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James Buchanan 15th President Democrat April 23, 1791-June 1, 1868 Term-March 4, 1857-March4, 1861 Vice President-John C. Breckinridge

James Buchanan's presidency can overall be rated as a low D. He had alot of mishapes and faliures which reflected badly on him as well as the Democratic party. He had failures in Bleeding Kansas, the Panic of 1857, and the Utah war.

James Buchanan was the last President to be born in the 18th century. He is the only President from the state of Pennsylvania and the only President to remain a bachelor. James Buchanan was a popular and experienced polticain prior the being elected. He was in the Pennslyvania House of Represenitives and later on the Senate.

Throughout the issue with slavery Buchanan seemed to be relying on constitution docyorines to close the rift over slavery. However Buchanan seemed to fail to understand that the North would not accept constitutional arguments which favored the south. Buchanan thought that the crisis would end if he manitained a sectional balance in his sppechs and could persuade the people to accept constitutional law.

Buchanan faced futher troubles with the territory question. He threw all of his administrations power behind the approval of the Lecompton Constitution in Kansas. If this constitution passed Kansas would become a slave state. Evnentually Congress yoted to call on a new vote for the constitution. This move Buchanan lost control of tis already weakened party.

Buchanans personal views was that slave owners' had rights and he sympathized with the slaveexpansionists. He dispised both abolitionista and free-soil Republicans. He fought his oppents for Slave Power. In the Dred Scoot case people thought that Buchanan had to deal with a major part of the case. Buchanan wanted to reslove the territory issue with the Supreme Court. His Pennslyvania Justice Robert Cooper Grier to vote to uphold the right of owning slaves as properity. However future President Abraham Lincoln saw this as a conspiracy.

The Panic of 1857 was a huge problem for Buchanan. Economic struggles plagued Buchanan's administration with this economic crisis. The government suddenly fell shortfall of revenue partly because of the success of the Democrats lowering the tariff. Buchanan's administration began to issue finace for the government, a move that allowed Rebuplicans to attack Buchanan for financial mismanagment.

In March of 1857 Buchanan recived false reports that Utah govenor Brigham Young was planning a revolt. During the same year in november Buchanan sent an army to Utah to replace Young with Alfred Cumming. This failure due to the President for verify the repots of reebellion and warning to the territoryial government was also another catastrophy during what had already been a failed Presidency for Buchanan.

When Buchanan died he predicted that "history will vindicate with my memory", he is saldy mistaken. Today historians contiune to criticize Buchanan for his failure to act in the face of session. Historians voted his failure to deal with these secessions as the worst presidential mistake ever made.

Buchanan though a failure as president he did clear a path for senator Douglas and Lincoln. Without his presidency the civil war may have started a years before then it would have started with President Lincoln. With the overall big mistakes that James Buchanan made his presidency grade is a low D. His mishapes in Bleeding Kansas, the Panic of 1857, and the Utah war.

"James Buchanan." [|http://en.wikipedia.org]. Wikipedia, 20 Oct. 2009. Web. 22 Oct. 2009.

"Biography of James Buchanan." [|www.whitehouse.gov]. USA.gov. Web. 22 Oct. 2009.