The Minnesotian. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1851-1852, 1852-02-28
WILLARD FILLMORE AND HIS ADMINS
TRATION.

At the death of Gen. Taylor, the coun-
try was in state of seething, boisterous
agitation from the St. John to the RIo
Grande-from the Atlantic to the Pacific
upon the slavery question. The great
measures of compromise were before
Congress, unconsummated. Presently they
were passed, and the Locofoco press and
politicians of the country prophesied
veto. "Fillmore is an Abolitionist--he
will not-he dare not approve these bills
Their hopes were disappointed; and the
five acts of Congress became laws. Then
at the North and the South Fanaticism
became demoniac. Defiance was hurled
at the Executive. He was dared to at
tempt the execution Of certain one of
the measures. But he did execute it
even in the city Of Boston, where the
concentrated force of Abolitionism was
backed by coalition with the Democrat
ic party, SO called, to resist the officers of
the law. And now, the agitators seeing
the determined will of the President to
adhere strictly TO the sacred obligations of
his oath, let the consequences be what
they may, we hear very little about re-
sistance. The stormy waves are subsi-
ding, and calm rests upon the troubled
waters.
The Wing party for years had rest
ed under the libelous imputation of a
sympathy with European dcspotism.-
"You areimonarchists-British Whigs,"
had been the charge dinned into the ears
of the people from the time of our recol-
lection. 1t was in vain we protested to
the contrary. We were not in power,
and could not prove our faith by our
works. But soon after Mr.. Fillmore be-
came President, Austria, perhaps led to
believe the oft-repeated tale that the
Wings were her allies, threw one of her
diplomatic missives in the way of Mr..
Webster. The result is known TO every
American-to the whole world. At the
home Of his childhood, he tells us in a
late dinner table speech, inhaling the pure
and free air of his native hills, the Great
Statesman of the century sat him down
one autumnal afternoon, and gave to HUI
man Liberty declaration of American
policy and American principles, destined
to stand only second to the immortal
charter of '76. The brazcn falsehoods
Of our opponents were scattered as chaf:
and the worst revilers of the Wing party
were compelled to acknowledge the
Hulsemann letter" as an embodiment
OF the orthodox faith of all true Americans
upon matters Of foreign policy. There
we stand as Wings, upon the very out
posts of Universal Freedom; and nc
statesman OF the opposite party has dared
to advance one step farther.
One other measure, which has been the
theme of bitter party denunciation, may
be alluded to here. The ill-fated Gu
ban prisoners" had oceans of crocodile
tears shed for them by editors and orators
Of the opposite party. 1t was the "weak
and imbecile policy of the Administra-
ton" that had consigned these "Ameri-
can citizens to the mines of Spain
And yet, although they had placed them
selves without the pale of governmental
protection, the " imbecile Administration
was all the while exerting that powerful
moral strength which it had gained by
fair and right dealing with other nations
"a moral strength in this particular
which no former administration had pos
sessed for the last twenty years-to pro-
cure the freedom of these de!uded young
men. The end was accomplished, even 10
the release Of the last man, John S.
fhrasher, whose discharge from Spanish
thraldom is announced by the last mail
And in few months we expect to hear
that, by the .intercession of President
Fillmore, through Mr.. Webster, Mitchell,
Meghear and O'Brien, the cxied Irish
Patriots, again walk the earth as free
men.
So successful has been the administra-
ton Of of Mr.. Fillmore, in every meas
ure 1t has undertaken to carry out, and SO
truly national and American have been all
these measures, that no argument is re-
CURED to secure their hearty endorsement
by the people. They speak for them
selves; and the opposition of politicians
of the other party is only an opposition to
secure the spoils of Office. They have no
great measures to propose as the basis of
their party's action in the coming presi-
dental election, that are at varience u,;,h