Daily American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1852, 1852-09-28
PIERCE AND HIS ABOLITION ALLIES
NIraIRER TN0

New Boston, III said county, which was addressed
by General Franklin Pierce; that l went there
for the purpose of reporting the speakers, and
that the report of the speech OF General Pierce,
wherein he declares that he j." loathed the fugi-
tive-s slave law, &C." was furnished by me to the
editor of the Manchester Democrat; that the
same was written out by me on the evening after
the meeting from notes taken on the spot, and
that the facts therein stated as published in said
Manchester Democrat, and also in the Lqdepenaent
Democrat, are true. l distinctly recollect that
General Pierce said, among other things, that
he had "most revolving feeling at the giving
up of slave" that he ''loathed the fugitive.
slave law" and that the same 'was opposed to
humanity and moral right" 4, 1. FOSS.
STATE OF New HAMPSHIRE,
Hcrrumach, SS., July 30 1852,
Personally appeared Andrew I. Fosg and
made solemn oath that the above affidavit, by
him subscribed, is true. Before me,
JACOB S. HARVEY, j. +.
Letter of lHr. Gocdalc
MANCHESTER DEMOCRAT OFFICE,
July 26, 1862.
Editor of the Republic:
SIR: noticed in the Washington Union some
dayS ago u statement that report of the
speech of Gen Pierce at New Boston, on the I'd
Of last January, had been republished in your
paper and the Union, on the authority OF
Messrs Norris, Peaslee and Hibbard, pronoun-
ced said report to be totally false, and the paper
in which it appeared to be " infamous"
AS you have no knowledge of me, it will be
proper fer me to say thatl am Democrat-haVe
ever been an opponent to the Wing party-and
am opposed to the election Of Gen. Scott. state
this that you may understand'that | write to you
solely to defend myself and maintain the truth.
Until the passage of the Compromise measures
was in full fellowship with the Hunker Democ
racy, and had personal acquaintance with Gen.
Pierce. In common with portion IF the Demo
cratic party, | opposed the Compromise, and in
1851 supported Mr.. Atwood, the anti Compromise
candidate, for Governor. At that election the
Compromise Democratic candidate was defeated
by the people by over 5000 majority.
In order to regain their power with the people,
General Pierce and his friends, after the election,
took especial pains to represent to the leading an
ii Compromise Democrats that their feelings in re-
gard to the inhumanity and wrong of the fugi-
tive slave law did not differ in the least from
those who had supported Mr.. Atwood, but that,
for the sake of tho Union and the fulfilling the
compact Of the Constitution, they deemed it best
to acquiesce in it.
As the election for 1852 approached, General
Pierce expressed desire to address the citizens
of New Boston, where Mr. Atwood resided, and
which had given him vote of 24l to 49 for Dins-
more, the opposing candidate. Desirous to OBJ
tain correct report of General Pierce's reParks,
requested two gentleman Of intelligence and
high character to report for me. They did so,
and the report Of the one which was published
in the Democrat of January 8, was substantiated
in every particular by the report of the other.
The accuracy of the report was not denied by a
single paper until the recent manifesto of the
Washington Union As the Democrat had not
only the largest circulation in the city, !ut also
In the county, it would have been folly TO have
published any other than true report of speech
which was listened to by hundreds. 1t is no tri-
rial evidence of its accuracy that its correctness
was not questioned by men Of any party.
Ii is an easy matter at this late day to find par
tiaans who, induced by hope of reward and by
party prejudice, will stand ready to deny the
truth Of this report but let thorough invesd-
CATION be made, and it will be substantiatcd in
every particular, and by testimony Of such reli-
able and positive character as to convince every
candid man. When this is called for in q suita-
bic manner, am ready to furnish it.
Respectfully, yours,
JOHN II. GOODALE.
We thus learn that the editors of the two
Democrats are men of integrity. They would
not be likely to attempt an imposition upon the
public for which there was obviously no motive.
But in the Union Of July Goth, we find. the
following countervaiing testimony:
"The undersigned, having had their attention
called to n communication published in the Man
chester Democrat, of the 9Th of January last
and republishcd in the Washington Republic of
the 18th instant purporting to give an account
eli General Pierce's speech, at New Boston last
winter, deem it due to truth to make the follow
ing statement:
"We were all of us present on the occasion re-
fcrred to, and arc therefore able to speak posi-.
lively in regard to the truthfulness Of that re-
port We do not hesitate TO pronounce it, with
out Any qualification, tissue of falsehoods from
beginning to end In whole and in part, in sub
stance and detail it is entirely and grossly false
and was go denounced by those of US who saw il
at the time of its original publication No one
expression there imputed to General Pierce IL
correct, and most Of them are entire fabricatlons
wthsut the slightest shadow Of truth.
General Pierce's speech upon this occasion
was an able, bold, and eloquent vindicaton OF the
course pursued by the Democratic party OF the
State, in resembling the nomination Of John At.
wood, their former candidate for Governor, on
account of his joining with the Abolitionists in
their opposition TO the Compromise measures
He spoke of the fugitive slave law as an act in
perfect conformity to the requirement of the Con
stitution, and one that we were bound by the
highest considerations to observe and execute in
good faith. He alluded to the arguments made
use Of by the highcr-law politicians, md de-
nounced their doctrines as fanatical and danger
Gus. He showed that their objections to the
present fugitive slave law applied with equal
force to the act Of 1893, and even the Constitu.
ton itself. The law of 1898, he said, had re-
ccived the approval Of Washington, and of many
of the wisest and purest patriots among the
founders Of the Republic, and he considered
these men as moral as virtuous, and as conscien-
tious, as those noisy aboltionists who we're now
trying to overthrow the institutions they have
established
"To us who are acquainted with the character
Of the warfare the abolition organs of this State
kan.. nnnLIator,and 10 nnainat the Dem