American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1859-12-29
The Union Meeting in Now York.

IuomOoohehOus 4uo ISoOluiOuo SUI opooOu~
es we're directed almost exclusively against
Northern Ssoiiouslism. The Southern ar
tiele was not reviewed. This is certainly
q great and Aagrant omission. The best
thing produced by the meeting was the let
ter from Mr.. MILLARD FILLMoRE. which
we give in full. placing few passages 10
itslics:-C Cincinnati Commercial.
Letter from Rx-PresIdent Fillmore.
BUFFALo. December l6, 1859. {
Gentlemen--Your letter Of the 18th
reached me yesterday. enclosing call for
apubIic meeting 10 New York City. headed
"TnE NoRrH AND TIE SoUTH--JUsTIcE AND
FRATERNITT. y
and inviting me To be present on the coca
sion. As no time is specified. hasten to
respond BY saying that the objects Of the
meeting have my most hearty approval.
bu, l have long since Withdrawn from any
participation in politics beyond that OF giS-
ing my vote for those whom ] deem the
best and safest men to govern the country;
snd have uniformly. since was at the
head Of the government, declined all inYi-
iations to attend political meetings; yet. 10
view OF the present stormy aspect and
threatening tendency Of public events. did
/ feel that my presence at your meeting
could, in the least, tend to lay the growing
jealousy between the North and the South,
should, ct some personal Inconvenience,
accept your invitation. aRd cordially Join
you in admonishing the country, North
and South. to mutual forbesrancs towards
each others and 10 cease elimination and
Teerimipstion on both sides, and endeavor
Io restore again that fraternal feeling and
confidence Which haze made US great and
happy peOpls>
But i. seems To- me that il my opinions
are Of any importance TO my countrymsu,
they have them in much more RESPONSE
bic and satifactory form than l could give
them BY participating in the proceedings ol
any meeting. My sentiments on this urs
fortunate question Of slavery. and the con,
stitutionAl rights OF the South in regard 10
il. haze not changed since they Ders made
npaaifsstto the uIOls country By tie perform
0Hcs of a pdintal offciob dGtwin approving
and en- forcing tho tagitivs sla0s Law. WhaI
the Constitution gives would cOnoeds al
every sacrifice. l would not seek to en-,
| JOY its benefits without sharing its bur4bens
and responsibilities. know Of no. 9th 81
rule OF political right or expedisncy. Those
were my sentiments then they are MI
sentiments now. ! stand by the Cons,itu,
ton Of my country at every hazard, aBd
am prepared to maintain it at every sacri
| fee.
Here ! might stop; but since hav.
yielded to the impulse TO write, will moi
hesitate to express. very briefly. my views
on one or two events which have occurred
since l retired from Office, and which in
all probability have given rise te your meet
ipgs. This ! can not do in,elligibly. with
outa brsef reference to some events which
occurred dEring my administration.
All must remember that in l849 and
1850, the country was severely agitated on
this disturbing question Of slavery. That
contest grew out Of the acquisition OF new
territory from Mexico, and contest be
tween the North and the South as TO whetb>
er slavery should be tolerated in any part
Of that terr tory. Mixed up with this, was
claim on the part OF the slaveholdine
States. that the provision OF the Constitu
tion for the rendition Ct fugiliyes from ser.
vice should be made available. az the
law Of 1898 on that subject, which depend.
ed chiefly on State officers for its execu
ton. had become imperative. beoauseStats
officers were not obliged to perform thai
duty.
After severe stEuggle. which threatsu
ep the integrity Of the Union, Congress
finally passed laws settling these questions
and the government and the people for a
sine seemed to acquiescs, 10 that COM.
PRoMIsK as a inal settlement Of this excit>
ing question: and it is exceedingly to be
regretted that mistaken ambition or the
hope Of promoting party triumph should
have tempted any one to raise this ques-
ton again. But ID An evil hour Mis Pon.
dora's hos Of Slavery 20 s o9..in opened By
what Iconceive 10 be an unustifiaus attempt
70 force Slavery into KInsos by repeal ol
the Missouri Compromise, and the food o
evils cow swelling and threatening to over
throw the Constitution. and sweep away
the foundation Of the Government itself
and delugs this land with fr terual blood
MAY BE TRACED TO THIS UNFoRTUNATE ACE
Whatever. might have been the motive, lev
acts have ever been so barren OF good anG
so fruitful OF evil. The contest has exas.
peratsd the public mind. North aud South
aud engendered feelings OF distrust; aud
may say, hate. that / fear it will lake yearl
to wear away The l.mentabIs tragedy a
Harper's Ferry is clearly traeeable to thil
unfortunate controversy about Slavery il
Kansas, aud while the chief actor in thi
criminal invssion has exhibited some trait
Of character that challenge our admiration
yet his fana,ioal zea seems to have blind
ed his moral perceptions. sAd hurried hin
into an unlawful attack upon the lives Of
peaceful and unofending Oom munity 10
sister State. with the evident int u,ion O
raising servile insurrection, Whiuh n
one can contemplate without horror; and
few. believe very few, can be found. z
Indifferent to the consequences Of his &C {
or so blinded by fAnstical zeal, as not
J believe that he Justly suffered the peualt
OF the law which he had violated. ca
not but hope that the fate Of John Blow
and his associates will deter alJSshers fror
any unlawful attempt to intstieret 10 tb
| 4 a.. r r Dat al.