Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1852-09-17
iTiJm the Hew YORK Evening" Poat.
Il 4 NNI'IinR Il LIZ Ii.E. lIr IIII.I. e,


/ iTfuui the Hew YORK. Evening po,,I
i HAWTHORNE'S LIFE OF PIERCE.
The tine has inE passed since When il nccessar,
for tic authur o lw cr.Toid Tales aad the 'Scntlct Let
ter" 10 avail himself any transient popular enthusiasm Il
secure The attention Oi the public Few authors % the
day %: readers for whatever they wr.c
Than Nathaniel Hawthorne. II deserves Therefore. be dis
tinctly understood at in preparing biography OF Genera
Fannn Pierce he !s been actuatrd by desire take
advantage III The present extensive Gcnan for Ills species
o campaign literature, usually mlrGethlc in proportion
its wjrt:shess tempted by personal interest in
The political issues he decided the coming pG-:Gnri Il
election fc has sapy o5cytd Inc impulses Of cly
and cherished irtensia for vino by the unexpected
ton OF national convention his hccn exposed IN vast
deal o ntscIimnac ard unmcrici abuse. In the preface
OF his work with early cGpy o which have been IA
rnred by lis publishers he thus states with characteristic
g;ace and dignity, his motives Tor Undertaking il:
"lhc author o tni- mcnnr5cing 50 lte %! politician
that he scarcely cris utilrd ncu himself member ot any
Frry-wcud not voluntarily have uncrtaHcn the work here
offered 10 the pulc. Neither latttr himS Ii that he
has been remarkably successful the performances O his task
viewing in Inc ghr of political biography, an! rep
rtsenat'n OF the PRINCIPLES and acts "i public man in
tended Oprhte upon the minds ui uuitutcS, during
Presidential canvass. THIS species II writing
from his customary uccupalion-an2 he may add from his
astes-io be very satisfactorily dome without more time and
practice than he would be willing cx'cnd nr such pur
pose THIS tt: biography nave any vdtc II II fCoab!
Of nocr knd-as the narrative oi one who knew The ndl
vidua u whom he treats period OF life when character
could be read with undonbng accuracy, and who
queny in Judging OF The motives n his subsequent conduct
has advantage over much competent observers,
whose Knowledge OF the have commenced AZ later
day Nor be considered improper t nst the author
viii never iec so although some foolish drIcacy be sacr
c in tho undcakng that when friend dear 10 him al
most from boyish days stands mp before his country.
misrpfestncd ny inilScrlIhatt abuse on ic one hind
and 10y nlcss praise Othe! c should hc skcced BY
one, who has had orp"runlc. ol knowing him well and
who is certainly nclued 10 I'll, the truth
at perhaps right say that while this biogrlph
far sanctioned ~ General Pierce as II comprises general
Iy narrative 0 the principal events o his lie, the
author does not understand bin as thereby necessarily en-
horsing all the pat forth by himsc in the pro-
nrrss u The work These te authors owG spccuaiions
upoa facts before him. ana may may no" be in az
curdlncc Inc ideas OF the individual whose life he
w4- That individuals opinions, however far .s Il j.
necessary know them BIZ read IN his sira2nt.ior-
and deeds with NOR: Amy an those
of amust any o.cr bcior. The public
General Pierce is yet comparatively young man. and
his has accn cicr prolonged or cvrnuI as TO
require very elaborate biography Mr.. Hawthorne has
made effort expand the ec"id With HE skill oi true
artist and by emitting all unnecessary doc"heh'ary mat
ies lie has contrivcd condrnSc the whole story "ihn
th ao.ealc space 0 80 doecinD pages But tncy are
Hnw:i.1rrcs pngcscraCeu! dirnifrd earnest, 2aflic
ard compact. NJ periisc them without nwirdy
crngraunng the SUBJECT .! thrn the possession OF
l1.ap L!2G grni aud faithful chronlcer and friend.
IL re:sGmli details. The isldty n rrhr"t e'.e '
,ui lie !. p.ss, Win more haste man. III our It"
m.n il deserved though tie volume has prdhaniy lost c
o its arac;vune.s tc ihr gcn-hl reader lf"' 'S
starcc.
Hlw,h1rnes acquaintance with Pierce commences al
B,w,in Cgcgc III @2l, and he gives Es me nlo"'he ac
rcuo of m; .rnt and MS early impressions o his no" Dis
tlEnuIShc! iriLith -.
