Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. II.djvu/127

 JAMES KNOX POLK 95 Panama mission. President Adams had appointed commissioners to attend a congress proposed to be held at Panama by delegates appointed by differ ent Spanish- American states, which, although they had virtually achieved their independence, were still at war with the mother-country. Mr. Polk, and those who thought with him, contended that such action on the part of this government would tend to involve us in a war with Spain, and establish an unfortunate precedent for the future. In December, 1827, he was placed on the com mittee on foreign affairs, and some time afterward was also appointed chairman of the select commit tee to which was referred that portion of the message of President Adams calling the attention of congress to the probable accumulation of a sur plus in the treasury after the anticipated extin guishment of the national debt. At the head of the latter committee, he made a report denying the constitutional power of congress to collect from the people for distribution a surplus beyond the wants of the government, and maintaining that the revenue should be reduced to the requirements of the public service. Early in 1833, as a mem ber of the ways and means committee, he made a minority report unfavorable to the Bank of the United States, which aroused a storm of opposi tion, a meeting of the friends of the bank being held at Nashville. During the entire contest be-