Buchanan has been thoroughly vilified over the decades, and no doubt exists that he was a rather poor chief executive. Andrew Jackson had faced down the South Carolina nullifiers in 1832, but Jackson was essentially a military man in civilian clothing while Buchanan was a civilian who had become “the Old Public Functionary.” Then, too, Buchanan had the disadvantage of knowing he would soon leave office. Only if he and Lincoln, the president-elect, had gotten together to make joint statements would action have been possible. And where holding off, or standing back, was concerned, Lincoln was just as bad as Buchanan.