THE

LIFE AND PUBLIC SERVICES

OF

MILLARD FILLMORE,

BY

W. L. BARRE, OF KENTUCKY.

BUFFALO:

WANZER, MCKIM & CO.

1856.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1856, by WANZER, MCKIM & CO.,

In the Clerk's office of the District Court for the Northern District of New York.

CHAS. E. FELTON,
STEREOTYPER, BUFFALO, N. Y.

JOHN J. REED, STEREOTYPER AND PRINTER, 16 Spruce Street, N. Y.

Birth of Millard Fillmore-Family reminiscences-Early propensi-

ties-- Is started to a primary school-Makes rapid progress -

Enters a higher school-Studies grammar and mathematics.

Is apprenticed to a clothier- - His thirst for knowledge - Returns

home Again apprenticed to a clothier- His assiduous applica-

Studies survey-

tion Masters his trade - He teaches school

ing- Personal appearance - Manners, etc.,

-

the importance of the step-Reads with Judge Wood-Sketch

of that gentleman-Goes to Buffalo - Lives within his means —

State of society-Political matters - Is admitted to the bar -

Goes to Aurora, and engages in practice - His first case - Teaches

school- Is married — Is regarded as a lawyer of ability - Nature

of his eloquence-Prospects brighten,.

-

CHAPTER III.

-25-52

--

At the head of his profession-Is offered an excellent connection in

Buffalo Admitted to the supreme court - Individual sketches -

Legal profundity-Is elected to the Assembly-Sketch of that

body-Evinces legislative capacities-Party politics-Adherence

to his principles --- His nature as a debater — Adjournment of the

-

--

Assembly His devotion to his profession-Re-elected to that

body- On the committee on Public Defence - The law of im-

prisonment for debt-Governor Throop-Mr. Fillmore's active

endeavors for the repeal of the imprisonment law - His success-

Important measures in the Assembly - Close of the session-

Sketch of Mr. Fillmore in that body-Remarks thereon, 85

CHAPTER IV.

-

Mr. Fillmore as a lawyer - Brief review of his legal career- His view

of the law as a science Advantages of his connection - Spurns

all artifice and chicanery— Responsibilities of the law — His views

of its morality — His capacities as a lawyer — His ardent desire

to promote justice-His weight of character-His faithfulness to

his clients In speaking, not a Patrick Henry- Examples of his

success in civil cases - The Cattaraugus Reservation - The great

importance of that case- The remarkable Ontario Bank case-

His argument before the Supreme Court― His success in both, 130

CHAPTER V.

-

- How the

State politics-Political Anti-masonry- The Morgan outrage-The

Clintonians and Bucktails Anti-masonic convention

action of the Anti-masons should be construed - National poli-

tics of 1832-Leading measures of the Whig party - Mr. Fill-

more is elected to Congress - Sketch of that body- Jacksonism

and its effects Mr. Fillmore's view of the U. S. Bank, and the

removal of the deposits - Mr. Clay's Compromise Tariff of 1833

Excitements occasioned by the removal of the deposits - Internal

improvements - Mr. Fillmore's efforts to reduce high salaries

Mr. Fillmore and Mr. Polk- Mr. Fillmore's qualities as a legisla-

tor

Other measures of Congress-Its adjournment,

166.

CHAPTER VI.

Reëlected to Congress -Van Burenism — Distinguished characters

Polk elected speaker- Fourth installment of the Deposit Act-A