You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
cancermoononhigh 's review for:
Polk: The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America
by Walter R. Borneman
challenging
slow-paced
This was my first book on James Polk. I knew a bit more about his wife Sarah. I believe the author downplayed both couples views on slavery.
James Polk was not the healthiest of person. He was sickly as a child and had to endure a painful procedure dealing with kidney stones. A doctor made a cut into his scrotum, into his bladder and used forceps to remove the stones. James was a very studious boy, he went to The University of North Carolina and was engrossed in his studies. James would go on to become an attorney in 1820, his father, Sam Polk even provided his son his first case by managing to get arrested for public fighting. James secured his fathers release with a fine of $1.00. His father was so proud of him he payed for the construction of an office and law library for his son.
James was 24 years old when he meet 16 year old Sarah Childress. Sarah was well connected with the political scene, Sarah addressed Andrew Jackson and his wife as Uncle and Aunt. The two would never have any children, the thought seemed to lay with James, due to his kidney stone procedure. Sarah threw herself into her husbands career. She would attend congressional sessions, she was a very dutiful political wife.
Polk had dreams of becoming president, as early as 1839. His nomination in 1844 may have came earlier than he planned but he jumped at the opportunity. Polk was very upfront about being a one term president, as this was the social flavor of the day. He even wrote that he would not be a candidate for re-election and that he would retire to a private life after his term. Polk also expressed no interest in running for another term during his presidency. Polk would lose his home state of Tennessee in the election to opponent Henry Clay. Polk would win the presidency 170 to 105 victory.
President Polk was similar to a micromanager during his term in the White House. Polk had strict instructions for his cabinet that hasn't been seen before or since his time in office. He required the 6 cabinet members to sign an acknowledgement that they would support the principles and policies of the Democratic platform. Polk was determined to remain in Washington during his stay and demanded that his cabinet does the same. Polk also become the first president to reaffirm the Monroe Doctrine as a basic tenet of American foreign policy.
A burning issue of Polk's day was slavery, thanks to New England abolitionist. Polk was a slaveholder, as his wife. Polk seemed to have resisted slavery's injection into discussions of public policy far more than he resisted the institution of slavery. Polk went out of his way to keep his ownership and active slave trading a secret. He would continue to buy and sell slaves while in the White House. Slavery was the topic that he could not avoid during his presidency as he acquired new states, Oregon, California, Texas and New Mexico.
Abraham Lincoln was no fan of Polk's complaining over his victory that "if the Whig abolitionist of NY voted with us Mr. Clay would be president." Lincoln could not stand Polk's use of executive privilege.
The democratic party would change greatly from Polk's day. The party of Jefferson, Jackson and Polk with its opposition of federally funded internal improvements would become the party of FDR and the Great New Deal and LBJ and the Great Society.
At the end of Polk's term he was exhausted. He gave his all as a president and it reflected in his health. Polk generally suffered from gastrointestinal distress. Polk's ex-presidency last 103 days, the shortest of all. He died at age 53, with cholera being the cause. His last words were "I love you Sarah, for all eternity, I love you."
***Polk's younger brother shot and killed a man in Columbia. He received a 6wk jail sentence and a fine of $750.00
James Polk was not the healthiest of person. He was sickly as a child and had to endure a painful procedure dealing with kidney stones. A doctor made a cut into his scrotum, into his bladder and used forceps to remove the stones. James was a very studious boy, he went to The University of North Carolina and was engrossed in his studies. James would go on to become an attorney in 1820, his father, Sam Polk even provided his son his first case by managing to get arrested for public fighting. James secured his fathers release with a fine of $1.00. His father was so proud of him he payed for the construction of an office and law library for his son.
James was 24 years old when he meet 16 year old Sarah Childress. Sarah was well connected with the political scene, Sarah addressed Andrew Jackson and his wife as Uncle and Aunt. The two would never have any children, the thought seemed to lay with James, due to his kidney stone procedure. Sarah threw herself into her husbands career. She would attend congressional sessions, she was a very dutiful political wife.
Polk had dreams of becoming president, as early as 1839. His nomination in 1844 may have came earlier than he planned but he jumped at the opportunity. Polk was very upfront about being a one term president, as this was the social flavor of the day. He even wrote that he would not be a candidate for re-election and that he would retire to a private life after his term. Polk also expressed no interest in running for another term during his presidency. Polk would lose his home state of Tennessee in the election to opponent Henry Clay. Polk would win the presidency 170 to 105 victory.
President Polk was similar to a micromanager during his term in the White House. Polk had strict instructions for his cabinet that hasn't been seen before or since his time in office. He required the 6 cabinet members to sign an acknowledgement that they would support the principles and policies of the Democratic platform. Polk was determined to remain in Washington during his stay and demanded that his cabinet does the same. Polk also become the first president to reaffirm the Monroe Doctrine as a basic tenet of American foreign policy.
A burning issue of Polk's day was slavery, thanks to New England abolitionist. Polk was a slaveholder, as his wife. Polk seemed to have resisted slavery's injection into discussions of public policy far more than he resisted the institution of slavery. Polk went out of his way to keep his ownership and active slave trading a secret. He would continue to buy and sell slaves while in the White House. Slavery was the topic that he could not avoid during his presidency as he acquired new states, Oregon, California, Texas and New Mexico.
Abraham Lincoln was no fan of Polk's complaining over his victory that "if the Whig abolitionist of NY voted with us Mr. Clay would be president." Lincoln could not stand Polk's use of executive privilege.
The democratic party would change greatly from Polk's day. The party of Jefferson, Jackson and Polk with its opposition of federally funded internal improvements would become the party of FDR and the Great New Deal and LBJ and the Great Society.
At the end of Polk's term he was exhausted. He gave his all as a president and it reflected in his health. Polk generally suffered from gastrointestinal distress. Polk's ex-presidency last 103 days, the shortest of all. He died at age 53, with cholera being the cause. His last words were "I love you Sarah, for all eternity, I love you."
***Polk's younger brother shot and killed a man in Columbia. He received a 6wk jail sentence and a fine of $750.00