Non-fiction: Annual Message to Congress, 1858

Overview
James Buchanan's 1858 Annual Message to Congress reviews the nation's condition at a moment of intensifying sectional tension and mounting international responsibilities. The address blends constitutional argument, political defense, and administrative report, aiming to justify the administration's actions while urging moderation and legal adherence. Buchanan frames his remarks around the need to uphold the Constitution, preserve the Union, and maintain the functions of government in the face of agitation over slavery and territorial policy.

Territorial and Sectional Crisis
A central focus of the message is the turmoil in the territories, especially the prolonged controversy over Kansas. Buchanan defends his support for the Lecompton Constitution and criticizes congressional rejection of what he describes as the legitimate expression of territorial will, arguing that hasty interference by Congress has inflamed divisions rather than resolved them. He presents the Kansas struggle as a test of whether local institutions and legal processes will be respected or overridden by sectional hostility.
Buchanan invokes recent judicial rulings to buttress his position, asserting that the Constitution and the Supreme Court's interpretations limit congressional power to exclude slavery from organized territories. He frames the controversy as one demanding fidelity to constitutional guarantees and legal precedent, warning that continued sectional agitation threatens domestic peace and the stability of the Union.

Constitutional Authority and Preservation of the Union
Throughout the message Buchanan stresses the supremacy of the Constitution as the guide for resolving disputes between North and South. He urges temperate conduct from political leaders and citizens alike, arguing that resort to passion or coercion will only accelerate disunion. Preservation of the Union is cast as the paramount public duty, and Buchanan calls for adherence to lawful processes and compromise within constitutional bounds.
He warns against innovations in federal authority that would unsettle the balance between national and state powers. By emphasizing legal channels and the courts, Buchanan presents his policy as a constitutional bulwark against both radical sectional measures and extralegal attempts to advance political aims.

Fiscal and Administrative Matters
On domestic administration Buchanan reports generally favorable fiscal indicators: the public finances show stability, receipts and expenditures are being managed, and there is no pressing public debt crisis. He recommends prudence in taxation and expenditures and continues to favor revenue adjustments that reflect economic conditions while avoiding burdensome tariffs that might provoke sectional resentment. The message touches on civil service efficiency and the need for orderly administration of public lands and revenue collection.
Public improvements and federal responsibilities receive attention as matters of practical governance. Buchanan supports continued attention to internal improvements that promote commerce and settlement, including encouragement of routes to the Pacific, while stressing that such projects should proceed in conformity with constitutional authority and fiscal prudence.

Foreign Relations and National Defense
Buchanan portrays foreign relations as generally peaceful but calls for vigilance in protecting American commerce and citizens abroad. He urges maintenance of a competent navy and adequate coastal defenses to secure trade routes and deter aggression. Diplomatic relations with European powers and neighboring states are described as manageable through respectful negotiation, though the President underlines the need to resist any foreign interference that might exploit internal American divisions.
The message also touches on frontier security and Indian affairs, advocating measured policy to protect travelers, settlers, and federal property while encouraging humane and lawful dealings with indigenous peoples.

Conclusion
The 1858 Annual Message is an appeal for legality, moderation, and national cohesion at a time when political passions threaten institutional stability. Buchanan frames his recommendations as rooted in constitutional fidelity and practical governance: adherence to judicial decisions, respect for territorial processes, careful stewardship of public finances, and readiness to defend American interests abroad. The overarching theme is a call to place the preservation of the Union and the rule of law above sectional ambition and partisan fervor.