James Buchanan, sole bachelor among U.S. Presidents,
favored popular sovereignty on the issue of slavery. The Dred Scott case,
which effectively stated that Congress could not bar slavery,
was handed down at the start of his term, and he backed the decision,
which attracted the ire of the young Republican party.
Franklin Pierce 1853 - 1857
Abraham Lincoln 1861 - 1865
[U.S. Presidential Autographs Main Page]