.o 1870 4, the anc of sixteen he Picrcel became stu
dent OF Bowdon COLLEGE, II BrunswlcE hane IL was ih
The autumn o the that the thor OF tins memo"
en- red the class below him nut our c"liec rnhsc''cts
vcycr nercsa! the parties coucerncd are not exact
l ir material fo- biography He then YOUTH witi
the boy him, vl.acou~, nliT'hi" slch'' "
(ar cYGpe xirn with ight hr that had cur! IN y Ms
b sht and cheerful asect made knd oi SUNSHINE o "S
regarded lis radiance AMI its warmth lns0Hch ta no shy-
ni iiS;!nsDa his as>"cih-i cri ''I S' - az"
,lu,nrr We soon trcar, acquainted and w'r: more es-
cIIly drawn together members :" ~" salh Cpe "'
~ There wetc ol tIrs. Institutions d'iGln@ hc COZ
lc between thcn and typiiy@ respectively ana Wl sh
gnar accuracy of feature the Respectable conservative ana
the progressive democratic parties fierIs nale zen
ncics inevitably drew him 10 the latter HIS chn was
Zrnas Caldwell several years older ;han hhSe 'c"oer
ni the Methodist perstIasOn purenl!de eluIipuS uc-
vntIv religious character endowed thus early III NE win
the authority crave and shghcious turn OF Hihn' me
friendship between Pierce and hn appeared u Dc 'uas
rr,r and was p( itself pledge u! cnfrct c?ortnch III
The former. His cllcl friend, l'n" was citSs'|.',
named Lille young man o n1s' 'sn:lhc Ii"'"s '
th in; ll:a pruist n those fortunate chaaccrr
cIy dcan - canonzes 10 '"r t'henn' , '"eI ~
hcr CON ranuus that the perfect tnhlneh oi 'pe NE
,v"uii scarcely give them h.h'T place ,
Juunilian Ciiiey own cia-s-whoSe unltis "ed''
is sr,t mnurnuiiy rrnrnhcreda person OF very mafHu
.biv and Great social inneace, was another y! Flfae'
l,d AL these have lon been dead There are "ti"fS
,i,i ly, who wi.d meet Franklin Pierce n, this day
with i. warm pressure OF the hand. ana the same COM
his kindly feelings, as when 'hey Parleu nearly
thirty wears ago"
D,rr M, I two years of Pierces collegiate course III
IA rot i've many The place promises ci iti'
c:,n. nee Indeed mis- bugapher stnrs that h awa"c "
ay and found himself the very loot .! ms c:Ss h'is
:ry rtaZtug the praslres and III: mnrtihra"HS 81 'h
po-.i,n r,:cI all hs energies, and from tat he ''f"
incurred collegiate c";'surs oi any N'hi anu ,
tod i!.d IN his cuSs nr. Hawthorne feies 10 h'S ci
dent, very properly, striking ;nSatloh o fletr" III
domabIe will ard strength oi purpose -
The notice Perccs collegiate career closes as in'o"s
At This early period o his life, he distinguished y
IN. SAME fascination OF that has since proved s
magical in winning INN unboundcd personal o'".''S
l. is wrungiEg him, however, 10 call t!iiT P,c',n'! "a
ell ct Of nancr lies deep III the Kini!ne,s I'll NE
nature and in the liberal generous, c!no'c sYhpa'' n'
rr,ces an vile are worthy it, Few men p"ssess any
hing liz. m 50 lrIe..titl SO sure 10 ORA" ft al
uod0ub,in. confidence, and true 10 the promise W'a
80 Ths fr.nkre.- this democracy If good feeling ia
nnt necn chilled bv Ihe society oi politicians; NOS i!se'
down into courtesy by his intercourse WIN le mo-
refined OF the day II hslongS 10 nun a. . M i ~
and will never leave him. o ~hfie ago. a''ef ms c
nrr i,om Mexico Lgrrsa the street tu c1chahg
hen Nv grippe the hand with ouGh u'h ~
ca-a man who n.cd 10 live with ma i'ier, as ''c ash'I'
.. pi,ned the matter 10 his companions Othef ,h 3ssui'
his more less skifuy; but wi Fr'Ek Fierce IL
an innate characteristic; Will ever lose us chi'" ".
his heart should grow narrower and c"'s'-I Museum
moi 10 be anticipates even IN the dangerous '"sl'''
I.,a,.I r,nE whittier he seems destined 10 scrna
There is little else that it is wort: While 70 Tea'c' as I
ga:Gs his college course nie.h u hs sn.'' n''I "r - ~
Winter vacations Pierce taught cn"fy sm", 6, b g.
Of the statesmen OF New England have pe!ioFl'eu ' ~
nubc service in the Of peddaogne, ihat II ee
almost necessary stsp the ladder oi advancement
The account of perces CongEesS!"na Ie, Dus "Ie.
biy written presents no 1acts, we Ue"e'St "'"' ~ -
: pnbljc ere not familiar. :
In June 1882 Pierce sgnsd his intention 10 esln u
se, in the United States Senate The bo9'aPhcf 'sco
panits the announcement OF this event VIZ So'' f''
"Reminiscences OF general Interest ~
III is now more than sixteen years since ihe hu!|.
h,s sketch had been accustomed 10 meet Frank Pierce h
familiar ::h:ch The nailcn Is .d"p'ihs as O ~
household wos habits OF daily "iccOusE oui nioo
of life have since been different as could Well DC iiasc
our culture labor entirely unlike; mere was '
snre object or aspiration in common, between US. %
we had occasionally iret and always on me Ola "!"a
Q fiin,dlv confidence There symrlies that had
been suffered TO die Had sc lived more consianty