  these  large  claims  through 
Congress.  It  is  hoped  for  the  honour  of  the  country 
that  this  may  not  be  so.  Such  a  thing  as  an  organ- 
ized lobby  influence,  such  as  there  is  every  reason  to 
believe  now  exists,  was  wholly  unknown  while  I  was 
in  Congress.  The  Cabinet  adjourned  between  2  and 
3  O'clock,  and  shortly  afterwards  the  atto.  Gen'l 
came  in.  He  informed  me  that  he  had  just  finished 
the  argument  of  a  cause  in  the  Supreme  Court  of 
the  U.  S. 

I  disposed  of  business  on  my  table  as  usual  after 
the  Cabinet  adjourned. 

This  being  the  regular  evening  for  receiving  com- 
pany, the  parlour  was  filled  with  visitors,  ladies  and 
gentlemen,  members  of  Congress,  citizens,  and 
strangers. 

Wednesday,  31st  January,  184Q. —  A  large  num- 
ber of  persons  called  this  morning.  Among  them 
were  several  strangers  who  wished  to  pay  their  re- 
spects, but  the  large  majority  were  on  the  business  of 
seeking  office.  The  passion  for  office  remains  un- 
abated. The  importunities  for  office  which  I  have 
to  endure  daily  is  [are]  exceedingly  annoying  to  me. 
I  was  heartily  glad  when  the  hour  for  closing  my 
office  arrived  to-day.  I  attended  to  much  business 
on  my  table.  The  Secretary  of  State  called  on  busi- 
ness. Nothing  of  special  interest  occurred  during 
the  day.  After  night  Senators  Atchison  and  Cam- 
eron called  &  urged  me  to  appoint  Senator  Hanne- 
gan  of  Indiana  an  Envoy  abroad.  I  had  no  such 
place  to  fill.     Senator  Hannegan  has  been  defeated 


3i6  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i  Feb. 

in  his  election  to  the  Senate  &  is  said  to  be  very- 
poor.  These  were  the  reasons  assigned  in  his 
behalf. 

Thursday,  Ist  February,  l84g, —  I  saw  company 
as  usual  this  morning.  Among  others  I  saw  the 
Hon.  Mr.  Venable  of  N.  C,  and  after  he  retired 
Senator  Johnson  of  Georgia,  to  each  of  whom  I  as- 
signed my  reasons  for  desiring  to  see  the  Bill  in- 
troduced into  the  Senate  to  admit  California  &  New 
Mexico  as  two  States  into  the  Union.  This  Bill  I 
consider  the  only  practicable  means  of  providing 
Governments  for  these  Territories  at  the  present  ses- 
sion of  Congress,  and  of  thereby  allaying  the  geo- 
graphical excitement  on  the  subject  of  slavery.  I 
had  invited  these  two  gentlemen  to  call  because  I  had 
been  informed  they  were  among  the  most  impracti- 
cable of  the  Democratic  members  of  Congress  from 
the  South.  I  have  ascertained  that  a  number  of 
Northern  Democrats  will  vote  against  attaching  the 
Wilmot  Proviso  to  a  Bill  to  provide  for  admitting 
[them]  as  States,  who  would  feel  constrained  by 
public  sentiment  among  their  constituents  to  vote 
for  it  as  a  condition  on  any  Bill  to  establish  a  Terri- 
torial Government.  Neither  of  the  gentlemen  gave 
a  decided  opinion  as  to  their  votes,  but  both  after 
hearing  my  reasons  promised  me  to  examine  the  sub- 
ject more  fully  than  they  had  done. 

The  Secretary  of  State  &  the  Secretary  of  War 
called  at  different  periods  of  the  day  &  transacted 
business  with  me.  I  disposed  of  business  on  my 
table  as  usual. 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  317 

Friday,  2nd  February,  l84g. —  Saw  company  as 
usual  this  morning.  Many  persons,  members  of 
Congress  and  others,  called.  At  12  O'Clock  the 
Secretary  of  War  &  the  commissioner  of  Indian 
Affairs,  in  pursuance  of  a  previous  arrangement, 
called  and  presented  a  Delegation  from  the  Menom- 
onee  Tribe  of  Indians.  There  were  14  of  them  of 
whom  2  were  young  females.  Three  of  them  made 
speeches  setting  forth  their  grievances  and  the  object 
of  their  visit.  A  half-breed  Indian  who  accom- 
panied them  interpreted  what  they  said.  Their 
speeches  occupied  about  an  hour  &  a  half.  They 
had  previously  presented  to  the  Secretary  of  War 
a  statement  in  writing  of  their  grievances  &  wishes. 
They  handed  to  me  a  pipe  with  a  long  stem  curiously 
wrought  &  with  a  long  strand  of  beads.  They  pro- 
fessed great  friendship  for  thein  *'  Great  Father." 
I  responded  to  them  through  their  Interpreter,  and 
informed  them  that  I  would  examine  the  paper  they 
had  given  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  that  the  Sec- 
retary would  let  them  know  in  a  day  or  two  what 
could  be  done  for  them.  A  number  of  persons  came 
into  my  ofRce  during  the  interview,  and  among 
others  the  Hon.  Ely  Moon  of  the  City  of  N.  York. 
After  they  retired  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  called 
on  business.  I  addressed  a  letter  to-day  to  the  Gov- 
ernor of  N.  Carolina  and  transmitted  to  him  a  bound 
volume  of  manuscript  copies  of  Documents  found 
in  the  Brittish  archives,  illustrative  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary history  of  N.  C,  which  had  been  sent  to  me 
by  Mr.  Bancroft  (see  my  letter  Book).  I  disposed 
of  business  on  my  table  as  usual  to-day. 


3i8  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  Feb. 

Saturday,  3rd  February,  i84g, —  Saw  company 
as  usual  this  morning.  Among  those  who  called 
were  the  usual  proportion  of  office-seekers.  The 
Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour;  all  the  members  pres- 
ent. Mr.  Buchanan  presented  a  difficulty  which  had 
arisen,  and  which  he  had  before  brought  to  my  no- 
tice. It  was  to  what  Power  of  Government  Mr. 
Cass,  lately  appointed  charge  d'afifaires  to  the  Papal 
States,  should  be  accredited.  A  Revolution  ^  has 
broken  out  at  Rome  and  Pope  Pius  IX.  has  fled 
from  that  Capitol,  &  when  last  heard  of  was  at  Goeta 
in  the  Dominions  of  the  King  of  the  Two  Cicilies. 
On  the  other  hand  the  Revolutionary  Government 
which  has  succeeded  him  at  Rome  has  not  been  so 
firmly  established  as  to  justify  its  recognition.  If, 
therefore,  Mr.  Cass  be  accredited  to  the  Pope,  he 
will  be  accredited  to  a  sovereign  who  has  fled  from 
his  temporal  Dominions;  and  if  to  the  Revolution- 
ary Government,  there  is  no  sufficient  evidence  that 
it  has  stability  or  can  maintain  itself.  Mr.  Buch- 
anan proposed  to  send  Mr.  Cass  to  Rome  without 
accrediting  him  to  either,  with  instructions  to  Report 
to  his  Government  the  exact  condition  of  things  on 

^  Pope  Pius  IX  sympathized  In  the  beginning  with  the  liberal 
Italian  movement  of  the  year  1848.  When  it  became  evident, 
however,  that  the  result  of  the  movement  would  be  to  involve 
the  Italians  in  a  war  with  Austria,  the  Pope  took  counsel  of  his 
interests  as  the  head  of  Catholicism  and  withdrew  from  it.  The 
consequence  of  this  withdrawal  was  the  revolution  referred  to, 
in  his  own  temporal  dominion  (the  States  of  the  Church).  The 
Pope  fled  to  the  King  of  Naples  for  refuge  on  November  24,  1848, 
whereupon  the  Revolutionists,  under  the  lead  of  Mazzini,  pro- 
claimed the  establishment  of  a  republic. 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  319 

his  arrival  there,  and  that  his  credentials  could  be 
sent  to  him  on  receiving  this  information.  After 
some  discussion  the  Cabinet  concurred  in  this  view, 
and  Mr.  Buchanan's  proposition  v^as  adopted  ac- 
cordingly. Mr.  Buchanan  read  a  despatch  of  the 
1 2th  of  January  last  from  Mr.  Bancroft  in  w^hich 
among  other  things  Mr.  Bancroft  assigns  the  rea- 
sons which  had  induced  him  not  to  execute  his  in- 
structions to  protest  against  the  order  of  the  Brittish 
Government  to  the  officers  of  the  Crown  in  Ireland 
to  arrest  American  citizens  found  there,  on  mere  sus- 
picion during  the  period  of  the  late  troubles  in  Ire- 
land. Mr.  Buchanan  expressed  the  opinion  that  the 
protest  of  this  Government  ought  still  to  be  made, 
to  guard  against  a  similar  exercise  of  despotic  power 
for  the  future.  He  thought  Mr.  Bancroft's  reasons 
were  not  sufficient.  I  intimated^  the  opinion  that 
the  protest  ought  to  be  made,  when  Mr.  Buchanan 
remarked  that  he  would  like  to  hear  the  opinions  of 
the  Cabinet.  I  then  took  their  opinions  individu- 
ally. Mr.  Marcy  at  first  doubted.  All  the  other 
members  of  the  Cabinet  concurred  with  Mr.  Buch- 
anan that  Mr.  Bancroft  should  be  again  instructed  to 
make  the  protest,  so  that  it  might  be  on  record  in 
both  Governments;  and  this  course  was  resolved  on. 
Some  other  matters  of  minor  importance  were  con- 
sidered and  disposed  of.  I  attended  to  business  on 
my  table  in  the  morning  as  usual. 

While  the  Cabinet  were  in  Session  my  Private 
Secretary  came  in  and  informed  me  that  some  of  the 
Whig  members  of  Congress  had  found  in  a  newspa- 
per a  Protocol  signed  by  Messrs.  Clifford  &  Sevier, 


320  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [4  Feb. 

Commissioners,  &C.,  in  relation  to  the  meaning  and 
construction  of  the  amendments  of  the  Senate  to  the 
Mexican  Treaty,  and  that  they  intended  to  call  for 
it  by  a  Resolution.  Mr.  Buchanan  immediately 
went  to  the  State  Dept.  &  brought  the  Protocol  &  in- 
structions, &C.,  on  the  subject  &  read  them  in  the 
Cabinet.  The  Whigs  may  make  the  call  if  they 
choose.  They  can  make  nothing  out  of  the  informa- 
tion when  they  get  it. 

Sunday,  4th  February,  184Q. —  I  attended  Di- 
vine worship  to-day  at  the  First  Presbyterian  church. 
Mrs.  Polk  and  our  two  nieces.  Miss  Rucker  and 
Miss  Hays,  accompanied  me.  I  spent  the  day 
quietly  in  my  chamber  until  about  sunset,  when 
a  servant  informed  me  that  the  P.  M.  Gen'l  and  two 
or  three  other  gentlemen  were  in  my  office.  On 
repairing  to  my  office  I  found  the  P.  M.  Gen'l,  Mr. 
Houston  of  Alabama,  Mr.  Boyd  of  Ky.,  and  Mr. 
McKay  of  N.  Carolina.  Mr.  Houston  said  they  had 
called  to  know  something  about  the  Protocol  be- 
tween our  Commissioners,  Messrs.  Sevier  and  Clif- 
ford, and  the  Mexican  minister,  in  relation  to  the 
interpretation  of  the  amendments  of  our  Senate,  to 
the  Mexican  Treaty  which  the  Whigs  had  found  in 
a  newspaper,  and  in  relation  to  which  they  had 
moved  a  Resolution  calling  for  information  in  the 
House  on  yesterday.  I  proceeded  in  a  strain  of 
familiar  conversation  with  them  to  give  the  explana- 
tions of  it,  telling  them  that  there  was  nothing  in  it 
and  that  the  Whigs  could  make  no  political  capital 
out  of  it.     Whilst  I  was  doing  this  Judge  Catron  of 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  321 

the  Supreme  Court  of  the  U.  S.  came  in.  I  pro- 
ceeded with  my  explanation  and  remarked  to  Mr. 
Houston  that  I  desired  the  Resolution  which  had 
been  offered  on  the  subject  by  Mr.  Stephens  of 
Georgia  to  pass,  but  that  I  wished  it  enlarged  in  its 
terms,  as  I  had  seen  it  published  in  the  Union  this 
morning,  so  as  to  embrace  a  call  for  all  the  corre- 
spondence and  for  the  instructions  to  our  commis- 
sioners, and  jocosely  and  in  a  pleasant  mood  re- 
marked to  him,  you  will,  of  course,  embrace  in  the 
call  the  usual  reservation  "  if  not  incompatable  with 
the  public  interests,"  for,  I  said,  you  know  if  the 
House  shall  make  an  absolute  call,  that  involves 
a  principle,  and  I  may  refuse  to  send  you  the  infor- 
mation you  ask,  when  you  command  it,  though  I 
would  voluntarily  do  it  the  next  day;  alluding  to 
my  refusal  at  the  last  session  of  Congress  to  respond 
to  an  unqualified  call  of  the  House" for  the  Instruc- 
tions to  Mr.  Slidell.  Mr.  Houston  remarked 
jocosely  that  he  had  an  unfinished  speech  on  the  sub- 
ject of  the  Resolution  last  year,  that  he  believed  he 
would  make  on  this  call.  The  conversation  was  in 
perfect  good  humour  and  very  pleasant;  when  Mr. 
McKay  in  a  grave  and  stern  and,  as  I  thought, 
an  offensive  manner,  spoke  and  said,  I  will  vote  for 
an  unqualified  call  on  you.  Sir;  and  rose  to  his  feet 
and  said  to  the  other  gentlemen,  come,  let  us  go.  I 
knew  he  was  a  man  of  peculiar  temperament  and 
manner,  and  said  to  him  in  a  pleasant  manner,  don't 
be  in  a  hurry.  General,  come  take  your  seat,  I  have 
not  done  my  explanation.  He  moved  out  of  my 
office,  and  as  he  left  it  said,  *^  I  have  heard  enough." 


322  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [5  Feb. 

I  was  vexed  and  remarked  to  Mr.  Houston  that  I 
considered  Gen'l  McKay's  conduct  very  rude,  and 
that,  unexplained,  I  would  never  speak  to  him  again, 
&  that  I  desired  him  to  tell  him  that  I  said  so.  Mr. 
Houston  said  it  was  only  his  manner  &  habit,  that  he 
treated  everybody  so.  I  replied  that  I  did  not  choose 
to  be  treated  so.  Judge  Catron  remarked  that  it  was 
very  rude  conduct  certainly.  The  P.  M.  Gen'l,  Mr. 
Houston,  and  Mr.  Boyd  left  &  I  retired  to  the  par- 
lour with  Judge  Catron. 

Monday,  ^th  February,  184Q. —  A  number  of 
persons  called  this  morning.  I  wrote  a  note  to  Mr. 
Houston  of  Al.  &  Mr.  Boyd  of  Ky.  requesting  them 
to  call  this  morning.  I  had  a  conversation  with 
them  seperately  about  the  strange  and  very  rude 
conduct  of  Gen'l  McKay  of  N.  C.  yesterday.  They 
both  agreed  it  was  rude  (see  this  Diary  of  yester- 
day). Mr.  Houston  said  he  had  seen  Gen'l  McKay 
last  night  &  told  him  it  was  so,  and  that  he  ought 
to  be  ashamed  of  it,  and  that  Mr.  McKay  had  as- 
sured him  he  did  not  mean  to  be  rude,  that  he  was 
in  a  good  humour,  &  that  he  thought  my  explanation 
about  the  Mexican  Protocol  was  satisfactory.  I 
wrote  a  note  to  Senator  Turney  of  Tennessee,  who 
called  &  I  explained  to  him  the  facts  in  relation  to 
the  protocol,  as  I  did  to  Senator  Breese  and  several 
other  members  of  Congress  who  happened  to  call, 
and  requested  all  of  them  to  suffer  any  Resolutions 
calling  for  information  on  the  subject  which  the 
Whigs  might  oflfer  in  either  House  to  pass,  as  the 
information  when  communicated  would  be  entirely 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  323 

satisfactory  and  they  could  make  nothing  prejudicial 
to  the  administration  out  of  it.  After  12  O'Clock 
in  anticipation  that  a  call  would  be  made  I  reduced 
to  writing  a  part  of  an  answer  which,  in  that  event, 
I  would  give  in  a  message.  In  the  evening  my 
Private  Secretary  informed  me  that  such  a  Resolu- 
tion had  passed  the  House,  &  that  it  had  given  rise 
to  a  violent  party  debate.  Mr.  Buchanan  called  and 
saw  me  on  the  subject  in  the  course  of  the  day.  I 
disposed  of  business  on  my  table  as  usual  to-day. 

Tuesday,  6th  February,  184Q, —  Saw  company  as 
usual  this  morning.  About  10  O'Clock  Mr.  Camp- 
bell, the  clerk  of  the  Ho.  Repts.,  called  and  delivered 
to  me  the  Resolutions  passed  by  the  Ho.  Repts.  on 
yesterday,  calling  for  information  in  relation  to  the 
Protocol  signed  by  Messrs.  Sevier  ^  Clifford  with 
the  Mexican  Minister  for  Foreign  affairs  in  rela- 
tion to  their  understanding  of  the  intent  and  mean- 
ing of  certain  articles  of  the  Treaty  of  peace  with 
Mexico.  (See  this  Diary  for  the  last  three  days.) 
The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour.  I  laid  before 
them  the  Resolution  of  enquiry  which  I  had  received 
from  the  House,  and  it  was  the  subject  of  full  con- 
versation. I  read  the  paragraphs  which  I  had  writ- 
ten on  yesterday.  Mr.  Mason  at  my  table  wrote  a 
paragraph  in  pencil.  Mr.  Buchanan  stepped  into 
the  adjoining  room  &  made  some  notes  of  the  points 
which  in  conversation  it  had  been  agreed  should  be 
discussed  in  the  message.  I  requested  Mr.  Buch- 
anan to  compare  the  Protocol  with  the  original  and 
the  amended  articles  of  the  Treaty  and  prepare  that 


324  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  •   [7  Feb. 

part  of  the  message  which  will  show  that  the  Pro- 
tocol is  not  inconsistent  with  the  amended  Treaty, 
but  that  the  construction  it  places  on  the  amended 
articles  is  the  true  construction.  The  atto.  Gen'l, 
Mr.  Toucy,  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  this  is 
true.  The  main  body  of  the  message  I  will  write 
myself.  The  Cabinet  adjourned  about  3  O'Clock, 
no  other  subject  of  interest  having  been  considered. 
After  night  Mr.  Mason  called  at  my  request,  and 
with  his  assistance  I  proceeded  to  prepare  my  mes- 
sage. I  was  suffering  from  cold  &  was  not  well. 
Mr.  Mason  did  the  writing,  while  I  lay  on  the  sofa 
and  conferred  with  him  as  he  proceeded.  It  was 
near  12  O'Clock  at  night  before  he  retired. 

Wednesday,  7th  February,  l84g. —  I  gave  orders 
to  my  porter  to  admit  no  visitors  to-day.  Mr. 
Mason  called  about  10  O'Clock  &  proceeded  with 
me  in  the  further  preparation  of  my  message,  he 
doing  the  writing  (see  this  Diary  of  yesterday). 
Mr.  Buchanan  called  and  handed  to  me  the  part  of 
the  message  which  he  had  agreed  on  yesterday  to 
prepare.  About  i  O'Clock  Mr.  Walker  and  Mr. 
Marcy,  as  I  had  previously  requested  them  to  do, 
called.  Having  with  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Mason 
finished  the  main  body  of  the  paper  and  made  some 
slight  modifications  of  the  passages  prepared  by  Mr. 
Buchanan,  the  whole  was  read  over  in  presence  of 
the  four  Secretaries,  Messrs.  Buchanan,  Walker, 
Marcy,  &  Mason.  It  was  modified  in  some  imma- 
terial respects,  and  was  approved  by  them.  About 
3  O'clock  P.  M.  my  Private  Secretary  took  [it]  to 


i849]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  32s 

have  a  fair  copy  of  it  made.  He  was  assisted  by  two 
confidential  clerks  (Williams  and  Loving).  Mr. 
Ritchie,  desiring  to  have  a  copy  of  it  for  publica- 
tion, sent  his  assistant  editor  (Mr.  Overton)  to  make 
a  copy.  He  occupied  the  room  with  my  Private 
Secretary  and  clerks.  Late  in  the  afternoon  Mr. 
Buchanan  called  and  brought  with  him  a  translated 
copy  of  the  Mexican  ratification  of  the  Treaty, 
which  I  deemed  important.  At  my  request  he  pre- 
pared a  paragraph  embodying  it,  which  with  a 
slight  modification  I  determined  to  make  a  part  of 
the  message.  About  dark  Senator  Rusk  of  Texas 
called  at  my  request,  and  I  read  to  him  parts  of  the 
message  &  explained  the  whole  subject  to  him.  He 
was  not  only  satisfied,  but  thought  the  message  was 
not  only  conclusive  but  overwhelming.  I  remained 
in  my  office,  occasionally  passing  into  the  room 
where  the  clerks  were  making  the  copy  &  modifying 
and  revising  parts  of  it,  until  after  8  O'Clock  P.  M., 
when  I  repaired  to  the  parlour,  leaving  the  clerks 
at  work.  General  notice  had  been  given  in  the  City 
papers  that  the  President's  mansion  would  be  open 
for  the  reception  of  visitors  this  evening.  All  the 
parlours  including  the  East  Room  were  lighted  up. 
The  Marine  band  of  musicians  occupied  the  outer 
Hall.  Many  hundreds  of  persons,  ladies  &  gentle- 
men, attended.  It  was  what  would  be  called  in  the 
Society  of  Washington  a  very  fashionable  levee. 
Foreign  Ministers,  their  families  &  suites,  Judges, 
members  of  both  Houses  of  Congress,  and  many 
citizens  and  strangers  were  of  the  company  present. 
I  stood  and  shook  hands  with  them  for  over  three 


2,26  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [8  Feb. 

* 

hours.  Towards  the  close  of  the  evening  I  passed 
through  the  crowded  rooms  with  the  venerable  Mrs. 
Madison  on  my  arm.  It  was  near  12  O'Clock  when 
the  company  retired.  I  was  much  fatigued  with  my 
labours  in  my  office  during  the  day,  and  in  the  par- 
lour during  the  evening.  I  omitted  to  state  in  yes- 
terday's Diary  that  the  Senate  passed  a  Resolution, 
which  I  received  late  in  the  evening,  making  a  simi- 
lar call  to  that  of  the  House  for  information  in  re- 
lation to  the  Protocol  connected  with  the  Mexican 
Treaty.  The  Whigs  seem  to  be  resolved  to  make 
some  party  capital  out  of  it  if  possible.  I  am  greatly 
mistaken  if,  when  they  receive  my  answer,  they  are 
not  disappointed. 

Thursday,  8th  February,  184Q. —  I  rose  early, 
as  is  usual  with  me,  this  morning,  and  being  very 
desirous  to  send  my  message  ^  in  relation  to  the  Mex- 
ican Treaty  to  the  Ho.  Repts.  to-day,  in  answer  to 
their  Resolutions,  I  omitted  my  usual  morning  walk 
&  went  to  my  office.  The  Clerks  had  finished  mak- 
ing the  copy.  I  read,  revised,  and  corrected  it, 
making  some  slight  modifications  in  it,  before  break- 
fast. Messrs.  Meade  and  Bayley  of  Va.,  Mr.  Chase 
of  Tennessee,  Mr.  Kaufman  of  Texas,  Mr.  Johnson 
of  Arkansas,  and  Mr.  Rhett  of  S.  C,  all  of  the  Ho. 
Repts.,  called,  all  of  them  at  my  request,  except  Mr. 
Rhett,  and  I  read  to  them  my  message  to  the  House 
and  explained  the   facts  &  principles   involved   to 

^  Richardson,  Messages  and  Papers  of  the  Presidents,  IV,  679- 
687.  For  both  message  and  accompanying  documents,  see  H.  Ex, 
Doc.  50,  30  Cong.  2  Sess.  V. 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  327 

them.  They  were  not  all  present  at  the  same  time. 
They  expressed  a  united  opinion  that  the  expose  was 
satisfactory  and  conclusive.  I  deemed  it  proper  that 
a  few  of  my  political  friends  in  the  House  should 
understand  the  subject  and  be  prepared  for  any  sud- 
den discussion  which  might  arise  on  sending  it  to 
the  House.  Although  I  had  not  requested  him  to 
do  so,  I  was  glad  that  Mr.  Rhett  happened  to  call. 
Mr.  Mason  called  &  read  the  whole  paper,  as  re- 
vised, early  in  the  day.  Mr.  Buchanan  &  Mr. 
Walker  called  and  read  over  the  whole  paper  care- 
fully. It  was  after  12  O'Clock  when  I  received  the 
Documents  which  were  to  accompany  it,  and  near  i 
O'clock  before  my  Private  Secretary  left  to  take  the 
Message  to  the  House.  I  was  occupied  during  the 
balance  of  the  day  in  disposing  of  the  business  on 
my  table.  My  Private  Secretary  iniormed  me  in 
the  evening  that  my  message  was  read  in  the  House 
and  ordered  to  be  printed  without  discussion.  He 
informed  me  that  the  Democratic  members  as  far 
as  he  discerned  were  well  pleased,  while  the  Whigs 
were  silent. 

Friday,  gth  February,  i84g. —  I  saw  company 
this  morning.  I  had  kept  my  office  closed  for  two 
or  three  days  while  preparing  my  message  to  the  Ho. 
Repts.,  and  this  morning  the  number  of  office-seekers 
was  unusually  great  and  their  importunities  for  place 
exceedingly  annoying  to  me.  I  gave  them  audience 
for  about  an  hour,  and  considering  it  time  uselessly 
spent  I  directed  [my  porter]  to  admit  none  others.  I 
prepared  a  short  message  to  the  Senate  in  answer  to 


328  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [lo  Feb. 

a  Resolution  of  that  body  on  the  subject  of  the  Pro- 
tocol connected  with  the  Treaty  of  peace  with  Mex- 
ico. I  consulted  Mr.  Buchanan,  Mr.  Marcy,  and 
Mr.  Mason  in  drawing  it.  I  received  the  documents 
to  accompany  the  Message  from  the  State  Dept.  about 
i>4  O'clock,  and  my  Private  Secretary  took  them 
with  the  message  to  the  senate.  I  disposed  of  much 
business  on  my  table  to-day. 

Saturday,  lOth  February,  l84g. — A  few  mem- 
bers of  Congress  and  others  called  this  morning.  I 
disposed  of  two  or  three  applications  for  pardon  and 
some  other  business  before  the  hour  of  the  meeting 
of  the  Cabinet.  All  the  members  of  the  Cabinet 
attended  at  the  usual  hour.  Nothing  of  importance 
was  considered  to-day.  Several  minor  subjects  were 
disposed  of,  and  the  Cabinet  dispersed  between  i  and 
2  O'clock  P.  M.  Since  my  messages  of  the  8th 
Inst,  to  the  Ho.  Repts.,  and  of  the  9th  Inst,  to  the 
Senate,  on  the  subject  of  the  Protocol  to  the  Mexican 
Treaty,  no  debate  upon  the  subject  has  taken  place 
in  either  House.  My  message  to  the  House,  I  learn 
from  several  members  of  Congress,  is  considered  by 
all  as  not  only  satisfactory,  but  overwhelming  to  the 
Whig  leaders  who  raised  the  false  clamour  about 
the  Protocol  and  the  effect  which  they  falsely  as- 
sumed it  had  of  abrogating  the  Mexican  Treaty. 
The  calls  upon  me  on  the  subject  must  have  been 
caused  by  mere  partisan  rancour,  &  the  hope  on  the 
part  of  the  movers  that  some  political  capital  could 
be  made  of  it.    When  the  matter  was  first  moved 


i849]  JAMES   K.   POLK*S    DIARY  329 

on  Saturday  last  in  the  House,  and  for  three  or  four 
days  afterwards,  some  of  the  Whig  leaders  in  Con- 
gress were  bold  in  the  [their]  assumptions  and  pub- 
licly threatened  me  with  impeachment.  The  Na- 
tional Intelligencer  came  out  with  a  silly  article,  it  is 
difficult  to  say  whether  it  is  to  be  attributed  to  igno- 
rance or  to  unprincipled  party  malignity.  Since 
my  message  communicating  a  plain  statement  of  facts 
has  gone  in,  they  are  all  quit  [quiet]  and  seem  to  have 
dropped  the  subject.  This  has  several  times  happened 
during  my  administration.  Party  assaults  have  been 
made  by  Resolutions  calling  for  information,  ac- 
companied by  violent  speeches,  and  when  my  answer 
was  received  that  was  the  last  that  was  heard  of 
them.  In  this  case  Mr.  Stephens  of  Georgia  was 
put  forward  to  make  the  call.  From  what  I  have 
since  heard  I  have  reason  to  believe  that  others,  who 
have  some  character  to  loose,  were  his  prompters 
behind  the  scene,  but  were  unwilling  to  risk  a  pub- 
lic exposure  by  moving  in  the  matter  publicly  them- 
selves. From  what  I  learn  there  can  be  little  doubt 
the  [that]  Senators  Benton  of  Mo.  and  Clayton  of 
Delaware  were  of  this  number.  I  have  not  seen 
either  Senators  Foote  of  Miss,  or  King  of  Alabama, 
but  I  am  informed  that  they  have  information  which 
leaves  but  little  doubt  of  the  fact  that  Mr.  Benton 
&  Mr.  Clayton,  and  perhaps  Mr.  Berrien  of  Geor- 
gia, were  active  in  agitating  the  matter  in  the  first 
instance,  and  I  have  no  doubt  Mr.  Stephens  made 
his  movement  at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Clayton.  Mr. 
Benton  has  been  malignantly  hostile  to  me  ever  since 


330  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [ii  Feb. 

Col.  Fremont's  trial,  and  this  wholly  without  cause. 
He  has  not  visited  me  &  I  have  had  no  communica- 
tion with  him  for  more  than  a  year.  There  is  every 
indication  now  that  he  will  join  the  Whigs  in  the 
support  of  Gen'l  Taylor,  at  all  events  until  he  can 
get  oiSices  for  his  three  sons-in-law.  If  I  had  failed 
to  do  my  duty  in  Col.  Fremont's  case,  and  given  an 
office  which  he  sought  for  his  Whig  son-in-law 
(Jones)  he  would  never  have  quarrelled  with  me. 
His  course  towards  me  and  my  administration  for 
more  than  a  year  past  has  been  selfish  and  wholly 
unprincipled.  Fortunately  I  fear  nothing  he  can 
do  &  am  at  his  defiance.  I  should  have  added  that 
I  learned  from  Senator  Hannegan  of  Indiana  some 
days  ago  that  Senators  Benton  &  Clayton  were  the 
first  to  agitate  in  relation  to  the  Protocol.  The  facts 
communicated  in  my  message  will  render  impotent 
their  unprincipled  malignity. 

Sunday,  nth  February,  184Q. —  I  attended  the 
First  Presbyterian  church  to-day.  Mrs.  Polk  and 
Miss  Hays  and  Miss  Rucker  accompanied  me.  On 
yesterday  an  exciting  debate  took  place  in  the  Sen- 
ate on  a  motion  to  print  my  message  to  that  body  in 
answer  to  their  resolution  calling  for  the  Protocol 
and  other  papers  connected  with  the  Treaty  of  peace 
with  Mexico.  In  this  debate  Senator  Foote  of  Miss. 
and  others  participated.  A  sketch  of  the  debate  is 
published  in  the  Union  of  this  morning.  From  Mr. 
Foote's  remarks  as  published  the  origin  of  the  agita- 
tion on  the  subject  is  pretty  distinctly  traced  to  its 
true  authors  (see  this  Diary  of  yesterday). 


i849]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  331 

Monday,  12th  February,  l84g. —  Many  persons, 
members  of  Congress  and  others,  called  this  morn- 
ing. Most  of  them  were  seeking  office.  Mr.  Buch- 
anan, who  had  handed  to  me  last  night  a  despatch 
from  the  Mexican  Minister  of  the  loth  Inst,  on  the 
subject  of  the  Protocol  to  the  Mexican  Treaty  of 
peace,  called  and  held  a  conversation  with  me  on 
the  subject  to-day.  He  is  to  prepare  an  answer  and 
submit  it  to  the  Cabinet  on  to-morrow.  The  Secre- 
tary of  War  called  on  business.  Brev't  Col.  Bliss, ^ 
U.  S.  army,  and  son-in-law  of  Gen'l  Taylor,  the 
President-elect  of  the  U.  S.,  called  to  pay  his  respects 
today.  Maj'r  R.  B.  Reynolds,  Paymaster  of  [the] 
U.  S.  army,  and  Col.  Frank  Cheatham,^  late  of  the 
army,  both  of  Tennessee,  dined  with  me  to-day.  I 
disposed  of  much  business  on  my  table  in  the  course 
of  the  day.  After  night  Messrs.  Cobb  &  Lumpkin 
of  Georgia  called. 

Tuesday,  13th  February,  184Q, —  It  is  four  years 
ago  this  day  since  I  arrived  in  Washington,  prepara- 
tory to  entering  on  my  duties  as  President  of  the 
U.  S.  on  the  4th  of  March  following.  They  have 
been  four  years  of  incessant  labour  and  anxiety  and 
of  great  responsibility.  I  am  heartily  rejoiced  that 
my  term  is  so  near  its  close.  I  will  soon  cease  to 
be  a  servant  and  will  become  a  sovereign.     As  a 

^  William  Wallace  Smith  Bliss,  Chief  of  Staff  of  General 
Taylor. 

^  Benjamin  Franklin  Cheatham,  1 820-1 866,  Colonel  of  3rd 
Tennessee  regiment  in  Mexican  War,  became  Major  General  in 
Confederate  army. 


332  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [13  Feb. 

private  citizen  I  will  have  no  one  but  myself  to 
serve,  and  v^ill  exercise  a  part  of  the  sovereign  power 
of  my  country.  I  am  sure  I  will  be  happier  in  this 
condition  than  in  the  exalted  station  I  now  hold.  A 
few  persons,  members  of  Congress  and  others,  called 
before  the  meeting  of  the  Cabinet  this  morning.  All 
the  members  of  the  Cabinet  except  the  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury  attended  at  the  usual  [hour].  De- 
spatches received  last  night  from  Commodore  Jones, 
commanding  the  Pacific  squadron  on  the  California 
coast,  were  read  hy  Judge  Mason.  Letters  received 
from  Mr.  Parrot,  consul  at  Mazatlan  and  bearer  of 
despatches  to  the  army  and  Naval  officers  on  the  Pa- 
cific, and  from  an  officer  of  the  Quarter  Masters 
Dept.,  were  read  by  Mr.  Marcy.  They  show  a  de- 
plorable state  of  things  in  California,  where  the  in- 
habitants are  left  without  law  or  Government,  but 
notwithstanding  this  I  fear  that  Congress  will  pro- 
vide no  Government  for  them  at  the  present  Session. 
Mr.  Buchanan  read  a  despatch  ^  which  he  had  pre- 
pared to  Mr.  Bancroft  in  answer  to  one  received 
from  the  latter,  re-iterating  the  instructions  which 
had  been  previously  given  to  Mr.  B.  to  protest  in 
the  name  of  his  Government  against  the  arbitrary 
order  given  by  the  Brittish  Government  in  August 
last  for  the  arrest  upon  mere  suspicion  [of]  all 
American  citizens  found  in  or  visiting  Ireland. 
Thou[gh]  the  American  citizens  who  were  arrested 
have  all  been  released,  it  was  deemed  proper  to  place 
on  record  in  the  most  solemn  form  the  protest  of  the 
U.  S.,  so  that  the  order  of  August  last  may  not  herc- 

^  Moore,  Buchanan,  VIII,  319-321. 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  333 

after  be  drawn  in  question  as  a  precedent  in  which 
we  had  acquiesced  to  justify  a  similar  exercise  of 
power.  Mr.  Buchanan  read  also  instructions  which 
he  had  prepared  to  Lewis  Cass,  Jr.,  charge  d'affaires 
to  the  Papal  states.  Mr.  Cass  will  proceed  at  once 
to  Rome,  but  will  not  be  accredited  either  to  the 
Pope  or  to  the  Revolutionary  Government  now  exist- 
ing in  the  Papal  states.  Mr.  Cass  is  instructed  to 
Report  to  his  Government  the  exact  condition  of  the 
Government  as  he  may  find  it  after  his  arrival  at 
Rome.  When  he  shall  do  this,  this  government  will 
be  better  able  to  determine  to  whom  he  shall  be  ac- 
credited. Mr.  Buchanan  read  a  despatch  which 
he  received  on  the  night  of  the  loth  Inst,  from  the 
Mexican  Minister  (Rosa)  on  the  subject  of  the  Pro- 
tocol connected  with  the  Mexican  Treaty,  lately 
called  for  by  Congress.  The  proper  answer  to  be 
given  was  the  subject  of  conversation  and  was  agreed 
upon.  Several  other  subject[s],  chiefly  of  detail  and 
of  minor  importance,  were  considered  and  disposed 
of.  This  was  reception  evening.  A  number  of  per- 
sons, ladies  &  gentlemen,  members  of  Congress,  & 
others  called. 

Wednesday,  14th  February,  l84g. —  The  num- 
ber of  persons,  male  and  female,  who  called  this 
morning  was  unusually  great,  and  the  importunate 
applications  for  office  were  exceedingly  annoying. 
The  impression  has  obtained  that  Gen'l  Taylor  may 
possibly  not  be  proscriptive,  and  the  herd  of  persons 
who  are  without  political  principle  and  who  are  will- 
ing to  profess  to  belong  to  either  party  to  obtain  or 


334  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [15  Feb. 

hold  office,  are  anxious  to  get  in  before  I  retire,  in 
the  hope  that  they  will  not  be  turned  out  after  I 
retire.  I  have  great  contempt  for  such  persons,  and 
dispose  of  their  applications  very  summarily.  They 
take  up  much  of  my  time  every  day.  I  yielded  to 
the  request  of  an  artist  named  Brady,  of  N.  Y.,  by 
sitting  for  my  Degueryotype  likeness  to-day.  I  sat 
in  the  large  dining  room.  I  disposed  of  business  on 
my  table  as  usual.  Mr.  Buchanan  called  &  read  to 
me  the  draft  of  his  answer  to  the  note  of  the  Mexican 
Minister  on  the  subject  of  the  Protocol  to  the  Mexi- 
can Treaty  (see  this  Diary  of  yesterday).  I  ap- 
proved its  general  tenor,  but  thought  it  a  subject  of 
sufficient  importance  to  consult  the  Cabinet  about, 
and  appointed  to-morrow  at  i  O'Clock  P.  M.  for  a 
meeting  of  the  Cabinet.  Mr.  Josylin  of  HoUey 
Springs  &  Mr.  Duncan  of  Grenada,  Mississippi 
took  a  family  Dinner  with  me  to-day.  In  pursu- 
ance of  law,  this  being  the  2nd  Wednesday  in  Feb- 
ruary, the  electoral  votes  for  President  &  Vice  Presi- 
dent of  the  U.  S.  were  counted  in  Congress  to-day. 

Thursday,  15th  February,  l84g. —  Many  per- 
sons called  this  morning,  a  majority  of  whom  were 
annoying  me  by  their  importunities  for  office.  As 
I  am  making  no  removals,  and,  as  Mr.  Jefferson  once 
said  "  few  die  and  none  resign,"  I  have  no  offices  to 
fill,  and  I  promptly  answered  all  who  applied  sternly, 
^^  no."  I  convened  a  special  meeting  of  the  Cabinet 
at  I  O'clock  to-day.  All  the  members  attended. 
Mr.  Buchanan  read  the  answer  ^  which  he  had  pre- 

^  Moore,  Buchanan,  VIII,  328-332. 


i849]  JAMES   K.   POLK*S   DIARY  335 

pared  to  the  note  of  the  Mexican  Minister  on  the 
subject  of  the  Protocol  to  the  Mexican  Treaty  (see 
this  Diary  of  the  13th  Inst.).  The  answer  as  drawn 
was  slightly  modified  and  unanimously  agreed  to. 
Some  other  minor  matters  were  considered  and  dis- 
posed of,  and  the  Cabinet  adjourned  after  being  to- 
gether about  an  hour.  I  disposed  of  business  in  my 
office  in  the  afternoon  as  usual. 

