When I tried the quite humble task of getting Polk to come and the excuse was made that he couldn't be spared from his desk--Mr.President, I fear we haven't half enough responsible official persons in our Government.
I should say that no man even of Polk's rank ought to have a desk: just as well give him a mill-stone.

Even I try not to have a desk: else I'd never get anything of importance done; for I find that talks and conferences in my office and in the government offices and wherever else I can find out things take all my waking hours.
The Foreign Office here has about five high position men to every one in the State Department.

God sparing me, I'm going one of these days to prepare a paper for our Foreign Affairs Committee on the Waste of Having too Few High Grade Men in the Department of State; a Plea for Five Assistant Secretaries for Every One Now Existing and for Provision for International Visits by Them.
Here's an ancient and mouldy precedent that needs shattering--for the coming of our country into its proper station and influence in the world.
I am sure that Mr.Balfour's visit has turned out as well as I hoped, and my hopes were high.

He is one of the most interesting men that I've ever had the honour to know intimately--he and Lord Grey.

Mr.Balfour is a Tory, of course; and in general I don't like Tories, yet liberal he surely is--a sort of high-toned Scotch democrat.