April 14th, 2011
Millard Fillmore!
Last Whig President, Most Successful Third Party Candidate ever.
Last week, you did a great job with early 20th century politics, now bear with me as we dive into antebellum politics, The Whigs vs. The Whigs vs. The Democrats . The Whigs were a political party from 1832 ish til 1854 ish. Their overall platform was modernization (schools, roads, canals) and territorial expansion of the United States. The party was started by Henry Clay to oppose Andrew Jackson, particularly over the debate over the national bank and the party died soon after Henry Clay did in 1851. The Whigs were always an unstable party. They prided themselves on compromise, but there were two main factions in the party those who were complete abolitionist and those who choose to look away for the sake of national unity. Millard Filmore was a member of the latter.
Millard Fillmore began his career as an anti-masonic candidate in the New York Legislature, later becoming a congressman, New York State Comptroller, Founder of the University at Buffalo ,Vice President of the United States and, with the death of Zachary Taylor, President. He was disappointed when he became President because the White House had no books it, so he started the White House library.While Filmore did not support slavery, he did not support things to end it either. While he was vp and president he was a strong supporter of the Compromise of 1850 which admitted California as a free state but also required all citizens to assist in the capture of runaway slaves. This compromise was felt buy many to be to much of an acquiescence to the south by many anti-slavery Whigs. Therefore at the Whig Convention for the 1852 election, his party passed him by for Winfield “Old fuss and Feathers” Scott for the nomination, because Scott was more out spoken against slavery. This did the Whig party more harm than good, as it alienated the southern Whigs and as it turned the anti-slavery northerners would not forgive the Whigs for the Compromise of 1850. The Democrats won the election, and Whig party quickly fell apart.
Fillmore ran for president again in 1856 as the candidate for the Know Nothing Party, he ran against Democrat James Buchanan and Republican John Fremont. The platform of this party, if I am may grossly over simplify, was: lets set aside our differences on slavery, can’t we all agree that there a too many Irish running around? Filmore lost the election but was able to carry the state of Maryland and its 13 electoral votes making him the most successful 3rd party candidate in US history.
To celebrate Millard Filmore today: if your house doesn’t have a library start one. If you already have a library or cannot read well, may I suggest Mallard Fillmore
Fremont, Fillmore, and Buchanan
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White Fat Guy History 