Page:Lives of the presidents in words of one syllable (1903).djvu/89

 by. When a boy was born to this pair the name of James came first to the moth-er's lips.

Young James was eight years in that home. The next home of the Bu-chan-ans was at Mer-cers-burg, in the same state. Here the boy went to school, soon took up Greek and work which made him fit for col-lege when but four-teen years old. He went through his four years course with ease and came out at the end in 1809. The days of his youth were those of the youth of our land, and young Bu-chan-an was prompt to give his aid when and where it would do the most good. So in three years from the time he made his start in life he threw down his law books and went to the front, where there was need of strong arms and stout hearts to meet the new blow that Eng-land struck at us in the war of 1812.

While a young man Bu-chan-an was the choice of his state to help make her laws. Then he was sent to Wash-ing-ton and held his place there for ten years.

Pres-i-dent Jack-son sent him to Rus-sia to look out for our rights there. When he came back a place was found for him in the Sen-ate.

James Bu-chan-an was made Pres-i-dent in 1857. When he first took the chair the slave theme was once more in the law courts.

A black man, whose name was Dred Scott, thought he ought to be free, for his owner had tak-en him to a part of the land where the law of 1820 had said there should be no slaves. When the case came up the court said that those who held slaves had a right to take them through the land with them. Thus the law of 1820 was swept out with one blow, and the folks at the North did not like it.