Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States who served from 1850 to 1853. Fillmore did not attend the convention but was gratified when it nominated General William Henry Harrison for president, with former Virginia Senator John Tyler his running mate. Nevins stated about Fillmore that "by no spoken or written word had he indicated a subscription to American tenets. On February 5, 1826, Millard Fillmore, who later becomes the 13th president of the United States, marries Abigail Powers, a New York native and a preacher's daughter. [91], In August 1850 the social reformer Dorothea Dix wrote to Fillmore to urge support of her proposal in Congress for land grants to finance asylums for the impoverished mentally ill. When Weed's replacement vice presidential hopeful, Willis Hall, fell ill, Weed sought to defeat Fillmore's candidacy to force him to run for governor. [116] In Rome, Fillmore had an audience with Pope PiusIX. Most contentious was the Fugitive Slave Bill, whose provisions were anathema to abolitionists. Millard Fillmore (January 7, 1800 March 8, 1874) was the 13th president of the United States, serving from 1850 to 1853, the last to be a member of the Whig Party while in the White House. Fillmore felt duty-bound to enforce it, though it damaged his popularity and also the Whig Party, which was torn between its Northern and Southern factions. [65] Nevertheless, there were sound reasons for Fillmore's selection, as he was a proven vote-getter from electorally-crucial New York, and his track record in Congress and as a candidate showed his devotion to Whig doctrine, allaying fears he might be another Tyler were something to happen to General Taylor. [137] Fillmore devoted most of his time to civic activities. He spent over a year, from March 1855 to June 1856, in Europe and the Middle East. Since he started his formal education at the age of 17 his teacher was only a few years older than him. [19][22] Later in life, Fillmore said he had initially lacked the self-confidence to practice in the larger city of Buffalo. According to his biographer, Scarry, "Fillmore concluded his Congressional career at a point when he had become a powerful figure, an able statesman at the height of his popularity. [1] Fillmore's 1828 election contrasted the victories of the Jacksonian Democrats (soon the Democrats), who swept the general into the White House and their party to a majority in Albany and so Fillmore was in the minority in the Assembly. [111], Such a comeback could not be under the auspices of the Whig Party, with its remnants divided by the KansasNebraska legislation, which passed with the support of Pierce. Seward was openly hostile to slavery and argued that the federal government had a role to play in ending it. [27], Many Anti-Masons were opposed to the presidential candidacy of General Andrew Jackson, who was a Mason. [159] A statue of Fillmore stands outside the Buffalo City Hall. Taylor was unenthusiastic about the bill, which languished in Congress. He fulfilled his "big brother" role with dedication, and was a great help to his parents and siblings throughout his life. Fillmore retained many supporters, planned an ostensibly nonpolitical national tour, and privately rallied disaffected Whig politicians to preserve the Union and to back him in a run for president. With the Whigs able to organize the House for the first time, Fillmore sought the Speakership, but it went to a Clay acolyte, John White of Kentucky. He was a rival for the state party leadership with the editor Thurlow Weed and his protg, William H. Seward. 1798-1853. That resulted in riots against the Spanish in New Orleans, which caused their consul to flee. [9] By then much of Fillmore's legal practice was in Buffalo, and later that year he moved there with his family. According to the historian Smith, "They generously supported almost every conceivable cause. He initially supported General Winfield Scott but really wanted to defeat Kentucky Senator Henry Clay, a slaveholder who he felt could not carry New York State. He died a month later, on April 4, from pneumonia. [33] Weed had joined the Whigs before Fillmore and became a power within the party, and Weed's anti-slavery views were stronger than those of Fillmore, who disliked slavery but considered the federal government powerless over it. Abigail Fillmore was the wife of Millard Fillmore and the first of the First Ladies to hold a job after marriage. He did so even though some prosecutions or attempts to return slaves ended badly for the government, with acquittals and the slave taken from federal custody and freed by a Boston mob. Although Taylor was extremely popular, many Northerners had qualms about electing a Louisiana slaveholder at a time of sectional tension over whether slavery should be allowed in the territories that had been ceded by Mexico. [103], As the election of 1852 approached, Fillmore remained undecided on whether to run for a full term as president. [145][163], According to the assessment of Fillmore by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia:[164]. In the immediate aftermath of Harrison's death, there was confusion about whether Tyler. Fillmore supported the leading Whig vice-presidential candidate from 1836, Francis Granger, but Weed preferred Seward. When the