With Horace Greeley Mr.Buchanan was ready to say "Let the erring sisters go." This indeed was the extent of Mr.Pierce's pacifism during the War of Sections.
A new party risen upon the remains of the Whig Party--the Republican Party--was at the door and coming into power.

Lifelong pro-slavery Democrats could not look on with equanimity, still less with complaisance, and doubtless Pierce and Buchanan to the end of their days thought less of the Republicans than of the Confederates.

As a consequence Republican writers have given quarter to neither of them.
It will not do to go too deeply into the account of those days.

The times were out of joint.

I knew of two Confederate generals who first tried for commissions in the Union Army; gallant and good fellows too; but they are both dead and their secret shall die with me.