1822 James Monroe - Monroe's Lack of Confidence ("diffidence")

In 1820, a fourth census was taken, determining that the population had grown to well over 9 million people and six new states were added:  Louisiana, Indiana, Mississippi, Illinois, Alabama and Maine.   With many new districts, 26 new seats added to the House helping President Monroe and his Democratic-Republican party pickup a big House win in 1823.  They picked up 34 seats, while the Federalists lost 8.   Henry Clay, speaker of the House and the Democratic Republicans now held an advantage of 189 seats to 24.   In the Senate, the Democratic Republican party held 44 seats, while the Federalists only 3.  As President Monroe entered his last two years of his presidency, he had super majorities in both the house and the senate, plus 19 of the 24 governors were Democratic-Republicans. Yet, as  President James Monroe told Congress he was to "undertake this duty with diffidence"

What does the word "diffidence" mean?  According to Merriam-Webster, diffident means hesitant, or lacking self confidence.  Other dictionaries, include the attributes of meekness or humility, or even distrustful of others.  The word itself comes form the Latin diffidentia meaning "mistrust".  By the 1650s, it was generally the opposite of confidence.   But is that how early American politicians used it?  Was Monroe really telling Congress that he was not confident in his own duties?  Let's look at a few examples of how some other early presidents used the word. 

1. In response to a congratulatory letter from the Senate of 1789, George Washington responded to the confidence they placed on him, by stating that there kind words predicted "a more prosperous issue to my Administration than a diffidence of my abilities had taught me to anticipate."
2. In George Washington's farewell address of 1796, he talked of doing his best, but sill falling short at times.  "Not unconscious in the outset of the inferiority of my qualifications,  It was the experience in my own eyes, perhaps still more in the eyes of others, has strengthened the motives to diffidence of myself. 
3. In 1797, John Quincy Adams used the word in his inaugural address when he thought it might be better for him to be "silent or to speak with diffidence" regarding whether or not he could live up to the greatness of this predecessor, that great bulwark whole name was still a rampart against all open or secret enemies of the United States. 

In these cases, it's seems clear that both Washington and Adams were speaking of a lack of confidence in one's abilities.  Fore example, in the case of Washington's farewell address, it was merely a realization that he lacked many of the qualifications needed.   It's more than humility, it's a recognition that no man is perfect, and will indeed fail at times.   So, Monroe was heading into his last two years of his presidency with diffidence, not just humility, a lack of confidence in his own abilities to deal with the "vast extent of the interests on which I have to treat and of their great importance to every portion of our Union".   But lack of confidence, does not mean lack of interest, for Monroe stated that he was also entering this period with "zeal from a thorough conviction" that never before in the history of the United States was there ever a time when greater devotion of public servants to duty, virtue, patriotism and union in our constituents".   No wars, no droughts, no epidemics, but rather duty, virtue, patriotism and union.  In other words, the people were united behind the Democratic Republican party.   Monroe may have lacked confidence in himself, but he was excited about what could be accomplished in his last two years with the House, the Senate, the Governors and all of the constituents behind him and his party.  Here is Monroe's opening paragraphs from his 1823 State of the Union address.

"Many important subjects will claim your attention during the present session, of which I shall endeavor to give, in aid of your deliberations, a just idea in this communication. I undertake this duty with diffidence, from the vast extent of the interests on which I have to treat and of their great importance to every portion of our Union. I enter on it with zeal from a thorough conviction that there never was a period since the establishment of our Revolution when, regarding the condition of the civilized world and its bearing on us, there was greater necessity for devotion in the public servants to their respective duties, or for virtue, patriotism, and union in our constituents.

Meeting in you a new Congress, I deem it proper to present this view of public affairs in greater detail than might otherwise be necessary. I do it, however, with peculiar satisfaction, from a knowledge that in this respect I shall comply more fully with the sound principles of our Government."

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29465
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=65539
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=25802
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=65424
https://www.census.gov/history/www/through_the_decades/overview/1820.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1810_United_States_Census
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1820_United_States_Census
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections,_1822