Anti-Masons did not nominate him for a second term in 1834, Fillmore declined the Whig nomination, seeing that the two parties would split the anti-Jackson vote and elect the Democrat. Before other senators intervened to separate them, Foote pointed a gun at his colleague as Benton advanced on him. Many Americans were sympathetic to the Hungarian rebels, especially recent German immigrants, who were now coming in large numbers and had become a major political force. [11], His father then placed him in the same trade at a mill in New Hope. Taylor had written to him and promised influence in the new administration. After hearing weeks of debate, however, Fillmore informed him in May 1850 that if senators divided equally on the bill, he would cast his tie-breaking vote in favor. In that office he was a member of the state canal board, supported its expansion, and saw that it was managed competently. [18] Nathaniel again moved the family, and Millard accompanied it west to East Aurora, in Erie County, near Buffalo,[19] where Nathaniel purchased a farm that became prosperous. Van Buren's sub-treasury and other economic proposals passed, but as hard times continued, the Whigs saw an increased vote in the 1837 elections and captured the New York Assembly, which set up a fight for the 1838 gubernatorial nomination. In 1832, Millard Fillmore was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. [99] He was particularly active in Asia and the Pacific, especially with regard to Japan, which then still prohibited nearly all foreign contact. The Democrats nominated Senator Lewis Cass of Michigan for president, with General William O. Butler as his running mate, but it became a three-way fight since the Free Soil Party, which opposed the spread of slavery, chose ex-President Van Buren. [66][67], It was customary in the mid-19th century for a candidate for high office not to appear to seek it. Millard Fillmore met the mother of his children when he started his formal education. [69] Taylor and Fillmore corresponded twice in September, with Taylor happy that the crisis over the South Carolinians was resolved. [53] Fillmore's biographer Paul Finkelman suggested that Fillmore's hostility to immigrants and his weak position on slavery had defeated him for governor. Fillmore's position in opposing slavery only at the state level made him acceptable as a statewide Whig candidate, and Weed saw to it the pressure on Fillmore increased. She believed that women should have equal access to higher education and had the capacity to succeed at all intellectual pursuits. Fillmore was also successful as a lawyer. Collier warned of a fatal breach in the party and said that only one thing could prevent it: the nomination of Fillmore for vice president, whom he depicted incorrectly as a strong Clay supporter. He carefully weighed the political pros and cons of meeting with Pius. The former president expressed his regret at Fillmore's absence from the halls of Congress. No -Fillmore did not serve in the regular military. [98], Fillmore oversaw two highly-competent Secretaries of State, Daniel Webster, and after the New Englander's 1852 death, Edward Everett. [161][162] On February 18, 2010, the United States Mint released the thirteenth coin in the Presidential $1 Coin Program, bearing Fillmore's likeness. Fillmore is the only president who succeeded by death or resignation not to retain, at least initially, his predecessor's cabinet. [49] Seeking to return to Washington, Fillmore wanted the vice presidency. [143] Fillmore's name has become a byword in popular culture for easily forgotten and inconsequential presidents. The addresses were portrayed as expressions of thanks for his reception, rather than as campaign speeches, which might be considered illicit office-seeking if they were made by a presidential hopeful. [104], Fillmore had become unpopular with northern Whigs for signing and enforcing the Fugitive Slave Act but still had considerable support from the South, where he was seen as the only candidate capable of uniting the party. Fillmore refused to change the American policy of remaining neutral. After the vote, in which the Republican candidate, former Illinois Representative Abraham Lincoln, was elected, many sought out Fillmore's views, but he refused to take any part in the secession crisis that followed since he felt that he lacked influence. Fillmore was elected as Vice President with Zachary Taylor as President, and became President of the United States when Taylor died in office on . Weed and Seward backed Scott. [41] When the Buffalo bar proposed Fillmore for the position of vice-chancellor of the eighth judicial district in 1839, Seward refused, nominated Frederick Whittlesey, and indicated that if the New York Senate rejected Whittlesey he still would not appoint Fillmore. [69][70], Northerners assumed that Fillmore, hailing from a free state, was an opponent of the spread of slavery. The American enthusiasm for Kossuth petered out, and he departed for Europe. [8] Hoping that his oldest son would learn a trade, he convinced Millard, who was 14, not to enlist for the War of 1812[9] and apprenticed him to clothmaker Benjamin Hungerford in Sparta. [31][32], In 1832 Fillmore ran successfully for the U.S. House of Representatives. Fillmore prepared a bill