Friday,  l6th  February,  l84g. —  A  great  number 
of  persons  called  this  morning,  most  of  them  seeking 
office  as  usual.  Others,  female  as  well  as  male,  were 
begging  money.  I  am  thankful  that  I  am  so  soon 
to  be  relieved  from  such  annoyances.  Among  the 
beggars  was  a  sturdy,  impudent  fellow,  upon  whose 
face  and  nose  the  effects  of  brandy  wer.e  visible.  He 
professed  to  want  money  to  aid  him  in  building  an 
academy  or  school  house.  From  his  appearance  I 
think  it  likely  that  he  wished  to  get  it  to  spend  for 
drink.  I  gave  him  a  prompt  and  stern  refusal. 
Mr.  Buchanan  and  Mr.  Mason  called  in  the  course 
of  the  day  on  business.  Mr.  Brady,  an  artist,  took 
several  of  my  deguerrotype  likenesses  to-day,  and 
also  the  likenesses  of  Mr.  Buchanan  and  Mr.  Mason. 
We  set  [sat]  for  him  in  the  large  dining  room  below 
stairs.  I  transacted  business  in  my  office  as  usual. 
After  night  Mr.  Thomas  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  of 
Tennessee  called.  He  returned  last  evening  from  a 
visit  to  his  sick  family  at  Columbia,  Tennessee. 
After  he  retired  Mr.  Cobb  and  Mr.  Lumpkin  of 
Georgia  called  and  spent  two  hours  or  more  with 
me.     In  the  course  of  the  evening  the  Oregon  ques- 


336  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i6  Feb. 

tion  and  my  course  in  relation  to  it  became  the  sub- 
ject of  conversation.  Mr.  Lumpkin  detailed  a  con- 
versation between  Senator  Allen  of  Ohio  &  himself 
which  he  stated  took  place  when  that  subject  was 
pending  before  Congress,  which  I  deem  worthy  to 
be  noted  in  this  Diary.  Mr.  Lumpkin  stated  that 
in  conversation  with  Mr.  Allen  at  that  time  he  en- 
quired of  Mr.  Allen  what  the  President  should  do 
if  the  Brittish  Government  should  offer  the  parallel 
of  49°  as  the  boundary,  which  the  President  had 
offered  and  subsequently  withdrawn.  Mr.  Allen, 
he  stated,  replied  that  that  was  all  understood,  that 
if  such  offer  was  made  the  President  should  submit 
it  to  the  Senate,  and  that  two  thirds  of  that  body 
would  never  advise  its  acceptance.  Mr.  Lumpkin 
said  that  when  the  contingency  happened  &  I  took 
the  very  course  indicated  he  was  surprised  to  find 
that  Mr.  Allen  disapproved  it,  and,  in  consequence 
of  it,  resigned  his  post  as  chairman  of  the  committee 
of  Foreign  Relations  of  the  Senate.  My  notes  in 
this  Diary  in  relation  to  Senator  Allen's  course  were 
very  full  at  the  time,  and  although  I  have  not  re- 
ferred to  them  since,  they  will  be  found  to  accord 
fully  with  Mr.  Lumpkin's  statement.  Before  my 
annual  message  of  December,  1845,  was  sent  to  Con- 
gress I  submitted  it  to  Mr.  Allen,  and  he  advised  me 
in  the  event  [Great  Britain]  returned  my  offer  of 
49°  upon  me  to  take  the  very  course  I  did,  and  with 
which,  when  I  did  it,  he  found  fault.  By  referring 
to  this  Diary  a  few  days  before  the  meeting  of  Con- 
gress in  Deer.,  1845,  and  in  the  early  part  of  June, 
1846,  what  occurred  between  Mr.  Allen  and  myself 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLKAS    DIARY  337 

will  be  found  recorded.  I  note  Mr.  Lumpkin's 
statement  to-night  for  reference  if  the  subject  should 
ever  be  brought  before  the  public  by  Mr.  Allen. 
Mr.  Buchanan  sent  to  me  this  evening  a  despatch  re- 
ceived from  Mr.  Bancroft  transmitting  one  to  Lord 
Palmerston  on  the  subject  of  ex-patriation. 

Saturday,  17th  February,  l84g, —  A  number  of 
members  of  Congress  and  others  called  this  morn- 
ing. Their  business  vs^as  to  importune  me  about  ap- 
pointments to  office.  The  Cabinet  met  at  the  usual 
hour;  all  the  members  present  except  the  Secretary 
of  War,  v^ho  was  detained  at  his  house,  as  I  learned, 
in  consequence  of  indisposition.  Before  entering  on 
any  business  the  members  of  the  Cabinet  at  my  re- 
quest accompanied  me  to  the  large  dining  room  be- 
low stairs  &  set  [sat]  for  their  Degue'rrotype  like- 
nesses. Mr.  Brady,  the  artist,  desired  to  take  the 
Cabinet  &  myself  in  a  group,  and  did  so.  Return- 
ing to  my  office  the  business  before  the  Cabinet  was 
considered  and  disposed  of.  The  despatch  received 
from  Mr.  Bancroft,  sent  to  me  by  Mr.  Buchanan 
last  evening,  was  considered.  I  had  read  it  care- 
fully and  stated  its  substance  and  purport.  It  was 
not  read,  but  Mr.  Buchanan  gave  his  views  in  rela- 
tion to  it.  The  Cabinet  were  unanimous  in  adhering 
to  their  opinion  that  Mr.  Bancroft  should  make  a 
formal  protest  to  the  Brittish  Government,  as  he  had 
been  instructed  to  do,  against  the  arbitrary  &  des- 
potic order  of  that  Government  issued  in  August 
last  for  the  arrest  of  all  American  citizens,  whether 
native-born  or  adopted,  who  were  found  in  Ireland, 


338  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [17  Feb. 

and  under  which  Mr.  Bergen  and  Mr.  Ryan,  two 
American  citizens,  had  actually  been  arrested  and 
imprisoned.  True,  they  were  afterwards  released, 
but  the  protest  which  Mr.  Bancroft  had  been  in- 
structed to  make  was  designed  to  guard  against  a 
similar  arbitrary  exercise  of  power  for  the  future. 
Mr.  Bancroft  in  his  despatch  to  Lord  Palmerston 
has  ably  discussed  the  question  of  the  right  of  Brit- 
tish  subjects  to  ex-patriate  themselves  &  to  become 
American  citizens,  but  this  question  did  not  neces- 
sarily arise.  The  order  of  the  Brittish  Government 
complained  of  applied  alike  to  Native-born  and  to 
Naturalized  citizens.  The  Cabinet  were  of  opinion 
that  Mr.  Bancroft  should  still  make  the  Protest,  as 
he  had  been  heretofore  instructed  to  do,  and  I  di- 
rected Mr.  Buchanan  so  to  inform  him. 

Mr.  Buchanan  read  a  despatch  reed,  from  Mr.  Don- 
elson,  U.  S.  Minister  to  the  German  Empire,  in  which 
he  repeats  his  desire  to  be  empowered  to  negotiate 
a  commercial  Treaty.  The  successful  establishment 
of  the  German  confederacy  is  as  yet  deemed  to  be 
too  uncertain  to  justify  instructions  to  negotiate  such 
a  Treaty.  I  disposed  of  business  on  my  table  as 
usual  after  the  adjournment  of  the  Cabinet. 

After  night  the  Hon.  Hugh  J.  Anderson  of  Maine, 
with  whom  I  served  several  years  in  Congress,  and 
who  has  since  been  Governor  of  Maine,  called  and 
spent  about  an  hour  with  me.  He  is  a  sound  Demo- 
crat and  an  excellent  man.  He  agreed  with  me  fully 
in  my  views  in  regard  to  the  importance  of  Con- 
gress providing  at  the  present  session  for  the  admis- 
sion of  California  and  New  Mexico  into  the  Union 


i849]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARY  339 

as  states,  and  thus  settling  the  agitating  question  of 
the  Wilmot  Proviso  or  slavery  restriction  which 
would  be  insisted  on  in  [a]  Territorial  Bill.  I  have 
omitted  to  state  in  the  proper  place  in  this  day's 
Diary  that  Mr.  Mason  and  Mr.  Johnson  remained 
a  few  minutes  after  the  other  members  of  the  Cab- 
inet retired.  Mr.  Mason  said  he  felt  it  to  be  his 
duty  to  inform  me  of  a  matter  of  some  delicacy  which 
had  come  to  his  knowledge,  which  I  ought  to  know, 
but  not  desiring  to  stand  in  the  attitude  of  an  in- 
former, he  desired  that  I  would  not  use  his  name. 
He  then  informed  me  that  he  had  learned  from  Mr. 
Collins,  the  ist  Auditor,  that  Mr.  Fletcher  Webster, 
who  was  ch.  clerk  in  the  State  Dept.  during  the 
period  his  father  (Hon.  Daniel  Webster)  was  Sec- 
retary of  State,  had  presented  an  account  for  eight- 
een or  nineteen  hundred  dollars  for  salary  as  acting 
Secretary  of  State  during  his  father's  temporary  ab- 
sence from  the  seat  of  Government.  He  informed 
me  that  Mr.  Collins,  the  auditor,  had  refused  to 
allow  the  account,  and  that  Mr.  Collins  informed 
[him]  that  he  had  been  overruled  by  Mr.  McCul- 
loch,  the  ist  Comptroller.  Mr.  Mason  expressed 
the  apprehension  that  Mr.  McCuUoch  was  making 
this  and  similar  payments  very  loosely  if  not  ille- 
gally. I  immediately  sent  for  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  and  gave  him  the  information,  but  without 
giving  the  source  from  which  I  had  obtained  [it]. 
I  expressed  to  him  my  astonishment.  He  expressed 
the  opinion  that  such  payments  were  legal,  and  that 
similar  payments  had  been  made.  I  replied  this 
could  not  be,   for  Congress  had  appropriated  but 


340  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i8  Fes. 

one  salary  for  a  Secretary  of  State,  &  that  having 
been  drawn  by  Daniel  Webster,  it  could  not  be  again 
legally  paid  to  his  son.  I  told  him  I  must  have  the 
opinion  of  the  atto.  Gen'l  on  the  legal  question,  as 
I  was  strongly  impressed  that  such  payments  were 
illegal,  and  was  very  sure  that  they  were  improper. 
Mr.  Walker  said  he  would  take  the  opinion  of  the 
atto.  Gen'l  and  enquire  further  into  the  matter. 

Sunday,  l8th  February,  184Q. —  I  attended  the 
First  Presbyterian  church  to-day  accompanied  by 
Mrs.  Polk  and  Maria  Polk  Walker,  the  little  daugh- 
ter of  my  Private  Secretary,  J.  Knox  Walker.  Mrs. 
Walker  and  our  two  nieces,  Miss  Rucker  and  Miss 
Hays,  attended  service  at  one  of  the  Catholic 
churches.  I  spent  the  day  quietly  in  my  chamber. 
After  night,  reflecting  on  the  near  approach  of  the 
termination  of  my  Presidential  term  and  on  the  un- 
certainty of  life,  I  executed  a  purpose  which  I  have 
some  time  contemplated  by  writing  and  signing  my 
last  Will  and  Testament.  I  left  a  written  Will  with 
my  valuable  papers  in  Tennessee,  but  as  the  situation 
of  my  property  has  been  materially  changed  since  it 
was  written  I  deemed  it  proper  to  make  another. 
There  are  no  persons  present  to  attest  it  as  witnesses, 
but  I  will  hereafter  cause  this  to  be  done.  Mrs. 
Polk  knew  nothing  of  my  intention  to  write  it.  It 
was  made  chiefly  for  her  benefit,  if  she  should  sur- 
vive me,  and  I  will  read  it  to  her.  I  took  it  with 
me  from  my  office  to  my  chamber  and  read  it  to  her. 
It  was  unexpected  to  her  and  she  expressed  some 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  341 

surprise,  but  was  entirely  satisfied  with  its  provis- 
ions. 

Mr.  Buchanan  called  in  after  night  and  informed 
me  that  he  had  been  informed  at  a  party  last  evening 
that  Mr.  Stephens  of  Georgia  and  Mr.  Wilmot  of 
Penn.  had  made  a  violent  assault  upon  me  in  the  Ho. 
Repts.  the  day  before,  in  which  the  effort  was  made 
to  prove  that  I  had  at  one  time  been  in  favour  of 
the  Wilmot  Proviso.  Such  an  allegation  is  false, 
come  from  what  quarter  it  may. 

Monday,  igth  February,  184Q. —  My  office  was 
crowded  with  visitors  this  morning.  Among  them 
were  some  genteel  looking  strangers  who  called  to 
pay  their  respects,  but  a  majority  of  them  were  seek- 
ing office.  One  man  of  good  appearange  was  beg- 
ging money  for  a  church  for  sailors  in  Norfolk. 
My  Private  Secretary  by  my  direction  contributed 
to  him.  He  may  be  an  imposter,  but  his  appear- 
ance would  indicate  otherwise.  These  are  annoy- 
ances which  a  President  must  endure. 

I  was  surprised  on  opening  the  National  Intelli- 
gencer of  this  morning  to  discover  that  the  Ho. 
Repts.  had  continued  its  session  on  Saturday  until 
after  10  O'Clock  at  night.  My  Private  Secretary 
had  not  been  at  the  House,  and  had  made  no  Report 
of  its  proceedings  to  me.  I  learned  from  several 
members  of  the  House,  who  called  this  morning  on 
other  business,  the  character  of  the  attack  ^  made  on 
me  in  the  House  by  Mr.  Stephens  and  Mr.  Wilmot 

^  Globe,  30  Cong.  2  Sess.  A  pp.  139,  and  145-150. 


342  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [19  Feb. 

on  Saturday  (see  this  Diary  of  yesterday).  Its  sub- 
stance is  that  Mr.  Stephens  charged  that  in  conver- 
sation ^  with  Mr.  Wilmot,  at  what  time  I  could  not 
learn,  that  I  had  urged  him  not  [to]  urge  his  Pro- 
viso on  the  Three  Million  appropriation  Bill,  but 
to  offer  it  in  a  distinct  form,  and  that  I  would  have 
no  objection  to  it.  Wilmot  had  given  the  informa- 
tion to  Stephens.  Stephens  makes  the  charge,  and 
Wilmot  is  a  willing  witness  on  the  floor  of  the  House 
to  prove  it.  It  is  wickedly  and  basely  false.  Among 
the  members  who  detailed  the  debate  to  me  was 
Gen'l  Bayley  of  Va.  Mr.  Buchanan  was  present, 
who  at  once  said  that  he  knew  that  the  President  & 
every  member  of  the  Cabinet  had  been  opposed  to 
the  Wilmot  Proviso  from  the  time  it  was  first  offered, 
and  that  I  had  uniformly  so  expressed  myself.  Mr. 
McLane  of  M.  called,  and  said  to  me  that  he  knew 
that  in  conversation  with  him  I  had  expressed  my 
opposition  to  the  Proviso  in  strong  terms,  and  had 
expressed  the  opinion  that  if  any  territory  was  ac- 
quired by  Treaty  from  Mexico  the  slavery  question 
should  be  adjusted  by  the  Missouri  compromise  line. 
I  told  these  gentlemen,  as  the  truth  is,  that  I  had 
recommended  to  Congress  to  make  an  appropria- 
tion to  enable  me  to  make  a  Treaty  of  peace  with 
Mexico.  The  appropriation  was  not  made  at  the 
first  session  it  was  recommended.  When  the  Bill 
for  that  purpose  was  before  the  House,  at  a  night 
sitting  near  the  close  of  the  session  of  1846,  Mr. 
Wilmot  had  offered  his  Proviso.     I  was  at  the  Capi- 

^  For  Polk's  account  of  the  conversation  referred  to,  see  Diary 
entry  for  December  23,  1846. 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  343 

tol  in  the  Vice  President's  Room,  as  is  usual  at  the 
close  of  a  session,  receiving  &  signing  Bills,  when 
I  heard  of  it.  My  Private  Secretary  remembers  dis- 
tinctly that  I  expressed  my  strong  disapprobation  of 
it,  &  requested  Mr.  Buchanan  to  go  to  the  House 
and  see  if  he  could  arrest  it.  The  Bill  failed  to  pass 
at  that  session,  &  I  repeated  the  recommendation  at 
the  next  session.  In  many  conversations  with  many 
members  I  remember  that  I  urged  them  not  to  em- 
barrass the  appropriation  by  the  Proviso.  I  remem- 
ber to  have  urged  upon  some  who  were  disposed 
to  vote  for  it  not  [to]  embarrass  a  foreign  negotia- 
tion for  Peace  by  it,  that  such  a  privision  [provision] 
could  not  be  inserted  in  any  Treaty,  and  if  it  was 
it  could  not  be  ratified  by  two  thirds  of  the  Senate 
or  by  me,  and  I  may  have  said,  to[o],  that  if  they 
must  insist  upon  it,  why  not  do  it  in  a  seperate  or 
distinct  form  and  not  on  the  three  million  appro- 
priation Bill.  I  may  have  said  also,  that  if  we 
should  acquire  territory  by  a  Treaty  of  peace  with 
Mexico  they  would  have  an  opportunity  to  offer  it 
when  Congress  came  to  establish  a  Territorial  Gov- 
ernment over  the  acquired  territory.  These  were 
arguments  addressed  to  the  advocates  of  the  Proviso 
to  induce  them  not  to  embarrass  an  appropriation 
which  was  deemed  an  important  means  of*  obtaining 
peace  by  it.  But  that  I  ever  expressed  to  any 
human  being,  Mr.  Wilmot  or  any  one  else,  that  I 
would  favour  the  Proviso  in  any  shape,  or  any  thing 
from  which  such  an  inference  could  be  drawn,  is, 
I  repeat,  false.  The  baseness  of  Wilmott  in  this 
matter  cannot  be  adequately  discribed.     He  remains 


344  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [20  Feb. 

silent  for  two  years  and  more,  then  goes  to  Stephens, 
a  bitter  &  unscrupulous  partisan  Whig,  induces  him 
to  make  the  charge,  &  then  meanly  seeks  to  place 
himself  in  the  attitude  of  a  witness  to  sustain  it. 
The  debate  has  not  yet  been  published  in  the  news- 
papers. As  soon  as  it  is  I  [shall]  cause  an  author- 
ized contradiction  of  it  to  be  made.  The  Whigs  & 
abolitionists  in  Congress  pursue  me  with  a  malignity 
and  a  bitterness  which  can  only  be  accounted  for 
because  of  their  chagrin  at  the  success  of  Democratic 
measures  during  my  administration.  Contributions 
levied  in  Mexico  &  the  ridiculous  farce  of  the 
Protocol  have  constituted  their  latest  subjects  of  at- 
tack. These  have  failed  them  and  now  this  story  of 
Wilmot's  is  gotten  up. 

I  visited  to-day  the  model  of  the  statue  of  Gen'l 
Jackson  on  horseback  now  being  prepared  in  this 
City.  I  disposed  of  much  business  on  my  table. 
After  night  Mr.  Venable  of  N.  C.  and  Mr.  Stanton 
of  Tennessee,  members  of  the  Select  committee  of 
the  Ho.  Repts.  to  which  [my]  message  on  the  sub- 
ject of  military  contributions  levied  in  Mexico  was 
referred,  called  at  my  request,  and  I  had  a  conver- 
sation with  them  on  that  subject. 

Tuesday,  20th  February,  l84g, —  I  was  exces- 
sively annoyed  by  a  crowd  of  persons  this  morning, 
most  of  whom  were  seeking  office.  The  Cabinet 
met  at  the  usual  hour;  the  members  all  present  ex- 
cept the  Secretary  of  War  and  the  Atto.  Gen'l.  The 
former  was  detained  at  his  house  by  indisposition 
and  the  latter  was  attending  the  Supreme  Court  of 


i849]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  345 

the  U.  S.  The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  read  a 
Report  to  Congress  on  the  Ware-Housing  system 
established  by  the  act  of  1846.  It  had  been  printed 
and  he  read  from  a  proof-sheet  copy.  It  is  an  inter- 
esting and  able  Report,  &  demonstrates  clearly  the 
advantages  of  the  system.  Some  other  subjects  of 
minor  importance  were  considered  and  disposed  of. 
A  conversation  took  place  on  the  subject  of  the 
attack  made  on  me  in  the  Ho.  Repts.  on  Saturday 
last  by  Stephens  &  Wilmot  (see  this  Diary  of  yes- 
terday). The  members  present  w^ere  indignant  at 
the  charge  and  remembered  distinctly  my  repeated 
expressions  of  hostility  to  the  Wilmot  Proviso,  and 
my  determination  to  veto  it  if  it  extended  beyond 
the  Missouri  compromise.  Mr.  Walker  stated  a 
conversation  he  had  held  with  Wilmot, 'which  may 
hereafter  become  important,  in  which  he  had  argued 
with  Wilmot  to  prove  that  without  the  Proviso 
slavery  could  never  exist  in  California,  and  that  Wil- 
mot had  declared  to  him  that  if  the  views  he  pre- 
sented had  occurred  to  him  before  he  offered  the 
Proviso  he  never  would  have  offered  it.  I  disposed 
of  business  on  my  table  as  usual  to-day.  This  was 
reception  evening.  The  usual  number  of  persons, 
ladies  and  gentlemen,  called.  My  nephew,  Capt. 
James  H.  Walker  of  Tennessee,  arrived  to-night. 

Wednesday,  21st  February,  i84g. —  As  soon  as 
my  office  was  opened  this  morning  persons  began  to 
call.  For  three  hours  and  more  I  was  importuned  by 
office  seekers.  At  no  period  since  I  have  been  Presi- 
dent has  the  pressure  for  place  been  greater  than 


346  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [22  Feb. 

to-day.  The  large  majority  of  those  who  apply  I 
have  reason  to  believe  are  worthless,  without  char- 
acter &  too  lazy  to  pursue  an  honest  calling  for  a 
livelihood.  I  am  stern  &  almost  abrupt  with  them, 
and  yet  I  cannot  drive  them  from  my  office,  but 
am  compelled  daily  to  endure  them.  I  would  ex- 
clude them  altogether  but  am  compelled  to  keep  my 
office  open  to  receive  members  of  Congress  in  the 
morning,  and  can  make  no  distinction.  Until  they 
come  in  I  never  can  tell  who  is  without.  It  is  in 
this  way  that  they  gain  admittance.  The  Secretary 
of  War  being  indisposed,  I  sent  for  Mr.  Campbell, 
the  ch.  clerk,  and  gave  him  direction  about  several 
matters  of  business  connected  with  the  War  Depart- 
ment. The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  called  on  busi- 
ness. I  disposed  of  the  other  business  on  my  table 
as  usual.  The  Hon.  T.  Butler  King  of  Georgia  and 
a  Captain  of  the  army  in  his  military  dress,  whose 
name  I  did  not  hear,  called  to-day  and  informed 
me  that  they  were  deputed  as  a  committee  by  the 
managers  to  invite  myself  and  the  ladies  of  my  house- 
hold to  attend  the  Inauguration  Ball  to  be  given  in 
honor  of  the  President  elect  on  monday  evening,  the 
5th  of  March  next. 

Thursday,  22nd  February,  i84g, —  There  was  a 
snow-storm  this  morning  and  fewer  persons  than 
usual  called.  All  who  did  call,  with  one  or  two  ex- 
ceptions, were  seeking  office.  Hon.  Mr.  Venable  of 
the  Ho.  Repts.  of  N.  C.  called,  as  he  informed  me, 
to  let  me  know  of  an  effort  that  was  making  to  place 
me   in   a   false   position.     He   stated   that   Senator 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  347 

Walker  of  Wisconsin  had  offered  an  amendment  to 
the  civil  and  Diplomatic  appropriation  Bill  to  au- 
thorize the  President  to  provide  a  temporary  civil 
Government  for  California  and  New  Mexico,  and 
that  it  was  a  proposition  which  he  (Mr.  Venable) 
was  willing  to  vote  for;  but  he  said  that  if  it  was 
voted  on  in  the  Senate  the  plan  of  the  free-soil  men 
&  Whigs  was  to  attach  the  Wilmot  Proviso  to  it  in 
the  House,  and  that  if  the  Senate  should  give  way 
(as  there  was  reason  to  apprehend  they  might)  the 
civil  and  Diplomatic  appropriation  Bill  would  be 
sent  to  me  for  my  approval  with  the  Wilmot  Pro- 
viso on  it,  and  that  the  Free-soilers  and  Whigs  hoped 
to  force  me  to  sign  it  rather  than  loose  the  appro- 
priation Bill.  He  said  he  could  not  inform  me  of 
the  source  from  which  he  had  traced  this  because  he 
had  received  it  confidentially,  but  he  was  satisfied 
this  was  their  plan.  I  told  Mr.  Venable  that  I  had 
not  read  Senator  Walker's  amendment,  but  of  one 
thing  he  might  rest  'assured,  and  that  was  that  if 
the  Wilmot  Proviso  was  engrafted  on  the  appro- 
priation or  any  other  Bill  and  was  made  to  apply 
to  any  portion  of  the  acquired  territory  lying  South 
of  36°  30',  the  Missouri  compromise  line,  I  would 
certainly  veto  it,  be  the  consequences  what  they 
might.  I  told  him  I  would  not  be  forced  to  abandon 
a  principle  by  any  such  maneuvre.  I  told  him  I 
had  signed  the  Oregon  Bill  only  because  all  the  ter- 
ritory lay  North  of  that  line,  and  its  provisions  did 
not  conflict  with  the  Missouri  compromise.  This 
being  the  anniversary  of  the  birth  of  Washington, 
two  uniformed  military  companies  of  this  District 


348  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [23  Feb. 

called  about  i  O'Clock  P.  M.  to  pay  their  respects. 
I  received  them  in  the  East  Room.  Senators  Dodge 
and  Jones  of  Iowa  happened  to  be  in  my  office  when 
they  called  and  accompanied  me  to  the  East  Room 
where  I  received  them.  I  was  busily  engaged  dur- 
ing the  day  in  disposing  of  the  business  on  my  table. 
The  Secretary  of  State  and  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy  called  and  I  transacted  business  with  them. 
Mr.  Campbell,  ch.  clerk  of  the  War  Department 
(the  Secretary  being  still  indisposed)  called  &  I 
transacted  business  with  him  connected  with  that 
Department. 

Friday,  2Jrd  February,  184Q. —  Saw  company  as 
usual  this  morning.  Many  persons  called,  and 
among  them  a  goodly  number  of  the  herd  of  office- 
seekers  who  so  constantly  annoy  me  by  their  impor- 
tunities. The  Union  of  this  morning  contained  an 
article  denying  the  ridiculous  absurd  charge  made 
by  Stephens  and  Wilmot  in  th*e  Ho.  Repts.  on  Sat- 
urday last  in  relation  to  my  opinion  on  the  Wilmot 
Proviso  or  slavery  question  (see  this  Diary  of  the 
19th  Inst,  and  two  following  days).  I  was  engaged 
during  the  day  as  usual  in  transacting  business.  In 
my  evening  walk  I  met  Hon.  Henry  Horn  of  Phil., 
who  returned  with  me  to  my  office  and  remained 
with  me  an  hour  or  two.  While  he  was  with  me 
Senator  Turney  and  Mr.  Thomas  of  Tennessee 
called.  Senator  Hannegan  also  called.  I  fear  after 
all  my  efforts  to  induce  Congress  to  provide  some 
Government  for  California  and  New  Mexico  they 
will  adjourn  without  doing  so.     Should  this  be  the 


i849]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARY  349 

result  theirs  and  not  mine  will  be  the  responsibility 
of  doing  so.  Senator  Soule  was  among  the  number 
who  called  this  morning. 

About  8  O'clock  at  night  Gen'l  Taylor,  the  Presi- 
dent elect  of  the  United  States,  arrived  in  this  City 
and  took  lodgings  at  Willard's  Hotel. 

Saturday,  24th  February,  184Q. —  Several  per- 
sons called  this  morning.  Among  them  was  Genl 
Shields,  U.  S.  Senator  Elect  from  Illinois.  The 
Cabinet  met  at  the  usual  hour,  all  the  members  pres- 
ent. There  being  no  business  of  much  importance 
to  be  presented  the  members  engaged  in  a  conversa- 
tion among  themselves  as  to  the  proper  time  to  tender 
their  resignations.  They  all  agreed  that  they  should 
be  tendered  to  me  and  be  accepted  on  the  last  day 
of  my  term,  and  not  be  withheld  and  tendered  to  my 
successor.  Some  of  them  expressed  their  willing- 
ness to  hold  over  a  day  or  two  to  prevent  embarrass- 
ment to  the  public  business,  provided  it  should  be 
desired  by  my  successor.  After  this  conversation 
Mr.  Buchanan  and  Mr.  Marcy  engaged  in  conver- 
sation between  themselves  while  the  other  members 
,of  the  Cabinet  conversed  with  me.  One  of  them 
enquired  of  me  at  what  time  it  would  be  proper  for 
them  to  call  and  pay  their  respects  to  Gen'l  Taylor, 
the  President  Elect.  I  answered  to  that  that  was  a 
matter  for  their  own  decision,  but  that  it  occurred 
to  me  that  until  the  President  elect  had  called  on 
the  President  in  office,  as  it  was  his  duty  to  do  under 
the  established  etiquette  (if  he  desired  to  have  any 
intercourse  with  him)    a  proper  self-respect  should 


350  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [24  Fm 

prevent  the  Cabinet  of  the  latter  from  calling  on  him. 
As  soon  as  this  suggestion  was  made  they  assented  to 
its  correctness.  Mr.  Buchanan  and  Mr.  Marcy  be- 
ing still  engaged  in  their  conversation  and  not  attend- 
ing to  the  conversation  with  me,  I  requested  Mr. 
Toucy  to  mention  it  to  them,  and  he  replied  he 
would  do  so.  Before  he  had  time  to  do  so,  my  porter 
came  in  and  informed  Mr.  Buchanan  that  his  mes- 
senger from  the  State  Department  had  brought  a 
message  to  him  that  Gen'l  Shields  was  waiting  for 
him  at  the  Department  to  meet  him  on  an  appoint- 
ment he  had  made  with  him.  Mr.  Buchanan  on  re- 
ceiving this  message  immediately  enquired  if  the 
members  of  the  Cabinet  should  not  call  on  the  Presi- 
dent elect  in  a  body,  addressing  himself  to  me.  I 
then  informed  him  of  the  conversation  which  I  had 
just  had  while  he  and  Mr.  Marcy  were  engaged,  & 
which  they  had  not  heard,  and  added  that  if  my  Cab- 
inet called  on  Gen'l  Taylor  before  he  called  on  me,  I 
should  feel  that  I  had  been  deserted  by  my  own  po- 
litical family.  I  stated  that  it  might  be  that  Gen'l 
Taylor  would  not  call  at  all,  and  in  that  event  if  my 
Cabinet  called  on  him  it  would  place  me  in  a  posi- 
tion which  it  would  be  unpleasant  to  occupy.  Mr. 
Marcy  at  once  said  it  would  not  be  proper  for  them  to 
call  on  Gen'l  Taylor  until  he  had  called  on  me.  Mr. 
Buchanan  made  no  reply,  and  soon  after  left.  Mr. 
Mason,  after  the  Cabinet  had  dispersed,  remarked 
in  the  presence  of  Mr.  Marcy  that  he  had  no  doubt 
Gen'l  Shields'  appointment  with  Mr.  Buchanan  was 
to  accompany  him  to  wait  on  Gen'l  Taylor.  I  have 
not  heard  whether  Mr.  Buchanan  called  on  him  or 


i849]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  3Si 

not  Before  the  foregoing  conversations  with  Mr. 
Buchanan  occurred,  Mr.  B.  read  a  despatch  which 
he  had  received  from  the  Mexican  Minister  on  the 
subject  of  the  Protocol  to  the  Mexican  Treaty. 
There  was  not  much  in  it  and  I  doubt  whether  it  re- 
quires an  answer.  I  disposed  of  business  on  my  table 
as  usual,  &  retired  from  my  office  at  a  late  hour  at 
night. 

My  Private  Secretary  informed  me  to-night  that 
he  had  received  a  note  from  Senator  Davis  of  Mis- 
sissippi, informing  him  that  Gen'l  Taylor  was  too 
much  indisposed  to  call  to-day,  but  that  it  was  his  in- 
tention, if  his  health  permitted,  to  call  on  me  on  mon- 
day  next.  Senator  Davis  married  a  daughter  ^  of 
Gen'l  Taylor.  His  wife  is  dead  and  he  is  married  a 
second  time.  " 

Sunday,  2Sth  February^,  l84g. —  I  attended  the 
First  Presbyterian  church  to-day  accompanied  by 
Mrs.  Polk,  my  niece  Miss  Hays,  and  Miss  Josephine 
Davis  of  Baltimore,  who  is  spending  a  few  days  in 
my  family.  Miss  Davis  was  for  some  time  a  student 
at  the  Female  Institute  at  Columbia,  Tennessee, 
where  she  made  the  acquaintance  of  my  niece,  Miss 
Hays.  She  came  from  Baltimore  during  the  past 
week  to  visit  Miss  Hays.  After  night  Judge  and 
Mrs.  Catron  called.  A  heavy  rain  storm  came  on. 
My  coachman  was  absent,  and  it  being  Sunday  night 

^  Jefferson  Davis  was  married  to  Sarah  Knox,  daughter  of 
Zachary  Taylor,  at  Louisville,  Kentucky,  in  1835.  Mrs.  Davis 
died  within  three  months;  in  1845  Mr.  Davis  married  Varina 
Howell,  daughter  of  William  B.  Howell  of  Natchez,  Mississippi. 


3S2  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [26  Feb. 

no  hack  or  carriage  could  be  procured,  and  Mrs. 
Catron  remained  with  us  all  night.  Judge  Catron 
returned  to  his  lodgings. 

Monday,  26th  February,  l84g. —  Many  persons 
called  this  morning  and  among  them  several  Whig 
members  of  Congress  with  whom  I  had  served. 
They  are  doubtless  congregating  at  Washington  to 
importune  Gen'l  Taylor  for  offices.  Several  Demo- 
cratic members  of  Congress  and  others  called,  and 
it  was  gratifying  to  receive  from  them  expressions  of 
their  warm  approbation  of  my  public  conduct 
and  of  the  policy  of  my  administration.  I  re- 
ceived to-day  a  letter  from  the  Mayor  of  Charleston, 
S.  C,  inviting  me  on  behalf  of  the  City  Council 
to  visit  Charleston  on  my  way  home  as  the  **  gUest 
of  the  City."  I  answered  the  letter  &  accepted 
the  invitation  (see  my  letter  Book).  I  had  pre- 
viously received  similar  invitations  from  Augusta, 
Georgia,  and  Wilmington,  N.  C.  The  former  I  de- 
clined and  the  latter  I  accepted  (see  my  letter  Book). 
Between  12  and  i  O'Clock  my  messenger  announced 
to  me  that  Gen'l  Taylor,  the  President  elect  of  the 
U.  S.,  had  called  to  pay  his  respects,  and  that  he  was 
in  the  parlour  below.  I  immediately  repaired  to  the 
parlour  and  was  introduced  to  him,  for  I  had  never 
before  seen  him.  He  was  accompanied  by  a  number 
of  friends,  among  whom  were  Senator  Clayton  of 
Delaware,  who,  it  is  understood,  is  to  be  his  Secre- 
tary of  State,  Senator  Davis  of  Mississippi,  Mr.  Hall 
of  N.  Y.,  and  Mr.  Barrow  of  Tenn.  of  the  Ho.  Repts., 
Cols.  Bliss  and  Garnett  of  the  U.  S.  army.     Shortly 


i849]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARY  353 

after  I  entered  the  parlour,  Mrs.  Polk,  my  two  nieces, 
Miss  Davis  of  Baltimore,  and  Mrs.  Judge  Catron 
came  into  the  parlour.  I  received  Gen'l  Taylor  with 
courtesy  and  cordiality.  He  remained  some  20  or 
30  minutes.  I  invited  him  to  dine  with  me  on  thurs- 
day  next.  He  replied  that  he  would  do  so  if  his 
health  would  permit  it.  After  he  retired  I  requested 
my  Private  Secretary  to  issue  tickets  of  invitation  to 
my  Cabinet,  Vice  President  Dallas,  and  others  to 
meet  him  at  Dinner  on  thursday  next.  During  his 
visit  Mr.  Ward  of  Boston  and  Mr.  W.  W.  Corchoran 
(the  Banker  of  Washington)  came  into  the  parlour. 
I  was  engaged  during  the  remainder  of  the  day  in 
transacting  business  in  my  office.  The  Secretary  of 
War  called  and  I  transacted  business  with  him. 

Tuesday,  2yth  February,  l84g. —  I 'saw  visitors 
this  morning  as  usual.  Members  of  Congress  and 
others  called.  On  reaching  my  office  immediately 
after  breakfast  my  porter  informed  me  that  a  man 
was  in  waiting  (who  had  called  on  yesterday  and  was 
unable  to  see  me)  who  said  he  had  important  busi- 
ness with  me.  I  directed  him  to  be  shown  in.  His 
important  business  was  to  importune  me  for  an  office 
before  I  retired.  He  was  willing  to  accept  a  chap- 
laincy in  the  Navy,  or  any  other  office  I  had  to  give 
before  I  retired.  I  gave  him  a  very  short  answer  by 
telling  him  that  I  had  but  four  days  more  of  my  Pres- 
idential term  remaining  and  that  all  the  places  un- 
der the  Government  were  filled.  I  am  thoroughly 
disgusted  with  the  herd  of  hunters  after  places  who 
infest  the  seat  of  Government.     The  Cabinet  met  at 


354  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [27  Feb. 

the  usual  hour;  all  the  members  present  except  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  the  cause  of  whose  absence 
I  did  not  learn.  Several  despatches  from  Mr.  Ban- 
croft, Mr.  Donelson,  and  others  of  our  ministers 
abroad,  received  by  the  last  steamer  from  Europe, 
were  read.  Though  interesting,  none  of  them  were 
of  such  importance  as  to  require  an  immediate  an- 
swer, and  it  was  thought  best  to  leave  them  for  the 
action  of  my  successor.  Many  other  matters  of  some 
importance  but  of  no  general  interest  were  consid- 
ered and  disposed  of.  Mr.  Buchanan  stated  that  he 
had  been  informed  by  Mr.  Clayton,  who  is  to  be 
Gen'l  Taylor's  Secretary  of  State,  that  it  was  Gen'l 
Taylor's  request  that  the  present  members  of  the  Cab- 
inet should  continue  in  their  respective  positions  un- 
til their  successors  were  appointed.  Mr.  Buchanan 
said  he  had  informed  him  that  he  was  willing  to  hold 
on  until  a  day  certain  [certain  day],  say  Wednesday 
next,  by  which  time  a  successor  could  be  ready  to  take 
his  place,  but  he  was  unwilling  to  remain  indefinitely 
until  his  successor  was  appointed.  I  took  occasion 
to  remark  that  the  period  of  the  resignation  of  the 
Cabinet  was  with  themselves;  but  that  I  desired  to 
say  that  I  hoped  no  suggestion  which  had  been  made 
about  their  accompanying  me  a  short  distance  on  my 
departure  from  Washington  would  be  permitted  to 
interfere  with  their  sense  of  duty  or  propriety.  I 
desired  to  relieve  them  from  all  embarrassment  on 
my  account.  I  had  learned  this  morning  that  Mr. 
Buchanan  had  taken  exception  to  my  remark  on  Sat- 
urday last  (see  this  Diary  of  that  day)  that  I  should 


i849]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  355 

feel  that  I  was  deserted  by  my  political  family  if  the 
members  of  my  Cabinet  should  call  on  the  President 
elect  before  he  called  on  me.  The  remark  was  made 
because  it  might  have  happened  that  if  my  Cabinet 
called  on  Gen'l  Taylor  he  might  not  afterwards  have 
chosen  to  call  on  me  at  all.  As  Gen'l  Taylor  belongs 
to  a  different  political  party  from  myself,  &  as  it  was 
his  duty  to  call  on  me,  if  he  desired  to  exchange 
civilities,  I  thought  it  was  due  to  their  own  self-re- 
spect as  well  as  to  me  that  my  Cabinet  should  wait 
until  Gen'l  Taylor  paid  his  respects  to  me  before 
they  paid  their  respects  to  him.  In  this  view  all  the 
members  of  the  Cabinet  expressed  their  concurrence 
on  Saturday,  except  Mr.  Buchanan.  I  learned  this 
morning  that  Mr.  Buchanan  had  said  to  a  member 
of  the  Cabinet  that  notwithstanding  my  remark  on 
Saturday  he  had  left  the  Cabinet  room  resolved  to  call 
on  Gen'l  Taylor  on  that  day,  as  Gen'l  Shields  by  ap- 
pointment had  called  at  the  State  Department  to  ac- 
company him.  He  did  not,  however,  do  so;  but 
called  on  Gen'l  Taylor  on  yesterday,  immediately 
after  Gen'l  Taylor  had  called  on  me.  Mr.  Buchanan 
is  an  able  man,  but  is  in  small  matters  without  judg- 
ment and  sometimes  acts  like  an  old  maid.  When 
the  Cabinet  adjourned  to-day  the  other  members  of 
the  Cabinet  left  with  the  intention,  as  they  said,  to 
call  on  Gen'l  Taylor.  He  having  called  on  me  on 
yesterday,  this  was  proper.  Commodore  Parker  of 
the  U.  S.  Navy,  who  has  just  returned  from  a  visit 
to  the  authorities  of  the  German  Empire  on  a  leave 
of  absence  for  that  purpose,  called  with  the  Secretary 


356  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [28  Feb. 

of  the  Navy  this  morning.  After  he  retired  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Navy  read  his  official  Report.  I  dis- 
posed of  much  business  in  my  office  to-day. 

Wednesday,  28th  February,  i84g. —  At  this 
point  of  my  administration,  and  until  its  close,  I 
found  my  time  so  constantly  occupied  by  business 
and  the  numerous  calls  made  upon  me  by  the  crowd 
of  persons  who  had  congregated  at  Washington  to 
witness  the  Inauguration  of  my  successor,  that  I 
found  it  impossible  to  record  in  this  Diary  the  daily 
events  as  they  occurred.  After  I  reached  Tennessee 
on  this  13th  of  April,  1849,  I  resumed  the  record 
from  my  general  recollection.  The  record  of  this 
day  (the  28th  of  Feb'y)  and  the  succeeding  days  of 
my  term  must  necessarily,  therefore,  be  very  general 
&  many  incidents  must  be  omitted.  I  was  busy  in 
my  office  during  the  day  (the  28th  of  Feb'y)  saw 
many  members  of  Congress  and  many  strangers,  and 
transacted  much  business.  At  different  periods  of 
the  day  most  of  the  members  of  my  Cabinet  called 
on  business. 

