The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-03-10

Millard Fillmore.

~, - hINcE al LhuCoo VI tuIee WICK
duration. There 10 not a great deal TO ga,
10 regard to his life and character outsid
Of his accidental succession 10 the Presi
dency, on the death Of General TAYLOR
July 10th, 1850. His reputation prior Il
that time was simply that oia public ma
Of fair, not brilliant, abilities, and Of ex
cellent moral character. His private chal
acter indeed was never impugned dunnI
his long public career, which Ia no Smal
thing to say about public man In thes
''tter days. In regard to Mr.. FILLMORE
administration, 1t will always be chief
remembered for It's Identification with th
passage Of the Fugitive Slave Law, a Law
that did more TO infame and outrage
public sentiment at the North than any
bill ever passed by Congress with the
single exception ol the repeal Of the
Missouri Compromise. Mr.. FnLMoRE's
approval of this law, and especially his
attempt te execute It on two or three
memorable occasions, brought down on
hin the indignation Of the SEWARD
wing Of the Wing party, as well as the
whole body oi pronounced anti.slayery
men Of the country, and hence 1t was not
strange that in the Wing Convention oil
1852 he scarcely received corporals
guard oisupport for denomination. He was
defeated by Gen. sooTT, who in his turn,
was overwhelmingly defeated by FRANK
PIERCE before the people. Before the
next Presidential election came round the
Whtg party had gone 10 pieces and the
Know Nothing party reigned in its stead.
This party, like the Wing party, had two
wings, having split in the famous Phlla.
delphis Convention on the slavery ques-
ton, but it nevertheless subsequently
nominated Mr.. FILLMORE as Its candi-
date for the Presidency, he being
IN Europe at the time, only TO
dnd however that his antecedents were
so much at vhriance with the DRIFT of pub.
lie opinion that he had no chance what
ever Of success. He received the vote of
only one State, Maryland, and even that
was supposed to have been carried by the
terrorism inspired by the ward clubs OF
Baltimore,
His followers detected in Pennsylvania
at the last hour under the leadership OF a
fellow named SAHDERsoN, who. was
charged with selling out TO FoRNEY, and
this detection gave tho vote Of that State
to BUCHANAN, the last Democratic Presi-
dent and "the direful spring Of woes I'm.
to this country.
After this defeat Mr.. FILLMORE settled
down 10 private lie in Buffalo and devot.
ed himself to literature and social inter-
course with his personal and political
friends, by whom, as indeed by all classes,
be was justly esteemed for his private
worth and unsullied reputation. His last
public appearance was in the capacity Of
chairman Of the National Commercial
Convention held at Louisville in 1871,
where he was received with great con-
sideration by the large body Of influcntis!
men In attendance.
There is one event in Mr.. FILLMoRE's
career that should not be passed over In
notice like this. When he was a candi.
date for the Presidency in 1866, he made
3 most unfortunate speech at Albany, N.
y, In regard to the sectional character Of
the Republican nominations, not only de.
lOuncipg them as sectional but declaring,
10 substance, that the South never could
be expected 10 submit to their election
This speech was used as handle by the
Secessionists, per 50, and no doubt with
great effect, 10 silence the opposition Of
Union men ut the South, who were con-
Ironted with this declaration Of Mir. FILL
AoRE's as evidence that they were not as
true to the South as was this
Northern ex-President. Little can be
said In palliation Of such an
utterance from such o man, and It must
ever attach certain sort OF stigma to
bis reputation. During thegreat war with
the Rebellion Mr.. FrLLMoRE's name was
seldom ever mentioned. We do not say
that he had tho least sympathy with the
rebellion, but simply that it was unfortu-
nate for his posthumous fame that so lit.
tie Is known Of his relations to the cause
o! the Union during the great struggle.
1t was the characteristic OF slavery that
1t tainted the patriotism Of the country
with It's own leprous nature, and so es-
trauged the natural affections OF other.
wise true men that they became neutral
and Indifferent even where they were not
openly hostile. We shall never forget
with what bravado and assurance one of
the present members of Congress from
Mississippi, Mr.. L. Q, y. LAMAR, inter
Fupted the Hon. THos. NELsoN, q men,
Der from East Tennessee, in the course OF
q patriotic speech in the House in Decem.
Der 1859, soon after the assembling Of
Congress, With o reference to this very
uIterance Of Mr.. FILLMORE. In the
course Of that interruption he taunted
ar. NR1soN with this remark; "Will the
gentleman admit 10 these Black Repub.
lIcanS who are applauding him so