Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. II.djvu/208

164 LIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS faculty of adapting himself to every position in which he was called to serve his country. When he was chairman of the committee of ways and means, members of congress expressed their sense of his fitness by declaring that he was born to fill it. When he was elected vice-president, it was pre dicted that he would fail as the presiding officer of the senate, yet he acquitted himself in this new and untried position in such a manner as to com mand the applause of senators. And when ad vanced to the highest office of our country, he so fulfilled his duties as to draw forth the commenda tion of the ablest men of the opposite party .... For the last two years of my official association with Mr. Fillmore," adds Mr. Stuart, "our relations, both personal and political, were of an intimate and confidential character. He knew that I was his steadfast friend, and he reciprocated the feeling. He talked with me freely and without reserve about men and measures, and I take pleasure in saying that in all my intercourse with him I never knew him to utter a sentiment or do an act which, in my judgment, would have been unworthy of Wash ington." His gifted contemporary, Henry Clay, thought highly of Fillmore s moderation and wisdom, said his administration was an able and honorable one, and on his death-bed recommended his nomination for the presidency (by the Baltimore convention