James Buchanan (A Life) Lyrics

It was April 23rd of 1791

When the Buchanan's of Cove Gap, PA had a son

James went to Dickinson, then, with a lawyer, studied law

In '12, he started practicing after he passed the bar

In '14, James enlisted as a private, war was near

It soon ended and he returned to his practice that same year

Then, James was a rep in the PA House from his county

And later, served in the U.S. House and Senate in D.C.

'19, he was engaged to Anne, but soon, they were apart

James' busy life that year and then her death would break his heart

James Buchanan, America's 15th President

Ooooh

He served as foreign ministers and Secretary of State

In '57, James became the first prez from PA to date

He felt the states should choose between slavery, against or for

Which created sharp divisions and would lead to Civil War

A bank panic and slave uprising added to the tension

Plus, his sympathies to Southern states inflamed dissension

James vowed to only serve a single presidential term

In '60, Lincoln won, his anti-slavery plans firm

He lost favor in the government, traitor, some would say

James tried defending his decisions till his dying day

James Buchanan, America's 15th President

Oooh

It was in '68 that James came down with a bad cold

Which got worse. On June first, he died at 77 years old

His legacy was his failure in an unbiased vision

Over the North and South, despite the Dred Scott decision