644. A Country of Vast Designs by Robert Merry- summary

644.  A Country of Vast Designs by Robert Merry.  James K. Polk was the first dark horse president.   He was tireless.  He preferred to micromanage his administration.  He did not like personal confrontation.  He saw and believed that national security required that the boundaries of the United States stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific.  He was heavily criticized then and now for the Mexican War.  Yet, few can argue that the land added by Polk put the United States in a position to become a world power and protect and develop those areas now Washington, Oregon, California, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas.  Through careful negotiations with Britain, and bluster, we acquired the Oregon territories.  He walked the line between possible war with England and acquisition of that area through peaceful means.  While walking the tightrope with England, he tried to negotiate with Mexico and purchase those areas in the south west.  The difficulty arose with a government in Mexico which was so corrupt that it was difficult to know with whom to negotiate.  When war came, Polk had to fight it with General Scott who was a member of the Whig party opposed to the war and General Taylor who all the while had his own eyes on the White House.  Cries of foul, disregard of life, duplicity were heaped upon Polk without relent.  All this compounded by Senators who thought their genius ignored and unappreciated at one time or another stood by the president at another waited to see his administration collapse, the North which sought ways to outmaneuver Southern interests and Southern politicians who opposed any move which suggested opposition to the rights of slave states.  Polk did it all- found funding for the war, acquired Texas and the rest of the southwest and the Oregon Territories, negotiated an independent banking system which served the country well for the next several generations.  All in four years.  He was exhausted after one term which was all he ever said that he wanted.  He died four months after leaving office. I must mention that his wife, Sarah, was as supportive and clever and gracious as Abigail Adams.  Sarah offered much of value to James.