The true Democrat., 1856-08-19
From the Memphis Appeal Fillmore versus Crittenden.

A letter has recently been published in the opposition newspapers over ther signature of J J. Crlttenden, who was Mr. Filmore's attorney general In which he endeavorS to relieve MT. Fillmore from the lmputation of entertaing ob- Jectons to the fugitive slave act, in consequence ot having required the opinion of his attorney general with respect to certain constitutional points, In this letter MT. Crittenden does not positively deny that MT. Fillmore had grave doubts touching the constitutonaitv of this act, but he would have the public to infer as much, so far as his own knowledge and opinion extends. By referring to tue Louisville Jour- nals report of the speech of Mr. Fillmore. made at his reception in Louisville in 1852, Ca paper friendly then as now to Mr. F. ! it will be seen that Mr. Crttenden misunderstood Mir. Fllmore's feelings on this subject. But before We refer to the extract from that report, we de- sire to put on record Mir. Crittendens evidence, and thus refute it with Mir. Fillmore's own statement. Mir. Crttenden says, in his letter which bears date July H. 1656
 " For the purpose as I suppose, of acting and showing that he acted deliberately and advlsedly upon so important subject, he re- qured me, the law officer of the govern ment, to give my opinion in writing in regard to the constitutionality of certain clauses of the UIli, anu | ulu SD. UellcNC that ne also con- suited as usual, all the members This was done, no doubt, out of respect for his cabinet, and to secure to his conduct the highest sanc- ton which the advice of his cabinet counselors could give. All the members of the cabinet 1 believe, advised in favor of the bill, and in so doing, concured as IunHersto0I, iu tue Pre- stdentS 0a0n opinion on the sWyect.'
 Now that Mr. Crittenden was but very poor Al.z ID
 the subject" (we cannot think that he design ed to-nisrepresent, but that Mr. Fillmore only kept his own opinion to himself and desired to throw the whole responsibility on his cabinet) will be seen from the following extract from Mir. Fillmore's speech at Louisville, in 1852. It will be seen from this extract that even Mr. Fillmore's southern friends and his confidential and constitutional cabinet adviser, "Hle accom- pltshed Kentucky lawyer" are utterly ignorant of the objections of Mir. Fillmore to great measure of justice to the south, without which the Union could not stand an hour. And yet these southern friends of MT. Fillmore, who are so utterly ignorant of his views on a vital question, pretend to recommend him to the south as the only man who can conserve their rights and save the Union. The following is the extract referred to, from Mir. Fillmore's speech at Louisville:
 MT. Fillmore spoke of the adoption of the compromise measures of 1850, especially of the l fugitive slave law. THIS LAW, HE SAID, HAD SOME PROVISIONS IN TT TO 1 WHICH HE HAD OBJ ECTIONS. HE RE- l GREETED THE NECESSITY OF ITS | BEING PASSED AT ALL; but the consti- tuition required the giving up of fugitive slaves, and it was not for him to decide whether this was compact; he had sworn to maintain it, and he would do so to his last hour
 "W hen the bill came to him from the two houses in the midst of hurry and confusion and difficulties he examined it, and DOUBT ! CAME UP IN HIS MIND WHETHER IT i WAS NOT CONSTITUTIONAL,A ASIDE WING THE RIGHT OF HABEAS CORPUS ! TO THE FUGITIVE SLAVE. He refe,rea the question to our distinguished Rentucky la'0, yer, his attorney general, who gave his opinion that the law was not violation of the consti- tuition; and hereupoh, said Mr. Fillmore, gave my signature to the bill."