Was James Buchanan our first gay President?
Gramma Lil
February 19, 2008 00:32:41
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Particularly when homosexuality is as American as apple pie. The 15th president of the United States, James Buchanan, almost certainly was gay. Finally, prize-winning historian James W. Loewen, author of "Lies My Teacher Told Me," has outed President James Buchanan, who served as chief executive during tumultuous events on the eve of the Civil War, and had more pre-White House domestic and international expertise than all of the current crop of presidential wannabes put together. In Prof. Loewen's newest book, "Lies Across America: What Our Historic Sites Get Wrong," the scholar asserts that Buchanan's long-time living companion, William Rufus King, was referred to as "Aunt Fancy" by that era's Beltway crowd. Apparently, Buchanan's sexual orientation was widely rumored around Washington, to the point that King was called "Mrs. Buchanan."
President James Buchanan was, as they say, a life-long bachelor. That, of course, is code. As usual, the truth is cloaked in historical distortion. You must read between the lines, and connect the dots. "As a young man," writes "Historic Traveler's" Lisa Manhart, Buchanan "committed an unspecified indiscretion that angered his intended bride, and she broke off their engagement. When she died of an illness a few months later, her family forbade him to attend her funeral. Buchanan was devastated, and he disappeared for a time. In the absence of a Mrs. Buchanan, his niece Harriet Lane served as his hostess ... often entertaining guests by playing the piano. When Buchanan moved into the White House as president in 1857, she assumed the social duties of first lady."
While Secretary of State in 1848, James Buchanan had purchased Wheatland, his 22-acre country estate in Lancaster, Penn., attracted to the "privacy, quiet, and beauty of its rural beauty," Manhart notes, and there, he would eventually lead "the life of a country gentleman." The Pennsylvania native was born April 23, 1791, second of 11 children. After graduating from Dickinson College in Carlisle at age 18, Buchanan studied law in Lancaster, and plunged into local politics. Voters elected him state representative in 1814, and he served two terms in the new capital of Harrisburg. Buchanan took his next step up the political ladder in 1820 when he was elected to the first of four terms in the House of Representatives as a Federalist and then, as the Federalist party disintegrated, a fifth term as a Democrat in 1828. President Andrew Jackson appointed him as minister to Russia, where he served in 1832 and 1833. In December of 1833 he was elected to the Senate, where he served until he was appointed Secretary of State under President James K. Polk in 1845.
President James Buchanan was, as they say, a life-long bachelor. That, of course, is code. As usual, the truth is cloaked in historical distortion. You must read between the lines, and connect the dots. "As a young man," writes "Historic Traveler's" Lisa Manhart, Buchanan "committed an unspecified indiscretion that angered his intended bride, and she broke off their engagement. When she died of an illness a few months later, her family forbade him to attend her funeral. Buchanan was devastated, and he disappeared for a time. In the absence of a Mrs. Buchanan, his niece Harriet Lane served as his hostess ... often entertaining guests by playing the piano. When Buchanan moved into the White House as president in 1857, she assumed the social duties of first lady."
While Secretary of State in 1848, James Buchanan had purchased Wheatland, his 22-acre country estate in Lancaster, Penn., attracted to the "privacy, quiet, and beauty of its rural beauty," Manhart notes, and there, he would eventually lead "the life of a country gentleman." The Pennsylvania native was born April 23, 1791, second of 11 children. After graduating from Dickinson College in Carlisle at age 18, Buchanan studied law in Lancaster, and plunged into local politics. Voters elected him state representative in 1814, and he served two terms in the new capital of Harrisburg. Buchanan took his next step up the political ladder in 1820 when he was elected to the first of four terms in the House of Representatives as a Federalist and then, as the Federalist party disintegrated, a fifth term as a Democrat in 1828. President Andrew Jackson appointed him as minister to Russia, where he served in 1832 and 1833. In December of 1833 he was elected to the Senate, where he served until he was appointed Secretary of State under President James K. Polk in 1845.
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Yes
+14I think that is awesome that we had our first gay president before we had a black or a women in the White House. I just saw this subject while I was watching the Presidents on the History Channel!
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By the way, I'd like to add that homosexuality is not just as American as apple pie. It has nothing to do with a country - it's worldwide and a FACT OF LIFE.
Equal rights for all!
What historical evidence is there that Washington had sex with Lafayette, or at least made a pass at him? I'm not denying it, i'm just curious.
Two other points. One is that there is a difference between exclusive homosexuality and bi-sexuality. The second is that i heard on "Politically Incorrect" that some believe Abraham Lincoln was also gay or bi.
Michelle
president that ever served .
My dear Sir:
You have lost a child, a dear, dear child. I have lost the only earthly object of my affections, without whom life now presents to me a dreary blank. M...
My dear Sir:
You have lost a child, a dear, dear child. I have lost the only earthly object of my affections, without whom life now presents to me a dreary blank. My prospects are all cut off, and I feel that my happiness will be buried with her in the grave. It is now no time for explanation, but the time will come when you discover that she, as well as I, have been much abused. God forgive the authors of it. My feelings of resentment towards them, whoever they may be, are buried in the dust. I have now one request to make, and, for love of God and of your dear, departed daughter whom I loved infinitely more than any other human being could love, deny my not. Afford me the melancholy pleasure of seeing her body before its interment. I would not for the world be denied this request.
I might make another, but, from the misrepresentations which must have been made to you, I am almost afraid. I would like to follow her remains to the grave as a mourner. I would like to convince the world, and I hope to convince you, that she was infinitely dearer to me than life. I may sustain the shock of her death, but I feel that happiness has fled from me forever. The prayer which I make to God without ceasing is, that I yet may be able to show my veneration for the memory of my dear departed saint, by my respect and attachment for her surviving friends.
May Heaven bless you, and enable you to bear the shock with the fortitude of a Christian.
I am, forever, your sincere and grateful friend,
James Buchanan
So If you have read this maybe it has opened your eyes that he was a strong Christain and that he truely lost the love of his life, causing him to never find love again. But the only person that he could consult was his dear friend King. So hopefully you can see now the difference between a true friendship Buchanan and King and see that it is far from a relationship,
and once again I will close by saying he was one of our greatest presidents and " History will vindicate me memory" -JB