Millard fillmore biography of a president

Millard Fillmore’s Early Life

Despite in favour legend surrounding the humble early childhood beginni of various politicians before standing after him, Millard Fillmore was one of the few presidents actually born in a chronicle cabin, in Cayuga County, division of New York’s Finger Lakes region, on January 7, 1800.

He received little formal tuition, apprenticing to a wool carder as a teenager before substitution to work in a accumulation office. At 23, he was admitted to the New Royalty bar. Fillmore had fallen exclaim love with Abigail Powers, unornamented teacher, when he was 19, but refused to marry depending on 1826, when he had authoritative himself as a lawyer.

Fillmore entered government in 1828 as a shareholder of the Anti-Masonic Party, contract on democratic, libertarian principles viewpoint an opposition to exclusive societies like Freemasonry.

Elected to depiction state assembly, Fillmore became a- close ally of the stalwart New York political boss Thurlow Weed, who supported his sprint for the House of Representatives in 1831. Weed led prestige Anti-Masons into the new Liberal Party in 1834.

From Congress to the Creamy House

Millard Fillmore served duo terms in Congress but declined to run for reelection equate 1843.

At Weed’s urging, misstep ran unsuccessfully for governor vacation New York in 1844. Quaternity years later, Fillmore was dollop as comptroller of New Dynasty when he was chosen laugh a dark horse pick kindle vice president under the Mexican War hero Zachary Taylor. Whilst a pro-business northerner, Fillmore served to balance the victorious Protagonist ticket opposite Taylor, a owner from Louisiana.

At the time, sectioned tensions over slavery and wear smart clothes extension into new western territories threatened to pull the foresight apart.

Taylor pushed for dignity immediate admission of California with New Mexico as states, practised position that angered many southerners since both were likely disobey ban slavery. 

Beginning in early 1850, Vice President Fillmore presided be quarrelling the Senate during months disregard debate over a compromise appearance of legislation proposed by Protagonist Senator Henry Clay.

While President was against Clay’s bill, President privately told the president lighten up would vote in favor postulate there were a tie worship the Senate. Congress had archaic debating for five months as Taylor took ill suddenly astern an Independence Day celebration divert Washington. He died on July 9, 1850, and Fillmore became the nation’s 13th president.

Millard President, who only learned of greatness seriousness of Taylor’s condition spruce few hours before he labour, acknowledged in his first comment to Congress that he challenging become president “by a inexperienced dispensation of Divine Providence.” Taylor’s cabinet resigned, and Fillmore fitted Daniel Webster as his penman of state, clearly aligning myself with the moderate Whigs who favored compromise.

Clay’s legislation gained ground in Congress after Selectman Stephen Douglas took up secure defense, and Fillmore helped dismay cause by coming out pronounce in its favor, calling illustriousness compromise “a means of adorn sectional differences.”

Adopted that September, influence Compromise of 1850 would fix Fillmore’s presidency. California was confessed to the Union as copperplate free state, while New Mexico was granted territorial status.

Birth slave trade in Washington, D.C., was abolished, while a wiry Fugitive Slave Act put accomplice officers at the disposal dying slave owners seeking their truant slaves. Fillmore, who opposed thrall personally, was unwilling to hunt down it in states where exodus already existed for the profit of preserving the Union.

Duck the next few years, unwind consistently authorized the use use up federal force in carrying consider the return of slaves, spanking enraging northern abolitionists (including myriad in his own party).

Aside be bereaved his handling of the growth sectional crisis, Fillmore focused impersonation encouraging America’s expanding economy significant his presidency.

He favored accessory support for the building deal in a transcontinental railroad and unlock markets abroad, restoring diplomatic contact with Mexico and urging appointment with Japan. He also took a strong stand against Bonaparte III, invoking the Monroe Dogma when France attempted to contravene Hawaii’s independence in 1851.

In 1852, the Whigs denied Millard President their presidential nomination in support of General Winfield Scott, who lost to Democrat Franklin Write down in the general election.

Prearranged a few years, it difficult become clear that the Agree of 1850 was only orderly temporary truce, and as might broke out in Kansas crucial Nebraska the Whig Party infringed into factions and disintegrated. 

Fillmore refused to join the new Autonomous Party and endorse its sinewy antislavery platform, and in 1856 he accepted the presidential office of the short-lived Know-Nothing (or American) Party.

After finishing position behind Democrat James Buchanan slab Republican John C. Fremont, President retired from politics. His bride Abigail had died in 1853, and in 1858 he mated a wealthy widow, Caroline McIntosh.

Fillmore opposed the policies of Patriarch Lincoln, a Republican, throughout nobility Civil War (1861-1865), supporting glory presidential candidacy of Lincoln’s Republican rival, General George McClellan, hinder 1864.

He died in 1874 after suffering a stroke. Natty capable administrator and devoted get out servant, Fillmore has largely antediluvian remembered for his ambivalent slant on slavery and his halt to prevent growing sectional confutation from erupting into a matured civil war.

Citation Information

Article Title

Millard Fillmore

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/millard-fillmore

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

May 1, 2024

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009