The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-07-02
Mr. Fillmore,s Letter OF Acceptance

| Z
tho of4ic;al announcement to Mr. Fillmore OF IN
nomination, and his.letter of acceptance. gu
democratic friends who have been SO great.
: exercised over the matter anu SO sefiousi,
alarmed lest he should decline, will OF cours'
be highly rejoiced to learn that the question !
thus settled beyond a doubt. Democrats were
mot the only ones who pretended to doubt Mr.
4 Fillmore's acceptance Of the nomination.
The letter is brief and directly to the point
Il We ask for it a careful perusal: Z
:, PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 26, 1856.
To the hon. Willard Fillmore:
Sir-The national convention of the Amer
can party, which has just closed its session il
this city, has unanimously chosen you as tht
candidate for the presidency of the u State:
in the election to be held in November next
1t has associated with you Andrew Jackson
Donelson, esq.,, of Tennessee, as the candidate
for the vice presidency. -.s..a NJ
The convention has charged the undersigned
with the agreeable duty accommodating these
proceedings to you. and of asking your accep
lance of nomination which will receive no
only the cordial support Of the great nationa
party in whose name it IS made, but the ap
probation also of large numbers of other en-
| Iiehtened friends of the constitution and the
Union, who will rejoice in the opportunity tc
testify their grateful appreciation of your faith
! full service in the past, and their confidence in
your experience and integrity for the guidance
of~the future. -sF
The undersigned take advantage of this oc-
casion to tender to you the expression Of their
own qualification in the proceedings of the con-
vention, and to assure you Of the high consd-
GRAFTON with which they are yours, etc.
+ ALEX. FL. H. STUART, ANDREW STEWART,
ERAsTUs BRooKs, &. B. BARTLETT,
WIN J. EAMEs, EPHRArM MARSH,
Committee, &c. DC.
PARIS, May 81, 1856.
Gentlemen-I have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your letter. informing me that the
national convention of the American party,
which had just closed secession at Philadelphia,
had unanimously presented my name for the
presidency of the United States, and associated
with it the name of Andrew Jackson Donelson
for the vice presidency. This unexpected com
munieation met me at Venice on my return from
Italy, and the duplicate, mailed thirteen days
later, was received on my arrival in this city
last evening. This must account for nv APP
parent neglect in giving more prompt reply.
You will pardon me for saying that when my
closed in 1858, considered nv
political life as public man at an end, and
was only anxious TO discharge my
duty as private citizen. Hence I have taken
no active part in politics. But I have by no
means been an Indifferent spectator of passing
events, nor have hesitated to express my opin-
ion on all political subjects when asked, nor to
give my vote and private influence for those
men and measures thought best calculated to
promote the prosperity and glory of our com
mon country. Beyond this l deemed it i'm
proper for me to interfere. But this unsolicited
and unexpected nomination has imposed upon
ne new duty, from which cannot shrink;
and therefore, approving as | do of the general
objects of the party which has honored me with
is confidence, | cheerfully accept its nominal
ion without waiting to inquire Of its prospects
If success or defeat. It's sufficient for me to
know that by SO doing / yield to the wishes of
| large portion of my fellow citizens in every
part Of the Union, who,like myself are sincere
Y anxious to see the administration of our gov
restored to that original simplicity and
purity which marked the first years of its exist
nee, and if possible % quiet the alarming sec
ional agitation, which, while it delights the
nonarchlSts Europe, causes every true friend
II our own country to mourn.
Having the experience of past service in the
ADMINISTRATION Of the government, I may be
erpltted to refer to that as the exponent of
he future, and to say, should the choice of the
invention be sanctioned by the people, | shall,
nth the same scrupuous regard for the rights
t every section of the Union which then inAu-
need my conduct, endeavor to perform every
uty conhded by the constitution and laws to
he executive.
As the proceedings of the convention have
larked new era in the history of the country
y bringing new political organisation into
lie approaching presidential canvass, take the
ccaslon to reatfirm my full confidence in the
atrlotlc purposes of that organisation, which [
agard as sprlngng out of public necessity,
breed upon the country, to a large extent, by
Unfortunate sectional divisions, and the tenden-
OF these divisions towards disunion. It alone,
my opinion, of all the political agencies now
klstng, Is possessed of the power to silence
lis violent and disastrous agitation, and to re-
ore harmony by It's own example of modera- =,
on and forbearance. 1t has a claim, there
re, IN my Judgment, upon every earnest friend I
integrity in the Union
So estimating this party, both in its present
osltlon and future destiny, freely adopt its
reat leading principles as announced in the re-
snt declaration of the national council at Phil 9
delpbla, copy of which you were so kind as !
enclose me, holding them to be just and lib L
al to every true interest of the country, and [
lseIy adapted to the establishment and sup
ort of an enlightened, safe and effective Amer.
IN policy, in full! accord with the ideas and Q
le hopes of the fathers of our republic
| expect shortly to sail for America, and, with il
lie blessings OF DivineProvidence hope soon to. q
cad my native soil. My opportunity of COM
ann9 my own country and the condition of its
sople with those Of Europe, has only served to q
crease my admiration and love for our own :,
essed land of liberty, and | shall return to it q
lthout desire ever TO cross the Atlantic again. -
beg you, gentlemen, to accept my thanks :,
T the very fiattcrjng manner in which You :
Ire been pleased to communicate the results -
the action Of that enlightened and patriotic =
'dy of men who composed the late conven- .
IN, and 10 be assured that am, with pro -
und respect aud esteem. your friend and fell :.