The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-10-15

| the Union, the party OF rational progress Will
he turn against II and undo the labor of life
devoted with herculean effort to its advancement,
by being willingly instrumental in its overthrow
From the Toledo (Ohio) Blade.
An Appeal to Frcemen.
As the day draws nearer when the freemen of
this happy nation shall be called upon to deposit
their votes for the candidate Of their choice to fill
the highest Office in the gift of the people of
mighty nation, increasing interest is every
where manifested. And 10 view of the near ap.
proach of that day, and of the momentous conse.
quences involved in the right exercise of the elect
i've franchise, we propose to make an appeal to the
sovereign people of this Confederacy.
There two prominent candidates before the
people for their surages the representatives of the
two great leading political parties in the country.
And it is the fact that there two parties,
which account for the fact that there are two prom
inent candidates before the people for the same
high Office. Both of these cannot at the same time
be elected-one, alone, according to the Constitu.
ton, is eligible. For which of these, then, will
American freemen roll up mighty majority?
For the most available, or for the most worthy
didate? For who has done more than any
living man to throw a halo of enduring glory
around the institutions and the prowess OF our
| country; or for one who, where best known, is a
byword and a reproach? For one whose whole
life has been zeaously devoted to the highest in
terests OF his country, and the greatest good Of the
people; or for one who. unfortunately, has been
unable to make himself known beyond his
State? For whose life has demons trated to the
world his greatness and his eminent qualifications
for the Office of the Presidency; or for one who
is destitute Of greatness and Of the essential quail
ifiations for that high station?
We are aware that the sentiment ia prevalent
that if Franklin Pierce not qualified to fill this
high Office he would never have been brought be-
fore the people by his party.
n CertaiDlv a
to place upon the act of a few political demago
CUES. who are bent upon having offices ut any
sacrifice. 1t is a construction that we should be
glad to put upon their act, and that we would glad
ly put upon it IL we could do with the slightest
shade of consistency. The regard we have for
country and the respect we should like to have
ne to place that charitable construction upon this
| act OF few of the demagogue leaders, if we could
do 90. But, alas, the intelligence and the patriot
ism of the nation and especially of the Democratic
party has been grossly outraged, and the interests
OF the nation have been prostituted to the base
subservience of a few uuprinciped partisans. who
have placed before the nation for the SURFACES Of
its freenen man destitute of the essential requi
sites to fill with credit to himself honor to the
country the highest Office in the world.
We appeal to the common sense of every free.
man in the land and to the patriots Of the nation,
| if this is not so?
Can any one point out to a single act in the
| whole life of Franklin Pierce which would give
him the shadow of claim to the confidence or the
do this have been made, but their failures have
been signal, and they have been abandoned. 1t
was asserted, when the name of Pierce was first
presented to the American people az a candidate
that he had taken active part in the war Of
1912, but it speedily discovered that this hero
of 1912 was at that time but seven eight years
of age, and the imposition was no longer at
| tempted.
1t was next stated that he had acted valiantly
| in the Mexican campaign, and this statement
took admirably for Sason; but it is no longer
urged. Great military fame lie now an objec.
| tonable feature in any candidate for the Presi-
| dency; and a military chieftain, whatever may
be HE other qualifications, is longer fit person
| for the nations Executive, since Pierces great
military exploits have exploded, or gently faint
I'd away. " .
1t was then trumpeted all over the North that
franklin Pierce was a great friend Of "river and
barbor improvements and this was re-echoed
oyer hill and plain. until the documents were
hunted up showing that his vote and his influence
had been invariably against these measures. This,
| too, has been abandoned.
He is next styled the friend Of the Irish, and the
sympathy of foreigners has been appealed to 10
his behalf. But this, too, has proved vanity, for
there was large crowd Of witnesses who testified
that Pierce spared no effort TO defeat the PROPOSE
ton of Mr.. Crittenden, of Kentucky, to send sup.
plies from this land, Glowing with milk and ho-
ney," to the impoverished and starving population
of poor, unfortunate, and oppressed Ireland. This
pretext has likewise been abolished; and last re-
sort, more despicable and degrading TO the man
and his perty than any OF the others, has been
made. Inc character, the integrity, and the pure
and lofty motives OF the nations great cbieftain
has been vilainously assailed, and he has been
represented az q religious intoeram by the party
Of whose State is hostile to religious liberty,
and the constitution Of which proscribes Cathoii-
csm. II lie we'll known unfortunately for him, too
we'll known-that Pierce could have caused that
odous clause in the constitution of the Granite
State to be excluded from it if he had wished to do
But his influence went directly and indirect
ly to retain IL; aud the odous clause by which Ca
tbolicism s prescribed in the State of New Hamp.
shire will be perpetual monument to his bgotry
and his defeat. -
But such 10 the man that few unprincpled of.
fee seekers have caused TO be placed before the
lion for the SURFACES of the people, IL 10 not act
Of the people nor Of the party, and we appeal to
every candid Democrat for confirmation OF this
assumption. Had there been no Democratic party,
Pierce would never have been dreamed OF for can
didate for the Presidency Or 1t the mass OF the
party had nominated their man, Pierce would
have received II; or II neither party had made
nomination, and IL left entirely for the pco
pie the day Of election to make their own choice
we hazard nothing in asserting that franklin
Pierce would not have obtained single vote In the
the candor of every man If this Is not so. On the |
other hand, were there party, and therefore no
party nominations made, would not General Win
field Scott have received the suffrages Of almost
every American citizeni Better, ten thousand |
times better for General Pierce, had he been left
by the unprincped members OF his party "to blus1 III
unseen ;" than to be remembered only as the oppo
nent of General Winfield Scott. Il