Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1852-08-14
The Leather Of the Fugitive Slave
Elisa Iaw.

L bC tVPVstc VI tHC bpCGCH uEHFGIGu u
Gen. Pierce, at New Boston, New Haml
shire, on the I'd Of January last, which "
have heretofore given, wherein he einph;
tically declared that he had q most r.
voting feeling at the giving up Of a slave !;
that he "loathed the fugitive slave law
and that the same "was opposed to llt
manity," etc, are producing tremend u,
sensation all over the South And wei
they may. II Gen. Pierce was honest il
in his expressions in January last, NOR
dangerous man to the South, to the insti
tuition Of slavery, to all Of our dearest in
teiests, could not be made the occupant o
the Executive chair. There is no ra
tohal doubt that Gen. Pierce was sincere
for the very good reason that he had nc
motive to be otherwise. He had no idea
last January, that he would ever become
candidate for the Prcsidency---the Fugi
tive Slave law was unpopular in New
aDpshire--therefofe hc not only spoke
his own views, but noated along with the
popular curfent, when he proclaimed him.
self q IoasAcv of the obnoxious law
These are all reasonable deductions, sus-
tained by the circumstances aud justified
by the conjunctions Of tle.case. all ingetl.
uous men will admit. s..5.
The production Of the reports of the
speech. and the concurrent evidences OF
their substantial correctness, in every es-
sential particular. combined with the havoc
made thereby in Southern Democratic
ranks, have almost thrown the leaders into
convulsions and in their franiic attempts
to extricate their candidate from the pit,
dug by himself, into which he has fallen,
they have only sunk him deeper and mere
hopelessly. Seeing this, they have become
furious ~ resorted to the use of harsh Ak.
pfessions, unbeconiBg gentlemen. and
which can only work to their injury, be.
fore discriminating public. Coarse vitu-
peration. bitter denunciaton, and rabid in-
vective. very seldom affect the party as
sailed, while the rebound Is often dagerous,
and frequently destructive, to those who
descend to the use Of such unseemly mis-
siles in partisan warfare. tm f
These reports of Gen. pierce's speech
were taken, as our readers have already
been Informed, from the Concord Iadepen.
dent Democrat, aud from the Manchester
Democrat. Attempts have been made to
impeach the characters Of the conductors
Of these pnpers. by stating that they were
bigoted aud fanatical Abolitionists, alike
unworthy of belief, credit, etc. Now,
acho are they. that make such sweeping
allegations? Rank Frecsoilers aud Abo.
liiionists. as can be proved by the record |!
Try them by their o,cn standard, and then
are unworthy Of belief. They, IN effect,
say, those editors are Al,olitionists, and
are. therefore. e1titled to no credit. Be-
ing Abolitiolllyts themselves, Of course
their certificate falls the ground. Who
will certify for the certifiers? They need
it sadly. Without it their certificates will
neither command respect nor attention.
The Southern Pierce press should attend
to this matter. .,..
The bitter dennnciations of these per-
sous, from the Washington Union down
to the New Orleans Courier, has had the
very effect we anticipated from the outset.
II has brought them forward. with addi-
tional proof; and we have not the smallest
particle Of doubt, that. before they get
through, they will prove, by irrefragable
testimony. taken undcv oath, every mate
rial expression contained in the reports. !,
We have before us three documents,
bearing upon the subject, one of which
we shall publish entire, and take snch ex.
tracts from the others as may be necessary
for proper eIucidation Of the subjects
One is an affidavit from Mr.. Foss, re.
porter Of Gen. Pierce's speech. This gem
lleman, we understand, says the Wash.
ington Republic, is a preacher Of the Bap-
list persuasion, man OF good character
aud unirnpeacbed veracity; but as fanati.
cal. we dare say. on the subject Of aboli-
ion as the editors OF the N. Y Evening"
Post, the Buffalo Republic. az Rantoul, |
Floyd, Preston King, MoIony. Campbell.
the Van Burens. Bntler, Dix, |
md the numerous band Of thousands upon |
Of Freesoilers and Abolitionists, |
who are now engaged. ardently aud zeal
,usIy. in the support Of franklin Pierce |
or the Presidency. We should not be |
much surprised If he "loathes' the Flu |
gitive Slave law Glm0ss as strongly as the |
1eneral himself! But to the affidavit:
AFFIDAVIT.
/, Andrew T. Foss, of Maachesfer, IN
he county Of Hillsborough and State Of
New Hampshire, depose and say, that OH
he I'd day Of January, 1852, / attended
,olitical meeting at New Boston, inasaid
ounty, which was addressed by General
franklin Pierce that went there for the
impose Of reporting the speakers. and
hat the report Of the speech of General
PIERCE. wherein he declares that he
loathed the Fugitive Slave law. etc"
vas furnished by me to the editor Of the
Democrat; that the sdsme was
written out by me on the evening after the
1eeting. from notes taken on the spot
nd that the facts therein stated as pub
shed in said Manchester Democrat, and
lso in the Independent Democrat, are
me. distinctly secollect that General
fierce said, among other things, that he
I'd i . most revolving feeling at the Civ
,g - Of i slave; J" that he /" loathed the
'ugitive Slave law" and That the ssme /
was opposed 70 humanity and moral
ght. A. T. FOSS.
TArE or1DlEw srsH!nE.
Merrimack, q, July t23, 1852.
Personally Appeared Andrew r. Foss,
nd made solemn odlns that the above
fidavit, by him subscrlhed. is true; Be-
,re.me, JACOB s. HARVEY, J.R
We commend The above evidence to the