The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-09-30
Iron THE REPUBLIC.
The Life OF Franklin Pierce


adjournment of the Democratic Convention IN
Baltimore, that the author of The House OF
the Seven Gables" would write life OF the
Democratic candidate was received every
where with great satisfaction by his political
friends. And indeed, every one at all ac-
quainted with the works of this writer looked
forward to the performance with much interest.
Such expectations were but natural; for II was
said that Mr.. Hawthorne was college mate
and friend of the nominee, and, as snch, likely
to know him well.
The book has been written, and makes It's
appearance before us as a neat pamphlet, from
Ticknor's unsurpassed press. We must con
fess we have been led to read II more by the
fame Of the chronicler than Of the hero himself;
though we were anxious to see what good
writer might make out Of materials that we
considered scaniy enough. We design TO no
tice some few points in this performance, and,
before we begin, must crave the indulgence OF
those who may follow us for the rambling
manner in which they must be stated.
"The Life" opens, as do all the sketches Of this
gentleman that have fallen under our notice. with
n glowing picture of old General Ben amin Pierce
his father-a stern, unbending patriot, man ofthe
Revolution. And the object of giving an extended
notice of him appears to be based on some such
proposition this, which the life writer's take to
be seif-evident: that old General Ben Pierce hay
ing had such and such qualities. they must all
have descended, with renewed brigt tncss, to
Franklin, the seventh out Of nine children that
were born unto him! There may be this other adj
vantage, too the "reminiscences of the old soldier
give fine set off to the life at the start, and leave
favorable impression.
OF Mr.. Pierce's college course not much is re-
lated. We are informed that at first he was ndo-
class, he induced to make on effort, and that
finally he graduated as third scholar. The study
of law was his next field, and he was, in due time,
admitted to practice. At first his efforts were
failures; but, according to his biographer, these
only led to series of other efforts ia It, in the Sc
quel changed the aspect of the case entirely. OF
this we shall have more TO say hereafter.
He had a most decided leaning, MS most young
lawyers have, towards politics About that time
party strife ran high, and hero took up the
gauntlet the side of Old Hickory. 81 love to
record of the subject of this MEMOIR" says our
author, "that his first political faith was pledged
to that great leader Of the Democracy The De-
mocracy has undergone, opine, some consid
cradle convulsions since the days that that great
man alluded to led it by the nose; and could he
appear amongst US once more, we think he would
dash those bony fingers through his white hair more
than once, and would take look, long and steady,
before he would recognise his Democracy in the
faces of his political descendants who shout for the
title; and we fancy, moreover, he would give one
of those old fashioned scowls and sampings, should
any of them dare to call him "dad -
Mr.. Pierce, described by Mr.. Hawthorne, is
the most remarkable man for progress we have ever
read of. He seems to have been barn with the
ward element in him. There two literary
societies at his college, representing and IMPLYING
"the respectable conservative and the progressive
or Democratic parties" Young Pierce, of course,
was member of the latter. We accept this a
fact-albet we cannot allow that "democratic" and
"progressive" are convertible terms, as Democracy
is understood. However, our friend went with
the side that claimed to go ahead And the party Of
which he ia now the nominal leader processes to be
progressive, par excellence; that he is progress
man, by ociation at least. But this is not all
His mental development is, we vouch for it, the
most RENAL kable on record; and its popularity is
that it was astoundingiy slow. What two or three
years Of hard study and experience generally do
for man Of moderate talents, it took ten or
twelve, at least to work out for Mr.. Pierce;
ami Nathaniel tells US he ia a man Of remark
able abilities. He stops, time after time, in the
course of his narrative, to tell us that just at this
period perceptible improvement was visible in his
subjects powers. He says this of him (page 23)
when he had been some years at the bar, and
about to be sent to his State Legislature. He says
it of him again (page 3l) after he had served in
the House Of Representatives. And he makes
the statement over again (page 45) after Mr..
Pierce had retired from the Senate. We
prsed that author does not tell us Of some great
advance in the General powers after his Mexican
service, that they have taken huge stride
two since his nomination. We suppose he means
to infer from all this that, should General Pierce
be elevated to the chair of State. he to let
out his intellectual faculties to extent that will
be awful to tell Of We told (page 49, that this
gradual mental enlargement L" finds its analogy
in his physical constitution; since he actually
grew in statue between his twenty fret and TWEEN
ty-fth years." Now, of truth, this is somcthng
notable. But we imagine this physical progress
sion ceased just at that period, as we have never
heard Of Mr.. Pierce arrival at that enviabe stand
ard, sir feet four.
After having served in the Legislature of New
Hampshire, he was elected to the HJuse Of Repre-
sentatives in 1888 wherein he ed terms and,
from all we can gather from Mr. Hawthorne, we
Judge he pretty generally observed respect ful
silence Seeing this difficulty ahead our biographer
declaims Justify against the windy stuff that ia sent
fort by most Representatives. and he knowledge s
that if his subject had talked little more it would
have made easier work for him And he seems to
think he thus establishes great name for Mr..
Pierce, by telling that he kept from saying any
thing, rather than say no better things than those
around him.
Now we deny that there is this alternative, and
no more, presented TO members Of Lower
House: either to speak trash to speak nothing
There is sphere, and very noble one too. pre-
sented there, as in the British House of Commons.
for man OF deep powers to fig re in. Perhaps
lasting fame for real patriotism, for real
nobility of character, for real eloqucnce, has
been won these two floors, respectively, than on
any other similar fields whatsoever. We say it s
always in the power Of a man of genuine ability to
make noble figure there-and any man Of real
power will not fail to take advantage Of ito rise
above the pettness of others not by keeping silence,
but by standing aof like q tower of strength, and
showing himself man. We wonder If Edmund
Burke did naught in the Commons, because some
cock sparrow Of attorney kept gulping forth
his trash in bis cars? We wonder if Henry Clay,
in the House, was ever led to keep dumb, be-
cause on his right was a coxcomb sucking the