raising tariff rates that was popular in the country, but the continuation of distribution assured Tyler's veto and much political advantage for the Whigs. A similar plan was adopted by Congress in 1864. His friend Judge Hall assured him it would be proper for him to practice law in the higher courts of New York, and Fillmore so intended. According to Rayback, "by mid-1849, Fillmore's situation had become desperate. [10] Fillmore was relegated to menial labor, and unhappy at not learning any skills, he left Hungerford's employ. [59] With a united party at his back, Fillmore won by 38,000 votes, the largest margin that a Whig candidate for statewide office would ever achieve in New York. Millard Fillmore Middle Name: None Millard Fillmore, our 13th president, was the second president to assume the presidency following the death of his predecessor (Taylor) but the first. [35] Despite Fillmore's support of the Second Bank as a means for national development, he did not speak in the congressional debates in which some advocated renewing its charter although Jackson had vetoed legislation for a charter renewal. Fillmore made many speeches along the way from the train's rear platform, urged acceptance of the Compromise, and later went on a tour of New England with his Southern cabinet members. What he consumed likely gave him gastroenteritis, and he died on July 9. The Continentals trained to defend the Buffalo area in the event of a Confederate attack. Martin Kelly. [100] The final Lpez expedition ended with his execution by the Spanish, who put several Americans before the firing squad, including the nephew of Attorney General Crittenden. With the Democrats split over the issue of slaverysome had left to form the anti-slavery Free Soil PartyTaylor and Fillmore took the White. [94], A longtime supporter of national infrastructure development, Fillmore signed bills to subsidize the Illinois Central railroad from Chicago to Mobile, and for a canal at Sault Ste. [138], Fillmore stayed in good health almost to the end of his life. Van Buren, faced with the economic Panic of 1837, which was caused partly by the lack of confidence in private banknote issues after Jackson had instructed the government to accept only gold or silver, called a special session of Congress. [136] Fillmore supported President Andrew Johnson's Reconstruction policies since he felt that the nation needed to be reconciled as quickly as possible. Despite his promise, Kossuth made a speech promoting his cause. As one wag put it, the "Mormons" were the only remaining passengers on the omnibus bill. He had three sisters and five brothers. Children of Nathaniel Fillmore and Phoebe Millard Fillmore Olive. Fillmore's political career encompassed the tortuous course toward the two-party system that we know today. [154] Grayson also applauded Fillmore's firm stand against Texas's ambitions in New Mexico during the 1850 crisis. Though her proposal did not pass, they became friends, met in person, and continued to correspond well after Fillmore's presidency. Millard Fillmore, author, Frank H. Severance, editor, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Navy expeditions to open trade in Japan, Tour of Millard Fillmore House Museum, East Aurora, New York, August 19, 1995, United States presidential nominating convention, federal court for the District of Columbia, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ranked by historians and political scientists, List of vice presidents of the United States, List of presidents of the United States by previous experience, Presidents of the United States on U.S. postage stamps, "Millard Fillmore: Life Before the Presidency", "Biographical Dictionary of the Federal Judiciary", "Supreme Court Nominations, 1789Present", "Millard Fillmore was deservedly forgotten, but his politics sound familiar", "No Joke: Buffalo and Moravia Duke It Out Over Millard Fillmore", "Millard Fillmore's achievements should be celebrated, not vilified", "Millard Fillmore Academic Center (MFAC)", "Millard Fillmore Presidential $1 Coin 13th President, 18501853", Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, Presentation on Millard Fillmore by Paul Finkelman, June 23, 2011, Biography by Appleton's and Stanley L. Klos, Finding Aid to Millard Fillmore Letters, 18291859, Millard and Abigail Fillmore House Museum, East Aurora, NY, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Millard_Fillmore&oldid=1152168452. When it reached Tyler's desk, he signed it but, in the process, offended his erstwhile Democratic allies. [88] Fillmore endorsed that strategy, which eventually divided the compromise into five bills. Fillmore's place in history has also suffered because "even those who give him high marks for his support of the compromise have done so almost grudgingly, probably because of his Know-Nothing candidacy in 1856. Parents and Siblings. Two days later, he was buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo after a funeral procession including hundreds of others. Abolitionists recited the inequities of the law since anyone aiding an escaped slave was punished severely, and it granted no due process to the escapee, who could not testify before a magistrate. 