The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-11
Willard Fillmore .

Never was Montgomery blessed With lovelier day than April 15,. 1854. the day the steamer Magnolia, with ex- President Fillmore and the Hon. John r. Kennedy. on board arrived at the wharf. at about 12 o'clock.
 As the boat approached the landing 9 the two military companies of the city. the Blues. commanded by Captain Da- vid owen. and the Rifles. commanded d by Captain Reuben T. Thom. were formed in a line on the blum. The firing of minute guns gave our distin- guished guests an assurance of the cordial welcome they were about to re- ceive-the bank of the river being lined in the meantime by an immense concourse of our citizens who had as- sembled to welcome them.
 A coumittea of gentlemen waited upon the distinguished guests and es- corted them to an open carriage drawn by four beautiful grey horses. which they entered. accompanied by the Mayor, MT. c. R. Hansford and Hon Henry W. Hilliard, who represented the city of Montgomery.
 A procession was formed by the mar shal of the day. Colonel Joel Riggs, as- sisted by Captain John N. Perkins, and the throng proceeded to the capitol. On reaching the gate the proc ession form
 
 entrance to the Capitol, passed through two lines of little girls arrayed in white, who threw in the path of Mir |. Fillmore beautiful bouquets in rich profusion. thus effectually and literal ly strewing his path with flowers.
 On arriving at the stand in front of the Capitol, the vast assemblage was called to order by the marshal of the day, when Hon. William B. Moses, fla N1NAt N~., and eloquent address extended to Mir |. panion. MT. Kennedy. in the name and by authority of its citizens the hospi- talities and freedom of the city.
 MT. Fillmore was evidently touched by the warmth and cordiality of his reception. In his response he confessed that he was overpowered by the dem onstration of regard which had met him at every step in his journey through the South. He briefly sketch ed the circumstances under which he became President and his official action while in the discharge of the duties os that great office. He alluded to the passage of the fugitive slave act as be- ing particularly obnoxious to his own section: and said that he knew that his approval of that measure would lose him many friends, but the Con- stitution said that fugitives from la bor must be given up; and as he had sworn to support the Constitution, he signed the bill that they should be sur rendered
 MT. Kennedy was also called upon for a speech, and responded most fe- licitiously.
 When the ceremonies were concluded the procession again formed and es- corted MT. Fillmore and MT. Kennedy to the Exchange Hotel where rooms had been prepared for them.
 MT. Fillmore and MT. Kennedy were the guests of Hon. Henry w. Hilliard that evening, whose residence then was at No. 15 Jefferson Street where they met MT. Billiards family Mrs. L. M Waddell, the sister of Mir Hilliard, Hon. William B. Moss and Mrs, Moss; who was the daughter of Mrs. WaddeH, and the writer who was then a member of Mrs Wadden,s household, .....
 On Sunday MT, Fillmore attended the Presbyterian Church. He spent Sun day afternoon in a visit to the splen- did country rebidence of Major Thomas