1850 American Gold Baron

Chapter 87 America has gained peace!

"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.

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, which will sooner or later push the United States into the abyss of civil war!"

Secretary of War George Walker Bradford advised Fillmore.

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

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

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

"If we can prevent the United States from falling into war, I will not be the Secretary of War, and I will 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 respect."

Fillmore tipped his hat to Crawford.

"Mr. President, California's statehood is an urgent matter. Whether it becomes a free state or a slave state, Mr. Gervin and I have no objections. 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 issue, it is too early to discuss this issue now."

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."

With that said, Fremont handed Fillmore a summary of California's experience in preventing cholera and a manual.

Fillmore stopped and took the documents and manuals from Fremont's hand.

"Mr. Fremont, and Mr. Gwen, 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 to deal with 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 also the United Kingdom, which has more advanced medical technology, is helpless against this epidemic.

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

Fillmore quickly browsed through the experience summary and manual on preventing and controlling cholera, 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, and I am not exaggerating, 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 this matter. They also knew the consequences of lying on the cholera matter.

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

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

"Yes, Dr. Robinson is a doctor with excellent medical skills and medical ethics, and 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 experience summary 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 contentedly.

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 attitude clear in Congress.

In order to allow the compromise bill to pass Congress more smoothly, 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-leaning 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 would outlaw the slave trade in Washington, D.C., a move that won the support of the Whigs.

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 establish 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 24.31%, making representatives from both the North and the South feel that they had not suffered too much.

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

Douglas, the new Senate President, is not as old-fashioned as his predecessor Clay.

Douglass, like Fillmore, was a pragmatist, and he accepted Fillmore's suggestion to break down Clay's comprehensive compromise bill piece by piece and propose 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 of the American people rejoiced and thought they had gained peace. Members of Congress also cheered and praised this as a great victory.

Of course, compromise cannot satisfy everyone, because the compromise bill only temporarily eases 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.

However, their voices were temporarily drowned by the harmonious sound.

A bigger crisis is brewing.

(End of chapter)