Polk was very
anxious to purchase California from Mexico, and he knew that Mexico would
refuse to give it up. He thought there was no time to be lost, as he feared
that England would seize it as a strong point on the Pacific, the wisest
course was what we would now call "eyeball" diplomacy — staring hard
at the opponent and expecting him to blink first. This technique was beginning
to work with England, and Polk had no doubt that it would also work with Mexico.
