Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-10-14

and his own confessions, and he shows
deep seated and uncompromising hos
tii,y to the great principle, and all-ab-
sorting interest, held dear by every citi-
zen of the West. But here are his
votes. taken from the record, and they
cannot be denied! Examine them for
yourselves: a au-s# #--..-
EIr. Pierce's Votes.
When man is brought forward for
the highest office in the gift of some
twenty-five millions Of people, who has
been several years in Congress, and we
can discover neither from the measures
which he has advanced, nor from his
speeches any breadth OF views, or ele-
men,s of craftsmanship, it may be in.
dispensable to refer to his votes in order
10 ascertain who and what he is. This
will often afford an infallible criterion Of
the man, and will enable us TO form
perfectly reliable estimate Of his charac-
ter. We have put ourselves to the trou-
bic of looking over the journals of the
House of Representative for the 23d
and 24th Congresses, and Of the Senate
for the 25th. 26,h. and 9Th, (up to the
2sth of February. 1922 vote by vote,
and we are constrained to say, that if
there was any narrow, contracted, preju-
diced, or illiberal view to be takenpf any
subject, there we have uniformly found
Franklin Pierce. He seems 20 have
been, when in the House, close follow
er Of the late Mr.. Polk, and we should
judge, on inspection Of the record, tha;
his highest ambition was TO exhibit him.
self 20 the country as a sort of pocket
edition OF that gentleman.
Ii is believed that there has not been
in Congress during sihe last five and
twenty years, any man as hostile to har-
bor aud river improvements as he was
during the whole oil his congressional
career. lie resisted the system in the
general and in The details. He not only
voted against every bill which passed
Congress during his term of service. but
as far as he had opportunity, against ev-
cry item of each bill. He would vote
against taking them up, he would vote
TO lay them down; he would vote TO ad-
jouru, to delay, or defeat the measure;
and in short, made himself a party to
much of the arlifice which has been en-
ploye of late, too often in our legislative
b.dles, to defeat the will of the people.
The act of June %, 1894, making
sundfy important appropriations for the
purpose indicated, passed the House Of
Representatives, June %; yeas lO7, to
81 nays. FRANKLIN PIERCE 90
ting in the negative. Wide House
journal. lst September, 23d Congress, p.
Sl9.) This &C, contains appropriations
for the improvement Of the Ohio, Mis-
.sissippi, and Missouri rivers; Ocracoke
inlet. N. g.; Cape Fear river, below
Wilmington, N. c.; ST. Marks river
and harbor, Florida; Red river; harbor oil
Mobile. and Savannah river, below the
city; besides other important harbors and
rivers in various parts of the Union
We can not find a single Objectionable
article it. During the progress of the
bill, Mr. Wise tried to get The bill on the
table, and Mr.. Pierce did what he could
to help hiT, bu, failed--but, finally, Mr.
p. had to come up to the scratch ION the
final passage,) and voted NAY. Blu
"Old Hickory paid little heed to hl
opinions, for with pipe in mouth, anc
pen in hand, he wrote thus
,"Approved July 2s,h, 1884.
"ANDREW JACKSON"
The act of March Sd, 1895, for tn,
same objects, passed the House Februa
ry 27th-veas 100, to nays 65-Fank
lin Pierce voting in the negative. (Vid.
House Journal, I'd session, 23d Con
gress, p. 49, This ac, contained ais,
appropriations for the Ohio, (below IN,
falls the Mississippi and Missouri riv
ers; for the Ohio, (above the falls,) Re'
river, Arkansas river. harbor of Mobile
Cape Fear river, N. c., Savannah river
ST. Mary's in Florida, and harbors an,
rivers at the north and west, and seem
to have deal, Justly by all sections of III
Union. An objection was made to III
appropriation for the Ohio above tn
falls, but in vain, for il was sustained =
yeas Ito, nays s6-Mr. Pierce votin
in the negative. wide House Journa
I'd session. 23a Congress, p. 443.) The
followed a motion to strike out the er