This  evening  in  pursuance  of  previous  Notice  the 
parlours  of  the  President's  Mansion  ^  were  thrown 
[open]  and  the  last  drawing  room  or  levee  of  my  ad- 
ministration was  held.  It  was  the  most  brilliant  and 
crowded  room  of  my  term.  The  House  was  bril- 
liantly lighted  up  [and]  the  fine  Marine  band  of 
music  was  stationed  in  the  entrance  Hall.    About  8 

^  In  the  manuscript  the  words  *'  in  pursuance  of  p«blic  notice 
previously  given  "  follow  after  "  Mansion.'* 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  357 

O'clock  P.  M.  the  company  commenced  assembling. 
Among  those  who  attended  early  in  the  evening,  were 
many  officers  of  the  army  and  Navy,  who  called  in  a 
body  in  full  uniform.  The  Foreign  Ministers  and 
their  families  &  legations  resident  at  Washington 
were  present  in  their  Court  dresses.  The  members 
of  my  Cabinet  and  their  families,  members  of  Con- 
gress, citizens,  and  a  vast  number  of  strangers  made 
up  the  large  number  of  visitors.  I  received  them  in 
the  Circular  parlour,  standing  with  my  back  against 
the  Marble  centre  table  and  Mrs.  Polk  standing  a 
few  feet  to  my  right.  The  Marble  centre  table 
proved  to  be  an  important  protection  to  me.  All  the 
parlours  and  outer  halls  soon  became  crowded  with 
human  beings,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  so  that  it  became 
very  difficult  for  them  to  make  their  way  to  the  place 
where  Mrs.  Polk  and  myself  stood.  I  remained 
stationary  and  shook  hands  with  several  thousand 
persons  of  both  sexes.  I  learned  afterwards  that 
many  persons  came  to  the  door  &  the  jam  was  so  great 
that  they  could  not  make  their  way  to  me,  and  re- 
tired without  entering.  The  line  of  carriages  ap- 
proaching the  President's  House,  I  was  afterwards 
informed,  extended  several  hundred  yards.  About 
12  O'clock  at  night  the  last  of  the  company  retired. 
I  had  remained  on  my  feet  continuously  for  several 
hours  and  was  exceedingly  fatigued. 

Thursday,  Ist  March,  184Q. —  (See  commence- 
ment of  this  Diary  of  yesterday.)  Many  persons 
called  to-day  and  I  transacted  business  with  the  mem- 


358  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i  Mar. 

bers  of  my  Cabinet  and  other  public  officers.  Sev- 
eral persons  annoyed  me  about  offices,  but  I  gave 
them  very  summary  and  short  answers. 

Gen'l  Taylor,  the  President  of  the  U.  S.  elect,  hav- 
ing called  and  paid  his  respects  to  me  on  the  26th 
ultimo,  I  have  invited  him  to  dine  with  me  to-day. 
I  invited  a  large  party  of  both  political  parties  to 
meet  him  at  Dinner.  He  attended  the  Dinner  ac- 
cordingly. Among  others  who  composed  the  Din- 
ner party  were  Gen'l  Cass,  who  was  the  Democratic 
candidate  for  the  Presidency  at  the  last  election,  Mr. 
Fillmore,  the  Vice  President  elect,  Col.  Bliss  and 
his  wife  (Mrs.  Bliss  is  the  daughter  of  Gen'l  Tay- 
lor) Gen'l  Taylor's  suite  who  called  on  me,  consist- 
ing of  Mr.  Benjamin,^  Judge  Winchester,  Col. 
Hodge  of  New  Orleans,  Dr.  McCormick,  U.  S. 
army,  and  Brevet  Col.  Garnett,  U.  S.  army.  Sen- 
ator Davis  of  Miss.  &  Pierce^  of  Maryland,  Sen- 
ator Bell  of  Tennessee  &  his  wife,  Gen'l  Barrow  of 
Tennessee  &  his  wife,  Mr.  Seaton,  the  Mayor  of 
Washington,  and  his  wife,  and  Mr.  Ritchie,  Editor 
of  the  Union,  were  of  the  party.  All  the  members 
of  my  Cabinet  and  the  wives  of  Secretaries  Walker, 
Marcy,  &  Toucey  attended  the  dinner.  Vice  Pres- 
ident Dallas  was  invited  but  was  prevented  from 
attending  by  a  night  sitting  of  the  Senate;  Mrs.  Dal- 
las was  present.     Judge  Catron  of  the  Supreme  Court 

^  Judah  Philip  Benjamin,  1811-1884,  Senator  from  Louisiana 
1 852-1 86 1,  Attorney  General  and  (successively)  Secretary  of  War 
and  Secretary  of  State  of  the  Southern  Confederacy. 

^  James  Alfred  Pearce,  Senator  from  Maryland  1841-1862. 


\ 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  359 

of  the  U.  S.  and  his  wife  were  of  the  party.  The 
whole  number  consisted  of  about  40  persons,  in- 
cluding my  Private  Secretary,  Col.  Walker,  & 
his  wife,  and  my  two  nieces.  Miss  Rucker  & 
Miss  Hays.  Gen'l  Taylor,  the  President  elect, 
waited  on  Mrs.  Polk  to  the  table.  He  sat  on 
one  side  of  Mrs.  Polk  and  Gen'l  Cass  on  the  other. 
I  waited  on  Mrs.  Dallas  to  the  table.  The  Dinner 
was  finely  gotten  up  in  Julian's  (the  French  cook) 
best  style.  It  passed  off  well.  Not  the  slightest  al- 
lusion was  made  to  any  political  subject.  The  whole 
company  seemed  to  enjoy  themselves.  After  Din- 
ner &  between  9  &  10  O'Clock  P.  M.  the  company 
dispersed. 

I  have  omitted  to  note  that  this  morning  Mr.  Sea- 
ton,  the  Mayor,  and  the  Aldermen  &  the  City  council 
called  in  a  body  to  pay  their  respects  to  me  before 
my  retirement  from  the  Presidential  office.  I  re- 
ceived them  in  the  Circular  Parlour  below  stairs. 
The  Mayor  made  a  very  gratifying  &  complimentary 
address  to  me  on  behalf  of  the  authorities  &  citizens 
of  Washington,  in  which  he  expressed  their  great 
satisfaction  at  the  interest  I  had  taken  during  my 
Presidency  for  the  City  of  Washington  &  the  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia.  It  was  an  address  conceived  in 
the  kindest  spirit.  I  responded  in  a  short  address. 
Such  a  manifestation  of  respect  voluntarily  tendered 
on  the  eve  of  my  retirement  from  the  Presidency  is 
most  gratifying  to  me.  It  in  some  degree  compen- 
sates for  the  violence  of  party  assault  of  which  I 
have  been  the  subject  during  my  term.     The  Mayor 


36o  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [2  Mar. 

&  a  large  majority  of  the  City  authorities  who  paid 
me  this  mark  of  their  respect  are  Whigs,  who  differ 
with  me  widely  in  politics. 

Friday,  2nd  March,  l84g. —  (See  commencement 
of  this  Diary  of  the  28th  ultimo.)  This  was  a  very 
busy  day  with  me.  Many  members  of  Congress  and 
an  unusual  number  of  strangers  called.  The  City 
was  much  crowded  with  strangers,  chiefly  of  the 
Whig  party,  who  have  come  to  witness  the  Inaugura- 
tion of  Gen'l  Taylor.  A  large  number  of  them  have 
called  on  me  during  the  last  week,  &  to-day  a 
greater  number  than  on  any  one  day  previously. 
Many  officers  of  the  Government,  civil  &  military, 
who  have  been  stationed  in  Washington  during  my 
Presidential  term  called  at  different  periods  of  the 
day  to  pay  their  respects  &  take  leave  of  me  before 
I  left.  Many  citizens  of  the  City  also  called  for 
the  same  purpose.  Many  Whigs  whom  I  had  re- 
tained in  office  were  among  those  who  called. 
Though  many  removals  &  new  appointments  to  fill 
vacancies  have  been  made  by  me,  my  administration 
has  not  been  proscriptive,  and  the  Whigs  who  were 
faithful  &  good  officers,  whom  I  have  retained  in 
their  places,  seemed  tp  appreciate  my  liberality 
towards  them  and  many  of  them  have  called  to  ex- 
press their  gratitude  &  to  take  leave  of  me.  In  the 
course  of  the  day  I  saw  and  transacted  business  with 
different  members  of  my  Cabinet  &  with  many  sub- 
ordinate officers. 

An  interesting  ceremony  took  place  in  the  Circular 
Parlour  about  11  O'Clock  this  morning.     It  was  the 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  361 

presentation  of  the  fine  swords  voted  by  Congress  to 
Maj'r  Generals  Worth,  Butler,  Twiggs,  &  Quitman, 
and  to  the  eldest  male  representative  of  the  late  gal- 
lant and  lamented  Brigadier  Gen'l  Hamer,  who  fell 
a  victim  to  the  diseases  of  the  climate  of  Mexico. 
He  had  escaped  unhurt,  though  in  the  thickest  of 
the  fight  at  Monter[e]y,  and  shortly  afterwards 
sickened  and  died.  I  was  accompanied  by  the  Sec- 
retary of  War.  A  large  number  of  officers  of  the 
army  were  present,  as  were  also  Mrs.  Marcy  and  a 
large  number  of  ladies  of  the  families  of  the  officers 
of  the  army.  Gen'l  Tomson,  as  the  friend  &  early 
companion  in  arms  of  Gen'l  Worth,  made  an  address 
to  me  and  I  presented  to  Gen'l  Tomson  the  sword 
of  Gen'l  Worth,  accompanied  by  a  letter  to  Gen'l 
W.,  &  made  a  short  address.  I  presented  the  sword 
of  Gen'l  Butler  accompanied  with  a  letter  to  that 
officer  of  the  Hon.  Lynn  Boyd  of  the  Ho.  Repts., 
to  be  conveyed  by  him  to  Gen'l  Butler.  Mr.  Boyd 
made  a  short  response.  I  read  my  letter  to  Gen'l 
Twiggs  &  Gen'l  Quitman  &  delivered  them  with 
the  swords  of  these  officers  to  the  Secretary  of  War 
with  instructions  to  have  them  conveyed  to  them 
through  some  officer  of  the  army.  I  delivered  the 
sword  designed  for  the  representative  of  the  late 
Gen'l  Hamer  (his  eldest  son)  accompanied  with  a 
letter,  to  the  Hon.  Mr.  Morris  of  the  Ho.  Repts. 
from  Ohio,  to  be  conveyed  by  him  to  the  son.  Mr. 
Morris  made  a  short  response.  On  presenting  each 
of  the  swords  I  made  a  short  address.  The  whole 
ceremony  was  an  interesting  &  impressive  one.  I 
retired  to  rest  late  at  night,  worn  down  by  the  ex- 


362  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  Mar. 

cessive  fatigue  of  the  day.     Many  incidents  which 
occurred  during  the  day  are  necessarily  omitted. 

Saturday,  3rd  March,  184Q. —  (See  this  Diary 
of  the  28th  ultimo.)  I  was  in  my  office  at  an  earlier 
hour  than  usual  this  morning,  and  was  constantly 
and  incessantly  occupied  throughout  the  day.  A 
large  number  of  persons,  members  of  Congress  & 
strangers,  called  in  the  course  of  the  forenoon. 
This  was  the  regular  day  for  the  meeting  of  the  Cab- 
inet, but  no  formal  meeting  was  held.  All  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Cabinet  tendered  to  me  their  respective 
resignations,  which  I  accepted.  The  resignations  of 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  &  the  Post  Master 
Gen'l  were  to  take  effect  from  and  after  this  day. 
The  resignations  of  the  other  members  of  the  Cab- 
inet were  to  take  effect  from  and  after  the  6th  or 
7th  Inst.  They  were  made  to  take  effect  at  that  time 
at  the  special  request  of  GenU  Taylor,  made  through 
Mr.  Clayton,  whom  he  had  designated  as  his  Secre- 
tary of  State.  He  made  this  request  in  order  to 
avoid  any  public  inconvenience  until  the  new  Cab- 
inet could  be  appointed.  I  am  not  certain  whether 
the  resignation  of  the  attorney  Gen'l  was  to  take 
effect  from  &  after  this  day,  or  whether  he  held  on 
until  the  6th  or  7th  Inst.  The  Cabinet  dispersed 
and  I  disposed  of  all  the  business  on  my  table  down 
to  the  minutest  detail  and  at  the  close  of  the  day  left 
a  clean  table  for  my  successor.  I  signed  my  name 
to  the  several  hundred  commissions  for  military, 
naval,  and  civil  officers,  and  to  other  official  papers. 
The  Senate  had  within  the  last  few  days  confirmed 


i849]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARY  363 

numerous  nominations  which  I  had  made  in  the 
course  of  the  session  of  Congress,  commissions  for 
whom  I  signed.  Many  of  these  nominations  were 
for  Brevet  promotions  of  officers  of  the  army. 
Others  were  for  regular  promotions  in  the  army 
and  navy.  I  resolved  to  leave  nothing  undone,  & 
therefore  spent  several  hours  in  signing  them.  I 
saw  in  the  course  of  the  day  many  public  officers  & 
transacted  business  with  them.  About  sunset,  hav- 
ing cleared  my  table  of  all  the  business  upon  it,  I 
left  the  President's  mansion  with  my  family,  and 
went  to  the  Quarters  previously  engaged  for  me  at 
Willard's  Hotel.  We  were  accompanied  by  the 
members  of  my  Cabinet.  My  Private  Secretary 
had  gone  with  his  family  to  Willard's  and  taken 
lodgings  on  yesterday  evening.  I  left  Mrs.  Polk 
&  our  two  nieces.  Miss  Rucker  &  Miss  Hays,  with 
our  servants  at  the  Hotel,  and  proceeded,  accom- 
panied by  my  Cabinet,  to  the  Capitol,  as  is  usual  on 
the  last  night  of  the  Session  of  Congress  so  that  the 
President  may  be  convenient  to  Congress  to  receive 
such  Bills  as  may  be  passed  and  presented  to  him 
for  his  signature.  I  reached  the  Capitol  about  dark 
and  occupied  the  Vice  President's  room.  I  took 
with  me  to  the  Capitol  a  long  and  elaborate  veto 
message  which  I  had  prepared  in  the  last  recess  of 
Congress,  which  I  intended  to  use  in  the  event  any 
Bill  appropriating  money  or  land  for  Internal  Im- 
provements (roads,  rivers,  &  harbours)  should  be 
presented  to  me  for  my  approval  and  signature. 
There  were  many  Bills  of  this  character  before  Con- 
gress, some  of  which  had  passed  one  House  &  were 


364  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  Mar. 

pending  in  the  other.  In  the  last  recess  of  Congress 
I  had  caused  an  estimate  to  be  made  by  the  Com- 
missioner of  the  General  Land  Office  of  the  quantity 
of  public  lands  proposed  to  be  appropriated  for  such 
objects  by  Bills  Reported  to  the  two  Houses  at  the 
First  Session  of  the  last  Congress.  The  Report  of 
the  Commissioner,  estimating  the  lands  at  $1.25  per 
acre  (the  minimum  price  of  the  Government) 
showed  the  amount  to  be  upwards  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  three  millions  of  dollars  ($163,000,000). 
In  addition  [to]  this  vast  sum,  many  Bills  making 
further  appropriations  of  like  character  had  been 
reported  at  the  last  session.  My  mind  was  fully 
made  up  to  arrest  them  by  a  veto,  had  any  one  of  the 
Bills  been  presented.  This  determination  was  com- 
municated to  my  Cabinet  and  to  many  members  of 
Congress.  No  Bill  of  the  kind,  however,  passed, 
and  the  veto  message  which  I  had  prepared  was  not 
used.  I  will  preserve  it  with  my  other  valuable 
papers.  I  regard  it  as  one  of  the  ablest  papers  I 
have  ever  prepared.  I  took  with  me  also  to  the 
Capitol  a  veto  message  of  the  Wilmot  Proviso,  should 
any  Bill  containing  it  be  presented  to  me  for  my 
approval  and  signature.  The  Civil  &  Diplomatic 
appropriation  Bill  had  been  amended  in  the  Senate, 
on  Motion  of  Senator  Walker  of  Wisconsin,  by  in- 
serting in  it  a  provision  for  the  temporary  Govern- 
ment of  California  &  New  Mexico.  This  amend- 
ment was  pending  in  the  Ho.  Repts.,  and  it  was 
threatened  that  the  Wilmot  Proviso  would  be  at- 
tached to  it  by  that  House,  and  it  was  uncertain 
whether  a  majority  of  the  Senate  might  not  give  way 


1849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  365 

&  yield  to  the  Proviso.  In  that  event  the  alternative 
would  be  presented  to  me  of  defeating  the  whole  ap- 
propriation Bill  by  a  veto,  or  of  yielding  my  assent 
to  the  Wilmot  Proviso.  I  did  not  hesitate  for  a 
moment  in  my  course.  I  was  prepared  to  veto  the 
Bill  though  the  consequence  would  have  been  to  con- 
voke an  extra  session  of  Congress.  My  Cabinet 
concurred  with  me  in  my  determination.  At  a  late 
hour  of  the  night  I  learned  that  the  Ho.  Repts.  had 
by  a  vote  adopted  an  amendment  to  Walker's  pro- 
vision for  the  Government  of  California  and  New 
Mexico,  the  substance  of  which  was  to  declare  all 
the  laws  of  Mexico  in  force  in  these  territories 
before  their  acquisition  by  the  U.  S.  to  con- 
tinue in  force  until  altered  or  changed  by  Con- 
gress. I  did  not  see  the  amendment,  but  this 
was  its  substance  as  reported  to  me.  Many  of  the 
Southern  members  of  Congress  of  both  Houses  came 
into  my  room  in  great  excitement  about  it.  The 
effect  of  the  amendment  was  to  sanction  the  law  of 
Mexico  abolishing  slavery  in  that  Republic  and  to 
sanction  other  very  obnoxious  laws.  I  caused  my 
room  to  be  cleared  of  all  but  my  Cabinet  that  I  might 
consult  them.  Messrs.  Buchanan,  Walker,  Marcy, 
&  Toucey  advised  me  to  sign  the  Bill  if  it  came  in 
this  form.  They  drew  a  distinction,  which  I  did  not 
perceive,  between  the  amendment  in  this  form  and 
the  Wilmot  Proviso.  Mr.  Mason  advised  me  to 
veto  it.  Mr.  Johnson  thought  I  ought  not  to  sign 
it,  because,  among  other  reasons,  it  was  now  past  12 
O'clock  at  night,  and  he  was  of  opinion  that  my 
Presidential  term  had  expired.     I  opened  the  doors 


366  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  Mar. 

without  announcing  to  my  Cabinet  what  I  would  do. 
As  soon  as  the  doors  were  opened  many  members 
came  in  &  urged  me  to  veto  the  Bill  if  it  came  to  me. 
Among  others  Gen'l  Bayley  of  Va.  &  Gen'l  George 
S.  Houston  of  Alabama,  Lynn  Boyd  of  Ky.,  [and] 
Cobb  of  Georgia  came  in  &  earnestly  urged  me  to 
veto  the  Bill.  My  mind  was  made  up,  but  I  did  not 
communicate  my  decision  to  them.  Some  minutes 
after  they  retired  Mr.  Houston  returned  and  in- 
formed me  that  the  excitement  among  the  Southern 
men  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  was  intense,  and  that  they  were 
signing  a  paper  addressed  to  me  requesting  me  to 
veto  the  Bill.  I  at  once  told  him  to  return  to  the 
House  and  stop  the  signatures  to  the  paper,  for 
the  President  could  not  perform  a  high  Constitu- 
tional duty  of  this  kind  upon  a  petition.  I  then  told 
him  he  might  rest  easy,  that  I  was  prepared  with  a 
veto  message  in  my  pocket,  and  that  I  should  veto  the 
Bill  if  it  came  to  me.  He  was  greatly  rejoiced,  im- 
mediately left  my  room,  &  I  heard  nothing  more  of 
the  petition.  I  informed  the  members  of  my  Cabi- 
net of  my  determination.  It  was  fixed  &  settled,  al- 
though four  members  of  the  Cabinet  had  advised 
against  it.  I  sat  down  at  my  table  and  wrote  a 
paragraph  modifying  the  introductory  part  of  the 
prepared  message  on  the  Wilmot  Proviso  which  I 
had  in  my  pocket,  so  as  to  meet  the  new  form  in 
which  the  amendment  of  the  House  had  presented 
the  question.  Mr.  Stanton  of  Tennessee  was  present 
when  I  wrote  this  paragraph,  though  I  did  not  in- 
form him  what  I  was  writing.  It  was  a  moment  of 
high  responsibility,  perhaps  the  highest  of  my  offi- 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  367 

cial  term.  I  felt  its  weight  most  sensibly,  but  re- 
solved to  pursue  the  dictates  of  my  own  best 
judgement  and  to  do  my  duty.  I  had  gone  to  the 
Capitol  this  evening  under  the  impression  that,  with- 
out a  critical  examination  of  the  subject,  my  official 
term  as  President  of  the  U.  S.  would  expire  at  mid- 
night on  the  night  of  this  the  3rd  day  of  March. 
The  correctness  of  this  impression  was  shaken  by 
the  views  presented  by  some  members  of  my  Cabinet 
and  by  many  members  of  Congress,  Whigs  &  Demo- 
crats, who  called  on  me  as  the  hour  of  12  O'Clock 
at  night  approached  and  insisted  that  as  by  the  Con- 
stitution the  President  shall  hold  his  office  for  the 
term  of  four  years,  and  as  I  had  not  taken  the  oath 
of  office  until  between  the  hours  of  12  &  i  O'Clock 
on  the  4th  of  March,  1845,  my  term  of  office  would 
not  expire  until  the  same  hour  on  the  4th  of  March, 
1849.  It  was  certain,  too,  that  if  my  term  as  Presi- 
dent had  expired  that  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  and  of  one 
third  of  the  Senators  had  also  expired.  The  two 
Houses  of  Congress  were  still  in  Session,  the  general 
appropriation  Bill  without  which  the  Government 
could  not  get  on  remained  to  be  passed.  On  the 
other  hand  several  Senators  and  Representatives,  and 
among  them  Senators  Cass,  Allen,  &  otHers,  I 
learned,  were  of  opinion  that  the  term  of  the  Con- 
gress and  of  the  President  had  expired,  and  declined 
to  vote.  In  the  state  of  doubt  upon  the  question 
which  had  been  produced  in  my  mind  by  the  con- 
flicting views  which  were  presented  I  had  remained 
at  the  Capitol  until  between  i  &  2  O'Clock  by  the 
timepiece  in  the  Vice  President's  Room.     Great  con- 


368  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  Mar. 

fusion,  I  learned,  prevailed  in  the  two  Houses,  as 
well  as  great  excitement  upon  the  slave-question. 
After  2  O'clock  I  proposed  to  retire  from  the  Capi- 
tol to  my  lodgings.  This  was  strongly  opposed  by 
Messrs.  Buchanan,  Walker,  Marcy,  &  Toucy.  Mr. 
Mason  and  Mr.  Johnson  thought  I  ought  to  retire. 
Mr.  Charles  A.  Wicklifife  of  Kentucky,  formerly 
Post  Master  Gen'l,  came  into  the  room  and  I  asked 
his  opinion  confidentially,  &  he  advised  me  not  to 
retire.  I  remained  until  between  3  &  4  O'Clock 
A.  M.  of  the  4th  of  March,  when  I  informed  the 
Cabinet  of  my  determination  to  retire  to  my  lodg- 
ings. Messrs.  Buchanan,  Walker,  Marcy,  &  Toucy 
still  opposed  it.  I  informed  them  that  I  would  re- 
tire to  my  quarters  at  Willard's  Hotel,  where  I  could 
be  found  if  Congress  should  have  any  communica- 
tion to  make  to  me,  but  informed  them  at  the  same 
time  that  I  would  hold  myself  uncommitted  as  to  my 
course  if  Congress  should  send  me  any  Bill  for  my 
action.  I  said  the  same  thing  to  some  members  of 
Congress.  I  retired  accordingly,  accompanied  by 
Mr.  Mason  &  Mr.  Johnson.  The  other  members  of 
the  Cabinet  remained  at  the  Capitol.  My  Private 
Secretary  also  remained  at  my  request.  When  Mr. 
Johnson,  Mr.  Mason,  &  myself  reached  Willard's 
Hotel  we  had  some  refreshments,  for  I  was  exceed- 
ingly fatigued  and  exhausted.  Mr.  Johnson  went  to 
his  House,  Mr.  Mason  lay  on  a  sofa  in  my  parlour, 
&  I  retired  to  an  adjoining  chamber  where  Mrs.  Polk 
was.  About  6  O'Clock  A.  M.  I  was  called  and  in- 
formed that  a  committee  of  Congress  were  in  my 
parlour  waiting  to  see  me.     I  repaired  immediately 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLKAS    DIARY  369 

to  the  parlour,  for  I  had  not  undressed.  The  Joint 
committee  on  enrolled  Bills  of  the  two  Houses  of 
Congress  presented  to  me  for  my  approval  and  signa- 
ture two  Bills,  one  being  the  Civil  &  Diplomatic 
appropriation  Bill  &  the  other  a  Bill  to  extend  the 
Revenue  laws  of  the  U.  S.  over  California.  The 
Civil  &  Diplomatic  Bill  did  not  contain  the  ob- 
noxious amendment  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  which  I  had 
resolved  to  veto.  The  Bill  had  been  amended  so  as 
to  strike  out  not  only  the  House  amendment  in  rela- 
tion to  slavery,  but  to  strike  out  also  Senator  Walker's 
provision  for  the  Government  of  California  and  New 
Mexico,  so  as  to  leave  the  Bill  the  ordinary  annual 
appropriation  Bill  for  the  support  of  [the]  Govern- 
ment. I  approved  &  signed  the  two  Bills,  being 
unwilling  to  defeat  so  indispensible  a  measure  as  the 
Civil  &  Diplomatic  Bill,  the  failure  to  pass  which 
would  have  produced  vast  public  inconvenience.  I 
had  been  brought  to  the  opinion  that  my  first  im- 
pression as  to  the  duration  of  my  term  might  be 
erroneous.  Having  signed  the  two  Bills,  one  of 
which  made  provision  for  an  Independent  Diplo- 
matic Mission  to  Prussia  and  the  other  for  the  ap- 
pointment of  a  collector  of  the  Customs  at  the  Bay 
of  San  Francisco  in  California,  I  directed  my  Private 
Secretary  to  prepare  a  message  to  the  Senate  nomi- 
nating Senator  Hannegan  of  Indiana  as  Envoy  Ex- 
traordinary and  Minister  Plenipotentiary  to  Prussia, 
&  Daniel  Turner  of  N.  Carolina  as  collector  at  San 
Francisco.  I  signed  this  message  and  directed  my 
Private  Secretary  to  deliver  it  to  the  Senate  at  the 
same  time  that  he  announced  to  Congress  my  ap- 


370  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  Mar. 

proval  and  signature  of  the  two  Bills.  Another 
Committee  of  Congress  announced  to  me  that  the 
two  Houses  of  Congress  were  ready  to  adjourn  unless 
I  had  some  further  communication  to  make  to  them. 
I  replied  that  I  had  no  further  communication  to 
make  except  the  Message  which  my  Private  Secre- 
tary would  deliver  to  the  Senate  and  the  Message 
anouncing  my  approval  &  signature  of  the  two 
Bills  just  presented  to  me.  Thus  closed  my  official 
duties  as  President  of  the  U.  States.  The  Senate 
confirmed  the  nomination  of  Mr.  Hannegan,  and 
there  being  objection  made  by  a  Senator  to  act  upon 
the  nomination  of  Mr.  Turner,  it  was  not  confirmed. 
I  declined  to  make  many  nominations  for  offices  cre- 
ated by  acts  of  Congress  passed  during  the  last  night, 
deeming  it  proper  to  leave  these  offices  to  be  filled 
by  my  successor.  Mr.  Hannegan's  and  Mr.  Turn- 
er's cases  were  exceptions  to  this  rule.  In  anticipa- 
tion that  Congress  would  make  an  appropriation  for 
seperate  Missions  to  Berlin  and  another  to  the  Ger- 
man Empire,  both  of  which  were  filled  by  Mr. 
Donelson,  I  had  been  urged  by  many  Senators, 
Whigs  &  Democrats,  some  days  ago  to  nominate  Mr. 
Hannegan.  During  the  last  night's  session  several 
Senators  called  on  me  in  the  Vice  President's  room 
and  requested  me  to  nominate  him.  Among  the 
Whig  Senators  who  did  so  were  Messrs.  Mangum  of 
N.  C,  Johnson  of  Md.,  and  Greene  &  Clark  of  R. 
Island.  I  made  the  nomination  as  soon  as  the  Bill 
authorizing  a  seperate  Mission  to  Berlin  was  ap- 
proved &  signed.  I  nominated  Mr.  Turner  because 
I  knew  him  to  be  an  exceedingly  worthy  &  competent 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  371 

man,  and  because  I  supposed  his  nomination  would 
not  be  opposed  by  the  Whig  Senators,  as  Mr.  Mason, 
the  Sec.  of  the  Navy,  informed  me  that  the  Whig 
Senator  Badger  of  N.  C.  was  anxious  that  I  should 
nominate  Mr.  Turner.  Mr.  Badger,  I  learn,  is  the 
brother-in-law  of  Mr.  Turner,  but  was  unfortunately 
not  in  his  seat  when  the  nomination  went  to  the 
Senate.  By  the  rules  of  the  Senate  no  nomination 
can  be  acted  on  on  the  same  day  it  is  received,  if  any 
one  Senator  objects.  In  Mr.  Hannegan's  case  no 
Senator  objected,  but  in  Mr.  Turner's  case  a  Senator 
did  object. 

Note  I.  The  Diary  of  this  day's  proceedings  I 
reduced  to  writing  from  my  recollection  of  the  events 
recorded,  on  this  23rd  day  of  April,  1849.  I  reduced 
it  to  writing  at  Murfreesborough,  while, on  a  visit 
with  Mrs.  Polk  to  her  relatives  at  that  place. 

Note  2.  On  reading  over  the  foregoing  I  find 
that  I  have  omitted  to  notice  the  passage  by  Congress, 
after  night  of  this  day's  proceedings,  of  a  Bill  ^  to 
establish  the  Department  of  the  Interior,  or  home 
Department.  It  was  presented  to  me  for  my  ap- 
proval late  at  night  and  [I]  was  much  occupied  with 
other  duties.  It  was  a  long  Bill  containing  many 
sections,  and  I  had  but  little  time  to  examine  it.  I 
had  serious  objections  to  it,  but  they  were  not  of  a 
constitutional  character  and  I  signed  it  with  re- 
luctance. I  fear  its  consolidating  tendency.  I  ap- 
prehend its  practical  operation  will  be  to  draw 
power  from  the  states,  where  the  Constitution  has 
reserved  it,  &  to  extend  the  jurisdiction  and  power 

^  17.  S.  Stat,  at  Large,  IX,  395. 


372  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [4  Mar. 

of  the  U.  S.  by  construction  to  an  unwarrantable  ex- 
tent. Had  I  been  a  member  of  Congress  I  would 
have  voted  against  it.  Many  Bills  pass  Congress 
every  year  against  which  the  President  would  vote 
were  he  a  member  of  that  body,  and  which  he  yet 
approves  &  signs.  This  he  cannot  do  in  cases 
in  which  he  entertains  constitutional  objections. 
Though  my  objections  to  this  Bill  were  very  strong 
on  the  ground  of  expediency,  there  were  no  con- 
stitutional objections  to  it.  Had  I  refused  to  sign  it 
there  was  no  time  to  prepare  my  objections.  Had 
it  been  presented  to  me  at  an  earlier  period  of  the 
session,  I  would  have  examined  it  very  deliberately 
before  making  up  my  mind  to  sign  it.  I  deem  it 
proper  to  leave  this  record  of  my  doubts  as  to  the 
expediency  of  creating  a  Department  of  the  In- 
terior or  home  Department,  to  the  end  that  my  sig- 
nature of  the  Bill  may  not  hereafter  be  regarded 
as  conclusive  evidence  that  I  was  in  favour  of  the 
measure. 

Sunday,  4th  March,  l84g. —  Having  closed  my 
official  term  as  President  of  the  U.  S.  at  6>4  O'Clock 
this  morning,  that  being  about  the  hour  at  which  Con- 
gress adjourned,  I  attended  Divine  service  with  my 
family,  consisting  of  Mrs.  Polk  and  our  two  nieces. 
Miss  Hays  and  Miss  Rucker,  at  the  First  Presby- 
terian church.  An  excellent  sermon  was  preached 
by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Ballentine,  the  Pastor.  At  the 
close  of  the  service  the  minister  and  elder  members 
of  the  church,  male  and  female,  approached  and 


i849]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  373 

shook  hands  with  Mrs.  Polk  and  myself  on  taking 
leave  of  us,  accompanied  with  many  expressions  of 
their  friendship  and  affectionate  Regard.  The 
scene  was  an  interesting  and  a  gratifying  one.  We 
had  attended  worship  regularly  and  with  few  ex- 
ceptions almost  every  sabbath  during  the  term  of 
my  Presidency,  and  the  congregation  to-day  seemed 
to  realize  that  they  were  about  to  part  with  us, 
and  that  in  all  probability  we  would  never  wor- 
ship with  them  again.  The  affectionate  manner  in 
which  they  took  leave  [of]  us  made  the  scene  a  very 
impressive  one.  We  returned  to  our  lodgings  at 
the  Irving  Hotel  and  from  thence  I  rode  in  my  car- 
riage to  the  President's  House  to  collect  some  let- 
ters and  manuscripts  which  I  had  left  in  my  office 
on  leaving  it  last  evening.  In  the  afternoon  I  rested 
at  the  Hotel,  being  much  fatigued  by  the  very  severe 
duties  of  the  past  weeks.  A  few  friends  called  in 
the  evening  and  we  saw  them  in  our  parlour.  I  feel 
exceedingly  relieved  that  I  am  now  free  from  all 
public  cares.  I  am  sure  I  shall  be  a  happier  man 
in  my  retirement  than  I  have  been  during  the  four 
years  I  have  filled  the  highest  office  in  the  gift  of 
my  countrymen. 

About  lo  O'clock  at  night  a  military  company 
from  Baltimore  with  a  fine  band  of  music  appeared 
before  my  lodgings  at  the  Hotel  &  played.  I  saw 
the  officers,  who  informed  me  they  had  called  to 
pay  their  respects  to  me.  As  it  was  Sunday  evening 
I  did  not  invite  them  in,  but  made  my  appearance 
at  the  window,  and  bowed  to  them.     I  informed  the 


374  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [5  Mar. 

officers  that  I  would  see  them  on  to-morrow. 
After  12  O'clock  two  other  companies  appeared  and 
played.     They  had  fine  bands  of  music. 

Monday,  ^th  March,  l84g, —  Soon  after  break- 
fast this  morning  many  of  my  friends  called  to  see 
me  and  many  strangers  called  to  pay  their  respects. 
Among  them  were  all  the  members  of  my  late  Cab- 
inet &  the  ladies  of  their  families.  Between  11  &  12 
O'clock  a  procession  of  military  companies  and  cit- 
izens, conducted  by  many  marshalls  on  horseback, 
moved  from  Willard's  Hotel  as  an  escort  to  Gen'l 
Taylor,  the  President  elect  of  the  U.  S.  On  reach- 
ing the  Irving  Hotel,  where  I  had  my  quarters,  the 
procession  halted  and  the  open  carriage  in  which 
Gen'l  Taylor  was  seated  stopped  immediately  op- 
posite to  the  Hotel.  In  pursuance  of  the  arrange- 
ments made  by  the  committee  of  the  Senate,  I  was 
conducted  to  the  same  carriage  and  seated  on  the 
right  of  Gen'l  Taylor.  Mr.  Seaton,  the  Mayor  of 
Washington,  &  Mr.  Winthrop,  the  late  Speaker  of 
the  Ho.  Repts.,  were  seated  in  the  same  carriage. 
The  procession  moved  to  the  Capitol.  On  arriving 
there  we  were  met  by  the  committee  of  the  Senate, 
consisting  of  Senators  Davis  of  Miss.,  Johnson  of 
Maryland,  and  Davis  of  Mass.,  and  were  conducted 
to  the  Senate  chamber,  where  the  Senate  were  in 
Session.  Gen'l  Taylor  and  myself  walked  in  to- 
gether and  were  seated,  I  being  on  his  right.  My 
late  Cabinet  were  seated  on  the  floor  of  the  Senate. 
After  remaining  a  few  minutes  the  whole  body  of 
persons  proceeded  to  the  Eastern  front  of  the  Cap- 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  375 

itol,  Gen'l  Taylor  and  myself  walking  out  together 
in  the  same  manner  we  had  entered  the  Senate 
chamber.  After  being  there  a  few  minutes  Gen'l 
Taylor  read  his  Inaugural  Address.  He  read  it  in 
a  very  low  voice  and  very  badly  as  to  his  pronunci- 
ation and  manner.  The  oath  of  office  was  admin- 
istered to  him  by  the  chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  U.  S.  As  soon  as  this  was  over  I  ad- 
vanced to  him  and  shook  him  by  the  hand,  saying  to 
him,  '^  I  hope.  Sir,  the  country  may  be  prosperous 
under  your  administration.''  We  were  then  con- 
ducted to  the  carriage  in  which  we  had  come  to  the 
Capitol,  and  proceeded  along  Pennsylvania  Avenue, 
Mr.  Seaton  and  Mr.  Winthrop  being  in  the  carriage 
with  Gen'l,  now  President,  Taylor  and  myself,  to- 
wards the  President's  mansion.  On  arriving  at  my 
lodgings  at  the  Irving  Hotel  the  procession  halted 
and  I  took  leave  of  the  President.  He  proceeded 
to  the  President's  mansion.  On  proceeding  to  the 
Capitol  and  returning  I  remained  covered.  Gen'l 
Taylor  occasionally  took  off  his  hat  &  bowed  to  the 
people.  When  not  making  his  respects  to  the  peo- 
ple he  was  free  in  conversation.  On  going  up  to  the 
Capitol  California  was  alluded  to,  in  conversation 
between  Mr.  Seaton  &  Mr.  Winthrop  and  myself. 
Something  was  said  which  drew  from  Gen'l  Taylor 
the  expression  of  views  &  opinions  which  greatly 
surprised  me.  They  were  to  the  effect  that  Cali- 
fornia and  Oregon  were  too  distant  to  become  mem- 
bers of  the  Union,  and  that  it  would  be  better  for 
them  to  be  an  Independant  Gov[ern]ment.  He  said 
that  our  people  would  inhabit  them,  and  repeated 


2,7^  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [s  Mas, 

that  it  would  be  better  for  them  to  form  an  Inde- 
pendant  Gov[ern]ment  for  themselves.  These  are 
alarming  opinions  to  be  entertained  by  the  President 
of  the  U.  S.  I  made  no  response,  nor  did  Mr.  Sea- 
ton  or  Mr.  Winthrop.  I  have  entertained  serious 
apprehensions,  and  have  expressed  them  in  this 
diary,  that  if  no  Gov[ern]ment  was  provided  for 
California  at  the  late  Session  of  Congress  there  was 
danger  that  that  fine  territory  would  be  lost  to  the 
Union  by  the  establishment  of  an  Independant  Gov- 
ernment. Gen'l  Taylor's  opinions  as  expressed,  I 
hope,  have  not  been  well  considered.  Gen'l  Taylor 
is,  I  have  no  doubt,  a  well  meaning  old  man.  He 
is,  however,  uneducated,  exceedingly  ignorant  of 
public  affairs,  and,  I  should  judge,  of  very  ordinary 
capacity.  He  will  be  in  the  hands  of  others,  and 
must  rely  wholly  upon  his  Cabinet  to  administer  the 
Government.  Upon  reaching  my  quarters  at  the 
Irving  Hotel,  hundreds  of  persons  called,  and 
among  others  the  military  company  from  Baltimore, 
who  called  last  night,  came  in  and  I  shook  hands 
with  them.  I  continued  to  receive  company  until 
lo  &  II  O'clock  at  night,  when  I  went  with  Mrs. 
Polk  to  the  Steam-Boat  to  take  my  departure  by  the 
Southern  route  to  my  residence  in  Tennessee.  All 
the  members  of  my  Cabinet  with  the  females  of  their 
families  called  in  the  course  of  the  afternoon.  The 
demonstrations  of  kindness  and  respect  paid  to  me 
on  the  eve  of  my  departure  from  Washington  were 
highly  gratifying,  and  all  that  I  could  have  desired. 
Mr.  Buchanan,  Mr.  &  Mrs.  Marcy,  &  Mr.  &  Mrs. 
Mason  accompanied  us  to  the  Boat,  though  it  was  a 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  377 

wet  night,  where  they  took  leave  of  us.  Mr.  &  Mrs. 
Walker  came  after  us.  Mrs.  Walker  took  leave  of 
us  &  returned.  Mr.  Walker  will  accompany  me  as 
far  as  New  Orleans.  My  late  Private  Se[c]retary,  J. 
Knox  Walker,  and  his  wife  came  to  the  boat  about 
12  O'clock  &  brought  with  them  our  two  nieces, 
Miss  Rucker  &  Miss  Hays,  who  had  been  to  the 
Inauguration  Ball.  J.  Knox  Walker  and  his  wife 
took  leave  of  us  &  returned.  Daniel  Graham  &  his 
wife  accompany  us.  We  found  the  Boat  much 
crowded  with  members  of  Congress  and  others  go- 
ing South.  I  was  much  fatigued,  but  had  but  little 
rest.  The  Boat  left  at  the  usual  hour,  3  O'Clock  in 
the  morning.  I  take  with  me  Henry  Bowman,  my 
late  steward,  to  pay  bills,  take  care  of  the  baggage, 
&C.  I  take  with  me  also  my  servant  (Henry)  & 
Milly,  a  maid  servant  belonging  to  J.  Knox  Walker. 

