#jamesbuchanan

Basic Info

b. April 23, 1791 - d. June 1, 1868

Term: March 4, 1857 - March 4, 1861

VP: John C. Beckinridge

Party: Democrat

From: Cove Gap, PA

With his illustrious record of politics and his well-to-do family background, Buchanan came at a time of turmoil into his presidency. With the country falling apart from the previous president's mistakes, Buchanan was charged with the responsibility of trying to pull the Union together before it broke out into what was known as the Civil War.

Political Offices Held

Pennsylvania House of Representatives (1814-1816)

Representative, 3rd and 4th District PA (1821 - 1831)

US Minister to Russia (1832-1833)

US Senator of Pennsylvania (1834-1845)

US Secretary of State (1845-1849)

US Ambassador to the UK (1853-1856)

Main Points of Inaugural Speech (Link):

Buchanan starts off his speech thanking for his nomination and promising to preserve, protect, and defend the nation to the best of his ability. He outlines the ability to be president towards the love he has for the Constitution and makes it clear he will not serve a second term.

He mentions the difference of opinion concerning the Territory of Kansas and says that it is a “matter of but little practical importance” and the Supreme Court must deal with the question. Buchanan makes it clear that the duty of the government to secure every resident’s right to freely vote and that it is fairer for the people of the Territory to decide their own destiny. He is very dismissive about an important case that will change the fate of the country.

Buchanan goes on to mention free trade. This is important to binding the nation together. By getting rid of this, it destroys the prosperity of the whole and every part in one common ruin.

In other important issues he states that there is importance of keeping the government free from corruption, which money might be the root of. He wishes to increase the Navy, as it is presently inadequate to protect the nation. Going along with this, he mentions how the Congress should give protection to the territories and now just states. Finally, he says no more revenue should be collected from the people. The tariffs have been collected and now it ought to decrease.

He mentions the importance of emigrants in the nation. He talks fondly about them and how they were able to assimilate and contribute to the expansion of the nation. On the hand of foreign policy, Buchanan talks about staying out of other nation’s domestic affairs unless it deals with self-preservation.

Main Conflicts

Dred Scott Case

Slavery in new states

Federal Government Stalemates

Media

A video about James Buchanan's life and his presidency (FreedomProject Media - 2014).

Presidential Commentary

The background of James Buchanan is filled with over a decade of political experience. His many positions included being a political figure at home and abroad. Although he was skilled and well-educated, many of his decisions did not reflect that kind of background. Issues that landed on his desk surrounded mostly around the issues of slavery, state’s rights, and the new territories that were yet to be dealt with. Known for being the bachelor of the White House, he let many people down as he was the choice that was made to correct the many mistakes Pierce made.

One of the main issues of Buchanan is his dismissive nature. This can be seen as early as his inauguration ceremony. His dismissive tendencies of the slavery issue and the territories that wish to be admitted into the United States caused his eventual downfall. At a time where tensions were high, the ideal response is not to say that the issue is “of but little practical importance” while constituents are living in a place that is stuck with the name of “Bleeding Kansas” because of it. This nature also reflected in his work towards dealing with the major issues of his presidency. More importantly, his attempt to win over the support of proslavery democrats reflected poorly upon his attempt to be neutral (Miller Center). He was no longer being the man that believed that it was a little issue. Eventually, Kansas was accepted as a free state but this decision to back up a new slave state set the tone of his presidency.

The issues stemming from Buchanan’s inability to deal with the territory issues eventually left the prelude of the Civil War. His total presidency was ruined with national violence about an issue that the country had been fighting so hard to avoid. With the pop up of people like John Brown, an abolitionist leader that had fought against those with proslavery sentiments, and future Confederate General Robert E. Lee, it was clear that the true war was about to begin (Miller Center). Defeated, the only thing that seemed appropriate for Buchanan to do is to sit back and wait out his term. In retrospect, after a certain point people who are tired of fighting about the same issue repeatedly end up turning to war as a last resort.

Perhaps the Civil War can be argued as something that was inevitable as slavery and states rights over them continued to be a main source of aggression since the inauguration of George Washington. It is not to say that it was not at all Buchanan’s fault for the prelude to war, because it is evident that his downplay of the issue led to the eventual first steps of violence. It was just his fault for being ineffective at dealing with the issue and therefore becoming the president before the Civil War began. It might be wise to learn from his mistakes both as citizens and future voters that those who downplay important issues like this often end up in situations where they regret it.

Citations/Links:

https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/march-4-1857-inaugural-address

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwd_f4AAo4U