Happy Birthday Jimmy B
On April 23, 1791 (220 years ago today) James Buchanan, the 15th President of the United States, was born in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. He is the only president to be a life-long bachelor, and the last one born in 18th century. His close friendship with his long-time room-mate Rufus King has caused much speculation that the two men were gay lovers, and in fact many of their political opponents such as Henry Clay referred to Buchanan as "Aunt Nancy" (a 19th century derogatory term for homosexuals) and to King as "Mrs. B."
Buchanan (pronounced Buck-anan by his contemporaries) was a state politician and a successful attorney before his presidency. He represented Pennsylvania in the House of Representatives and later the United States Senate, and served as Ambassador to Russia under President Andrew Jackson. President James Polk appointed him Secretary of State and Franklin Pierce appointed him Ambassador to the United Kingdom.
Buchanan had ambitions for the Presidency for a long time. He unsuccessfully sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 1844, 1848, and 1852. Finally at age 65, "Old Buck" was nominated in the 1856 election. Throughout most of Franklin Pierce's term he was stationed in London and therefore was not caught up in the crossfire of sectional politics that dominated the country. Buchanan was seen by many as a compromise between the two sides of the slavery question. He won the Presidency in a three-man race with John C. Frémont and Millard Fillmore. As President, he was often called a "doughface", a Northerner with Southern sympathies. Buchanan tried to maintain peace between the North and the South, but only alienated both sides. He was viewed by some as not only doing nothing to prevent the secession of southern states, but of actually enabling in.
Because he was unable to prevent the Civil War, Buchanan is consistently ranked by historians as one of the worst Presidents. Buchanan biographer Philip Klein notes that Buchanan may have been a victim of his times. He wrote: "Buchanan assumed leadership when an unprecedented wave of angry passion was sweeping over the nation. That he held the hostile sections in check during these revolutionary times was in itself a remarkable achievement. His weaknesses in the stormy years of his presidency were magnified by enraged partisans of the North and South. His many talents, which in a quieter era might have gained for him a place among the great presidents, were quickly overshadowed by the cataclysmic events of civil war and by the towering Abraham Lincoln."
Buchanan (pronounced Buck-anan by his contemporaries) was a state politician and a successful attorney before his presidency. He represented Pennsylvania in the House of Representatives and later the United States Senate, and served as Ambassador to Russia under President Andrew Jackson. President James Polk appointed him Secretary of State and Franklin Pierce appointed him Ambassador to the United Kingdom.
Buchanan had ambitions for the Presidency for a long time. He unsuccessfully sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 1844, 1848, and 1852. Finally at age 65, "Old Buck" was nominated in the 1856 election. Throughout most of Franklin Pierce's term he was stationed in London and therefore was not caught up in the crossfire of sectional politics that dominated the country. Buchanan was seen by many as a compromise between the two sides of the slavery question. He won the Presidency in a three-man race with John C. Frémont and Millard Fillmore. As President, he was often called a "doughface", a Northerner with Southern sympathies. Buchanan tried to maintain peace between the North and the South, but only alienated both sides. He was viewed by some as not only doing nothing to prevent the secession of southern states, but of actually enabling in.
Because he was unable to prevent the Civil War, Buchanan is consistently ranked by historians as one of the worst Presidents. Buchanan biographer Philip Klein notes that Buchanan may have been a victim of his times. He wrote: "Buchanan assumed leadership when an unprecedented wave of angry passion was sweeping over the nation. That he held the hostile sections in check during these revolutionary times was in itself a remarkable achievement. His weaknesses in the stormy years of his presidency were magnified by enraged partisans of the North and South. His many talents, which in a quieter era might have gained for him a place among the great presidents, were quickly overshadowed by the cataclysmic events of civil war and by the towering Abraham Lincoln."