The true Democrat., 1856-06-24
From the Texas State Gazette
MT. FilImOre's :. Past Careers

MT. FillmOre's :. Past Career.-
 Extract from tue proceedings ot American part
 of Tfavis Caunty, 19h April 1856.
 "Resolced, That in WILLARD FILLMORE
 of New York, we recognize an enlightened pa
 triot and statesman, of liberal and enlarge
 views, elninently conservative and national il
 character and feeling, whose past career fur
 nishes ample guarantees of his devotion to th
 Union, and that if elected to the office of Pre-
 sdent, he will guard and protect the just right
 of every section."
 Reported by Messrs. E. R. Peck, Wm. E
 Jones, Dr. M. A. Taylor, Dr. w. c. Phillips
 and Col. John s. Ford
 Last week we made public some of the re- cord ot the past career" of MT. Fillmore The more we stir it. the worse it becomes. We hope these records will be preserved.- Below we bring to light some further facts They show him to have been the opponent O secret societies, to the extent of seeking to pu, down the F}eemasons," for their secrecy . They show him to have been the perseyerino opponent of slavery from his earliest conqres sonal career down to 1847 Are these the bril. liant acts in Mr. Flllmore's "past career" over which Texas IS invited, by the resolution at the head of this article to rejoice, and which are to induce us to ratlty his nomination for the Pre- sidency?
 SECRET SOCIETIES.
 Willard Fillmore commenced his political career in 1927 as an anti Mason. In 1928 he was the antl- Masonic nominee for the Assem- ply from Erie county. The convention which nominated him was held in Buffalo on the 18th of October That convention issued an ad- dress which, according to the Buffalo Courier: contained the following propositions against secret societies. We commend them to the attention at once of Masons and Know No things:
 l. That large body of our citizens who do not belong to the order, are mysteriouslv in fuenced by those who do."
 2. We honestly believe the spirit of Ma sorry (secre societies) to be essentially opposed to the security of the citizens, to the impartial administration of the laws and to reverence to religion"
 5. The institution Is at war with the spirit of our free government hostile to all equality of rights, and an impossible barrier to the administration of justice"
 1. "The equality of rights which the con- s-itutlon expressly guarantees, cannot exist, while secret society shelters its members, and the ascendency of law and good order cannot be maintained in community, while an ex- tenslve and influential body of men claim and exercise the power of imposing and enforcing obligations which must often come into direct colllSson with the laws and duties of societv.n
 Q. "Moral sentiment constitutes the only wea- pon With which the strong hold of Masonarv (secret socetles) can be assaled, and this en- zine, If properly directed, will prove sufficient to battle down its bulwarks, and expose to the gaze and derison of the world the mystic mummery with which it has shrouded it's de- ceitful and detestable principles"
 b. " It Is valn to temporlze and palter with our duty. If we wish to destroy the baneful influence ot Masonry (secret societies) we must withhold our vote from those who support 1t. We frankly acknowledge that in some cases personal and political friendship render this duty painful and difficult to perform. but, as honest and faithful citizens, we are bound to sacrifice our prediectons for individuals, to the safety and success of the important principles we have espoused, and why should we startle at measure in defense of our rights, which our opponents have successfully used to usurp them? They are bound by oath ito vote for a brother before any person of equal qualifca- tions," and "support his military and political preterment in opposition to another"
 {. Is not necessary, in self-defence, to re- siSt this alarming conspiracy? Can we shut our eyes to the fact that ambitious and desiging men have attached themselves to this institution to obtain that preferment of which they were un- deserving? When 1t shall become well estab- lished that Masonry Secret soceties) has ceas- ed to afford its superior advantages for polit- lolI ha ;,l,, .L sustain the institution will be lost"
 OPPOSITION TO SLAVERY
 On the 3Oth day of December, 1889 Rice Garland introduced into to the lower House the following resolutions:
 L Resolvea, That the freedom of speech, of the press, and of the people peaceably to as semIle and to petition the government for a re- dress of grievances, are rights secured to every citizen of the United States; but in the exer- else of these rights and privileges, no citizen or body of people in one State of this Union, has the right 50 to use them as to deprive the cit zens or people in another State of their rights and privileges, or of the property secured to them by the constitution and laws
 2. Reso,Ued That the power given by the constitution to Congress, to exercise exclusive legislation, in all cases whatsoever, over such district (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, bv cession of particular States and the accep- tance of Congress become the seat of govern meut the United States, gives no right or authority to take the private property of any citizen in such district for public use without just compensation; and much less does 1t con- fer the power to take such property for no use at all without the consent of the citizens i'm mediatelv interested, and without making any compensation for 1t.
 3. Reoluea That the interference by the citi- zens of any of the States, with the view to the abolition of slavery in the District of Colum- ba is the endangerng the rights and security of the people of the District; and that any act or measure of Congress designed to abolish slavery in this District, would be a violation of the faith implied in the sessions made by the States of Virginia and Maryland of said terri tory, a just cause of alarm to the people of the slaveholding states, and have a direct and inc yitabe tendency to distract and endanger this Union.
 4. Resolved That the House will not con- sider any proposition, petition, remonstrace, me- moral resolution, motion or paper asking or re- quring, or in any manner relating to, the aboll- ton of slavery in the District of Columbia or the territories nor will this House consider any proposition, petition, resmonstrance, memorial, resolution, motion or paper, asking or requiring or in any manner relating to the abolition of the slave trade in the District of Columbia, or among the several States of the Union.
 Fillmore voted with John Q. Adams of Mass. and Wm. Slade, of Vermont, and Gid dings, of Ohio, those notorious abolitionists, against these resolutions.
 Mir. Thompson, of South Carolina, on the l4th of January, 194O, offered in the House, the following resolution:
 Resolvea, That upon the presentation Of any memorial or petition praying for the abolition ot slavery or the slave trade, in any District, 1e''- yitory or State of the Union, and upon the pre- sentation of any resolution or other paper touch ing that subject, the reception of such memorial,