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Copyright, 1883, by GEORGE TICKNOR CCRTIS.
All rights reserved.
Stereotyped by Smith & McDougal.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
1848-1852.
Purchase of Wheatland-Nomination and Election of General Taylor-
His Death and the Accession of President Fillmore-The Compromise
Measures of 1850-Letters to Miss Lane-Public Letters on Political
Topics.....
PAGE
1
CHAPTER II.
1852.
The Presidential Nominations of 1852-Election of General Franklin
Pierce to the Presidency-Buchanan's Course in regard to the Nomina-
tion and the Election-His Efforts to defeat the Whig Candidate..... 34
CHAPTER III.
1852-1853.
Personal and Political Relations with the President-Elect and with Mr.
Marcy, his Secretary of State-Buchanan is offered the Mission to
England-His own Account of the Offer, and his Reasons for accept-
ing it-Parting with his Friends and Neighbors in Lancaster-Corres-
pondence with his Niece...
CHAPTER IV.
1853-1856.
Arrival in London-Presentation to the Queen at Osborne-The Ministry
of Lord Aberdeen-Mr. Marcy's Circular about Court Costumes, and
the Dress Question at the English Court-Letters to Miss Lane......
68
66
CHAPTER V.
Negotiations with Lord Clarendon - The Clayton-Bulwer Treaty and
Affairs in Central America-The Crimean War and the new British
Doctrine respecting the Property of Neutrals.....
CHAPTER VI.
British Enlistments in the United States-Recall of the English Minister
at Washington-The Ostend Conference...
CHAPTER VII.
1854-1855.
The Social Position of Mr. Buchanan and his Niece in England...
CHAPTER VIII.
1856.
Return to America-Nomination and Election to the Presidency-Signifi-
cance of Mr. Buchanan's Election in respect to the Sectional Questions
-Private Correspondence.....
126
134
142
.. 169
CHAPTER IX.
1857-1858.
Inauguration as President-Selection of a Cabinet-The Disturbances in
Kansas-Mr. Buchanan's Construction of the Kansas-Nebraska Act,
and of the "Platform on which he was elected-Final Admission of
Kansas into the Union.
CHAPTER X.
1857-1861.
Foreign Relations during Mr. Buchanan's Administration...
187
211
CHAPTER XI.
1858-1860.
Complimentary Gift from Prince Albert to Mr. Buchanan-Visit of the
Prince of Wales-Correspondence with the Queen-Minor Incidents of
the Administration-Traits of Character-Letters to Miss Lane-Mar-
riage of a young Friend.....
228
CHAPTER XII.
1860-March and June.
The so-called "Covode Investigation."..
246
CHAPTER XIII.
Summary of the Slavery Questions from 1787 to 1860-The Anti-Slavery
Agitation in the North-Growth and Political Triumph of the Repub-
lican Party-Fatal Divisions among the Democrats-Mr. Buchanan
declines to be regarded as a Candidate for a second Election.......
CHAPTER XIV.
1860-October.
262
General Scott's "Views.".
CHAPTER XV.
1860-November.
Election of President Lincoln-The Secession of South Carolina-Nature
of the Doctrine of Secession-President Buchanan prepares to en-
counter the Secession Movement-Distinction between making War on
a State and enforcing the Laws of the United States....
CHAPTER XVI.
1860 December.
297
315
The President's Annual Message of December 3, 1860....
. 330
CHAPTER XVII.
Reception of the President's Message in the Cabinet, in Congress, and in
the Country-The firm Attitude and wise Policy of Mr. Buchanan..... 352
CHAPTER XVIII.
General Scott again advises the President-Major Anderson's Removal
from Fort Moultrie to Fort Sumter-Arrival of Commissioners from
South Carolina in Washington-Their Interview and Communication
with the President-The supposed Pledge of the Status Quo-The
“Cabinet Crisis" of December 29th-Reply of the President to the
South Carolina Commissioners-The anonymous Diarist of the North
American Review confuted.....
365
CHAPTER XIX.
December, 1860-January, 1861.
Resignation of General Cass from the Department of State-Reconstruc-
tion of the Cabinet which followed after the Resignations of Messrs.
Cobb, Thompson, and Thomas.
396
CHAPTER XX.
1860-December.
The Resignation of Secretary Floyd, and its Cause-Refutation of the
Story of his stealing the Arms of the United States-General Scott's
Assertions disproved....
406
CHAPTER XXI.
November, 1860-March, 1861.
The Action of Congress on the Recommendations of the President's
Annual Message-The "Crittenden Compromise "-Strange Course of
the New York Tribune-Specia! Message of January 8, 1861.... ... ... 418