As the election of 1852 approached , Fillmore remained undecided whether to run for a full term as president . Fillmore 's enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act had made him unpopular among many in the North , but he retained considerable support from the South , where he was seen as the only candidate capable of uniting the party . Secretary Webster had long coveted the presidency and , though in poor health , planned a final attempt to gain the White House . Webster hoped that his pro-Compromise stance would help him garner support throughout the country , but his reputation as the spokesman for New England limited his appeal outside of his home region , especially in the South . Fillmore was sympathetic to the ambitions of his longtime friend , but was reluctant to rule out accepting the party 's 1852 nomination , as he feared doing so would allow Seward to gain control of the party . Yet he also believed that the Whig nominee was likely to lose in 1852 , and feared that a loss would bring an end to his political career . Ultimately , he refused to pull out of the race , and allowed his supporters to run his campaign for the Whig nomination . A third candidate emerged in the form of General Winfield Scott , who , like previously successful Whig presidential nominees William Henry Harrison and Zachary Taylor , had earned fame for his martial accomplishments . Though Thurlow Weed advised Seward to accept whoever the Whigs nominated , Seward threw his backing behind Scott . Scott had supported the Compromise of 1850 , but his association with Seward made him unacceptable to Southern Whigs . Thus , approaching the June 1852 Whig National Convention in Baltimore , the major candidates were Fillmore , Webster , and General Scott . Supporters of the Compromise of 1850 were split between Fillmore and Webster , while Northern opponents of the Compromise backed Scott
1852 Whig National Convention
1852 Whig National Convention
Presidency of Millard Fillmore