Chapter 85: America Has 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. 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, then I, as Secretary of the War Department, will not do anything wrong. 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 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 a huge piece of 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 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 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 to be a miracle that it can defeat cholera.

Fillmore quickly browsed through the experience summary and manuals on cholera prevention and control, then put down the manuals in his hands 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 the 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 expressed his attitude in Congress.

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

It turned out to be a very smart decision. Representatives from both the North and the South only had left-wing opinions on some proposals in the bill, not opposing the entire bill.

Fillmore put down his posture and lobbied the Whig Party members in the North, promising them that California would join the Union as a free state and would ban the slave trade in Washington, D.C., which won the support of the Whig Party.

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

Fillmore also promised the southern representatives that the territories adjacent to the South would not be established as states immediately, let alone free states.

In order to appease the dissatisfaction of the southern representatives with the tax policy, Fillmore gave the southern states a certain amount of financial compensation in the form of government bonds, and promised to increase the construction of railways in the southern region during his term to facilitate the transportation and export of southern cotton.

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

After Fillmore had smoothed over the mud between the North and the South, Congress officially began to vote on the compromise bill.

The new Senate President Douglas was not as old-fashioned as his predecessor, the old antique Clay.

Douglas was a pragmatist like Fillmore. He accepted Fillmore's advice and broke down Clay's comprehensive compromise bill item by item, proposing a series of separate bills for voting one by one.

The voices of southern representatives opposing California becoming a free state were no longer so fierce.

Soon, the proposal for California to become a state was passed by Congress.

The proposal to establish a government for the New Mexico and Utah regions for administrative management, but not to set up states and still exist as territories was also passed.

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

Faced with the still controversial proposals from both sides, the young and energetic Fillmore quickly made changes to it so that representatives from both the North and the South could accept it.

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

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

Most Americans were excited about this and believed that they had gained peace. Congressmen also cheered and praised it as a great victory.

Of course, compromise cannot satisfy everyone, because the compromise only temporarily eased the contradictions between the North and the South.

Extreme abolitionists and extreme slaveholders insisted on opposing this proposal. In their eyes, freedom and slavery are a system that is incompatible and cannot exist at the same time.

It's just that their voices were temporarily drowned out by the voice of great harmony.

A bigger crisis is brewing.