Greatness of James K. Polk

JamesKnox Polk was the eleventh President of the United States.  His ability to set an agenda and achieve all of it brought a favorable ranking on the scholars' list of greatest presidents.  He is considered to be the "least known consequential president of the United States."

The future President was born on November 2, 1795 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina; he later moved to Tennessee where he became politically active.  Polk admired Andrew Jackson, another leader from Tennessee, and was considered to be a leader in Jacksonian Democracy.  Polk was often called "Little Hickory" because of his admiration for Jackson or "Big Hickory".  Polk served as the Speaker of the House of Representatives (1835-1839), and as Governor of Tennessee (1839-1841). 

                    Even though Polk was considered as the surprise or "dark horse" candidate for President in 1844, he defeated Henry Clay by promising to annex Texas.  Polk is also considered to be the "last strong pre-Civil War president."  His greatness comes from his success in foreign policy.  When Britain claimed the Oregon Country, Polk threatened war over the issue; he later backed away from war and split ownership of the region with Britain.  When Mexico rejected the annexation of Texas, President Polk led the nation to a great victory in the Mexican-American War.  This victory brought most of the present-day Southwest into the United States.  President Polk led the effort to pass the Walker tariff of 1846, leading to low rates and pleasing his beloved Southern states.  During the Polk Administration, the nation established a treasury system that lasted until 1913, opened the U.S. Naval Academy and the Smithsonian Institution, broke ground for the Washington Monument, and issued the first postage stamps in the United States.

                    President Polk broke with his predecessors and promised to serve only one term; he kept his promise and did not run for re-election.  No one seemed to mourn the fact that he did not seek another term of office.  He died of cholera three months after leaving the White House.  More facts about the life of President can be found here.  

                    We can usually tell the character of a person by listening carefully to the words they speak as well as by reading between the lines and finding the speech patterns.   Can you find the signs of greatness in the following quotes from President Polk? 

  

                    "No President who performs his duties faithfully and conscientiously can have any leisure."  [Someone should tell Barack Obama.  How many times has he played golf?]

                    "Although in our country 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."  [Wow!  What a concept!  We elect a President for the good of the entire nation and not just one party or special group!]

                    "I cannot, whilst President of the United States, descend to enter into a newspaper controversy."  [The media must have loved this man.  They could have sold so many more newspapers if he had fewer principles!]

                    "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."  (Can you imagine a government small enough that the President could supervise all his employees?  Although I believe strongly in delegation, I also believe in the "return and report" principle and that "the buck stops" with the President.  Wouldn't it be great to have a President who accepts the responsibilities of his office and not just the glories?  It would also be wonderful if we had no unelected tsars writing regulations and telling us what to do.]

                    "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."  [He should see our present representatives in Congress and how they have made themselves rich through their "public service"!]

                    "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."

                    "Foreign powers do not seem to appreciate the true character of our government." [Our current President does not even appreciate the wonders of our system of government!]

                    "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."

                    If you missed the greatness of President Polk in the above quotes, check out these quotes.  

              "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."  [He obviously understood that he was not 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."  [He understood that our elected representatives were public servants, not the masters of the public as our leaders seem to do.]    

               

                    "Peace, plenty, and contentment reign throughout our borders, and our beloved country presents a sublime moral spectacle to the world."  [Wouldn't it be nice to be able to say that we have peace and plenty in our nation and the respect of the world?] 

                    "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."  [How true today!]

                    "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."

                    "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."  [He understood that the power is in the people and our elected representatives should be servants of the public.]

                    President James K. Polk was a man of common sense as well as love and respect for the American people and for our Constitution.  Even though he was a Democrat, he sounds very conservative to me!