James K Polk Quotations The passion for office among

• "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."
• "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."
• "Mr. Buchanan is a man of talents & is fully competent to discharge the high duties of Secretary of State, but it is one of his weaknesses (and perhaps all great men have such) that he takes on & magnifies small matters into great & undeserved importance."
• "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."
• "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 Quotations