Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VII.djvu/194

 186 FILLMORE education was limited to instruction in reading, writing, spelling, and the simplest branches of arithmetic. At 14 he was apprenticed to learn the fuller's trade. In 1819 he conceived the design of studying law. He had yet two years of his apprenticeship to serve, and agreed with his employer to relinquish his wages for his last year's services, and promised to pay him $30 for his time. He made an arrangement with a retired lawyer, by which he was to re- ceive his board in payment for his services in the office. In 1821 he went on foot to Buffalo, where he arrived an entire stranger, with $4 in his pocket. Here he obtained permission to study in a lawyer's office, and supported him- self by severe drudgery in teaching school and assisting the postmaster. By the spring of 1823 he had so far gained the confidence of the bar, that by the intercession of several of its leading members he was admitted as an attor- ney by the court of common pleas of Erie county, although he had not completed the period of study usually required, and com- menced practice at Aurora, where his father then resided. In the course of a few years he acquired not only a large practice, but a thorough knowledge of the principles of the common law, which placed him in the first rank among the lawyers of the state. In 1827 he was admitted as attorney and in 1829 as counsellor of the supreme court 'of the state. In 1830 he removed to Buffalo, where he con- tinued in the practice of the law until the autumn of 1847, when he retired from it on being elected comptroller of the state. Mr. Fillmore's political life commenced in 1828, when he was elected representative to the state legislature by the anti-masonic party. He served three successive terms, retiring in the spring of 1831. He particularly distinguished himself by his advocacy of the act to abolish imprisonment -for debt, which was passed in 1831, and which was drafted by him, excepting the portions relative to proceedings in courts of record, which were drawn by John 0. Spen- cer. In the autumn of 1832 he was elected on the anti-Jackson or anti-administration ticket to congress. After serving one term he retired till 1836, when he was reflected as a whig. He was chosen again in 1838, and again in 1840. In 1842 he declined a renomination. In congress he rose gradually to the first rank for integrity, industry, and practical ability. During the early part of his congressional ca- reer a national bank was the prominent subject of discussion. Mr. Fillmore was never a warm friend of the bank, and took no part in the de- bates upon it. He was, however, a decided whig, and labored earnestly in support of the internal improvement and protective tariff pol- icy of that party. In the struggle which took place upon the question of the reception of pe- titions for the abolition of slavery in the 25th congress, he supported Mr. Adams, and voted for their reception. In a letter written Oct. 17, 1838, he avowed that he was opposed to the annexation of Texas so long as slaves should be held therein; that he was in favor of con- gress exercising all its constitutional powers to abolish the slave trade between the states, and in favor of immediate legislation for the aboli- tion of slavery in the District of Columbia. He expressly stated, however, that he would not pledge himself as to his future course upon any of these subjects; but reserved the right to modify or change his views, as upon further reflection or examination he might deem prop- er. He took a prominent part in the debates in congress upon the subject of the burning of the steamer Caroline by British troops at Schlosser, on the Niagara frontier, in December, 1837. At the opening of the 26th congress, Dec. 2, 1839, the seats of five out of the six members from New Jersey were contested. The claimants who held the certificate of the governor were whigs ; and so evenly were the parties in congress balanced, that if these were admitted to their seats the whigs would have the control of the organization ; if not, it would be in the hands of the democrats. The whigs contended that the certificate of the governor, authenticated by the seal of the state, should be received as presumptive evidence of the right of the five members to their seats ; that they should be permitted to participate in the organization of the house, and that afterward the claims of contestants to their seats should be investigated in the ordinary course of busi- ness. The democrats insisted that the house should decide the question before electing a speaker. A violent debate arose. Two weeks were consumed in discussing whether the five New Jersey members should be permitted to participate in organizing the house. A reso- lution to admit them was lost by a tie vote. A speaker was chosen on Dec. 16, and the dis- cussion was then resumed. Mr. Fillmore was assigned a place on the committee on elections. He canvassed the entire vote of the state of New Jersey, devoting three months to this drudgery. A majority of the committee, being democrats, reported that the democratic con- testants were entitled to the seats. The mi- nority of the committee were satisfied that three at least of the whig members were un- justly excluded by the majority report. On March 6, by a strict party vote, overruling the decision of the speaker, Mr. Fillmore was de- clared to be out of order while supporting his views on this question, and all further debate was substantially prohibited. On March 10 the democratic contestants were admitted to their seats, and their title to them was con- firmed by a party vote on July 16. Mr. Fill- more was one of the most prominent actors in this controversy, and by his labor in the com- mittee and zeal in debate upon the questions involved, added greatly to his reputation throughout the country. Hitherto he had al- ways been in a minority in congress ; but the whig party was largely in the majority in the 27th congress, which assembled in 1841. A