Southern standard., 1851-07-05
Letter from President Fillmore.

I The President of the United States, Miard
Fillmore, has written the following letter to the
Boston Common Council, which was read before
that body on the 12.h inst. We have printed GER
tain portions of this letter in italics in order to
draw TO those por ions the particular attention of
our readers. The letter is as follows:
/ WAsHINGroN, June.6, 1851.
Hon Francis Btinley President efhe Common
Council Of the city Of Boston.
SIR: When l had the pleasure of meeting you
and your associates of the committee from Boston,
in New ork, and you did me the honor of inv-
ting me visit your city, and kindly rendered me
on behalf of the common councils. its hospitalities
fondly hoped that should be able, during the
present month, to accept your invitation But L
regret to say that find it inconsistent with what
| deemmy public duty to indulge in this gratfca-
tion;. and, therefore, while l mproloundly CRATE
full for the distinguished honor implied by the invi
tation, feel reluctantly compelled to decline it.
NY personal acquaintance in your city is but
sliyht-but slight as it has been it has left many
pleasant recollectons, and l should have been
/ extremely happy to have renewed and extended
it at this time. have long entertained high
respect for the intelligence and patriotism of the
great of your cilizens, and recent events have
not impaired that respect. You haze been, ard
trust ever aciii be, faW-loving and taU-ot hiding
EUeo1le / know that your devotion to this great
principle has had in your recent efforts
to execute the law for the return of fugitive slaves
Slavery IN any form as repugnont to your feelings
and educotion and tie fatgiti0e naturally and tnev
ita6ly ercites yoar deepest sympathies. Nothing
but a stern sense of duty, founded upon ration
al solemn conviction that constitutional and le-
Gal obligation must be obeyed, at any and every
sacrifice, could have insured the execution of law
!, in case like this. But for myself never doubt
ed that the law would ultimatey triumph
Good faith is the foundation of all morality and all
: social security.
: The fee States have pledged themselves by the
tconstitution to the performance of this duty The
slave States had right to insist, and did insist,
!. upon its performance There then alter
: Ma i've butto break our faith, forfeit our word OF
honor and thereby trample the constitution Of our
: country in the dust, and run the hazard OF civil
= war or else to admit the obligation like honest
true hearted men, and do all in power to com
: : ply with it. still hoping and trustiny that IN dut
time should be decised by those who have the con-
s,itutional power to abolish slavery and who are
8 most deeply interested in its final extinction to
get rid of The eUa without destroying the farest ab
ric of rt edom mortal hands have ever rai ed, and
in its ruins ex:inguishing the last hope of humani
!, ty for sef-goyelnment. Permit me to say. thai
: this government has cost Boston too much to bt
given up or hazarded for slight and trivial causes
) Some OF the patriots of the revolution still lInge
: among you, and the monumental pillar of YOU
q graz efnl recollection of the Heroes who fell a
bunker Hill, would seem to be mockery, if thei
!, sons could SO soon forget that this Constitution
" cost the hearts blood OF their sens.
That your citizens have acted wisely and patri
: oticaly in sustaining the law cannot doubt
!, their conduct has been governed by the highes
$ sense of moral md political obligation; and TO
~ this noble example f,e constrained, as the Chic
! Magistrate, whose especial duty it was to seetha
the laws faithfully executed, to return the CIT
ofl lzens OF Boston my warmest acknowledgements
- - and / should have been mosthappy to have don
= this in person. were it consistent with my ofhcia
a engagements to leave this city
= sWIeh my thanks to you, and through youto IN
citizens OF Boston,, Tor this kind invitation, an
II have the honor to be your friend and fellow-cl
O. izen, M1LLAhD FiLLho , Il hE-
m Here we have the President OF the United State
or excusing the sympaties of thepeople OF Boston
We favor OF escaped slaves. and speaking of SLAYER
,.Iitself as an sega of which il is the duty of til
ee Southern people to rid themselves in due time
nd Nay more he thanks the people of Boston becaus
ir they did not tample the constitution and the Law
he under foot and withhold from southern man h
property by force
mo- Does a citizen of this country deserve cred
Is. and consideration because he refrans from con
mitaing the crime of treason? Mr.. Fillmore seen
to think SO. The President of the United Stat
dectars SLAVERY be seyir and steps beyond Il
limits of his duty by expressing the "hope' an