#15James Buchanan
Year of Presidency: 1857-1861
Party: Democrat
Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Born: April 23rd, 1791
Died: June 1st, 1868
President James Buchanan presides over a dividing nation. He relied solely on constitutional documents to end the dispute on slavery, but what he failed to realize was that the North refused to accept constitutional arguments that favored the South. Buchanan then turned to the Supreme Court to decide on the issue of slavery. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney decided that Congress had no constitutional power to deprive a persons of their property rights in slaves in the territories. The decisions delighted the South, but only further angered the North. Ignoring the North's reaction, Buchanan urged the admission of Kansas as a slave state. This angered Republicans and alienated members of his own party - Kansas remained a territory. When Republicans won plurality in the House in 1858, every significant bill either fell before southern votes in the Senate or a Presidential veto. Strife grew to the point in which the Democratic Party split into the southern and norther wings. Republicans then nominated later President Abraham Lincoln, but southerners advocated secession because they refused to have a Republican administration. President Buchanan denied the states secede, but knew that the Federal Government could not stop them. Buchanan hoped for a compromise, but secessionist leaders refused. South Carolina was the first to go, followed by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. Later on, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina would join the secession, a.k.a the Confederacy. Buchanan then took a more militant course of action and sent the Star of the West to carry reinforcements to Fort Sumter. The President remained inactive for the rest of his term and retired to his home in Pennsylvania.
"Having determined not to become a candidate for reelection, I shall have no motive to influence my conduct in administering the Government except the desire ably and faithfully to serve my country and to live in grateful memory of my countrymen."
Party: Democrat
Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Born: April 23rd, 1791
Died: June 1st, 1868
President James Buchanan presides over a dividing nation. He relied solely on constitutional documents to end the dispute on slavery, but what he failed to realize was that the North refused to accept constitutional arguments that favored the South. Buchanan then turned to the Supreme Court to decide on the issue of slavery. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney decided that Congress had no constitutional power to deprive a persons of their property rights in slaves in the territories. The decisions delighted the South, but only further angered the North. Ignoring the North's reaction, Buchanan urged the admission of Kansas as a slave state. This angered Republicans and alienated members of his own party - Kansas remained a territory. When Republicans won plurality in the House in 1858, every significant bill either fell before southern votes in the Senate or a Presidential veto. Strife grew to the point in which the Democratic Party split into the southern and norther wings. Republicans then nominated later President Abraham Lincoln, but southerners advocated secession because they refused to have a Republican administration. President Buchanan denied the states secede, but knew that the Federal Government could not stop them. Buchanan hoped for a compromise, but secessionist leaders refused. South Carolina was the first to go, followed by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. Later on, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina would join the secession, a.k.a the Confederacy. Buchanan then took a more militant course of action and sent the Star of the West to carry reinforcements to Fort Sumter. The President remained inactive for the rest of his term and retired to his home in Pennsylvania.
"Having determined not to become a candidate for reelection, I shall have no motive to influence my conduct in administering the Government except the desire ably and faithfully to serve my country and to live in grateful memory of my countrymen."