1800-1874. Fillmore's constant attention to Mexico avoided a resumption of the MexicanAmerican War and laid the groundwork for the Gadsden Treaty during Pierce's presidency. Many rank-and-file Whigs backed the Mexican War hero, General Zachary Taylor, for president. Many features only work on your mobile device. [c] Millard also became interested in politics, and the rise of the Anti-Masonic Party in the late 1820s provided his entry. [108] The fact that he was in mourning limited his social activities, and he made ends meet on the income from his investments. Since March 4 (which was then Inauguration Day) fell on a Sunday, the swearing-in was postponed to the following day. For example, President Harry S. Truman later "characterized Fillmore as a weak, trivial thumb-twaddler who would do nothing to offend anyone" and as responsible in part for the war. [15] Fillmore earned money teaching school for three months and bought out his mill apprenticeship. Kossuth was feted by Congress, and Fillmore allowed a White House meeting after he had received word that Kossuth would not try to politicize it. After acknowledging the letter and spending a sleepless night,[84] Fillmore went to the House of Representatives, where, at a joint session of Congress, he took the oath as president from William Cranch, the chief judge of the federal court for the District of Columbia, who had also sworn in President Tyler. He aided Buffalo in becoming the third American city to have a permanent art gallery, with the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy. Fillmore was instrumental in the passing of the Compromise of 1850, a bargain that led to a brief truce in the battle over the expansion of slavery. [119][120], Once Fillmore was back home in Buffalo, he had no excuse to make speeches, and his campaign stagnated through the summer and the fall of 1856. Once the convention passed a party platform endorsing the Compromise as a final settlement of the slavery question, Fillmore was willing to withdraw. [155] Fred I. Greenstein and Dale Anderson praised Fillmore for his resoluteness in his early months in office and noted that Fillmore "is typically described as stolid, bland, and conventional, but such terms underestimate the forcefulness evinced by his handling of the Texas-New Mexico border crisis, his decision to replace Taylor's entire cabinet, and his effectiveness in advancing the Compromise of 1850. France, under Emperor Napoleon III, sought to annex Hawaii but backed down after Fillmore issued a strongly-worded message warning that "the United States would not stand for any such action. His parents were Phoebe Millard and Nathaniel Fillmore,[1] and he was the second of eight children and the oldest son. "[156] Political scientist James E. Campbell defends Fillmore's legacy stating that "Historians have underrated him, his detractors have unfairly maligned him, and the institutions he honorably served have disrespected him", arguing that the Compromise of 1850 that Fillmore supported "did more good than harm for the nation and the anti-slavery cause". As the Whig Party broke up after Fillmore's presidency, many in his conservative wing joined the Know Nothings and formed the American Party. His rivalry with Seward, who was already known for anti-slavery views and statements, made Fillmore more acceptable in the South. With backing from wealthy New Yorkers, their positions were publicized by the establishment of a rival newspaper to Weed's Albany Evening Journal. Fire! She was only six years old when her parents lived in Washington with her father's election to Congress. The 1851 completion of the Erie Railroad in New York prompted Fillmore and his cabinet to ride the first train from New York City to the shores of Lake Erie, in the company with many other politicians and dignitaries. To avoid that, Pius remained seated throughout the meeting. Millard County Chronicle Progress - Local News, Weather, Events & More! Although Fillmore urged Congress to authorize a transcontinental railroad, it did not do so until a decade later. Buffalo's Millard Fillmore Gates Circle Hospital officially closed its last remaining services at 6 a.m.. Southerners complained bitterly about any leniency in its application, but its enforcement was highly offensive to many Northerners. South Carolina did not yet use the popular vote for choosing electors, with the legislature electing them instead. The nomination of William C. Micou, a New Orleans lawyer recommended by Benjamin, was not acted on by the Senate. Fillmore was a delegate to the New York convention that endorsed President John Quincy Adams for re-election and also served at two Anti-Masonic conventions in the summer of 1828. [95], Fillmore appointed one justice to the Supreme Court of the United States and made four appointments to United States district courts, including that of his law partner and cabinet officer, Nathan Hall, to the federal district court in Buffalo. The President quickly agreed, but Webster did not do so until Monday morning. [64], Weed had wanted the vice-presidential nomination for Seward, who attracted few delegate votes, and Collier had acted to frustrate them in more ways than one, since with the New Yorker Fillmore as vice president, under the political customs of the time, no one from that state could be named to the Cabinet.
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