The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-03
.BUFFALO'S HISTORIC MANSION.
The Famous Home of Fillmore.
HUBERT M. SKINNER.

Au--------By HUBERT M. SKINNER.
AS a people we Americans do not man
ifest lasting appreciation of our great
man. One popular favorite soon gives
place to another We do not remember
even the names of a majority of our pres
tdents. This is lue in part to their short
terms of service-for with a single ex-
ception, no man has held the presidential
office for two consecutive terms since the
ancient days of Jackson. 1t is only the
few who find a place in folklore that live
III the hearts of the people. Lincoln and
Jackson are of the number of these.
The others live only in the cold pages OF
history.
Up to twenty years ago New York had
given to the nation but two presidents.
These We're both fitting types of the ele-
CANT society of the Empire state. Van
Buren, and Fillmore were, in fact, So
cietys darlings. Their luxurious sur
roundings and generous style of home life
and their polished manners were matters
of pride to their fellow citizens, and aided
materially in their elevation to political
ascendancy. The two men were finely
matched. Van Buren, was a Democrat,
Fillmore a Wing. Van Buren, was from
) the extreme east of the state, and Fill
more from the western shore. Like
Arthur, who succeeded to the presidency
twenty years ago, they served in trying
times, and like him they failed to secure
the coveted Nomination for further
term. Fillmol signed the fugitive slave
law in 1850 an thus brought down upon
his head the fu W of the indignant North.
And then, as if to make certain of
obloquy for all future time he became
sthe candidate of the 'Knownothings In
1856 Looking backward from our present
l,.o+l, atc tn
acts of incredible folly. And yet it was
= impossible to ascertain their effects in
advance. Nothing could have been more
absurd in itself than the nomination OF
the aged, childish and unsophisticated
Harrison in $780, yet it was ratified by the
people in an astonishing manner Many
Weighty considerations of public policy
seemed to favor the course that Fillmore
followed; and there is no doubt that he
acted from. sincere convictions of duty.
When at Buffalo, last week, l had the
pleasure Of visiting the stored home of
the once famous statesman. 1t faces
Niagara square on the corner of Dela-
ware avenue, being only very short
distance from Main street, for it was
built when Buffalo was but a small city,
and when the most aTistOcratic residences
were near to the business center. SO
wen constructed was it that centuries
VIII touch it gently Today it appears
exactly as when its great master was
borne away from it-in 1S74-eXcept for the /
extensive additions which have been
made 10 the side and rear These are In
such harmony with the original struc-
tuve as to give the impression that the
entire edifce as it stands today was
erected at one time. The purpose of the
extension has been to transform the !
place into one of the most aristocratc |
and unique hotels in the world-the Gas |
tie Inn
Yet IN this Transformation violence |
has been done to the associations of the
mace The chambers Of the old mansion |
retain their rich and beautiful furnish |
irgs of old days, as these were gathered |
from remote quarters of the world, ana |
the added apartments are equally luXu- |
nous in their appointments. The homc |
OF Fillmore, like the famous mansion OF
Ilarrabee at "Rosabower," in Indiana, |
, was the artistic combination of double |
a9d triple windows double chimneys. !
and fancy gables. suggestive of old Eng
Ish manor houses. It's principal door |
way was fanked by two tall but narrow
towers. The additions terminate on |
either street il broad towers crowned |
with battlements, the while resembling |
a palace of dUcal CT even princely dig |
nifty.
Fillmore must have been a man of re- |
n1arkabIe personality to draw to him and |
10 hold the devotion of the social coterle |
which had it's center in this mansion. In |
defeat as well as in success, and through |
The years which followed his political total |
eclipse. his friends worshiped at the |
same shrine. In 1852, when Francis Gran |!
Eer the old Wing leader failed in the |
Supreme effort of his life to secure the |
nomination OF Fillmore for president, he |
walked out of the national convention as |
Dne who had lost all interest in the pO- |
litical world, proclaiming to his dis
mayed hearers that he had no further |
desire than to be remembered with the |
''S3ilver Grays." Silver gray was the hair |
ut the venerable statesman, and it formed |
beautiful crown for his massive head. |
Silver gray We're the heads of many of |
his old co-workers in the ranks of the |
wings, who were never to witness an
other success of their party. Silver gray |
became the memories of the Wing strug-
gsas and triumphs they faded into the |
il1Gnite azure of the past
Qillmore's chamber contains the ma |
hogany bed which he died. his arm
chair, his chiffonier and small cabinet. |
Ia the latter is the last remaining bottle |
C wine of the cases which Commodore |
Ferry brought to him from the Madeiras |
fer it must be remembered that the mar
Vicious expedition to Japan was sent out |
by the silver gray president, though its |
results were reported to his successor,
Franklin Pierce. The wine, which was
Intended for use in the White house to (
never needed for that purpose. But the /
great commodore brought it to Buffalo, |
and there it was quaffed by silver grays, |
who could not conceive of a greater man |
tran their host, a greater honor than |
he conferred upon them.
l was also reminded of Fillmore at the |
Fln-Amercan exposition not merely by |
his portrait in the art building, but also
By the tiny railway which wound about
the grounds. For among the presents
which he sent to amaze the Mikado of
Japan was a little railway train, with
tiny rails of real iron and this the engf-
neers of the expedition operated before
the eyes of that bewildered potentate
The dining room Of the Fillmore man
sion il which the service is all of solid |
silver and of Dresden china, is modern |
in most Of its furnishings; but the draw |
ing room retains the great old mirrors |
the carved furniture of rich woods. and |
in fact all its furnishings as in the DAYS |
Of old. From a niche in the stairway of |
the hall a superb marble bust of the |
president, with its strong face surmount- |
e, by an aureole of silver hair, looks |
down upon the visitors as the years go |
by. There is no trace of disappointed am |
hition upon those impassive features. !
The marble head still presides over the |
sacred shrine of the Silver Grays. and |
hot mao nc 20 h.