费尔摩尔(1800～1874年)

Fillmore, Millard

美国第十三任总统（1850～1853）。家境贫寒，十五岁时被送去当梳理羊毛工学徒。後随一位地方法官学习法律，1823年取得律师资格。1828～1834年支持标榜民主和自由的反共济党，追随他的政治导师威德参加辉格党，不久即被公认为该党北方派的杰出领袖。他担任众议员（1833～1835,1837～1843），并成为参议员亨利.克雷的忠实追随者。1848年辉格党提名他为副总统候选人，後来与泰勒一起当选。1850年7月总统泰勒去世後，他成为美国总统。费尔摩尔虽然自己对奴隶制深恶痛绝，但支持「1850年妥协方案」，觉得在能够取消奴隶制而又不破坏国家统一之前，必须容忍奴隶制存在，并给予宪法的保障；坚持联邦政府要执行逃亡奴隶法。由於这种的立场，使他在北方地区极度不得人心，导致他在1852年辉格党提名大会上被司各脱击败，更导致整个政党的消亡。在整个从政时期，他一直鼓吹美国国内的发展，并且很早就支持向太平洋扩张，1853年派遣海军准将伯理率美国舰队前往日本，强迫日本政府改变闭关锁国的传统政策，与西方发生贸易和外交关系。1856年一无所知党提名他竞选总统，惨败後，他退隐水牛城。

English version：

1800～1874年

Fillmore, Millard

13th president of the U.S. (1850-53). Born into poverty in Locke, N.Y., he became an indentured apprentice at 15. He studied law with a local judge and began to practice in Buffalo in 1823. Initially identified with the Anti-Masonic Party (1828-34), he followed his political mentor, Thurlow Weed, to the Whigs and was soon a leader of the party's northern wing. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives (1833-35, 1837-43), where he became a follower of Henry Clay. In 1848 the Whigs nominated Fillmore as vice president, and he was elected with Zachary Taylor. He became president on Taylor's death in 1850. Though he abhorred slavery, he supported the Compromise of 1850 and insisted on federal enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act. His stand, which alienated the North, led to his defeat by Winfield Scott at the Whigs' nominating convention in 1852 and effectively led to the death of the party. Throughout his career he advocated U.S. internal development and was an early champion of expansion in the Pacific. In 1853 he sent Matthew Perry with a U.S. fleet to Japan, forcing its isolationist government to enter into trade and diplomatic relations. He returned to Buffalo and was nominated for president by the Know-Nothing Party in 1856.