LESTER BURRELL SHIPPER

76

with information about British military and naval activity, had been forwarded to Congress later in the month Buchanan and Polk discussed the advisability of recommending to Congress a consideration of further military preparation, and, while no message was framed at the time, Buchanan talked freely with

Democratic Senators and Representatives about the alarming England while he urged the President to consider the danger and take the necessary steps to guard against it. 30 This change of tone on the part of his Secretary of State Polk activity of

Buchanan believed that was policy to put himself Buchanan's suggestion was

attributed to presidential aspirations;

war sentiment was uppermost and

it

head of the procession. discussed in the Cabinet but no action resulted. at the

When

the

Senate resolution was received, however, Buchanan was for a strong message; he found Folk's draft altogether too mild

and penned one with a much more warlike

spirit.

"His ob-

"wrote Polk, "is to supersede Gen'l Cass before the country, and to this motive I attribute his change of tone ject, I think,

and the warlike character of his draft of my proposed message. I think he is governed by his own views of his chances for the Presidency. It is a great misfortune that a member of the Cabinet should be an aspirant for the Presidency, because I cannot rely upon his honest and disinterested advice, and

the instance before

me

is

clear evidence of this." 31

While the Message was not strong enough for Buchanan who would have included an implied censure of the Senate for the delay about the notice, it was forceful enough to command attention and stimulate action. The President recurred to his recommendation of the Annual Message advising a force to protect Oregon emigrants he saw no reason to modify this

advice but believed additional provision should be made for He referred to the reports, prepared by the public defence. Secretaries of

War

and Navy, which had been communicated

to the appropriate committees in January, and added that "subsequent events have confirmed me in the opinion that 30 Diary,

I,

208 seq; 241-3; 257-8.

31 Ibid., 297-8.