, 1859-12-27
mR. FILLmORE,s LETTER.
He Pitches Into the Douglas Men.

mR. FILLm0REsS LETTER.
He Pitches Into the Douglas Men.
. The letter ol e1-Prcsident Fillmore eame up
with manliness quite unexpected in the New
York Union meeting While almost all the
6ther speeches and lettera were entirely QUE
sided, the ex-President boldly put the re-
sponsibiity Of the present agitation where it
belongs, BY ayowing that it arose from, the re-
peal Of the Missouri Compromise. We COM
mend the epistle 10 the reflection Of those
Union aarers who participated in that nelarious
transaction:
- Gentleman: Your letter Of the 18th reached
me- yesterday, enclosing call for public meet.
ing in SeH York citT, beaded " The North and
the South-Justice end fraternity" inviting me
: to b. present on the occasion. As no time j.
specified, hnstea to respond By saying that thf
objects Of the meeting hare my most hearty ap:
proval, but haze lonk since Withdrawn from
any participation in politics beyond TINT Of giy:
ing my vote for those whom deem the best and
safest men to govern the country; srd hare
uniformly, since was nt the head of the gov.
I ernment, declined ali Invitations to attend po.
stormy aspect and threatening tendency Of pub
lie eFents, did feel taat my presence at your
meeting could, in the least, tend to a1lay the
growing jealousy between the North and tha
South, should, at some personal Inconvenience,
accept your invitation and cordially join you in:
admonishlrg the country, North Gnd South, to
mutual forbearance towards each other, and to-
cease elimination and recriminatlon On both
sides, and endeavor to restore again that fra
ternal feeling aud confidence which have made
usa great aud happy people. !
ExBut it seems 10 me that it my opinions are Of,
hare them IN a much more responsible and sat-
isfacto1y form than could give them BY par
ticipating in the proceedings of any meeting
Ny sentiments on this unfortunate question Of
hlavery, md The, constitutional rights Of the
South in regard 70 il, hare not changed since
by the performance Of painful duty in approx
ing and enforcing the fugitive slave law. What
the Constitution gives would concede at every
sacrifice. would not seek to enjoy its benefits
without sharing it's burthens and responsible
ties. know Of no other rule OF political rights
and c1Pedleney. These were my sentiments
then-theJ arc nv sentiments now. stand by
the Constitution Of my country Ut every hazard,
and am prepared to maintain il at every sacri-
fee.
ilere might stop; *but since have yielded
TO tho impulse TO write, would not hesitate to
EXPRESS Se1f pf'ens, NY Fie~s o4 one or t"o
ersn1s "a1en aafe occurred sl1ee fetlfed from
rise to your meeting. This cannot do intelli.
gibly, without brief reference to som eycnts
WHICH occurred during my administration.
All must remember that in 1s49 and 1850 the
county va eesele!y agfatea on ms dlssurl-
.as M auesnoa 81 slase anat contest ssss OUT
~ " LEY ~. 1l9n ~ nsa,.T,
i as 10 whether slayes should be tolerated in any
par. u 'na1 .S tessno5 ~ su % nP ,: wsn .ass Was
., ciaun On sue Pa@t ~ 1ue slaseuo!o1hs oaales'
tAat :ne pfosls'na VI .ae CONSTITUTION LOT 'ae
fenalnon q 1aenses from service should pe
maze 1vntaole' - ue ~" OF 1I3s on Inst BUD
Ject, which depenoed ch'euy on state oficess for
,:s execution, had become inopesattre because
Sf"'e oihcefs were mol oDneeo 10 perform that
duty.
.iltcr sesere S9taegle' "hieh threatened the
integrity o. sne Union, congress hnalls passed
laws setIng tasse quss11ons; anu 'ne govern
men: ana the Peor1e ios nnis sssmea 10 aequl-
ta's e1clttng quss.'on YES. anu II - e3eeeo'ogiy 10
pe regee.1eo .Hat nlssaAsn ul1ulu9n 0f 1ne
tempted my one 10 raise this question agnin.
] butin M eFll honr ttas fonuora's boz Of slave
;i;sniia W. .tt.n;, - c,.ea eouJu Ni ~ oe
Kansas by a repeal Of the Missouri Coniprom.
ise, aud. the food Of cvl1a now swelling and
threatening toaoTerthrow tile constitution, and
sweep away the foundation o. the government
i'se1, and deluge thla land with frnternA blood,
mag III oe traced 10 tnls unfortunate act. 7" hat"
overnight have been thu motive, few acts have
ever been SO barren Of good and so fruitful Of
evil. The contest has e1aspcrutcd the public
mind, North and South, and engandered feelings
Of distrnst, and may SAY, hate, that l fear it
will take years to wear away.
The lauacutable tragedy ut Harper's Ferry ia
c1ear1y:traceablc to this unfortunate controver-
81 about slavery in Kansas, and while tue chief
acto- in this criminal invasion has exhibited
some traits of character that challenge our ad-
rn!ration, yet his fsnatical zeal seems to have
blinded mis- moral perceptions, and hurried him
into an unlawful attack upon the lives ofn peace
iu and unotIcnding community in sister State,
with the evident intention of raising servile
insurrcction, which no Que can contemplate
without horror; and few, ! believe very few,
can be found so Indifferent to the consequences
Of his acts, CT so blinded by fauatical zeal, az
4 t-Is- Al L ~