The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-06-27

aesepled the Office OF district attorney OF New Hampshire
a. The duties OF this IN the line OF his profession
THIS Office be held until lsi7.
m 1886 President Polk, who had served in Congress
with him, and appreciated has brilliant genius sound
principles and administrative talent Invited him 10 seal
In his cabinet The letter OF Col Polk is alike honofa.
bic TO both. The President says
az gives sincere pleasure invite you 10 accept
place in nay cabinet, by rendering % you the office Of Auof
important Office from my personal knowledge OF and
without the solicitation OF suggestion Of any have dom
me would be pleasant and consideration that in
the discharge OF the duties OF the office you could render
me important aid in conducting my administration. In
ibis Instance, least the office has sought the mao and
moi the man tho office aad hope you aeeeps t."
Mr. Pierce declined this latterng offer in the following
terms
CONCORD, N. IL. Sept. 8, 1916.
My DEAR Your letter Of The 9th was received a
week since Nothing could have been pecled
and considering the importance OF the proposition IN a
great variety Of aspects trust you VIII not think there has
been unreasonable delay arriving ate decision Win
nay pursuits for the last few and present
10 POSITION If were In situation on the whoe 10 desire
which your Partially has preferred.
ought mol perhaps, In justice 70 the high motives by
which know You governed 10 attribute your selection
10 personal friendships hu, cannot doub, your iudg
ment in the matter has been somewhat warped by your
feelings, When saw the ia which you had casi
your cabinet was struck by tho fact thar from the entire
range OF my acquaintance formed at Washington, You
could not have called around yon men with whom Il was
my 10 be better acquainted or q whom enIeain-
ed more delightful recollection, than Mr. Buchanan, Mr..
Walker Mr. Mason, and Mr.. Johnson place in your
Is
ed could be agreeable had the whole been the
subieci of my own choice .-E .t#t4.
When add your i'm portant in the foregn and
home administration OF the government have commanded
no, merely the appreciation OF my judgment, bat srsle
fl acknowledg American CITIZEN you Will see
how de.able on every ground connected with your ad
lninistraon The olee rendered would be 10 aud YET
Although the early years Of my manhood devoted
10 public Iife il really suited my taste
quiet and Independence that belong only The private
CITIZEN and now, al forty, feel that desire stronger than
Coming unex pectedly as this Offer does would be diff
cult impossible, TO the business OF an extern
sve practice between this and the first OF November IN
all satisfactory myself TO those who have
committed their Interests to my care and who rely on my
while a, Washington very delicate ii is fear, even
more and the responsibilities which the proposed
change would necessarily impose upon her ought proba
Div 10 themselves constitute insurmountab obiec
ton leaving our quiet home for public station at
When resigned my in the Senate in 1912 did il
with the fixed purpose never again to be voluntarily
rated from family for considerable length OF lime.
except the call Of my country in time OF and YET
this consequences Tor the before stated, and
count climate would be very likely to result from
These are some of tho considerations which have nla-
enced my decision You will am sire, appreciate my
motives. You will not believe that have, ghed my
personal convenience and against the public
be readily accepted by gentlemen who could bring your
aid auanme MS and Qualifications vastly superior TO mine
Accept my grateful acknowledgements, and believe me,
FRANK. PIERCE.
The good ase beauty, and modesty al this letter need
no words OF commentator
When Mr.. Pierce thus declined the appointment so
honoaby rendered To him by President Polk, he stated
that he did il with the fixed purpose TO await the call OF
his country in time OF war ere be again separated
from his family. The breaking out OF the Mexican
war him 10 engage again in public
vice When the requston made upon the Stale
of New Hampshire for a battalion of volunteers,
he one of the first to put his name upon the
roll as private IN the company raised IN Concord,
and in this capacity he drilled in lis ranks When
fhp eD-IpU " 10
President, who had served with Mr.. Pierce, and ap
precaled his sterling qualities of head aud heart,
dered TO him the appointment OF colonel OF the ninth,
which promptly accepted. When the law for the
ganzaion Of the regiments par.cd, the Pres
ident rendered Mr. Pierce The appointment OF bnsaaer
general This selection was hailed IN all parts OF The
country happy one. From his earliest manhood .
says The Nashville Union, Sept ls47, General Pierce
has been the boast of the New Hampshire democracy.
From his father distinguished officer in the revolution,
be inherited all those qualities Of courage, cooDess, and
energy, which qualify man Tor command And he also
possesses qualities statesman oil the highest order.
That he Will distinguish himself wherever distinction is
10 be won, his multitude OF acquantsnces IN all the States
OF the Union, OF all parties, will vouch-
The brave Ransom was of this regiment, and Colonel
Pierce President Polk and urged him 10 Apo
Ransom 10 The command The President however,
ihorght fit 10 do otherwise His commission brgader
general is dated March 3, 1si7. AT this point General
Low, a patriotic citizen OF Concord. New Hampshire, AS
he stated in sl7 the occasion oil General Perce's
turn, asked him il it true that he had decided 10
der the tender ties OF husband and father. and yield the
oil his country. General Plerce's reply was;
~ have accepted Of the commission could not do
otherwise was pledged do H. When e the Scnale IL
was with fixed purpose Of devoting mysef exclusively
my proiesson win the single reservation that ifmy
ty should become engaged Ia would hold
self in readiness her the heid ii called upon to
defend her honor and maintain her rights War has come,
and 10Y pighed word must aud shall be redeemed"
General Perce's headquarters, for short time. were
al the fremont House, Boston, where. with his noble
and gallant irienj The amenied Ransom, he gagged did,
gently and eneTgeucsily IN the work OF preparation
There as he departed for the post OF duty and danger
he took leave OF many friends One OF them expressed a
hope that he would return IN safety and 40 honor. II
VIII come back with honor or will not come back" was
his reply
General Pierce sailed from Newport in the barque
hrper Many OF the troops on board being sick sui
fefed from The want OF water. having been placed on
short allowance General Pierce on receiving hs allow.
ance, mingled with The suffering soldiers and made them
share his part II but the CONNIE ncement OF that
universal for the brave under him. and uniform
kindness and attention TO ihem that Of
hrs nature, and marked his whole course through The
campaign. He arrived a, Vera Cruz June IS Here he
encountered a pestlentia camp, and himself taken
sick. Slll he was ever mindful of b- companions in
arms. He lent funds freely To the needy and was often
seen among The wearIed soldiers cheering them on
In spite OF disease his loss here was but u1ing ;
and alter delays 10 procure materials which the
Iuiure comfort, safety, and health of hs command
rendered absolutely necessary he left Vera Cruz in the
middle OF the hot month OF July, with one OF the largest
reinorcemens and most extensive trains that had started
iof ihe interior since General SCOTS departure. His
brigade consisted OF the OH regiment, New England
men the twelfth, men from Texas, Missouri Arkansas
ooihera mississippi, and Louisiana; and The fifteenth
raised 10 Ooio Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan the eastern
part OF Missouri and the western part of fndisnain all
about twenty. bve hundred men. His line of march was