He Was Never Nominated For A Second Term

Whether or not to seek for a full term as president, Fillmore remained unsure as the 1852 election drew near. Despite being over 70 and having a longstanding desire for the presidency, Secretary Webster planned one last push for the White House. While Fillmore expressed sympathy with the goals of his longtime friend in a letter announcing why he did not pursue a full term in office in late 1851, he was hesitant to do so out of concern that the party would be taken over by the Sewardites. As a result, Fillmore, Webster, and General Scott were the three main contenders heading into the national convention in Baltimore, which was scheduled to take place in June 1852.

The Fugitive Slave Act made Fillmore unpopular with northern Whigs, but the South continued to support him heavily because they believed he was the only candidate who could bring the party together. Southern delegates provided the majority of Fillmore's support at the Baltimore Whig convention in 1852, but on the 53rd ballot, multiple-war veteran Winfield Scott defeated him. Scott defeated Democrat Franklin Pierce in that November's election, winning just four of the 31 states up for grabs. This marked the beginning of the collapse for the Whig Party.