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adjutant-general administration American American Historical Association Andrew Jackson Boston boys Cabinet Calhoun candidate chief church close composition Congress course Democratic early Edisto inlet editor Executive experience expression facts famous father friends gained George Bancroft Governor Harvard historian historical honor House impression interest Jackson James Schouler January letter John Quincy John Quincy Adams John Rhea Kilbarchan labor Lafayette Lafayette's later literary Lowell Lowell Courier Massachusetts ment Mexican Mexico military mind Monroe Monroe's narrative never North Conway once paper Parkman party passed political Polk Polk's Diary popular prepared present President Presidential published record Rhea Rhea's says scholar Scotch Secretary seemed Seminole Seminole War soon style task thought tion United volume vote Washington West Cambridge Whig whole William Schouler writing wrote young Zachary Taylor
Popular passages
Page 130 - ... who performs his duty 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.
Page 101 - Let it be signified to me through any channel (say Mr. J. Rhea) that the possession of the Floridas would be desirable to the United States, and in sixty days it will be accomplished.
Page 108 - Your letter of January 6, was received while I was seriously indisposed. Observing that it was from you, I handed it to Mr. Calhoun to read, after reading one or two lines, only, myself. The order to you to take the command in that quarter had before then been issued. He remarked, after perusing the letter, that it was a confidential one, relating to Florida, which I must answer.
Page 10 - Faithfulness to the truth of history involves far more than a research, however patient and scrupulous, into special facts.
Page 130 - No President who performs his duty 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.
Page 137 - I told them that if a man surrendered his arm to be shaken, by some horizontally, by others perpendicularly, and by others again with a strong grip, he could not fail to suffer severely from it, but that if he would shake and not be shaken, grip and not be gripped, taking care always to squeeze the hand of his adversary as hard as he squeezed him, that he suffered no inconvenience from it.
Page 128 - ... showed him papers strongly recommending applicants for office " signed by men in New York standing high in the estimation of the democracy, which were followed or someish or petty local feeling seems to influence even members of Congress in their recommendations for office, much more than principle. When I act upon the information which they give me, and make a mistake, they leave me to bear the responsibility, and never have the manliness to assume it themselves.
Page 47 - ... truthfully put the facts in a new light or add something really valuable, which has not been already set forth elsewhere. Let it be admitted, in fine, in all historical writing, that much patient and minute study must be bestowed for one's own personal gratification alone; that one may spread the results before his readers, but not the processes. Whatever the historian may print and publish for the edification of the public, let him endeavor to make the result apparent for which he prospected...
Page 101 - The Executive Government have ordered (and, as I conceive, very properly) Amelia Island to be taken possession of; this order ought to be carried into execution at all hazards, and, simultaneously, the whole of East Florida seized and held as an indemnity for the outrages of Spain upon the property of our Citizens...
Page 100 - General Gaines to enter the territory of Spain, and chastise the ruthless savages who have been depredating on the property and lives of our citizens, will meet not only the approbation of your country, but the approbation of Heaven. Will you however permit me to suggest the catastrophe that might arise by General...