Slavery was the major issue in the 1856 election. Democratic Party candidate James Buchanan endorsed popular sovereignty giving the power to determine the legality of slavery to the inhabitants of the territory seeking statehood, rather than to Congress. The Republican Party opposed the extension of slavery into the territories. Buchanan warned that if the Republicans won the election, their anti-slavery position would lead to civil war. Buchanan won 19 states including all of the southern states. Buchanan also won a few northern states including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Illinois and Indiana.
The opposition Whig party split up over slavery. The new Republican party had not yet developed an effective national organization and were too closely associated with the abolitionists to get vote in the South. The Democrats stayed together to run a national campaign and put their candidate, Buchanan, in the White House. Although Buchanan was from Pennsylvania, he had family ties in the South and attracted much of the Southern vote and also had some appeal in the North.
The Democratic Party "nominated James Buchanan of Pennsylvania. Buchanan had a great deal of political experience as Polk's secretary of state. Most importantly, he had been in Great Britain as ambassador during the Kansas-Nebraska Act dispute and had not been involved in the debate." (United States History: Independance of 1914)
The party elected him because he was not a strong supporter of the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
Slavery was the major issue in the 1856 election. Democratic Party candidate James Buchanan endorsed popular sovereignty giving the power to determine the legality of slavery to the inhabitants of the territory seeking statehood, rather than to Congress. The Republican Party opposed the extension of slavery into the territories. Buchanan warned that if the Republicans won the election, their anti-slavery position would lead to civil war. Buchanan won 19 states including all of the southern states.
He thought he could do a good job. He wanted to be president for a long time and was disappointed he was not nominated sooner. He was Secretary of State under Polk and so knew what the President did.
Prior to the election campaign James Buchanan served as the U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain.
Prior to the 1856 election campaign, Democratic Party candidate James Buchanan served as the U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain.
Prior to the 1856 election campaign, Democratic Party candidate James Buchanan served as the U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain.
The parties that nominated were Republicans and Northern Democrats.
Northern Democrats nominated Sen. Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois; Southern Democrats nominated Vice Pres. John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky.
john breckinridge
James Buchanan was the 9th Minister to the United Kingdom. In 1956 he got the Democratic nomination and won the election.
John C. Breckinridge. Stephen A. Douglas was the nominee for the Northern Democrats.
john c breckenridge
Buchanan was last national candidate nominated by his Democratic party. Before the next election they split over slavery and nominated two candidates. The modern Democratic party formed after the Civil War.
He was John C. Breckenridge from Kentucky.
Stephen A. Douglas, US senator from Illinois was their candidate in 1860.