With a Democrat elected by the unanimous vote of the Slave States, there could be no pretext for secession for four years.

I very much hoped that the passions of the people would subside in that time, and the catastrophe be averted altogether; if it was not, I believed the country would be better prepared to receive the shock and to resist it.

I therefore voted for James Buchanan for President.

Four years later the Republican party was successful in electing its candidate to the Presidency.

The civilized world has learned the consequence.