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details of Polk’s stewardship of the nation in the Mexican- American War. In his first annual message to Congress, James Polk reiterated the Monroe Doctrine against European interference on the North American continent. During the dispute with Mexico following the annexation of Texas, he took decisive action, advancing US forces into discordant territory. When Mexican troops struck back, the Jacksonian Democrat used that incident as justification for asking Congress to declare war, over the opposition of his Whig opponents. When Roosevelt received this book in the summer of 1941, a few months before Pearl Harbour, the nation was similarly divided over committing to war, and Roosevelt was perhaps looking to his predecessors for guidance. The book was also surely of personal interest: Roosevelt was very close to Frank Polk, a relation of James K. Polk. Frank was undersecretary of State when Roosevelt was assistant secretary of the Navy, and the Polks and the Roosevelts socialized often. From the collection of distinguished Roosevelt collector Donald Scott Carmichael, with his bookplate to the inner chemises. 4 volumes, octavo. Original brown quarter cloth, printed paper spine labels, blue paper-covered sides. Housed in grey chemises within black quarter morocco slipcase. Pencilled annotations in the preface, in an uncertain hand. Slipcase splitting along one joint. Spines uniformly darkened with one label creased, peripheral rubbing; a very good set. £18,750 [146692]
mark to front cover, very light spotting to endleaves, slight running mark of discolouration in margin of pp. 35–46, notwithstanding a near-fine copy in like slipcase, light rubbing at extremities. £47,500 [151061] 118 ROOSEVELT, Franklin Delano (his copy) – POLK, James K. The Diary during his Presidency 1845–1849. Chicago: A. C. McClurg & Co., 1910 a president’s diary from a president’s library First edition, from the library of FDR, with his ownership inscription to the front free endpaper of the first volume, “Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Hyde Park”, beneath the gift inscription from his favourite uncle Frederic Adrian Delano Roosevelt: “Frederic A. Delano acquired at Chicago in 1910 – Taken to Algonac in 1918 – given to The President July 27 / 41”. Frederic – his Algonac bookplate is on the front pastedown facing the inscriptions – was an opinionated, Harvard-educated, ex-railroad strike-breaker and manager turned public servant. Franklin formed a close friendship with his uncle as a boy, and later as president appointed him chairman of the National Resources Planning Board, a position he held for ten years. The diary of the 11th US president, James K. Polk, was the first presidential diary to be published, and contains extensive
All items are fully described and photographed at peterharrington.co.uk
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