James Buchanan

James Buchanan (1791-1868) was President of the United States from 1857 to 1861. He was succeeded by Abraham Lincoln. He was the last President of the United States to be recognized as head of state by the Confederate States.

Like most Democratic Presidents prior to the War of Secession, Buchanan was very deferential to Southern interests. He is best known for violating his oath "to protect, defend, and preserve the Constitution of the United States" by doing nothing to discourage the southern states' secession between the election of Lincoln and Buchanan's leaving office on March 4, 1861.