Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-09-26
Senator Fish, Of New York.

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Hon. Hamilton Fish has written letter, which
is published in the New York Courier and Enqui-
rer, in which he declares bis preference for Ere
mont as . candidate for the Presidency. Mr.. Fish
has long been regarded a member Of the sham
Republican party and his letter win therefore sur
prise no one.
Mr.. FIshs hostility to Mr.. Fillmore arises from
the fast of his having been instrumental, in ls4s,
in inficting a serious political injury upon the
American candidate for the Presidency for, as
Rochefoucauld shrewdly remarks, g We hate those
worst whom we have injured most The manner
in which the deed to which we allude was done,
was briefly this
Gen. Taylor had just been inaugurated as Presi-
dent of the United States. Mr. Fillmore was Vice
President. Fearing the influence that Mr.. Fillmore
would legitimately exert over Gen. Taylor, Gov.
Seward procured from Hamilton Fish, then Lieut..
Governor of New York, and other members Of the
State government, letter to General Taylor, in
which it was falsely asserted that the Wing party
of New York would prefer that the advice Of Gov.
Seward should be followed in regard to the Federal
appointments for that State, rather than that Of
Mr.. Fillmore. This letter was adopted by General
Taylor as the basis of his New York appointments,
and the consequence was that he filed nearly all
the offices in his gift in that State with the most
malignant and unprincipled Sewardites, and the
most violent and INSCRIPTIONS enemies Of Mr.. Fill
more, that could be found within its borders
In the winter of 1851, when Mr.. Fillmore occu-
pied the Presidential chair election for United
States Senator took place in New York. Mr.. Fish
was the candidate of the Sewardites--a position
which he had secured by his trucking subservien-
cy to them while occupying the Gubernatorial
chair. The Sewardites had decided majority in
the Assembly, but in the Senate the loss of one
Wing vote would have prevented an election.
The friends of Mr.. Fillmore held several meet
ings in Albany, at which it was decided to defeat
Mr. Fish, If possible, unless he would declare him
self in favor of the Compromise measures. This
he refused to do
The first Tuesday of February is fixed by the
constitution of New York as the day for the cleo.
ton of United States Senators. On that day the
Assembly elected Mr.. Fish, but the Senate refused
to concur by majority of one; the Hon. James
w. Beckman, of New York, who held the balance
of power refusing to cast his vote for Mr. Fish on
Che ground that he was unworthy the confidence
Of the supporters of the Administration.
So no election of Senator was effected on the
day appointed by the constitution for that pur-
pose.
About two months aftcrward one of the Demo-
cratic Senators being conveniently absent, the
Sewardites adopted joint resolution declaring
Hamilton Fish to be United States Senator from
New York. By virtue Of that resolution he has
since held his seat in the United States Senate,
although, in the opinion of many constitutional
lawyers Of the first eminence, he was never legal
ly elected to that station.
Mr.. Fish is a rich man and moral man, and
hospitable man--but his most intimate friends
will not contend that ne is an able man or an
influential man. Intellectually he is probably
the inferior of any Of his Senatorial contempora-
res His voice has never been heard on any Of
the great questions of the day. and if he have any
fixed opinions in regard to them he has exhibited
marvellous skill in concealing them from the
public. If he had been descended from William
the Silent instead of Peter the Testy, he could not
have manifested his legitimacy more distinctly.
Another letter from Sanford Harrison.
We published some weeks since letter from
Sandlord Harrison, of New York, an old Demo-
crat, recommending the Democrats to support Mr..
Fillmore. We give another letter from the same
gentleman:
TO THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATS OF NEW YORK AND THE
UNION.
1t will be remembered, that in communication
addressed to you somesix weeks ago. urged you
to concentrate your strength in this State Of New
York upon Willard Fillmore, as the only way the
defeat of the Sectionalist, John @. Fremont could
be comprised. lama constant reader ofmany south
ern journals, and the song Of the whole of them has
been, eff Fillmore was out of the way, Buchanan g
election was certain" Such have never believed
to be the case and the result of the election in the
State of Maine abundantly demonstrates the fact.
Fillmore was not lin the way" there certainly,
and we are beaten by 10000 majority The ques-
ton, and the only question that now presents it.
self to our minds, is whether we will stand by our
party, and 'let the Union slide" or whether we
will 60 for the Union, and give up our attachment
to "party." In the communication before alluded
to, frankly told you that preferred the Union to
my party, and should vote accordingly.
have seen nothing !" in the signs of the times
lately to change that determination on the con-
trary, il has materially been strengthened. have
reason to know that the view / take and have ta-
ken of this contest, meets with the appreciation of
many of the most prominent men IN our ranks, but
who for obvious reasons will not publicly avow it.
You cannot expect leaders, seekers after place at
your hands, to come out openly and tell You the
whole truth, however apparent it may be to them
You must listen to the frank and fle," IL you de-
sire to be honestly enlightened A journey Of
three weeks duration through this State, satisfies
me that, away from post Offices and custom-houses
Mr.. Buchanan has literally no supporters ut all
that the once glorious Democratic party is COM
pletely annihiated; and that If we mean to stem
the tide OF sectionalism must vote for the only
man who has the chance of success here, and that
man is Millard Fillmore.
Friends and countrymen, hear, hear, ere it be