the days of their planting and her part in the ceremony.2 James Buchanan purchased Wheatland in December, 1848, from Mr. William Morris Meredith. Buchanan became established at Wheatland in mid-May, 1849. 3 Knowing that he would be a political contender for the presidential nomination, he began to

the local bar, devoted themselves to politics. Among the politically active law- yers of the time were James Buchanan, who when Stevens arrived was Senator from Pennsylvania, Thomas Henry Burrowes, one of Stevens's old political allies, and Amos Ellmaker, who in 1832 was the Antimasonic party's

Ben Wade. Wendell Phillips, Peter Cooper, and Henry Carey; the gold block included Garfield, Blaine, Conkling, Morrill, Fessenden, and Washburne.68 Stevens had limited respect for his fellow countian Simon Cam- eron and his regard for James Buchanan, a Lancaster Democrat, can be described as that of

, their adopted son, James Buchanan, a constituent of his mortal enemy, Thaddeus Stevens- Other Presidents have often had to contend with representa- tives from their home districts who were members of the opposition party but never before or since has such a representative risen so meteorically to the

the author. The staff at the library of the Lancaster Newspapers Incorpor- ated was always more than willing to aid in procuring the news- papers used in this paper. The facilities of the Lancaster County Historical Society were indispensable as were the services of Mrs. Charles Lundgren, the Society