Kuby your FACSIMILES OF MILLARD FILLMORE'S SIGNATURE. In earlier years he wrote with a flourish; then he dropped the flourish and spelled his given name "Millerd" (see p. 151). While in Congress he usually signed himself "M. Fillmore," running the "M" and "F" together. In later years his characteristic signature is larger, with the first name written in full. MILLARD FILLMORE'S MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE PRIOR TO THE CIVIL WAR The following pages contain such personal and miscellaneous letters written by Mr. Fillmore as the editor has been able to find. Mr. Fillmore's official correspondence, as Comptroller of New York State, as Vice-President and President of the United States, is printed in preceding pages of this collection. When the following letters have been copied for this publication from the original manuscript, Mr. Fillmore's own peculiarities of spelling, capitalization, etc., have been followed, and the ownership of the original stated. When the letters have been found only in printed form, it has, of course, been impossible to know the peculiarities of the original, but the source from which they are drawn is indicated. An occasional reference is made in the notes to the preceding volume of this series (Vol. X. of the Buffalo Historical Society Publications), which is indicated as "I. Fillmore." A COUNTRY SCHOOL-TEACHER'S PAY IN 1821. WALES, Erie Co., Oct. 12, 1821. [TO WILLIAM SLADE, Sempronius, N. Y.] DEAR SIR: Feeling full confidence in you as a friend I here enclose to you an epistle which I wish you to keep in safe custody until you have an opportunity to deliver it to the person to whom it is directed if that person be in your town if not deliver it to some trusty person enclosed in a wraper [sic] who will convey it safe to the destined place. I think I shall tarry here this winter-they have offered me $13. per month to teach school in the dist. where my father resides. they will pay me all their public money— they drew last year $27.40. [They] have since had about 20 scholars added to their Dist. the remainder they will pay in wheat rye & corn-wheat at $.75 corn and rye $.50 per bushel, so that I may reasonably expect $7. in cash and $6. in grain at the above prices. I am to begin the 1st of Oct. and teach 4 months. Please to write to me and tell all the news. I should write more but it is late and tomorrow I have agreed to assist a friend in two law suits which commence at 7 o'clock A. M. and the bearer Mr. Dibble starts next day for Semps [Sempronius]. I remain you[r] sincere friend, W. SLADE, Esq". M. FILLMORE. Please to direct your letters to Aurora, Erie county, &c. WILLIAM SLADE, Esq Sempronius. To the politeness of Mr. Dibble Original MS. owned by Miss G. Adelaide Slade, Hamilton, N. Y. This letter was written to Miss Slade's father, William Slade, Esq., of Kelloggsville, Cayuga Co., N. Y., when young Fillmore was teaching school at Aurora and studying law at the same time. Miss Slade writes: "Mr. Fillmore's first wife, Abigail Powers, was cousin to my grandmother Slade, and as there was no postoffice in Kelloggsville, Mr. Fillmore sent his letters to my father to hand to Miss Powers." AN EARLY RECEIPT. Received of Alvin Dodge & William Hodge, Trustees of District number two in Buffalo, nineteen dollars & seventythree cents, in full for my services, for teaching school in said district. Buffalo, April 2, 1823. M. FILLMORE. Printed in Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, Mch. 9, 1874. RESIGNING A MILITIA OFFICE. BUFFALO, July 28, 1830. To Brigadier General HEMAN B. POTTER, SIR: The undersigned would respectfully represent that he now holds the office of Brigade Major and Inspector of the 47th Brigade of Infantry of the militia of the State of New York, and that having done duty ever since he was of the age of eighteen years, and held an office at some considerable expense for the last seven years, which interfered considerably with his private business, he is induced to resign said office, and does hereby resign the same: And your petitioner respectfully solicits; that you will be pleased to accept this his resignation, and grant him a discharge. Millen Fillion Brig. Maj. & Insp't of the 47th Brigade of Inft of N. Y. M. Original MS. owned by Buffalo Historical Society. As the facsimile signature shows, Mr. Fillmore at this period wrote his first name "Millerd." This letter had not come to the editor's notice when the note on p. 43, I. Fillmore, was written. SUGGESTS JUSTICE M'LEAN FOR PRESIDENT. WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 1833. To His Honor JOHN MCLEAN, SIR: Although I have not the honor of a personal acquaintance, yet I take the liberty of saying who I am, and suggesting a hint on the subject of the next presidential election. And as to myself, I am a representative from the 32d Congressional district of the state of New York composed of the county of Erie, and reside in the city of Buffalo, and am of course an antimason. I am satisfied that a great majority of my constituents and indeed of the electors of the western part of the state are opposed to Mr. Van Buren for the presidency, and would prefer you to any other candidate, which, I need not add, are my own sentiments. But nothing has been yet done to place you distinctly before the public as a candidate, and I conceive it a matter of some delicacy but of great importance that the first movement in this matter, should be discreet and well timed. The decision of this question involves the consideration of time, place and the persons by whom it should be made. Ist. As to the time. I would respectfully suggest that it should be done immediately unless there be some insupperable or at least weighty objection. Van B. being in the field and there being no concentrated point to the opposition, and Congress and the legislatures of the several states being in Session, when questions of a political nature are daily agitated, it gives to him and his partizans a decided advantage, which would be counteracted by having his opponent known around whom we could rally. 2d. As to the place. This must necessarily be governed in a great measure by the persons who are selected to make the nomination. If by a national convention, Baltimore or Philadelphia would be regarded as central. If by a caucus of members of the state legislatures, then the places of their |