The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1856-06-28
For the Felicinna Democrat.

Now. my dear Sir, upon what do you base your
exalted opinion of Mr.. FILLMORE? What great act OF
his, either as private individual. Representative
in the Congress of the United States OF a Chief
Magistrate. can you refer to, as emitting him to so
high place in your Estimation Tie signed the fu-
gitive slave law, Us part of the ComprUmise of
1850 anti htnes,ly endcavbred TO carry 1t into effect
but yon car NO where find that he believes 1t to be
right in principle II has been recently shown by
correspondent of the Richmond Enquirer, In which
he refers to official documents that Mr.. FILLMORE up
to 1913, invariably acted with the Abolitionisis in
Congress, on every question touching the interests
Of the South Ho has shown, beyond contradiction,
that Mr.. Fillmore was in favor
1st OF excluding the South from all share in the
territories belonging to the Union.
I'd. That he was against admitting any State into
the Union, with constitution toleratng or csab-
fishing slavery.
Sd. That he was in favor of the unconditional and
immediate abolition of slavery in the District of Co
umbia, without the consent Of and without compcn
sation to. the owners of such property therein.
4th. That he was In favor of the suppression by
Congress of the free transfer of slaves from one
southern State to another.
| 9Th. That he wis opposed to the execution Of, or
any law passed in burs,iact Of that clause of the
Constitution with reference to fugitive slaves or of
any legislation which would make it directly obliga'
tory upon the States or the people.
9th. That he was in favor of the reception of pc.
tiohs In every shape in which they were presented,
on the subject of slavery, and that in regard TO
them and all ether phases Of abOlitonism, he was as
radical and bitter either Giddings or Sladc.
| It'll. He was in favor Of The principle thai Con-
sress could do indirectly. what it could not do di.
rectly, by the Constitution, upon the subject of slave
| ry.
sth. lie was in favor If snppressng the coast-wisc
traffic in slaves in vessels of the United States, under
the alleged authority to regulate commerce.
9th. Hewas in favor of the recognition Of and in
favor of establishing ministerial relations with, the
black republic of lIayt and opposed to the rccog-
milton of Texas dr her admission rs State. except
upon the condition that slavery should be abolished
| therein.
10th. lie was for discriminating. by direct lcgs.
laton. in favor Of the property of one section Of
the Union, and against the property of another see
ton Of the saline Union, which processes to to
all its parts an cqa participation in and equal bcnc-
fits among the States and people by whom IL is coi
posed
This his record for the ten ycars he in Con-
gress, from 1855 to 1913.
Whilea candidate for the Vice Presidency, he
wrote several letters, in which lie gave it as his
opinion that Congress- bad no power over the sub.
ject in the States but silent the grave upon
the power Of Congress over the subject in the Terri
tories Upon this question, Mr.. FILLMORE has never
given his opinion since he left Congress and there is
no doubt in the mind of any unprecedented man. thai,
he NnLMoRE) still believes that Congress possesses
the power and ought to exercise it, to prevent slave
ry from going into the Territories. I venture the
prediction that Mr. FILLMORE will show himself op.
posed to the principles of the Kansas-Nebraska act
and will give IT as his opinion that Congress ought
to exclude slavery from the Territories whenever he
speaks ont upon these subjects.
| These are the main questions upon which the ffeyt
presidential election will turn, and no man who is
not sound, according to the southern view of these
issues, ought to be supported by any man Of either
party in the salveholding States. II was always a
fault Of the old Wing party, that their selected lead
ers were superior to every body else and their press
es and politicians lauded them to the skies, often
without rhyme reason. II was 50 with them while
Mr.. FILLMORE was President. They declare we nev.
er had such president since the days of Washington
and many of those who did so, did 1t upon the say
SO of others, without ever having looked into his his
tory as the record deneates his character Nv high
respect for you a friend and gentleman, compel
the to believe that you have not examined his past
political career with that care that You usually do
OF othcrWlse you WOud not De ready 10 cypress the
exalted opinion of him. that seeiis now to pervade
your mind. A man who acted with the Aboltionsts
from 1885 to 1913 is not likely to have changed his
opinions so suddenly as to become sound on the
question Of the power Of Congress over slavery in
the Territories, which question is paramount to all
others with us.
Again, the question arises. where is the evidence
that Mr.. FILLMORE is the great and pure man his
friends claim him to be? The Gardner frauds and
the Galphin swinde, in which portion of his Cabi-
net implicated, evidences of his 50 acity
and the proclamation denouncing the brave CRITrEN-
DEN and his associates pirates and robbers thereby
estopping himself from saying word in their favor
although treaty existed between the United States
and Span guaranteeing to the citizens of each ia
ken prisoners under such circumstances fair and
impartial trial. This proclamation will forever stand
as blot upon his escutcheon, that no time nor soph-
istry remove. Not single act of his whole
political life of any Importance, has he either orlg
mated carried through Congress to stamp his char
Y acter as a statesman. Compare him with CALHOUN
a BUCHANAN, DOUGLAS, HUNTER, PIERCE, WISE
any other of leading Democratic statesmen il
this respect, and they stand out like hills and noun
talns far above him. upon the leoisIatiya roo ord