美国总统14 詹姆斯·布坎南.docx

美国总统14詹姆斯布坎南JamesBuchanan:PassiveVOALearningEnglishpresentsAmerica'sPresidents.TodaywearetalkingaboutJamesBuchananzthe15thpresidentoftheUnitedStates.PortraitofJamesBuchananbyGeorgePeterAlexanderHealyHewasthethirdinaseriesofunsuccessfulpresidents.MillardFillmoreandFranklinPiercehadfailedtoresolvethecountry'sincreasingdivisionoverslavery.DemocraticPartyofficialshopedBuchanancoulddobetter.Afterall,hewasagiftedlawyerandhadbeenamemberoftheU.S.Congress,asecretaryofstate,andadiplomat.ButBuchananwasnotsosurehecouldresolvethecountry'sproblems.Hewasright.HewasthelastpresidentbeforetheAmericanCivilWar.EarlylifeJamesBuchananwasborninthenorthernstateofPennsylvania.Hisfatherwasabusinessman,andhisfamilywasfinanciallysuccessful.Buchanan-theoldestsoninafamilywith11children-receivedagoodeducation.HeattendedDickinsonCollegeinPennsylvaniaandsoonbeganworkingasalawyer.Hisabilitiesearnedhimagooddealofmoneyandaplaceinthestate'slegislature.Buttheywerenotabletowinhimawife.AsayoungmanzBuchananfellinlovewithandproposedmarriagetoayoungwomanfromawealthyfamily.Sheaccepted.Butherfatheropposedtheunion.Oneday,hisfianceewroteBuchananalettersayingshehadreconsideredanddecidednottomarryhimafterall.Threedayslater,sheunexpectedlydied.Buchananwasheartbroken.Hepromisednevertomarryanyoneelse.Andhedidnot.Todate,JamesBuchananistheonlyU.S.presidentwhonevermarried.WhenheenteredtheWhiteHouse,hisnieceservedashisfirstlady.Electionof1856Evenwithproblemsinhispersonallife,Buchananwentontohaveastrongcareerasanationalpolitician.Hehopedhispartywouldnominatehimasitscandidateforpresident.Butinthe1840sandearly1850sztheDemocratsnominatedothercandidates.Finally,in1856,thepartychoseBuchanan.Butbythen,hewasnolongersurehewantedtobepresident.Hebelievedthecountrywouldsoonbeatwar.ViolencehadalreadybrokenoutinthewesternterritoryofKansas.WhitesettlerstherehadclashedoverwhetherKansaswouldentertheUnionasaslaveorfreestate.Inonedramaticevent,ananti-slaveryactivistnamedJohnBrownhadmurderedseveralpro-slaverysettlers.PresidentBuchananhadclearideasaboutslavery.Hesaidinhisinauguralspeechthatvotersintheterritories-agroupmadeupofwhitemen-shouldbeabletodecidetheissueforthemselves.Inthesamespeech,BuchananurgedAmericanstosupportanimportantSupremeCourtrulingthatbecameknownastheDredScottdecision.TwodaysIaterzthecourt'sjusticesannouncedthemajorityopinioninthatcase.Theopinionsaidthefederalgovernmentdidnothavethepowertocontrolslaveryintheterritories.Inaddition,thecourtdeclaredthatenslavedpeoplewerenotU.S.citizens.Theywereproperty,itsaid.Enslavedpeopledidnothaveanymorerightsthanahorseorachair.Buchananhopedthedecisionwouldstopthecountry'sdebateoverslavery.Instead,itmadethedebatemoreintense.PresidencyDuringhispresidency,Buchanantooktwootheractionsthatincreasedtensionsanddamagedhispublicimage.First,hetriedtopersuadeCongresstoacceptastateconstitutionforKansas.Theconstitutionpermittedslavery,althoughamajorityofKansasvotershadnotagreedtoit.TheU.S.HouseofRepresentativesdecidednottofollowPresidentBuchanan'swishes.TheypermittedKansanstovoteagainontheconstitution.Thistime,Kansasvotersrejectedit.AmajorityagreedinsteadtoseekadmissionintotheUnionasafreestate.Buchanan'simagealsosufferedbecauseofaneventknownastheraidonHarper'sFerry.TheraidwasledbyJohnBrownztheanti-slaveryactivistwhohadmurderedpro-slaverysettlersinKansas.Thistime,Brownhopedtocreateanarmedrebellionofanti-slaveryactivistsandfreedslaves.Togetweapons,BrownandhismenattackedafederalarsenalaboutIlOkilometersnorthwestofWashington,D.C.ThearmorywasinthetownofHarper'sFerry,intoday'sstateofWestVirginia.PresidentBuchananansweredtheraidbypermittingfederaltroopstouseforce.TheU.S.MarinessurroundedBrownandhisforces.Theykilledsomeandcapturedothers,includingBrown.Afewweekslater,Brownwasbroughttotrial,foundguilty,andhanged.TheeventfurtherdividedAmericans.Anti-slaveryNorthernersbelievedBrownwasahero.Pro-slaverySouthernersbelievedhewasatraitor.Ingeneral,BuchananagreedwiththeSoutherners.HesaidinaspeechthatNorthernersshouldnottellSouthernerswhattheycoulddointheirstates.Buthiswordsdidnotsatisfyeitherside.Foronething,amainissuewaswhetherslaveryshouldbepermittedinanynewstates.Buchanandidnotcommentonthatpoint.Electionof1860Attheendofhissingleterm,Buchanankeptanearlierpromisenottoseekre-election.Hispartydidnoturgehimto.Instead,NorthernDemocratsandSouthernDemocratssplit.Theynominatedtwodifferentcandidates.TheDemocrats'lackofunityprovidedanopeningforacandidatefromanewparty.TheRepublicanPartywascomprisedofnorthernerswhowereagainstslavery.Theircandidatewasalawyerwithoutmuchexperienceingovernment.HisnamewasAbrahamLincoln.1.incolnwonthepresidentialelectionof1860.Inanswer,theSouthernstateofSouthCarolinawithdrewfromtheUnion.Buchanan-whowasinthelastweeksofhispresidency-didnotsupportthemove.ButhedidnotacttostopSouthCarolina,either.HesaidtheConstitutiondidnotgivehimthepowertoforceastatetostayintheUnion.FollowingBuchanan'sinaction,sixotherslave-holdingSouthernstatesalsoseceded.1.egac