Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1856-04-19
From the Richmond Enquirer.
E'illmore's Early Pledges and Subseque ut
Course.


Our nelghbor of the Wing is an mimi
table way. Observe how he jokes in yes
terdays issue of his paper:
= We still indulge the hope that the Gin
clnEalh Convention. which assemblies Oh
the first Monday in June, will have the
patriotism 20 fatify the nomination of Mil
lard Fillmore. AT all events, we cannot
but anticipate that the Southern delegates
IN that Body will exert themselves with
becoming Zeal to accomplish that end.'
NOW tins is all very funny. The sub
tile sarcasm of yhc paragraph is quite wor-
thy OF Pnncb. The Cincinnati Conven-
ton ct Milard Fillmore "At all ents,
we cannot but anticipate that the Southern
delegates in that body viii ertihemselves
with becoming zeal to accomplish that
end 7 While the Wing ridicules Fill
n.ofess pretensions to Southern Support Ill
this strain of singing IRONY, we, with less
taste and talent for such fine hunor, must
be content to treat the subject with COM
mon-place gravity.
We have said that Fillmore's Erie Lett
ter, " hich the public viii recollect for its
bitter hatred OF the South, was deliber.
ate ayowal Of his convictions against sla-
very, and solemn pledge Of his alliance
with the Aboitionists. No Journal IN his
interest has venturcd to contradict this al
legation. We have affirmed too, that cv-
eIy word and act OF his life, up to the dav
OF his succession 20 the Presidency were
III exact accordance with the spirit and let
tel oil tina, inllammatoty appeal to the pas
sions oil the Moth. In the journals OF
Congress, the names of Adams, Shade, Gid
dIngs and Fillmore are found nse parable
association Oh every issue OF interest TO
the South. No gang of bahdi,u ever ex-
hlbited more perfect identity Of senti-
n,rnt, or a more cordial concert of action.
iii their depredations upon honest people $
property.
Now, we are not SO Jisingenuous as to
deny that Fillmore abated something oi
| his ahti,s,avery zeal when he became Pc
sident Of the United States, And so would
Seward tame down his iefoeity, il he were
elevated above the necessity Of pandering
to sectional pre- udiees. THIS concession
| implies no Radical Inconsistency IN FIJI
inofes course and convictions. On the
contrary, we assert that, as President. he
Carried his hatred oi slavery TO lbe utmost
eSceseompatib'e With his personal satet,
and the security OF his power. We have
seen ffom his own subsequent confession,
! HAT, has .jHstmtnt Ia reg ard 10 tie Fagi-
lice .5tdre Lae tcus MOI detetMineu be}oie 4
raS presented Jos Ats s'saaiMe;; that he
| neglected the oppottatItses OF his high po-
sit;on, and withheld his support from this
| measure III the critical exigencies OF lis
struggle through Congress. We have his
own " ord THAT he objected to the bili.-:hat
he doubted is consi.u,ionality. aud that
he hesitatrd 10 give II the Executive sane
ton, until tie bad shifted the responsible
| " 10 The shoulder OF his conscience. eep.
er, the Attorney General. In his Louis
vile speech Fillmore frankly confessed
with what reluctance and repagEanee he
attached his name 10 ihe Fugitive Slave
Law. He regretted that the necessity " as
imposed upon him but what resource had
he when his hands were held, his nose
squeezed, ard the bitter draught poured
down his illioa,a Fillmore slsHed the
Fugitive Slave HiiI non, irresistible cum-
puision. Apart trom ais pledge net 10 eiH.
plos HE Executive srto except il, eases OF
palpable violation ri the Constitution, he
could 40 more have defeated the rnaelmeut
Of the Fugitive Slave Blu than lie could
have set lite 70 tItr Gapitol Of cut his ow u
throat. Il he had pat his negative upon
the measure, such Mas ihr evaporation OF
The public mind. and 81, Il ti:r Critical les
ia,on> betw een ih. North au,. South that
the Slave States V0uId have instantly re-
vo!ted from the Cuhledriacy. Was he,
with his weak W i'll aad nervous dfeau oil
poo>ibihi, lhe person TO provoke such
dire eop>cqutnees--to blight his own pros.
pect Of an ludole0i en- joy ment Of place and
power TO brave the bazards Of civil ~ AT
However sepusnanlthv Fogiti,e Slave bill
was to his palate, like a lteole aud sensi-
bic man, be chose to swallow il, rather
! than deliberately drug his cup with poison
| The event justified his prudence. The
| South, with All excess Of good nature, was
| saliied with the concession, the North was
| glad to purchase substantial advantages al
SO small price and Mllatd Fillmore slepl
| through three years Of quiet possession O
lhe Presidency. II is absurd to pr, tend
ibEi tfiS .roeth ohts any hhbl"rt tOf an at
ll,at was exloried by supreme necessity
and performed V III every circumstance Of
INV fling and ungfaeou> slbm,son.
To the end OF the adminst atton Mil.
lard Fillmore continued 10 exhibit III. same
unamiable spirit towards the South. We
have seen how he connved at the escape
OF Crafts and the evasion of the Fua,li, G
Slave law: how he released two notorious
kidnappers from the penieutiary in W ash.
inston, to deliver abolition lectures in the
North; aud more signiGcan. than all, We
have seen wlth what promptitude and en-
e'gy he ordered oat the military forces OF
the Federal government to compel the SOW
eielsn State OF Texas to submit to the IN
just demands Of n lreelsoil territory. Tins
act OF extreme antagonism TO the Interests
OF slavery, was gfaluiious insult 10 the
pf'de and aggression upon the rights Of the
South. P'rsiden, Polk had publicly avow C.
ed his determination to protect the claim
.o' Texas and President Ia, lor had done
the same thing. But Willard Fillmore,
tue to the instincts of his Enc Letter
evoked the latent powers OF the Executive
to extend the limits Of the eonieteraey.-
This was Fillmore tone to the end Of the
chppter. Thus we find in the acts of Fill
more's ad miuistraliou ma implied reranta.