The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-07-11


young member OF the opposition TO distinguish him.
self But talent integrity and assiduous devotion 10
pubhc business VIII cake man ielt ana resPectsu,
even amidst body Of opposing partisans and Mr..
Fillmore although in hopeless minority, FAR as any
question Of political party bearing was involved,
on all questions Of general character soon won the
confidence Of the House in unexampled degree. II
was common remark among the members, II Fill
more rays IL Is right will vote for i'll
The most important measure of general nature
that came up during his service Ia the state Legisla
ture was the bill to abolish imprisonment for debt.
Mr.. Fillmore took active part urging with unan-
swera bic arguments its justice and expediency an d.
ms member Of the committee on the subject aiding
to perfect its details That portion of the bill relating
to justices courts drafted by him. the remain
being the work of the Hon John c. Spencer. The
bin met with fierce, uprelentng opposition at every
step OF its progress, and to Willard Fillmore as much
as TO any other man, indebted for expunging
from the statute book that relic OF cruel barbarous
aEe-imprisonmentf for debt.
lie was elected to Congress in the fall of 1882 The
session OF 1888 will long be remembered as the one
In which the system Of politics, known under the
comprehe nsive name Of Jacksonism, fully deve-
Hoped During his first term. Gen jackson, and those
who filled the high ofhees Of government. and shaped
the policy Of the administration, pursued COMPARE
lively cautious But the ordeal Of the election
Of 1882 having been passed, the mask was thrown of
The ell. cton Of Gen Jacks construed into
popular approval of all his acts whether committed or
only medtsed, and then by gross usurpations Of
cutiye authority and understandable exercise OF pow
coBsttutionally granted, we're perpetrated those
gross outrages which. defended as they were by an
interruptions spirit of partsanship have done more
icen tious spirit Of radicalm, missalled democracy
and fill the heart Of every patriot with sad forebodngs
iican institutions could have done in century 1t
in the stormy session Of 1883 immediately sue.
ceedng the removal Of the deposits that Mr. Fillmore
took his seat In those days the business OF the
House and debates we're led by old and experienced
members-new unless they enjoyed widespread
and almest national reputation rarely taking
tive and cons pcuous part Little chance, therefore,
afforded Mr.. Fillmore member OF the opposition,
young and unassumng Of displaying those Qualities
hat anil I'M
But the school admirably qualified more fully
to develope and cultivate those powers which, under
more favorable circumstances, have enabled him to
render such varied an impoi tan services to his
try As he has done In all the stations he has
never emitting on all proper occasions, any effort to
advance the interests OF his constituents and the
country and winning the respect and confidence of all
Az the close OF his term OF service he resumed the
practice ofhis profession which he pursued with dis
tuguished reputation and success until yielding to
the public voice. he consented become candidate,
ard was reelected to Congress in the fall Of 1886 The
remsrks above made in relation to his service in the
I'D Congress will messuraby apply to his second
term. Jacksonism and the pet bank system had, In
the march of the progressive Democracy" given
place to Van Burensm and the Sub-trsssury. 1t
old republican principles and an advance to the loco
focosm Of the present day In this Congress Mr. Fill
more took more active part than he did during his
first term and the assembling Of the Congress
to which he was re elected by largely increased
jority, he was assigned prominent place on what,
next to that Of Ways and Means 1t justly autci
pated would become the important mittee Of
the House-that Elections 1t in this Congress
that the famous contested New Jersey case up.
