Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1837-08-03
GFrom the Providence Journal
TIE PUBLIC LIFE OF DUTEE J. PEARCE
INTRoDUcrIoN

AS II has become quite fashionable tn pub
li-l Biographies of living men who have been
somew what noted either for civic, military or
treacher0us deeds, we deem it advisable to
write brief account Of The public life of the
Hon. Dutee J. Pearce. A parsonage so re-
nowned in the political history Of Rhode-Is.
land, so consistent and true in his prinripies,
so faithful to friends and entirely unexcrp.
tionabe in his intercourse with his fellow
men, that il is but an act Of Justice that some
OF the prominent incidents of his life should
be dclIncated.
I When a man is before the public for n
length of time, and has been in the constant
practice Of committing either gross blunders
or contemplate tricks,we are too apt to over
look those of past years, and dwell upon those
Of to-day. This remark applies with peculiar
force to the subject of our memoir. Mr..
Pcarce is so habltualIy given to octs Of treaeh.
cry and d,tpiicity, that our memory aud time
will not serve to give each one in detail. The
most prominent therefore, will be selected, and
from the sketch, let the people Of Rhode-ls
land Judge whether he is exactly the man who
ought TO represent their interests in the
House of Congress.
i CHAPTER FIRST.
| Passing over the earlier life Of the Hon.
gentleman, we will begin with the year 1926,
during the contest for Representatives. to
Congress. This was tho summer subsequent
to the election Of John Quincy Adams as
President Of the United States. For the six
preceding years, Rhode Island had been rep
resented by the Hon. Samnel Eddy and the
Hon. Job Durfee. Both Of these gentlemen
were again put in nomination. and supported
chiefly by what was then called the Crd,o-
| lnl./f nar hr ut.,I n.
Tristan Burgess, and supported by the Ad-
ANS party. During the contest. or just prior
to the nominations, Pearcc, we have been in
formed. gave a solemn pledge to the Hon.
Judge Eddy that lac was his friend, aud desir-
ed to be elected with hm,and should do what
he could for his success. In the midst OF The
battle, II ~ said, he was busily engaged in
writing letters, &c. to different individuals in
the towns, advising one to support Judge Ed
dy, and another Mr.. Burgess, thus breaking his
vow OF friendship, and deludmg Judge Eddy
and his friends. Here was one specimen OF
his rank dupicity.
i When he took his scat in the House Of
Representatives, it will be remembered tia,
\ party spirit was furious, and The most vituper-
atlve language was employed by members to-
wards each other. and the administration ot
Mr. Admins. The Vice President Of the u
nItcd states, who was then member, dec lar
ed IN Irrcvcreht md profaDe language, that
"the present administration should be put
down, though IT was as pure as the angels
around the throne of God" Nothing was too
foul TO be uttered by the Jackson party a
yainst Messrs. Adams and Clay. Mr.. Pearce
was among the foremost in his attacks on the
Jackson purity, and if it were of consequence,
we might quote columns of his speeches.
| In 1899, Gen. Jackson came into Office
By referring to the debates of that, and sub
scqucnt years down to 1928, it will be
found that no member was more severe a
galnst Jackson, Van Buren, e. Co. than Du-
tee j. Pearce. One speech that he made, de-
nominated "Ihe Uiscdssd Speech" stands
pre-eminent for its severity. For that speech
he was denounced by the Van Buren, organ
aud It's supporters in Rhode Island. Extracts
were quoted, and unusual pains were taken
by The party to induce his constituents to be-
lievc that he was faiihcss. Many weeks ,af.
ter the delivery of this speech, had not ex-
pired. before Dutee became a sudden convert
to Jackson,sm, the very antipodes of what he
had pro/essed to be prior to his conversion.
| The immediate cause of his love for Jack
sonlsm, rs every one knows, who is acquaini-
ed with the man, was, to accomplish his own
selfish designs. About this time, he was play
ing double game in relation to the Post Or
ice at Newport-attcmpting to effect the re-
nioval OF RoBERr B. CRANsroN as Post Mas
ter. While protesting to be the friend of AIR
Cranston, he was writing letters urging :he
lpropriety OF his removal and the appointment
OF another. by some means Mr.. Cranston
discovered his base duplicity-and published
the correspondence which Pearce had held
with Amos Kendall, &c thus holding up to
the world his treacherOus and low scheme
Here wns another act Of duplicity, and one
which had nearly destroyed his political ex.
istcnce.
CHAPTER u.
| Prior to the election Of Dntce J. Pearce in
1925, an application was made for Marine
Hospital for the District Of Providence, and
an appropriation was voted by Congress for
the purpose, $4,000. The Government how /,
ever, not being satisfied as to a location, for
this aud other causes, the project was aban-
doncd. Subsequently, Mr.. Penrce recon-
mended 10 the authorities of Providence the
estate known ms the Partition. He held re-
pcated and free conversations with the then
President Of our Town Council and other in
dyiduals, assuring them OF his dete rmlnatiOn
to procure al additional appropriation to Sc
cure the Partition estate, which Dos first re-
commended by himself. When he found it
advisable to change his political coni, and re-
solved to punish the citizens of Providence
because they were against him,he abandoned
the whole matter, and wrote to his then lead !
ing political friend but now opponcp,) in re-
ference TO the Providence Marine Hospital,
that he had "put check 10 that wheel " hicli !
Hercules himself could not remove"
Here we find him the very first man to sug-
COST that the Psviion estate was the most ap-
Dropriate tocatiop nron,isino ~ IN do b,s almost