Tuesday,  6th  March,  184Q. —  This  morning  at 
3  O'clock  the  Steam-Boat  left,  and  I  was  on  my 
journey  homeward.  The  Rail  Road  cars  stopped  a 
few  minutes  at  Fredericksburg.  A  crowd  was  as- 
sembled to  see  me.  I  stepped  to  the  end  of  the  cars 
&  bowed  to  them,  shaking  hands  with  some  of  them. 
At  a  place  called  the  Junction,  20  miles  from  Rich- 
mond, I  was  met  by  a  committee  from  that  City, 
consisting  of  Robert  G.  Scott,  James  A.  Seddon,  and 
Mr.  Casker,  who  insisted  that  I  should  spend  a  day 
at  Richmond,  but  I  declined  to  do  so.  They  informed 
me  that  the  General  assembly  of  Virginia,  now 
in  Session,  had  passed  a  Resolution,  without  distinc- 
tion of  party  and  unanimously,  to  receive  me  in  their 


378  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [6  Mar. 

Legislative  capacity.  On  arriving  at  the  Depot  at 
Richmond  I  found  a  large  crowd  of  people  assem- 
bled. I  was  met  at  this  point  by  a  committee  of  the 
Legislature,  who  informed  me  officially  of  the  Res- 
olution which  the  Legislature  had  passed  and  invited 
me  to  visit  that  body,  then  in  Session.  I  did  so.  On 
being  conducted  into  the  Hall  of  the  House  of 
Delegates,  where  both  Houses  were  assembled,  and 
where  a  vast  crowd  of  citizens  were  collected,  I  was 
addressed  by  the  Speaker  of  the  House  in  a  very  elo- 
quent &  complimentary  speech,  to  which  I  re- 
sponded, and  after  being  introduced  individually  to 
the  members,  proceeded  on  my  journey,  having 
spent  about  an  hour  in  going  through  the  impos- 
ing ceremony.  The  Speaker  also  addressed  Mr. 
Walker,  who  responded.  During  these  ceremonies 
Mrs.  Polk  &  the  ladies  of  my  party  were  entertained 
at  the  hospitable  mansion  of  the  Hon.  James  A. 
Seddon,  where,  as  they  informed  me,  they  met  many 
of  the  ladies  of  the  City  and  partook  of  a  splendid 
collation. 

On  arriving  at  Petersburg  we  found  a  large  crowd 
assembled  at  the  Depot,  and  on  reaching  the  Hotel 
where  we  dined  I  was  addressed,  and  made  a  very 
short  response,  being  much  fatigued  and  suffering 
from  the  effects  of  a  severe  cold.  Mr.  Walker  was 
also  addressed  and  responded  at  some  length.  After 
Dinner  we  were  conducted  to  the  Rail  Road  cars, 
accompanied  by  many  hundreds  of  people,  and  pro- 
ceeded on  our  journey.  We  arrived  at  Weldon,  N. 
Carolina  in  the  night  and  found  the  principal  Hotel 
and  other  buildings  of  the  place  brilliantly  illumi- 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  379 

nated.  This  is  a  region  of  tar  &  turpentine,  and 
bon-fires  (turpentine  &  tar  barrels)  were  blazing  in 
the  streets.  I  met  and  shook  hands  with  a  crowd  of 
people  who  had  collected  from  the  surrounding 
country  to  meet  me.  We  took  supper  and  proceeded 
on  our  journey. 

Wednesday,  yth  March,  i84g. —  About  lo 
O'clock  this  morning  the  Rail  Road  cars  arrived  at 
Wilmington,  N.  C,  at  which  place  I  had  accepted 
an  invitation  to  spend  a  day.  I  was  met  at  the  Rail 
Road  Depot  by  the  authorities  of  the  town  &  a  large 
number  of  citizens;  and  was  conducted  through  the 
town  in  an  open  [carriage]  to  the  Hotel  where  quar- 
ters had  been  provided  for  me.  On  reaching  the 
Hotel  and  alighting  from  the  carriage  I  was  ad- 
dressed in  a  very  complimentary  manner  by  Mr.  Hill 
(a  young  man)  in  an  eloquent  manner.  In  the 
course  of  his  address  he  alluded  to  the  fact  that  I  was 
a  native  of  N.  C,  and  that  the  people  of  Wilming- 
ton welcomed  me  not  only  as  a  retired  public  serv- 
ice [servant]  but  as  a  son  of  their  own  State.  I  re- 
sponded at  some  length  to  his  address;  and  after- 
wards received  and  shook  hands  with  many  persons, 
ladies  and  gentlemen.  In  the  course  of  an  hour 
after  my  arrival  a  committee  of  gentlemen  from 
Charleston,  S.  C,  who  had  been  deputed  to  escort 
me  to  that  City,  were  presented  to  me.  I  was  then 
conducted  to  the  Masonic  Hall,  where  I  received  & 
was  presented  to  many  citizens  of  the  town.  Among 
them  was  an  old  friend,  a  class  mate  at  College  (Mr. 
Arthur  Hill)  whom  I  had  not  seen  since  we  grad- 


38o  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [8  Mar. 

uated  at  the  University  of  N.  C,  in  June,  1818. 
Our  meeting  was  mutually  gratifying.  On  retiring 
from  the  masonic  Hall,  Mr.  Andre  of  the  Charles- 
ton committee,  addressed  me  at  the  Door  of  the  Hall 
on  the  street  in  presence  of  a  large  crowd  of  people, 
and  informed  me  that  the  City  authorities  of  Charles- 
ton had  deputed  himself  and  his  associates  to  wait 
on  me  at  this  place  to  tender  me  a  cordial  welcome 
to  S.  Carolina  and  to  accompany  me  to  that  City. 
His  address  was  highly  complimentary  to  my  ad- 
ministration. I  responded  in  suitable  terms,  and 
then  returned  to  the  Hotel.  My  party  dined  with 
the  town  authorities  of  Wilmington,  the  Charleston 
committee,  and  several  citizens.  It  was  a  sumptuous 
dinner,  but  not  a  formal  one.  There  were  no  toasts 
or  speeches.  In  the  course  of  the  afternoon  &  even- 
ing I  received  &  was  presented  to  many  ladies  &  gen- 
tlemen of  the  town.  My  reception  at  Wilmington 
was  all  I  could  have  desired  &  was  very  gratifying. 

Thursday,  8th  March,  l84g. —  I  proceeded  on 
my  journey  from  Wilmington  between  lo  &  ii 
O'clock  this  morning.  During  the  morning  we 
were  visited  by  many  persons,  male  and  female.  I 
was  escorted  by  the  authorities  of  Wilmington  & 
many  people  of  both  sexes  from  the  Hotel  to  the 
Boat  in  an  open  carriage.  On  reaching  the  Boat  the 
Charleston  committee  took  charge  of  me  and  the 
Boat  left  her  wharf  for  Charleston  in  the  midst  of 
the  firing  of  a  salute  from  the  shore.  Arriving  at 
Smithville,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Cape  Fear  River, 
in  the  afternoon,  the  Boat  stopped  for  a  short  time. 


I849J  JAMES    K.    POLK'S   DIARY  381 

There  is  a  garrison,  occupied  by  a  few  soldiers,  at 
Fort  Johnson  at  this  point.  Fort  Johnson  was 
erected  before  the  American  Revolution  and  the  re- 
mains of  the  old  building  are  still  standing,  but  are 
in  a  dilapidated  condition,  other  buildings  having 
been  erected  for  the  accommodation  of  troops.  Fort 
Johnson  was  the  place  in  which  the  Colonial  Gov- 
ernor of  N.  C.  took  refuge,  and  where  he  was  when, 
in  June,  1775,  he  reported  to  the  home  Government 
in  England  the  rebellious  proceedings  (as  he  termed 
them)  of  his  majesty's  subjects  in  the  County  of 
Mecklenburg,  a  fact  recently  brought  to  light  by  the 
researches  of  Mr.  Bancroft,  the  eminent  historian 
and  now  U.  S.  minister  at  London.  Being  a  native 
of  the  County  of  Mecklenburg,  I  took  a  peculiar  in- 
terest in  viewing  the  remains  of  this  old  Fortress. 
I  was  warmly  and  courteously  received  by  Maj'r 
Marchant,^  U.  S.  army,  in  command  of  the  post,  and 
his  officers,  as  well  as  by  the  citizens,  many  of  whom 
called  and  were  presented  to  me,  male  and  female. 
After  spending  an  hour  at  this  point  the  Boat  pro- 
ceeded on  the  voyage  and  we  were  very  soon  in  the 
open  sea.  This  evening  was  calm  and  the  sea 
smooth.  None  of  the  passengers  suffered  from  sea- 
sickness, a  thing  very  unusual  at  this  season  of  the 
year.  We  retired  at  the  usual  hour,  and  had  a  com- 
fortable night's  rest. 

Friday,  gth  March,  184Q. —  Early  in  the  morn- 
ing the  Steamer  reached  Charleston,  but  we  did  not 
go  on  shore  until  between  8  &  9  O'Clock,  this  being 

^  Charles  Spencer  Merchant,  Major  of  the  3rd  Artillery, 


382  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [9  Mar. 

the  arrangement  of  the  Committees  &  City  author- 
ities. A  large  concourse  of  Citizens  were  assembled 
on  the  wharf,  and  on  being  conducted  on  shore  I 
was  received  by  a  committee  of  citizens,  and  wel- 
comed to  their  City  by  Henry  W.  Conner,  their 
chairman,  in  a  strong  and  very  complimentary  ad- 
dress, to  which  I  responded.  Mr.  Conner  &  myself 
are  natives  of  the  same  County  (Mecklenburg)  in 
North  Carolina,  and  our  families  for  several  gener- 
ations past  had  been  intimate  acquaintances  and 
friends.  This  circumstance  gave  additional  interest 
to  the  occasion.  The  ceremony  of  reception  being 
over,  myself,  Mr.  Walker,  and  others  of  my  suite 
were  placed  in  open  carriages  and  escorted  through 
the  principal  streets  of  the  City,  accompanied  by  a 
large  number  of  Citizens  on  foot.  The  windows 
and  porches  of  the  buildings  on  the  whole  long  line 
of  the  procession  were  filled  by  ladies.  I  was 
struck  with  the  large  number  and  magnificent  dis- 
play of  the  military.  I  had  never  before  witnessed 
a  military  procession  of  more  imposing  appearance. 
South  Carolina  is  remarkable  for  the  attention  paid 
to  the  discipline  of  her  militia.  Arriving  at  the 
Hotel  to  which  I  was  conducted,  I  was  waited  on  by 
many  of  the  distinguished  citizens  of  the  place. 
About  12  O'clock  Mr.  Walker  and  myself  were  con- 
ducted by  the  committee  headed  by  their  chairman 
(Mr.  Conner)  when  I  was  presented  to  the  Mayor 
(Mr.  Hutchinson)  who  delivered  to  me  an  eloquent 
address  and  bid  [bade]  me  a  cordial  welcome  on  be- 
half of  the  City  authorities,  to  which  I  responded.  I 
was  then  presented  to  the  members  of  the  City  Coun- 


i849]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  383 

cils  individually.  I  was  conducted  from  the  open 
Hall  by  the  Mayor  to  the  Council  chamber,  where 
Mr.  Walker  and  myself  were  presented  to  many  citi- 
zens. From  the  Council  chamber  we  were  conduct- 
ed to  an  adjoining  apartment,  and  were  presented  to 
the  Governor  of  South  Carolina  (Scab rook)  and  his 
military  staff  and  other  officers,  all  in  full  military 
dress.  After  spending  a  short  time,  engaged  chiefly 
in  conversation  with  the  Governor,  we  were  con- 
ducted back  to  the  Hotel.  About  4  O'Clock  we  were 
waited  on  and  taken  in  open  carriages  to  another 
part  of  the  City  to  partake  of  a  Public  Dinner.  The 
Mayor  presided,  assisted  by  many  Vice  Presidents. 
It  was  a  spacious  Hall,  very  tastefully  arranged.  A 
very  large  party  of  gentlemen  were  in  attendance 
and  among  others  a  committee  of  gentLemen  from 
Savannah,  Georgia,  who  had  previously  waited  on 
me  and  informed  me  that  they  had  been  deputed  to 
wait  on  me  and  conduct  me  to  that  City.  I  was 
seated  on  the  right  of  the  Mayor,  and  on  my  right 
was  the  Governor  of  the  State,  in  full  military  dress. 
After  the  cloth  was  removed  a  number  of  sentiments 
were  read  by  the  Mayor,  one  of  which  was  compli- 
mentary to  myself.  After  it  was  read  &  had  been 
warmly  received  by  the  company,  I  returned  my  ac- 
knowledgments in  a  short  speech,  and  concluded  by 
a  sentiment  complimentary  to  the  City  of  Charles- 
ton. Among  the  sentiments  was  also  one  compli- 
mentary to  Mr.  Walker,  to  which  he  responded  in  a 
speech.  The  Governor  and  many  others  of  the 
company  responded  in  speeches  to  other  sentiments. 
The  Dinner  was  sumptuous,  and  the  whole  affair 


384  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [lo  Mar. 

passed  off  harmoniously  and  pleasantly.  We  were 
conducted  from  the  Dinner  table  back  to  the  Hotel 
where  by  the  arrangement  of  the  committees  &  City 
authorities  Mrs.  Polk  and  myself  received  &  were 
presented  to  a  very  large  number  of  ladies  &  gentle- 
men. My  reception  in  Charleston  was  most  bril- 
liant and  everything  connected  with  it  was  conducted 
with  order  and  good  taste.  It  was  not  only  a  warm, 
but  an  enthusiastic  welcome,  and  every  mark  of  dis- 
tinction and  respect,  without  regard  to  political 
divisions,  was  paid  to  me.  We  retired  to  rest  at  a 
late  hour.  The  weather  during  the  day  had  been 
unusually  warm  for  Charleston  for  this  season  of  the 
year.  I  had  left  snow  and  ice  at  Washington  not 
four  days  ago,  and  now  I  found  myself  in  the  midst 
of  summer  heat.  This  sudden  transition  from  cold 
to  heat,  and  the  great  fatigue  I  had  endured  during 
the  day  made  the  rest  of  the  night  very  acceptable 
to  me. 

On  arriving  at  Charleston  this  morning,  Mr.  & 
Mrs.  Daniel  Graham  of  Tennessee,  who  had  been  of 
my  suite,  left  me  and  proceeded  by  way  of  the 
Georgia  Railroad  on  their  journey  homeward.  Hon. 
Mr.  Cobb  and  Mr.  Lumpkin  of  Georgia  and  several 
other  friends  left  me  at  this  point. 

I  have  omitted  to  mention  that  on  arriving  at 
Charleston  this  morning  a  salute  was  fired  from  the 
forts  and  every  demonstration  of  respect  manifested 
by  the  shipping  in  port. 

Saturday,  lOth  March,  i84g, —  About  7  O'clock 
this  morning  I  left  the  Hotel  and  went  on  board  the 


i849]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  385 

Steamboat  for  Savannah,  Geo.  We  were  taken  to 
the  Boat  in  open  carriages,  escorted  by  the  commit- 
tees, Mayor  &  City  authorities  of  Charleston,  Gov- 
ernor Seabrook,  &  many  citizens.  On  taking  leave 
of  Charleston  w^e  passed  under  a  beautiful  canopy, 
erected  on  cotton  bales  tastefully  arranged  and  with 
the  inscription  "  The  Old  Palmetto  State  bids  thee 
farewell."  I  proceeded  on  my  journey  in  charge 
of  the  committee  of  gentlemen  from  Savannah,  un- 
der a  jfire  of  a  salute  from  the  forts.  Gov.  Seabrook 
was  on  board  until  we  reached  Beaufort,  where  he 
left.  At  this  place  during  the  few  minutes  the  Boat 
touched  at  the  mark  [wharf?]  I  made  my  respects 
from  the  Deck  to  a  crowd  of  citizens  on  shore.  A 
few  of  the  principal  persons  of  the  place  came  on 
board  and  were  introduced  to  me.  The  weather  was 
calm  and  the  sea  smooth  during  the  day  and  the  pas- 
sage to  Savannah  was  pleasant,  no  one  on  board  hav- 
ing suffered  from  sea  sickness.  It  was  near  9  O'Clock 
at  night  before  the  Boat  reached  Savannah.  On  our 
approach  a  salute  was  fired  from  the  town.  On  ar- 
riving at  the  wharf  the  Mayor  &  Aldermen  and  a 
committee  of  the  City  came  on  board  &  were  intro- 
duced to  me.  Myself  and  suite  were  conducted  on 
shore  and  placed  in  open  carriages.  Though  in  the 
night,  the  military  and  a  large  concourse  of  citizens 
were  out,  and  escorted  us  to  the  Hotel  where  our 
quarters  had  been  provided.  After  alighting  from 
the  carriages  &  remaining  a  short  time  at  the  Hotel, 
Mr.  Walker  and  myself  were  conducted  to  a  spa- 
cious Hall  in  another  part  of  the  City.  It  was  bril- 
liantly lighted  and  was  crowded  with  people,  ladies 


386  JAMES    K.    POLK'S   DIARY  [n  Mar. 

&  gentlemen.  We  spent  an  hour  in  being  introduced 
to  them  and  shaking  hands  with  them.  We  re- 
turned to  the  Hotel,  and  after  partaking  of  a  sup- 
per with  the  Mayor  &  City  authorities  retired  to  rest. 

Sunday,  nth  March,  i84g. —  I  did  not  see  the 
public  generally  to-day,  but  received  a  few  friends 
who  called  in  a  quiet  way.  Mrs.  Polk,  Mr.  Walker, 
and  others  of  my  suite,  accompanied  by  the  Mayor, 
attended  a  Presbyterian  church  in  the  forenoon  and 
an  Episcopal  church  in  the  afternoon.  Mr.  Walker, 
Mr.  Duncan  of  Miss.,  &  myself  took  a  family  din- 
ner with  the  Hon.  George  W.  Owen,^  who  resides 
here  and  whom  I  knew  intimately  during  the  period 
he  was  in  Congress.  No  person  was  present  at  din- 
ner except  Mr.  Owens's  family  and  three  or  four  of 
his  intimate  friends.  We  returned  from  dinner  to 
the  Hotel,  and  being  fatigued  by  the  journey  and 
considerably  prostrated  by  the  unusually  warm 
weather  for  this  season  of  the  year,  I  retired  to  rest 
at  an  early  hour. 

Monday,  12th  March,  184Q, —  At  an  early  hour 
this  morning  (before  7  O'Clock)  after  taking  a  cup 
of  coffee  I  left  the  Hotel  in  Savannah  and,  under  a 
military  escort  and  [with]  a  crowd  of  citizens  who 
had  assembled  at  this  early  hour  of  the  day,  I  left  the 
Hotel  (being  conveyed  in  an  open  carriage  &  accom- 
panied by  the  Mayor)  and  proceeded  to  the  Rail 
Road  depot,  where  we  took  leave  of  the  Mayor,  au- 
thorities, &  people  of  Savannah.     Every  manifesta- 

^  George  W.  Owens,  Representative  from  Georgia  1 835-1 839. 


1849]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARY  387 

tion  of  public  respect  was  paid  to  me  by  all  political 
parties  at  Savannah.  On  the  departure  of  the  cars  a 
salute  was  fired.  I  was  accompanied  by  a  committee 
of  gentlemen  from  Savannah  to  the  90  mile  station  on 
the  Rail  Road  to  Macon.  At  this  place  we  dined 
and  met  of  [a]  committee  from  Macon,  who  had 
been  deputed  to  receive  and  accompany  me  to  that 
City.  After  dinner  I  took  leave  of  the  Savannah 
committee,  who  returned,  &  proceeded  on  my  jour- 
ney. A  large  number  of  persons  had  collected  at 
the  90  mile  station,  where  we  dined,  to  meet  me.  I 
was  presented  to  them  and  shook  hands  with  many 
of  them,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  old  persons  &  little 
children.  At  all  the  depots  or  stopping  places  on 
the  route  from  Savannah  to  Macon  persons  were  col- 
lected from  the  surrounding  country,  to  all  of  whom 
I  made  my  respects,  and  shook  hands  with  many  of 
them,  during  the  short  period  the  cars  stopped  at 
each  place.  About  sun-set  we  reached  Macon,  [a] 
distance  of  180  miles  from  Savannah.  I  was  re- 
ceived at  the  Depot  by  the  authorities  of  the  town 
and  many  hundred  persons  who  had  assembled.  We 
were  placed  in  open  carriages  and  proceeded  about  a 
mile,  under  a  military  escort,  to  a  Hotel  where  quar- 
ters had  been  provided  for  me.  We  had  a  dusty  and 
fatiguing  ride  on  the  Rail-Road,  and  after  retiring 
to  my  room  for  a  short  time  I  came  to  the  parlour 
and  was  introduced  to  many  persons,  ladies  &  gen- 
tlemen. Having  taken  supper  and  continued  to  re- 
ceive company  until  about  10  O'Clock,  I  retired.  I 
had  previously  accepted  an  invitation  to  spend  a  day 
in  Macon,  and  to-morrow  the  authorities  &  citizens 


388  JAMES    K.    POLKAS    DIARY  [13  Mar. 

have  made  arrangements  to  give  me  a  public  and 
more  formal  reception. 

Tuesday,  13th  March,  i84g. —  In  pursuance  of 
arrangements  previously  made  I  spent  this  day  at 
Macon,  Georgia.  During  the  morning  I  received 
the  visits  of  many  of  the  citizens  at  the  Hotel. 
About  II  O'clock  Mr.  Walker  and  myself  were 
w^aited  on  by  the  authorities  of  the  town,  who  con- 
ducted us  to  a  balcony  or  porch  on  the  second  floor 
of  the  Hotel  fronting  the  open  square  or  street.  An 
immense  concourse  of  people  (considering  the  pop- 
ulation of  the  place  and  the  surrounding  country) 
were  assembled  in  the  street  below,  forming  a  dense 
mass,  surrounding  which  were  many  carriages  con- 
taining ladies.  From  a  platform  erected  in  the 
street  and  surrounded  by  the  crowd,  the  Hon.  Mr. 
Chappell  delivered  an  address  to  me  and  also  to  Mr. 
Walker.  I  responded  in  a  short  speech  as  did  Mr. 
Walker.  This  ceremony  being  over  we  were  con- 
ducted to  a  spacious  parlour  in  the  Hotel  where  I 
received  hundreds  of  the  Citizens,  ladies  &  gentle- 
men, &  shook  hands  with  them.  We  dined  at  the 
Hotel  with  the  Mayor  and  public  authorities  and 
many  citizens,  but  the  dinner  was  not  a  formal  one. 
In  the  evening  there  was  a  public  Ball  at  the  Hotel 
and  a  tasteful  and  magnificent  supper.  My  two 
nieces.  Miss  Hays  and  Miss  Rucker,  and  myself  at- 
tended. Mrs.  Polk  was  so  much  fatigued  by  the 
journey  and  by  receiving  visits  during  the  day  that 
she  declined  attending  the  Ball.  Mr.  Walker  was 
taken  ill  shortly  after  the  ceremony  of  the  public  re- 


i849]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  389 

ception  to-day  was  over.  He  had  retired  to  his 
chamber,  had  sent  for  a  physician,  &  taken  medicine, 
&  did  not  attend  the  Ball.  I  have  omitted  to  men- 
tion that  during  the  afternoon  I  took  a  ride  through 
the  town  in  an  open  carriage,  accompanied  by  the 
Mayor,  Col.  H.  G.  Lamar,^  formerly  a  member  of 
Congress,  with  whom  I  was  intimately  acquainted 
many  years  ago,  and  some  other  gentlemen.  We 
visited  &  spent  half  an  hour  at  a  flourishing  Female 
college,  which,  I  believe,  is  under  the  management 
of  the  methodist  Episcopal  church.  On  retiring 
from  the  Ball,  near  12  O'Clock  at  night,  I  visited 
Mr.  Walker  at  his  chamber.  He  did  not  consider 
himself  seriously  indisposed,  &  thought  he  would  be 
able  to  proceed  with  me  on  the  journey  on  to-morrow. 
I  retired  much  fatigued,  but  gratified  at  the  warm 
and  cordial  manner  in  which  I  had  been  received 
by  the  people  of  Macon. 

Wednesday,  14th  March,  i84g. —  To  my  great 
regret  I  found  on  visiting  Mr.  Walker  at  his 
chamber  this  morning  that  he  thought  himself  too 
much  prostrated  from  the  effects  of  medicine  to  pro- 
ceed with  me  on  the  journey  to-day.  I  proposed  to 
remain  with  him,  but  he  insisted  I  should  not,  as,  if 
I  did,  I  would  disappoint  the  people  of  Columbus, 
who  had  made  preparations  to  give  me  a  public  re- 
ception on  to-morrow.  He  thought  there  would  be 
no  doubt  that  he  would  be  able  to  travel  on  to-mor- 
row, insisted  I  should  go  on,  and  said  he  would 
overtake  me  at  Columbus,  where  I  had  accepted  an 

^  Henry  G.  Lamar,  Representative  from  Georgia  1 829-1 833. 


390  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [14  Mar. 

invitation  to  stop  a  day.  I  determined  to  proceed, 
leaving  Mr.  Duncan  of  Mississippi  with  him.  After 
taking  a  cup  of  coffee,  wg  were  escorted  by  a  com- 
mittee and  the  authorities  of  the  place  to  the  Rail 
Road  depot.  Many  citizens  were  assembled  at  the 
depot.  We  proceeded  on  the  Rail-Road  to  a  village 
called  Barnesville,  a  distance  of  30  miles  from 
Macon.  I  was  accompanied  by  a  committee  of  gen- 
tlemen from  Macon.  On  reaching  Barnsville  ^  I 
found  several  hundred  persons,  male  and  female,  as- 
sembled from  the  surrounding  country.  At  this 
point  we  left  the  Rail  Road.  I  was  introduced  to 
the  people  and  shook  hands  with  many  of  them.  A 
plain,  substantial,  and  respectable  looking  planter 
produced  some  merriment  by  stating  in  an  audible 
voice  that  he  had  a  son  born  that  morning  &  had 
named  him  James  K.  Polk  and  that  he  had  come  to 
Barnsville  in  some  uncertainty,  whether  James  K. 
Polk,  Ex  President  of  the  U.  S.,  would  be  there; 
and  in  that  event  he  had  determined  that  his  neigh- 
bours should  not  be  disappointed,  for  he  had  in- 
tended to  invite  them  all  to  his  House  where  they 
could  see  James  K.  Polk.  I  had  some  playful  con- 
versation with  him  and  thanked  him  for  the  compli- 
ment he  had  paid  by  naming  his  boy  for  me.  After 
breakfast  I  took  leave  of  the  Macon  committee  and 
proceeded  on  my  journey  towards  Columbus  in  an 
extra  coach  engaged  for  the  purpose,  with  no  other 
persons  in  it  but  my  own  family.  At  Thomaston, 
about  20  miles  from  Barnsville,  500  or  more  persons 
had  assembled.     I  was  received  by  a  committee  in 

^  Barnesville. 


i849]  JAMES   K.    POLKAS    DIARY  391 

the  edge  of  the  village  who  conducted  the  coach, 
preceded  by  a  band  of  music,  to  the  Hotel.  I  was 
conducted  to  a  portico  above  stairs  in  the  Hotel  and 
addressed  by  a  member  of  the  committee,  to  which 
I  responded.  After  dinner  I  proceeded  on  my 
journey,  stopping  at  several  houses  on  the  road  side 
to  speak  to  persons  who  had  collected  to  see  me.  In 
the  afternoon  there  was  a  violent  thunderstorm  and 
heavy  rain,  which  produced  some  delay  and  impeded 
the  speed  with  which  we  would  otherwise  have 
travelled.  At  dark  we  had  several  miles  to  travel 
before  reaching  Gen'l  Lowe['s],  where,  by  arrange- 
ment of  the  people  of  Columbus,  I  was  to  lodge  that 
night.  There  came  on  another  thunder  storm,  more 
violent  than  that  of  the  afternoon,  accompanied  by 
hail  &  heavy  rain.  The  horses  became  frightened; 
the  driver  stopped  the  coach,  and  my  two  men-serv- 
ants got  hold  of  the  horses  and  held  them  until  the 
storm  was  over.  The  night  was  dark  but  the  driver 
thought  he  could  still  reach  Gen'l  Lowe's.  He  pro- 
ceeded, driving  slowly  and  cautiously,  and  arrived  at 
Gen'l  Lowe's  between  8  &  9  O'Clock.  Here  we 
found  a  committee  of  20  gentlemen  from  Columbus, 
headed  by  the  Hon.  Seaborn  Jones, ^  their  chairman, 
and  whom  I  had  known  many  years  in  Congress, 
waiting  to  receive  me.  Four  or  five  hundred  people 
from  the  surrounding  country  were  also  assembled, 
and  among  them  a  large  number  of  ladies.  On  ap- 
proaching Gen'l  Lowe's  we  found  his  dwelling  and 
other  houses  brilliantly  illuminated.     They  had   a 

^  Seaborn  Jones,  Representative  from  Georgia  1833-1835,  and 
1845-1847. 


392  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [15  Mar. 

cannon  and  fired  a  salute.  I  was  very  warmly  & 
cordially  received.  All  expressed  regrets  that  Mr. 
Walker  was  not  with  me.  I  was  introduced  to  many 
of  the  people  and  shook  hands  with  them.  A  fine 
supper  had  been  prepared  of  which  we  partook. 
After  supper  there  was  a  Ball.  Mrs.  Polk  and  my- 
self were  conducted  into  the  Ball  room  &  introduced 
to  all  the  ladies,  and  near  2  O'Clock  retired  to  rest. 
I  had  become  somewhat  wet  in  the  storm  through 
which  we  had  passed  in  the  evening,  was  fatigued, 
and  needed  rest.  Gen'l  Lowe  is  a  wea[l]thy  planter, 
and  a  Democrat  in  his  politics.  Mrs.  Lowe  and  him- 
self treated  us  most  hospitably. 

Thursday,  i^th  March,  184Q, —  After  breakfast 
this  morning  we  proceeded  on  our  journey  towards 
Columbus,  a  distance  of  about  20  miles,  accompanied 
by  the  committee  who  had  met  us  at  Gen'l  Lowe's 
last  evening.  On  arriving  within  about  a  mile  of 
the  town  we  were  met  by  the  Mayor  (who  was  a 
Whig  in  politics)  and  aldermen,  and  a  large  num- 
ber of  citizens  in  carriages  and  on  horseback.  I 
alighted  from  the  carriage  &  was  received  by  the 
Mayor,  who  made  a  short  address  to  me  to  which  I 
made  a  short  reply.  I  was  then  introduced  to  the 
aldermen,  and  proceeded  in  an  open  carriage  to  the 
town.  The  procession  passed  through  the  principal 
streets,  which  were  crowded  with  people,  to  the 
Court  House,  which  is  situated  in  a  large  open 
square.  I  was  conducted  to  the  upper  porch  of  the 
Court  House,  on  the  2nd  floor,  and  in  full  view  of 
several  thousand  persons  who  were  assembled  in  the 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  393 

Court  Yard  below.  I  was  addressed  by  the  Hon. 
Seaborn  Jones  and  responded  to  him.  I  was  then 
conducted  into  a  large  Court  room  where  hundreds 
of  the  people,  male  and  female,  were  presented  to  me 
&  with  whom  I  shook  hands.  From  this  place  I  was 
conducted  back  to  the  carriage  and  was  taken  to  the 
residence  of  the  Hon.  Walter  T.  Colquitt,  late  a 
Senator  in  Congress,  who  had  invited  me  &  my  fam- 
ily to  take  lodgings  at  his  hospitable  mansion.  About 
4  O'clock,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Colquitt  [and]  the 
several  members  of  the  Committee,  I  attended  a 
public  Dinner  prepared  at  a  Hotel,  of  which  a  large 
company  partook.  After  the  cloth  was  removed  a 
sentiment  complimentary  to  me  was  given  to  which 
I  replied  in  a  short  speech.  After  Dinner  I  returned 
to  the  House  of  Judge  Colquitt  where  I  was  intro- 
duced to  a  number  of  ladies  &  gentlemen  of  the  City. 
About  9  O'clock  I  was  conducted  by  a  committee  to 
a  splendid  public  Ball,  and  after  partaking  of  a  very 
fine  supper  returned  to  Judge  Colquitt's  House  about 
12  O'clock  at  night.  Mrs.  Polk,  Miss  Hays,  &  Miss 
Rucker,  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Colquitt,  attended  the 
Ball.  The  rain  fell  in  torrents  during  the  afternoon 
and  night,  and  in  going  to  and  returning  from  the 
Ball  the  ladies  &  myself  in  carriages  were  exposed 
and  became  somewhat  wet.  My  reception  at  Co- 
lumbus was  warm  and  cordial  and  every  possible 
mark  of  respect  was  paid  to  me  which  I  could  de- 
sire. At  the  close  of  the  labours  of  the  day  I  was 
greatly  wearied  and  worn  down,  and  was  heartily 
rejoiced  when  I  had  an  opportunity  to  retire  to 
rest. 


394  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i6  Mar. 

Friday,  idth  March,  184Q.—  I  had  confidently 
expected  that  the  Hon.  Robert  J.  Walker,  whom  I 
left  sick  at  Macon,  would  have  overtaken  me  at  this 
place,  and  regretted  to  learn  this  morning  that  the 
mail  coach  in  which  he  was  expected  had  not  ar- 
rived. The  heavy  rains  which  have  fallen  within 
the  last  two  days  have  probably  been  the  cause  of  the 
detention.  My  arrangements  ahead  had  been  made 
and  it  was  necessary  for  me  to  proceed,  though  I  re- 
gretted to  leave  Mr.  Walker  still  behind.  After 
taking  an  early  cup  of  coffee  at  Judge  Colquitt's  we 
took  leave  of  him  &  his  interesting  family  and  pro- 
ceeded about  6  O'clock  in  the  morning  in  an  extra 
Coach.  It  was  necessary  to  leave  at  this  early  hour 
to  enable  me  to  reach  Opelika  at  the  head  of  the  Ala- 
bama Rail  Road,  a  distance  of  28  miles  from  Colum- 
bus, by  the  time  the  train  of  Rail  Road  cars  would 
leave  that  place  for  Montgomery,  Alabama.  The 
rain  continued  to  fall,  but  notwithstanding  this  we 
set  out.  I  found  myself  much  prostrated  by  the 
fatigues  of  the  journey  and  was  somewhat  indisposed. 
On  reaching  the  Rail  Road  at  Opelika  I  was  met 
by  a  committee  of  a  dozen  or  more  gentlemen  from 
Montgomery,  who  had  been  deputed  to  meet  and 
conduct  me  to  that  City.  At  this  point  many  people 
from  the  surrounding  country  had  assembled,  to 
whom  I  was  introduced  and  with  whom  I  shook 
hands.  The  committee  had  engaged  an  extra  train 
of  cars  for  my  special  accommodation.  The  regular 
mail-train  proceeded  in  advance,  and  about  12 
O'clock  we  proceeded  in  the  special  train  provided 
for  the  occasion.     We  dined  on  the  way,  and  stopped 


1849]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  395 

at  several  points  on  the  way  where  numbers  of  the 
people  had  collected  to  see  me.  On  arriving  at  the 
Depot  at  Montgomery  I  found  a  very  large  number 
of  persons  collected.  I  was  conveyed  to  the  town 
in  a  splendid  open  carriage  drawn  by  six  fine  horses 
richly  caparisoned.  On  arriving  at  the  Hotel  I  was 
addressed  &  welcomed  to  Montgomery,  to  which  I 
made  a  response.  Though  much  fatigued  and  suf- 
fering from  violent  cold  &  cough,  the  effect  of  the 
exposure  to  which  I  had  been  subjected  for  the  last 
two  days,  I  was  presented  to  several  hundred  ladies 
and  gentlemen  during  the  evening.  The  Citizens 
of  Montgomery  had  had  very  short  notice  of  the 
precise  day  I  would  probably  reach  that  place,  and 
as  I  was  desirous  of  proceeding  on  my  journey  on 
which  I  had  been  more  delayed  than  I  h^d  antici- 
pated, and  had  on  that  account  declined  an  invitation 
to  remain  with  them  on  to-morrow,  the  committee 
had  ordered  a  public  supper  or  collation  for  to-night. 
It  was  near  ii  O'Clock  before  the  supper  was  ready 
and  we  sat  down  to  the  day  [table].  Regular  toasts 
had  been  prepared  and  were  drank,  one  of  which  as 
a  matter  of  course  had  reference  to  myself.  It  was 
highly  complimentary,  and  I  responded  to  it  in  a 
short  speech.  All  political  parties  were  present  on 
the  occasion.  Many  sentiments  were  given  and 
speeches  made,  and  among  others  one  by  the  Hon. 
Mr.  Yancy,^  late  a  member  of  Congress.  I  retired 
at  a  late  hour,  greatly  fatigued  and  quite  unwell. 

^William  Lowndes  Yancey,  1814-1863,  Representative  from 
Alabama  1843- 1846,  noted  for  his  radical  advocacy  of  the  pro- 
slavery  cause. 


396  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [17  Mar. 

Saturday,  17th  March,  l84g, —  I  was  still  un- 
well this  morning  but  found  it  was  impossible,  if  I 
saw  company  at  all,  to  have  any  rest.  I  was  not  so 
ill  as  to  make  it  proper  for  me  to  decline  receiving 
company  altogether,  and  from  the  hour  of  breakfast 
until  about  11  or  12  O'Clock  I  had  a  round  of  com- 
pany in  the  Hotel,  ladies  &  gentlemen.  At  the  hour 
of  12  O'clock  I  left  the  Hotel  in  Montgomery,  and 
was  conveyed  in  the  same  splendid  carriage  and 
equipage  in  which  I  had  been  received  on  yesterday 
to  the  Steam  Boat  landing,  attended  by  a  committee 
and  a  large  number  of  citizens  of  the  town.  I  went 
on  Board  the  Steamer  Emperor  &  proceeding  [pro- 
ceeded] down  the  Alabama  River  on  my  way  to 
Mobile.  I  was  accompanied  down  the  River  by  a 
committee  from  Montgomery.  I  had  consulted  a 
physician  at  Montgomery  and  procured  some  med- 
icine from  him,  which  I  took  shortly  after  the  Boat 
left  the  wharf.  My  reception  at  the  Capital  of 
Alabama  was  very  cordial,  and  I  hoped  during  the 
passage  on  the  Steamer  to  Mobile  to  have  some  rest 
and  to  recover  from  the  great  fatigue  which  I  have 
had  to  undergo  thus  far  on  my  journey.  The  boat 
stopped  at  several  points  on  the  River,  at  all  of  which 
a  number  of  the  people  came  on  board  to  see  me.  I 
retired  to  my  state  room  at  [an]  early  hour. 

Sunday,  l8th  March,  l84g, —  We  spent  this  day 
on  Board  the  Steamer  descending  the  Alabama 
River.  Wherever  the  Boat  stopped  to  take  in  wood, 
or  for  any  other  purpose,  a  number  of  people  came 
on  board  to  see  me.     I  continued  to  be  somewhat  in- 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  397 

disposed,  but  enjoyed  the  rest.  At  ii  O'Clock 
A.  M.  the  passengers  assembled  in  the  Cabin  and 
heard  a  sermon  from  a  clergyman  who  happened  to 
be  on  board.  He  was  represented  to  be  poor,  and 
to  be  on  his  way  to  California.  He  was  not  very  in- 
telligent, but  seemed  to  be  humble  and  pious.  A 
collection  was  taken  up  for  his  benefit.  Mrs.  Polk 
and  myself  contributed  $5.00  each.  After  night  a 
deck  passenger  died  on  board,  it  was  said  of  cholera, 
and  was  buried  on  the  bank  of  the  River.  I  learned 
at  Montgomery  that  the  cholera  had  again  broken 
out  at  New  Orleans,  and  since  coming  on  the  Boat 
that  there  were  some  cases  at  Mobile,  but  I  was  too 
far  on  my  journey  to  change  my  route.  I  retired  to 
my  State  room  at  an  early  hour. 

