President James K. Polk: The Dark Horse PresidentThe First Men, America's Presidents series explains the personal and public life of each President of the United States. Their qualities of character and leadership are aptly interpreted and offer strong role models for all citizens. Presidential successes are recorded for posterity, as are the pitfalls that should be guarded against in the future. This series also explains the domestic reasons and world backdrop for the expansion of the Executive Office of the President. The President of the United States is perhaps the most coveted position in the world and this series reveals the lives of all those successfully elected, how each performed as president, and how each is to be measured in history. The collective life stories of the presidents reveal the greatness that America represents in the world. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Endnotes | 5 |
Early Life | 7 |
Relgion and Young Polk | 8 |
Jeffersonian Idealism | 9 |
Education | 11 |
The Young Lawyer | 12 |
The Young Politician | 14 |
Polks Goals in Office | 67 |
Politics and Power | 71 |
Patronage Lobbyists and Office Seekers | 75 |
The Man who was President | 78 |
Friends and Loyalties | 81 |
Endnotes | 83 |
Goals into Policies | 87 |
The Tariff | 88 |
Sarah Childress | 15 |
Endnotes | 16 |
Young Hickory | 19 |
Tennessee Politics | 20 |
Congressional Campaign | 21 |
Congressman Polk | 23 |
Reelection of Polk and Election of Jackson | 25 |
Jacksons Congressman | 27 |
The Eaton Episode | 28 |
NULLIFCATION AND THE FORCE BILL | 30 |
The Bank War | 32 |
Mr Speaker | 35 |
The Key Issues | 37 |
Endnotes | 40 |
The Dark Horse Candidate | 43 |
Governor Polk | 44 |
Changing Fortunes | 47 |
A Surprising Convention | 50 |
The Presidential Campaign of 1844 | 54 |
Endnotes | 60 |
Mr President | 63 |
Inauguration | 64 |
Inaugural Address | 65 |
The Independent Treasury | 90 |
Other Domestic Issues | 91 |
Manifest Destiny and the Polk Doctrine | 93 |
Oregon | 94 |
Polk and the World | 99 |
Endnotes | 100 |
The War President | 103 |
California Beckons | 105 |
War is Declared | 106 |
The Politics of War and Dissent | 111 |
Generals and the Military | 114 |
The End of the Fighting | 122 |
Endnotes | 123 |
Peace and its Consequences | 127 |
The Issue of Slavery | 131 |
The Election of 1848 | 135 |
The Final Days | 136 |
Endnotes | 139 |
Conclusions about Polks Legacy | 141 |
Endnotes | 144 |
References | 147 |
| 151 | |
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Common terms and phrases
abolitionist administration American Andrew Jackson annexation of Texas appointed argued army Bancroft Bank believed bill Britain British Buchanan Buren Byrnes cabinet Calhoun California campaign candidate Cass Cave Johnson Clay's command compromise Congress congressional Constitution Continentalist declared defeat delegates Democrats Despite Diary election ENDNOTES executive expansionist favored federal government friends George Bancroft Gideon Pillow goals Henry Clay historian Ibid internal improvements issue of slavery Jacksonian James James K James Polk Jeffersonian John Quincy Adams John Tyler leaders legislature Leonard letter major Manifest Destiny Martin Van Buren McCoy Mexican Mexico military never Nevins nomination northern Old Hickory opponents opposed Oregon party Pennsylvania political politician Polk felt Polk noted Polk's popular presidential responsibility Sarah Schlesinger Scott Secretary seemed Seigenthaler Sellers Senator slave slavery South southern Speaker tariff Taylor Tennessee territory Texas annexation treaty Trist Tyler Union United veto victory vote Washington Whigs White House York young
Popular passages
Page ix - Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into actual Service of the United States...
Page x - shall have the power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment." Every president has realized that each must administer through constitutional principles, as each was elected by the voting majority of the people to be their chief executive through the Electoral College. Each president of the United States "shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur."...
Page x - As the president directs both the domestic and foreign activities of the government, he has the power to "nominate and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate.... appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the Supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by law.