Ex-President Millard Fillmore Looks to the Founders and Their Qualities In Advising a Boy on the Qualities It Takes to Achieve Success in Life, and on Whom to Emulate

A self-made man, Millard Fillmore grew up in near poverty and began his working career as a cloth maker’s apprentice. He taught himself reading, spelling, arithmetic, and geography, studied law and became a lawyer, then won election to the New York State Legislature and to the U.S. House of Representatives. He did not become known nationally, however, until the Whig Party chose him to be Zachary Taylor’s vice-presidential running mate in 1848; in 1850, he became the second Vice-President to become President upon the death of the chief executive.

As a man who had risen in station by his own efforts, Fillmore had definite opinions about what it took to do so. In a famous letter in 1865, he gave advice on qualities it took to succeed as high standards, no bad habits, industry, honesty and perseverance. He had articulated these qualities before however, in 1857, in a letter giving advice to a boy. This is that letter.

Autograph letter signed, Buffalo, N.Y., March 21, 1857, to David F. Davis. ”Pressing engagements have prevented an earlier answer to your letter of the 2nd instant asking my advice to yourself and your juvenile associates; and I have now only time to say that industry and honesty are the great elements of success in life. Read the lives of Franklin, Washington and other self-made men and imitate their examples, and with a Blessing of Divine Providence you may reasonably hope for a comfiturey [production] of wealth, and as much distinction as an ordinary ambition should covet. But by all means avoid every temptation to indulge in intoxicating drinks.“

This is an important statement from a man who utilized exactly these qualities to rise from poverty to the highest office in the land.