Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1852-07-23
OGedlent servants,
Nj. NORRIS.
HARRY HlBBARD,
G.. H. PEASLEE.
MANCHESTER. july Is, 1852.

HARRY HlBBARD,
C. H. PEASLEE.
MANCHESTER, July 15 1882.
DEAR SIR-l have just noticed in a late number
of the Republic - two communications taken from
the - Manchester Democrat published here. and
the " Independent Democrat,'' published at Concord
purporting to give report of speech made by
Gen. Pierce last December at New Boston Nothing
could be false and calumnious than the account
there q ven of Gen Pierce's remarks. present
at the meeting with several others from this city
and remember very distinctly the drift and substance
of his speech. This was the first popular meeting
of the last political campaign. and was held at the
home of John Atwood, then the abolition candidate
for Governor. Gen. Pierces speech was mainly de-
voted to justification of the pursued by him
self and the democratic party the year before in
scinding MIR. Atwoods nomination for Governor in
consequence of his opposition to the compromise
measures In the course of his speech Gen. Pierce
alluded to the fugtive-save law. and made strong
argument in support of it. 1t is wholly untrue that
he pronounced it contrary to = moral right but,
on the contrary, in reply to question proposed by
aboltionist present he said the present law was
the same. in principle and substance, that which
had received the approval of Washington and many
others of the wisest and purest among the founders
of the republic. He thought that these men were
to be considered as moral, CONSCIENTIOUS and as
patriotic those of the present day, who WERE for
political effect. constantly stormng about slavery.
without being able to suggest any practicable plan
for its abolition.
| The speech was throughout thoroughly national
speech, and produced powerful effect. No full re-
port of it published, though brief abstract of
it appeared shortly after in the Union Democrat of
this city.
remember seeing the reports copied by the Re-
public" when they first appeared, and conversing in
regard to them with several persons who heard Cen
| Pierce's speech All agreed in pronouncing them a
gross peryerson and almost entire fabrication from
beginning to end Both reports evidently writ
ten by the same individual which accounts for their
close similarity.
Both of the papers from which these communica-
tons taken are, as you we'll know. violent abo-
liton journals, and have been unsparing in their
hostility to Gen Pierce, and indeed all the prom-
nent members of thr democratic party in the State
One of them started by the ab6litionsts some
years since the organ of John p Hale and his as
sociates and the other was repudiated by the dem
Ocratc party and turned over to the abolitonists,
on account of it's opposition to the compromise
When it is known how bitter and how frequent have
been the attacks made by these two Journals upon
Gen. Pierce account of his open national course
on the slavery question. every one will it seems
| to me- how little confidence can be paced in any
such reports the Republic has seen fit to extract
from their columns. It is we'll known to you that,
on account of his course upon this question, he has
for a long Time been constant mark for their de-
nunciation and abuse. | send You few extracts to
show the spirit they have both manifested towards
| of February 90 1851
1T is obvious to every intelligent that for Of
fenceOppostOn to slavery and the ugitivesave acthe
decree of outawry against Mr. Atwood has forth For
this he has been denounced harassed brought
block For nothing else has franklin Pierce pursued him
with the cruel heartssnes of mshed tiger and the
ming malice of a Demon
The extract is from the same paper. of June a.
1852:
GEN. PIERCE ON THE RIGHT PETTrON.-The last Ma
tona Era contains carefully colaed history of General
Perces Congressional career showing that through the
whole nine he served in the House and Senate the
ght of pettiona right older than Magma Chartdhad
btterer unreenting opponent than the present
bunker democratic candidate for President of the United
States. This is not to 1t is the people
New Hampshire in whose memories the history Of their
degradation at the hands of such Atherton Pierce
and Burke is still fresh They have not forgotten that those
earned for the State they msrepreened the insulting
and reasonable appeative of the South Carolina of the
North, than which it were difficult to find name more sig
ni6cant of disgrace and shame. = In this cata-
ogue stands Gen. Pierce In all the nine years he spent
Congress not thought, word act be found, which
savor of the slightest regard for CIVIL religious persona
liberty On all questions and all occasions his course wa
one Of entire and unqualified suhservency the South
TO alaHerT. Such rs