Monday,  igth  March,  i84g. —  About  10  O'Clock 
this  morning  we  reached  Mobile.  About  10  or  15 
miles  before  arriving  at  that  City  we  were  met  by 
two  steamers  crowded  with  passengers,  ladies  &  gen- 
tlemen, who  had  come  to  meet  me.  A  committee  of 
citizens  and  authorities  of  that  City  were  on  board. 
The  two  Boats  were  soon  lashed,  one  on  each  side  of 
the  Emperor,  on  which  I  was.  The  committee  came 
on  board  of  the  Emperor  and  welcomed  me  on  my 
approach  to  Mobile.  They  were  soon  followed  by 
a  large  number  of  ladies  &  gentlemen  from  the  other 
Boates,  who  were  introduced  to  Mrs.  Polk  and  my- 
self. I  was  then  requested  by  the  committee  to  ac- 
company them  on  board  the  two  boats  which  were 
lashed  to  the  Emperor,  and  I  did  so.  All  three  of 
the  Boats  were  much  crowded.     After  having  been 


39S  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [19  Mar. 

introduced  to  many  ladies  &  gentlemen  I  returned  to 
the  Emperor,  where  Mrs.  Polk  was  receiving  the 
ladies.  Before  arriving  in  sight  of  Mobile,  another 
boat  (the  James  L.  Day)  crowded  with  passengers, 
ladies  &  gentlemen,  met  us  &  lashed  to  the  other 
boats.  On  approaching  Mobile,  four  large  Steam- 
ers were  abreast,  their  decks  covered  with  human  be- 
ings, male  and  female.  Before  reaching  the  landing 
the  Steamer  James  L.  Day  cut  loose  and  proceeded 
in  advance  of  the  other  three,  which  were  still  lashed 
together  &  proceeding  abreast.  The  Shipping  in 
port  was  covered  with  people  and  a  large  concourse 
of  people  of  both  sexes  were  on  shore.  As  we  passed 
a  U.  S.  Revenue  cutter,  she  fired  a  salute.  A  salute 
was  also  fired  from  shore.  On  landing  I  was  con- 
ducted to  the  platform  erected  for  the  occasion,  and 
was  addressed  by  Col.  Philips  ^  on  behalf  of  the  cit- 
izens, in  an  eloquent  manner,  and  was  welcomed  to 
the  hospitalities  of  the  City.  A  dense  crowd  of  peo- 
ple filled  the  open  space  on  the  wharf,  and  every  win- 
dow in  the  vicinity  was  filled  with  ladies.  After 
this  reception  was  over  I  was  placed  in  an  open  car- 
riage &  conducted  by  the  committee,  escorted  by  the 
military,  through  the  principal  streets  to  the  Hotel 
where  quarters  had  been  provided  for  me.  I  was 
conducted  into  the  Hotel  &  was  there  received  by  the 
Mayor  who  [was]  stationed  in  an  upper  Hall  of  the 
Hotel  with  the  City  authorities  around  him.  A 
large  number  of  ladies  were  also  assembled  to  wit- 
ness the  ceremony.  The  Mayor,  who  was  a  Whig 
(Childers)  addressed  me,  to  which  I  responded,  and 

1  Colonel  P.  Phillips. 


i849l  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARY  399 

was  then  presented  to  the  City  councils  and  to  the 
ladies,  with  whom  I  shook  hands.  A  few  minutes 
before  the  Dinner  hour  I  was  relieved  &  retired  to 
my  chamber.  We  dined  with  the  Mayor,  City 
authorities,  &  a  number  of  citizens.  I  met  here  my 
old  college  friend.  Walker  Anderson  of  Florida, 
who  had  come  to  Mobile  with  his  two  daughters  ex- 
pressly to  meet  me.  My  friend,  James  E.  Saunders, 
EsqV,  and  his  family  were  constantly  with  us  and 
were  particularly  attentive.  After  dinner  there  was 
still  a  round  of  visitors.  Late  in  the  afternoon  we 
took  a  ride  of  three  or  four  miles  up  the  shore  of 
Mobile  Bay  to  the  Hospitable  mansion  of  Col. 
Philips.  On  returning  to  the  Hotel  I  found  myself 
still  in  the  midst  of  a  crowd  of  visitors.  After  tea, 
yielding  to  importunate  solicitations,  I  attended  the 
Theater,  to  which  I  had  been  invited.  I  was  accom- 
panied by  Col.  Philips  &  his  wife,  some  members  of 
the  committee,  and  my  two  nieces.  Miss  Rucker  and 
Miss  Hays.  Mrs.  Polk  did  not  accompany  me.  On 
entering  the  Theater  I  found  a  crowded  audience  & 
was  received  with  great  applause  &  every  demonstra- 
tion of  respect.  I  remained  at  the  Theater  but 
half  an  hour,  when  I  returned  to  the  Hotel  ex- 
ceedingly fatigued  and  exhausted.  My  reception  at 
Mobile,  &  particularly  the  approach  to  the  City 
&  the  landing,  was  most  imposing  and  magnifi- 
cent. The  hospitality  and  warm  cordiality  of  the 
Southern  character  was  displayed  in  an  eminent 
degree.  On  reaching  the  Hotel  I  was  heartily 
rejoiced  at  the  opportunity  of  retiring  for  the 
night. 


400  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [20  Mar. 

Tuesday,  20th  March,  i84g, —  I  rose  this 
morning  much  exhausted  from  my  fatigue,  and  the 
excessively  warm  weather  for  this  season  of  the  year, 
even  in  this  climate.  In  addition  to  this  I  was  still 
somewhat  indisposed.  From  the  moment  breakfast 
was  over  I  was  occupied  in  receiving  visitors,  ladies 
and  gentlemen.  The  cholera,  I  learned,  was  prevail- 
ing to  some  extent  at  Mobile,  but  was  not  epidemic. 
I  consulted  Dr.  Knott,  an  eminent  physician  of  the 
place,  who  prescribed  for  me  &  gave  me  medicines 
to  be  used  in  case  of  an  attack  of  cholera  with  any  of 
my  party.  He  informed  me  that  the  disease  was 
prevailing  at  New  Orleans,  and  advised  me  in  my 
state  of  health  to  spend  as  little  time  as  possible  in 
that  City;  and  I  resolved  that  when  I  reached  New 
Orleans  I  would  take  the  first  Boat  bound  for  Nash- 
ville. About  I  O'clock  we  left  the  Hotel.  I  was 
conveyed  in  an  open  carriage  to  the  Boat  bound  for 
New  Orleans,  escorted  by  the  committee  &  author- 
ities of  the  City  and  a  crowd  of  persons  in  the  Streets. 
The  Boat  left  the  wharf  between  i  &  2  O'Clock. 
We  had  a  smooth  sea  &  a  pleasant  afternoon,  though 
unusually  warm  for  the  season.  Col.  Watson  &  two 
or  three  other  members  of  the  Montgomery  commit- 
tee continued  to  accompany  me.  Nothing  of  interest 
occurred  during  the  afternoon  and  night.  I  was  re- 
lieved by  having  some  opportunity  to  rest. 

Wednesday,  21st  March,  184Q, —  At  daylight 

this  morning  the  Boat  from  Mobile  reaching 
[reached]  the  landing  on  Lake  Ponchartrain,  a  few 
miles  below  New  Orleans.     I  was  soon  called  by  a 


i849]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  401 

servant  and  informed  that  a  committee  from  New 
Orleans  were  on  board  &  desired  to  see  me.  I  went 
into  the  cabin  as  soon  as  I  could  dress,  &c.  Two  or 
three  gentlemen  met  me  &  informed  me  that  they 
had  been  deputed  by  the  City  authorities  at  New 
Orleans  to  receive  me  on  landing  at  this  point,  and 
conduct  me  to  the  Hotel  on  shore  where  I  would  be 
detained  until  9  O'Clock,  at  which  time  the  author- 
ities of  the  City  would  be  prepared  to  receive  me. 
I  informed  them  that  my  purpose  was  to  proceed 
with  the  least  possible  delay  up.  They  said  that 
learning  by  letters  &  Telegraphic  despatches  of  my 
approach,  the  City  authorities  &  citizens  of  New  Or- 
leans had  made  extensive  preparations  to  give  me  a 
public  reception  to-day ;  that  the  military  had  been  or- 
dered out,  and  that  the  Governor  of  the  State  would 
participate  in  the  ceremonies  of  the'  occasion. 
They  assured  me  that  the  City  was  healthy,  and  that 
there  was  no  danger  from  cholera.  A  few  cases  of 
the  disease,  they  said,  were  occurring,  but  they  were 
confined  to  indigent  &  imprudent  persons,  and  no  epi- 
demic was  prevailing.  Perceiving  that  I  could  not 
carry  out  my  resolution  to  pass  immediately  through 
the  City  without  seeming  to  act  rudely,  I  yielded  to 
their  wishes.  They  conducted  us  from  the  Boat  to 
the  Hotel,  distant  about  a  fourth  of  a  mile.  After  an 
hour  or  two  breakfast  was  announced.  It  was,  I 
supposed,  a  sumptuous  breakfast.  All  the  dishes 
were  prepared  in  the  French  style  of  cooking,  and 
to  one  unaccustomed  to  it  it  was  difficult  to  tell  of 
what  they  were  composed.  Fish  of  every  variety  & 
prepared  in  various  ways  constituted  a  large  part 


402  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [21  Mar. 

of  the  repast.  The  table  was  covered,  too,  with  every 
variety  of  light  wines.  I  could  see  nothing  before 
me  that  I  had  been  accustomed  [to],  or  that  I  should 
have  deemed  it  safe  to  eat  in  my  state  of  health  & 
in  a  cholera  atmosphere.  I  took  a  cup  of  coffee  and 
something  on  my  plate  to  save  appearances,  but  was 
careful  to  eat  none  of  it.  As  soon  as  an  opportunity 
offered  I  asked  a  servant  in  a  low  tone  if  he  could 
give  me  a  piece  of  corn-bread  &  broiled  ham.  He 
dashed  off  in  great  haste  and  in  an  incredibly  short 
time  he  brought  me  the  bread  and  ham.  Before  we 
sat  down  to  breakfast  an  additional  number  of  the 
members  of  the  committee  had  arrived.  About  9 
O'clock  we  took  the  cars  to  the  City.  On  arriving 
at  the  depot  I  found  an  imposing  array  of  the  mili- 
tary drawn  up.  On  alighting  from  the  cars  I  was 
met  and  welcomed  to  the  City  by  the  Mayor  (Cross- 
man)  in  a  few  words.  I  was  glad  he  made  no  formal 
speech.  In  a  few  words  of  reply  I  thanked  him  for 
the  honour  done  me.  A  long  procession  of  citizens 
in  carriages  and  on  foot,  preceded  by  an  imposing 
array  of  the  military,  moved  through  the  City.  Gov- 
ernor Johnson,  Maj'r  Gen'l  Gaines,  U.  S.  army,  and 
many  other  persons  of  Official  distinction  joined  in 
the  procession.  I  was  seated  in  an  open  carriage 
with  the  Mayor  &  Recorders,  Genois  &  Baldwin. 
The  day  was  warm,  &  the  streets  dusty.  Though  I 
had  taken  the  precaution  to  take  my  umbrella  in  my 
hand  I  was  often  exposed  to  the  rays  of  the  sun.  The 
procession  moved  slowly,  frequently  halting  for  a 
few  minutes,  through  several  of  the  principal  streets 
of  the  City.     I  bowed  constantly  on  the  right  and 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  403 

left  to  the  ladies  in  the  windows  and  on  the  balconies 
of  the  Houses.  I  did  not  note  the  precise  time,  but 
should  guess  it  was  between  3  &  4  hours  from  the 
time  the  procession  moved  from  the  Rail  Road 
Depot  until  I  was  taken  to  the  quarters  provided  for 
me  at  the  St.  Louis  Hotel.  I  was  covered  with  dust 
&  perspiration.  I  retired  to  my  room  for  an  hour 
and  changed  my  dress.  I  feared  the  effects  of  the 
exposure  to  the  sun  &  the  excessive  fatigue  I  had  en- 
dured. I  dined  with  the  Mayor  &  other  author- 
ities at  the  hotel.  After  night,  as  well  as  throughout 
the  afternoon,  I  was  called  on  by  many  acquaintances 
and  friends,  as  well  as  many  strangers,  ladies  and 
gentlemen.  In  the  evening  I  informed  the  Mayor 
and  some  members  of  the  committees  of  the  state  of 
my  health,  of  my  great  fatigue,  and  of  rpy  wish  to 
proceed  up  the  River  in  a  Boat  which  was  to  leave 
that  night.  The  Mayor  and  the  other  gentlemen  ex- 
pressed great  solicitude  that  I  should  not  do  so.  The 
Mayor  said  they  had  sent  out  invitations  to  more 
than  250  gentlemen  to  attend  a  Public  Dinner,  which 
they  proposed  to  give  me  on  to-morrow,  and  that  if 
I  left  it  would  be  a  source  of  deep  regret  and  morti- 
fication to  the  citizens  of  New  Orleans.  He  as- 
sured me  further  that  if  there  was  the  slightest  dan- 
ger from  cholera  they  would  at  once  have  informed 
me  of  it;  for  they  would  not  on  any  account  put 
my  life  in  hazard  by  causing  me  to  remain.  I  found 
myself  compelled  to  yield,  and  agreed  to  remain  & 
partake  of  the  Dinner  on  to-morrow,  though  I  did 
so  reluctantly  and  against  my  own  wishes  and  judg- 
ment.    I  retired  to  rest  as  soon  as  I  could  do  so  with 


404  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [22  Mar. 

propriety,  though  it  was  at  a  late  hour.  Though 
more  fatigued  I  do  not  discover  that  my  health  is 
worse  than  it  was  when  I  left  Mobile. 

Thursday,  22nd  March,  i84g, — ^  Early  this 
morning,  Mr.  Duncan  of  Mississippi,  who  was  [a 
member]  of  [my]  suite  from  Washington  and  who 
remained  with  Mr.  Walker  w^ho  was  taken  ill  at 
Macon,  overtook  me.  I  regretted  exceedingly  to 
learn  from  him  that  the  Hon.  Robert  J.  Walker  had, 
in  consequence  of  his  continued  indisposition,  stopped 
at  Columbus,  Georgia,  where  Mr.  D.  left  him,  and 
that  he  had  determined  to  return  from  that  place  to 
Washington.  I  had  until  Mr.  Dun[c]an's  arrival 
hoped  that  he  would  overtake  me,  &  proceed  on  his 
visit  to  Mississippi.  Breakfast  was  scarcely  over 
this  morning,  when  my  parlour  began  to  be  crowded 
with  visitors,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  who  called  on  Mrs. 
Polk  and  myself.  As  the  day  advanced  and  the 
number  of  visitors  increased  I  occupied  a  large  par- 
lour &  Mrs.  Polk  another,  both  of  which  were 
crowded  for  several  successive  hours.  In  the  course 
of  the  day  I  was  waited  on  by  the  Judges,  Federal 
and  State,  and  by  the  bar  of  the  City  in  a  body. 
There  were  a  large  number  of  these  gentlemen,  and 
I  regarded  it  as  a  very  high  honour  they  paid  me. 
About  4  O'clock  P.  M.  I  took  a  ride  with  the  Mayor, 
Mr.  Dun[c]an,  and  Mr.  John  M.  Bell  in  an  open 
carriage,  passed  up  on  the  levee,  and  viewed  the 
shipping  and  the  immense  amount  of  produce  and 
merchandise  on  the  wharf.  After  a  ride  of  an  hour 
we  returned  to  the  Hotel.     At  6  O'Clock  I  was  con- 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  405 

ducted  by  the  Mayor  and  other  authorities  to  the 
Dinner  table.  It  was  set  in  the  St.  Louis  Hotel  and 
was  a  sumptuous  and  magnificent  Dinner.  About 
300  gentlemen  were  present.  The  Mayor  presided, 
assisted  by  many  vice  presidents.  The  Governor  of 
Louisiana  (Johnson),  Maj'r  Gen'l  Gaines,  U.  S. 
army,  the  city  authorities,  and  many  distinguished 
citizens  &  strangers  composed  the  party.  After  the 
cloth  was  removed  Regular  toasts  were  proposed 
and  drank.  To  one  of  these,  having  reference  to  my- 
self, I  responded  in  a  short  speech.  Shortly  after- 
wards I  retired  from  the  table  accompanied  by  the 
Mayor  and  other  gentlemen  and  proceeded  in  an 
open  carriage  to  the  wharf  of  the  Steamer  Caroline 
E.  Watkins,  and  took  passage  on  that  fine  boat  for 
Nashville,  Tennessee.  Though  it  was  in  .the  night 
when  I  left  the  Hotel,  I  was  accompanied  by  an  im- 
mense mass  of  people  in  the  streets  and  cheered  as  I 
passed  to  the  Boat,  and  when  I  took  leave  of  the 
Mayor  and  other  gentlemen  and  the  boat  shoved  off, 
I  left  an  immense  mass  on  the  Bank  of  the  River  who 
rent  the  air  with  their  vociferous  cheers.  I  was  most 
happy  that  I  was  now  on  my  way  to  Nashville  and 
with  the  prospect  of  quiet  and  rest.  My  return 
journey  homeward  after  having  laid  down  the  cares 
of  office,  been  divested  of  power  and  patronage,  and 
become  a  private  citizen,  has  been  thus  far  a  tri- 
umphal march.  The  warmth  of  enthusiasm  with 
which  I  have  been  received  everywhere  and  the  cor- 
dial welcome  which  has  been  extended  to  me  by 
thousands  of  my  fellow-citizens,  without  distinction 
of  political  party,  far  exceeds  anything  I  had  antici- 


4o6  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [23  Mar. 

pated,  and  I  regard  it  as  the  most  distinguished  honor 
ever  conferred  upon  me  by  men.  The  demonstra- 
tions of  the  public  respect  on  my  way  to  Washington 
as  the  President  elect  four  years  [ago],  were  nothing 
to  be  compared  to  the  distinguished  consideration  I 
have  met  after  I  have  laid  down  power.  I  am  most 
grateful  to  my  fellow-citizens  for  it.  It  will  be  a 
consoling  reflection  to  me  in  my  retirement  that  I 
have,  through  the  arduous  duties  I  have  performed 
and  the  high  responsibilities  I  was  compelled  to  as- 
sume, retained  the  respect  of  my  countrymen. 
Shortly  after  the  Boat  left  New  Orleans  I  retired  to 
rest  for  the  night. 

Friday,  23rd  March,  184Q. —  I  rose  this  morning 
without  being  so  much  refreshed  by  a  night's  sleep  as 
I  had  hoped  to  be.  I  was  still  indisposed  and  felt  the 
effects  of  the  severe  fatigue  which  I  had  endured. 
Early  in  the  morning  an  incident  of  thrilling  inter- 
est occurred.  Four  or  five  persons  in  a  small  skiff 
approached  the  Boat  from  the  shore,  and  in  endeav- 
ouring to  come  on  board  the  Boat  upset  &  turned  bot- 
tom upwards,  precipitating  those  unfortunate  per- 
sons into  the  angry  current  of  the  Mississippi.  Great 
anxiety  prevailed  to  save  their  lives.  The  Boat 
stopped,  the  small  boat  was  quickly  manned  &  sent 
to  their  relief,  and  luckily  they  were  all  saved.  One 
or  two  of  them  were  white  men  &  [the]  others 
negroes.  About  11  O'Clock  the  Boat  reached  Baton 
Rouge,  where  I  was  received  by  the  firing  of  a  salute, 
and  by  a  large  number  of  persons  who  had  assembled 
on  the  shore.     I  was  waited  on  by  a  committee  and 


i849]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  407 

conducted  by  them  to  a  Hotel  in  the  town  where  in 
the  presence  of  a  large  number  of  ladies  and  gentle- 
men, I  was  addressed  by  the  chairman  of  the  com- 
mittee, and  to  which  I  responded.  I  remained  on 
shore  about  an  hour,  when  I  returned  on  Board.  A 
collation  had  been  prepared  in  anticipation  of  my  ar- 
rival, but  I  had  not  time  to  partake  of  it;  and  indeed 
was  glad  to  avoid  the  fatigue  which  I  must  have  un- 
dergone to  have  done  so.  While  I  was  on  shore, 
many  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  visited  the  boat 
and  paid  their  respects  to  Mrs.  Polk.  A  man  died 
on  board  of  the  Boat  of  cholera  to-day.  His  body 
was  put  into  a  coarse,  rough  box,  hastily  nailed  to- 
gether &  was  entrusted  to  some  wood  choppers  at  a 
wood  yard  to  be  buried.  The  Boat  proceeded  up  the 
River.  In  the  night  she  stopped  several  hours  in  con- 
sequence of  a  dense  fog  in  the  River  rendering  it  un- 
safe for  her  to  run. 

Saturday,  24th  March,  184Q. —  About  10  O'- 
clock this  morning  we  reached  Natchez,  Missis- 
sippi. Our  approach  was  announced  by  the  firing 
of  Cannon  from  the  shore.  The  Boat  touched  at  the 
wharf,  w[h]ere  a  large  number  of  persons  were  as- 
sembled. I  was  suffering  so  much  from  my  exces- 
sive fatigue  in  New  Orleans  and  was  so  much  indis- 
posed, that  I  declined  going  on  shore,  though  I  was 
urgently  pressed  by  a  number  of  citizens,  who  came 
on  board,  to  do  so.  Extensive  preparations,  as  I 
learned,  had  been  made  to  receive  me,  and  I  regretted 
the  necessity  which  the  state  of  my  health  imposed  on 
me  to  decline  the  proffered  honor.     The  Boat,  after 


4o8  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [25  Mar. 

remaining  a  few  minutes  at  the  wharf,  proceeded  on 
her  voyage  up  the  River.  The  River  was  very  full 
and  the  water  was  in  many  places  over  the  banks, 
flooding  whole  plantations.  In  the  course  of  the 
afternoon  we  learned  that  [there  were]  three  more 
cases  of  cholera  on  Board,  among  the  deck  passen- 
gers below,  but  no  panic  or  alarm  was  produced. 
Nothing  of  interest  occurred  during  the  remainder 
of  the  day  and  at  the  usual  hour  I  retired  to  my  state 
room,  but  did  not  rest  well.  At  Natchez  Mr.  Dun- 
can of  Miss.,  who  had  been  of  my  suite,  left  me.  Col. 
Watson,  one  of  the  committee  from  Montgomery, 
Al.,  who  had  accompanied  me  to  Mobile  &  New 
Orleans,  continued  on  board.  Maj'r  DashieL/  a 
Paymaster  of  the  U.  S.  army,  was  also  on  board. 
Maj'r  D.  subsequently  left  the  Boat  at  Lake  Provi- 
dence. 

Sunday,  25th  March,  l84g. —  My  disease  (a  de- 
rangement of  stomach  &  bowels)  which  had  from  its 
commencement  assumed  a  bilious  type,  was  no  bet- 
ter this  morning.  I  was  quiet  during  the  day,  except 
at  a  few  points  where  the  Boat  stopped  on  the  River, 
at  several  of  which  a  number  of  persons  came  on 
board  to  see  me.  After  night  a  steamer  from  Vicks- 
burg  with  a  large  number  of  persons,  ladies  and  gen- 
tlemen, on  Board  met  our  Boat,  and  rounding  to  was 
lashed  to  our  Boat.  Two  committees,  the  one  from 
Vicksburg  and  the  other  from  Jackson,  Mississippi, 
were  among  the  persons  who  came  to  meet  me. 
They  [were]  urgent  in  their  solicitations  that  I  should 

^  Jeremiah  Y.  Dashiell  oi  Louisiana. 


i849]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S    DIARY  409 

accept  the  hospitalities  of  these  towns  &  spend  a  day 
at  each.  The  same  reasons  which  compelled  me  to 
decline  accepting  the  hospitalities  of  the  people  of 
Natchez  compelled  me  to  decline  accepting  their  re- 
quest. I  was  introduced  to  the  whole  party,  ladies 
&  gentlemen,  who  met  me  &  [I]  shook  hands  with 
them.  Arriving  at  Vicksburg  our  boat  remained 
but  a  few  minutes,  when  we  proceeded  on  our  jour- 
ney. I  learned  from  the  persons  I  met  that  Sen- 
ator Houston  of  Texas  had  passed  down  the  River, 
and  the  Hon.  Henry  Clay  of  Ky.  had  passed  up  the 
River  this  afternoon,  each  stopping  a  short  time  at 
Memphis.  They  told  me  that  when  the  Boat  on 
which  Mr.  Clay  was,  approached  Vicksburg  from 
below,  a  salute  which  had  been  prepared  for  my  re- 
ception was  fired,  supposing  I  was  on  board.  Mr. 
Clay,  they  told  me,  on  learning  the  fact  humorously 
observed  '^  I  hope,  gentlemen,  I  am  not  stealing  Mr. 
Polk's  thunder."  To  which  the  committee  replied 
that  they  had  a  plenty  of  powder  for  both.  A  salute 
was  fired  when  I  reached  Vicksburg.  The  Boat  re- 
mained but  a  short  time  and  proceeded  on  her  voy- 
age. I  retired  to  rest  quite  unwell  and  still  more 
fatigued  by  the  scene  through  which  I  had  been  com- 
pelled to  pass. 

Monday,  26th  March,  184Q. —  I  was  no  better 
this  morning,  and  though  I  had  no  symptoms  of 
cholera  I  began  to  be  more  concerned  for  my  sit- 
uation. It  was  manifest  that  I  required  rest,  if  not 
medical  treatment,  before  I  could  be  restored  to 
health.     The  Boat  touched  at  Helena  and  some  other 


410  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [27  Mar. 

points  on  the  River  in  the  course  of  the  day  where 
I  was  compelled  [to  receive]  some  persons  who 
came  on  board.  I  rested  chiefly  in  my  state-room 
during  the  day  &  night,  but  had  no  refreshing 
sleep. 

Tuesday,  27th  March,  184Q.— The  Boat  arrived 
at  Memphis  about  daylight  this  morning.  My  two 
nephews,  Samuel  P.  Walker  &  Samuel  P.  Caldwell, 
who  reside  at  Memphis  and  who  were  expecting  me, 
sodn  came  on  board.  They  informed  me  that  an- 
ticipating my  arrival  on  yesterday  evening  a  Steamer 
had  been  chartered  and  a  large  party,  ladies  &  gen- 
tlemen, had  proceeded  many  miles  down  the  River, 
but  not  meeting  me  had  returned  in  the  night.  A 
committee  of  citizens  soon  came  on  board.  I  en- 
deavoured to  excuse  myself  for  declining  to  go  on 
shore  by  pleading  my  state  of  health.  As,  however, 
I  was  able  to  receive  my  friends  in  the  Cabin  of  the 
Boat,  they  insisted  I  was  able  to  go  on  shore,  and 
pressed  me  very  much  to  do  so.  They  insisted  that 
as  Memphis  was  the  first  point  in  my  own  state 
which  I  had  touched  after  an  absence  of  more  than 
four  years,  and  that  as  extensive  preperations  had 
been  made  to  receive  me,  that  I  should  go  on  shore 
if  it  was  even  for  a  short  time.  In  the  mean-time 
many  of  my  old  acquaintances  and  friends  came  on 
board,  and  their  importunities  were  so  great  that 
finally  against  my  own  judgement  I  yielded  &  went 
on  shore  with  the  promise  that  I  would  be  detained 
there  but  a  short  time.  I  was  seated  in  an  open  car- 
riage with  Judge  Dunlap  and  Col.  Watson,  who  had 


i849]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S   DIARY  4" 

accompanied  me  from  Montgomery,  Alabama,  to  this 
place,  and  was  conducted  in  procession  into  the  town, 
and  around  &  through  the  Navy  yard,  occupying 
more  than  an  hour.  I  was  then  conducted  to  a  Hotel 
where  a  large  crowd  of  people,  ladies  and  gentlemen, 
had  assembled.  Before  I  alighted  from  the  carriage 
I  was  addressed  in  front  of  the  Hotel  by  the  Hon. 
Spencer  Jarnegan,  to  which  I  responded  from  the 
carriage.  Mr.  Jarnegan  was  lately  a  Whig  Senator 
in  Congress  from  Tennessee.  His  address  was  lib- 
eral and  kind  in  its  tone  and  could  not  fail  to  be  grati- 
fying. The  leading  men  of  both  political  parties 
were  present  and  participated  in  the  ceremony  of 
bidding  me  welcome  back  to  my  own  State.  I  was 
conducted  from  the  carriage  into  the  Hotel,  where  I 
was  most  cordially  received  by  hundreds 'of  old  ac- 
quaintances and  friends.  I  met  also  many  ladies 
and  many  of  my  relations  who  reside  at  Memphis.  I 
felt  highly  honored  and  gratified  at  the  enthusiastic 
reception  given  to  me,  but  felt  exhausted  and  much 
fatigued,  and  as  soon  as  I  could  with  propriety  I 
returned  to  the  Boat.  I  declined  to  remain  and  par- 
take of  a  collation  which  had  been  prepared  for  the 
occasion.  The  Boat  left,  and  I  very  soon  felt  the 
ill  effects  of  the  exertion  through  which  I  had  im- 
prudently gone.  I  found  that  the  indisposition 
which  had  afflicted  me  for  several  days  was  increased. 
Nothing  of  interest  occurred  during  the  remainder 
of  this  day  and  night.  Before  reaching  Memphis 
three  deaths  of  cholera  had  occurred  on  our  Boat  and 
there  were  other  cases  which  had  not  proved  fatal. 
I  rested  badly  to-night. 


412  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [28  Mar. 

Wednesday,  28th  March,  184Q.—  I  found  my- 
self no  better  this  morning.  Towards  noon  I  was 
much  worse  and  remained  constantly  in  my  State- 
room. There  was  no  physician  on  board.  The 
type  of  my  disease  continued  to  be  bilious,  a  circum- 
stance which  was  perhaps  fortunate  while  I  was  in 
a  cholera  atmosphere.  I  took  medicine  prepared 
for  me  by  Dr.  Nott  at  Mobile,  but  not  being  certain 
that  it  was  the  proper  prescription  for  my  case,  on 
reaching  Paducka  [Paducah]  on  the  Ohio  River 
after  night,  I  sent  on  shore  for  a  physician.  A  Dr. 
Jones  came  on  board.  He  examined  my  case  and 
said  it  was  not  cholera,  but  that  all  diseases  of  the 
bowels  had  a  tendency  to  run  into  cholera  when  that 
disease  prevailed,  and  he  advised  me  to  leave  the 
boat.  He  was  a  man  in  appearance  of  more  than 
fifty  years  of  age  and  appeared  to  be  discreet  and  sen- 
sible. I  requested  him  to  accompany  me  on  the  boat 
to  Smithland,  which  was  only  12  miles  up  the  River. 
He  agreed  to  do  so,  and  after  going  on  shore  to  pro- 
cure medicines  he  returned  and  accompanied  me. 
He  gave  me  some  medicine.  On  arriving  at  Smith- 
land  late  at  night  I  left  the  Boat  and  went  to  a  Hotel. 
As  soon  as  I  was  conducted  to  a  room,  I  sent  for  Dr. 
Saunders,  a  physician  of  the  place  of  some  eminence. 
He  examined  my  case  and  gave  me  the  same  opinion 
of  it  which  Dr.  Jones  had  done,  and  concurred  with 
him  in  opinion  that  it  was  prudent  for  me  to  stop. 
Dr.  Jones  and  Dr.  Saunders,  after  a  consultation,  ad- 
ministered more  medicine  to  me.  I  spent,  of  course, 
an  uncomfortable  night,  but  my  situation  was  much 
better  than  it  could  have  been  on  the  Boat.     My 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  413 

bowels  were  affected  and  the  shaking  of  the  Boat  had 
become  inconvenient  to  me.  When  I  left  the  Boat 
a  cabin  passenger  from  Missouri  was  in  a  dying 
condition  from  cholera.  He  died  in  a  short  time 
and,  I  learned,  was  buried  on  the  bank  of  the 
Cumberland  that  night.  Our  servant  maid  (Milly) 
was  taken  ill  after  leaving  Memphis  on  yesterday, 
but  was  not  considered  seriously  so  by  Mrs.  Polk. 
Dr.  Jones  &  Dr.  Saunders  saw  her  and  adminis- 
tered to  her.  They  informed  me  that  she  had 
all  the  premonitory  symptoms  of  cholera,  and  that 
in  a  few  hours  it  would,  if  her  illness  had  not 
been  arrested,  have  been  a  confirmed  case  of  cholera. 
The  cholera,  I  learned  from  these  physicians  and 
from  others,  is  prevailing  with  great  mortality  in 
all  the  Boats  from  New  Orleans.  Ori  one  Boat 
which  came  up  a  few  hours  in  advance  of  ours 
there  had  been  14  deaths  of  cholera  before  reach- 
ing Memphis  and  6  deaths  between  Memphis  and 
Smithland.  I  felt  well  satisfied  that  I  had  left  the 
Boat. 

Thursday,  2Qth  March,  i84g. —  I  was  in  a  com- 
fortable Hotel  at  Smithland  this  morning  with  every 
attention  from  the  obliging  landlord  which  it  was 
possible  for  him  to  bestow.  I  was  confined  to  my 
bed  throughout  the  day.  Dr.  Jones  and  Dr.  Saun- 
ders visited  me  repeatedly  during  the  day.  The 
medicine  which  I  took  on  yesterday  had  not  pro- 
duced the  desired  effect,  and  in  the  afternoon  they 
gave  me  more.  Dr.  Jones  returned  to  Paduka  to- 
night.    I  saw  no  company  during  the  day. 


414  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [30  IVUr. 

Friday,  30th  March,  l84g. —  Early  this  morning 
Dr.  Saunders  called  and  administered  more  med- 
icine. Shortly  afterwards  the  medicine  I  had  taken 
on  yesterday  and  the  night  preceding  produced  a 
favourable  effect.  I  was  confined  to  my  bed  during 
the  day  until  near  night  when  I  sat  up  a  short  time.  I 
saw  no  company  during  the  day.  Our  servant  girl 
was  still  ill,  but  had  been  saved  from  an  attack  of 
cholera  by  timely  treatment.  After  night  a  Boat  ar- 
rived from  Louisville  with  Senator  Turney  and  the 
Hon.  Cave  Johnson  on  Board.  They  immediately 
called  to  see  me.  They  were  on  their  return  from 
Washington.  Mr.  Johnson  had  his  family  with  him. 
They  stopped  for  the  night. 

Saturday,  31  st  March,  184Q, —  I  was  better  this 
morning  and  sat  up  a  part  of  the  day.  I  saw  no 
company  except  Mr.  Senator  Turney  and  Mr.  Cave 
Johnson.  They  left  in  the  afternoon  on  a  Boat 
bound  to  Nashville.  Early  in  the  morning  a  Boat 
arrived  from  Nashville,  and  to  my  surprise  and  great 
gratification  my  brother-in-law,  Dr.  Wm.  R.  Rucker 
of  Murfreesboro,  Tennessee,  was  on  board  of  her. 
He  had  come  to  Nashville  to  meet  his  daughter  who 
had  spent  the  winter  at  Washington  in  our  family, 
and  hearing  that  I  was  ill  had  come  down  to  meet 
me.  I  spent  a  more  comfortable  night  than  I  [had] 
done  for  several  days. 

Sunday,  1st  April,  i84g, —  Though  not  yet  well 
and  still  very  feeble,  I  determined  to  take  a  Boat 
which  was  bound  for  Nashville  this  morning.     A 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  415 

sofa  was  taken  on  board  and  placed  in  the  Ladies' 
cabin  on  which  I  lay.  Dr.  Rucker  was  constantly 
with  me,  and  in  [the]  course  of  the  day  gave 
me  some  medicine.  I  found  myself  as  comfortable 
as  I  could  be  in  my  situation  on  a  Boat,  and  had  a  tol- 
erably good  night's  rest. 

Monday,  2nd  April,  l84g, —  I  was  much  better 
this  morning,  but  was  quite  feeble  from  the  effects 
of  medicine  &  my  indisposition.  A  few  miles  below 
Nashville  we  met  a  Steamer  having  on  board  a  com- 
mittee of  gentlemen  and  a  number  of  my  old  ac- 
quaintances &  friends.  Among  them  was  my  brother- 
in-law.  Dr.  John  B.  Hays  of  Columbia,  who,  hear- 
ing of  my  illness  and  detention  at  Smithland,  had  set 
out  to  meet  me.  He  [his]  daughter  had  spent  the 
past  winter  in  my  family  and  was  with  me  on  her  re- 
turn home.  On  arriving  in  sight  of  the  Boat  land- 
ing at  Nashville,  I  discovered  that  the  wharf  was 
covered  with  people.  I  stood  on  the  deck  of  the 
Boat  as  she  approached,  and  was  enthusiastically 
cheered  by  the  crowd  on  shore.  As  soon  as  the  Boat 
touched  the  shore  many  of  my  old  acquaintances  and 
friends  came  on  board.  After  a  few  minutes  I  was 
conducted  on  shore  and  in  passing  from  the  Boat  to 
the  carriage  prepared  to  receive  me  I  was  met  by 
the  dense  crowd  and  warmly  greeted  by  many  old  ac- 
quaintances and  friends,  with  whom  I  shook  hands. 
I  was  seated  in  an  open  carriage  with  Ex-Governor 
A.  V.  Brown  and  two  other  persons,  and  conveyed 
up  Broad  &  Cherry  streets  and  thence  to  the  public 
square  in  front  of  the  Nashville  Inn,  where  I  was  ad- 


4i6  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  April 

dressed  by  Gov.  A.  V.  Brown,  who  warmly  wel- 
comed me  back  to  my  old  State  and  to  my  home.  A 
very  large  number  of  people  had  turned  out  on  the 
occasion ;  and  standing  in  the  open  carriage,  though 
feeling  scarcely  able  to  do  so,  I  responded  to  his  ad- 
dress. When  I  had  done  I  was  exceedingly  feeble 
&  exhausted.  I  was  then  conducted  to  the  Verandah 
House  where  quarters  had  been  prepared  for  me. 
Here  again  I  met  and  shook  hands  with  many  of  my 
friends,  who  were  in  waiting  at  the  Hotel  or  called 
to  see  me.  I  was  compelled  very  soon  to  retire  to 
my  room  where  I  remained  during  the  balance  of  the 
day.  A  few  old  &  intimate  friends  saw  me  in  my 
room.  The  meeting  of  my  old  friends  had  produced 
an  excitement  which  contributed  to  sustain  me  during 
the  day  and  to  enable  me  to  bear  the  fatigue.  I 
rested  comfortably  during  the  night. 

Tuesday,  3rd  April,  i84g, —  I  spent  this  day  at 
Nashville  and  was  most  of  the  time  in  my  room,  but 
walked  occasionally  to  the  parlour  of  the  Hotel, 
which  was  near  my  room,  to  see  old  friends  who 
called.  In  the  afternoon  I  rode  in  a  carriage  with 
Mrs.  Polk  to  see  our  new  house  and  our  future  resi- 
dence. It  is  yet  in  an  unfinished  state.  I  was 
pleased  with  its  general  appearance.  Returning  to 
the  Hotel  I  retired  to  my  room  where  I  saw  a  few  in- 
timate friends  who  called  during  the  evening.  I  re- 
tired to  rest  at  night  at  an  early  hour.  To-morrow 
we  will  proceed  to  Columbia  to  visit  my  mother  and 
other  relations.  I  will  leave  my  faithful  steward, 
Henry  Bowman,  to  take  charge  of  my  house  and 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  417 

boxes  of  furniture,  &C.     I  have  directed  him  to  lodge 
in  the  House. 

Wednesday,  4th  April,  i84g, —  This  morning, 
though  still  very  feeble,  I  set  out  with  Mrs.  Polk  in 
a  private  carriage  to  pay  a  visit  to  my  mother  and 
other  relatives  and  friends  at  my  old  residence  at 
Columbia.  We  dined  at  Franklin  where  a  number 
of  people  called  to  see  me.  They  had  not  been  ad- 
vised that  I  would  pass  Franklin  that  day,  and  there 
was  no  formal  reception.  After  dinner  we  rode  as 
far  as  Cartwright's  Inn  on  the  road,  near  the  village 
of  Spring  Hill,  where  I  stopped  for  the  night.  Mr. 
Kelley  and  Mr.  Gouth,  from  Columbia,  met  me  at 
Cartwright's.  They  informed  me  that  there  would 
be  a  public  reception  at  Columbia  on  to-morrow. 

