Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-09-08
1T WON'T DO.

The Mobile Advertiser publishes with great re-
joicing the following letter from Fillmore, which
has been handed 10 j, BY Gov. Gayle, OF Congress,
for publication. The Advertiser ills i! as frank
and explicit and all that any Southern man
could expect from citizen OF free State" as
"periectly sound-a thai The South could ASK;
and Gov. Gayle says. "upon this suhjecl no man
is sounder than Mr.. Fillmore" Now, VT asser,
unhesalngly and We call upon all candid mea
TO judge for themselves, that this letter does no,
touch in the least degree The Abolition letter OF
Fillmore in 1885, In thai letter he SAYS explicit
ly tina, he is Tin favor OF Congress exercising all
The constitutional power ii possesses 10 abolish
The inte nal Stare trade bcf,oeel The STATES" and is
Gin favor OF immediate legislation for the aboli
ton OF slavery in the District of Columbia" Does
his letter to Gov. Gayle, which refers eretus,peir
10 slavery IN tic STATS, at all touch or explain
these Two "vey highly Objectionable ant alroci
Gus points, Ard 90 they no, still stand forth as
boldly and unblusbingly as beiore1 Does not
Milard Fillmore cnniinna Tho n~n".l:S"d
.te1i..sist alter as before bis letter 10 Gov. Gaye7
|. cannot be denied and We challenge lhe Wing
press TO publish The letter Of 1893 together with
The Gayle letter, SO that Southern Wings may
judge for themselves OF The true position OF Fill.
more.
1t is in vain 10 say that Fillmore, in disclaim.
ing all jurisdiction of Congress over slavery in
the SfGtss, has exempted himself from The charge
OF abcliiionism. We have already shown hat
Mir Fillmore voted for Inc first Of The her,ou
resolutions, which is in these words:
"Rrsoved, That this is government of lim.
tel powers; and that, by The constitution OF The
United STATES, Congress had no jurisdiction what
ever over The institution oil slavery in The several
States OF The confeieracy."
Mr.. Fillmore voted for this and so did
Corwin, and Giddings, and The other Abo
lilonis,s The abolition Barnburners have
adopted like resolution, which goes as far
as ibis Gayle letter OF Fillmore. Blu, Fillmore
wen, farther, and really vo!ed in Congress, that
Congress could do that indirectly which they could
mol do directly, viz: abolish The slave trade be-
tween The States, and abolish slavery 10 The Dis
trct OF Columbia These vote, are in exac, &C.
curdance with the abolition sentiments Of his letter
in l838-aud we have nothing from Fillmore 10
explain or exenuae those infamous and fatally
dangerous views.
The question is therefore, untouched, and we
call upon MIR. Lyons and The Southern Wings,
who will not degrade themselves aud sacrifice The
South by voting for an apowed aboliiionsl, 10 de-
mand of Fillmore full and explicit recanlation
of The arocious sentiments OF the letter Of 1888
Let The pledge to Mr.. Caskie be redeemed. Lit
M,liard Fillmore be Dri'tcn IT,!
ALBANY, N. T., July 81, 1913.
Hon. John Gaplc:
DEAR Sir: have your letter Of the 18Th insi.,
bu, my official duties have been 40 pressing that
have been compelled 10 neglect my private cor
respondents ! had also determined 10 write no
letters for publication bearing upon The contest III
The approaching canvass. But as you desire
some Information Tor your own satisfaction in re-
gard 10 the charges brought against me from The
South, ON the slave question: concluded 10 stare
briefly my position.
While was in Congress. there was much asi-
talon on the right OF petition. My vote will
doubtless be found recorded uniformly in lavo CT
il. The rule upon which acted was. tina, every
citizen presenting respectful petition 10 the bo-
DIV that by the constitution had me power 70 oran'
or refuse Inc prayer oil IT, was entitled 10 DC heard;
anu ilttISlOlC We peiOu oueHt w pS itSclFeu anu
considered. II right and reasonable, the prayer Of
il should be granted; bu il wrong or unreasona.
BILE il should be denied. | III nix all my votes,
whether on The reception OF petitions or The con-
sideraiiun Of resolutions, will be found consslen;
with this rule.
have none Of my Congressional documents
here, they being at my former residence in Bur
falo, nor have access to any papers or memo
randa TO refresh my recollection; but think at
some time while in Congress took occasion to
state, in substance, my views on the subject Of
siarery in tbs States. Whether the remarks
were reported or not am unable to say, but the
substance was, that regarded slavery as an
evil but one with which the National Govern.
ment had nothing 10 do. That, by the Constilu.
ton of the United States, the whole power over
that ques ion was vested in the sereral States
,riere thu institution oas tolerated. II they r.
garded il as a blessing, they had constitutional
right 10 enjoy it, and if they regarded il as an
evil, they had The power, and knew best how 10
apply the remedy did not conceive that Con.
gress had any power over it, or was in any way
responsible for its continuance in the rerai
States aohere it eristed. have entertained no
other sentiments on this subject, since ex
AHMED il sufficiently to form an op Mon, and
doubt not that all my acts, public anil p'trats,
,rilL be found in accordance Nth This rier.
l have the honor to se your obedient servant,
WILLARD FILLMORE.
PLAIN TALK.
Yesterdays Wing gives rather more crtcnaed