Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1856-05-24
From the Enquirer.
Facts for the Campaign.

ltiments of Mr.. Fillmore, on the subject oil
slavery, we have not detailed specifically.
the m Ass OF his official conduc! or opinions,
arising out of The right Of petition. We
have not done SO, because we have not
deemed II material to proper understand
ing Of his position. One Of the very first
moves upon the subject of abolition. was
made in the lower House, ON the 10Th DAY
of February, 1885. MIR. Fillmore was
then member. We desire TO. present the
remarks hich he made on that occasion,
because, in his letter to Gayle, OF Alabama,
he .tfers to his record as eorroborative OF
the statements he therein makes. and the
following speech explains his opinions up
on the question of petitions, without going
into specific votes. 1t will be found in the
Congressional Globe, second session 23rd
Congress, page 252. and was made nearly
three years before his Erie letter was writ
len.
Mr., Fillmore said "As II was UNDER
stood tia, the committee OF the District Of
Columbia, would not act upon this subject,
phe abolition Of slavery at this session. /.
was certainly due TO the petitioners, that
the motion which had been made by his
colleague shall prevail. He disavowed,
most unequivocaly, now and forever, any
desire on his part. to interfere with the
rights, or what was termed the property OF
the citizens of other States. While he
did this he conceived, that as citizen Of
New York, he was interested in the claim
TO property in man, within The District OF
Columbia. He referred to the effect which
was produced in the North by the adver-
tisenents in the papers of this city. con-
nec.ed with the purchase and transporta-
ltion of slaves. The people of that section
of the country believed slavery 10 be i'm
proper, and that i: should not be tolerated.
This was great national question. There
was nothing in the memorial which should
prevent its being printed and placed on the
| flies CT the House for future reference"
The question pending, was motion to
print petition of citizens OF New York,
praying Congress to abolish sla7ery IN the
District of Columbia,
Mr.. Wise Of Virginia, replied to him.
He said, "sir, I was sorry 10 hear some of
the remarks os the gentlemen from New
York. lie says that the people Of the
North are continually shocked by adver-
lisements Of slave dealers in the papers Of
this District. am sorry, sir, that their
nerves are SO delicate, whev their fathers
did more than any other people OF the col
onies TO establish slavery amongst US. l
appeal to Southern gentlemen for the truth
oi the remarkable fact, that the emigrauts
from ihc North TO the South, some from
the gentleman's own district. perhaps, are
as ready TO become masters, as any who
are hereditary masters. To strengthen
ihtir nerves, and change their principles
and opinions on the subject, they have but
to change their tlimes-their Ravens. Sir,
a slave il as much property here, as in Viz
sinia property by the law and Consttu-
ton. ! would ask the gentleman if be
can come upon this ground, with his car
riage and horses, why cannot come with
my slaves to remain here; TO live here as
long as | please? The gentleman calls
this IA great national question J" pro-
test, sir, agalns. is SEEING SO considered
The nation has nothing TO Go with slave
property 1t is SIMPLY delicate question
Of private individual right. waolly and
solely under the control Of the States where
slavery EXISTS. 1t is reserved State right
with wh;ch the General Government has
inc right oil interference even, and from in
termeddling with which the free States
aud their inhabitants should scrupulously
abstain"
| From 1885, then, to the close of his leg
islative service, we have seen Mr.. Fillmore
IA ,haco IF hal rto ~
question. In 1913. when he was selected
as n candidate for the Vice Presidency, il
became necessary for him to cohciliate
those to whom he had become justly OBJ
noxious. Let US see how he attempted to
do it. The letter bears date Albany, July
49, 1913, and is liz answer to one from
Hon. John Gayle Of Alabama, aad in re-
ply "to the charge made al the South that
Ihe, Mr.. f.. is an Ultra abolitionist."
MIR. F.llmor. says. 81 have none Of my
Consress,onal documents, they being at my
former residence in Buffalo nor have
aeces to any papers or memoranda, to re-
fresh my recollection but think a: some
time while in Congress. l took occasion tt
state in substance, my views on the subjec
of slavery in the States. Whether the re-
marks were reported or not | am unable
to say, but the substance was, that | re-
garded slavery as an evil, but one with
which the National Government had hoth
ing to do. That by the Constitution Of The
United States, the whole power over thai
lques.ion was vested in the several States
where the institution was tolerated. IL
they regarded it as a blessing, they had .
constitution. rigl to enjoy it; and il they
Regarded it as an evil, they had the power,
and knew best how to apply the remedy.
= did not conceive that Congress had any
pow er over ii, or Was in any way respon-
s,ble iol its continuance in the several States
where it existed. have entertained nc
other sentiments on this subject, since ex'
amined it sufficiently TO form an opinion
and doubt not, that ali my acts, public and
private, will be found in accordance with
this view" Mr.. Fillmore is here abso-
luteIy adopting the substance of Mr.. Wise''
speech IN reply to him as his own
Before we proceed, however to consider
the bearing Of tins letter. we cannot re-
frain from saying that it is somewhat anu
sing and significant to see the pretex.s CIV
en- by Mi T.. and the hurry he Away!
manilests to get lid Of tie subject He it
always SO much engaged. That really ht
has no time to consider the matter IL