Thursday,  5/A  April,  i84g. —  I  set  out  after 
breakfast  this  morning,  three  or  four  of  my  old 
friends  having  met  me  at  Cartwright's  before  I  left. 
At  the  village  of  Spring  Hill  I  stopped  for  half  an 
hour,  where  I  saw  and  shook  hands  with  a  number  of 
my  old  neighbours  &  friends,  male  and  female.  On 
reaching  my  father's  residence  where  I  was  a  youth, 
which  is  on  the  roadside  six  miles  from  Columbia,  I 
stopped  a  few  minutes  to  see  and  shake  hands  with  a 
number  of  the  old  neighbours  and  their  descendants, 
who  had  collected  to  see  me  as  I  passed.  Three  or 
four  miles  before  reaching  Columbia  I  was  met  by 
a  committee  of  the  place  and  by  several  hundred  per- 
sons, ladies  &  gentlemen,  in  carriages  &  on  horseback, 
who  came  out  to  meet  me.     I  had  here  the  inex- 


4i8  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [5  April 

pressible  gratification  to  meet  my  old  neighbours  of 
both  political  parties,  whom  I  had  not  seen  for  more 
than  four  years,  when  I  left  to  proceed  to  Washing- 
ton to  enter  on  my  duties  as  President  of  the  U.  S. 
I  was  here  placed,  by  the  request  of  the  [committee], 
in  an  open  barouche  and  the  procession  moved  to- 
wards the  town,  increasing  in  its  numbers  as  we  pro- 
ceeded. On  approaching  near  the  town  we  met  a 
band  of  music  &  some  military,  who  wheeled  and 
preceded  us.  I  was  conducted  through  the  public 
square  of  the  town  to  the  Branch  of  the  State  Bank, 
from  the  steps  of  which  I  was  addressed  in  behalf  of 
my  old  neighbours  by  Maj'r  Gen'l  Gideon  J.  Pillow, 
to  whom  I  responded  from  the  carriage  in  which  I 
was.  Several  hundred  persons  of  both  political  par- 
ties were  present,  and  I  was  greeted  and  received  by 
all  with  a  warmth  and  cordiality  which  could  not 
be  otherwise  than  highly  gratifying.  As  soon  as  the 
reception  was  over  I  proceeded  to  my  mother's  House 
and  embraced  her.  Our  meeting  was  most  gratify- 
ing. I  can  perceive  that  time  has  made  its  impres- 
sion on  her  since  I  saw  her,  though  I  was  glad  to  find 
her  in  good  health.  She  is  now  in  the  73rd  year  of 
her  age.  I  am  the  eldest  of  her  children.  I  was 
born  on  the  2nd  of  November,  1795,  and  on  the  15th 
of  the  same  month  she  was  19  years  old,  so  that  she 
wants  a  few  days  of  being  19  years  older  than  I  am. 
All  my  relations,  old  and  young,  who  are  residing 
at  Columbia  were  assembled  at  her  house.  A  large 
number  of  my  old  friends  followed  me  to  her  house, 
with  all  of  whom  I  shook  hands.  They  continued  to 
call  during  the  remainder  of  the  afternoon  and  even- 


i849]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  419 

ing.  My  Jou[r]ney  on  my  return  from  the  seat  of 
Government  is  now  over  and  I  am  again  at  my  home, 
in  the  midst  of  the  friends  of  my  youth  &  of  my  riper 
years.  My  political  career  has  been  run  &  is  now 
closed.  Henceforth  I  shall  be  a  private  citizen.  I 
cannot  now  undertake  to  review  the  past  and  to  com- 
pare my  present  contented  and  happy  condition  with 
it.  I  have  been  much  honoured  by  my  countrymen 
and  am  deeply  grateful  to  them.  I  may  say  that  I  re- 
gard the  distinguished  marks  of  respect  everywhere 
shown  me  by  the  people,  without  distinction  of  po- 
litical party,  on  my  journey  homeward,  as  the  most 
gratifying  and  highest  honour  ever  paid  me  by  any 
portion  of  my  fellow-citizens.  Though  fatigued  & 
feeble  I  spent  a  delightful  evening  with  my  relatives 
&  friends. 

Friday,  6th  April,  184Q, —  I  felt  too  feeble  to  go 
out  to-day  and  remained  during  the  day  at  my  moth- 
er's House,  where  I  saw  many  of  my  friends,  ladies 
&  gentlemen,  who  called. 

Saturday,  7th  April,  184Q, —  I  remained  at  my 
mother's  house  to-day  and  saw  many  friends  who 
called.  We  dined  at  Mr.  James  Walker's  (my 
brother-in-law)  with  many  of  our  relations.  It  was 
a  family  dinner,  and  though  the  state  of  my  health 
was  such  as  to  prevent  me  from  partaking  of  the  din- 
ner I  was  present.  In  the  afternoon  I  walked  into 
the  lawn  and  remained  a  few  minutes. 

Sunday,  8th  April,  184Q, —  Mrs.  Polk  and  my- 
self accompanied  by  my  mother  and   [ ?]    at- 


420  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [9  April 

tended  the  Presbyterian  church  to-day.  In  the  even- 
ing I  was  not  so  well  as  I  had  been,  and  under  the  ad- 
vice of  Dr.  Hays  I  took  medicine. 

Monday,  gth  April,  184Q. —  The  medicine  I  took 
on  yesterday  had  produced  the  desired  effect.  I  re- 
mained quietly  at  my  mother's  House  during  the  day. 
Several  of  my  old  friends  called  to  see  me. 

Tuesday,  loth  April,  i84g. —  I  was  still  in 
feeble  health  to-day  and  remained  at  my  mother's 
House,  where  many  of  my  friends  called  to  see  me. 
About  2  O'clock  P.  M.  the  Rector  (Smith)  of  the 
Female  Institute  at  this  place  with  his  assistant  teach- 
ers and  near  200  young  ladies  &  little  girls  made  a 
formal  call  in  procession,  and  arranging  themselves 
in  form  at  my  mother's  door  Miss  Brown  (the 
daughter  of  Ex  Governor  A.  V.  Brown)  made  a 
beautiful  complimentary  address  to  Mrs.  Polk.  .Mrs. 
Polk  thanked  her  and  requested  me  to  respond  to 
the  address  on  her  behalf,  and  I  did  so.  The  teach- 
ers &  young  ladies  were  then  presented  individually 
to  Mrs.  Polk  and  myself  and  shook  hands  with  us. 
It  was  an  imposing  &  interesting  ceremony. 

Wednesday,  nth  April,  i84g, —  We  had  been 
invited  to  dine  to-day  with  Mr.  Patrick  Maguire, 
one  of  the  oldest  inhabitants  of  Columbia  (a  Whig 
in  politics  but  always  my  personal  friend)  and 
though  I  scarcely  felt  able  to  attend  I  did  so,  but  re- 
tired from  the  dinner  table  before  dinner  was  over. 
My  friends  from  the  town  and  the  country  continued 
to  call  on  me  at  my  mother's  House. 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  421 

Thursday,  12th  April,  l84g, —  We  were  invited 
to  dine  to-day  with  Gen'l  Gideon  J.  Pillow,  who  re- 
sides five  miles  in  the  country,  and  did  so.  It  was  a 
large  dinner  party  and  a  very  pleasant  one.  It  was 
composed  chiefly  of  my  family  relatives  and  Gen'l 
Pillow's.  Maj'r  Ripley  ^  of  the  U.  S.  army  was  one 
of  the  guests.  We  returned  to  my  mother's  house 
late  in  the  evening. 

Friday,  13th  April,  i84g. —  I  walked  into  the 
town  to-day  and  spent  some  time  with  my  friends. 
In  the  course  of  the  day  some  of  my  old  friends  from 
the  country  called  to  see  me  at  my  mother's  House. 
This  evening  there  was  company,  chiefly  young  per- 
sons, at  my  brother-in-law's.  Dr.  Hays's.  I  was  pres- 
ent for  a  short  time. 

Saturday,  14th  April,  i84g. —  I  spent  some  time 
in  the  village  to-day,  but  remained  most  of  my  time 
at  my  mother's  House  where  I  saw  a  number  of  my 
old  friends  who  called. 

Sunday,  l^th  April,  l84g. —  Mrs.  Polk  and  my- 
self accompanied  by  my  mother  and  [ ?]  at- 
tended the  Presbyterian  church  this  morning;  and  in 
the  afternoon  we  attended  divine  service  at  the  Epis- 
copal church. 

Monday,  16th  April,  l84g. —  The  weather  had 
been  unusually  cool  for  the  season  for  the  last  two  or 
three  days,  and  this  morning  there  was  a  killing  frost. 

^  Roswell  Sabin  Ripley,  author  of  History  of  the  War  with 
Mexico. 


422  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [17  April 

After  breakfast  Mrs.  Polk  and  myself  left  my  moth- 
er's house  on  our  return  to  Nashville.  We  travelled 
in  a  private  carriage  and  spent  the  night,  in  pursuance 
of  a  previous  engagement,  at  the  House  of  Ex  Gov- 
ernor A.  V.  Brown,  three  miles  from  Nashville.  The 
Governor  w^as  absent  from  home  on  a  visit  to  his 
plantation  in  Mississippi. 

Tuesday,  17th  April,  184Q, —  From  Governor 
Brown's  we  rode  to  Nashville  this  morning,  stop- 
ping a  few  minutes  at  my  own  [home]  to  see  what 
progress  had  been  made  in  completing  it,  and  went 
from  thence  to  the  Verandah  House  where  we  spent 
the  remainder  of  the  day.  I  transacted  some  busi- 
ness and  gave  some  directions  to  Henry  Bowman,  my 
faithful  German  steward  whom  I  had  brought  with 
me  from  Washington,  relative  to  the  fitting  up  of  the 
House.  When  we  went  to  Columbia  we  had  left 
Bowman  in  charge  of  our  boxes  of  furniture  and 
other  articles  which  were  removed  to  the  House.  We 
will  still  leave  him  in  charge  during  a  visit  to  Mrs. 
Polk's  relatives  at  Murfreesbo rough  which  we  pro- 
pose making  on  to-morrow. 

Wednesday,  i8th  April,  i84g. —  We  went  from 
Nashville  to  Murfreesborough  to-day.  We  reached 
my  brother-in-law.  Dr.  Rucker's,  about  3  O'Clock, 
where  we  met  Mrs.  Childress  (Mrs.  Polk's  mother) 
and  her  brother,  Maj'r  Childress,  &  his  wife,  and 
others  of  her  younger  relatives.  It  was  a  delightful 
meeting.  During  the  evening  a  number  of  my 
friends  called  in  to  see  me. 


1849]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  423 

Thursday,  /9/A  April,  i84g. —  Mrs.  Polk  and 
myself  remained  at  my  brother-in-law's  (Dr.  Ruck- 
er's)  during  our  stay  at  Murfreesborough.  We 
dined  at  his  house  to-day.  In  the  course  of  the  day  a 
number  of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen,  called  to  see 
us.  In  the  afternoon  we  rode  out  to  my  brother-in- 
law's  (Maj'r  Childress)  and  spent  the  night  with 
him.  Mrs.  Childress  (Mrs.  Polk's  mother)  also 
went  to  Maj'r  Childress's  &  remained  with  us.  There 
was  an  unusually  severe  frost  for  this  season  of  the 
year  last  night.  It  killed  not  only  vegetables  in  the 
gardens  but  the  leaves  on  most  of  the  forest  trees. 

Friday,  20th  April,  i84g, —  I  took  a  ride  on 
horseback  with  Maj'r  Childress  and  viewed  his  farm 
this  morning.  It  was  the  first  time  I  had  been  on 
horseback  for  many  months.  I  was  so  constantly 
occupied  with  my  official  duties  at  Washington  that 
I  do  not  remember  to  have  had  time  to  ride  on  horse- 
back more  than  two  or  three  times  during  the  last 
year.  Maj'r  Childress  had  a  family  dinner  to-day 
at  which  Mrs.  Childress  (Mrs.  P.'s  mother)  Dr.  & 
Mrs.  Rucker,  the  Misses  Rucker,  Mr.  Rob't  B.  Jet- 
ton, and  several  of  the  children  of  the  family,  all  the 
relations  of  Mrs.  Polk,  were  present.  Mr.  Elisha 
Williams  (the  father-in-law  of  Maj'r  Childress)  and 
his  wife  were  also  present. 

Saturday,  21st  April,  184Q. —  Mrs.  Polk  and 
myself  rode  to  Murfreesborough  to-day  and  spent 
the  day  at  Dr.  Rucker's  house.  Most  of  the  family 
relations  dined  at  Dr.  Rucker's  to-day.     In  the  after- 


424  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [22  April 

noon  we  returned  to  Maj'r  Childress's.  A  number 
of  persons  called  to  see  me  at  Dr.  Rucker's  in  the 
course  of  the  day.  On  reaching  Maj'r  Childress's 
I  met  my  old  acquaintance  and  friend,  Judge  Joseph 
Philips,  his  wife  and  daughter.  We  took  tea  at  the 
house  of  Mr.  Elisha  Williams,  and  returned  to  the 
house  of  Maj'r  Childress  where  I  spent  a  pleasant 
evening  in  conversation  with  Judge  Philips.  He  is 
an  intelligent  man,  a  true  Democrat,  &  an  old  friend 
of  mine,  and  I  was  glad  to  meet  him. 

Sunday,  22nd  April,  l84g, —  We  returned  from 
Maj'r  Childress's  to  Dr.  Rucker's  House  in  Mur- 
f  reesborough  this  morning  and  attended  divine  wor- 
ship at  the  methodist  church.  The  methodist  clergy- 
man being  absent  a  Baptist  minister  (the  Rev.  Mr. 
Eaton)  preached. 

Monday,  23rd  April,  l84g. —  We  spent  this  day 
at  Murf  reesborough  and  I  saw  quite  a  number  of  old 
friends  who  called  on  me  at  Dr.  Rucker's  House. 
We  took  tea  with  Mrs.  Polk['s]  mother  (Mrs  Chil- 
dress) and  afterwards  returned  to  Dr.  Rucker's 
House  where  I  saw  a  number  of  friends  who  called. 
During  my  visit  to  Murfreesborough  my  health  has 
not  been  good.  I  have  not  yet  entirely  recovered 
from  my  late  illness,  but  have  been  able  to  see  my 
friends  &  to  take  some  exercise. 

Tuesday,  24th  April,  184Q, —  After  breakfast 
this  morning,  having  made  our  visit  to  Mrs.  Polk's 


i849]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARY  425 

relations,  we  left  Murfreesborough  and  returned  to 
Nashville,  where  we  arrived  about  3  O'Clock.  We 
stopped  at  our  own  house.  The  workmen  had  not 
finished  it,  but  two  or  three  rooms  had  been  fitted  up 
so  that  we  could  occupy  them.  Numerous  boxes  of 
furniture,  books,  groceries,  and  other  articles,  for- 
warded from  New  York,  New  Orleans,  and  Co- 
lumbia, Tenn.,  was  piled  up  in  the  Halls  and  rooms, 
and  the  whole  establishment,  except  two  or  three 
apartments,  presented  the  appearance  of  great  dis- 
order and  confusion.  Our  faithful  steward,  Henry 
Bowm[an],  had  in  our  absence  to  Columbia  &  Mur- 
freesborough caused  the  carpets  to  be  made  and  put 
down  in  some  of  the  rooms  and  caused  our  furniture 
to  be  opened.  Our  servants  had  arrived  from  Co- 
lumbia and  were  comfortably  settled  in  the  servant's 
House.  We  thought  it  best  to  take  possession  of  the 
house  at  once  and  superintend  the  arrangements  nec- 
essary to  put  it  in  order.  On  this  day  therefore  may 
be  dated  our  first  occupation  of  our  new  home  in 
Nashville. 

Wednesday,  2Sth  April,  184Q. —  Mrs.  Polk  and 
myself  with  our  servants  were  quite  busy  to-day  in 
opening  boxes  and  arranging  our  house.  A  number 
of  mechanics  and  other  persons  were  employed  to 
do  particular  jobs  connected  with  the  establishment. 
A  Gard[e]ner  named  Whaton  [?]  was  employed 
with  a  number  of  men  under  him  in  clearing  the 
rubbish  from  the  yard  and  putting  them  [it]  in  or- 
der.    He  had  been  employed  since  we  passed  Nash- 


4^6  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [26  April 

ville  on  our  way  to  Murf  reesborough,  but  had  done 
but  little.     A  few  citizens  called  to  see  us  to-day. 

Thursday,  26th  April,  i84g, —  We  were  occu- 
pied to-day  as  we  were  on  yesterday.  Mr.  Hughes, 
the  builder  of  my  house,  promises  to  complete  the 
work  soon.  The  whole  establishment  was  by  the 
contract  to  have  been  completed  on  the  ist  of  January 
last,  but  it  is  yet  unfinished,  and  we  are  subjected  to 
great  inconvenience  in  consequence  of  it.  A  num- 
ber of  citizens  called  to-day.  My  health  continues 
to  improve  &  the  exercise  which  I  take  in  superin- 
tending the  work  about  the  house  and  grounds  is 
favourable  to  me. 

Friday,  2yth  April,  184Q, —  Nothing  of  impor- 
tance occurred  to-day.  We  were  employed  as  we 
have  been  for  the  last  two  days.  A  number  of  per- 
sons called  to-day. 

Saturday,  28th  April,  184Q, —  We  continued  to 
be  employed  in  arranging  our  household  to-day. 
Nothing  worthy  to  be  noted  occurred. 

Sunday,  2gth  April,  i84g. — Mrs.  Polk  and  my- 
self attended  the  Presbyterian  church  to-day  of 
which  the  Rev.  Dr.  Edgar  is  pastor.  The  regular 
building  in  which  his  congregation  had  been  in  the 
habit  of  worshipping  was  destroyed  by  fire  last  year, 
and  he  now  preaches  in  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 


i849]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARY  427 

church.  Dr.  Edgar  did  not  preach  to-day.  A  ser- 
mon was  delivered  by  an  itinerant  clergyman  who  is 
an  agent  of  the  Foreign  Missionary  Society  con- 
nected with  the  Old  Presbyterian  church. 

Monday,  30th  April,  184Q. —  We  were  busily  oc- 
cupied to-day  as  we  were  during  the  last  week  in  ar- 
ranging our  new  house  &  preparing  it  for  our 
permanent  residence.  We  had  a  number  of  me- 
chanics and  others  doing  various  things  necessary  to 
be  done  to  make  it  convenient  &  comfortable.  A 
number  of  persons  called,  and  among  others  some 
ladies. 

Tuesday,  Ist  May,  184Q. —  We  were  occupied  to- 
day as  we  were  on  yesterday.  I  wrote  some  letters  & 
attended  [to]  some  of  my  private  business.  Noth- 
ing of  interest  oc[c]urred. 

Wednesday,  2nd  May,  184Q, —  This  morning  my 
good  and  faithful  steward,  Henry  Bowman,  who  had 
acted  in  that  capacity  for  more  than  three  years  at 
Washington  and  who  had  accompanied  me  on  my  re- 
turn to  Tennessee,  left  for  Washington.  I  had  no 
longer  any  employment  for  him.  I  made  him  a  do- 
nation of  an  extra  month's  wages  and  of  the  addi- 
tional sum  of  $50.  to  bear  his  expenses  back  to  Wash- 
ington. I  gave  a  strong  paper  recommending  him 
for  his  good  character,  honesty,  and  capacity;  He  is, 
I  believe,  the  most  faithful  man  I  have  ever  known. 
We  were  occupied  as  usual  to-day,  and  nothing  of 


428  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [3  May 

special  interest  occurred.     A  number  of  ladies  & 
gentlemen  of  the  City  called. 

Thursday,  3rd  May,  i84g.—  Nothing  worthy  of 
notice  occurred  to-day.  We  were  engaged  as  usual. 
A  number  of  persons  called. 

Friday,  4th  May,  184Q, —  We  have  made  consid- 
erable progress  in  arranging  our  house  and  it  is  now 
in  good  condition  below  stairs.  The  workmen  pro- 
ceed tardily  in  completing  it,  which  is  somewhat  an- 
noyed [annoying].  A  number  of  persons,  ladies  & 
gentlemen,  called  as  usual. 

Saturday,  5/A  May,  184Q, —  We  were  occupied 
as  usual  to-day,  nothing  of  special  interest  having  oc- 
curred. 

Sunday,  6th  May,  184Q. —  Mrs.  Polk  and  my- 
self attended  divine  service  at  the  Cumberland  Pres- 
byterian church  to-day.  We  expected  to  hear  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Edgar,  but  he  did  not  preach.  The  ser- 
mon was  delivered  by  a  clergyman  whose  name  I  do 
not  rem[em]ber.  Mr.  Daniel  Graham  &  his  wife 
came  with  us  from  church  and  took  a  family  dinner 
with  us. 

Monday,  7th  May,  l84g. —  I  was  occupied  in  at- 
tending to  private  [business],  and  in  arranging  my 
papers  and  books  to-day.  In  the  afternoon  Mr.  V.  K. 
Stevenson  and  myself  rode  7  miles  to  the  residence  of 
Mr.  Daniel  Graham.     My  object  was  two-fold,  to  pay 


1849]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  429 

a  visit  to  Mr.  Graham  and  to  try  a  pair  of  carriage 
horses  which  I  had  a  thought  of  purchased  [pur- 
chasing], I  need  a  pair  of  carriage  horses,  but  was 
not  pleased  with  this  pair.  Company  called  as 
usual  to-day. 

Tuesday,  8th  May,  i84g. —  Company  called  at 
different  periods  of  the  day.  I  was  engaged  for 
several  hours  in  arranging  my  books  and  papers. 
This  evening  Mrs.  Polk  and  myself  attended  the  mar- 
riage of  Mrs.  Franklin,  a  wealthy  widow  of  this  City. 
She  was  married  at  her  own  house  to  Mr.  Acklin  of 
Huntsville,  Alabama.  The  supper  and  whole  enter- 
tainment was  upon  a  magnificent  scale.  I  met  at  the 
wedding  many  leading  Whigs  &  democrats,  and  was 
courteously  and  kindly  treated  by  all. 

Wednesday,  gth  May,  i84g. — I  attended  to 
private  business  as  usual  to-day;  was  engaged  in  ar- 
ranging my  books  and  papers,  and  in  receiving  the 
visits  of  several  persons  who  called. 

Thursday,  loth  May,  i84g,—  Nothing  of  inter- 
est oc[c]urred  to-day.  A  number  of  visitors,  ladies 
and  gentlemen,  called  as  usual. 

Friday,  nth  May,  i84g. —  Much  work  has  been 
done  on  our  house  and  premises  since  we  took  posses- 
sion of  it.  Our  furniture  has  been  arranged,  and  the 
establishment  is  more  convenient  &  comfortable  than 
it  was.  I  am  daily  engaged  with  my  papers  &  books. 
The  House  is  not  yet  quite  completed  by  the  work- 


430  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [12  May 

men.  A  number  of  persons,  ladies  &  gentlemen, 
called  to-day.  In  the  afternoon  Mrs.  Polk's  two 
nieces,  the  Misses  Ruckers  of  Murfreesborough,  ar- 
rived on  a  visit.  They  were  the  first  of  our  relatives 
who  visited  us  since  we  took  possession  of  our  new 
House. 

Saturday,  12th  May,  i84g. —  I  was  occupied  as 
usual  to-day.  In  the  afternoon  in  walking  down  into 
the  town,  as  I  frequently  do,  I  called  in  at  Macomb's 
cabinet  shop  to  examine  some  furniture.  His  shop 
stands  on  the  corner  of  Spring  and  Cherry  Streets. 
As  I  stepped  out  of  the  Shop  and  turned  down  Cherry 
Street  walking  towards  the  Post  Office  a  person  on 
horseback  turned  the  same  corner  going  in  the  same 
direction.  On  casting  my  eye  towards  him  from  the 
pavement  on  which  I  was,  I  discovered  it  was  Col.  M. 
P.  Gentry  of  the  Ho.  Repts.  in  Congress.  He  spoke 
to  me  &  I  returned  the  salutation.  He  turned  his 
horse  near  the  pavement  &  shook  hands  with  me,  and 
the  usual  interchange  of  civilities  [took  place].  He 
then  remarked  in  substance  &  I  think  very  nearly  lit- 
erally as  follows :  *^  Now  that  you  are  a  private  citizen 
I  will  say  what  I  have  intended  to  say  if  a  suitable  op- 
portunity occu[rr]ed,  that  whatever  I  may  have  said 
of  you,  Sir,  which  might  seem  to  be  harsh  was  po- 
litical and  not  personal."  To  which  I  replied,  it 
was,  I  suppose,  professional,  to  which  he  responded, 
it  was  altogether  so.  He  bid  me  good  afternoon  & 
rode  on.  Mr.  Gentry  made  a  bitter  and  abusing 
[abusive]  party  speech  ^  in  Congress  a  year  or  two 

^  December  i6,  1846;  Globe,  29  Cong.  2  Sess.  App,  56-61. 


i849]  JAMES   K.    POLK'S    DIARY  431 

ago,  in  which  I  understand  he  had  spoken  very 
harshly  of  me  as  President.  It  was  reported  to  me 
at  the  time  by  some  who  heard  it  that  he  was  drunk 
when  he  delivered  it.  He  never  afterwards  called 
at  the  President's  House,  as  he  had  before  done:  but 
after  the  lapse  of  some  weeks  his  wife  did  call.  I 
suppose  he  is  ashamed  of  his  speech,  and  hence  his 
remarks  to  me  this  evening.  He  is  a  very  bitter  & 
unscrupulous  Whig  in  politics. 

Sunday,  13th  May,  184Q.— Mrs,  Polk  was  in- 
disposed to-day  and  did  not  attend  church.  Her 
niece,  Miss  Joanna  Rucker,  remained  at  home  with 
her.  Her  niece.  Miss  Sarah  Polk  Rucker,  and  my- 
self attended  Divine  Service  at  the  methodist  Episco- 
pal church.  After  night  my  nephew,  Samuel  P. 
Caldwell  of  Memphis,  called.  He  arrived  from 
Memphis  today. 

Monday,  14th  May,  184Q. —  Nothing  worthy  of 
notice  occurred  to-day.  I  was  engaged  as  usual.  A 
number  of  visitors  called. 

Tuesday,  /5/A  May,  184Q, —  Mrs.  Polk's  two 
nieces,  the  Miss  Ruckers,  who  had  paid  us  a  short 
visit,  returned  to  Murfreesborough  today.  A  num- 
ber of  visitors  called  as  is  usual. 

Wednesday,  i6th  May,  184Q. —  I  have  nothing 
of  interest  to  record  to-day. 

Thursday^  17th  May,  i84g. —  My  house  is  not 
yet  quite  completed.     There  is  but  little  to  do,  but 


432  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [i8  May 

the  workmen  are  very  slow.  I  spent  the  day  as  is 
usual  with  me.  After  night  my  neighbour,  John  M. 
Bass,  called,  and  I  held  a  conversation  with  him 
about  the  suit  now  pending  in  the  Supreme  Court  of 
this  State  between  him  and  myself  in  relation  to  the 
title  of  an  Avenue  of  50  feet  wide  fronting  my  house, 
which  I  claim  as  a  part  of  the  property  which  I  pur- 
chased from  him  as  Executor  of  Felix  Grundy  dec'd, 
&  which  he  controverts.  We  talked  the  matter  over, 
&  I  think  it  probable  we  may  agree  upon  a  compro- 
mise and  thus  avoid  a  trial  of  the  case. 

Friday,  l8th  May,  l84g. —  This  day  has  passed 
without  the  occurrence  of  any  incident  worthy  of 
notice. 

Saturday,  igth  May,  184Q, —  I  have  nothing  of 
interest  to  record  to-day. 

Sunday,  20th  May,  i84g, —  Mrs.  Polk  &  myself 
attended  the  Presbyterian  church  to-day.  The  Rev. 
Dr.  Edgar  preached.  Mr.  Daniel  Graham  &  his 
wife  and  also  his  brother,  who  resides  near  Mont- 
gomery, Alabama,  and  who  is  here  on  business,  came 
home  with  us  from  church  and  took  a  family  dinner 
with  us. 

Monday,  2Isf  May,  184Q, —  Though  the  work  on 
my  house  and  grounds  is  not  yet  quite  done,  I  made 
a  settlement  to-day  with  Mr.  James  M.  Hughes,  the 
contractor,  and  paid  the  full  amount  due  him,  ex- 
pressing in  the  receipt  that  he  was  to  complete  the 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY     .  433 

work  according  to  his  contract.  Mr.  V.  K.  Steven- 
son, who  acted  as  my  agent  in  making  the  contract 
with  Mr.  Hughes,  was  present  and  assisted  in  making 
the  settlement.  The  settlement  made  was  satisfac- 
tory to  Mr.  Hughes,  as  he  expressed  himself:  and 
though  I  might  have  insisted  on  more  than  I  did,  I 
agreed  to  the  settlement  and  told  him  I  also  was  sat- 
isfied. 

Mr.  John  M.  Bass  called  after  night  and  had  a 
further  conversation  with  me  in  relation  to  the  title 
to  the  avenue  fronting  my  House,  and  the  right  of 
way  through  the  same.  We  agreed  upon  the  terms 
of  a  compromise,  which  was  to  be  reduced  to  form  & 
recorded  in  the  Supreme  Court  where  the  case  is 
now  pending. 

Tuesday,  22nd  May,  i84g, —  Nothing  out  of 
the  usual  course  of  things  transpired  to-day.  I  at- 
tended to  some  private  business  &  saw  company  as 
usual. 

Wednesday,  23rd  May,  i84g, —  I  rode  out  with 
Judge  Catron  in  my  Carriage  to-day  and  paid  a  visit 
to  George  W.  Martin  and  Mr.  Putman  who  reside 
two  or  three  miles  in  the  country.  Several  deaths 
from  cholera  are  reported  to  have  occurred  in  the 
City  last  night,  and  some  alarm  on  the  subject  pre- 
vails among  the  citizens  to-day.  My  nephew,  Sam- 
uel P.  Caldwell,  who  has  been  at  my  house  for  a  few 
[days]  left  to-night  &  went  to  a  hotel,  intending  to 
set  [out]  in  the  stage  of  tomorrow  morning  for  Louis- 
ville, Ky.     He  proposes  to  make  a  visit  to  the  Eastern 


434  •     JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  [24  May 

Cities  with  a  view  to  secure  collecting  business  at 
Memphis,  and  thus  to  promote  his  professional  pros- 
pects. I  furnished  him  with  several  letters  of  intro- 
duction to  my  friends  in  Boston,  Albany,  New  York, 
Philadelphia,  &  Baltimore. 

Thursday,  24th  May,  i84g.—  ^2.%  at  home  as 
usual  to-day.  Nothing  of  interest  occurred.  I  hear 
this  afternoon  that  my  nephew,  Samuel  P.  Caldwell, 
was  taken  with  a  chill  after  he  left  my  house  last 
night,  &  did  not  proceed  in  the  stage  to  Louisville, 
Ky.  this  morning  as  he  had  intended  to  do.  I  sent  a 
servant  to  the  Sewannee  Hotel,  where  he  is,  to  see 
how  he  was,  and  to  tell  him  he  must  return  to  my 
house.  The  servant  reported  that  he  was  in  bed  & 
had  a  physician  with  him,  but  that  he  was  not  seri- 
ously ill.  He  thought  [it]  most  prudent  not  to 
change  his  lodgings  by  coming  to  my  house  this 
evening. 

Friday,  2Sth  May,  i84g. —  I  called  to  see  my 
nephew,  Samuel  P.  Caldwell,  at  the  Sewannee  Hotel 
this  morning.  I  found  him  in  bed,  and  though  not 
very  ill  I  insisted  on  him  to  return  to  my  house  and 
remain  there  until  he  was  entirely  well.  In  the 
afternoon  I  sent  a  servant  with  a  carriage  &  brought 
him  to  my  house.  I  met  Edwin  Ewing,  Es'qr.,  on 
the  street  this  morning.  He  is  one  of  the  attos.  of 
John  M.  Bass  in  my  suit  with  him  pending  in  Su- 
preme Court,  now  in  Session,  relative  to  the  title  to 
the  50  feet  avenue  in  front  of  my  house.  Mr.  Ewing 
introduced  the  subject  by  inquiring  if  Mr.  Bass  & 


i849]  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARY  435 

myself  could  not  settle  the  matter  by  a  compromise. 
I  told  him  I  was  entirely  willing  to  do  so,  and  with 
that  view  had  held  several  conferences  with  Mr.  Bass. 
Mr.  Ewing  expressed  the  opinion  that  we  could  set- 
tle the  dispute,  and  at  his  suggestion  I  agreed  to  meet 
Mr.  Bass  &  himself  at  the  law  office  of  Mess[rs]. 
Nicholson  &  Houston  at  3  O'Clock  P.  M.  to-day.  I 
attended  accordingly  &  found  Mr.  Bass  there. 
Neither  Mr.  Ewing  nor  either  of  my  attorneys  were 
present.  Mr.  Bass  &  myself  after  a  long  conference 
agreed  upon  the  terms  of  a  compromise  as  contained 
in  a  paper  drawn  up  by  Mr.  Nicholson,  with  certain 
modifications  in  its  phraseology  &  terms,  upon  which 
we  agreed:  with  the  exception  of  a  paragraph  which 
Mr.  Bass  wished  inserted,  the  object  of  which  was 
to  save  his  personal  honor  against  the  imputation  of 
fraud  or  unfairness  on  his  part,  in  the  representa- 
tions at  the  time  of  the  sale  of  the  Grundy  property 
to  my  agent.  Gov.  A.  V.  Brown.  Gov.  Brown  & 
Judge  Catron,  whose  testimony  had  been  taken  in 
the  case,  differed  from  Mr.  Bass  in  their  understand- 
ing of  the  property  sold.  They  both  understood  that 
the  avenue  of  50  feet  was  purchased,  as  much  as  the 
House  and  other  grounds.  Mr.  Bass  insisted  that  he 
intended  to  sell  the  right  of  way  only  in  the  Avenue, 
and  not  the  fee  simple  title,  &  this  was  the  point  of 
difference.  I  understood  that  I  was  buying  the 
avenue  as  a  part  of  the  property:  otherwise  I  would 
not  have  authorized  Gov.  Brown  to  make  the  pur- 
chase for  me.  The  terms  of  compromise  agreed 
upon  were,  in  substance,  that  the  fee-simple  title 
should  be  conveyed  to  me,  and  that  Mr.  Bass  &  other 


436  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARY  [26  May 

adjoining  property  holders  should  enjoy  the  right  of 
passage  or  of  way  through  the  same.  The  only  point 
still  open  was  the  personal  paragraph  which  Mr. 
Bass  wished  inserted.  I  objected  to  it  in  the  form 
in  which  he  had  drawn  it,  because  it  left  an  implied 
imputation  injurious  to  Gov.  Brown  &  Judge 
Catron.  I  told  him  that  the  personal  honour  of 
these  gentlemen  as  his  own  must  be  guarded  &  pro- 
tected in  any  paragraph  of  the  sort  which  was  in- 
serted: &  with  this  view  I  proposed  that  his  attos.  & 
mine  should  draw  such  a  paragraph.  Towards  the 
close  of  the  interview  Mr.  West  H.  Humphreys,  one 
of  my  attos.,  came  in.  Mr.  Bass  agreed  to  this  sug- 
gestion &  the  paper  was  handed  to  Mr.  Humphreys, 
and  we  agreed  to  meet  again  at  8  O'Clock  to-morrow 
morning.  A  few  more  cases  of  cholera  occur[re]d 
today. 

Saturday,  26th  May,  184Q. —  I  met  Mr.  Bass  at 
the  law  office  of  Messrs.  Nicholson  &  Houston  at  8 
O'clock  this  morning  according  to  appointment  (see 
this  Diary  of  yesterday).  The  paragraph  deferred 
on  yesterday  had  not  been  drawn  up.  Mr.  Bass  pro- 
posed other  modifications  of  the  paper  containing 
the  terms  of  compromise  upon  which  we  had  agreed 
on  yesterday.  I  became  impatient,  and  remarked 
that  we  had  agreed  upon  the  terms  on  yesterday,  that 
I  was  ready  on  my  part  to  abide  by  them :  that  if  Mr. 
Bass  was  the  matter  would  be  settled,  but  if  he  was 
not  the  case  must  be  decided  by  the  Court.  The  law- 
yers on  both  sides  proposed  that  we  should  meet 
again  at  12  O'Clock.    We  did  so,  and  the  lawyers 


i849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  437 

having  agreed  upon  the  personal  paragraph  desired, 
saving  alike  the  personal  honour  of  all  concerned, 
the  compromise  was  signed  by  Mr.  Bass  &  Mr.  Jacob 
McGavock  as  executors  of  Felix  Grundy  &  by  my- 
self, and  so  the  matter  vv^as  settled.  The  Supreme 
Court  entered  a  decree  in  the  afternoon  conformably 
to  the  compromise,  and  a  Deed  was  Executed  to  me 
by  the  Clerk  &  Master.  When  the  compromise  was 
signed  all  present  were  in  a  pleasant  humour.  I 
was  so  because  I  had  obtained  substantially  all  I  had 
ever  claimed,  which  was  the  legal  title.  When  it 
was  all  settled  by  the  signing  of  the  paper,  Mr.  Ed- 
win Ewing  in  a  humurous  vein  remarked  that  this 
case  reminded  him  of  one  which  had  occurred  in  the 
Court  here  many  years  ago.  In  that  case,  he  said, 
one  of  the  parties  had  gone  to  his  lawyer  &  gave  him 
a  numerous  list  of  witnesses  which  he  wished  to  have 
summoned.  Among  them  were  the  names  of  Col. 
Weakley,  Col.  Ward,  Jessee  Wharton,  Robt.  C.  Fos- 
ter, Gen'l  Coffee,  &  Gen'l  Jackson.  The  lawyer  in 
some  surprise  asked  his  client  what  he  expected  to 
prove  by  this  array  of  distinguished  witnesses.  The 
client  replied  that  he  did  not  expect  to  prove  any- 
thing by  them,  but  he  wished  to  give  dignity  to  the 
case.  In  the  present  case,  Mr.  Ewing  said,  there 
had  certainly  been  dignity  enough.  The  President 
of  a  Bank  (Mr.  Bass)  and  the  Executors  of  a  very 
distinguished  Senator  in  Congress  (Mr.  Grundy) 
dec'd,  were  the  parties  on  one  side,  and  an  Ex  Presi- 
dent of  the  U.  S.  was  the  party  on  the  other  side;  & 
that  the  only  witnesses  in  the  case  were  an  Ex  Gov- 
ernor of  Tennessee  (A.  V.  Brown)  and  a  Justice  of 


438  .  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DJARY  [27  May 

the  Supreme  Court  of  the  U.  S.  (Judge  Catron)  : 
and  he  might  have  added  that  one  of  the  lawyers  on 
our  side  (Mr.  Ewing  himself)  was  late  a  Repre- 
sentative in  Congress :  and  one  of  the  lawyers  on  the 
other  side  (Mr.  Nicholson)  was  late  a  Senator  in 
Congress.  All  present  were  amused  at  the  story  and 
dispersed  in  good  humour.  I  never  entertained  a 
doubt  of  what  the  decision  of  the  Supreme  [Court] 
would  be,  but  in  consequence  of  my  long  &  intimate 
friendship  for  Mr.  Grundy  in  his  life  time  (having 
been  his  law-student  in  18 19)  and  for  his  family 
after  his  death,  and  the  fact  that  Mr.  Bass  had  mar- 
ried his  daughter  &  was  my  near  neighbour,  I  pre- 
ferred to  settle  it  by  a  compromise  rather  than  have 
a  public  discussion  of  the  legal  points  involved  in 
Court.  A  few  more  cases  of  cholera  occurred  to-' 
day,  and  the  excitement  in  the  City  in  consequence 
of  it  continues.  My  nephew,  Samuel  P.  Caldwell, 
is  confined  to  his  room  at  my  house,  but  is  better. 
He  is  attended  by  Dr.  Buchanan. 

Sunday,  2yth  May,  l84g. —  Mrs.  Polk  and  my- 
self attended  the  Presbyterian  church  to-day.  The 
Rev.  Dr.  Edgar  preached  a  good  sermon. 

Monday,  28th  May,  l84g, —  There  are  still  some 
cases  of  cholera  &  a  few  deaths  occurring  in  the  City. 
I  was  somewhat  indisposed  from  the  effects  of  cold 
&  did  not  go  down  into  the  City. 

Tuesday,  2Qth  May,  184Q,—  I  remained  at  home 
to-day.     Nothing  of  interest  occurred. 


1849]  JAMES    K.    POLK'S    DIARY  439 

Wednesday,  30th  May,  i84g, —  I  remained  at 
home  until  late  in  the  afternoon  to-day,  when  Mrs. 
Polk  and  myself  took  a  walk  and  paid  a  visit  to  a  few 
of  our  neighbours.  Nothing  of  special  interest  oc- 
curred to-day. 

Thursday,  31st  May,  184Q,—  I  bought  a  pair  of 
bay  carriage  horses  to-day  from  Capt.  Thomas  A. 
Leftwich  of  Maury  County.  I  paid  him  $400.  for 
them.  In  the  afternoon  Mrs.  Polk  and  myself  drove 
them  out  to  Gov.  A.  V.  Brown's  three  miles  in  the 
country.  The  Governor  and  his  wife  were  absent 
from  home.  I  heard  at  noon  today  that  Mr.  V.  K. 
Stevenson  had  been  taken  ill  suddenly  and  the  symp- 
toms were  those  of  cholera.  On  returning  from 
Gov.  Brown's  in  the  evening  we  learned  .that  Gen'l 
Harding,  who  resides  a  few  miles  in  the  country, 
had  been  suddenly  seized  with  cholera,  and  that  he 
was  lying  at  his  father's  house  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  street  from  our  house.  My  nephew,  Samuel 
P.  Caldwell,  who  had  been  several  days  ill  at 
my  house,  left  tonight,  and  will  take  the  stage  for 
Louisville  &  the  Eastern  Cities  on  to-morrow 
morning. 

Friday,  Ist  June,  l84g, —  Mr.  V.  K.  Stevenson 
&  Gen'l  Harding,  who  were  taken  ill  of  cholera  on 
yesterday,  are  both  better  this  morning.  I  was  occu- 
pied during  most  of  the  day  among  my  papers  & 
books  at  my  own  house.  During  the  prevalence  of 
cholera  I  deem  it  prudent  to  remain  as  much  as  pos- 
sible at  my  own  house. 


440  JAMES   K.   POLK'S   DIARY 

Saturday,  2nd  June,  l84g, —  Immediately  after 
breakfast  this  morning  Mrs.  Polk  &  myself  took  a 
ride  in  our  carriage,  and  paid  a  visit  to  Mr.  Daniel 
Graham  &  his  family  residing  eight  miles  in  the 
country.  After  our  return  I  remained  the  balance 
of  the  day  at  my  house  and  was  engaged  in  private 
business,  devoting  a  part  of  my  time  to  arranging  my 
library  of  books  in  presses  which  I  had  caused  to  be 
made  to  hold  them. 


