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

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

James K. Polk
Age: 53 †
Born: 1795
Born: November 2
Died: 1849
Died: June 15
11Th U.S. President
Farmer
Lawyer
Politician
Slaveholder
Statesperson
James Knox Polk
James Polk
J. K. Polk
J. Polk
President Polk
Rather
Operations
Entrust
President
Prefer
Performs
Business
Errors
Faithfully
Makes
Details
Subordinates
Government
Matters
Duties
Matter
Constant
Occur
Supervise
Whole
Duty
Smaller
Entrusts
Great
Public
Leisure
Conscientiously

More quotes by James K. Polk

Image
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
Image
Minorities have a right to appeal to the Constitution as a shield against such oppression.
James K. Polk
Image
I cannot, whilst President of the United States, descend to enter into a newspaper controversy.
James K. Polk
Image
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
Image
Peace, plenty, and contentment reign throughout our borders, and our beloved country presents a sublime moral spectacle to the world.
James K. Polk
Image
Foreign powers do not seem to appreciate the true character of our government.
James K. Polk
Image
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
Image
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.
James K. Polk
Image
I love you Sarah. For all eternity, I love you.
James K. Polk
Image
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
Image
General Taylor is, I have no doubt, a well-meaning old man. He is, however, uneducated, exceedingly ignorant of public affairs, and I should judge, of very ordinary capacity.
James K. Polk
Image
The gratitude ... should be commensurate with the boundless blessings which we enjoy.
James K. Polk
Image
The Presidency is not a bed of roses.
James K. Polk
Image
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
Image
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