and he was accompanied by all the members of the late President's Cabinet. The Chief Justice of the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia, the venerable William Cranch, appointed fifty years before, by President John Adams, administered the oath; which being done, the President, without any inaugural address, bowed and retired; and the ceremony was at an end."

CHAPTER VIII.

THE NEW ADMINISTRATION-THE GREAT ISSUE, SLAVERY-CLAY AND CALHOUN-THE PRESIDENT

EQUAL TO THE EMERGENCY.

R. FILLMORE'S first act as President was to

M send the following message to Congress :

"WASHINGTON, July10, 1850.

"FELLOW-CITIZENS OF THE SENATE AND OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

"A great man has fallen among us, and a whole country is called to an occasion of unexpected, deep, and general mourning.

"I recommend to the two Houses of Congress to adopt such measures as in their discretion may seem proper, to perform with due solemnity the funeral obsequies of Zachary Taylor, late President of the United States; and thereby to signify the great and affectionate regard of the American people for the memory of one whose life has been devoted to the public service; whose career in arms has not been surpassed in unsefulness or brilliancy; who has been so recently raised by the unsolicited voice of the people to the highest civil authority in the Government, which he administered with so much honor and advantage to his country; and by whose sudden death so many hopes of future usefulness have been blighted forever.

"To you, Senators and Representatives of a Nation in tears, I can say nothing which can alleviate the sorrow with which you are oppressed.

"I appeal to you to aid me under the trying circumstances which surround us in the discharge of the duties from which, however much I may be oppressed by them, I dare not shrink; and I rely upon Him who holds in His hands the destinies of nations to endow me with the requisite strength for the task, and to avert from our country the evils apprehended from the heavy calamity which has befallen us.

"I shall most readily concur in whatever measures the wisdom of the two Houses may suggest, as befitting this deeply melancholy occasion.

"MILLARD FILLMORE."

The two Houses were very ready to comply with the President's recommendation, and arrangements were at once made for a public funeral of General Taylor, on Saturday, July 13th.

The members of General Taylor's Cabinet had, immediately after the old soldier's death, signified their readiness to retire from the positions they occupied. This step Mr. Fillmore had every reason to expect, if not desire; but he requested the Cabinet to remain at the heads of the departments until he could have time to appoint their successors. This they mainly did. Mr. Clayton, Secretary of State, left at once, however, without staying to transact any business under the new President.

Mr. Fillmore had had little influence with President Taylor. The patronage due to New York had not been given to his friends, nor distributed at his instigation. General Taylor had been led to prefer the counsel of William H. Seward. He had not been backward, however, in asking places for some of his

friends, and had done his part, perhaps, in the clamor for office that helped to wear out the life of General Taylor. But, at all events, his wishes were not gratified, and the Cabinet of President Taylor had shown no disposition to be friendly to him. Besides this state of affairs, Mr. Fillmore, in the main, favored the "Omnibus Bill," or last compromise measures of Mr. Clay, and this, it was believed, was the very thing which the members of General Taylor's Cabinet would not support. From all these things it was, from the first, evident that Mr. Fillmore would have to form a new Cabinet.

He was greatly attached to Robert C. Winthrop, of Massachusetts, and at the outset meant to offer him the post of Secretary of State. Mr. Winthrop was about to retire from Congress, and the offer of a place in Mr. Fillmore's Cabinet would have been gladly accepted by him. Mr. Winthrop was deservedly a favorite in Washington, and most of his political associates, as also those opposed to his party, would have been pleased to see him connected with the new Administration. He had, on the Fourth of July, given his last dinner, at which the Vice-President had sat on his right and Mr. Cobb, the Speaker of the House, on his left, and where he took a delight in bringing together all shades of sectional and partisan wranglers. But Mr. Mangum and Henry Clay recommended the appointment of Daniel Webster as Secretary of State, as it was held that this place should now be filled by a man who was known, and whose abilities would inspire confidence abroad as

well as at home. Mr. Fillmore yielded to this view, and Mr. Webster was at once appointed.

On the 20th of July the following nominations were sent to the Senate for confirmation: Daniel Webster, of Massachusetts, for Secretary of State; Thomas Corwin, of Ohio, Secretary of the Treasury; James A. Pearce, of Maryland, Secretary of the Interior; William A. Graham, of North Carolina, Secretary of the Navy; Edward Bates, of Missouri, Secretary of War; Nathan K. Hall, of New York, Postmaster-General; and John J. Crittenden, of Kentucky, Attorney-General.

Mr. Pearce declined, and T. M. T. McKennan was substituted; but he held the office two weeks only, being compelled to resign on account of ill health. Finally Alexander H. H. Stuart, of Virginia, was made Secretary of the Interior; and Mr. Bates being unable to serve in the place offered him, Charles M. Conrad, of Louisiana, was appointed Secretary of War. This Cabinet, as now arranged, was well selected and able, comparing favorably with those of former Administrations. To his friend, Franklin Haven, Mr. Webster wrote from Washington, July 21, 1850, concerning himself and the Cabinet, as follows:

"You probably received a telegraphic dispatch from me yesterday. In the morning (of yesterday) I received your letter, and one from Mr. Mills, and one from Mr. Harvey; and I thought it better to decide at once, as affairs are pressing, and as the President, who had agreed that I might have time to go home before deciding whether I would take the