Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1860-01-06
New York Union Meeting Let
ter from Ex-President
Fillmore.
BurrALo, Dec. le. ls5s.

BUFrALo Dec. l6 1853.
GFxTLEuES-Your letter of the 18th reached me
yesterday enclosing call for public meeting in
New York City, headed
"The North and The South-Ju'hcs and Frdter-
nifty"
and inviting me to be present on the occasion. Al
no time Is specified hasten to respond by saying
that the objects of the meeting have my most hearty
approval, but have long since withdrawn from
any participation in politics beyond that of giving
my vote for those whom deem the best and safest
men to govern the country; and have uniformly,
since was at the head of the government, declined
all Invitations TO attend political meetings. yet in
view Of the present stormy aspect and tbreatning
tendency of public events, did | feel that my pres
ence at your meeting could in the least tend to aay
the growing jealousy between the North and the
South, should, at some personal inconvenience,
accept your invitation and cordially Join you in
admonishing the country, North and South, to mu-
tual forbearance towards each other and to cease
elimination and recrimination on both sides, and
endeayor to restore again that faternal feeling and
confidence which have made US q great and happy
people.
But it seems to me that IL my opinions are Of any
importance to my countrymen, they now have them
in much more responsible and satisfactory form
than could give them by participating in the pro-
ceedings Of any meeting. My sentiments on this
unfortunate question of slavery, and the constitu
tional rights Of the South in regard to it, have not
changed since they made manifest to the whole
country by the performance offs painful official duty
in approving and enforcing the fugitive slave law.
What the Constitution gives | would concede a,
every sacrifice. would not seek to enjoy its bene-
fits without sharing its burthens and its responsible
itics. know Of other rule Of political right OF
expediency, Those were my sentiments tben-they
are my sentiments now. | stand by the Constitu-
ton of my country at every hazard, and prepared
| 10 maintain il at every sacrifice
Here might stop; but since have yielded "a
the impulse to write will not hesitate to express
very briefly, my views on one or two events which
have occurred since retired from Office and which
in all probability have given rise to your meeting
This cannot do intelligently without q. brief re-
ference TO some events which occurred during my
administration.
All must remember that in l849 and So the
country was severely agtated on this disturbing
question of Sldrery That contest grew out of the
acquisition Of new territory from Mexico. and con.
test between the North and the South nsto whethe-
slavery should be tolerated in any part of that ter
ritory. Mixed up with this was claim ou' the
part of the Slaveholdng States that the provision
the Constitution for the rendition of fngitves from
service should.be made available MS the law Of 7es
on that subject, which depended chiefly the Stat:
officers for iseXecution had become imperative be
N'HSS A'bt'S omNSiS NSiC luh
duty. .ET7D 40 -If[
After q seqcre struggle which threatened the in
tegrity of the Union, Congress finally passed lnw!
settling these questions; and the government ant
the people for the time seemed TO acquesce in tina
compromise as q final settlement of this exciting
question and is exceedingly to be regretted tha
mistaken ambition or the hope of promoting par
ty triumph should have tempted any one to raise
this question again. But in an evil hour this Pan
dora hox of Slavery was again opened by what
conceive to be unjusifable attempt to force Sla
very into Kansas by repeal Of the Missouri Com
promise, anS the flood of evils now swelling an,
threatening 10 overthrow the Constitution, ant
sweep away the foundation of the government itsel
md dcuge this land with frnternal blood may al
be traced to this unfortunate act. Whatever Nigh
have been the motive, few acts have ever been 81
barren of good, and so fruitful Of evil The contes
has exasperatcd the public mind North and South
and engendered feelings of distrust and may say
hate, that fear it will take years to wear away
The amentablc tragedy at llsrpers Ferry is clearl
traceabe to this unfortunate controversy abou
Slavery in Kansas and while the chief actor in thi
criminal invasion has exhibited some traits of char
acter that challenged our admiration yet his fanat
cal zeal seems TO have blinded his moral perception
and hurried him into an unlawful attAek upon tn
lives of peaceful and unoffcndng community in
sister State, with the evident intention Of raising
servile insurrection, which no one contemplat
without borrow and few, I believe very few, ca
be found, so indifferent 10 the consequences of hi
acts or so blinded by anatical zeal as not to believ
that he justly suffered the penalty of the law whic
he had violated. | cannot but hope that the fat
of John Brown and his associates will deter a
Others from any unlawful attempt to interfere in tn
domestic affairs of a sister State. But this TRACED
has now closed, and Virginia has vindicated tn
supremacy of her laws, and shown that she is quit
competent to manage her own affairs and proteC
her own rights. And thanks to an over-rulin
Providence, this qaestion about Slavery in KansG
is now also settled, and in favor of freedom. Th
North has trumphed, and having trumphed, let he
by her magnanimity and generosity to her Soutl
ern brctheren show that the contest on her part WI
one of principle and not of personal hatred, tn
low ambition ofa sectional triumph
Finally, if had the power to speak and ther
were any disposed to listen TO my counsel, I woul
say to my brethren Of the South "Be not alnrme,
for there are few, very few at the North who wOul
Justify in any manner an attack upon the institution
Of the South which are guaranteed by the Constitl
tion. We are all anti-Slavery in sentiment, bl
we know that we have nothing to do with it in Il
several States, and VIC do not intend to interfel
with It, And | would say to my brethren of Il
North, respect the rights of the South; the
iby your acts that you regard them as friends al
brethcren. And would conjure all, in the name
all that is sacred to et.this agitation cease with Il
causes which have produced it. Let harmony
restored between the North and South, and let ever
patriot rally around our national flag, and swe
upon the altOr Of his country TO sustain and defer
il.
am, with great respect
Your obedient servant
MGLLARD FILLMORE.
Mcssrs 5. l.. NJ. Barlow, w. o. Hunt, and Jam
Brooks, Committee, &c.