Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1848-10-13

The Journal proposes to publish Willard Fill
mores letter of 1889 to the Buffalo anti-slavery
men, IN full instead of half, as it now appears
weekly in that paper, provided 1Ve will publish it.
We agree to the terms offered. and will give it
place in ou- next issue if the Journal will furnish
us with copy in full in its fridays issue. We
do not happen to have a copy of the letter at
hand, and it is for this reason request the
Journal to supply Us with one through its own
columns Chronicle, Of last Wednesday
We agree to furnish you a copy. and don't
think by any means strange that you should
be careless of preserving such documents as
this Fillmore letter.
A word as to the reason we do not keep the
whole letter standing: We published it in
full on the 9Th of September last The latter
portion of it being merely explanatory OF why
he would not give the anti slavery men any
positive pledges, we did not think had any
bearing on the question at issue, and therefore
did not have it set up for our standing edition
of Fillmore's platform. Below we give the
whole letter, and presume we shall see it in
the next Chronicle, with that papers comments,
for which we will wait with considerable Gu
riosity:
BUFFALO, Oc:. II, 1888.
SIR: Your communication of the 18th instant,
as chairman of committee appointed by The
Anti-Slarery Society IF the County Of Erie" has
just come TO hand. You solicit my answer to the
following heterogeneous:
lst. Do you believe that petitions to Congress
on the subject of slavery and the sIave-trade onght
TO be received, read, and respectfully considered
by The representatives of the people
I'd. Are you opposed to the annexation of
Texas to the Union, under any circumstances, so
long slaves are held therein!
Sd. Are you in favor of Congress exercising all
the constitutional power it possesses, to abolish
the internal slave-trade between the States!
4th Are you in favor of immediate legislation
for the abolition of slavery in the District of Co.
lunbia!
| am much engaged, and have no time to enter
into an argument, or to explain at length my rea-
sons for my opinion. | shall therefore content
myself for the present, by answering ALL your
lnterrogatories in the AFFIRMATIVE, and leave
for some future occasion a more extended discus
sion on the subject
| would however take this occasion 10 say, that
IN thus frankly giving my opinion, would not
desire to have it understood in the nature OF a
i pledge. AT the same time that seek no dlsg1lses
but freely give my sentiments on any subject Of in
terest to those for whose suffrages | am a candi-
date, l am opposed to giving any pledge that shall
deprive me hereafter of all discretionary power
My own character must be the guaranty for the
general correctness Of my legislative department
On every important subject I am bound to delb'
crate before act, and especially as legislator
to possess myself of all the information, and listen
to every argument that can he adduced by my as.
sociates, before / give final vote. III stand
pledged to particular course of action, cease to
be responsible agent. but become mere ma,
chine. Should subsequent events show beyond
all doubt that the course had become pledged to
pursue was ruinous to my constituents and dis
graceful to myself, have no alternative, no OPP
portunity for repentance, and there is no power to
absolve me from my obligation. Hence the 'n'-