1850 American Gold Tycoon

"President Taylor was a national hero during the Mexican-American War. He made outstanding contributions to the United States. I personally admire President Taylor very much. Google search to read

But as a politician and the new president of the United States, I do not agree with some of President Taylor's political policies. "

This was Fillmore's attitude.

Fillmore was ecstatic when he first took office as president, but he did not lose his mind. He understood that the United States was now a powder keg.

And the first thing he has to do is to prevent this powder keg from being ignited.

Fillmore believes that when a country faces a crisis, compromise is a good solution.

And he himself knows how to compromise.

"Mr. President, I strongly recommend that you dissolve the former president's cabinet! They are a group of bellicose lunatics! Let them preside over the cabinet and sooner or later push the United States into the abyss of civil war!"

Secretary of War George Walker Bradford suggested to Fillmore.

When President Taylor was still alive, he resisted pressure and refused the president's request to send troops to Texas. In his view, President Taylor's violent death was not a very sad thing.

For the United States, it is a blessing. President Taylor was a good general, but he was not a qualified president.

"Secretary Bradford, I understand you are a member of the Cabinet," Fillmore said.

"If the United States can be prevented from falling into war, I, as the Secretary of War, will not do anything wrong, and it will be good to go back to my hometown to farm and hunt." Crawford said.

His time as Minister of War made him feel physically and mentally exhausted, and there was nothing wrong with returning home to be a comfortable country squire.

"I pay you my respects."

Fillmore tipped his hat to Crawford.

"Mr. President, California's statehood is an urgent matter. Whether it is to become a free state or a slave state, Mr. Gervin and I have no objection. The people of California will also support you and support the federal government's decision."

Fremont said, following closely behind Fillmore.

"There is another issue, and that is the issue of land grants from the Mexican government in California. If this matter is not handled well, California is likely to become the next Texas."

Gwen followed Fillmore panting.

The arrival of the new president is huge good news for them. They are very fortunate that they had a good relationship with Fillmore when he was still vice president.

Fremont and Gervin did not disagree on whether California should become a free state or a slave state. In any case, they could not decide whether California should become a free state or a slave state.

The top priority is to build up California's government team first.

"Mr. Fremont, California will soon join the federal government as a free state. As for the Mexican government's land grant, it is too early to discuss this issue."

Fillmore put on his hat and walked into the White House.

"Mr. President, California has successfully defeated cholera. This is the experience of local squires and doctors in defeating cholera. There is a problem with the water source of the White House. For your health, I recommend that you do not drink the water from the White House."

As he spoke, Fremont handed Fillmore a summary of California's experience in combating cholera and a manual.

Fillmore stopped and took the documents and manuals from Fremont.

"Mr. Fremont, and Mr. Gervin, please come to my office."

At this time, cholera was rampant in major cities in the east, and both the government and doctors were helpless against it.

At least two presidents, including President Taylor, have been confirmed to have died of cholera, which is a very thorny issue.

Not only the United States, but even the United Kingdom, which has more advanced medical technology, is helpless against the epidemic.

The medical conditions in California are far behind those in the eastern United States and the United Kingdom. It has to be said that it is a miracle that cholera can be defeated.

Fillmore quickly browsed through the experience summary and manual on cholera prevention and control, then put down the manual in his hand and said.

“Two days ago, I saw the news about California’s victory over cholera in the Washington Post. But like most people, I doubted the authenticity of the news and thought it was an exaggeration by the media to gain public attention. .”

"I assure you of my political future, without exaggeration, that I know the local squire and the local doctor," Fremont assured Fillmore.

He believed in Liang Yao's character and Robinson's medical ethics. They would not cheat on such matters. They also knew the consequences of lying about cholera.

"Liang Yao and Robinson are the California squire and doctor?"

Fillmore asked, pointing to the two signatures on the summary of experience in cholera control.

"Yes, Dr. Robinson is a doctor with excellent medical skills and medical ethics. Liang Yao is a very responsible country squire. When California was still anarchic, it was he who maintained order in California and greatly reduced the number of homicides in California."

"I understand, this summary of experience is very valuable, and I think if this method is effective, it will also save countless people's lives in the East. Mr. Fremont, Mr. Gervin, I have other things to deal with now. We See you another day,” Fillmore said.

Fremont and Gervin left the White House satisfied.

Fillmore believed that Congress could no longer continue to bicker endlessly.

In order to avoid war, Fillmore dismissed the old president's cabinet, including Secretary of War Crawford, who had left a good impression on him.

Fillmore decided to support the compromise bill without reservation, and he made his position clear in Congress.

In order to make the compromise bill pass more smoothly in Congress, Fillmore decided to vote on each proposal in the bill separately.

Facts have proved that this is a very smart decision. Representatives from the North and the South only have left-wing opinions on certain proposals in the bill, but they are not opposed to the entire bill.

Fillmore lowered his stance and lobbied northern Whig members, promising them that California would join the Union as a free state and that the slave trade in Washington, D.C., would be outlawed, a move that won Whig support.

Similarly, Fillmore told southern representatives that the federal government recognized the legality of slavery and recognized slaves as part of private property. If slaves escaped to the North, the government would repatriate them to their original owners.

Fillmore also promised Southern representatives that the territories adjacent to the South would not immediately become states, let alone free states.

In order to quell the dissatisfaction of southern representatives with tax policies, Fillmore provided certain financial compensation to southern states in the form of government bonds, and promised to increase railway construction in the southern region during his term to benefit southern cotton production. Transport export.

Faced with the tariff issue, Fillmore did not choose to avoid it. He adjusted the tariff to 31%, making representatives from both the North and the South feel that they had not suffered too much.

After Fillmore settled the stalemate between the North and the South, Congress officially began voting on the compromise bill.

Douglas, the new Senate President, was less stodgy than his predecessor, the old man Clay.

Douglass, a pragmatist like Fillmore, accepted Fillmore's suggestion to break down Clay's comprehensive compromise bill piece by piece, proposing a series of separate bills to be voted on one by one.

Southern representatives also became less vocal in their opposition to California becoming a free state.

Soon, California's proposal for statehood passed Congress.

The proposal to establish governments for administrative management in New Mexico and Utah, but not as states, was also approved.

This proposal temporarily resolved the territorial dispute between Texas and New Mexico.

Faced with proposals that were still controversial between the two sides, the young and powerful Fillmore quickly made changes to them so that representatives from both the North and the South could accept them.

In just two months, all the terms of the compromise bill were passed!

A national crisis was temporarily resolved, and Fillmore successfully brought America back from the brink of civil war.

Most Americans rejoiced and thought they had gained peace. Members of Congress also cheered and praised this as a great victory.

Of course, the compromise did not satisfy everyone, because the compromise bill only temporarily eased the conflicts between the North and the South.

Extreme abolitionists and extreme slaveholders insisted on opposing this proposal. In their eyes, freedom and slavery were incompatible systems that could not exist at the same time.

It was just that their voices were temporarily drowned by the sound of great harmony.

A bigger crisis is brewing.