Americans and neutrals; whereas in fact his military powers gave the President ample authority, and of course the duties were added to the prices of the goods. The National Intelligencer went so far as to deny that the President had any military initiative whatever, and to assert that as commander-in-chief he was merely "a subordinate" of Congress (see Wash. Union, Aug. 21, 1847).
37. 256Marcy to Wetmore, Dec. 5, 1846. Spirit of the Age, Feb. 3, 1848.
38. Wash. Union, June 9, 1848. 157Barclay to Cobb, Dec. 24, 1847. Nat. Intellig., June 10, 1848. (Illegal) Delano's words, p. 277. (Advised) 370To Davis, Apr. 18, 1848. (Mil. spirit) Wash. Union, May 22, 1847. Norfolk Herald, Apr. 12, 1847. Every Representative who had voted or said that Polk began the war unconstitutionally was bound to move for his impeachment.
39. By "Hosea Biglow" the author means, of course the ideas expressed by Lowell in his Biglow Papers.
40. As early as Jan. 2, 1847, the N. Y. Herald, a non-partison journal, said the course of the Whigs aah reference to the war had almost ruined them in public estimation. Indeed that fact has been in a general way recognized (Pierce, Sumner, iii, 111; Schurz, Clay, ii, 289; Von Holst, U.S., iii, 252). Probably the reasons why the Democrats behaved better than the Whigs were that (1) circumstances did not involve them in such dilemmas, and (2) they had the responsibilities of conducting affairs.
XXXV. THE FOREIGN RELATIONS OF THE WAR
1. It should be remembered that American newspapers and public men were saying unpleasant things about England at this period. The dislike was mutual as well as natural. She still entertained, no doubt, a smouldering resentment against this country for having dared to become independent, and she noted with a jealousy that is quite easily understood the rapid growth of her sometime colony in population, wealth and commercial importance.
2. Polk said: "Even France, the country which had been our ancient ally, the country which has a common interest with us in maintaining the freedom of the seas, the country which, by the cession of Louisiana, first opened to us access to the Gulf of Mexico, the country with which we have been every year drawing more and more closely the bonds of successful commerce, most unexpectedly, and to our unfeigned regret, took part in an effort to prevent annexation and to impose on Texas, as a condition of the recognition of her independence by Mexico, that she would never join herself to the United States" (Richardson, Messages, iv, 387). For further information regarding the interference of England and France see J. H. Smith, The Annexation of Texas. Polk was treated alternately by the Journal des Débats and by most of the English press as a nonentity and as a power for evil.
3. Standing of the United States abroad. 108Sumner to Bancroft. Feb. 1, 1846. (Hate) 297McLane to Polk (received June 21, 1846). Bennett, Mems., 386. 52Bancroft, no. 25, May 3, 1847. 77Mangino, no. 10, Mar. 8, 1837; Jan. 29, 1846, res. Smith, Annex. of Texas, 382. London Morning Post, Apr. 5, 1846. Jameson, Calhoun Corresp., 653, 698. N. Y. Herald, June 8, 1844. 77Murphy, nos. 17, Nov. 1, 1845, res.; 2, Jan. 1, 1846. Nat. Intelligencer, June 22, 1847. 132Donelson
