TO JOHN ADAMS, VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
"PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 27, 1794.
"DEAR SIR:--... My opinion with respect to immigration is, that except of useful mechanics and some particular description of men or professions, there is no need of encouragement. I am, &c.,
"G. WASHINGTON."
[Vol. XI., p. 1.]
TO J. Q. ADAMS, AMERICAN MINISTER AT BERLIN.
"MOUNT VERNON, Jan. 20, 1799.
"SIR:--... You know, my good sir, that it is not the policy of this country to employ aliens where it can well be avoided, either in the civil or military walks of life.... There is a species of self-importance in all foreign officers that cannot be gratified without doing injustice to meritorious characters among our own countrymen, who conceive, and justly, where there is no great preponderancy of experience or merit, that they are ent.i.tled to the occupancy of all offices in the gift of their government.
"I am, &c.,
"G. WASHINGTON."
[Vol. XI., p. 392.]
SAME DATE, TO A FOREIGNER APPLYING FOR OFFICE.
"DEAR SIR:--... It does not accord with the policy of this government to bestow offices, civil or military, upon foreigners, to the exclusion of our own citizens. Yours, &c.,
"G. WASHINGTON."
[Vol. XI., p. 392.]
INSTRUCTIONS OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR TO THE INSPECTOR-GENERAL.
"WAR DEPARTMENT, Feb. 4, 1799.
"... For the cavalry, for the regulations restrict the recruiting officers to engage none _except natives_ for this corps, and those only as from their known character and fidelity may be trusted."
[From the Knoxville Whig for March, 1856.]
WHO IS MILLARD FILLMORE?
A Brief history of the American nominee for the Presidency is this: He was born in the year 1800, in Cayuga county, New York, and is now fifty-six years of age. His father was then, as he now is, a farmer, in moderate circ.u.mstances; and now lives in the county of Erie, a short distance from Buffalo. The limited means of the family prevented the old gentleman from giving his son Millard any other or better education than was obtained in the imperfect common schools of that age.
In his sixteenth year, Mr. Fillmore was placed with a merchant tailor near his home to learn that business. He remained four years in his apprenticeship, during which time he had access to a small library, improving the advantages it offered by perusing all the books therein contained. Judge Wood, of Cayuga county, pleased with his intellectual advancement, urged him to study the profession of the law; and as his poverty was the only obstacle in his way, Judge Wood advanced him the necessary means, relying upon his making a lawyer, and being able by the practice of the profession to refund the money again. With a portion of this money young Fillmore bought his unexpired time, which was for the winter, and he pursued his legal studies with energy and success, in the office of the n.o.ble Judge.
In 1822, he removed to Buffalo, where he was admitted to the bar. His object in removing to Buffalo was to complete his studies and to obtain a license. This accomplished, he removed to Aurora, not far from where his parents resided, and there commenced the practice of his profession.
The confidence of his neighbors in his integrity and abilities was such that he found himself in the midst of a lucrative practice at once. In 1826, he was married to Miss Powers, the daughter of a clergyman in the village of Aurora, and this excellent woman lived to see him elected Vice-President of the United States.
In 1829, Mr. Fillmore was elected from the county in which he married and where his parents lived to the General a.s.sembly of New York, and for three years continued a member of this body, distinguishing himself by his energy, tact, and wisdom in legislation. Through his energy and speeches, _Imprisonment for Debt_ was abolished, and this so increased his popularity throughout the State, that it was apparent that he could be elected to any office in the gift of the people of that State.
In 1829, he was admitted a counsellor in the Supreme Court of New York, and in 1832 he removed to Buffalo, where he settled permanently and enlarged his practice as an attorney. In 1832, he was elected a representative in the 23d Congress, in which he served with industry and credit to himself and his district. At the end of his term he renewed the practice of the law, of choice, but, in 1836, was prevailed on to again serve his district in Congress; and in the celebrated New Jersey contested elections, distinguished himself. He was chosen to the next Congress by the largest majority ever given to any man in the district; and as Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, acquired a reputation that any man might be proud of.
At the close of the 27th Congress, his friends were anxious for his continuance in public life, but he declined. And in his address to his const.i.tuents, dated at Washington, July 11th, 1842, he says:
"Pardon the personal vanity, though it be a weakness, that induces me to recur for a moment to the cherished recollections of your early friendship and abiding confidence. I cannot give vent to the feelings of my heart without it. It is now nearly fourteen years since you did me the unsolicited honor to nominate me to represent you in the State Legislature. Seven times have I received renewed evidence of your confidence by as many elections, and, at the expiration of my present term, I shall have served you three years in the State and eight years in the National Councils. I cannot recall the thousand acts of generous devotion from so many friends, without feeling the deepest emotions of grat.i.tude. I came among you a poor and friendless boy. You kindly took me by the hand and gave me your confidence and support. You have conferred upon me distinction and honors, for which I could make no adequate return, but by honest and untiring effort faithfully to discharge the high trust which you confided to my keeping. If my humble efforts have met your approbation, I freely admit, next to the approval of my own conscience, it is the highest reward which I could receive for days of unceasing toil and nights of sleepless anxiety. I profess not to be above or below the common frailties of our nature. I will therefore not disguise the fact, that I was highly gratified at my first election to Congress; yet I can truly say that my utmost ambition has been gratified. I aspire to nothing more, and shall retire from the exciting scenes of political strife to the quiet employments of my family and fireside, with still more satisfaction than I felt when first elevated to distinguished station."
