Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. II.djvu/267

JAMES BUCHANAN 211 minister to Russia. This office was acknowledged by Mr. Buchanan afterward to be "the only public office he desired to occupy." He took his seat December 15. He held very strongly the doctrine of instruction that is, the right of a state legis lature to direct the vote of a senator of the state in congress, and the duty of the senator to obey. There has never been a period in the history of the senate when more real power of debate was dis played, or when public measures were more thor oughly considered, than at this time. President Jackson s celebrated proclamation against nullifi cation, and his removal of the public deposits from the bank of the United States into certain selected state banks, had been made during Mr. Buchanan s residence abroad. Jackson enjoyed great popu larity and influence throughout the country, but a large majority of the senate were opposed to his financial measures. This opposing party, the old "national republicans" of John Quincy Adams s administration, were now called whigs, and in cluded Mr. Clay, Mr. Webster, Mr. Clayton, of Delaware, Mr. Ewing, of Ohio, and Mr. Freling- huysen and Mr. Southard, of New Jersey. Among the Jackson men, or democrats, were Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Wright, of New York, Mr. Ben- ton, of Missouri, and Mr. King, of Alabama. Mr. Calhoun stood apart from both the political parties, a great and powerful debater who had been vice-