 The Secretary of State during his service was James Buchanan, who later became the 15th President.Originally, Daniel S. Dickinson and John Adams Dix, the U.S.Senators from New York wanted Polk to appoint Livingston as Head of the U.S. Legation to the Papal States, but after much discussion, Dix and Dickinson agreed to suggest a South American post to Livingston and Polk immediately sent the appointments of Jacob Martin (to the Papal States), Elijah Hise (to Guatemala) and John Appleton (to Bolivia) to the Senate and, two weeks later, sent an appointment for Livingston as charge to Ecuador.