1t would swell this brief biographical sketch to too
great length to enter upon the details Of that case
and IL is the less necessary to do inasmuch the
by party calling itself republican, and claiming to
respect State rights must yet dwell In the reoollec
The appointment part which Mr. Fillmore took in that
case his patient Investigation of all its complicated
nit ute details; the clear convincing manner in which
quence with which he denounced the medtated wrong.
all strongly directed public attention to him OF
the ablest men of that Congress- distinguished as it
by the eminent ability and craftsmanship Of many
of members. Public indignation was awakened by
the eLormty of the outrage, and In that long
erng people to action resulted in the signal over
throw Of corrupt and insoent dynasty in $780, the
New Jersey case stood marked and conspicuous.
on tn, assembling Of the next Congress, to which
Mr.. Fillmore elected by majority larger than
was ever before given in his district he placed at
the head of the Committee on Ways and Means. The
duties of that station always arduous and
were at that time peculiarly SO A new ADMINISTERS.
ton had come into power, and found public affairs in
a state Of the greatest arrangement. Accounts had
been wrongly kept peculaion Of every kind abounded
in almost every department of the government the
revenue inadequate to meet the ordinary ex-
penses the already large existing debt was rapidly
swelling In magnitude, commerce and manufactures
we've depressed, the currency was deranged, banks
embana ssed and general distress pervaded the
community To bring order out OF disorder to re-
piensh the national treasury to provide that
would cpabie the government to meet the demands
against 1t and to psy OF the debt to revive the indus
OF the country restore It's wOotcd prosperity
these the tasks derolsed upon the Committee Of
Ways acd Means. To increase their difficulties, the
minority composed Of that party that had brought
the country and government into su,h a condition,
instead OF aiding repair the evil they had done uni
foimly opposed almost every means brought forward
for relief and too often their unavsiing efforts were
successfully aided by treachereus Executive. But
with energy and devotion to the public veal, wor-
thy of all admiration Mr FILLMORE applied himself to
ened patriotism has rarely been eQualed and never
surpassed, succeeded in it's accom- plishment
matches ability, speedily relieved the government
from it's and have fully justified the
most ssnguine expectations Of their benign influence
upon the country at large. new and more accurate
Of keeping accounts rendering them clear aud
intcnsibis, was Introduced The f.voritism and pc
euaton which had so long disgraced the departments
I'D plupdcred the treasury, checked by the
QUESTION Of contracts The credit OF the government
gencies OF the public service and the psymeat OF the
national debt incurred by the former Administration.
Commerce andmanufaetures revived and prosperity
and hope smiled upon the land The country
yet too keenly feels the suffering then endured
aud too justly appreciates the bsnshcent and wonder
fu change thai has been wrought to render than
an ausion to those matters necessary The labor Of
devsing explaining, and defending measures produc
tive Of such happy results was thrown chiefly on Mr.
low wings; but on hiu nevertheless the main Iespon
sibiiy rested.
After his long aud severe la5ors in the committee
Toon-lRbors sufficiently arduOus 70 break down any
lut Of an iIon constituton-sustained by spirit
thai nothing could conquer, he was required 70 give
uni emit ling attention 10 the business OF the House,
TO make any explanation that might be asked and 20
be ready with complete and triumphant refutation
of cavil objection that the ingenious sophis
try OF iactious minority could devise. All this too,
required 10 be done with promptness, ccarness,
dignity, and good temper For the proper perform
OF these varied duties few men are more happily
qualified than Mr.. Fillmore. At chat fortunate age
when the ply steal aud intellectual powers display
ed In the highest perfection and the hssy impulses Of
youth without any loss Of its vigor brought under
control Of large experience in public affairs With a
mind capable Of descending to minute details well
conserving grand system Of natiorsl policy, calm
and deliberate In judgment self possessed and fluent
IN debate Of dgnihed presence never unmindtul of
the couieses bcco ming social and public intercourse
aud OF political integrity uniupeachatle he was adj
miraby fitted for the post Of leader Of the 9th Con-
eress
ust before the close Of the FIRST session Of this Con-
eress MIR FILLMORE in letter addrer sed 10 his
stituents signed his intention not TO be candidate
for reelection. He acknowledged with gratitude and
pride the cordial and generous pport given him by
hts constituents but the labor deyolvcd upon
him by his official duties demanded some relaxation,
asd private affairs necessarily neglected in some de-