The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-02-12
From the Concord IN. n.y. Independent! Dem
Ccrat.
Reception Of Gen. Pierce.

The stormy weather aud bad travelling
the attendance Oft many Of Gen.
Perce's friends on the occasion ofhis public
recep;ion,-and the partiZan character given
30 the affair excluded those who differ with
him in politics, who did rot feel at liberty 70
attend, except us spectators. The reception
came off in the hall Of the new depot.
Gen. Pierce opened his speech by admin
isterng IN indirect, but most scorching re-
lbuke 10 his political friends, for having made
Ibis plrtizau occasion. He did rot come,
he said, to make political speech, but TO
exchange kindly greeting3 with his friends
ut ali parties. He then spoke at length ana
in detail of the galluntry, patient endurance
and general good behavior Of the officers and
soldiers Of the 0iil regiment especially Of the
New Hampshire boys. To show TINT his
regiment had not slIrunk from their portion
of tot! and danger, he stated the melancholy
fact that from GAO they had dwindled down
TO 100 effective men five rightly heard,) the
others being either dead or disabled and ru-
med for life in view OF the immense waste
of blood and treasure, he did rot hesitate to
q call the war lawful and calamitousn But
t4e still believed it unavoidable. Ofthe III
sane project so earnestly advocated by the
organ ofthe Democratic State Committee,
the subiugation and annexation Of Mexico,
he spoke in terms of decided reprobaton, as
2latinlnHly IlUXafUOuS 10 our iTCe lllSlllUtOllS.
lie believed that the opposition 20 the war
i'm this country had tendency TO encourage
the MeXicans, who eagerly publish in their
papers everything said in this country against
The war. lie did not say this to crinlinae
or offend any, but it was an unfortunate fact
that large portion of the American people
believed the war unjust on our part.
Gen. Pierce was here Interrupted by the
Concord Postmaster, and requested TO speak
more definitely of the character Of the papers
thu; opposed the war. Gen. Pierce replied
that he would not do it, lie did not come
here to make political speech, and he would
,Not be drawn into il.
Gen. Pierce very well understands that
his fact-the influence of which we think
can he shown to be exactly the reverse of
that attributed to it by him--can be made to
bear among intelligent men, only against our
own government which has plunged us into
a war which the moral sense of the people
spontaneously condemns, and which its
friends can only bring themselves TO support
by the transparent sophistry that 1t is the
duty of the people, in silence and unquestion-
ing submission, to carry on any war the Pres
ident may commence, even if its object DC
the most vianous ever concocted in the
hear. of the arch-6end himself! yea even if
it be sefevident that by it the fabric of oul
own liberties will be Frustrated and tetters
5forsed for our free limbs Out upon SucI
patriotism 1t is fit only for slaves!
tits indeed matter Of regret TO every love
of his country and his race that the Executive
has involved us in war that no honest mai
can fail to. denounce as infamous, if he speal
yofit at all. But let the blame Of this res
where it belongs, on the men who hav
plunged us into a controversy not only witt
poor, feeble Mexico, but with our own con
sciences and the conscience of the civilize
world.
After Gen Pierce's speech, several bite
~A,artizan letters were read from Hubbard, MOI
ris and others, full ftle most malignar
abuse of those whom Gen. Pierce had jul
greeted as his friends and whose feelings b
had carefully regarded in the whole cours
of his speech We were glad to see &c
Pierce retire during the reading ofthose alb
sve letters, as insulting to him as TO mar
of his personal friends.
We learn that the leaders are terribly j
diguant, that the Gen. will not allow himse
TO be used as the lion of the party, TO get l
4he steam for them and try to save them fro
the gulf into which they feel themseiv
Tlunging. We honor his discreiion-tu
GAetier part ofvalor."