Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-08-08
Erastus Brooks in FaneuiI Han.

Erdstus BROOKS In fdneuIl Hail.
We copy from the Boston Ledger the following
sketch of the remarks of Erastus Brooks, at the
Great American meeting in Faneuil Hall, on Mon
day last:
Hon. Erastus Brooks was next introduced, as
the intimate personal friend of Willard Fillmore
[Cheers were given for Mr.. Brooks and for the
New York Express. Mr.. Brooks said that he
was in Faneuil Hall for the first tine, and was
there TO defend his honored friend, who, accord
ing to the customs of the canvass could not appear
to speak for himself He was proud to say that
he was native of what was Massachusetts, but
now is Maine. He was proud to call himself a
New Highlander The great grandfather of Willard
Fillmore was born in Boston, and now sleeps in
New England. He was man who possessed
what we used to call gumption. Mr.. Filmore's
father was born in Vermont, and the bones of his
great grandmother lie in the State of Connecticut
Now, who is Willard Fillmore2 He is man who,
i'll early life, was a pioneer, for, in New York,
where he located in youth, the country was almost
a wilderness Mr. Brooks then reviewed the
early career of Mr.. Fillmore, proving that he is a
self-made man and patriot.
Two years ago, said Mr. Brooks, the Americans
were called the dark-lantern party, and the party
of Sam" Sam is here tonight, and has grown
up from boyhood to age, strong and vigorous.
The Roxbury Fillmore Club Numbering several
hundreds, entered the hall at this time, bearing
flags and banners They were received with grea:
cheering. ..t ..m-..
Mr.. Brooks then proceeded to give his reasons
for supporting Fillmore, whom he expected to see
inaugurated IA President on the 4th of March
next. First, he said he had been told in New
York that Massachusetts was nowhere for Fill
more. They would not think so, he said, if they
were present tonight. He did not believe that
Massachusetts would ever prove recreant to the
Union and the Constitution. He had learned his
politics in the school of Webster and Clay, and
they were for the country and nothing but the
country" The men of Massachusetts, had been
taught in the same school, and never would forget
their lessons. He quoted from speech of Daniel
Webster's his entire endorsement of the political
acts OF Mr.. Fillmore also from Mr.. Clay who said
that Mr. Fillmore had been tried and never found
wanting. He had yet to learn where aught has or
can be said against Willard Fillmore and he would
asK those Fremont men pr, sent, who had found
fault with the remarks of the speakers preceding
him, if they could find anything against Mr.. Fill
more. ,n.
At the North, Mr. Fillmore is called pro-slave-
ny man, and he had read, to-day, in Southern
paper, that Fillmore is an Aboltionist Some of
those people who have faces of brass, have called
him doughface, but where is the proof? He is
an American, and such a man does not suit these
people. Cheers. Mr.. Fillmore has been In all
things just man to the North he has been Just
to the whole country. When he was first called
to preside the Senate il was believed that the
Senators had right to call each other to order
This was the opinion of Mr.. Calhoun; but Mr.
Fillmore said it was custom "more honored ia
the breach than in the observance and he an
nounced that in the future he should, as the pre-
siding officer, reserve that right to himself Ihe
had been the presiding officer OF the Senate during
the past six months, he believed that we should
not have had the disgraceful scenes which have
been enacted there. This was single act of his,
and this, and other acts showed that he was not
vaciating man, but would enforce the laws of
the country. 1t was him that signed the Compro,
mise act, after he had consulted the highest au-
thorities--the living and the dead--Judge Story,
Judge Mclean, and others, and had found the act
constitutional. He enforced this law. Misses
lie would say to those gentlemen who hiss that
they are but kissing decision of the United States
Supreme Court and the Constitution of the country
from which he quoted. They were hissiag the
great men of Massachusetts, and the patriots of the
Revolution. Where do get my free specify l
get In the constitution, from whence we get the
rights OF free press but where do my friends on
the right side OF the hall get the right to buy
Sharpe's rifles TO send to KansasY EGreat cheer
ing, with cries of They are afraid to use them
He did not wish to create any mirth, but these
men did remind him of the " King of France . &c
To return to the acts Of Mr.. Fillmore, he enforced
the law when gang of counterfeiters located on
Beaver Island, and defed the laws Of the United
States. He enforced the law when distinguished
General who acted heroically in Mexico, got IN n
| flibustering expedition. He had that General ar
rested and tried before tribunal of his neers
Other acts, of similar character, were onoted in
support of Mr.. Fllmore's enforcement OF constitu.
tiona law. He had acted with patriotism and hui
msnity, knowing no North and no Soutb and he
defied the Republicans or Democrats to show as
good record for their candidates. Mr. Fillmore
did sign the fugitive slave law, and he enforced it.
but il was not fair to leave his record there.
All the foreign territory that came into the Union
under his administration came in as free territory.
Immediately after his accession to the Presidency
the whole frontier of the West and Southwest was
in an intiammable state, and he on the instant,
summoned Gen. Scott to find out what number Of
troops were necessary TO save Mexico from the
strong ann of Texas Troops were sent, and by
this means the country was saved from civil war.
Had Mr.. Fillmore been President, we should not
have bad the Kansas difficulties nor the repeal of
the Missouri Compromise. The latter act was done
over the graves OF Daniel Webster and Henry CLAY.
He would not charge the South with having caused
the repeal Of the Missouri Compromise. It origi-
mated among New England men, such as Stephen
A. Douglas and Franklin Pierce. Many of the best
men at the South opposed the repeal of this Com
promise. Mr.. Fillmore signed law which was
much more enient ia its effects as regards slaves
than the law OF 1898, which was supported by the
Revolutionary patriots of New England
Mr.. Brooks said that he was afraid that he was
wearylng the audience. Cries Of "Go ONT
Well, If must go on, will come to the gist of it,
and would ask, what are the qualifications of John
c. Fremont for PresidentP He did not know Of
any, except that he is called an anti-savery man.
He was nominated by Convention where Mary
land, one of whose sons devised the stars and
stripes" the flag of our country, was not repre-
sented.
convention, where Virginia, Kentucky, North
and South Carolina, and fifteen of our sovereign
States were not represented He belonged to no