Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States and became President when Zachary Taylor died in office. He is one of eight men to have succeeded to the presidency when the incumbent died in office. One of the books I plan on reading soon is by author Jared Cohen called Accidental President. Cohen takes a look at these eight men who became President by accident.
Here are some highlights of Fillmore's life:
1800: Fillmore was born in New York and would ultimately reside in Buffalo.
1823: Admitted to practice law in Buffalo
1833: Joins Congress as a US Representative as a member of the Anti-Mason Party
1844:
- Seeks VP nomination of Whig party and loses.
- Runs for Governor of New York and loses
1848: Elected Vice President running with Zachary Taylor on the Whig ticket
1850:
- July 9th, Taylor dies and Fillmore takes the oath of office. Fillmore removes his entire cabinet. The only successor President to do so.
- Presides over the Senate during major debates of the Compromise of 1850
- Compromise of 1850 was a package of five separate bills that diffused a split between the free and slave states
- Part of the Compromise was the Fugitive Slave Act which requires citizens and officials of free states to cooperate and return captured slaves to their owners.
- September 26th, Fillmore administration begins aggressive enforcement of this act
1852: Fillmore loses the Whig Presidential nomination to General Winfred Scott
- Fillmore receives the Presidential nomination of the anti-Catholic, anti-immigration Know Nothing Party.
- Loses the election and carries only one state, Maryland.
Fillmore, the last member of Whig Party to be President, ranks in the bottom third of Presidents. He implemented and enforced possibly one of the worst pieces of legislation in American history in the Fugitive Slave Act. He openly campaigned for President as part of a party that hated Catholics and opposed immigration.
Fillmore made decisions as President which ultimately led to the Civil War. Some of the decisions were carried over to Fillmore's successor Franklin Pierce who is up next.
21 down (9,732 pages), 23 to go.