The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-09-30


for the purpose says author, OF establishing all
| the old Wbig measures under the leadership oil
Henry Clay. This was frustrated by the GeneraPa
death Now while these preparations were max
ing for the overthrow of the existing Democratic
| policy, there was a very strong minority OF that
, party in the Senate. Such men as Calhoun, Bucha
nan. Wright, Woodbury., Walker, King, Benton
and others there. and of courie took part in
modelling the measures oftheir caucuses Yetwe are
told that such was the influence Of the youngest Sen
ator Mr. Pierce that his party resolved on course
without consulting him! The notion that a mea
sure for which Woodbury. had argued, which Blu,
chanan and Benton had advised. and which had
passed the searching scrutiny of John c. Calhoun
| the notion, say, of such measure having been
specially laid before Franklin Pierce for his Olym-
plan nod, in our opinion, on its very face a
staggering improbability
After pursuing undistinguished a course in
the Senate he had done in the House, Mr. Pierce
resigned his seat in June, 1912. after having
served out five sixths of the term for which he had
| been elected
| Mr.. Hawthorne's next chapter is devoted to Mr.
| Piercc's success at the bar-whch brings Us to the
subject of his oratory in general. This has been
referred to often before this stage of the narrative,
but we have postponed any notice until we might
consider the whole subject nj once.
| Now we leave it to be decided by any candid
reader Of MIR. Hawthorne's first three chapters,
whether he does not in a manner admit that
| Mr. Pierce ID orator? 10 not this sore
point with him, and docs he not plainly write
as though he had bad case? He says, over
and over again, that Mr.. Pierce could
speak unless when under the influence of some cx-
element, or when he felt some peculiar interest.
| Now we affirm that these circumstances under
| which any body can be eloquent. Any ordinary
man, any woman, any child, can be touching, pa
| thetic-yea, eloquent-when urged on by an I'M
dying enthusiasm. Were this the only claim to
the laurel crown we should all wear it; and Demos-
themes has all in the catalogue with himself.
But think the mark OF the real orator is to do
little more than express himself when the spirit
moves him. He will seize upon any great question
presented to him; and by his mental grasp of it
will become thoroughly and intensely interested
He will throw himself into any attitude on the side
of right, and speak with truth and fcrvor. So we
think Mr.. Hawh does but little for his subject
by his repeated references to this "speaking with
| q spirit"
Of all apologies that could be adduced for MIR.
| Pierce's silence in the House, our author has
chosen the most far-fetchcd and untounded He
says the speeches of his hero, 80 few and far be-
tween, were like the muscular efforts Of the men
of the Continental Congress or the Long Parlia
menu 1t is true the specimens we have of those
great men are neither long winded nor bonn
| bastc; but it ia far from following that every
one is an old Parliament and Continental orator
who proves incapable of speaking to any length.
Records inform that his hero said very little.
Mr.. Hawthorne would persuade us that this little
was very loud-but does not show Us single
unique specimen to prove it, and does not allow
for difference OF opinion. Many mon have pur
sued exactly the course Mr.. Pierce did in the
House, and could point them out, but we would
| never pretend to ken them him to the orators
of the first Congresses. Here again we can pro.
duce solution that will amply satisfy the diff
Guilty, without Mr.. Hawthorne's roundabout ex-
cuses; Mr.. Pierce was man OF respectable but not
of great powers; and not being much of a speaker,
be had very little to say.
But again: We think in reference to this part OF
our subject there are some real if not literal con-
Predictions in this little tract AS We have said
BEFORE MIR. Hawthorne's picture Of Pierce, up to
his resignation Senator, represents him as very
little of finished and elegant orator We quote
from pnges 26 and 81:
"Of the copious eloquence (and much of it is Of
high order) which Buncombe has called forth.
not paragraph nor period is attributable to
Franklin Pierce"
ain truth, he has no luency of words except
when an earnest meaning and purpose supply
their own expression"
"His speeches, in their muscular texture and
close grasp of their subject, resembed the brief
but frequent arguments and expositions Of the sages
of the Continen tai Congress-"
The author also speaks of his friends "pecuari-
ties'' in this respect being unfortunate, SC.
Now we ask what is the tenor of these passages?
IL il not tantamount to a confession that at least
MIR. Pierce not finished, ready, copious,
rhetorical speaker? Now, we wish the reader to
bear these terms in mind-we are sure any candid
reader will say our conclusion is correct from MIR.
Hawthorne's half admissions. Yet in the face of
all this he leaves the Senate he ia made
to appear most brilliant advocate! Our biog-
rapher quotes two letters-one from gentleman
Who he tells US. was his friends chief rival at the
bar in which attributed to him all the mark of
a splendid pleader! Up. 52) The other is from
Professor Sanborn, of Dartmouth College, who thus
speaks of his oratory in the New Hampshire State
Convention
Few men in country better understand the
means Of swayng popular assembly, or employ
them with greater success His forte Is In moving
the passions of those whom he addresses,
As prompt and ready debater, ALWAYS prepared
for assault Defence he has few equals
He is not only uncommoniy fluent in his elocuton'
but remarkably correct. He draws lib
orally on the treasury OF rhetorc!"
IL seems 10 US lIat tpc gwen ny tHcsc
sentences is Numerically opposed to that left by
the remarks of MIR. Hawthorne above. Now, how
is this most remarkable change to be accounted
fors Why was not come of this glowing, passion
ate eloquence displayed in Congress, on great and
interesting national topics, where every thing was
present to inspire man to a noble effort? He
confessedly made up, to his last hour in Congress-
a most meagre display; and yet we are called on
to believe that the moment he set foot on New Eng
land ground again he bloomed forth into most
elegant orator! Men do not generally improve 80
vastly late in life, and in 80 short time. We arc
told then he ran most llustrious course an
attorney. But this, the most glowing portion of his
history, is confessed by HE biographer to be the
most obscure! The very season in which he made
the granite mountains ring again is closed to our
| view, (rago SD and we are left outside again,
with nothing but our1author's "say.so" to support
| our belief! OF all the magnificent efforts we are
| told he made. Mr.. Hawthorne has produced testi-
mony only to one single case. Let the reader bear
| in mind, that if Mr. Pierce ran the course attri-
oued to him, it was only the other day, as were,
| C,~ 10 al hol thoG b1y