How did Millard Fillmore

Conceive of office?
By: Chris Berger
Quotation from Millard Fillmore
• “regarded slavery as an evil, but one with which the National
Government had nothing to do.”
• Under the Constitution he said “the whole power over that question
was vested in the several states where the institution was tolerated. If
they regarded it as a blessing, they had a constitutional right to enjoy
it; and if they regarded it as an evil, they had the power and knew
best how to apply the remedy.”
• During the 1850’s, the Whig Party was on the rise and Fillmore was a vice presidential candidate. His statements regarding slavery is saying
that it is up to the state governments to determine whether or not slavery is legal. His methods in campaigning were questionable. He
would talk about slavery in some of the states but, he wouldn’t mention it in other territories. Slavery was obviously a very prevalent issue
during this time so Fillmore ultimately ended up taking over the presidency after Zach Taylor died during his first year as President.
Other facts about Fillmore’s rise to Presidency
• He came from a very poor family. His father was a farmer and thought
his son had what it would take to become a lawyer. He was admitted
to the bar in 1823 and became an associate of Whig party member
Thurlow Weed. For eight years, he was a member of the House of
Representatives and while he was comptroller of New York State, he
was elected vice-president.
• After the Compromise of 1850, he allowed federal officials to be at
the disposal of slaveholders looking for fugitives.
• He never became a republican or a democrat. He became part of the
Know Nothing party.
Bibliography
• Freidel, Frank. “Millard Fillmore.” The White House, The United States
Government, www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-
house/presidents/millard-fillmore/.
• “Millard Fillmore, 12th Vice President (1849-1850).” U.S. Senate:
Millard Fillmore, 12th Vice President (1849-1850), 9 May 2017,
www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/generic/VP_Millard
_Fillmore.htm.