The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-02-25

In lew more days the Administration Of this
gentleman closes and he retires to private life
But Mr. Fillmore cannot go back 70 the ordinary
ooVes OF citizenship without taking with him the
soou wishes OF every American, the paudits OF all
VINO 'hihk and reason candidly, and the regrets Of
many sincere friend. His Administration com.
inehceo IN most unquiet state of feeling in the
country; II closes with the restoration of amicable
feelings and the cessation Of sectional disnntes u
needed but single impulse given by his hand 10
/ have set those causes at work that would have
broken the bands Of the Union and scattered and
/ destroyed our power. But his influence has been
given to allay discomfort rather han to foster If
When he had the winds of Reorganization at bis
beck, which would have swept over and desolated
the land in hurricane he has rather preferred to
fling the oil Of compromise and of union over the
troubled waves.
Mr.. Fillmore's whole official career has won the
appreciation and the applause of the country as an
eminently conservative one. To preserve the Con-
sttution and the Union has been his aim. His
measures have been all calculated to disarm the
violence of faction, TO concilate the discordaut
sectional interests of the country, and TO draw
closer the ties that bind us together The nation.
as its grows older, and casts its eyes back on the
history of the present, will then see inpartialIv
and candidly the dangers to which the perpetuitv
of the Union was exposed, and will remember
with gratitude and affectionate praise the agency
of the Administration of Willard Fillmore in its
preservation.
In his foreign policy the same conservative
character has been observed. He has been careful
of our own interests without any unnecessary in
reference with the interests of others BE has
been just in all his dealings with foreign nations.
while he has maintained our honor with dignity.
and our rights with hrmness. The American cha
racter has been elevated abroad by his Adnlinistra
ton; there never was period in the history ofthe
country when the influence Of America was more
widely felt, when the power of America was more
universally feared, and when the name of an Anne
rcan citizen was greater and more effective safe
guard, than at the present moment. Yet his Ad
mlnistration has been peaceful. We have had no
destructive anddesolating wars. We have ACQUIRED
no foreign territory by rapacity or conquest This
greediness of acquisition, which is BECOMING n
national Characteristic has been restrained bv Mr.
Fillmore, and we have treated our weak neighbors
with justice and moderation under his guidance.
The peace that now reigns over the land, and its
attendant prosperity, justly to be ascribed to
the forbearance of Mr. Fillmore. Aless conserya.
tive administration would have involved u5 in
war with some of the most powerful nations on
earth and would have brought upon the country
all the evils that war entails upon commercial
prosperity, domestic quiet, internal improvement
and the moral character of the land
There are two classes of persons who will NOT
allow the merits Of MIR. Fillmore's government
the agitators, whose hopes of political advance
ment were crushed by the Settlement of the Com
promise; and the ilibustera whose passion for the
acquisition of Cuba he has checked by his prompti
tude. Beyond these classes the nation and even
his political opponents will do him justice. The
former claes will pursue him even to the grave as
they have done the lamented Webster, with their
bitter vituPerations. He defeated their desires for
disunlon, and they never will forgive him. The
latter will Dersecute his fame with their hostiIities
until some less patriotic President will be driven
BY their solicitations into an aggressive war for
Cuba, in the midst of the evils of which even thew
will be forced to confess that MiIlard Fillmore was
right