The true Democrat., 1856-10-14
FiIimOre's POsitiOu Defined by Hiram
 ketchum.

To the Elitors of the Ns,o Fork Courier and Enquirer: In your leading article of Saturday morning you have seen fit to make free use of my name, connecting 1t with imputatiOns which feel bound to repel. In my speech at New Haven, speaking upon the subject of slavery extension, said:
 "But do not intend to ignore that subject on this occasion If there is any men here, or r the State of Connecticut that has ever opposed he extension of slauery more tan he Oio ad,esses you to night, or hps ever done D,ore to giue the sIave hts legal ond constitutional righs then l would like to see that man. (Appanse.)- Gentlemen, attached myself early in life to that party which was always and ever opposed to the extension of slavery. And 1 say here tonight, hat tie ghig pa'ty of the north has aloays hat hat erect, and these republican. can't :ake out patent for it for many a long year (merriment and applause)-and l say THAT WILLARD FILLMORE HAS BEEN TRUE TO THAT PARTY, AND HAS NEVER HAD, SINCE HE ENTERED INTO POLITICAL LIFE, ANY OTH- FER PRINCIPLE BUT THAT WHICH WOULD PREVENT THE FURTHER EXTENSION OF SLAVERY. (Ap- plause)
 But upon this subject of the extension of slavery, what are Mir. Filnore's principles? Why he hinhsJust as we aN Minh. l will ven ture to say, if my friend will allow me to use his name, that the Rev. D.. Taylor of this city, now present, and MT. Fillmore should sit down together, they would not disagree d rar tce, and only exemplify hy these distinguish ed persons the common feeling of the north. They think ake-they would act alike. Now what is Mir. Fllmore'S opinion upon the pre- sent crisis. real from one of his recent speeches:
 "'I have no hesitation in saving what most of you know already, that / toas decileliy op posed to Me repeal of t.at (Mssour1) compromise Good faith as well as the peace of the country seemed to require that compromise which hal stood for more than thirty years, should not be wantonly disturbed. Those were my sentiments then, fully anal freely expressed, verbally and in writing, to all my friends, north and south, who solicited my opinion. This repeal seems to have been Pandora's box, out of which have issued all the political evile that now iutlict the country, and scarcely leav- ng hope behind. Many, perceive are ready To impute all the blame to our southern brrth- ern. But is this just? No, no. It must he borne in mind that the measure originated with a northern Senator, and was sustained and sanc- tioned by a northern President Applause. l
 "Now, my fricrds what would MT. Fillmore do? Well, 1 cannot undertake to say what he would do, but, in my judgment, Il E WOULD EXERCISE ALL HIS POWER AND IN FLUENCE IN FAVOR OF LIMITING SLAVERY TO WHERE TT IS. In my judgment he would do all he could to see lair play in Kansas and if he should do as should re ommend him. Kansas should not be admit ted as State under two years from this date We have had enough of admitting of these un- hedg gcd States. 1 am utterly opposed to ad hitting any other State; since we have admit ted California, until we see how she behaves herself as territory, and whether the people are capable of governing themselves. There fore, upon Mts subject Jelieve Mr. Fillmore to 6e entirely sound and 1 am sure would not ad vo- cate hlm here to-night if did nnt.''
 But every word that 1 then said, stand and shall say it again. Isupport Mr. Fillmore for the presidency, because of Ms ,oeN knoton aa- teceaents as public man, and because have seen no euider'ce Hat he rejects those antecetents and because 1 am satisfied that he abides by these ateceaents and distinctly places himself upon them before the country.
 What are his dntece Tents On He subject of the extension cf s'avery9 You know them, gentle men, as well as do-THEY HAVE EVER AND ALWAYS BEEN OPPOSED TO THE EXTENSION OF SLAVERY. While he was in public life, that was settled question under the Missouri compromise By this con- promise, all territory north of 36 deg 30 min. was made free territory and all south might be made slave territory. The only question, therefore, :upon which his princi pies upon the subject of the extension of slavery could be tested, were questions as to the acquisition of territory which must become slave territory - 70 such acquisitions Mr Fillmore and the mhole ,0iig party ut tue north Uere opposed. 1 have shown above what were Mr. f'illmore's opin- ions of the repeal of the Missouri compromise Now, the only question is: Illus he changel these ,oeU koown opinions? Hts he altered hts position2
 He has accepted the nomination of the Amer ican party. l have never been member of any party but the whig party. When he re- ceived the nomination. he was in Europe, where he had been many months previously. The platform of the principles of that party accom- panied the letter informing him of his nomin- ation, and requesting his acceptance of the same. He replied to that letter while in Eu- rope. He must, l admit, be regarded as giving his general approval of the platform upon which his friends nominated him. Now, gen tlemen, ask you to publish that plattorna, OR ANY CLAUSE OR PARAGRAPH OF TT, IN WHICH, BY A FAIR CONSTRUCTION, MIR. FILLMORE HAS REPUDIATED ANY OF HIS ANTECEDENTS UPON THE SUBJ ECT OF THE EXTENSION OF SLA- VERY. You did not quote that platform, but one of prior date, aud with the history of which fhave no knowledge.
 HIRAM KETCHUM.