The daily union., 1852-12-05
The Fillmore Administration.

Ihe New York Commercial Advertiser invites edi-
tors and other gentlemen OF all political parties 10
fair and candid review OF President Fmore's admins
trson The occasion is indeed propiiious 10 The task
for while political friend has nothing hope. political
foe has nothing 10 fear from the power OF an admnisa
on that must SO surrender the reins OF goyemmsn,
We suspect. however that feeling less selfish and mora
noble than thirst for Executive fayorthe bias OF an
honest political atiaehmenl-has warped The judgmen, al
our whg contemporary. and induced it 10 pronounce =
panegyric The administration OF President Fillmore
which the impartial voice OF history will not sanction
The influence OF party prejudice only could have dictated
declaration OF cordial commentator OF The ,ohos mol
ICY foreign and domestic OF the presea, administration
The Advertiser. after expaating on the trials and per
plexites which met President Fillmore at The threshold
Of power awards him the highest praise for his conduct
In reference to the compromise measures
"A single OF the Executive and bis cabinet in h,
roubious time when President Fillmore called 10 ha
chief magsracy by inscrutsble dispensaon of p,o,
dence, the slightest indication Of sec,onaism the least
mantle taon Off disposition ulhs with spirit Of the
constitution yield than requed or the faint
est symptom OF qnang before the excited camor Of either
North South In that hurricane of agitation woud-we
will not say have severed the Uaion of sta,es-lu,
unqaestonably have weakened, and probably destroy.
ed for the remainder Of Mr.. Flnoe's erm that great
moral power of the government by which alone be
II such were the awful consequences which stared
President Fillmore in the FACET. indeed he was con-
onted by the alternative here presented by the Adver
iserit not possible for him 10 parsue any bu the
very course which he did pursue The path Of duty was
clear and unmslakabe. and he was impeed along il by
power which he could not question or resist, Presi.
dent Fillmore gave the Executive sanction to the fugi
law, and for no other act OF his administration
L.ul L. Laox H.. -. -. 4
have done otherwise I His party creed condemns The
exercise of the presidential veto, except arrest an un
constitutional hasy enactment; and 10 neither OF
these objections the fugtiveslave bill obnoxious
BY yielding to the clamor Of seconasn--such is the
assurance Of the Commercial Adver,ser-Mr Fillmore
would have 'severed the Union," al least have
= weakened and probably destroyed the moral force OF
the government during the remainder OF bis term" while
by simply giving formal assent the enactment Of
Congress and the manifest will Of the people, be pre-
served his own power and perpeiuated his lame. The
performance Of an imperative duty in The absence OF all
temptation TO wrong does not deserve The extravagant
praise which the Advertiser awards Dir Fillmore for
signing the fugitve-slave bill.
Passing to the foreign policy OF Mr.. Fmoes admin
straon, the Advertiser processes 10 believe that history
will approve It's wisdom II So the award OF history
will reverse the judgment OF contemporary opinion The
foreign policy OF the present administration is almost uni
versay condemned II has been beyond example va.
cillaiing temporzing, feeble and inefficient The lofty
tone Of its hghsounding proclamaons affords an anu
sing contrast 10 its trucking conduct In no one Instance
has il asserted American rights vindcated American
honor with becoming spirit; consequently the most in
significant powers have presumed 10 outrage the and
10 insult the other Excessive. indeed be the peu-
dice OF party that everything TO commend and moth
ing in the foreign policy OF President Fill
more.
The Commercial Advertiser persuades itself that lie
recent defeat of The whig party involves OF
the whig administration, President Fillmore moi
candidate before the country And why was he not
candidate The is, his party did not choose 10
the burden Of his administration in The race The
rejection Of MIR, Fillmore by The Wing Convention
tablishes the fact Of his weakness with his party and
with the country. The nomination OF General Scott wa,
In effect reputation by the wbig party OF the policy Of
President Fillmore Bot, although the whig party de-
clined 10 the responsibility OF Mr. Flmores ad-
the democrats pressed it upon them The
country accepted the issue-ibe defeat OF Scott
verdict against Fillmore and The Advertiser will scarcely
be successful in the aemp; TO shield bis administration
from the blow.
Il were unjust 10 base accusation OF political raneor
in the preceding paragraphs We do not write from The
impulse OF party feeling Accepting the result Of the rt
cent election the judgment Of the nation against The
OF President Fillmore, are averse to rt.
vying the issues Of the past three years But the e1
lravagant claims Of the whg press should pass
questioned To commend the administration Of President
Fillmore is 10 the conduct Of the party which
opposed his policy and disputed his executive capacity
and in issue between whg Presiden, and the demo.
cratic party, the duty OF this journal is clear and mpera-
tive.