Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1852-10-12
Prom Mef Conn. J Courant.
Eraus.tin E'ierce's Career

uphold bis nomination on the grounds OF his
military glory. 1t is true that the title Gen
eral' went some WAYS IN securing his nomina.
inn. so far, indeed that had he not been in
N axico he never would have been candidate.
Vel his military prowess Is SO questionable,
that il Is never made an ostensibe ground of
supno,t. II is therefore his merits as
,t,,,s,oon alone upon which lis claims are
rested
What ale tho merifsl What has thi,
great Democratic idol done 10 deserve the
y orship of the natton2 He was nine years in
Couorcss-fou IA the House and five IN the
&. nate-and nat one sing c measure has he left
beIiind him to mark him bencfactor to The
country or an honor 10 the nation. There is
no POSSIBLE way ofupholding his claims upon
any thing he accomplished, Or aHemPed 10 0c-
eoU.2jsI, in tie councils OF the naicn. He
was there with Democratic majority and o.
r,sinard nothing. He waa there win Wing
majority and ait, npted nothing. There were
great men abound him but that did not mako
him great. His party leaders commenced
many important thlngs but FRANK IN Pierce
as not heir mover In the House, Mr.. Folks
poucrs IF prophecy bad not commenced, for
We find Franklin Pierce. Mr. poik'o beau ideaI
of future President. not placed at the head of
any committee, though James *. Polk was
Sneaker, arc the rank onthe commute " hich
was given hlm-rhat oil fourth on the Commit
tee Of the Jujicary-in 1888, he retained I'M
Ill 1897 " hen he left The lower House.
What IS the inference? Either that James
X. Polk was blind To Mr.. Pierce's trancend MT
merits, or tlal The "nerits" could not be discov
cred.
What dil he do in the House To mark him
as an American Statesman fit to guide the dest-
nes of this grea, country2 He favored the Athcr-
ton gag Law. Hcopposed the improvements of
rivers and ha:bor, which, bis own President
allowed to pass. HI refused to make pro-
vision for me widows and orphans Of those
who had risked their lives for their country.
Well let us follow him into the Senate. He
wa there FIVE years, with all the reputation
and experience he could gather in four years
service in The House. What Is done With him
here Nothjng This very illuslrious states
man whose merits SO entirely outweigh. those
of Cass. Buchanan, Marcy. and many other
Democratic orthes, aras not Thought fit for
MechaumanShipof single committee ur,ilthe
last two years Of MS service when he was chair
man Of the Committee on Pensions. During
this period SIIar Wright vas chairman of FL
nance, james buchanan of Foreign Relations
King Of Alabama OF Commerce, Walker of
Public Lands; but Pierce--the great Fra0hHn
Pierce. the only man worthy 10 he the Drn,o-
"rac nominee for President in 1S52-Was no.
whore
What, then do we gather from this neg
g'ecti Simply hat Franklin Pierce is not
man whose statosmansbip can qualify him for
tins great post, his oen friends being ,judges =
He VAS thonshtby his owl political brethren 10
tie worthy cf only the middling posts in the
working and deliberative divisions of both Hons
es Those who "tro gavcfnedhy know edge
ol his fitness lorany station,aud " no yet had all
the friendship that pariizan zeal can inspire.
made tins decision against him. This is the
low humble, obscure level of mediocii,y in
winch those " ho knew his talents and caraci-
lies l't' INN. How ridiculous 10 attempt TO
manufacture great man out of such materal