Edited by Milo Milton Quaife, 498 pages, 1910. Volume 1 only. 

Volume I of the four-volume published diary of James Knox Polk, eleventh President of the United States, covering his presidential administration from 1845 to 1849. First published from the original manuscript preserved in the collections of the Chicago Historical Society, this edition was edited and annotated by Milo Milton Quaife, with an introduction by historian Andrew Cunningham McLaughlin.

Polk maintained a detailed record of the events of his presidency, recording his observations, official activities, political discussions, and dealings with members of his administration. His diary offers firsthand evidence of the workings of the federal government during a consequential period of American expansion, political conflict, and foreign relations.

The editor's preface explains the history of the manuscript, its preservation, and the editorial methods used in preparing the text for publication. The diary is reproduced with explanatory annotations intended to identify individuals, clarify events, and assist historical research. An important primary-source publication for students of presidential history, nineteenth-century politics, and the Polk administration.