Millard Fillmore, Who Supported the Fugitive Slave Act, Wishes He Could "escape from bondage" in Washington

2pp ALS inscribed overall by former 13th U.S. President Millard Fillmore (1800-1874). Signed by him as "Millard" at the conclusion of the letter, but also inscribed "Fillmore" within the body of the letter. Written in Washington, D.C. on May 26, 1860. On cream paper with expected folds, along which four tiny spots are repaired verso. The right side with a minor chipped edge, else near fine. 8" x 9.875".

In the spring of 1860, ex-President Fillmore wrote his cousin "Mrs. Ann L. Dixon" urging her to visit him because he was entangled by political commitments. In part: "You say [say] you have no company. How I regret it. I wish I had nothing to do but act gallant. I would go and bear you company. But my destiny is fixed. I have no more power to deviate from my predestined track than the circling planet from its orbit. I am chained to the car of State - a most unwilling slave; and I foresee that the same destiny which rules me here, will control my route home, and wholly deprive me of the pleasure of visiting your delightful mountain scenery or worshipping its lovely Priestess. But could you not come to Baltimore and be there on some Saturday or Sunday eve, and I could then escape from bondage long enough to meet you there and escort you here…"

Fillmore's language, loaded as it is with slavery metaphors, was ironic considering his mixed political stance on the issue of slavery and the timing of the document. Less than a year later, the country would be embroiled in a Civil War fought along pro-slavery and anti-slavery fault lines. Fillmore assumed the presidency in 1850 upon the death of John Tyler.

As a Whig, Fillmore opposed slavery as a rule, as did members of the party's political successors the Republicans (who assumed the Whig mantle in 1860.) Fillmore also rejected slavery on moral grounds. His biographer Robert J. Rayback recorded Fillmore as stating: "God knows that I detest slavery, but it is an existing evil, for which we are not responsible, and we must endure it, and give it such protection as is guaranteed by the constitution, till we can get rid of it without destroying the last hope of free government in the world."

Yet therein lies the crux of Fillmore's unsatisfactory position regarding slavery: while he condemned it for ideological reasons, he supported it for political reasons. Thus Fillmore tried unsuccessfully to straddle the slavery issue. He supported the Compromise of 1850, a mixed bag of legislation which at once allowed the continuation of slavery but also included several key limiting factors (California as a free state, etc.) Fillmore stridently defended the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act, which many abolitionists saw as a huge setback to their cause. In attempting to pacify both Northerners and Southerners, he alienated both groups. This is why Fillmore had left the Whig Party by 1855, searching for presidential reelection as a member of the Know Nothing Party in 1856.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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