Delaware avenue-Buffalo's finest residence street-for him. Later a new parkway was given his name. Mr. Fillmore's first residence in Buffalo was in the old Phoenix hotel. The house most associated with him, described in 1853 as “the plain white two-story house with green blinds, and a little yard in front," is still standing at No. 180 Franklin street, though so modernized that its street front has little resemblance to the house Mr. Fillmore knew. The gothic house on Niagara Square, now a part of a hotel bearing another name, was bought by Mr. Fillmore after his retirement from public life; and there it was he died. Not many years since the suggestion of a local newspaper that a statue of Mr. Fillmore be erected in the square opposite his former home precipitated an acrimonious correspondence which well showed that his townsmen were by no means ready to join in a memorial. Although numerous portraits and busts have been made, Buffalo is still without any suitable memorial of Millard Fillmore. Mr. Fillmore gathered a considerable property, most of which passed to his son. When the latter died, Nov. 15, 1889, the inventory of his estate showed a value of $285,705.66, and contained the following items: Railroad bonds and other securities, $174,590; cash, bank deposits, bond and mortgage, $58,910.74; silver plate, $318.99; library, $1493.40. The silver plate may have included the memorial service spoken of in this volume (pp. 304, 305). There were also "a sword, a sabre, two guns and a pistol,” presumably relics, in part at least, of the John Fillmore whose adventures with pirates have been given. These souvenirs are supposed to have passed into the possession of other relatives. Many a resident of Buffalo will recall the auction sale of Mr. Fillmore's library, held in Buffalo, Dec. 29, 30 and 31, 1890. Since his father's death it had belonged to Millard Powers Fillmore, but the collection remained for the most part as the elder man had formed it. It was in no wise a notable library. There were few books of monetary value, and fewer yet that were rare. It contained many Government reports, and other works valuable only for the information they might offer. The printed catalogue, of fifty odd pages, is pathetic in its arid lack of poetry, of belles lettres, of well nigh everything that breathes of beauty and of spirit. A touch of personal association attaches to one item, the "Voyages and Adventures of Captain Robert Boyle" (Liverpool, 1745), containing a note by Mr. Fillmore, saying it was the first novel he ever read. A number of Mr. Fillmore's books are now in the library of the Buffalo Historical Society. Mr. Fillmore's letters, like those of other Presidents, are frequently offered for sale by dealers in literary wares. Such a letter, recently advertised, was written by Mr. Fillmore at Buffalo, Aug. 15, 1856, to Robert G. Rankin, in which occurs this sentence: "I have no recollection of ever having seen the Treaty between Russia and China to which you refer." Another letter not long since sold was dated Mar. 27, 1851, and addressed to the Secretary of State: "I shall be happy to receive Mr. Osma, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim from Peru, tomorrow at 12," etc. Still another, of which only the address can be noted, was written to Geo. Ticknor Curtis, Sept. 2, 1871. Beyond question there are many of Mr. Fillmore's letters in the hands of dealers or collectors; some of them are probably of historical value, could they be brought into a general collection of Mr. Fillmore's writings, thereby helping to establish his views and his part in American history. Detached, scattered and hidden, they are useless to the student. Other letters of Mr. Fillmore which are known to exist, are in the faded letter-books of his old law-firm, now stored in a law-office attic in Buffalo. While something of value might have been gleaned, had these letter-books been accessible for the present publication, the probability is that such of Mr. Fillmore's letters as would be found in them relate chiefly to his business affairs, and but little to public and political issues. The following letter came into the possession of the Buffalo Historical Society too late for use in its proper place in this volume: HON. DANIEL WEBSTER, HOUSE OF REP. Feb. 24, 1841. SIR: Understanding that Joseph C. Luther, Esq., of New York city is a candidate for the office of Consul at Havre, I beg leave to say that from a long and intimate acquaintance with Mr. Luther, I believe him to be a man of strict integrity, methodical and persevering business habits, acquainted with mercantile affairs, and possessed of a high order of intellect. He is one of those gentlemen whom the experiments of the last few years have reduced from a state of affluence to that of povertywith a most amiable and excellent wife depending upon him for support-and as I believe none more worthy, if it be possible to confer upon him the office to which he aspires, I doubt not he would discharge its duties faithfully and creditably to himself and with honor to the country. If it were proper to indulge private friendships, and individual wishes in a measure like this, I would say that no appointment that is likely to be made after that of the Cabinet, could give me, personally, so much gratification as this. I have the honor to be Your fellow citizen MILLARD FILLMORE Supplementing the acknowledgments made in the Introduction to volume one, thanks are hereby extended, for the use of manuscripts, to Mr. C. E. Goodspeed, Boston; Mr. J. M. Fox, Philadelphia; and the Historical Society of Rochester, N. Y. For permission to reprint letters by Mr. Fillmore contained in "The Letters of Daniel Webster," etc., acknowledgment is made to the editor, Prof. C. H. Van Tyne, Ann Arbor, Mich., and to the publishers, McClure, Phillips & Co., New York. F. H. S. ERRATA, VOLUME TWO. Page 46: For "Orasmus" H. Marshall read "Orsamus" H. Marshall. For "Eldridge" G. Spaulding read "Elbridge" G. Spaulding. Page 195, eighth line from top: "For "Daniel B. Barnard" read "Daniel D. Barnard." Near middle of page, for "Vanderpool" read "Vanderpoel.” Page 196, note: For "uniformerly" read "uniformly." Page 360: For "Ephriam" Marsh read "Ephraim" Marsh. Page 440, third line from top: For "1895" read "1905." |