The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-03-27

out a stain upon his fame. Charles
Sumner hated slavery, and slavery hated
him. And because, In the long and
terrible contest, he was so true and so
steadfast, panoplied in principle, armed
Mt every point, strong as conscience and
pure as childhood, his name will be
honored i'll the land so long as the de-
scendant of n slave remains, or America
loves liberty.
" Whom neither shape of danger dismay,
Nor thought of tender happiness betray;
Who not content that former worth stand fast,
Looks forward, persevering TO the last,
From well to better, daily self-surpast;
Who whether praise of him must walk the earth
Forever, and to noble deeds give birth,
Or he must fall, to sleep without his fame,
And leave a dead, Improbable name,
Finds comfort in himself and in his cause;
And while the mortal mist IL gathering, draws
His breath i'll confidence of Heavens applause"
WILLARD FILLMORE.
Mr.. Fillmore was q man of such ex-
cellent administrative talents, political
experience, urbane manners, and pure
character that he would have made an
admirable President had not the Office
when he held it required very much
moe. 1t was his misfortune that his
career was cast in n time which he could
not control He was a respectable fig
ure in the epoch of compromise, and
his craftsmanship was that of his time.
1t is the fashion to speak of Webster,
Clay, and Calhoun as an Incompatible
triumvirate among American political
chiefs. But tried rs real statesmen,
they all conspicuously failed for they
either did not comprehend the difficulty
and danger with which they had to
deal, or they were too timid to touch it,
and incapable of settling it. The latter
is probably the truth. Miss Martineau,
in a remarkable paper published at the
beginning of the war, reports converse
tions with each of the three nearly forty
years ago, i'll which they showed that
they did see and fear the course of
events, but seemed to think that the
evil day could be INSTRUMENTATION us
the deluge. Mr.. Calhouns political
views were simply medieval Mr.. Web
ster's 7th of March speech showed
either his blindness or his incapacity T;
while Mr.. Clay merely made shift for
the hour. This was Mr.. Fillmore's
political school, and he was neither bet
ter nor worse than its most noted repre-
sentatives.
The difference between n man who
has true political insight and one who
has not, is illustrated in the careers of
Mr.. Fillmore and his contemporary,
Mr.. Seward. They were both born in
the State of New York, and there was
but years difference in their ages.
They began political life together as
Anti Masons, and they both became
eminent Wings. But Mr.. Seward truly
| measured the weight of opinion around
him, and had already, as Senator, bold.
ly declared the higher law of moral duty
rs permanent factor III politics, when
Mr.. Fillmore, rs President, signed Ma
| sons Fugitive Slave bill. 1t is alleged
, that he was honest in signing it. But
! is it doubted that Mason and the slave
, power were any less honest in proposing
it? 1t was monstrous and unconsti-
tutional law, which President of high
} moral instinct and political sagaclty
} would have vetoed, and SO have organ
lied and concentrated the anti-slavery
S sentiment-that is, the sense of justice
i of the country. 1t is sometimes said
. that it was better not to have precipi
tated the question. But is it gravely
r urged that because the enormities OF
$ Pope Alexander the Sixth and Caesar
r Borgia ripened Europe for the Reforma
: ton, their poisonings and slaughters
a are to be regarded with complacency
t The condition of the world undoubtedly
e improves from age to age, but are the
/ Spanish inquisition and the Southern
: slave-block TO be therefore commended
= as means of progress? H. may be true
: although 1t can never be known, tha
i had Mr.. Fremont been elected in 1857
F, the war would have begun, and with
:, much more doubtful issue and many
e good Republican is undoubtedly glaC
e that Mr.. Fremont was not elected. Blu
d does he regret that he did not vote fo
: Mr.. Buchanan and throw up his hat fo
t the bred Scott decision? Could Mr.
y Fillmore's course have been other thar
n it was, he might have been known il
! our history as the first anti-slavery Pres
t ident. AS it is, he will always be chief,
e known as the signer of the Fugitiv,
l. Slave bill. Edward Everett said tina
@ there was not lover of liberty in tn,
!, world who did not droop his head whel
S he heard that Lafayette was dead. Their
d was not slave in America whose hear
:, did not sink when he knew what Mr.
k Fillmore had done.
Q Mr.. Fillmore long survived his DO
: litical career. BY force of events, no
. by his own mastery, he had been al
y important actor in great affairs, an,
/ he did what he supposed to be hi
9 duty. He lived to see the power whicl
u he and greater men than he though
Q could be placated arrayed in arm
$ against the country and the hopes O
e human liberty. He shared with thes
u greater men the incapacity of perceiv
ing that slavery must rule or ruin
It and, therefore, with them, he coul,
N not know that compromise was impos
r. sible. He lived to see the maligI
lie force which he hoped to conciliate de
N stroyed, and the Uuion, which had bee
4 the fortress of slave masters, renewe,
s. without slave. He lived to see tn
y principles of his great opponent, Sew
% ard, which had been condemned by hin
1t and his friends as incendiary and sedi
l. tious, adopted amidst the applause O
Is the world as the truly American polio
% Of the Government. But he saw it ali
If apparently, without jealous mortifica
is tion Or regret and with sati