Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-03-18
MAYNARD on Fillmore.

In Congress ON the 9th inst, the death
of ex-President Fillmore having been an
nounced, Mr.. Maynard said:
Mr.. Speaker, it was but few moments
since, so it happened, that the sad intelli-
gence reached me of the death of this en-
| inent man. rise to add nothing to what
has been said, certainly to protest against
nothing; and yet could not let the occa-
sion pass without suggesting that Millard
| Fillmore, the day he died, was something
more than q citizen of the State of New
| York. He was adopted by the country; he
| became in a special sense citizen of the
country, q citizen of the United States. AS
the leader of this House, representing q
district from the State of New York, he
made distinguished and honored name
a name which was the occasion of his be-
ing selected by the nation and elevated to
the second place in the gift of the people.
A sad dispensation of Providence trans
ferred him (under the provisions of our
Constitution to the highest place in our
land, and as we, perhaps, too proudly re-
gard it, the highest place in the civilized
world.
shall not now speak of his administra-
ton as President of the United States fur
ther than'to say it is one toward which its
supporters and friends always recur with
out feelings of dissatisfaction or regret
one they take delight in remembering.
When he had retired from Office into
private life, and the clash of arms resound-
ed, his voice was heard in no uncertain,
no doubtful or equivocal phrase to indicate
his opinion of the contest and of the du-
ties it imposed upon all who loved their
| country. From that time until the day of
| his death, in all the eXcitements we have
passed through, in all the discussions and
| agitations which have come upon the
country, he has not, certainly by any pub
l Nt1aNI -fl H.,
| any private utterances, sought TO inter
pose his opinion or bring the weight and
influence of his character in any manner
| to contest, to embarrass, or to influence his
successors in the discharge of the official
duties appertaining to any of the high po-
| sitons which he had successfully filed.
His character has been singularly pure,
his conduct singularly forbearing and APP
propriate. In private life 1 long since
learned he had the respect of all his neigh
bors. Strangers who visited the city of his
late residence, without regard to political
sentiment or former personal relations,
made it part of their pleasure to pay him
their personal respects. He lived in retire
ment from the high office of President Of
the United States, as am sure the Ameri.
can citizen will be gratified to see all Others
live who may fill the same Office in the fu-
ture years of this Republic. AS retired
statesman / know not where to look for 6
finer model.
Indeed, Mr.. Fillmore may be regarded
as a model American citizen the outgrowtl
OF our institutions and our form of Govern
ment. A young man coming into lif,
without any advantages of fortune, birth
social position, unaided save by the powers
given him by his Maker, educated will
such facilities as his country afforded him
he rose step by step, by his own good con
duct and high personal endeavor, until h'
reached the topmost round of the ladde
on which he first set his ambitious foot.
/ concur most heartily with gentlemen
who have spoken, that it is meet AM
proper we who have succeeded him here il
the discharge of public affairs should pa.
, becoming tribute to his memory.