The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-03-22
The Fillmore Administration.

We have no disposition cherish recollection OF the
bunders and misorunes OF the late administration. We
ase willing that the veil Of oblivion should rest upon that
4caIamous epoch in the history OF the country for ts
contemplation impaT pleasure to the patriot An
tcpang an early redress OF the abuses which has be-
oueathed 10 the country, and the restoration of honest
and Efficient administration OF the government would
consent 10 endure in silence whatever evils have
vived the fall OF wing msrule. OF the ex President
himself we would say nothing that might disturb the
complacency with which he conemplates his own
achievements but we are allowed to follow the inn
pulse Of our feelings In their ndiscree admiration oil
thu late administration, wing journals are continually
thrusisg upon the public attention. claiming for it
vices which il never performed, and magnfyng its
is by dsparagng the character o. other Presidents FL
deiy to our own party not less than duty TO the
nv OF iusous Presidents whose services wantony
traduced demands that The vain boasts of whg aduaton
should be exposed and lis gross Misrepresentation Of
facts be corrected The friends Of Mr. Fillmore have
thought him before the bar of public opinion and their
oicious zeal must be held responsible for the result of
the trial.
The Louisville Journal prefaces elaborate and full
some panegyric on the administration Of Mr.. Fillmore
with the following language;
no brighter page that which records the
of Willard Fillmore. Il will stand out, amid the dreay
waste OF ocooco m,rue like oasis in the desert,
righteous deed in the life OF sinful man"
When we recoect that for the last half century The
government of the country, With but few brief inter-
rupons has been under the control OF the democratic
party and has been administered in accordance with dem
ocratc principles, and when recoect the rapid strides
bywhich the nation has assembled TO the summit OF wealth.
power and glory, we confess that "locofoco mis-
rule" has been wonderfully instrumental in building up
the prosperity Of The Union, and that 'lhe administration
OF Milard Fillmore" only present contrast to the
surrounding prospect by being itself arid waste-an
episode OF disgrace and disaster in the history of the
counuy's onward and upward progress.
With artistic skill the Journal heightens the effect OF
its radiant picture by accumulang a OF gloom in
the back ground and we are led the contemplation of
the glory OF the Fillmore administration through "the
valley OF the shadow OF death" 10 the opinion OF the
Louisville Journal the nation hung the precpice OF
ruin when MIR Fillmore reached out his hand 10 it.
Now the history OF the crisis is this; General Tay
Tor, the President for whom the wing party are respon
sble FILLMORE the Of accidenD bad knded
fame OF national excitement, by persisting in mad
and mischievous policy which Congress would not sane
ton and support When Mr.. Fillmore found himself
President he had but TO the policy OF his prede
cessor and to submi, the whole difficulty 10 democratic
Congress The questoh was settled by Congress, and
Mr. Fllmore's merit consists simply in approving It's
action.
Another difficulty, according 10 the Journal, encoun-
tered Mr.. Fillmore the threshold Of hi, administration
and that bis own bad character!
"Herc. them double impedmontto suspicious
commencement OF the adminstfation-s rising
uonal controversy and 'pieion among f,nds and open
ehnvgn among foes, Of unrtendins in the t1ea,ps ehf
sosthsr~ ,~s titut,ori"
Really, thi. is an original compliment The paneeyrist
oil Mr. Fillmore eckons among the chief OF his exploits
that be succeeded in indicating his character from The
"suspieon OF his friends and the charges Of his foes p
Perhaps il In citing this one achievement Of Mr.
Fillmore, the Journal erhausis all the facts Of his adj
minstraon that available for eulogy II proceeds
then 10 draw upon fiction in the following exravagant
style;
"In Its foreign relations the government was ably and
successfully administered Delicate and com ploated que.
Hons and the solution they received the
prova OF the country Aggression neither pefpetrated
nor submitted To- The comfy and the law OF nations were
strictly observed The honor Of our flag and the rights OF
our citizens were vindicsted upon and maintain
ed upon every land with dignity, 6rmness and reso-
luton ooming the position OF the republic peer in
the coniederacy Of nations"
What evidence is there that the foreign policy OF the
Fillmore administration "me, the approval OF the coun-
uyr The merits Of that administration were thoroughly
oanvassed before the late election, without any very
h,enng result for Mr.. Fillmore at the polls The truth
Is that there not efficient weapon which a
democratic orator could WELD in the of last fall
than nigh, be made OF appeal TO the people agains,
The imbec'y and weakness OF President Flmores for
sgn policy In the matter OF Cuba, OF the fisheries. OF
he Looos Islands, and Of Central America the trucking
nemo'eney OF the late administration sadly conspic
nous The honor OF our flag exposed TO frequent
anu onavenssd insult, and "ihe rights OF ciuzensr
Ne'e ''o'aed with impan,y Ilis true. peace pre-.
served but at the expense Of the national honor, while
spo"ey ., more consistency and frmness would have
been equally successful in maintaining The am;oabe rea
tons Of the government, without any lo.. Of public
character
In eIiolling the administration of NJ r;lIu,o,. :. i
tie domestic aspect the Journal il eonav
and hyperbolical "F,llbusler.m saw. ,ho
editor, sought to involve the coup,rv il 10, IA :
compromise ats honor by aggression upon f,;.oaly
povsf y was speedily tebuked. and i. h,.zs, s,oo,
ass'eed BY the vrcr and snne.. 81 the adminstr.oo
nowhere |" not q man in the country who doe. ,o
Know that the President and cabinet wer, na,ad;o.