The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-03-13

country, he might have been the leader of
a great party. He took the other course
and has passed nearly a quarter Of a cen
tury in obscurity.
Willard Fillmore's political career was
brilliant. useful and statesmanlke up to
that fatal year 1850, when so many north
ern politicians and statesmen suffered utter
shipwrcck. But, before referring to this, |
let lis speak Of his ancestry as particularly |
interesting TO Nermontcrs. John Fillmore, |
the t-grandfather of Millard Fillmore
and the common ancestor Of those of tsat
name in the United States. was born about
the year 1900, and when some nineteen
year. old, embarked, as a common sailor,
in fishing vessel which sailed from Bos-
ton. When but few days cut the vessel
was captured by the, then. notorious pirate
Captain Phillips, and Fillmore was retained
as prisoner. For nine months, he re-
manned prisoner was subjected to every
conceivable hardship, insult and danger,
and with threats Of Instant death To induce
him to join tho pirates. but he steadily re-
fused In the course Of this time. two
other prisoners we're taken and their lives
spared in the hope that they would join the
pirate crcw-al other prisoners Icing put
to death. The three joined their fortunes,
and, believing death preferable 10 such a
captivity, determined TO make I'm attempt
70? liberty. They made an attack ON the
pirates, and after killing several, captured
| the remainder Of the crew, aHd the vessel
/ AM bioH ~ ihem safely 10 Boston hdrbor.
/ y narrative OF this adventure was published
at the time a copy Of which is now be-
fore us-and il details one of the most
thrilling. daring and successful exploits of
which we have any record. The surviving
pirates were tried, convicted and executed.
\ suitable acknowledgement was made Ivy
the British government. To the cnploIs, and
John Fillmore, subsequently settled in
Franklin. Connecticut, where he died. His
son, Nathaniel, after having served in the
French war, settled in Bennington. IN this
state, hut at what date is unknown The
first fact We have in relation to him is that
he 'unilcd with the Congregational
church. in 11i3 lie was IAN ensign in
Captain DeWey's company" and, as such
participated in the battle of Bennington.
lie was reputable citizen and died in
1911 His son Nathaniel, father OF Mil
lard, was born in Bennington, April 10Th,
III, married there, and, about the year
1893. removed 20 western New York, and
settled at what is now known as ''Sumner
HILL" in Cayuga county. Another son,
uncle Of the President, Elijah Fillmore,
was born in Bennington represented the
town in the general assembly Of Vermont
in 1882 and died in 1853 lie lived and
and died, says the historian Of Benning-
ton, ''much respected by his neighbors and
fellow-citizcns" Would that we could
truly say the same of the life and death of
his kinsmau.
We can run through the main dates of
Mr.. Fillmorc's lite in few woods. lie
was born at Summer Hill, in the town
ship of Locke Cayuga county, New York
seventy-iour years and two months old al
the time of his death. lie worked for foul
months and subsequently, for foul
years at the cluther's trade and. subsc
quently, for four years as II wool carder
and, during this time, labored hard to over
come the Deficiencies of his early educa
ton. At nineteen years. he commenced
the study of law and the next -four years
school. In 1928 he was admitted to prac
tice in the court of common pleas openeC
an office in Aurora became an attorney
of the supreme court in 1927 a counsellor
in 1929 ; and removed to Buffalo the fol
lowing year. The same year he wa.
elected to the legislature of New York. II
1882, he was elected to Congress ant
served single term, but was elected agar
in 1887 and twice thereafter Daring thes,
six sessions he was a leader of the wills
party and done most excellent service t,
the country. In 1S47, he became comptrol
= Ter of New York and was serving as sucl
when elected Vice President of the Umtct
States, and only resigned the former Office
to be inaugurated March 4th, 1910. Wher
General Taylor was nominated by the whiI
national convention, it wos feared that til,
, nomination would be distastcfu to, anC
not command the support of the NORTH be
cause he was not only a southern man bu
a slave holder. The name of Abbott Law
renee was mentioned for the vce-presi
. dency, bat it met with little favor for tn,
reason as it was then expressed, tina
there would be cotton at both ends OF til,
ticket The design and object Of the con
ycnliOn was to nominate northern anti
slavery wing, SO as to conciliat
the north. Mr.. Filmorcs name wa
brought forward as such man
was nominated as such, and elected a
such. Two misapprehensions existed as Il
the make up of the ticket. General Tay
lor proved himself true union man,
patriot, and ono who regarded all sec
tons of the country alike. At his untimel,
death, when Fillmore grasped the chic
= executive power of the nation, he gave tn
lie to the record of his whole political life
> and became the supple tool of the slav
, power His course onward Is too humiliat
ing to his own fame and to the nation, t
make it pleasure to recall It, and we
y therefore, pass it by. lie sold himself TO
! the bauble IF presidential nomination an,
failed to get it, At the close of his tern
\ of office, he retired from the public gaze
: let us hope to ponder on and repent Of hi
treachery. In the providence of God, hi
course may have proved the salvation o
y the nation. That, with subsequent events
aroused and united the people of the north