New-York tribune., 1874-03-09
OBITUARY.
MILLARD FILLMORE.

reply to question by his physician, he said the
nourishment was paatable. These his last
words. His death was painless
With the death Of Mr. Fillmore another of the
few prominent survivors of the stormy period Of
politics preceding the war passes away Millard
| Fillmore was born at Summer Hill. Cayuga County
n. Y, Jan. T. 1890. His ancestors were of English
origin, but his great-grandfathor John Fillmore,
from whom all of the name in the United States
descended, was born about the year 1902 in Ipswich
Mass, and was the hero of a remarkable adven-
ture at sea; where, after being captured by
pirates and kept for nine months upon their vessel
he, with two other captivcs made an attack upon
| his captOrs, killed several and eventually gaining
possession Of the ship brought it into Boston habOr
where tho surviving pirates were tried aud exc
| cuted Tho grandfather of Millard fought as
| lieutenant under Gen. Stark the battle of Ben
! nngton his father, an early pioneer from New
| England to Western New-York. settled in Cayuga
| County when it was yet mere wilder
ness and could give hut slender educa-
| ton to his family. Miard Fillmore never
| saw grammar a geography till he
was nineteen years old. During four years
preceding that event he had been apprenticod to
learn the clothier's trade; but while thus engaged
he was diligent reader in the village library, stor-
ing his mind from books of history. biography, and
! travel. Judge Wood of Cayuga County per-
ceved the capacity of the youth OF 49,
gave him place in his law Office, ad-
vanced the means for his necessary expenses. and
| enabled him to begin a course Of study. To repay
| the small sums thus adyanccd, Fillmore taught
school in the Winter months; and 1t is related
that out of $36 received for an entiro seasons
teaching, he received but So for himself and
applied the remainder to these obligations In the
Fall of 1921 he removed to the County of Erie, and
| A. at IufN IN
where he sustained himself by teaching and was
admitted to the bar in 1929 beginning practice at Au
rora in the same county In 1926 he married Abigail,
daughter Of the Rev. Lemuel Powers. The children
of this marriage were son and daughter. Mrs.
Fillmore was a lady Of refined and gentle manners,
and graced the high position which she subsequently
occupied as the mistress of the White House.
Mr.. Fillmore's first appearance in political life
was as a member of the Assembly from Erie
County in 1929 During the three years of
his service in the State Legislature he
belonged to n powerless minority, the Dem
ocrats being largely in the ascendant; but he
took prominent part IN the preparation and adyo-
cacy of the law which abolished that roo Of bar
barism imprisonment for debt. In the Fail of 1882
he was elected to the XXIIId Congress on the anti
Jackson ticket and took his seat during the stormy
session succeeding the removal of the deposits from
the United States Bank After serving one term he
renewed the practice Of his profession till the Fall
of 1896 when he was reelected to Congress, and as
| member of the Committee on Elections IN
the famous New-Jersey broad seal" case estab-
| lished his reputation III the House. Inc
agitation of this election case was among the prom
inent causes that determined the overthrow ot the
Democratic party and the Wing triumph in the
Presidential election of 1870 Mr.. Fillmore re-
elected to the XXVIIth Congress- and there obtained
| the arduous and responsible position of Chairman
| of the Committee of Ways and Means. The
| session continued during period OF nine months
during which he was not absent from his duties III
the House a single hour The financial affairs OF the
! Administration were in great disorder, and the
! public reputation of Mr.. Fillmore was largely
| advanced at this time by his unwearying
industry and the tact and judgment lie brought
TO bear upon national aasrs. He is regarded as the
author of the Tariff of 1872 One of the most yalu
able measures passed during this session ana through
hIs advocacy. was that which requires the Depart
ments in submitting estimates OF expenses 10 accom-
many them with references to the laws which au-
thorize them.
In the Wing National Convention of Nay l, 1914,
| Mr. Fillmore was candidate for the nomination
for VicePresident; in the Fall of the year he
received the Wing nomination for Governor OF TINS
! State but was defeated by Silas Wright,
| "a
called Liberty party threw the vote of the State
| for Polh Texas, the Mexican and the extension
of Sayers In 1S47 he was elected Controller of this
State by a larger majority than any State officer had
| received for many years, and to I'LL the du-
ties of this Office in 1913 he removed to
| Albany. The triumph of our arms in Mexico
made Zachary TAYLOR the most available man in tho
nation TO lead the Presidential ticket, and at the
Wbig National Convention of that year Taylor and
| Fillmore became the candidates, and were elected
triumphantly.
As Vice-President Mr. Fillmore. on taking the
chair in the Senate announced his purpose to pre-
serve order and if occasion required to revise the
usage of his predecessors which had been in accord
ance with the rule established by Mr. Calhoun
that the presiding officer =, had no power
to call Senators to order The announcement met
with the unanimous approval of the Senate, which
ordered his remarks to be entered at length upon its
journal. During the long and angry controversy
over the several propositions for the organization of
the territories and the discussion of the compromise
measures introduced by Mr.. Clay. known as the ON
nibus bill, Mr.. Fillmore presided over the Senate
with marked impartality and fairness. The quality
Of his mind and the characteristics of his subsequent
administrative policy fairly indicated
by the fact that during this long
period of controversy. when the country
was agitated through its whole extent by the ques-
tions under discussion, and the bitterness of party
strife ran higher than ever before. No one except
President Taylor knew which policy he approved.
To the President he privately stated that should he
he required to give the casting vote it would be in
| favor of Mr.. Clay's bill.
| The new Administration had been in Office little
,,o,a than 16 months seven of which had been