Millard Fillmore

Millard Fillmore (1800-1874) was the 13th President of the United States, serving from 1850 to 1853. His presidency is often…

By Staff , in Presidents , at June 29, 2024 Tags: presidents, usa

Find Cheap Textbooks - Save on New & Used Textbooks at AbeBooks.com

Millard Fillmore (1800-1874) was the 13th President of the United States, serving from 1850 to 1853. His presidency is often overshadowed by the more dynamic figures of his time, but he played a significant role in the politics of the pre-Civil War era.

Birth and Early Life:
Millard Fillmore was born on January 7, 1800, in a log cabin in Cayuga County, New York. He came from a poor farming family and had limited formal education.

Education and Law Career:
Despite his modest beginnings, Fillmore pursued education fervently. He apprenticed to a cloth maker, attended a local academy, and eventually studied law.
He was admitted to the bar in 1823 and established a successful law practice in East Aurora, New York.

Entry into Politics:
Fillmore entered politics as a member of the Anti-Masonic Party, and later, the Whig Party. He served in the New York State Assembly from 1829 to 1831.
He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, serving from 1833 to 1835 and then from 1837 to 1843. During his tenure, he became known for his work on tariff legislation and his support for the Whig economic program.

Vice Presidency and Accession to the Presidency
Vice President:
Fillmore was chosen as Zachary Taylor’s running mate for the 1848 presidential election. Taylor, a hero of the Mexican-American War, was a Southern slaveholder, while Fillmore was a Northern moderate. Their ticket balanced regional interests.
They won the election, and Fillmore became Vice President in March 1849.

Accession to the Presidency:
On July 9, 1850, President Zachary Taylor died unexpectedly, and Fillmore assumed the presidency. At the time, the nation was deeply divided over the issue of slavery, particularly its expansion into new territories acquired from Mexico.

Presidency (1850-1853)
The Compromise of 1850:
One of Fillmore’s most significant actions as president was his support for the Compromise of 1850, a series of legislative measures aimed at resolving the sectional conflict over slavery.
The Compromise included the admission of California as a free state, the establishment of territorial governments in the rest of the Mexican Cession with no restrictions on slavery, the abolition of the slave trade (but not slavery) in Washington, D.C., and the introduction of a stricter Fugitive Slave Law.

Fugitive Slave Act:
The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was particularly controversial. It required citizens to assist in the recovery of escaped slaves and denied alleged fugitive slaves the right to a jury trial.
While the Compromise of 1850 temporarily eased tensions between the North and South, the Fugitive Slave Act intensified Northern opposition to slavery and increased sectional animosity.

Domestic Policies:
Fillmore sought to modernize the economy through infrastructure improvements, supporting measures like the construction of a transcontinental railroad and the development of a national telegraph system.
He also focused on expanding American trade, sending Commodore Matthew Perry to Japan to open trade relations, which led to the signing of the Convention of Kanagawa in 1854.

Foreign Policy:
Fillmore’s foreign policy was marked by efforts to expand American influence in the Pacific and the Caribbean. He opposed European intervention in the Western Hemisphere, adhering to the principles of the Monroe Doctrine.

Post-Presidency
Whig Party Decline:
The Whig Party began to fracture over the issue of slavery. Fillmore’s support for the Compromise of 1850 alienated many Northern Whigs, contributing to the party’s decline.
Fillmore sought the presidency again in 1856 as the candidate of the Know-Nothing Party, a nativist group officially known as the American Party, but he was unsuccessful.

Later Life:
After his defeat in the 1856 election, Fillmore retired from active politics but remained engaged in public affairs. He continued to speak out on political issues, advocating for preservation of the Union.
Fillmore devoted much of his later life to civic activities in Buffalo, New York, where he helped found the University at Buffalo and served as its first chancellor.

Death:
Millard Fillmore died on March 8, 1874, in Buffalo, New York, at the age of 74. He is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo.

Legacy
Historical Assessment:
Fillmore’s presidency is often viewed as a transitional period leading up to the Civil War. While he sought to maintain national unity, his enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act and support for the Compromise of 1850 are seen as contributing to the sectional tensions that eventually led to the Civil War.
His legacy is complex; he is criticized for his stance on slavery but also remembered for his efforts to modernize the economy and expand American trade.

Public Perception:
Fillmore is often ranked low in historical rankings of U.S. presidents due to his association with the Fugitive Slave Act and the failure to address the growing divide over slavery. However, some historians acknowledge his difficult position and efforts to find compromise in a deeply divided nation.