历届美国总统简介：米勒德·菲尔莫尔

米勒德·菲尔莫尔（Millard Fillmore，1800年1月7日(庚申年)－1874年（甲戌年）3月8日），美国第十三任总统。任内最著名的事迹是派遣美国东印度舰队前往日本，并由舰队司令马修·培理向幕府送出其亲笔国书，促成日本之开国。他对奴隶制一直采取妥协态度，但也为美国在国际上的地位发挥过重要作用，促进了美国经济的发展。他卸任之后，曾再度竞选美国总统，但不幸落败。他是美国历史上最具争议的总统之一，对他的评价也曾两级化。

Millard Fillmore was born in the Finger Lakes country of New York in 1800. He was the 13th President of the United States, serving from 1850-1853. As a youth, he endured the hardships of frontier life and lived in a log cabin. His rise to wealth and the White House demonstrated that through hard work and some ability, “an uninspiring man could make the American dream come true”.

 

In 1823 he was admitted to the bar; seven years later he moved his law practice to Buffalo¹, in New York state. He held state office and for eight years was a member of the House of Representatives. In 1848, he was elected Vice² President. He presided over the Senate during the months of nerve-wracking debates over the Compromise of 1850 when the south wanted to leave the Union.

 

The sudden death of President Zachary Taylor in July 1850 elevated Fillmore to President. One of his first bills was the Fugitive³ Slave Act, in which runaway⁴ slaves had to be returned to their owners. Opponents nicknamed it the ‘Bloodhound Law’ after the dogs used to hunt escaped slaves. He also saw California become the 31st state and abolished the slave trade (but not slavery) in the District of Columbia.

 

He was quite active with his foreign policy. He championed the rising trade with Japan and sent Commodore Matthew C. Perry to establish relations with the Japanese. He quashed Napoleon III's attempt to annex⁵ Hawaii by threatening military action, and did likewise with the British over their efforts to invade Cuba. Out of office, he opposed President Lincoln throughout the Civil War. He died on March 8, 1874.

1 buffalo   

n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛

参考例句：

• Asian buffalo isn't as wild as that of America's. 亚洲水牛比美洲水牛温顺些。
• The boots are made of buffalo hide. 这双靴子是由水牛皮制成的。

2 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

3 fugitive   

adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者

参考例句：

• The police were able to deduce where the fugitive was hiding.警方成功地推断出那逃亡者躲藏的地方。
• The fugitive is believed to be headed for the border.逃犯被认为在向国境线逃窜。

4 runaway   

n.逃走的人，逃亡，亡命者；adj.逃亡的，逃走的

参考例句：

• The police have not found the runaway to date.警察迄今没抓到逃犯。
• He was praised for bringing up the runaway horse.他勒住了脱缰之马受到了表扬。

5 annex   

vt.兼并，吞并；n.附属建筑物

参考例句：

• It plans to annex an England company in order to enlarge the market.它计划兼并一家英国公司以扩大市场。
• The annex has been built on to the main building.主楼配建有附属的建筑物。