INDEX 


INDEX 


Aberdeen,  Lord,  I,  62. 

Abernathy,  George,  Governor  of  Ore- 
gon, IV,  80. 

Adams,  Charles  Francis,  IV,  67. 

Adams,  John  Quincy,  I,  128,  130,  215; 
II,  493;  illness  of,  III,  350,  351; 
death,  356;  funeral,  362,  363. 

Address,  of  Calhoun  to  Southern 
people,  IV,  280,  283,  285,  306. 

Alien,  William,  Senator,  I,  96,  108, 
139,  246,  2  9,  262;  III,  324;  IV, 
262,  336;  Presidential  aspirations 
of,  I,  265,  280;  favors  54°  40' 
proposition  on  Oregon,  I,  248; 
anger  over  Haywood's  speech  on 
Oregon,  I,  274-278;  proposes  to 
refute  it,  I,  279;  approves  appro- 
priation for  adjusting  Mexican 
boundary,  I,  309,  310;  dissatisfied 
with    Washington    Union,    I,    356; 


Appleton,  John,  clerk  in  Navy  Depart- 
ment, II,  122;    III,  158,  206,  412, 

423. 

Appropriation,  for  French  Spoliations 
Bill,  II,  67-69;  for  adjustment  of 
boundary  with  Mexico,  II,  50,  56, 
57,  60,  70-73,  75-78,  276,  281,  283, 
287,  291,  292. 

Arbitration,  of  Oregon  question,  I, 
149,  208-210. 

Archer,  William  S.,  Senator,  1, 115,116, 
258,  416,  417;  II,  57,  288;  approves 
military  preparations  against  Mex- 
ico, I,  13;  urges  peaceable  settle- 
ment of  Oregon'  question,  I,  255, 
256. 

Arista,  Mariano,  I,  229,  230. 

Armistice,  agreed  upon  by  Scott  with 
Mexicans,  III,  171,  172. 

Armstrong,  Robert,  III,  28. 


plans  to  start  new  Democratic  paper.       Army,  contest  over  lineal  and  brevet 


I>  361,  377;  views  on  asking  advice 
of  Senate  on  Oregon,  I,  300,  462; 
resigns  as  chairman  of  Senate  Com- 
mittee on  Foreign  Affairs,  I,  471; 
election  of  successor,  I,  474,  481; 
death  of  wife,  II,  422,  423. 

Almonte,  I,  229. 

American  Colonization  Society,  III, 
305,  306. 

"American  System,"  IV,  167,  182. 

Anderson,  Hugh  J,,  Governor  of 
Maine,  I,  266;  IV,  338. 

Anderson,  John,  Representative,  III, 

431. 
Andrews,   Timothy   Patrick,   Colonel 
of  Voltigeurs,  II,  429;  III,  251. 


rank  in,  I,  284,  285;  opposition  of 
officers  of,  to  the  administration,  I, 
4i8;inefficiencyof  officers  of,  II,  117, 
150;  rifle  regiment  for  Oregon  ser- 
vice authorized,  I,  404;  appoint- 
ments in,  I,  405,  407,  410,  412,  413; 
bill  authorizing  additional  Major 
Generals,  I,  415,  418;  increase  of 
army  and  navy  considered,  I,  295; 
estimates  of  forces  required  for  war, 
II,  220,  221;  proposed  increase  of 
regular  army,  II,  294,  295,  297,  304, 
318;  Hamlin  speaks  against  bill  for, 
II,  304,  305;  fate  of  bill  doubtful, 
II,  308;  plan  to  create  a  Lieutenant 
General,  II,  227,  231,  273,  275-277, 


443 


444 


INDEX 


Army  (Continued) 

281-283, 286, 293-295, 297, 304, 310; 
mismanagement  of  quartermaster's 
department,  II,  429-431;  organ- 
ization of  forces  called  into  service, 

11,  491;  nomination  of  officers,  I, 
492,  493;  III,  30-33;  IV,  5,  6,  8,  9; 
promotions  of,  for  gallant  conduct, 
III,  424;  quarrels  between  officers 
of  Scott's,  III,  266,  267;  trial  of, 
III,  272,  274,  27s,  279-281,  28s, 
286,  288,  292-296,  388,  427;  peace 
establishment  of,  III,  495-497;  IV, 
48. 

Arthur,  Timothy  Shay,   Editor,   III, 

203. 
Ashley,     Chester,    Senator,     I,     184; 

death  of.  III,  438,  439;  funeral  of, 

III,  441. 
Aspinwall,  William  H.,  IV,  236. 
Atchison,  David  R.,  Senator,  I,  154, 

271,  434;  n,  78,  315;  IV,  239. 
Atocha,    Alexander,    agent   of    Santa 

Anna,  interview  of,  with  President 

Polk,    I,     223-225,  227-230,     233; 

peace    negotiations    with,    II,    323, 

325-327,  331-333,  336-339;  pro- 
poses to  bribe  Mexican  Congress, 
III,  329. 

Badger,    George   Edmond,    Senator, 

ni,  43,  SO,  51- 
Bagby,  Arthur  Pendleton,  Senator,  I, 

12,  13;  III,  456,  473,  478. 
Baker,  Edward  Dickinson,  Represen- 
tative, I,  388,  389. 

Baldwin,  Henry,  Judge,  I,  45. 

Ball,  Eighth  of  January,  I,  157; 
II,  316,  317. 

Bancroft,  George,  I,  8,  47;  IV,  252, 
271;  retires  from  Navy  Depart- 
ment, II,  60,  65,  66;  appointed 
minister  to  England,  II,  61,  62, 
65,  125;  cabinet  services  of,  com- 
mended, II,  121,  122. 


Bankhead,  James,  III,  27. 
Baptists,  "Old  Side,"  III,  25,  27,  28. 
Baring  Bros,  and  Co.,  I,  73-75. 
Barnburner,    paper,    selection    of,    to 

print  laws,  IV,  228,  234-238,  241- 

243. 
Barnburners,  course  of,  in  Presidential 

election.   III,  480,  481;  convention 

of,  at  Utica,  III,  502;  removal  of, 

from  office,  IV,  9-1 1,  36,  37,  57,  58. 
Barrow,   Alexander,   Senator,   II,  74, 

296,  299. 
Bartley,  Mordecai,  Governor,  III,  312. 
Bass,  John  M.,    Ill,   233,   235,  240; 

IV,  432,  434-437- 
Bates,  James,  I,  394. 
Beach,  Moses  Y.,  Editor,  II,  341,  476, 

477;  III,  22. 
Bedford  Springs,  visit  of  Polk  to,  IV, 

79,  85-97. 
Beggars,  II,  28,   129,   153;   IV,    294, 

295- 

Bell,  John,  reconciliation  of,  with 
Polk,  III,  258-260,  264,  265,  284, 
285. 

Benjamin,  Judah  Philip,  Senator,  IV, 
358. 

Benton,  Eliza,  marriage  of,  II,  427, 
428. 

Benton,  John  Randolph,  III,  201-203. 

Benton,  Thomas  Hart,  Senator,  I,  116, 
141,  188,  246,  254,  265;  II,  32,  102, 
219,  258,  259, 418;  III,  121-123,  129, 
197,  198,  228,  367,  442;  arrogance 
of.  III,  203,  204;  advice  of,  on  cam- 
paign against  California,  I,  438-440; 
letter  of,  to  people  of  California,  IV, 
136,137;  hostility  of,  to  Polk  ad- 
ministration, I,  140-142;  IV,  227, 
329,  330;  opposition  of,  to  promo- 
tion of  Kearny,  IV,  59,  60;  appoint- 
ment of,  as  Lieutenant  General,  II, 
227,  261,  262,  268,  270,  277,  286, 
410,  413,  419;  appointment  of,  as 
Major  General,  II,  352,  406,  407, 


INDEX 


445 


Benton,  Thomas  Hart  {Continued) 
409,  412,  414-416,  424;  aversion  of, 
to  war  with  Mexico,  I,  375;  views  of, 
on  war  message,  I,  390;  opposition 
of,  to  War  Bill,  I,  391,  392;  favors 
appropriation  to  adjust  boundary 
with  Mexico,  I,  308;  views  of,  on 
conduct  of  the  war,  II,  5,  222,  223, 
239;  approves    peace    negotiations, 

II,  333 »  334;  views  of,  on  Oregon 
question,  I,  287,  324,  325,  376;  con- 
sulted by  Buchanan  on  Oregon,  I,  55; 
interview  of,  with  Polk  on  Oregon, 
I,  68-72;  approves  Polk's  course  on 
Oregon,  I,  339;  letter  of,  to  people 
of  Oregon,  II,  444,  445,  447-449- 

Berkeley  Springs,  visit  of  Polk  to,  IV, 

98-102. 
Bernard,  Simon,  French  engineer,  IV, 

54; 

Berrien,  James  Macpherson,  Senator, 

III,  341. 

Bidlack,  Benjamin  A.,  I,  220;  II,  373. 

Bingham,  Kingsley  S.,  Representa- 
tive, IV,  28. 

Black,  James  A.,  Representative,  I, 
III,  342;  views  of,  on  Oregon  ques- 
tion, I,  154-156;  death  and  funeral 
of.  III,  417,  418. 

Black,  Jeremiah  Sullivan,  IV,  93. 

Black,  John,  I,  33,  34,  36. 

Blair,  Francis  P.,  I,  47,  87,  88,  351, 
357;  II,  84;  hostility  of,  toward 
Polk,  I,  87,  357,  358;  letter  of,  on 
annexation   of   Texas,    IV,    38-47, 

SI,  52. 

Blair,  Montgomery,  I,  347. 

Blind  children,  visit  of,  I,  366,  367. 

Bliss,  William  Wallace  Smith,  II,  236; 

IV,  331. 

Borland,  Solon,  Senator,  III,  35;  IV, 

230. 
Bradbury,  James  Ware,  Senator,  III, 

244,  501-503. 
Branch,  John,  I,  65,  431. 


Brazil,  negotiations  with,  over  Rio 
Janeiro  riot,  II,  351;  III,  53,  66, 
124,  151. 

Breese,  Sidney,  Senator,  I,  206,  475; 
11,310-313,426;  III,  501-503;  IV, 
229. 

Bridgeman,  Laura  Dewey,  I,  367. 

Bright,  Jesse  D.,  Senator,  I,  163;  II, 
339;  III,  504,  505. 

Brinkerhoff,  Jacob,  requests  office  in 
army,  I,  466;  attacks  Polk,  I,  497. 

Brockenbrough,  William  H.,  Repre- 
sentative, I,  371. 

Brown,  Aaron  Venable,  defeat  of,  in 
Tennessee  election.  III,  119,  120. 

Brown,  Jacob,  II,  343. 

Brownlow,  William  G.  ("Parson"), 
II,  40. 

Buchanan,  James,  I,  65,  121,  189;  IV, 
185-187,  350,  354,  355;  dissatis- 
faction of,  with  Polk,  I,  136,  143- 
146,  190,  234,  235;  discord  between, 
and  W.  L.  Marcy,  II,  177;  favors 
extension  of  Missouri  Compromise 
line,  II,  309;  favors  ratification  of 
treaty  with  Prussia,  IV,  18,  19; 
relations  of,  with  Nugent,  III,  353- 
355,  400-402,  405-410;  views  of,  on 
terms  of  peace  with  Mexico,  III, 
276,277,348-350;  favors  holding  of 
California  and  New  Mexico  as 
indemnity,  II,  308;  wishes  to  go  to 
Mexico  as  peace  commissioner,  II, 
338;  views  of,  on  Oregon  question, 
I,  2-6,  64,  81,  99;  fears  war  with 
Great  Britain  over  Oregon,  I,  102; 
favors  preparation  for  war  with 
Great  Britain,  I,  133,  258;  favors 
settlement  of  Oregon  question  at 
49°,  I,  y6,  107,  119;  favors  conces- 
sions over  Oregon  question,  I,  244; 
change  of  attitude  of,  on  Oregon 
question,  I,  297,  299,  453-45^; 
articles  of,  in  Pennsylvanian,  on 
Oregon,   II,   170,    178;  Presidential 


446 


INDEX 


Buchanan,  James  (Continued) 

aspirations  of,  I,  98,  104,  201,  297, 
299;  III,  209,  256,  257,  350,  355, 
359,  362,  402-404;  responsibility  of, 
for  Slidell's  appointment  to  Mexi- 
can mission,  I,  231-233;  responsi- 
bility of,  for  Judge  Woodward's 
rejection,  I,  153,  185,  194-196,  200, 
262;  selects  Barnburner  news- 
paper to  publish  laws,  IV,  234-238, 
241-243;  selfishness  of.  III,  403; 
appointment  of,  to  Supreme  Court, 

I,  39,  45-47,  97,  183,  194,  464,  492; 

II,  I,  2,  4-7,  21-24;  decides  to 
remain  in  cabinet,  II,  60,  61;  views 
of,  on  acquisition  of  territory  from 
Mexico,  I,  495-497;  H,  15,  16,  255, 
256;  views  of,  on  Internal  Improve- 
ment question,  III,  247,  248;  views 
of,  on  purchase  of  Cuba,  III,  477- 
479,  482,  483;  views  of,  on  tariff 
question,  II,  106,  107,  182,  183; 
views  of,  on  conduct  of  the  war,  I, 
396-399;  11,  229,  234,  240,  300, 
301,  432. 

Buena  Vista,  battle  of,  II,  433,  451; 

in,  34- 

Buffalo,  appointment  of  deputy  post- 
master at,  II,  79. 

Buffalo  Convention,  IV,  65,  6y. 

"Buffalo  hunters,"  proposed  expedi- 
tion of,  IV,  103-105,  109. 

Butler,  Andrew  Pickens,  Senator,  II, 
372;  IV,  253-255. 

Butler,  Anthony,  III,  87,  88. 

Butler,  Benjamin  Franklin,  III,  71; 
removal  of,  from  office,  IV,  57,  58, 
83,  106,  114,  115. 

Butler,  Edward  G.  W.,  Ill,  296,  297, 
301. 

Butler,  Pierce  M.,  I,  16,  26. 

Butler,  William  Orlando,  II,  245,  441, 
453,  455;  III,  112,  426,  427;  ap- 
pointment of,  to  command  Scott's 
army,  III,  270-272,  274-276,  278, 


293,  294,  296;  nomination  of,  to 
Vice-Presidency,  III,  463;  presen- 
tation of  sword  to,  IV,  361. 

Cabinet,  resignation  of  members  of, 
IV,  277,  278,  349,  354,  362. 

Caldwell,  George  A.,  IV,  58. 

Calhoun,  John  C,  I,  381,  436,  443; 
appointment  of,  to  English  mission 
urged,  II,  6-10;  lack  of  political 
principle  of,  II,  470,  471;  opposition 
of,  to  Polk's  administration,  I,  140, 
344,  378,  441,  442;  opposition  of, 
to  War  Bill,  I,  392,  393;  opposition 
of,  to  plan  to  appoint  Lieutenant 
General,  II,  282,  283;  views  of,  on 
Oregon  question,  I,  131,  154,  156, 
159-162,  246,  248,  250-253,  313, 
337,  338;  opposes  Oregon  Terri- 
torial Bill,  IV,  72,  73;  Presidential 
aspirations  of,  I,  265,  280,  344,  371; 
II,  458,  459;  address  of,  on  slavery, 
II,  457-459;  IV,  280,  283,  306; 
views  of,  on  adjustment  of  bound- 
ary with  Mexico,  I,  312,  313;  II, 
283 ;  views  of,  on  slavery,  IV,  20,  21, 
285-288. 

California,  acquisition  of,  1, 34, 35, 307, 
397,438;  11,15,16,56,76,115;  III, 
194;  bill  for  admission  of,  IV,  228, 
232,  233,  236,  237,  254,  255,  257, 
302,  303,  307,  312,  316;  danger  of 
loss  of,  IV,  231-233,  293,  294,  375, 
376;  extension  of  revenue  laws  over, 
IV,  146,  148,  369;  establishment  of 
government  over,  II,  322;  IV,  140- 
143,  238,  239,  297-301;  letter  of 
Benton  to  people  of,  IV,  136,  137; 
military  department  of,  united  to 
Oregon,  IV,  149;  military  expedi- 
tion against,  1, 16, 427,  429,  436-440, 
443,  473;  II,  84,  104,  117,  147; 
expedition  of  Fremont  to,  II,  219; 
views  of  seizure  of,  by  Americans, 
II,    108;  permanent    retention    of, 


INDEX 


447 


California  {Continued) 
favored  by  cabinet,  III,  190;  slav- 
ery in,  II,  308,  309. 

Cameron,  Simon,  Senator,  I,  no; 
opposition  of,  to  Polk's  measures, 
I,  ISI-I53>  202,  203,  216-218,  426, 

435. 

Carr,  Dabney,  I,  90,  91,  282. 

Carson,  Christopher  ("Kit"),  III,  52, 
54,  61. 

Cass,  Lewis,  I,  109,  no,  211,  267,  268, 
310,  390;  II,  56,  271,  321;  III,  309, 
310,  334,  335;  favors  purchase  of 
Cuba,  III,  477,  479;  opposes  Lieu- 
tenant Generalship  project,  II,  273, 
276;  Presidential  aspirations  of,  I, 
265,  280;  nomination  of,  for  Presi- 
dency, III,  254,  255,  462;  letter  of, 
accepting  Presidential  nomination, 
III,  466,  47«>-474- 

Cass,  Mrs.  Lewis,  asks  for  office  for 
son,  I,  372. 

Cass,  Lewis,  Jr.,  IV,   134,   188,  238, 

239,  333- 
Catholic   priests,   employment  of,   in 

army,    I,    408-410;  II,    188,    189; 

III,  103-105. 
Catron,  John,  Judge,  I,  153. 
Cerro  Gordo,  news  of  battle  of,  III, 

17,    29;  illumination    in    honor    of 

victory  of,  III,  18,  19. 
Chalmers,  Joseph  W.,  Senator,  course 

of,  on  nomination  of  James  H.  Tate, 

I,  132,  175,  180. 
Chapman,  John  Gadsby,  artist,  I,  222. 
Charleston,  visit  of  Polk  to,  IV,  382- 

385- 
Cherubusco,  news  of  battle  of,  III, 

171. 
Chihuahua,    expedition    against,    II, 
199,  200;  capture  of,  II,  482;  III, 

450- 
Choate,  Rufus,  II,  124. 
Cholera,  IV,  400,  407,  411-413,  433» 

438,  439. 


Clay,     Henry,     III,     305;  IV,     409; 

visits  Polk,  III,  325,  326;  dinner  in 

honor  of,  III,  341,  342. 
Clay,  John  Randolph,  I,  39,  43. 
Clayton,  John  M.,   Senator,   I,   204; 

IV,  309,  311,  313,  329,  330,  352. 
Clayton  Compromise  Committee,  IV, 

15,  17,  20-23. 
Clifford,  Nathan,  Attorney  General, 

II,  159,  160,  167,  191,  193,  274,  275; 

III,  135,    165,   358,   359,   389-391; 

IV,  27,  208,  246,  247. 
Clingman,  Thomas  Lanier,  Represen- 
tative, III,  212,  394. 

Cobb,    Howell,    Representative,    II, 

275- 
Coffee  and  tea,  war  tax  on,  II,  307, 

308. 
Colquitt,  Walter  T.,  Senator,  I,  249, 

252,  253,  260,  434;  IV,  393. 
Columbia  College,  commencement  of, 

II,  176,  177. 

Columbia  River,  the,  free  navigation 
of,  I,  II,  117,  118,  162,  252,  254, 
256,  287,  447,  448. 

Columbus,  Ga.,  visit  of  Polk  to,  IV, 

392,  394- 
Congress,    appointment   of   members 
to  office,  I,  483,  486,  491;  II,  329; 

III,  330,  331,  333;  discord  in,  over 
slavery  question,  II,  308;  failure  of, 
to  support  the  administration,  II, 

328,  334,  339-341,  347,  348,  366, 
371,  372,  380,  381;  selfishness  of 
members  of,  I,  497,  498;  II,  20, 
278,  279,   296,   314,   315,  318-320, 

329,  330- 

Conner,  David,  Commodore,  instruc- 
tions to,  in  anticipation  of  hostili- 
ties, I,  9,  10,  12. 

Contreras,  news  of  battle  of.  III, 
171. 

Contributions,  military,  levied  in 
Mexico,  III,  156,  157;  IV,  246,  247, 
312, 


448 


INDEX 


Convention,     Democratic     National, 

III,  446,  449,  457-464;  Whig  Nat- 
ional, III,  488. 

Corcoran,  William  Wilson,  banker,  I, 

153;  III,  IS,  16;  IV,  353. 
Coxe,  Richard  S.,  lawyer.  III,  432. 
Crane,  Commodore,  suicide  of,  I,  292. 
Crane,  Ichabod  B.,  Colonel,  III,  296, 

297. 
Crawford,  William  H.,  II,  342. 
Crittenden,  John  J.,  Senator,  I,  286, 

288;  II,    270,    349,    350;  III,   489; 

court  martial  of  son  of,  IV,  268,  269. 
Cross,  Colonel,  funeral  of,  II,  223,  224. 
Croswell,  Edwin,  Editor,  III,  440. 
Cuba,  purchase  of,  III,  446,  469,  475- 

479,  482,  483,  486-488,  493;  IV,  4, 

5;  revolution  in.  III,  476,  485,  486, 

499,  500. 
Cullom,  Alvan,  Representative,  I,  248, 

340,  341- 
Cushing,   Caleb,   III,   296,   297,  460; 

IV,  9. 

Cutts,  Madison,  II,  126,  127. 

Dallas,  George  Mifflin,  I,  106,  264, 
456,  457;  attitude  of,  on  tariif 
question,  II,  47;  favors  purchase  of 
Cuba,  IV,  5;  Presidential  ambition 
of.  III,  209. 

Daniel,  Peter  Vivian,  Judge,  IV,  98. 

Davis,  Jefferson,  III,  29,  269,  270, 499; 
IV,  351. 

Davis,  John  W.,  Representative,  I, 
108,109,373;  11,233,234;  111,212. 

Davis,  John,  Senator,  defeats  Two 
Million  Bill,  II,  75,  77. 

Debt,  public,  payment  of,  IV,  162, 
163,  165,  175,  176,  195,  196. 

De  La  Rosa,  Mexican  minister  to 
U.  S.,  IV,  208,  219. 

Democratic  party,  divisions  in,  I,  154, 
246,  248,  263,  265,  266,  280,  345, 
361,  436;  II,  305-307,  318,  319, 
329,  330,  334,  335,  340,  341,  346- 


348,  368;  caucus  to  restore  har- 
mony in,  II,  391;  division  of,  in 
New  York,  II,  144,  399-405;  III, 
440,  441;  defeat  of,  in  New  York, 
II,  217,  218;  III,  214,  215;  defeat 
of,  in  Pennsylvania,  III,  214,  215; 
defeat  of,  in  Tennessee,  III,  119, 
120;  attitude  of  members  of,  on 
Oregon  question,  I,  160. 

Dempster,  William  Richardson,  musi- 
cian, I,  277. 

Denmark,  collection  of  Sound  duties 
by,  IV,  152-154- 

Derrick,  William  S.,  clerk,  II,  468, 
484,  486,  487. 

De  Russy,  Rene  Edward,  Colonel,  II, 
88,  89. 

Diary,  origin  of  President's,  II,  loi. 

Dickins,  Ashbury,  clerk  of  Senate,  I, 

173,  174. 
Dickinson,  Daniel  S.,  Senator,  I,  184; 

II,  10,  20;  IV,  237. 
Dimond,  F.  M.,  I,  34;  II,  180,  195. 
Diving  bell,  experiment  with,  I,  126. 
Dix,   John   A.,    Senator,    I,    260;  II, 

68,  69,  261,  262,  320;  III,  214,  215; 

IV,  212;  offered  mission  to  England, 

II,  19;  opposes  Polk's  nomination, 

II,  279. 
Dodge,  Augustus  Caesar,  Senator,  IV, 

259. 

Dodge,  Henry,  I,  25,  58;  III,  498,  502. 

Donelson,  Andrew  Jackson,  I,  37,  40, 
44,  340;  appointed  minister  to  Ger- 
man Confederation,  IV,  56. 

Douglas,  Stephen  A.,  I,  294,  478;  II, 

284;  III,  211;  IV,  81-83, 192, 193; 

bill  of,  to  admit  California  and  New 
Mexico,  IV,  228,  232,  233,  236,  237, 
254,  255,  257,  302,  303;  applies  for 
office  in  army,  I,  482;  withdraws 
application,  I,  484;  misconduct  of, 
11,310-313. 
Duelling,  Polk  condemns  practice  of, 
II,  297. 


INDEX 


449 


Duties,  levied  in  ports  of  Mexico,  III, 

213,  324,  331- 
Duty,  export,  on  specie  in  Mexican 
ports,  III,  159,  163: 

Eastman,  E.  G.,  Ill,  451. 

Eaton,  John  H.,  IV,  199. 

Elliott,  Stephen,  Bishop,  III,  182. 

Ellis,   Powhatan,   II,   345. 

Ellis,    Vespasian,    interview   of,   with 

Polk,  I,  59,  60. 
Elmore,  Franklin  Harper,  I,  434,  440- 

442;  IV,  17,  18. 
Emory,   William  Helmsley,   II,   493; 

III,  153,  198. 
Evans,  George,  Senator,  II,  124. 

Fairfield,  John,  Senator,  I,  133;  III, 
244;  death  of,  III,  257,  258. 

Ficklin,  Orlando  B.,  Representative, 
11,27,312,313,319. 

Fillmore,  Millard,  nomination  of,  for 
Vice-President,  III,  488. 

Fisher,  Emanuel,  office  seeker,  I,  15, 
16,  84. 

Foote,  Henry  Stuart,  Senator,  III, 
232,  504;  IV,  249,  252. 

Force,  Peter,  III,  323. 

Fortress  Monroe,  visit  of  Polk  to,  II, 
88,  89;  description  of,  II,  89,  90. 

Fox,  Henry  Stephen,  death  of,  II, 
192. 

France,  revolution  in.  III,  413-415; 
celebration  over.  III,  425,  433; 
joint  resolution  of  Congress  on,  III, 
426. 

Eraser's  River,  the,  title  to,  I,  71,  117, 
161. 

Fremont,  John  C,  court  martial  of, 
III,  121-123,  176,  177,  181,  197, 
198,  204-206,  324,  327,  328,  335- 
338,  340;  collision  of,  with  Kearny, 
III,  II,  52-54;  collision  of,  with 
French  consul.  III,  91;  skirmish  of, 
with   Castro,   II,    108;  false   state- 


ments  of   Castro   about,    II,    219; 

promotion  of,  I,  412. 
Fremont,  Mrs.  Jessie  Benton,  III,  52, 

61. 
French,  B.  B.,  clerk  of  House,  III,  2, 

242. 
French    Spoliations    Bill,    II,    67-69; 

IV,  63. 
Friends,  members  of  society  of,  visit 

Polk,  I,  302. 

Gaines,  Edmund  Pendleton,  General, 
calls  out  militia  forces  I,  450;  Sen- 
ate calls  for  correspondence  of,  I, 
451;  court  of  inquiry  on,   I,   480; 

II,  82,  83,  97,  98. 

Gales,  Joseph,  Editor,  III,  368. 

Galviensis,  New  York  Herald  cor- 
respondent.    See  Nugent. 

Gentry,  Meredith,  P.,  Representative, 
IV,  430,  431. 

German  Confederayon,  appointment 
of  minister  to,  IV,  47,  56;  loan  of 
naval  officers  to,  IV,  169-171;  com- 
mercial treaty  with,  IV,  178,  179. 

Gerolt,  Baron,  Prussian  minister,  in- 
fluence of,  IV,  19;  recall  of,  IV, 
179,  180. 

Gibson,  George,  General,  I,  100,  484; 

III,  80,  81. 

Gillet,  Ransom  H.,  II,  324. 

Goff,  Marvin  H.,  Lieutenant,  IV,  202. 

Gold,  discovery  of,  in  California,  IV, 
296. 

Governments,  temporary,  over  con- 
quered territory,  II,  281,  282,  286- 
288,  322. 

Graham,  William  Alexander,  Gover- 
nor, III,  42,  43. 

Graham,  William  M.,  funeral  of,  III, 

309- 

Gray,  Cyril  V.,  I,  43,  44- 

Great  Britain,  danger  of  war  with,  I, 
3-S»  397,  398;  preparations  of,  for 
war,  I,  213,  242,  243;  preparations 


450 


IN.DEX 


Great  Britain  (Continued) 

of  U.  S.  for  war  with,  I,  i8o,  i8l, 
257,  258;  attitude  of,  toward  Mexi- 
can War,  I,  337;  proffers  media- 
tion in  Mexican  War,  129,  130; 
rejection  of  proffered  mediation  by 
U.  S.,  II,  131-133;  proposition  of, 
for  settlement  of  Oregon  question,  I, 

451,  452. 
Green,    William    Mercer,    Professor, 

III,  41. 

Greene,   Charles  Gordon,   Editor,  II, 

391- 
Greenhow,  Washington,  I,  254,  281, 

282,  290,  330. 
Grier,  Robert  Cooper,  Judge,  I,  138; 

11,61,63. 
Grundy,  Felix,  election  of,  to  Senate,  I, 

320. 
Gun  cotton,  II,  225,  226,  230. 

Hallet,  Benjamin  F.,  Ill,  480. 
Hamer,  Thomas  L.,  General,  II,  245; 

IV,  361. 

Hamilton,  Mrs.  Alexander,  I,  226. 

Hamilton,  James,  Governor,  II,  160, 
161. 

Hamlin,  Hannibal,  II,  304-306. 

Hannegan,  Edward  A.,  Senator,  I,  38, 
262,  268,  271,  474;  II,  348;  III, 
300,  301,  407,  408;  defeat  of,  for 
reelection,  IV,  240;  nomination  of, 
as  minister  to  Prussia,  IV,  369,  370. 

Hanover,  treaty  with,  I,  205,  304. 

Haralson,  Hugh  A.,  Representative, 
I,  143,  388,  389,  491,  493. 

Harbor  and  River  Bill,  veto  message 
on,  II,  54,  56,  58,  62,  63,  171;  III, 
116,  166,  169,  179,  244,  247-249; 
IV,  52,  53,  60,  61,  64,  65,  128; 
attempt  to  pass  over  President's 
veto,  II,  65,  66.  Sef  Internal 
Improvements,  and  Message. 

Harney,  William  Selby,  II,  384-386; 
III,  260. 


Harris,  Jeremiah  George,  I,  362,  364, 

365. 

Hawkins,  John  D.,  Ill,  39,  93. 

Haywood,  William  Henry,  Senator,  I, 
152,  168-170,  177-179,  377,  378, 
476;  speech  of,  on  Oregon,  I,  246, 
253,  262,  263,  271,  272,  274-276, 
278,  283;  vote  of,  on  tariff  bill,  II, 
26,  29,  30,  32,  33,  35,  43-46,  84; 
resignation  of  seat  of,  in  Senate,  II, 

48,  51- 

Healy,  G.  P.  A.,  artist,  I,  165,  182, 
318. 

Herald,  New  York,  publication  of  con- 
fidential  documents   in,    III,    396- 

403- 
Hoge,  Joseph  P.,  Representative,  II, 

311,  319- 

Holmes,  Isaac  Edward,  Representa- 
tive, I,  no,  401. 

Hopping,  Enos  D.,  appointment  of, 
to  office,  II,  402. 

Horn,  Henry,  nomination  of,  to  office, 

I,  136,  152,  218-220,  264,  426,  429, 

430,  432-437,  468,  469,  485-487- 

Houston,  Samuel,  I,  309;  Presidential 
ambition  of,  II,  364;  offered  office 
of  Major  General,  II,  416. 

Hudson's  Bay  Company,  I,  71;  sale 
of  rights  of,  in  Oregon,  III,  404; 
IV,  301,  302. 

Hughes,  John,  Bishop,  I,  408,  409. 

Hunter,  Robert  M.  T.,  Senator,  I,  in. 

Hurst,  William  Decatur,  court  mar- 
tial of,  I,  162,  163;  case  considered 
in  cabinet,  I,  355. 

Indians,  delegations  of,  at  Washing- 
ton, I,  22,  23,  25,  26,  83,  302,  318; 

II,  3,  4,  27,  46,  80,  162,  163,  169, 
178,  186,  187;  III,  409,  472;  IV, 
317;  commissioners  to  visit,  I,  26, 
323;  fraudulent  Chickasaw  claim, 
II,  126-129;  ownership  of  slaves 
by.  III,  504. 


INDEX 


451 


Ingersoll,  Charles  J.,  I,  303,  457;  II, 
321;  111,437,438;  appointment  of, 
as  minister  to  Russia,  II,  18,  63,  64, 
74;  appointment  of,  as  minister  to 
France,  II,  18,  207,  208,  290,  405, 
459-461,  488,  489;  III  2-9,  339; 
controversy  of,  with  Polk,  III,  2- 
9,  182,  183;  reconciliation  of,  with 
Polk,  III,  303,  304;  resolutions 
of,  on  secret  service  fund,   I,  328, 

331-334. 
Ingersoll,   Ralph   Isaac,   II,    152;  re- 
quests recall  from  Russian  mission, 

III,  479,  480. 

Interior  Department,  bill  creating,  IV, 

371,  372. 
Internal   Improvements,   I,   289;  IV, 

35,  140,  190,  363,  364.     Se^  Harbor 

and  River  Bill,  and  Message. 
Ireland,   arrest  of  American  citizens 

in,     IV,     165,     251,     252;  protest 

against,  319,  332,  337,  338;  revolt 

in,  IV,  105,  106,  110-113. 
Irish  Relief  Bill,  opposition  of  Polk 

to,  II,  396,  397;  veto  message  on, 

11,  398. 
Isle    Royale,    title    to  leases    on,    I, 

381. 
Iturbide,  Madame,  III,  342,  343. 
Ives,  Levi  Silliman,  Bishop,  III,  45. 

Jackson,  Andrew,  last  letter  of,  I,  6y; 

monument  to,   planned,   I,   23-25; 

papers  of,  I,  47;  portrait  of,  I,  165. 
Jarnagin,   Spencer,   Senator,   I,    163- 

165,  281,  300,  318,  479;  vote  of,  on 

tariff  bill,  II,  25,  47,  49-52. 
Jefferson,  birthday  dinner,  III,  268. 
Jesup,  General,  I,  164,  485;  II,  117, 

118,  158;  III,  80,  81,  127-129,  131- 

134,  136-141,  219,  220. 
Jewett,  A.  G.,  I,  342,  343- 
Johnson,  Andrew,  I,  328;  II,  35-41; 

IV,  265. 

Johnson,   Cave,   III,  421. 


Johnson,   Reverdy,   Senator,   I,   434; 

II,  13,  14. 

Johnson,    Richard   M.,    I,    129,   402; 

111,318. 
Jones,  George  W.,  Representative,  I, 

328;  11,36-41. 
Jones,  George  W.,  Senator,  IV,  260. 
Jones,  John  Paul,  act  for  relief  of  heirs 

of,  II,  407. 
Jones,  William  Carey,  II,  428,  445; 

HI,  13. 

KamEHAMEHA  III,  I,  22. 

Kane,  John  K.,  I,  49,  463;  II,  260, 
261;  IV,  259. 

Kaufman,  David  Spangler,  Represen- 
tative, I,  40;  II,  64. 

Kearny,  Stephen  Watts,  General,  I, 
396,  443,  473,  493;  n,  31,  169,  282, 
493;  III,  10,  12,  52-56,  94,  168,  175, 
198;  IV,  59,  60. 

Kellogg,  artist.  III,  225,  396,  420. 

Kendall,  Amos,  I,  105,  445,  449. 

Kendall,  George  Wilkins,  Editor,  II, 
236. 

King,  Preston,  II,  304. 

King,  William  Rufus,  I,  419;  II, 
109. 

Kusick,  Indian  chief,  I,  22,  23,  26. 

Lands,  public,  sale  of,  II,  450. 

Lane,  Harriet,  II,  353. 

Lane,  Joseph,   General,  II,  248;  III, 

112;  IV,  92,  97. 
Larkin,  Thomas  O.,  Ill,  395,  399. 
Leake,    Shelton    F.,    Representative, 

III,  115. 

Lee,  W.  D.,  I,  17-20. 

Levy,  David,  Senator.     See  Yulee. 

Lewis,  Dixon  Hall,   Senator,   I,   262, 

263,   289,   367-371;  n,  440;  death 

of,  IV,  168. 
Lewis,  M.  G.,  I,  26;  II,  3,  29. 
Liberia,  recognition  of  independence 

of.  III,  306,  307. 


452 


iNDEX 


Lisboa,  Caspar  Jose  de,  I,  27,  238; 

III,  6s,  95. 
Loan,  III,  222. 

Loan,  bill,  II,  345,  357,  358;  III,  312, 

313,  415,420. 
Louis  Philippe,  dethronement  of,  III, 

413. 
Loyall,  George,  II,  94,  96. 

Macomb,  Alexander,  appointment  of, 
to  command  of  army,  II,  343,  344. 
Macon,  visit  of  Polk  to,  IV,  387-390. 
Macon,  Nathaniel,  III,  39. 
Mangum,  Willie  P.,  Senator,  III,  381, 

382. 
Manufacturers'  Fair,  the,  I,  405,  416, 

421,  422,  444. 
Marcy,  William  L.,  I,  57;  III,   119; 

discord  between  Buchanan  and,  II, 

177;  threatened  resignation  of,  from 

cabinet,  II,  404. 
Marque,  Letters  of,  I,  15. 
Martin,"  Barclay,    Representative,    I, 

321. 
Martin,  Jacob  L.,  Ill,  411;  death  of, 

IV,  132. 

Mason,  James  Murray,   Senator,  II, 

358. 
Mason,  John  Y.,  I,  99,  443;  III,  126; 

IV,  210,  211,  226;  appointment  of, 

as  Secretary  of  Navy,  II,  61,  66,  125. 
Mason,  Richard  B.,  Colonel,  II,  209, 

214. 
Maury,    Sarah   Mytton   Hughes,    II, 

6-10;  III,  182. 
McCalla,   William   Latta,    Reverend, 

II,  187-189;  III,  103-105. 
McClernand,  John  A.,  Representative, 

1,490;  11,312,313,319. 
McConnell,  Felix  C,  Representative, 

borrows   money  of  Polk,   II,    213; 

suicide  of,  II,  130,  131;  funeral  of, 

II,  133. 
McCrate,  John  D.,  I,  50;  IV,  8. 
McDowell,  James,  Covernor,  I,  284. 


McDuffie,  Ceorge,  Senator,  I,  no, 
111,249,  269,348,481. 

McCafHn,  Colonel,  I,  472,  474. 

McGuffy,  William  Holmes,  teacher, 
IV,  121. 

McKay,  James  J.,  Representative,  I, 
267;  IV,  26;  rude  conduct  of,  IV, 
320-322. 

McKenzie,  Alexander  Slidell,  II,  326; 
mission  of,  to  Santa  Anna,  III, 
290-292. 

McKeon,  John,  appointment  of,  to 
office,  IV,  83-85,  93,  94,  110-114. 

McLane,  Louis,  I,  17,  62,  432; 
II,  134;  address  of,  before  New 
York  Chamber  of  Commerce,  II, 
136,  137;  172,  173,  choice  of,  as 
Secretary  of  State  discussed,  II, 
2,  7,  21-24;  choice  of,  as  peace 
commissioner  to  Mexico,  III,  373, 

375- 
McLane,  Robert  M.,  II,  267;  IV,  304; 

conversation  of,  with  John  Van 
Buren,  I,  103,  104;  sent  as  messen- 
ger to  the  army,  II,  200. 

McVean,  Charles,  lawyer,  IV,  113,  114. 

Medary,  Colonel,  I,  358. 

Melville,  Gansevoort,  I,  432. 

Memphis,  navy  yard  at,  I,  54,  303, 
304;  visit  of  Polk  to,  IV,  410,  411. 

Message,  annual,  of  Polk,  I,  loi,  102, 
106,  108-111,  115,  116,  132;  II, 
165,  171,  209,  212,  217,  246,  251, 
253,  254,  258,  263,  265-267;  III, 
206,  208,  210,  211,  225-229,  232, 
234-236,  238-241;  IV,  182,  183, 
202,  204-207,  213,  214,  216-218, 
220-222,  225;  President's  author- 
ship of,  I,  123,  124;  of  Polk,  submit- 
ting British  proposition  on  Oregon, 
I,  454,  458-463;  on  expenditure  of 
secret  service  fund,  I,  336,  339; 
veto,  of  French  Spoliation  Bill,  II, 
68,  69;  on  French  Revolution,  III, 
416,  417;  veto,  of  Harbor  and  River 


INDEX 


453 


Message  (^Continued) 

bills,  II,  54,  56,  58,  63,  64;  III,  116, 
166,  169,  179,  244,  247-249;  IV, 
52,  53»  60,  61,  64-66,  157,  158,  167, 
363,  364;  on  increase  of  military 
establishment,  I,  297,  301;  II,  304; 
of  Polk,  on  Mexican  affairs,  I,  375- 
377;  on  military  contributions  lev- 
ied in  Mexico,  IV,  256-258, 260-262, 
265,  269,  270,  312;  on  military 
operations  in  Mexico,  II,  393;  III, 
192,  193;  on  Two  Million  appropria- 
tion, II,  60;  on  treaty  of  peace  with 
Mexico,  III,  447;  IV,  3,  4,  323- 
328;  on  Yucatan,   III,   435-438. 

