The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-05-14

trying 10 persuade my fellow citizens TO accept the
Compromise measures bond Of peace and
| friendship between the North and South, "as
hnal settlement in principle and substance Of the
dangerous questions they embraced" was per-
secuted by the orators and newspapers, who sought
persuade the people to accept the counsels OF iba
famous Nashville Convention, because refused 10
threaten dissolution of the Union in the event of
The repeal or modification of the Fugitive Slave law
responded to those prosecutions by saying that
neio u 10 be Inconsistent with true patriotism TO
threaten dissolution OF the Union remedy
| ior an evil that might never come and that 1
chose rather to rely upon the guarantees of
the Constitution, and confde in the Justice, 10y
atty and patriotism Of the people at the North.
IN snort, fellow ciHzens, never in Legislative
halls or popular assemblies have / resorted to
the cheap and easy mode Of winning popularity in
my own section by seeking to arouse preiudiccs
and passions against another section of my coun-
try; nor have shrunk from the responsibilities Of
any duty which ] believed would contribute 10
maintain those fraerna feelings between the diff
ferent parts OF our common country which are ne
cessary to Its harmony and stability. beg you to
believe, fellow citizens, that do not thus refer TO
my humble political life in vain spirit of ego.
tism, or for the purpose Of winning your approval
am seeking to persuade you not TO be offended
when speak to you frankly and candidly upon
ated great difficulties in the politics of our country
for some years past, and which now threaten the
iisruption OF the two great political parties which
have 30 long struggled for ascendancy.
why 10 ~ tndt nitIlard Fillmore ought to be
nominated as q candidate for the Presidency, and
elected to that high office Independent of the I'M
sullied and unimpeachable purity of his personal
character-in independent of the admitted fact that
he has ably and faithfully discharged the duties Of
every office which has ever been conferred upon
acknowledgements Of the general merits of his Ad-
lninistration in the high Office which he now fills
by his conduct in relation to the great political crisis
when. by the death OF president Taylor, he acceded
TO the Prcsidency-he has, in my opinion, estab-
lished a just claim to nomination and election.
will not rccapitulate the difficulties he had to en-
counter. We know how he conquered his own ante
cedents bis own prejudices, and how firmly he met
the acquisitions Of duty, and discharged them with
prudence that has never been exceeded. will not
dwell on the danger this Union was in; but full
well DO you know that. II Mr.. Fillmore had not at
that time used his influence and power for it's safe
ty, 1t would have been convulsed to the centre if
not broken up. All men know this; even they who,
Tor theirown purposes, now pursue him with the ma
llgnlty OF hends IL is because he did not and will not
become sectional politician, that we of the South
Will support him. Here juvenile cheor on the out
skirts OF the crowd-"Hurray for Scott" at which,
ONE laughter Did he then act otherwise than
IN the path OF duty? And is it true that the North
will desert him? Ia not his character pure and I'M
Improbable? Who dare assail il? Has he not, in
all his administration, consulted the safety Of the
Union and the Republic?
And shall he be sacrificed to appeasc the ven
geance OF those who sought and yet seek to plunge
the Republic into irremediable difficulties? Neither
justice, nor enlightened policy, nor patriotism.
can sanction such result There is, then, con-
tend, high principle involved in his nominal
ton and re election. We trust that this Govern
ment Is to live for ages yet to come; and we know
that 1t may meet with many dangers that may
test its stability; and We look upon it as q pr in
cipie OF high policy that we should mark with our
approval the course of him who, in the moment
when he was called on to stand for the Union
loyal to the duties of bis staon-gave security to
that Union endangered as it was by the perls that
imPended over IL. We are called upon by high
political duty TO give such TO all future
fresidents, who may, in the progress OF the coun-
try, be required to encounter great public dangers
as VIII make them courageously perform their du-
~ TO the country, though the fires of fanaiicism
and party vengeance may be kindled Tor their de-
sruction. We must teach them by our conduct
now that firm and patriotic performance OF their
duty VIII always be approved and sustained by the
people. And Ia 1t, can ii be, true that the North
VIII not bear its part in rendering such tribute to
Willard Fillmore?
friend has just placed in my hand a Geographic
despatch, which, for one important locality gives
an answer TO my question. 1t is dated "Buffalo,
May 10TH" and says: Fillmore delegates have
been elected in every ward in the city by large
majorities. The district convention will be largely
the same way (Applause.l The home Of Mil
iard f1imore thus endorses his claims. Zap
plause] But let me return from this DEPRESSION,
and repeat my conviction that it ia a principle Of
high importance to the future welfare Of the coun.
try, which ought To be established now, that the
VINO in great emergency shall act as Willard
fiiiinore has acted. But il may perhaps be said.
"Ali this is true, abstractly speaking-it sounds
wei In Discriminatory speech--but'wcare practical
IN our VIEWS we want candidate who can be
elected. Fillmore has not the merit of avaiiabii.
~ He cannot obtain the votes in convention ne
cessary TO nomination; and even il he should
get the nomination, he could not be elected. we
want an available candidate; therefore we go for
General Scott" Let US examine this question
Of availability; first with respect TO the nomi-
nation, and secondly as to the election. And
the speaker advertcd to n memorandum which
ne held In his hand, and showed that hun
dred and forty votes in the convention would
nominate candidate, and tbat the Same number
would elect President. The Southern States,
exclusive OF Delaware, we're entitled 10 one hum
dred and sixteen votes, wanting only thirty-two
votes oil the number necessary to nominate a can
didate, or elect President; and he said conf
IDENTITY that II the Northern States would exhibit
thirty two votes for the nomination of Mr.. Fill
moro, he believed the South would cast for him at
the Baltimore Convention one hun red and sixteen;
and thus the nomination would be secured Let
New York cast for him the thirty. FIVE votes to
which she was entitled, and he would be willing to
vouch for his certain nomina ton. And secondIy.
ne TO the election. he firmly believed that IL there
was Wing in the United States who could be-
elected President, Willard Fillmore was the man.
Of all who have been mentioned, ne was the most
available man. IGreat cheering Why 10 be
mott You may hear, any day, Democrats from
Mississippi, Alabama, and even from Virginia, say,
Hht ~ CERTAIN epcclned Democratic candidate be
nominated at Baltimore, those States will GO for
Fillmore II he be a candidate. And so, in such
contingency, he believed they would. And thus
II would be seen 10 be con tingcncy, not be-
yond the range Of possibility. that every South
ern State might cast its votes for him; and,
in that event, only thirty two votes would be need
cd from the North TO elect him. But il is
urged that General Scott can obtain the votes
OF several States that Mr. Fillmore cannot OBJ
tain Why should htl What reason exists why
any true Wing should not vote for Mr.. Fillmortl
iias he abandoned Wing principlesl Wherein has
be failed to do his whole dutyi But II is insisted
that General Scott can get votes which Mr.. Fill
more cannot get. IA voice: eyes, yes, he will get
the votes OF the Abolitonists."l He would not say
word in disparagement OF that hero. lie was
sure General Scott did not intend any evil 20 the
Republic. But he declared il TO be prcposterous to
expect him to get one electoral vote south Of Ma
son and Dixon's line, in his present position, and
under the circumstances tchich surrounded him The
same causes which were supposed 10 make him
more available ut the North than Mr.. Fillmore,
madc 1t utterly impossible for any Southern State
TO support him. This nc asserted. whoever might
assert TO the contrary; and rssults world yindicate
the correctness Of his opinion. Supcrscdc such
men rs Fillmore and Webster, and nominate a
Aal. No.