Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-08-11
From the Republic,
Mone Testimony from New IIamp-
shire.

To show that the Concord and Manchester
Democrats are sustained in their version of Gene
raj Pierce'S speech at New Boston we append the
comments Of their local contemporaries as issued
within the last few days. The papers we now
quote from are opponents of General Pierce, but
they are not> therefore, to be excluded from the
witness box on question that must be settled by
facts, not IS general assertions or vulgar abuse.
The Concord On. H. Statesman says:
"Fhe speech was reported for the Manchester
Democrat by reporter specially engaged Tor the
purpose and there could at that time have been
no sufficient motive for giving any other than
faithful transcript of the words uttered. Mr. Aver
was present to speak himself and could not be
supposed to be in SO favorable frame Of mind Tor
fixing his attention upon what may have been SAID
By General Pierce, rs one who went there for the
sole purpose of reporting for newspaper. There
n nor motive to allege that the speech was not
correctly reported, bat there was none then to in
duce q reporter to give any other than faithful
version of it,"
The Manchester IN. H. .qmerican and ,'ics-
ssngef remarks:
"The speech was carefully noted down at the
time BY most estlmable and correct Individual
present, and published in the Manchester Demo
erat in full, and in the Independent Democrat in
part. 1t is worthy of notice that NOT single Dem
ocratic paper in the State at tho time denied the
correctness of the FreeSOil portion of the speech,
and that some of them Published reports in close
agreement with it. X should also be remembered
that the speech was successful, and gained about
tpp hundred Freesoil votes as can be shown by the
returns OF the votes
''Well five months elapsed, and Frank Pierce
was nominated for the Presidency, as par ercet
fence the pro slavery candidate; aud all the SOUTH
was commended TO them as all right and the cam
paign was commenced furiousy in all the South
BY the Democrats. they representing Pierce as by
far safer than Scott on the Compromise. But sud
denH some of the southern papers discovered the
New Boston speech and forthwith published it.
The scales fell from southern eyes, and the veil
from northern demagogues.
1--WE have two questions to submit in connection
with the matter First, if the report was false,
why was it not denied at the time Second can
il for moment be supposed that, after this lapse
OF time, the memory OF men can be trusted before
report made at the time Z"
From the Portsmouth On. H. .NeSseRger-a
Frcesoi primitive derive the following, which tai
lies exactly with the explanation offered by every
New Hampshire paper not committed tothe Pierce
interest
"Gen Pierce. in speech made at New Boston
was reported to have said he loathed the Fugitive
Slave law. The remark was by no means an eX-
traordnary one for the speaker was attempting TO
draw votes lrom John Atwood and to give the inn
preston that it was not on account of his opposition
to that odiouS law that Atwood was beheaded.-
The Hunker presses of Pierco's party did not then
deny that he made use of such an expression, as
the effect of it they believed would be salutary."
Having miSlaid the last number of the Concord
IN H. Independent Demoerat,w avail ourselves
OF the following paragraph, which we find attribut-
cd to that Journal by the Boston .AtLGs.
eve have received large number Of letters
from Southern men during the last fortnight, ask
ING information in regard to this matter. We take
this occasion to say to one and all, that the Ian
guage attributed to Gen. Pierce above, tcas spoken
By him precisely as reported This language was
not only used at New Boston, but also at Bradford
and other places in this State. OF this the proof
is abundant, and will be forthcoming, in 4 shape to
defy cayil or denial We have had no agency in
getting up the issue. Aud but for the charge Of
Misrepresentation made against uS,we should have
no interest in its decision. As it is, history ciu be
set right"
The history is tolerably ''right" at present, but
it will wear new aspect when proof be adduced
that the obnoxious language used by General
Pierce at New Boston was also used by him at
Bradford and other places in New Hampshire
That is the assertion now made by the hdepea-
dent Democrat, with promise that abundant evil
dence shall be produced sin shape to defy cayil
or denial"