The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1852-09-11
J. w. POLAND, Pastor.
JESSE II. PLUMER. Oh, CT

Il.
Stopping at this point, the proof that
Mr.. Pierce used that "Abolition" lam
guage is overpowerng; SO his own friends
thought and Mr.. De Leon of Washing
ton wrote to him on the subject, stating
that neither himself nor those with
whom he acted, ''could consent that any
doubt should rest on the subject. Mr..
Pierce, therefore, must needs answer as
best he could. He did so in a general
manner, using the following language:
"The pretended report is, and | pre-
sumo was designed to be, an entire mis-
representation. 1t is not merely untruth-
ful, but is so gross and absurdlv false as
to render, in this vicinity, any denial of
its authenticity, entirely unnecessary"
Now, we presume, Mr.. Pierce expects
to escape with that general denial, with
out specifying that he did, or did not,
say he "loathed the Fugitive Slave Law;'
such qu!bbling is about what a lawyer
of his standing is equal to. If this is not
the way he is to escape, the reading pub
lie, taking into consideration all the CIR
cumstantial proof enumerated above,
may judge whether he has forgotten
words he used in speech made SO long
ago, or whether sworn reporter, of SO
high character as we find Mr.. Foss to
possess, misrepresented him on the dav
of making out the report, when such
Misrepresentation would have operated
ut that time to the advantage of Pierce
and against the particular party and in
terests of the reporter.
But since Mr.. Pierce's denial, such as
it is, we have sent down from New
Hampshire, host of afidavits; those OF
seventeen responsible men, that Mr..
Pierce did make use of the language in
question. Take, for instance, the fol-
loving; we have not room for others.
!, E. W. Griffin, of PepperlI, in the
county Of Middlesex, Commonwealth of
Massachusetts, certify and say, that |
was at New Boston, in the county of
Hlllsborough, and State of New Hamp-
shire, on the second of January last, and
that heard the speeches of B. F, Aver.
Esq, and General Franklin Pierce, and
that heard A. L. Foss ask him several
questions, and heard General Pierce's
replies.
distinctly recolIect of hearing Cen
eral Franklin Pierce say that he had
the most revolving feeling at the giving
up of slave; that he loathed the Fuei.
tive Slave law; and other expressions of
similar import concerning slavery and
the Fugitive Slave law.
f. w. GRIFFIN.
Sworn, August 10, 1852, before
ROBERT MOORE,
Justice of the Peace.
So, still, after Pierce's denial, sue III as
it is, the evidence is full and sufficient
to convict HIM.
But we have him bound by the record.
He was member of a committee in
State Convention in 1916, which report.
ed ''that slavery was great moral and
social evil, and that they deplored its
exlStance." 1t is on record that he made
a speech in November, 1850, in which
he SAID, "the men who would dissolve
the Union did not hate or deplore slav-
cry more than he did," and the New
Hampshire State Convention of that
year, of which he was a member, unaa.
imously resolved "that the holding of
human beings in bondage is curse to
any country; that we are opposed to
slavery, black or white, in all its forms.
and under whatever circumstances" 1t
is therefore established by the record.
that the opinions imputed to him by the