[fortheDeclaration]

The U.S. House of Representatives had passed the Morrill tariff in the 1859-1860 session, and the Senate passed it on March 2, 1861, two days before Lincoln’s inauguration. President James Buchanan,(emphasis mine) a Pennsylvanian who owed much of his own political success to Pennsylvania protectionists, signed it into law. The bill immediately raised the average tariff rate from about 15 percent (according to Frank Taussig in Tariff History of the United States) to 37.5 percent, but with a greatly expanded list of covered items. The tax burden would about triple. Soon thereafter, a second tariff increase would increase the average rate to 47.06 percent, Taussig writes.

Wait a minute!

Wasn't Buchanan a pro-Southern Democrat!

What is he doing signing in this anti-Southern tariff?

And Lincoln gets blamed for saying he would enforce the law (the tyrant)!

If the Southerners could muster a tie in the Senate, could they have not upheld Buchanan's veto?

http://www.mises.org/fullstory.aspx?control=952&fs=lincoln's%2btariff%2bwar

[GOPcapitalist]

You mean you just now discovered that it passed in the Buchanan administration? You are truly out to lunch, ftD.

Wasn't Buchanan a pro-Southern Democrat!

Nope. He was a moderate Democrat from Pennsylvania who urged a conciliatory policy toward the south but also opposed them on many issues such as tariffs and secession.

What is he doing signing in this anti-Southern tariff?

Being a pro-tariff Pennsylvanian.