The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-07-12

IL viii not be eontroVerted tha DOWN 70 the ume thnt
Mr. Fillmore became President in consequence Of the death
of General Taylor his entire record the question of
southern rights located him amongst their most determn-
ed and opponents On every question that arose
whilst he was in Congress- well as by his published
speeches and letters he associated and Identified with
the orgnators and propagators Of sectional agitation
When General Taylor died Mr. Fillmore had given no in
dicaton of any change in his position, end throughout
the country, well in Congress- bis accession 10 the
presidency looked upon with fearful suspense as to
the ground he would occupy. General Taylor and his
administration had thrown their weight against the pol
icy of settlement of the territorial questions initiated
and sustained by Mr.. Clay; but Mr.. Fillmore had
maintained profound silence and neutrality on the
subject When it became necessary for him as Pres-
dent to approve disapproye the series OF measures
finally passed by Congress, he relieved the country
of suspense by signing the bills. He exerted no inueenc
in securing their passage and only approved the fugitive
slave law after taking the opinion of his Attorney General
its consutionali This act of passive acquescence
in the of compromise is the foundation, and the
only foundation, of the favorable opinion of him which
sprung up in the South among the friends Of those
ures. He had reversed all his antecedents and had
shown himself capable Of being national President; and
for this he received the generous and hearty approval Of
large portion of the South. His favor at the South
still further enhanced when it became apparent that for
this act of passive nationality he superseded and
saughed by those at the North who had been his political
friends, but who abandoned and repudated him
count Of his approval of tho Compromise of 1850.
We make these remarks as preliminary to an inquiry
which we wish to address in all earnestness to Mr. Fill
mores present supporters in the southern States We de-
sire to inquire what their understanding Of the true
meaning and purpose of the Compromise of 1902 How
this inquiry may be answered we will not under
take to assume; but nothing is more certain than
that the people of the South accepted and acquiesced
in that compromise the Inauguration and establish
ment of the principle of congressional nonnterventon
which was to be final and permanent settlement OF the
slavery question involved in the government of the Ter
ritores 1t not received and sustained temporary
expedient merely to settle the question as TO Utah and
New Mexico but was hailed as great measure OF paci-
fcaton that TO be universal in the application of its
principle and permanent in Its effect as to Withdrawing
from Congress the jurisdiction of the subject of slavery in
all the Territories to which territorial governments might
in future be given Such understood to be Mr. Fill
view of the measures and because such his sup
posed ew he obtained the approval and confidence of ma
tional a reliable national man.
1t will scarcely be controverted that the entire South
both wings and democrats together with the great body Of
northern national who sustained the Compromise Of
1885, accepted and endorsed that final set
Element of the slavery agitation in Congress- Mr. Fillmore
himself took this national view of the compromise and in
his annual message to Congress in December $780, used
this emphatic and unmistakabe language in regard to the
series of known the compromise measures
"The series of to which have alluded
garded by settlement, principle and suJstaneeA
sETTLEMENr-of the dangerous and exciting subjects
which they embrace"
The whg and democratic conventions which met in
1852 adopted the sentiment contained in this message and
pledged themselves to regard the Compromise of 1850
rrSALrrY the question of slavery agitation At this
point it proper remark corroborave Of the fact that
national North and South accepted the compromise
final settlement that in Mr. Buehanans celebrated
Harvest Home letter. written in the fall of 1885, he dis
tncy regarded the Missouri Compromise superseded
by that of ls5oin his language he said that
promise "hds passed array" Such the view taken OF
the Compromise of 1850 throughout the canvass Of 1884,
and it upon the belief that Mr. Fillmore conourred
in this view that he gained the confidence of the southern
wings
1t has now come to light however, that Mr. Fillmore's
position in regard TO the true intent and extent Of the
Compromise of 1850 has been misunderstood He now de.
cares that when ne sald IN hs message that these measures
regarded by him final settlement in principle and
substance of the subjects embraced by them he only
that they settlement far the question had ref
Utah and New Mexico but to other Territories
to which territorial thereafter TO be given
they final lie says further that during the PEN
dency Of the Nebraska bill he exerted his influence
verbally and by writing to defeat The BILL because inter
ered with the Missouri Compromise We quote from his
late speech Rochester his way home from New York
Territorial governments had been provided for all the
riory sreept thai covered By The Missouri Compromise and
had suspicion dat that be disturbed Thave hesi-
taton saying, phat Of you knop already that pas
decidedly opposed the diWbanee Of that compromise.
Good faith well the peace Of the country seemed
qure that compromise which had stood for than th
y years should not be wanony disturbed These my
sentiments then, fully and freely expressed verbally and in
writing TO all my friends North and South who solicited
my opinion This repeal to have been PandorA's
box of which have issued all the political evils that
afaict the country, scarcely leaving hope behind"
Here we have the true explanation Of the revival of
tona agitation upon the introduction Of the KansasNe-
braska bill The fact then fully developed that por
ton Of those who had acquiesced in the Compromise Of
1850 as fndiay only regarded II settlement far
as Utah and New Mexico concerned. This portion
Of the former acquiescents in that compromise joined
with that large free-soil party at the North who
had never acquiesced in the Compromise OF $780, and
who had declared their purpose to acquiesce in IT,
and resisted the passage Of the bill Mr. Fillmore now dis
closes the fact that he active in resisting the BILL and