The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-08-21
Governor MoDonald and President Fillmore.


We find in the Miledgeville (Ga.) Federal
Union letter addressed by Governor Nc
DONALD, in reply to certain questions pro-
pounded to him by meeting of portion oil
the Democratic party of Lumpkin county, held
at Dahlonega on the 10th of June. In this let
ter the writer makes general profession OF his
political opinions, which we do not propose to
discuss. Our present purpose is confined to
the consideration of so much OF the letter In
question as is devoted to Governor McDoNALD's
"many and grave objections to the principles OF
Mr.. FuLMoRE' This portion Of the docu-
ment we annex:
ssThere are many and grave objections to the
principles of Mr.. Fn LMoRE, which would prevent
my voting for him, were he TO be candidate Tor
President of the United States. His favoring the
agitation in Congress of the subject OF slavery,
AN agitation which consumes the time and wastes
the treasure of our country in discussions, not
only Improbable, but destructive to the besI
interests of the people; his opinion that Congress
ought TO abolish the internal slave trade between
the States" and slavery itself in the District oil
Columbia, ought to be objections to continuing
him in his present position, insuperabe to all true
friends of the Constitution and the Union, in tho
North as we'll as the South. His declared opposi-
ton to the exercise of the power of veto vested by
the Constitution in the President except in cases
of unconstitutional or haSty legislation by Con-
grees, makes him a fit instrument IN the hands
of a wicked or corrupt majority In Congress to
sanction any measure, however unwlse, unjust,
or oppressive it may it be- provided 1t be design
edly and deliberately done, and not subject, IN
his opinion, 10 constitutional objection. The
power of veto was conferred on the Chief Mags-
IL -, 1.sri nt-~ ncfC ro
ito protect popular rights from abuses arising
not only from the usurpation of power by Con
gress, and from errors growing out of hurried
and precpitate action, but from their unjust and
'inexpedient legislation, however cautious and
s-circumspect they might be in the proceedings by
which they propose to accomplish a wrong.
The broad powers claimed by MIR. FILLMORE for
Congress, powers not delegated by a just con-
struction of the Constitution, and dangerous in
the extreme, tending directly to consolidation,
{ If bitually exercised by Congress, must BOON
anulhilate the sovereignty of the States, and
with it the liberty Of the people. For these
reasons could not support Mr.. FILLMORE for
President
Such are the &c many and Craze" objections
which Governor McDoNALD entertains TO the
principles of President FILLMORE. They may
be sufficiently grave, if well-founded; but II
seems to us that a statesman must be more
than usually fortunate when the many" OBJ
jections Of an adversary are really so limited
in number. They touch t,co topics, the slavery
question and the exercise Of the veto power
and we apprehend that we shall have little
difficulty in showing, as far as President FILL
MORE is concerned, that they are as insignifi-
cant in tceight as in number.
1t is not merely with favoring the agitation
of the slavery question in Congress that Gov
ernor McDoNALD charges President FILL
MORE, but also with entertaining at one time
certain Opinions which ought to beinsuperablt
objections TO continuing him in his present pc
sition." One Of these objections, formally stated
in thetex Of the letter, is withdrawn in the note
and as to the other, mentioned in the same SEN
tence, we apprehend that President FILLMORE
'Eopnons" with regard to slavery in the Dis
trict of Columbia are comparatively unimport
ant, while he exhorts his countrymen to orally
upon and maintain" an adjustment which dis
poses of all the questions connected with slave
~, as the only means of maintaining inviolat
the integrity of the Union" 1t is by hi
'acts''-as Mr.. FILLMORE has said of late t
the people Of VIRGINIA-that he desires TO b.
judged. The personal opinions OF the indi
vidual who may happen to occupy the Execu
tive chair" are of little moment. Whether thos
opinions may be Northern or Southern, as Ions
as in the discharge Of his official duties h,
knows neither South nor North, this is all tina
can be demanded or desired What statesmen
may have thought or said fifteen years ago i,
not question of practical Importance in 1851
Ifitw Governor MCDONALD and his friend
ought 10 fall into Mr.. VAN BUREN's ranks, o
the ground that he was super-safe in 1886 o
the question Of slavery in the District.
But besides these specific allegations, we hav
the bold and direct charge that President FILL
MORE "fdrors the agitation in Congress on tn
subject Of slavery" This is a sweeping allie
." IL has occurred 70 me since writing the fore
going that Mr.. Fillmore, at some time since h
wrote his short letter from which collected hi
views, recnnted his opinion that Congress cou
abolish the slave trade between States. II go,
is but just TO him that he should have the ben
eft OF his recantation, which | checrfully ALLOW