James K. Polk Quotes

Quotes about:

• We must ever mandate the principle that the people of this continent alone have the right to decide their own destiny.

  James K. Polk

  Destiny, People, History

  102 Copy quote

• There are four great measures for my administration - a reduction of tariff, an independent treasury, settlement of the Oregon boundary and acquisition of California.

  James K. Polk

  Independent, Oregon, California

  119 Copy quote

• No president who performs his duties faithfully and conscientiously can have any leisure.

  James K. Polk

  Patriotic, Political, President

  Polk, James K. (1910). “The diary of James K. Polk during his presidency, 1845 to 1849, now first printed from the original manuscript in the collections of the Chicago historical society; Volume 4”, p.261, Best Books on

  114 Copy quote

• One great object of the Constitution was to restrain majorities from oppressing minorities or encroaching upon their just rights.

  James K. Polk

  Rights, Majority, Minorities

  Inaugural Address, avalon.law.yale.edu. March 04, 1845.

  96 Copy quote

• 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

  Religious, Humility, Blessing

  James K. Polk's First Annual Message to Congress, memory.loc.gov. December 2, 1845.

  101 Copy quote

• All distinctions of birth or of rank have been abolished. All citizens, whether native or adopted, are placed upon terms of precise equality. All are entitled to equal rights and equal protection.

  James K. Polk

  Rights, Citizens, Birth

  84 Copy quote

• Thank God, under our Constitution there was no connection between church and state.

  James K. Polk

  Thank God, Church, Connections

  James K. Polk (2015). “The Diary of James K. Polk During His Presidency”, p.353, BIG BYTE BOOKS

  109 Copy quote

• It is confidently believed that our system may be safely extended to the utmost bounds of our territorial limits.

  James K. Polk

  May, Limits, Territorial

  59 Copy quote

• 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

  Presidential, Political, Selfishness

  James K. Polk (2015). “The Diary of James K. Polk During His Presidency”, p.399, BIG BYTE BOOKS

  43 Copy quote

• With me it is exceptionally true that the Presidency is no bed of roses.

  James K. Polk

  Bed Of Roses, Presidential, Presidency

  64 Copy quote

• Peace, plenty, and contentment reign throughout our borders, and our beloved country presents a sublime moral spectacle to the world.

  James K. Polk

  Country, Patriotic, Sublime

  James K. Polk (2009). “Messages and Papers of the Presidents: James K. Polk, Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, and Franklin Pierce”, p.2479, Wildside Press LLC

  57 Copy quote

• The gratitude ... should be commensurate with the boundless blessings which we enjoy.

  James K. Polk

  Gratitude, Blessing, Should

  James K. Polk (2009). “Messages and Papers of the Presidents: James K. Polk, Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, and Franklin Pierce”, p.2479, Wildside Press LLC

  42 Copy quote

• Foreign powers do not seem to appreciate the true character of our government.

  James K. Polk

  Character, Government, Appreciate

  Inaugural Address, avalon.law.yale.edu. March 04, 1845.

  31 Copy quote

• The Presidency is not a bed of roses.

  James K. Polk

  Bed Of Roses, Rose, Bed

  12 Copy quote

• I cannot, whilst President of the United States, descend to enter into a newspaper controversy.

  James K. Polk

  President, United States, Newspapers

  62 Copy quote

• No president who performs his duties faithfully and conscientiously can have any leisure. If he entrusts the details and smaller matters to subordinates constant errors will occur. I prefer to supervise the whole operations of the government myself rather than entrust the public business to subordinates, and this makes my duties very great.

  James K. Polk

  Errors, Government, President

  Polk, James K. (1910). “The diary of James K. Polk during his presidency, 1845 to 1849, now first printed from the original manuscript in the collections of the Chicago historical society; Volume 4”, p.261, Best Books on

  47 Copy quote

• If a man . . . would shake and not be shaken, grip and not be gripped, taking care always to squeeze the hand of his adversary as hard as it squeezed him, then he suffered no inconvenience from it.

  James K. Polk

  Men, Hands, Political

  Polk, James K. (1910). “The diary of James K. Polk during his presidency, 1845 to 1849, now first printed from the original manuscript in the collections of the Chicago historical society; Volume 4”, p.264, Best Books on

  50 Copy quote

• The world has nothing to fear from military ambition in our Government.

  James K. Polk

  Military, Ambition, Government

  James K. Polk's Inaugural Address, avalon.law.yale.edu. March 4, 1845.

  37 Copy quote

• Minorities have a right to appeal to the Constitution as a shield against such oppression.

  James K. Polk

  Minorities, Shields, Constitution

  Inaugural Address, avalon.law.yale.edu. March 04, 1845.

  40 Copy quote

• 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 part only, but of the whole people of the United States.

  James K. Polk

  Party, People, History

  Inaugural Address, avalon.law.yale.edu. March 04, 1845.

  40 Copy quote

• No union exists between church and state, and perfect freedom of opinion is guaranteed to all sects and creeds.

  James K. Polk

  Freedom, Perfect, Church

  23 Copy quote

• 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

  Presidential, Sovereign, Term

  Polk, James K. (1910). “The diary of James K. Polk during his presidency, 1845 to 1849, now first printed from the original manuscript in the collections of the Chicago historical society; Volume 4”, p.331, Best Books on

  8 Copy quote

• 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. Peace, plenty, and contentment reign throughout our borders, and our beloved country presents a sublime moral spectacle to the world.

  James K. Polk

  Country, Gratitude, Blessing

  James K. Polk (2009). “Messages and Papers of the Presidents: James K. Polk, Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, and Franklin Pierce”, p.2479, Wildside Press LLC

  30 Copy quote

• The Constitution itself, plainly written as it is, the safeguard of our federative compact, the offspring of concession and compromise, binding together in the bonds of peace and union this great and increasing family of free and independent States, will be the chart by which I shall be directed.

  James K. Polk

  Peace, Independent, Together

  32 Copy quote

• When I observed a strong man approaching I generally took advantage of him by being a little quicker than he was and seizing him by the tip of the fingers, giving him a hearty shake, and thus preventing him from getting a full grip upon me.

  James K. Polk

  Strong, Men, Giving

  Polk, James K. (1910). “The diary of James K. Polk during his presidency, 1845 to 1849, now first printed from the original manuscript in the collections of the Chicago historical society; Volume 4”, p.264, Best Books on

  21 Copy quote

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