American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1856-04-26
r11InaoRn g DownrsoM.

II
the action of the American Nominating
Convention, and truthful and eloquent
tribute to our Statesmen nominees, is
from the pen of the gallant Prentice,
of the Louisville Journal"
2 FILLMoRR & DoNELsoN.- Every
true American heart has been gratified
and more than gratified with the rocep-
tion which the nomination of Fillmore
and Donelson has met with among the
people. Never, in our lives, have we
known nomination more perfectly
acceptable to a party than this is to the
whole American party of our section.
Not a murmur, not whisper of dis
sent or doubt is heard from q solitary
individual. Even those, whose perso-
nal partialities prompted them to con-
template the nomination of other good
and true candidates, declare, not only
without hesitation, but with enthusiasm,
that the American National Conven-
tion, in view Of all things, has done the
very best thing that could possibly
have been done. Wherever tho light
ming flashed the intelligence along the
wires of the telegraph, loud peal of
acclaim has followed, even as the thun-
der follows the lightnings in tho cloud.
The look of exultation that was begin
ming to overspread the faces of the
Democrats on account of the dissen-
sions at Philadelphia, has passed to the
faces of the Americans, leaving every
Sag Nicht countenance an image of
political despair.
MILLARD FILLMORE needs, at this
day, no eulogy. His whole official Ca
rccr after his elevation to high Office is
the noblest eulogy that any public man
could have or desire. lie was long in
the lower House of Congress, and he
was the most faithful, laborious, and
useful man in all that body. He sell
dom spoke, but, when he did, his re-
marks were searching, thorough and
elective. The Wing party,sin 1S4S,
elected him to the Vice Presidency of
the United States, and the illustrious
statesman of Kentucky rcjoiced at his
election, though hardly approving that
Of Gen. Taylor. Mr.. Clay was not a
supporter of the Taylor administration,
but, to the last day Of his life, Henry
Clay awarded to Fillmore the need of
unstintcd appreciation and praise.
Mr.. FILLMORE, by the death of
Taylor, became President of the Unit
ed States at one of the most important
and deeply critical periods of our coun-
try's history. The great compromise
measures of 1850, in the support of
which the immortal CLAY exhausted
his glorious life, were the subject of
agitation in Congress. Every patriot
ic heart had a deep shadow upon it,
the portent Of some dire national ca
lamity. The North and the South
we're arrayed against each other, the
mass of the Southern members being in
favor of the compromise, and the mass
of the Northern members against it
In the opinion of the best and greatest
minds of the country, the adoption of
the compromise was indispensable to
the salvation of the Union. President
Taylor, though an undoubted patriot,
had thrown the whole power and inau-
cnco of his administration against the
compromise, and, in all probability, if
he had lived, it would have been de-
feated. And when Mr.. Fillmore, a
Northern man, reared among the oppo-
nonts of slavery, succeeded to the Pre-
sdental office, the whole nation looked
with intense and absorbing anxiety to
SEQ what his course would be. He,
himself, in speech delivered long af-
terwards in this city, gave most in
lteresting and even thrilling account of
his feelings, his reflections, his dcliber-
atoms, and his action upon that the
most momentous occasion Of his life.
He, devoted, as soon as he heard of
Taylor's death, twcnty-four hours to
earnest thought, divested himself as
for as possible of all sectional feelings
and Of all the prejudiccs Of education
and association, and cndoavored, with
q full appreciation of the magnitude Of
tho eventful crisis and of the mighty
responsibilities of his new and unex-
lpected position, to take the whole coun-
try within the range of his impartial
vision. He decided to pursue policy
contrary to that of his predecessor, and
contrary to that of his own section of
the Union; he decided to go for the
COMPROMISE, and to throw the whole
Legitimate weight of his official power
in favor of it. He DID so, AND THE
COMPROMISE WAS CARRIED AND TIE
UNION SAVED.
A most formidable and ferocious op-
position was in consequence raised a.
painSt him. as he had wnll known wnnld