Mexico,  appointment  of  minister  to, 
I,  91,  92;  instructions  to  minister 
to,  I,  125;  appropriation  for  ad- 
justment of  boundary  with,  I,  303, 
305-308;  civil  war  in,  IV,  56;  de- 
clines peace  overtures,  II,  144,  145; 
disaffection  of  northern  provinces 
of,  II,  255;  relations  with,  dis- 
cussed, I,  257,  326,  327;  war  with, 
orders  issued  in  anticipation  of,  I, 
9,  10;  war  with,  favored  by  cabinet, 
I,  384-386;  war  with,  bill  for  prose- 
cution of,  I,  388,  389;  war  with, 
manner  of  conducting,  II,  16,  20, 
21,  233. 

Mexico  City,  expedition  against,  II, 
226;  news  of  capture  of,  III,  113, 

195. 
Militia,    calling   out   of,    by   General 

Gaines,  I,  450,  451. 
Minor,  Virginia  Maury,  III,  177. 
Missouri  Compromise  line,  extension 

of,   to  Pacific,   II,   309,   335;     III, 

142,  143,  501,  504,  505;  IV,  12,  13, 

21,  65,  66,  207. 
Missouri     Mounted     Volunteers,     I, 

396,  439,  440,  443- 
Mitchell,  Elisha,  teacher,  III,  45. 
Mobile,    visit    of   Polk    to,  IV,  397- 

400. 


Monroe  Doctrine,  application  of,  to 

California,  I,  70,  71. 
Monterey,  battle  at,  II,  181. 
Montgomery,    visit  of   Polk   to,    IV, 

395,  396. 

Morehead,  John  Motley,  Governor, 
III,  42. 

Mormons,  migration  of,  I,  205;  policy 
of  government  toward,  I,  445;  pro- 
posal of,  to  take  service  with 
Kearny,  I,  444,  446,  449,  450. 

Morris,  Robert  H.,  I,  379,  405,  406. 

Morton,  Marcus,  I,  206. 

Muhlenberg,  Heister,  I,  267. 

Muhlenberg,  Henry  A.,  I,  266. 

Nashville,  reception  of  Polk  at,  IV, 

415,416. 
National  Era,  threatened  destruction 

of  office  of.  III,  428. 
New  Granada,  treaty  with.  III,  363, 

373,  381. 

New  Mexico,  taker!  possession  of  by 
Kearny,  II,  170;  cession  of,  desired 
by  Polk,  II,  331.     See  California. 

New  Orleans,  visit  of  Polk  to,  IV,  401- 

405- 
New  Year  reception,  II,  299,  300. 
New    York,    defeat    of    Democratic 

party    in,    II,    218;  III,    214,    215. 

See  Barnburners. 
Nicholson,  A.  O.  P.,  and  Tennessee 

Senatorial    election,    I,     114,     115; 

attempt  of,  to  defeat  Felix  Grundy, 

I,  320,  321. 

Niles,  John  Milton,  Senator,  I,  188; 

II,  281. 

Noland,  William,  I,  87;  removal  of, 
from  office,  II,  113-115. 

Non-interference,  with  slavery  in  ter- 
ritories, IV,  20,  206. 

Nootka  Sound  Treaty,  I,  161. 

Norfolk,  visit  of  Polk  to,  II,  91-93. 

Notice  of  termination  of  joint  occupa- 
tion of  Oregon.     See  Oregon. 


454 


INDEX 


Nugent,  New  York  Herald  corre- 
spondent, abusive  letters  of,  III,  333, 
353-355;  IV,  95,  96;  relations  of, 
with  Buchanan,  III,  400-402,  405- 
410;  investigation  of  publication  of 
public  documents  by,  III,  400,  407- 
409,411-414. 

O' Conor,  Charles,  lawyer,  IV,  84. 

Office  seekers,  I,  15,  16,  261;  II,  85, 
los,  314,  328,  329,  360,  361,  379, 
380,  382,  383;  III,  69,  136,  330,  331, 
386,  418,  419,  422,  423,  505;  IV, 
49-51,  160,  161,  193,  194,  240,  241, 
246,  274,  276,  277.     See  Patronage. 

"Old  Defenders  of  Baltimore,"  visit 
of,  at  White  House,  I,  28,  29. 

Oregon,  negotiation,  action  of  Con- 
gress on,  I,  121;  arbitration  of,  pro- 
posed by  Pakenham,  I,  147;  arbi- 
tration of,  rejected  by  cabinet,  I, 
149;  Benton  informed  of  course  of 
administration  on,  I,  55;  Benton's 
views  on,  I,  68-72,  117,  118,  286, 
287,  376;  letters  of  Buchanan  on, 
I,  10,  II,  148,  151;  Buchanan 
favors  milder  tone  on,  I,  99,  102; 
Buchanan's  changed  attitude  on,  I, 
453-456;  discussed  in  cabinet,  I, 
1-8,  62-65,  75,  76,  78-80,  106,  107, 
119,  120,  122,  123,  133,  191,  192, 
207-209,  244-246,  253,  257,  451- 
455;  Calhoun  urges  settlement  of, 
I,  246-248,  250-252,  313,  337,  338; 
Calhoun's  views  on,  I,  131,  159-162; 
Convention  with  Great  Britain  over, 
I,  470,  473,  479;  Convention  of 
1828,  purpose  of,  II,  167,  168; 
debate  in  Senate  over,  I,  267,  268; 
Democrats  favor  line  of  54°  40',  I, 
248;  danger  of  war  with  Great 
Britain  over,  I,  73-75;  Jurisdiction 
Bill,  I,  376,  378;  notice  of  termina- 
tion of  joint  occupancy  of,  I,  70, 
IS4,   IS5,  253,  260,  263-265,   286, 


288,  289,  324,  325,  334-336,  340, 
343,  347,  353,  363,  418,  419;  sub- 
mission of  British  proposition  to 
Senate  for  previous  advice,  I,  64, 
67,  120,  122,  13s,  141,  147,  244,  245, 
251,  256,  258,  300,  324,  349,  376, 
452-454,  465;  Senate  advises  ac- 
ceptance of  British  proposition,  I, 
467;  proposition  of  Great  Britain 
for  settlement  of,  I,  444,  445,  447, 
448;  rifle  regiment  for  protection  of 
emigrants  to,  I,  70,  404,  414,  416, 
424;  Spanish  title  to,  I,  161;  views 
of  Polk  on  question,  I,  271-274, 
294,  336;  delimitation  of  boundary 
of,  II,  254;  Indian  war  in.  III,  463- 
465;  IV,  154;  protection  of  people 
of,  against  Indians,  IV,  155-157; 
letter  of  Benton  to  people  of,  II, 
447-449;  purchase  of  rights  of 
Hudson  Bay  Company  in,  IV,  301, 
302;  territorial  government  for, 
recommended,  II,  67;  bill  for  ter- 
ritorial government  for.  III,  501; 
IV,  15,  61,  62,  65,  67,  68,  70-74,  76. 
Osma,  Don  Joaquin  Jose,  II,  285;  III, 

369. 
O'Sullivan,  John  L.,  I,  23;  III,  446, 

476,  480,  481. 
Otey,    James    Hervey,    Bishop,    III, 

177,  178. 
Owen,  Robert  Dale,  I,  335- 

Page,  James,  Colonel,  I,  488-490; 
III,  2;  abuse  of  Buchanan  by.  III, 
209-211. 

Pageot,  Alphonse,  I,  350;  III,  308. 

Pakenham,  Richard,  I,  117,  119,  120; 
conference  of,  with  Buchanan  over 
Oregon,  I,  65,  66,  121;  note  of,  on 
Oregon,  I,  1-6;  offer  of  British 
mediation  by,  in  Mexican  War,  II, 
129, 131-133. 

Panama,  road  across  Isthmus  of,  IV, 

313,314. 


INDEX 


455 


Panama  Mission,  Polk's  course  upon, 
I,  204;  III,  306,  307. 

Papal  States,  revolution  in,  IV,  318. 

Paraguay,  recognition  of  independence 
of,  urged,  I,  238. 

Parades,  Mariano,  I,  33,  229;  III,  152. 

Parrott,  William  S.,  I,  33,  93,  100.    ' 

Patronage,  II,  201,  202,  339,  382; 
attitude  of  Northern  and  Southern 
men  toward,  I,  369;  desire  of 
Buchanan  to  control,  I,  200,  234; 
disposal  of,  in  Florida,  I,  382,  383; 
disposal  of.  New  York,  I,  104; 
disposal  of,  in  Pennsylvania,  I,  190; 
evil  effect  of  control  of,  I,  446;  II, 
278,  314,  315;  III,  14,  120,  249,  490; 
interest  of  members  of  Congress  in, 
IV,  29,  30;  removal  of  Whig  clerks, 

I,  345,  346.     See  Office  seekers. 
Patterson,  Robert,  General,  II,   149, 

247;  III,  IS,  57,  64,  118. 
Payne,  Nathan  Mountjoy,  II,  30. 
Peace  Commissioners,  appointment  of, 

II,  262,    268-271,    273,    465-467; 

III,  276,  280,  378;  desire  of  Santa 
Anna  and  Almonte  for,  II,  325, 
326;  efforts  of  Moses  Beach  to 
secure,  II,  476,  477;  means  of 
securing,  discussed,  III,  269,  270; 
mission  of  Trist,  II,  477-479; 
negotiations  for,  II,  156-158;  III, 
171;  negotiations  with  Atocha,  II, 
331-333*  336-338;  overtures  of 
U.  S.  for,  declined,  II,  144,  145, 
432;  III,  186;  party,  in  Mexico,  III, 
257;  proclamation  of  Polk  announ- 
cing, IV,  2;  terms  of  treaty  of,  II, 
471-475;  III,  160, 161, 163-165, 275- 
277;  treaty  of,  received,  III,  345. 

Pearly  schooner,  attempted  flight  of 

slaves  on,  III,  428,  429. 
Pefia  y  Peiia,  III,  195. 
Pennybacker,    Isaac    S.,    Senator,    I, 

189,  330;  death  of,  II,  322;  funeral 

of,  II,  323,  324. 


Perote,  trial  of  army  officers  at.  III, 

281,  284,  286. 
Peru,    complaint   of   government    of, 

against  A.  G.  Jewett,  I,  342;  treaty 

with,  I,  419;  III,  326. 
Perry,  Matthew  C,  Commodore,  II, 

392. 
Petersburg,  reception  of  Polk  at.  III, 

38. 
Peyton,  Bailie,  I,  31,  32,  191;  II,  236. 
Pierce,    Franklin,    II,    102,    138;  III, 

287. 
Pillow,  Gideon  J.,  General,  II,   149, 

211,  469;  III,   88,    112,   246,   251- 

253,  261,  262,  267,  340,  434,  499; 

abuse  of,  by  A.  H.  Stephens,  IV,  13; 

appointment  of,  as  Major  General, 

III,  29;  IV,  5-7,  9,  22;  court  of 
inquiry  on.  III,  491;  acquittal  of,  by 
court  of  inquiry,  III,  507;  IV,  16, 
17;  Polk's  decision  on  proceedings 
of  court  of  inquiry  on,  IV,  7; 
wounded.  III,  196. 

Piper,  James  H.,  I,  330;  II,  108,  109. 

Poor,  resolution  for  relief  of,  in  Ireland 
and  Scotland,  II,  408. 

Powers,  Hiram,  sculptor,  I,  90. 

Powers'  Greek  Slave,  III,  408. 

Polk,  Ezekiel,  Revolutionary  services 
of.  III,  43. 

Polk,  James  K.,  answer  of,  to  letter  of 
C.  J.  Ingersoll,  II,  488,  489,  491; 
attitude  of,  toward  Presidential 
succession,  III,  254-257,  334;  de- 
clares purpose  to  acquire  California, 

I,  438;  views  of,  on  organization  of 
government  for,  and  New  Mexico, 

IV,  254,  255,  297-301;  Cincinnati 
letter  of,  I,  129,  130;  course  of,  on 
Panama  Mission,  III,  306,  307; 
course  of,  in  Tennessee  Senatorial 
election,  I,  112,  113;  course  of,  on 
annexation  of  Texas,  IV,  41-45, 
126,    127;  disapproves   of  duelling, 

II,  297;  draws  will,  IV,  340;  favors 


456 


INDEX 


Polk,  James  K.  (Continued) 

purchase  of  Cuba,  III,  446;  home- 
ward journey  of,  IV,  376-419; 
illness  of,  II,  93,  94;  III,  1 81-187, 
484,  488,  489,  492,  494,  506;  desires 
peace  with  Mexico,  II,  339;  views 
of,  on  prosecution  of  war  with 
Mexico,  II,  349,  350;  III,  189,  190, 
216;  message  of,  on  war  with  Mex- 
ico, I,  384-386,  388-390;  not  a  can- 
didate for  reelection,  I,  141,  142, 
201,  248,  249,  265,  266,  280,  402; 
III,  298,  320,  321,  420-422;  letter 
of,  declining  renomination,  III,  448, 
452,  454-458,  463;  objections  of,  to 
establishment  of  Interior  Depart- 
ment, IV,  371,  372;  objections  of,  to 
appointment  of  Taylor  to  command 
Scott's  army.  III,  281,  282;  pro- 
poses compromise  on  Oregon,  I, 
191;  favors  notice  of  termination 
of  joint  occupation  of  Oregon,  I, 
155,  338,  341,  342;  opposes  Cal- 
houn's project  for  compromise  on 
Oregon,  I,  250-253;  political  con- 
sistency of,  attacked,  I,  204;  por- 
trait of,  begun,  III,  32;  New  Year's 
reception  of,  IV,  263,  264;  last 
Presidential  reception  of,  IV,  356, 
357;  reconciliation  of,  with  John 
Bell,  III,  258-260,  264,  265,  284, 
285;  reflections  of,  on  fiftieth  birth- 
day, I,  86;  relations  of,  with  Cal- 
houn, II,  160;  sectarian  prefer- 
ences of,  I,  86;  tour  of,  of  Northern 
States,  III,  67,  70-73;  views  of,  on 
appointment  of  Congressmen  to 
office,  I,  466;  views  of,  on  appoint- 
ments to  Supreme  Court,  I,  137, 
138;  views  of,  on  slavery  question, 
II,  289,  350;  IV,  289-291. 

Polk,  Mrs.  James  K.,  illness  of.  III, 
3,  9,  13,  15,  19,  187-191. 

Polk,  Marshall  T.,  I,  26;  II,  62;  III, 
IIS,  187,  43S,  481,  482,  507,  508. 


Polk,  William  H.,  I,  193;  marriage 
of,  III,  74,  75;  appointed  Major  in 
army,  III,  153,  154,  157;  returns 
from  Mexico,  IV,  14. 

Presidential  succession,  attitude  of 
Polk  toward.  III,  254-257,  334. 

Price,  Sterling,  General,  I,  440;  II, 
481;  III,  450;  IV,  9. 

Prisoners,  Mexican,  to  be  brought  to 
U.  S.,  Ill,  35. 

Privateers,  Mexican,  in  Mediterra- 
nean, III,  53,  54;  protest  against 
course  of  Spanish  Government 
toward,  III,  60,  61. 

Proclamation  of  peace  with  Mexico, 
IV,  2. 

Prussia,  extradition  treaty  with,  IV, 
18,  19,  28,  33. 

Public  Lands,  preemption  rights  of 
settlers  on,  III,  3 19. 

Quartermaster's  Department, 
abuses  in,  II,  86;  III,  80,  125-129, 
131-134,  136-139. 

Queen  of  Spain,  marriage  of,  II,  367. 

Quitman,  John  A.,  General,  II,  248, 
469;  III,  267,  269;  IV,  6,  7,  9,  361. 

Raleigh,  reception  of  Polk  at.  III, 

40-42. 
Ramsey,  James  G.  M.,  Dr.,  Ill,  448. 
Rathbun,     George,     Representative, 

amendment  of,   to  Ten   Regiment 

Bill,  II,  318. 
Rayner,     Kenneth,     Representative, 

III,  49. 
Read,  John  Meredith,  I,  137,  144,  464. 
Revolution,   progress   of,   in  Europe, 

III,  423;  in  France,  413-415,  425, 

433;  in    Papal    States,    IV,    318. 

See  Cuba. 
Rhett,  Robert  Barnwell,   I,   17;  III, 

236,  458;  IV,  309. 
Rice,  rough,  question,  I,  21,  121,  291, 

431. 


INDEX 


457 


Richmond,  reception  of  Polk  at,  III, 

37,  38. 
Riot,    of    American    sailors    at    Rio 

Janeiro,  II,  351,  360,  361,  365,  367; 

threatened,    over    schooner    Pearly 

III,  428,  429. 
Ripley,  Roswell  Sabin,  IV,  421. 
Risque,  F.  W.,  I,  413-415,  424- 
Ritchie,  Thomas,  Editor,  I,  39,   106; 

III,   237,   238,  461,  474;  IV,   21S, 

216;  dissatisfaction  with  conduct  of 

Union,  I,  3SO-353,  35^-359,  361; 

expulsion  of,  from  privileged  seat 

in  Senate,  II,  375-378. 
River  and  Harbor  bills.    See  Harbor 

and  River  bills. 
Rives,  Francis  Robert,  III,  38. 
Ross,  John,  I,  301;  II,  81. 
Rush,  Richard,  I,  372;  II,  34^-344; 

III,  12,  13;  appointed  minister  to 

France,     II,     405;  letters    of,    on 

Oregon,  II,  167,  168. 
Rusk,  Thomas  Jefferson,  Senator,  I, 

305;  II,  406. 

Saffrons,  Daniel,  III,  258,  259,  264, 
265. 

St.  Lawrence  River,  right  to  navigate, 
by  U.  S.  proposed,  I,  117. 

Santa  Anna,  attitude  of,  toward  U.  S., 
I,  224;  project  to  send  confidential 
agent  to,  I,  226;  payment  of  secret 
money  to,  III,  245,  246,  251-253, 
262,  263;  views  of,  on  relations 
between  Mexico  and  U.  S.,  I,  228- 
230;  House  resolution  on  return  of, 
III,  286,  287,  289,  290;  answer  of 
Polk  to.  III,  295,  299. 

Santa  Anna,  Indian  chief,  II,  3,  4. 

Santa  Cruz,  news  of  battle  of.  III, 

450. 
Santa  Fe,  expedition  against,  I,  439, 

443;  capture  of,  II,  169. 
Saunders,  Romulus  M.,  I,  247,  255, 

281,  282,  290,  381. 


Savannah,  visit  of  Polk  to,  IV,  385- 
387. 

Scott,  Winfield,  General,  I,  407,  408; 
II,  205,  232,  246-248;  II,  468;  III, 
167,  199;  appointment  of,  to  com- 
mand Vera  Cruz  expedition,  II, 
241;  charges  of,  against  officers  of 
army,  III,  266;  charges  against,  by 
General  Worth,  III,  272,  275,  279; 
correspondence  of,  I,  451;  II,  351, 
352;  III,  393;  expenditures  of,  in 
Mexico,  III,  245,  246,  251-253, 
262,  263,  341,  346,  384;  IV,  196; 
hostility  of,  to  the  administration, 
I,  413-415,  417,  419-421;  incompe- 
tence of,  II,  151,  327,  393,  394;  III, 
84;  insubordination  of,  I,  309;  III, 
57,  58,  62,  63,  89,  90,  312,  324; 
letter  of,  on  Captain  Hutter,  I, 
413-415,  417;  movements  of.  III, 
118;  offered  command  of  army,  I, 
396;  excused  from  command  of 
army,  I,  424;  relations  of,  with 
Trist,  III,  57-59,  76-79;  recall  of, 
from  army,  III,  269,  270,  274,  276, 
278;  reinforcement  of,  III,  22-24, 
89;  removes  Colonel  Harney  from 
command,  II,  384-387;  complains 
against  removal  of  self  from  com- 
mand, III,  411. 

Seaton,  William  W.,  Editor,  I.,  416; 
IV,  125,  126. 

Sebastian,  William  King,  Senator,  III, 

475-  ^ 

Secret  Service  fund,  expenditure  of, 
under   Webster,    I,    328,    331-334, 

336. 

Seddon,  James  Alexander,  Represen- 
tative, I,  III,  288. 

Semple,  James,  Senator,  I,  154,  482, 
490,  491,  493;  vote  of,  on  tariff,  II, 
20,  24-28. 

Sevier,  Ambrose  H.,  Senator,  I,  184, 
231;  II,  277;  III,  250,  309,  310, 
364;  IV,  16,  241;  appointment  of, 


458 


INDEX 


Servler,  Ambrose  H.  (Continued) 
as  peace  commissioner,  III,  378- 
383;  instructions  of,  as  peace  com- 
missioner, III,  383,  387;  IV,  27; 
illness  of.  III,  389,  390;  IV,  2;  death 
of,  IV,  275. 

Shields,  Benjamin  F.,  I,  60;  IV,  55. 

Shields,  James,  General,  I,  183,  427; 
II,  31;  III,  261-263,  283;  IV,  91, 
350;  dinner  in  honor  of,  III,  267, 
269;  wounded,  III,  196. 

Shunk,  Francis  Rawn,  Governor,  I, 
266;  II,  260. 

Sicilies,  Two,  treaty  with,  I,  193,  197, 

329,331. 
Sigourney,  Lydia  Huntley,  authoress, 

II,  391- 

Slavery,  address  of  Calhoun  to  people 
of  U.  S.  on,  II,  457-459;  dangers 
of  agitation  of  slavery  question,  II, 
304,  305,  308;  IV,  33-35;  discus- 
sion of,  in  Congress,  II,  334,  348; 

III,  500,  501;  views  of  Polk  on 
question,  II,  350;  IV,  206,  207; 
meeting  of  Southern  members  of 
Congress  on,  IV,  249-253,  280-285, 
304-306.  See  Missouri  Compro- 
mise, Wilmot  Proviso. 

Slaves,  attempted  escape  of,  on 
schooner  Pearl,  III,  428. 

Slidell,  John,  I,  loi,  231,  232;  ap- 
pointment of,  as  minister  to  Mexico, 
I,  34,  35,  93;  Mexican  government 
refuses  to  receive,  I,  319,  322,  327; 
opposition  of  Benton  to,  as  peace 
commissioner,  II,  262,  263,  268-270; 
instructions  to,  1, 97,  233,  238;  com- 
munication of  instructions  to,  to 
Congress,  III,  286,  287,  289,  295, 
299,  302,  303,  309,  310;  IV,  4; 
instructions  to,  published  in  New 
York  Herald,  III,  398. 

Smith,  Henry  K.,  II,  279. 

Smith,  Persifor  F.,  I,  413;  IV,  149, 
ISO. 


Smith,  Robert,  Representative,  312, 
313,  319;  IV,  80,  81. 

Smithsonian  Institution,  laying  of 
corner  stone  of,  III,  i,  2;  organiza- 
tion of  regents  of,  II,  120;  selection 
of  site  for,  II,  123-125,  264,  265, 
272,  284. 

Soule,  Pierre,  Senator,  III,  78. 

Spain,  marriage  of  Queen  of,  II,  367. 

Specie,  duty  on,  exported  from  Mex- 
ico, III,  222,  223. 

Speight,  Jesse,  Senator,  I,  132,  175, 
261,  262. 

Stanton,  Frederick  P.,  Representative, 

I,  248;  III,  250;  IV,  289-291. 
Stephens,  Alexander  H.,  Representa- 
tive,    IV,     300,    341;     speech    of, 
abusing    General    Pillow,    IV,    13; 
speech  of,  abusing  Polk,  IV,  14. 

Stevenson,  Andrew,  III,  284,  474. 
Stevenson,  Jonathan,  Colonel,  I,  16; 

II,  84,  104,  117,  147. 

Stockton,  Commodore,  quarrel  of, 
with  Kearny,  II,  493;  III,  11,  52, 

53. 
Strange,  Robert,  Senator,  III,  466, 467. 
Stuart,   Charles    E.,   Representative, 

IV,  28,  29. 
Sully,  Daniel,  artist.  III,  32. 
Sun,  Baltimore,  news  service  of,  III, 

35,  36. 
Sunday  School  children,  visit  of,  at 

White  House,  II,  11,  12,  17,  18. 
Swain,  David  Lowry,    II,  44. 
Swartwout,   Samuel,    defalcation    of, 

III,  145. 

Tallmadge,    Nathaniel    Pitcher,    re- 
moval of,  from  office,  I,  56-59. 
Tampico,  expedition  against,  ordered, 

II,  150;  news  of  capture  of,  II,  257. 
Taney,  Roger  Brooks,  IV,  221. 
Tappan,    Benjamin,    Senator,    I,   45; 

III,  440;  letter  of,  on  annexation 
of  Texas,  IV,  38-47,  51,  185-188. 


INDEX 


459 


Tariff,  I,  54,  85,  no,  123,  124,  291, 
368-371,  441;  II,  20,  26-28,  30,  32, 
40,  217,  253,  263;  bill  to  modify, 
urged  by  Polk,  II,  10;  passes  House, 
II,  11;  modification  of,  opposed  by 
Buchanan,  I,  261;  compromise  on, 
attempted,  II,  33-3S»  4^,  47;  bill 
passes  Senate,  II,  52;  passes  House, 
n,  53-55;  signed,  II,  56;  levy  of, 
in  Mexican  ports,  II,  416,  420,  422, 
431,  437,  438,  440,  442,  443,  446, 
450,  451,  454,  463;  HI,  56;  Manu- 
facturers' Fair,  held  to  influence,  I, 
421,  422;  report  of  R,  J.  Walker  on, 

I,  84;  III,  229;  retention  of  ad 
valorem  principle  urged  by  Polk,  I, 
267;  views  of  Buchanan  on,  II,  106, 
107;  views  of  Calhoun  on,  I,   132. 

Tate,  James  H.,  I,  127,  132,  166-170, 
181,  239,  240,  329. 

Taylor,  George  W.,  experiment  with 
diving  bell  of,  I,  126. 

Taylor,  William,  Representative,  death 
of,  I,  171;  funeral  of,  I,  178. 

Taylor,  Zachary,  II,  211,  351,  352, 
462,  470;  III,  14,  84,  119,  120,  278, 
393;  IV,  349-352;  apprehension  of 
danger  to  army  of,  II,  434-436,  444; 
armistice  of,  with  Mexicans  after 
Monterey  disapproved,  II,  181-184; 
dissatisfaction  of  cabinet  with,  II, 
236;  dines  with  Polk,  IV,  358, 
359;  election  of,  to  Presidency,  IV, 
184;  hostility  of,  to  Polk's  admin- 
istration, II,  229,  249,  250;  inaugu- 
ration of,  as  President,  IV,  374,  375; 
incompetence  of,  II,  119,  139,  3^7, 
327,  328;  instructions  to,  I,  9,  12; 

II,  16,  198-200,  204;  measures  for 
relief  of  army  of,  II,  434,  435,  437, 
438;  mistakes  of,  II,  452,  453,  479, 
480;  nomination  of,  as  Major  Gen- 
eral, I,  428;  nomination  of,  as 
President,  III,  488;  objectionable 
letter  of,  in  New  York  papers,  II, 


353-359,  362,  363,  366,  369,  370; 
objections  to  appointment  of,  to 
command  Scott's  army.  III,  281, 
282;  resignation  of,  from  army,  IV, 
266;  troops  of,  ordered  to  join 
Scott,  III,  160;  victories  of,  I,  422. 

Tazewell,  Littleton  Waller,  approves 
Polk's  administration,  II,  94-96. 

Tehuantepec,  Isthmus  of,  free  pas- 
sage across,  II,  473-475. 

Temple,  Robert  Emmet,  II,  402. 

Ten  Eyck,  Anthony,  I,  22. 

Ten  Regiment  Bill,  II,  346,  347,  366, 
369,  371,  375,  436;  pressure  for 
offices  under,  II,  379,  380,  399-405. 

Ten  regiments,  organization  of.  III, 
20, 

Territorial  Bill,  IV,  31,  33. 

Territory,  acquisition  of,  from  Mexico, 
II,  15,  16,  255-257,  283. 

Texas,  I,  17-20,  41,  148;  annexation 
of,  passage  of  resolution  for,  IV,  38- 
47,  49,  51,  52;  defence  of,  against 
Mexican  invasion ,  I,  i,  8-10;  exten- 
sion of  laws  of  U.  S.  over,  I,  148; 
IV,  150,  151. 

Thanksgiving  day,  III,  231. 

Thomas,  Francis,  Governor,  I,  51-53. 

Thomas,  James  H.,  Representative,  I, 
437,  440;  III,  234,  324,  463. 

Thompson,  Jacob,  Representative,  I, 
132,  176,  240. 

Thompson,    James,     Representative, 

I,  432;  II,  284. 

Thompson,  Waddy,  General,  I,  302. 
Thornton,  J.  Quinn,  payment  of,  for 

journey  from  Oregon  to  Washington, 

IV,  80-83. 
Thumb,  Tom,  II,  474. 
Tibbatts,  John  W.,  Representative,  I, 

294,  496. 
Times,     Washington,     purchase     of, 

rumored,  I,  377. 
Tod,  David,  minister  to  Brazil,  I,  242; 

II,  456,  464;  III,  66. 


460 


INDEX 


Todd,  Charles  S,,  recall  of,  from  Rus- 
sian mission,  I,  38,  40,  43. 

Totten,  Joseph  Gilbert,  Colonel,  II, 
88,  469. 

Toucey,  Isaac,  Attorney  General,  III, 
431,455,468,484,  505. 

Treasury,  Constitutional,  Bill,  I, 
368-371. 

Treasury  Department,  administra- 
tion of  funds  of,  III,  143-15 1 ; 
estimates  of  expenditure  for,  IV, 
189,  190;  funds  of,  in  hands  of 
bankers,  III,  140-142;  loans,  II, 
163,  192,   194,  195,  200,  213,  237; 

III,  376;  notes,  issue  of,  II,  205, 
213. 

Treaty,  with  German  Confederation, 

IV,  178,  179;  with  Hanover,  I,  205, 
304;  with  Menomonee  Indians,  IV, 
230;  with  Mexico,  discussed,  I,  306, 
307;  II,  156-158,  471-475,  477, 
478;  III,  313,  314,  346-350,  352, 
353;  with  Mexico,  protocol  to,  IV, 
319-328,  334,  335;  with  Mexico, 
ratification  of,  III,  361,  364-372, 
376,  377,  385,  386,  447,  465,  485, 
492,  498;  IV,  2;  with  Mexico,  re- 
ceived, III,  345;  with  New  Gra- 
nada, II,  363,  373;  111,481;  with 
Peru,  I,  419;  Postal,  with  Great 
Britain,  IV,  267,  271,  272;  with 
Prussia,  I,  231;  IV,  18,  19,  28,  33; 
with  Two  Sicilies,  I,  193,  329. 

Tripoli,  clash  between  U.  S.  and 
French  consuls  at,  II,  174,  175. 

Trist,  Nicholas  Philip,  I,  92;  III,  62, 
63,  89,  90,  196,  251-253,  263,  267, 
286,  344,  384;  correspondence  of, 
III,  322,  367,  393;  disclosure  of 
facts  concerning  mission  of,  II,  482- 
487;  insubordinate  conduct  of.  III, 
199-201,  310,  311,  324,  329,  330, 
357,  358;  modification  of  instruc- 
tions to.  III,  160,  161,  163-165,  168; 
peace  mission  of,  II,  466,  467,  477- 


479;  quarrel  of,  with  Scott,  III, 
76-79;  recall  of,  decided  upon.  III, 
185;  renewal  of  negotiations  by, 
III,  283,  300,  301;  treaty  negoti- 
ated by,  attitude  of  administration 
toward,  III,  313,  317;  treaty  nego- 
tiated by,  received.  III,  352,  353. 

Turner,  Daniel,  IV,  369-371. 

Turney,  Hopkins  L.,  Senator,  I,  165, 
214,  269,  270,  362,  364,  365;  III, 
369;  attempt  to  bribe,  II,  49; 
course  of,  in  Tennessee  Senatorial 
election,  I,  112,  113;  interview  of, 
with  Polk  on  Oregon,  I,  140,  141. 

Twiggs,  David,  E.,  General,  I,  493; 
III,  430,  437;  presentation  of  sword 
to,  IV,  361. 

Tyler,  John,  I,  430,  431,  440. 

Union,  Washington,  dissatisfaction 
with  Ritchie's  conduct  of,  I,  356- 
359;  objectionable    articles    in,    I, 

350-353;  11,  170,  172,  173. 
University  of  North  Carolina,  visit  of 

Polk  to.  III,  37-51. 
Upshur,  Abel  Parker,  IV,  199. 

Van  Buren,  John,  calls  on  Polk,  I, 
105;  opinion  of,  of  Polk's  adminis- 
tration, I,  103,  104;  relations  of, 
with  Polk,  IV,  245,  246. 

Van  Buren,  Martin,  attitude  of, 
toward  Polk's  administration,  I, 
104;  hostility  of,  toward  Polk,  III, 
74;  nomination  of,  for  Presidency, 
III,  502;  IV,  65,  67;  Texas  letter 
of,  I,  142. 

Vanderpool,  Aaron,  I,  316. 

Van  Ness,  Cornelius  P.,  I,  95,  226. 

Venable,  Abraham  Watkins,  III,  458. 

Vera  Cruz,  attack  on,  II,  388;  dis- 
agreement among  surgeons  at.  III, 
181;  expedition  against,  discussed, 
II,  104,  179,  180,  195-197,  240,  241; 
flags  captured  at,  III,  27;  proposed 


INDEX 


461 


Vera  Cruz  (Continued) 

as  place  of  trial  of  army  officers, 
III,  279;  raising  of  blockade  of, 
objected  to  by  Polk,  II,  332;  sur- 
render of,  II,  465,  468,  469. 

Victoria,  Queen,  birth  of  daughter  to, 
11,43;  111,456,457. 

Volunteers,  I,  399,  400,  435,  480; 
call  for,  II,  234-236,  475,  480; 
III,  123-126,  135,  139;  call  for, 
from  Massachusetts,  II,  237-239; 
distribution  of,  among  the  States, 

I,  404;  construction  of  act  authori- 
zing enlistment  of.  III,  207,  208; 
officers  of.  III,  23,  107,  154-156, 
166;  organization  of,  of  D.  C,  III, 
170,  172-174;  requisitions  for.  III, 
147. 

Vomito,  the,  II,  416,  421. 
Voorhies,   Philip   F.,   Captain,   court 
martial  of,  discussed  in  cabinet,  I, 

41-43. 
Vroom,  Peter  D.,  Governor,  I,  138; 
111,431,468,478,483,484. 

Walker,  Isaac  P.,  Senator,  IV,  347, 

364-367. 

Walker,  James  H.,  Captain,  IV,  12,  52. 

Walker,  J.  Knox,  I,  290;  II,  345,  346, 
486;  III,  244. 

Walker,  Robert  J.,  I,  6,  43,  44,  171, 
239;  III,  241,  242;  IV,  186;  attack 
of  Jacob  Thompson  upon,  I,  175, 
176;  desires  appointment  as  minis- 
ter to  England,  I,  432;  favors  pur- 
chase of  Cuba,  III,  475;  illness  of, 
III,  10,  12,  18,  26,  27,  35,  95,  96, 
244,  245;  negotiation  of,  for  loan, 

II,  166;  Presidential  aspirations  of, 
I,  104,  176;  report  of,  on  tariff",  III, 
229;  report  of,  on  levying  duties  in 
ports  of  Mexico,  II,  442,  443,  446, 
450,  451;  views  of,  on  acquisition 
of  territory  from  Mexico,  I,  495- 
497;  III,  229. 


Walsh,  Robert  M.,  Ill,  382,  383. 

War,  bill  for  prosecution  of,  with 
Mexico,  I,  388,  389;  bill  signed,  I, 
395;  danger  of,  with  Great  Britain 
and  France,  I,  397,  398;  declaration 
of,  against  Mexico,  I,  391-394; 
department,  estimate  of  expenditure 
by,  II,  220;  III,  213,  215,  216,  218, 
219,  221;  with  Mexico,  discussed 
in  cabinet,  I,  384-386,  403,  49S-497; 
II,  234-236;  III,  207;  munitions, 
sent  to  Pacific,  I,  443;  preparations 
for,  with  Great  Britain,  I,  133,  134, 
143,  180,  181,  256,  257,  270;  prepa- 
ration of  Great  Britain  for,  I,  213; 
preparation  for,  with  Mexico,  I,  270; 
proclamation  of,  I,  396;  plan  of 
prosecuting,  I,  429,  436,  437;  II, 
104,  145,  146,  198-200,  221-223, 
225,  233,  300-303,  453,  454;  III, 
160,  161,  189,  190,  251;  objects  of, 
I>  396,  397;  «teamers,  construction 
of.  III,  68;  views  of  Polk  on  prose- 
cution of,  II,  349,  350. 

Ward,  T.  W.,  interview  of,  with  Polk, 

I,  73-75- 

Warehouse  Bill,  II,  19,  20. 
Warrington,    Lewis,    Commodore,    I, 

304. 
Washington,  birthnight  ball,  I,  243; 

II,  389. 

Washington  monument,  IV,  307; 
selection  of  site  of,  III,  323;  laying 
of  corner-stone  of,  IV,  1-3. 

Wayne,  James  Moore,  IV,  221. 

Webb,  James  Watson,  II,  463. 

Webster,  Daniel,  I,  292;  II,  74;  III, 
273,  365,  366;  expenditure  of  secret 
service  money  under,  I,  328,  331- 

334- 
Webster,  Fletcher,  IV,  339. 
Wee-no-shick,  Indian  chief,  II,   162, 

163. 
Wentworth,  John,  Representative,  II, 

347- 


462 


INDEX 


West,  Benjamin,  painting  of,  viewed 
by  Polk,  I,  292. 

Westcott,  James  D.,  Senator,  I,  410, 
422;  coarse  remark  of,  about  Polk, 
I,  199;  dissatisfaction  of,  with 
Polk's  appointments  in  Florida,  I, 
381-383;  presents  cane  to  Polk,  I, 
149. 

West  Point,  appointment  of  graduates 
of,  to  office  in  army.  III,  31,  32. 

Wheaton,  Henry,  minister  at  Berlin, 

I,  39-41- 

Whig  clerks,  removal  of,  I,  345,  346; 
editors,  treasonable  articles  of,  II, 
479;  papers,  treasonable  conduct 
of,  II,  483,  484;  party,  attitude  of, 
on  Oregon  question,  I,  258;  party, 
effprts  of,  to  produce  financial 
panic,  III,  322. 

Whigs,  appointment  of,  to  army 
offices,  I,  478;  partisan  attacks  of, 
on  Polk,  IV,  329. 

White,  Hugh  Lawson,  Senator,  III, 
284. 

Whithorne,  Washington  Curran,  III, 
60,  158,  227. 

Whittlesey,  Elisha,  III,  428;  IV,  308. 

Wickliffe,  Charles  A.,  I,  207;  III, 
20. 

Wilkes,  Charles,  Captain,  exploring 
expedition  of,  I,  324. 

Wilkinson,  Jesse,  Commodore,  II,  89. 

Wilmington,  visit  of  Polk  to,  IV,  379, 
380. 

Wilmot,  David,  Representative,  1, 1 10, 
198,  202,  203,  342;  II,  288-290,  299; 
IV,  166,  341. 

Wilmot  Proviso,  II,  75,  115,  283,  291, 
292,  334;  IV,  23s,  254,  348;  ref- 
utation of  story  of  Polk's  favoring. 


IV,  342-345;   opposed  by  cabinet, 
II,  287;  Polk's  veto  message  on,  IV, 
364-367. 
Wilson,  Louis,   Colonel,  III,  84,  85, 

118;  death  of.  III,  152. 
Winthrop,  Robert  Charles,  Represen- 
tative, III,  240;  IV,  2. 
Wirt,  William,  Attorney  General,  IV, 

SOS- 
Wise,  Henry  A.,  minister  to  Brazil, 

II,  15s;  IV,  225,  226;  British  gov- 
ernment complains  against.  III,  152; 
correspondence  of,  called  for.  III, 
396;  recall  of,  I,  458;  relations  of, 
with  Polk,  III,  191,  192. 

Woodbury,  Levi,  I,  37. 

Woodward,   George   W.,   nomination 

of,  to  Supreme  Court,  I,  138,  144, 

145,  183-185,  194-196. 
Wool,  John  Ellis,  General,  I,  435;  II, 

307. 
Worth,     William    Jenkins,    General, 

presentation  of  sword  to,  IV,  361. 
Wright,    Silas,    Governor,    death   of, 

III,  153;  defeat  of,  in  New  York 
election,  II,  218;  treatment  of,  and 
friends,  by  Polk,  I,  103. 

Yell,   Archibald,   Governor,   I,   231, 

493;  death  of,  II,  451. 
Young,  Richard  M.,  appointment  of, 

as  Commissioner  of  General  Land 

Office,  II,  310-313,  320. 
Yucatan,  I,  10;  II,  394,  425;  III,  443, 

444,  467;  race  war  in,  III,  373,  374, 

430,  433,  434;  message  of  Polk  on 

race  war  in.  III,  435,  436-438. 
Yulee,  David  Levy,   Senator,   I,   28, 

30-32,  149,  184,  211,  262,  263;  III. 

194. 


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