Anderson Cottage is noted for being the summer White House for Abraham Lincoln and site where he wrote the Emancipation Proclamation, but it was also a getaway for several other presidents, including Lincoln's predecessor, James Buchanan.
    The fifteenth president, Buchanan occupied the White House from 1857 to 1861 and had the unpleasant distinction of presiding over the country during the slide into civil war.  His failure to find a workable middle ground that kept the United States from going to war with itself was a sad end to what was a brilliant and distinguished political career that began in 1815.
    Born the second of 11 children to James and Elizabeth Speer Buchanan on April 23, 1791 in Cove Gap, Pa., Buchanan on what many thought was the edge of western civilization in the Allegheny Mountains.  When writing about his birthplace in 1865 the former president stated "It is a rugged but romantic spot, and the mountain and mountain stream under the scenery cape captivating.  I have warm attachments for it..."
    In 1809 he graduated from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa., and at the age of 21 became a lawyer in the city of Lancaster.  While there he became active in Federalist Party politics (the Federalist Party is the forerunner to the Democratic Party), and after serving in the War of 1812, was elected to two terms as a Pennsylvania Assemblyman from 1814 to 1816, maintaining his legal practice.
    A series of events unfolded in 1819 that would make Buchanan the answer to many trivia questions in the future.  After becoming engaged to Ann Caroline Coleman trouble started when rumors began that Buchanan was fortune hunting, thus his engagement.
    After several unpleasant incidents Ann broke the engagement, then died under mysterious circumstances, with the possibility of suicide mentioned.  Many in the town, including Ann's family held Buchanan responsible for her death, but his friends rallied to his side and helped him get elected to the U.S. Congress in 1820.
    Thus, when Buchanan became the 15th President of the United States he became the only bachelor to hold the country's highest office, with his niece, Harriet Lane, serving as the White House hostess.
From 1821 to 1831 Buchanan served five terms in the House of Representatives, making a name for himself in several high-profile episodes.  When he was the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee he was the chief prosecutor during the impeachment of federal Judge James H. Peck and also fought successfully an effort to repeal the 25th Section of the Judiciary Act of 1789, preserving the right of the U.S. Supreme Court in judging the constitutionality of state laws and state court decisions.
    IN 1824 the Federalist Party fell apart, and Buchanan supported Andrew Jackson for the nomination of the Democratic Party.  After Jackson won the presidency in 1828 there was a great deal of struggle inside the party for direction, with Buchanan supporting Jackson's vision.  In 1832 the president appointed Buchanan minister to Russia where he negotiated the first commercial treaty between the two nations.
    Returning from Russia in 1834 Buchanan ran for, and was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he would remain until 1845.  As the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Buchanan was able to stay on current on world events.  Domestically he fought the efforts of Daniel Webster to expand the growth of the federal government and John Calhoun to expand the domain of state rights.  In a foreshadow of future events he served as the chairman of the committee to handle the abolition of the slave trade in the District of Columbia.  In this post he defeated a gag rule proposal that would have ended the receiving of abolitionist petitions in the U.S. Senate.
In 1845 President James K. Polk nominated Buchanan to be secretary of state as U.S. relations with both England and Mexico deteriorated.  As secretary Buchanan was able to prevent war with England by managing a settlement of the Oregon dispute at the 49th parallel.  Buchanan and Polk had seriously disagreed over the area, with Polk demanding all of the Oregon territory and willing to go to war with England over it.
    Success wasn't in the cards in dealing with Mexico however, and the Mexican War was fought (led by Winfield Scott). In 1848 Zachary Taylor was elected to the presidency and Buchanan resigned his post.
    When a division of political forces between Buchanan and Sen. Stephen Douglas allowed Franklin Pierce the Democratic Party nomination, and ultimate election as president, Buchanan accepted a post as Minister to Great Britain.  During his tenure he was involved in one of the more controversial moments in his career, the Ostend Manifesto of 1854.
    Buchanan, along with the other American ministers in Europe met in Ostend, Belgium to "detach" Cuba from Spain (under orders from Pierce).  Buchanan wanted to enter into private dealings with European bankers who wished that Cuba would be sold, and the dispatch released was mainly a statement of the Buchanan plan to deal with the businessmen.   The conclusion however had a toned-down version of President Pierce's instructions that Cuba might be seized by the United States, and Buchanan signed the document under protest.
    Public outcry in the States was immediate and the Congress called for all papers relating to the manifesto, but Pierce withheld his documents and gave the impressions it was his ministers that came up with the plan on their own.  Buchanan was hurt by Pierce's dealings and told him "Never did I obey instructions so reluctantly."  It would be over a century until historians uncovered Pierce's instructions exonerating Buchanan and the other ministers.
The Democratic Party nominated Buchanan for the presidency in 1856, and he ran against Republican nominee John C. Fremont and Whig Millard Fillmore.  Running on a theme of "Save the Union" (Fremont was backed by anti-slavery supporters calling for the North to withdraw from a nation with slave states.)  After being elected Buchanan said "The great object of my administration will be to arrest ... the agitation of the slavery question at the North and to destroy sectional parties," then chose a cabinet of conservative and nationalist politicians.
The first challenge he faced was the crisis in Kansas, the decision if the territory was to be a free or slave state.  After the Kansans voted to make it a slave state (anti-slavery people refused to register to vote allowing the pro-slavery faction to ride to victory).
    Unwilling to overrule a legitimate constitutional convention Buchanan asked Congress to approve the measure and make Kansas a slave state, outraging many.  Hoping to salvage the situation Buchanan agreed to the English Bill (named after William English the congressman who wrote it) which admitted Kansas as a slave state, but with a reduced federal land grant.  The bill passed and gave Buchanan what he wanted, but enraged the Republicans.
In 1858, after Republicans won control of the Congress Buchanan found programs he found important, such as the purchase of Cuba and Alaska blocked.
    The election of  Abraham Lincoln 1860 (Buchanan did not chose to run for reelection) was the trigger point for South Carolina to succeed on Dec. 20 (after firing on Fort Sumpter where Maj. Robert Anderson, whom Anderson Cottage is named after, was commander).
    Even though he knew he was a lame-duck president he urged Lincoln to join him in asking for a Constitutional convention to try and keep South Carolina's succession isolated.  Lincoln refused and all the Southern members of Buchanan's cabinet resigned.
    The end of Buchanan's term saw him retire and become a scapegoat by more and more people for the Civil War.  Republican's branded him as a traitor, a pro-slavery conspirator and the man responsible for the war.  Historians would later reevaluate the opinions and judge him as a man who used every means he could to prevent a civil war and a man who loved and cherished his country.
    President James Buchanan, the 15th President of the United States of America, died at his home near Lancaster, Pa. On June 1, 1869.