officers would refuse to act against citizens of Texas, the
soldier President replied that in such an event he would take
command in person and would hang any one caught in acts of
treason. When Henry Clay introduced an elaborate project for a
compromise between the North and the South, the President
insisted that each question should be settled on its own merits
and directed the forces of the Administration against any sort of
compromise. The debate over Clay's Omnibus Bill was long and
acrimonious. On July 4, 1850, the President seemed triumphant.
But upon that day, notwithstanding his apparent robust health, he
was stricken down with an acute disease and died five days later.
With his passing, the opposing Whig faction came into power. The
so-called compromise measures were at length one by one passed by
Congress and approved by President Fillmore.

California was admitted as a free State; but as a palliative to
the South, Congress passed bills for the organization of
territorial Governments for New Mexico and Utah without positive
declarations regarding the powers of the territorial Legislatures
over slavery. All questions relating to title to slaves were to
be left to the courts. Meantime it was left in doubt whether
Mexican law excluding slavery was still in force. Southern
malcontents maintained that this act was a mere hoax, using words
which suggested concession when no concession was intended.
Northern anti-slavery men criticized the act as the entering
wedge for another great surrender to the enemy. Because of the
uncertainty regarding the meaning of the law and the false hopes
likely to be created, they maintained that it was fitted to
foment discord and prolong the period of distrust between the two
sections. At all events such was its actual effect.