ACCORDING TO THE STANDARDS of the twentieth century Buchanan's
campaign was a simple affair; but at the time it seemed elaborate, costly,
and perhaps corrupt. The candidate stayed at home in Lancaster, Penn-
sylvania, seeing visitors and answering letters. The Democratic National
Committee appointed a sub-committee to raise money and a so-called
"resident committee" in Washington to write pamphlets and send out
speakers--and if necessary indulge in modest bribery. The Republicans,
meanwhile, broke the painfully learned rules of federal politics by taking
a positive stand. There were no compromises in their program, no vague
words, no attempts to occupy several contradictory positions at the same
time.

The Republicans could be brave because they were a sectional party
and because they were young. The Democrats, who were neither, felt that
such tactics were unfair. Also, the Democrats were fighting themselves.
Their party had repudiated a first-term President. On the good and sensi-
ble grounds that he was incompetent, the machine had turned against its
own boss. This did not make for harmony between the friends of Bu-
chanan and the friends of Pierce. And it did not promise peace within
the state organizations when the new Administration came to distributing
jobs. In fact, the fierce quarrels which ensued consumed much of the
attention and energy which might have been given to the problem of
preserving the Union.

Buchanan saw himself, inaccurately, as a politician of rich experience
and wisdom. He had been in public service for almost forty-two years and
he mistakenly believed that he had been learning all that time. He was
distressed at the planless discord of the Pierce Administration. He felt that
as soon as his own trained hand took the helm there would be no more
yawing and jibing. Added to this confidence in his political powers was a
deeper and truer self-distrust which plagued Buchanan all his life. He
never married and he never had an intimate friend of either sex. He took
refuge from personal relations in a dignity which seemed put on, like a
suit of armor, instead of being an expression of his spirit. Six feet tall, with

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