Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1856-07-26

PErARp.-The Aberdeen Sunny South has
been very busy in trying to prove Millard
Fillmore an Abolitionst. Like other presses
of its party, it knows his strength before the
masses, and would seek to impair it by those
prcposterons charges The Conserratire. the
American Taper published in Aberdeen, some
what rudely spikes the guns of its cotempo-
rary, however. Some years ago, the editor
Of the Sunny South, published in Florence,
Alabama, a Democratic paper called the
Florence Gi.eue. The CONSERVATIVE turns TO
| the files of that paper 81 June -. 1853, and
there it finds this very same editor talking
in the following eloquent language of this
very same Millard Fillmore:
"MILLARp FlLLMoRE.-If there is one trait
Of character which we possess above all
others it is political independ ence, that kind
of political independence which prompts one
to dc Justice to the acts and motives of po
litical adversary regardless of tt4s party cir
cumspection. which says thus far thou shalt go
aud no farther. Prompted by this feeling we
unhesitatingly express the ardent hope that
Mllard Fillmore may be the nominee of the
Wing Convention. Should the nomination
fall upon himo we would oppose his election
with all our zeal but should he be elected
we would feel that in him the SOUTH HAD
A TRUE AND RELIABLE FRIEND.
We notice that several OF our Democratic
co:emporaries call him Abolition Fillmore
THIS is AN UNJUST lMPUTAilON.-
When Mr. Fillmore was first nominated as
candidate for the Vice Presidency, we shud-
dered at the thought of his election. We saw
that he had given votes obnoxious to the
South and therefore believed him unsound
upon the slavery question. Our hearts sick
ened at the prospect of his success, and We
bitterly and violently denounced him.
"Sut we are happy to say we were agree
ably disappointed, and that Mr.. FILLMORE
Is ONE OF THE SOUNDEST MEN IN
THE UNION ON THE SUBJECT OF
SLAVERY, AND THAT HE IS A PAT
RIOT AND STATESMAN HIS ADMIN
lSTRATlON HAS BEEN HIGHLY CON-
SERVATIVE. He advocated the Compro-
mise, and used all his influence to quell the
storm of fanaticism. while HIS ADMINS
TRATlON SHOWS THAT HIS SlMPA-
THY AND FEELINGS ARE WITH The
SOUTH. Such conduct is deserving praise.
and We are not afraid to bestow it,
LETTER FROM Mr.. FILLMORE IN lS4S-ln
refutation Of one of the many misrepresenta-
tions now circulating through the anti-Amer-
lean press of the South in relation to MI
Fillmore's position touching the subject OF
slavery-old ISLANDERS OF lS4S now reasserted
we republish the following letter by which
the Misrepresentation to which it relates was
exploded.
ALBANY. Sept. 13, 1913.
Dear Sv-1 returned this morning from
the West. and have yours of the 10th. iii
which you say that it has been charged in the
Richmond Enquirer that hold it to be with
in the power of Congress to interfere with or
break off the transportation, removal or dis
posal of persons held as slaves from one
slaveholding State to another.
am not aware that this question has ever
been discussed in Congress, or was ever pre-
sented for the consideration of the Supreme
Court OF the United States before ls4l. In
that year the celebrated case from Mississippi
was decided. and Mr.. Justice Mclean gave
an elaborate opinion on this point, in which
the Chief Justice concurred. He came to
the conclusion that the constitutional power
was vested in the several States, and not in
Congress. So far as my knowledge extends,
this opinion carried conviction to every un-
prejudiced mind: and the question was con-
sidered settled. At any rate this was my
opinion then. and have seen no cause to
change it since. Should l do so, | should
not hesitate to declare 1t.
You will therefore perceive that you did
me TO injustice in representing to your friend
that these were my sentiments.
write in haste: amid the pressure OF otfi-
cial duties, but remain truly yours,
MlLLARD FILLMORE.
James Brooks, Esq.
r The New Orleans Bulletin of the l4th
A. ac hot Iii