Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1852-08-26
THE GREAT LocoFoCo MASS
MEETING-AF FAIL URE!

| MEETING-A FAIL y hE
tn, Pierce and King men had grand ratii-
cation meeting at IIisboro', N. H., lPierce's
birth. place on the 10Th. This was gathering
Of the locofocos in general, and New Hampshire
in particular, and intended to be The great con-
jvention Of the campaign, speakers having been
invited from various parts Of the Union. We
observe that the only distinguished members OF
Congress, telegraphed being present, were
Savage of Tennessee, Clements of Alabama,
and Weller Of Catornia-none OF whom hap
pen to be very highly distinguished for any quail
ity, Clements excepted, who is a rabid free trade
Savocrst The Convention was large, number.
ing twenty or thirty thousand. We give the
highest number we find ! others say ten or twelve
thousand. Now il strikes us tina, mass conven-
ton, at Pierces birth place. in the ocofoco state
Of New Hampshire, and at q spot easy Of ac-
cess from every part of New England, number
ing only ten, twelve, twenty or thirty thousand,
is great fdiiw,. The Wing meeting at Mag
ara numbered more than that on either day and
on both days more than trebled that number
The speeches at Hillsboro' were also great fail
ar,s r. failing TO point ont any thing in the char
acter, talents or services Of Gen. Pierce to
entitle him TO the gratitude or confidence
of the people. They do not name single
victory won on the battle field not wound
received, except by falling from his horse not a
single leading measure of public policy origina
ted by him in Congress; nor even a single
speech delivered by him on any measure of pub
lie importance. We give summary of the
main points of the speeches, gathered from the
Boston Trdreiier, to wit:
Charles G.. .itherion of N. H., THE father Of
the infamous gag rule in Congress,l attributed
" the acquisition of California and Terms to the
Democratic administration Wing admns,ra-
ton would have done far different . alleged that
for Gen. Scot, the Wings had claimed the COLI
quest Of Mexico, bal they mistook !" and wound
up with a brief eulogy of Gen. Pierce"
Col. Savage of Tennessee next took the stand,
and undertook "to relate something in favor Of
him lpierce) with whom he had been intimate
We give the great points Of his speech:
"Gen. p. went into the conflict with GOODNESS
and courage, and the man who sserted anght
to the contrary should be branded as n cowardly
liar. This charge Of cowsrdice had been the
only one made against Pierce in all the canvass
and Of all charges that could be mude It had the
least foundation in truth
"The passage through the Pedricle of Mexico
was described This was a vast rocky espance,
which was split into nnumerable chasms. and
the army crossed II on foot. Many horses fell in
TO these chasms and the Mexicans had asserted
that II was impossible TO cross it. Those horses
had q. ka iafl to. IA .s.l
dangerous place that Gen Pierce was injured by
fall with his horse But one horse crossed It.
and that one was a mustang and familiar with the
travel, and even he was bloody aud hoof worn
with leaping from rock to rock.
" Yet tins was the ground of the charge Of COW
ardce brought against Pierce. Had such
charge been made IN the camp it would have
met with one universal torrent of execration from
every one who was with Pierce or in his brigade
and It betokens want Of manliness in any one
to bring such charge on such an account"
So Gen. Pierce did fall from his horse after
all Col. Savage confirms the fact and at the
same time does moi pretend to name single bat
tie in which Pierce was closely engaged, OF
single wound that he ever received except from
his own horse Rather failure for Col. Say
age.
Next came Senator Clemens Jerry, so called
of Alabama Who was also in Mexico with Gen
Pierce. We quote Jerry, thus:
Charges of bigotry had been made against
him, lPiercel but they were false, and the ci,i.
zens of New Hampshire should give him ma
lority in proof of their belief to the contrary.
In the South, too, there was another charge
that Pierce was an snt-savery man (Great
laughter.l You may laugh here whe,e he is
Lnotyn hut ia th,, south kAhitr sol
stump speaker will brand HIM with anti-slavery
sentiments.
1t III became any man TO speak of the cow
ardice of Frank Pierce, for 1t would he false
Was there man here whom disease or battle
had spared Of the old 9th regiment who would
not brand the sanderer with lhfamy. Least of
all 1t became the friends Of Scott TO speak of
Pierce Ill, for Scott Of all Others honored and re-
spected him
After tribute to Pierce he alluded to Scott.
whom he had followed into foreign country.
and at whose table he had sat in conquered
city, and whom he honored. But SCOTS very
eminence was the result of long military study,
and study which left hun no time to look deep
ly into the great and abstruse science of states
manship, which required as long study for per
lection.
"Mr. Clemens eXhoned the Democrats to
work, work work, one and all, TO follow the ex
ample oi utnDfonues brigade al w dterloO who
knew how to die, but not to surrender"
So Jerry alluded to Scorr, acknowledged his
" emnence," and honored" him--albeit doubt
ing his craftsmanship. However, as james Mad
ison, Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren,
have acknowledged the statcsmanship of Win
field Scott, by committing to his charge high
matters Of state. of the utmost delicacy and DIFF
fculty, we rather think Jerry Clemens doubts
won't hurt the old veteran. But what had Jerry
Clemens to say Of the military achievements and
craftsmanship Of his friend Franklin Pierce Not
word lie tells us Pierce is not a bigot,-I
not an cnii-slaueyy man and not coward; but
he no where tells us that Pierce is either hero
or statesman. And how unfortunate is his
peroraton he could not exhort the Democrats
to follow the example of Frank Pierce. By no
means Just see how il would read
"Mr. Clem ems exhorted the Democrats to
work, work, one and Ito follow the example
Of Frank Pierce al The Pedricie Of Mer,oo irho
leu from his horse and bruised his leg and couldn't
fight al aa."
Surely, that never would do for peroration
II would be sure To elicit from the crowd nothing