"Peace, plenty, and contentment reign throughout our borders, and our
beloved country presents a sublime moral spectacle to the world..."
James K. Polk
Source:http://en.thinkexist.com/quotes/james_knox_polk/
Being President
"No president who performs his duties faithfully and conscientiously can have
any leisure."
James K. Polk
Source:http://en.thinkexist.com/quotes/james_knox_polk/
"Although... the Chief Magistrate must almost of necessity be chosen by a
party and stand pledged to its principles and measures, yet in his official
action he should not be the President of a party only, but of the whole people
of the United States."
James K. Polk
Source:http://en.thinkexist.com/quotes/james_knox_polk/
"With me it is exceptionally true that the Presidency is no bed of roses."
James K. Polk
Source:http://www.factmonster.com/spot/presquotes1.html
"I prefer to supervise the whole operations of Government myself rather
than entrust the public business to subordinates and this makes my
duties very great."
James K. Polk
Source:http://americanhistory.about.com/cs/jameskpolk/a/quotepolk.htm
"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."
James K. Polk
Source:http://www.factmonster.com/spot/presquotes1.html
Buchanan (Future President)
"Mr. Buchanan is a man of talents & is fully competent to discharge the
high duties of Secretary of State, but it is one of his weaknesses (and
perhaps all great men have such) that he takes on & magnifies small
matters into great & undeserved importance."
James K. Polk
Source:Diary of James K. Polk September 1, 1846
Congress
"The passion for office among members of Congress is very great, if not
absolutely disreputable, and greatly embarrasses the operations of the
Government. They create offices by their own votes and then seek to fill
them themselves."
James K. Polk
Source:http://en.thinkexist.com/quotes/james_knox_polk/
"There is more selfishness and less principle among members of Congress...
than I had any conception of, before I became President of the U.S."
James K. Polk
Source:http://americanhistory.about.com/cs/jameskpolk/a/quotepolk.htm
Constitution
"One great object of the Constitution was to restrain majorities from
oppressing minorities or encroaching upon their just rights.
Minorities have a right to appeal to the Constitution as a shield
against such oppression."
James K. Polk
Source:Inaugural Address, 4 March 1845
Foreign Powers
"Foreign powers do not seem to appreciate the true character of
our government."
James K. Polk
Source:http://americanhistory.about.com/cs/jameskpolk/a/quotepolk.htm
God
"Under the benignant providence of Almighty God the representatives
of the States and of the people are again brought together to
deliberate for the public good. The gratitude of the nation to the
Sovereign Arbiter of All Human Events should be commensurate with
the boundless blessings which we enjoy."
James K. Polk
Source:4th Annual Message to Congress; December 5, 1848
"Under the blessings of Divine Providence ... It becomes us in
humility to make our devout acknowledgments to the Supreme
Ruler of the Universe for the inestimable civil and religious
blessings with which we are favored."
James K. Polk
Source:1st Annual Message to Congress; December 2, 1845
Press
"I cannot, whilst President of the United States, descend to enter
into a newspaper controversy."
James K. Polk
Source:http://americanhistory.about.com/cs/jameskpolk/a/quotepolk.htm
Public Opinion
"Public opinion: May it always perform one of its appropriate offices,
by teaching the public functionaries of the State and of the Federal
Government, that neither shall assume the exercise of powers
entrusted by the Constitution to the other."
James K. Polk
Source:http://www.factmonster.com/spot/presquotes1.html
US Government
"It [the US Government] is a common protector of each and all the States;
of every man who lives upon our soil, whether of native or foreign birth;
of every religious sect, in their worship of the Almighty according to the
dictates of their own conscience; of every shade of opinion, and the most
free inquiry; of every art, trade, and occupation consistent with the laws
of the States."
James K. Polk
Source:Inaugural Address, 4 March 1845
War
"The world has nothing to fear from military ambition in our Government.
While the Chief Magistrate and the popular branch of Congress are
elected for short terms by the suffrages of those millions who must in
their own persons bear all the burdens and miseries of war, our
Government can not be otherwise than pacific."
James K. Polk
Source:http://americanhistory.about.com/cs/jameskpolk/a/quotepolk.htm
"Well may the boldest fear and the wisest tremble when incurring
responsibilities on which may depend our country's peace and prosperity,
and in some degree the hopes and happiness of the whole human family."
James K. Polk
Source:http://americanhistory.about.com/cs/jameskpolk/a/quotepolk.htm