During this same year he returned to the practice of his profession, and, in 1844, the Whig State Convention of New York put him in nomination for the office of Governor, in opposition to Silas Wright.
This was the only conflict in which he ever suffered defeat, and the race was close. In 1847, without seeking or desiring the highly responsible office, he was elected Comptroller of the Finances of the State, and removed to Albany, where he discharged the duties of the office with great credit to himself and usefulness to the State, resigning the office in February, 1849, to enter upon the duties of the office of Vice-President, to which he had been called by the election in 1848. Gen. Taylor dying, he became President, and every patriot in the land remembers and admires the history of his administration. Gen. Ca.s.s and other distinguished Democrats said his career had been one of genuine patriotism, honor, and usefulness; and Gov. Wise, upon the stump in Virginia, characterized it as "Washington-like;" while the Democratic papers and orators, from Maine to California, declared that he ought to have been nominated in lieu of Gen. Scott, because he was one of the best men in America.
He is now in Europe, familiarizing himself with the workings of the despotic governments of that country. Before leaving, almost one year ago, he told his friends, in answer to questions relating to the presidency, not to start any newspapers for his benefit--not to publish any doc.u.ments--not to make any speeches, or even electioneer--and added, that if the American people nominated him, of their own free will and accord, he would accept their nomination, and if elected, he would serve them to the best of his abilities. His nomination, therefore, under the circ.u.mstances, is a great honor, and shows the implicit confidence the real people have in the integrity, patriotism, and qualifications of the man. That he will go into the presidential chair almost by acclamation, we have not the shadow of doubt.
As to Mr. Fillmore"s chances, we consider them excellent, and growing brighter every day. The indications are now very clear that he will obtain a _plurality_, if not a _majority_ vote, in most of the Northern States; and under the most unfavorable circ.u.mstances, he will be sure to divide the electoral vote of the South, so as to carry more States than MR. BUCHANAN. Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Alabama, are the only four States we concede to the Cincinnati nominee and _one_ of these, we confidently expect to carry. Georgia and Arkansas we set down as doubtful, and we contend that Buchanan can"t get either of them without a severe struggle.
We then make this estimate, and claim as certain for FILLMORE and DONELSON the following States, viz.:
Ma.s.sachusetts 13 Rhode Island 4 New York 35 New Jersey 7 Pennsylvania 27 Maryland 8 Kentucky 12 Tennessee 12 North Carolina 10 Louisiana 6 Missouri 9 California 4 Delaware 3 Florida 3
This makes a total of 157--_eleven,_ more than is necessary to an election. This is not an extravagant, but a very fair estimate. The friends of the American ticket have a right to feel encouraged. With proper exertions our ticket will carry. Let every American consider himself a sentinel upon the watch-tower--let every friend of the party do his duty, and the result will not be doubtful. And let all who believe that "Americans ought to rule America," take courage--"the skies are bright and brightening."
As it regards MR. FILLMORE"S Americanism, _that_ is settled--he has been a Protestant American _fifteen years in advance_ of the party, as it now exists. The Hon. J. T. HEADLEY, Secretary of State of New York, delivered a speech at the Capital of his State, March 7th, 1856, in which he spoke of Mr. Fillmore in the following language:
"Now, in the first place, he was an American years before those who denounce him ever thought of Americanism. The Police constable of Newburg elected last year on the American ticket, told me, that years ago, when that well-known conflict occurred between the citizens of Buffalo and the foreign population, that a combination was formed called the "_American League_."
The members of this League entered into _a solemn compact to stand together and fight together for the rights of Americans_.
This constable was at the time an humble mechanic in Buffalo, and he said that _he constantly met Mr. Fillmore (who was a member of that League with him) at the Council Room_. Thus you see that those who would arrogate to themselves the t.i.tle of Americans, and yet carp at Mr. Fillmore as wanting in American sentiment, are really recent volunteers compared with him. Mr.
Fillmore carried his American principles still farther and became (so an officer in the same order informs me) _a member of the United Americans_. He has always been a true American, _he is now, and ever will be_, and is worthy to move at the head of the glorious column over which floats the flag bearing the inscription, "Americans shall rule America.""
After the defeat of MR. CLAY, in 1844, MR. FILLMORE addressed him this n.o.ble _American_ letter:
"BUFFALO, Nov. 14, 1844.
"MY DEAR SIR:--I have thought for three or four days that I would write to you, but really I am unmanned. I have no courage or resolution. All is gone. The last hope, which hung first upon the city of New York, and then upon Virginia, is finally dissipated, and I see nothing but despair depicted upon every countenance.
"For myself, I have no regrets. I was nominated for Governor much against my will, and though not insensible to the pride of success, yet I feel a kind of relief at being defeated. But not so for you or the nation. Every consideration of justice, every feeling of grat.i.tude conspired in the minds of honest men to insure your election, and though always doubtful of my own success, I could never doubt yours, till the painful conviction was forced upon me.
"The Abolitionists and _Foreign Catholics have defeated us in this State_. I will not trust myself to speak of the vile hypocrisy of the leading Abolitionists now. Doubtless many acted honestly and ignorantly in what they did. But it is clear that Birney and his a.s.sociates sold themselves to Locofocoism, and they will doubtless receive their reward.
"_Our opponents, by pointing to the Native Americans and to Mr.
Frelinghuysen, drove the Foreign Catholics from us and defeated us in this State._