1858 by Bruce Chadwick

that his efforts might accelerate the future rise of Lincoln.
    The president dismissed the slavery issue in Kansas and elsewhere. He never understood the fury at the
Dred Scott
decision and the Fugitive Slave Act by millions of Americans, even though it was discussed daily in the newspapers in connection with the trial of the Oberlin rescuers, whom he continually tried to discredit. He underestimated the political strength of the abolitionists and did not see their growing influence with major figures, which he should have realized right away after William Seward’s “irrepressible conflict” speech. He ignored the threat of John Brown, dismissing him as a fanatic. He paid no attention to the important Southern office holders and newspaper editors he held so dear. He completely ignored the ever more outrageous and inflammatory views of key Southern newspapers, such as Robert Rhett’s
Charleston Mercury
. The national uproar over slavery, and talk of secession, was in the newspapers every day.
    President James Buchanan began the year 1858 mingling with guests at a happy New Year’s Day reception at the White House, discussing everything but slavery. He ended the year the same way. His very last official act of 1858 did not involve slavery at all, but his never-ending love of international diplomacy. That very last message of the year concerned an unimportant trade agreement between the United States and China. He began the year 1859 the same way. His first official act of the new year did not concern slavery, either, but the sending of documents to the House involving steamships accused of playing a role in an invasion of Nicaragua. 649
    The president ended 1858 the way that he began it, completely blind to the slavery issue that threatened to destroy the United States. He had ignored the abolitionists in all of the Northern states all year and now, at the very end of 1858, he would ignore the most dangerous abolitionist of all, John Brown, the fearless Kansas raider. Brown would return to the public eye once again in the waning days of the year in an audacious raid that would startle the entire nation.

Chapter Seventeen
THE WHITE HOUSE
DECEMBER 1858
    A happy President James Buchanan told the nation in his year-end message of 1858 that the slavery crisis that had divided America for years appeared to be over. “When we compare the condition of the country at the present day with what it was one year ago, we have much reason for gratitude to that Almighty Providence which has never failed to interpose for our relief at the most critical periods of our history. Much has been done, I am happy to say, towards the accomplishment of this object [defusing the slavery issue] during the last [year].” 735
    President Buchanan finished the turbulent year of 1858 in as much denial as he had begun it on that sunny, cold New Year’s Day reception at the White House. He continued to ignore the slavery controversy at the end of the year just as he had ignored it during the previous eleven months. Midway through 1858, in July, he told William Reed with great confidence that the end of the Lecompton debate meant the end of the slavery debate. “The Kansas question as a national question is now at an end.” 736
    The president had put the slavery issue behind him and was optimistic about his many new ventures to conquer or purchase enormous parcels of land for America, whether in Mexico, Central America, South America, or Cuba. He was so determined to forget slavery and champion his imperialistic policies that he devoted most of his annual message to foreign affairs.
    The year 1859 would be just as successful as 1858 had been, the president believed. He would work hard to strengthen the Democratic Party in the upcoming fall elections and turn back the Republicans in the 1860
    contests, making certain, though, that his Democratic successor as president was anyone but Stephen Douglas. The Republicans would surely nominate the abolitionist