Daily American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1852, 1852-08-12
AMERICAN TELEGRAPH.
a.nsral pierce and the Catholic Test.

General Pierce ana the OatAonc 1ose'
MIR. w. E. Robinson, well known us the 'Kiche-
lieu" of the New York Tribune, having been 10
New Hampshire for the purpose OF examining
Az oc;aI records Of that State with reference to
Gan Franklin Pierces connexion with the Cath
olio test. has delivered an able speech at Wing
meeting in New York, giving the result OF his IN
Mr Robinson laid down the following asser-
lions. and 40 earnest was he in challenging an
;nvestipation that he announced that he would
deposite in the hands Of Simeon Draper one nun
drsa dollars to be forfeited and given up TO any
one that would prove that in any one of these
propositions he misstated the facts Inc decl-
sion to be left to Robert Emmett
/. Franklin Pierce did not speak at all IN favor
of Catholic emancipation during the whole time
the Catholic test was before the convention.
9. He had nothing to do with bringing for
ward . the subject The resolution abolishing
the test was drawn up by Mr.. Parker, of Nashua,
n WAiq, and was drought forward" by Mr..
Parker, November IL, when it was discussed in
convention.
SIT was known throughout New Hampshire
that Catholic emancipation was finally defeated
by an overwhelming vote, some eight or ter
weeks before Mr.. O'Connor spoke in Tammany
Hall.
5. When religious liberty needed champion
General Pierce was found wanting-though
after Catholic emancipation had been carried in
convention, he found time, while making speech
on the property qualification, to excuse and apol-
ogize for the test of bigotry by saying it was a
dead letter and blank, which was simply stat
ing that Catholics would perjure themselves to get
into Office by swearing to support constitution
which expressly shuts them out from office
6. That so far from all his "antecedents"
being right, his father, Benjamin Pierce, voted
to nut the anti-Catholic clause into the constitu
ton. and voted for the alien and sedition laws
of old John Adams!
7. That so far from Catholic emancipation
failing only for want Of two-thirds vote, it had
not one-ffth of the votes cast throughout the
State at the same election for governor, and did
not come near simple majority of thesmall vote
cast on this question.
g. That in place of there being any high con-
fidence in New Hampshire of Catholic emancipa-
ton being carried, the general opinion is, that
unless we draw line around New Hampshire,
saying that while the plague-spot is on her and
the ship is unpurifed no man, captain nor crew,
shall land, and thus, by the defeat of General
Pierce, bring his bigoted party to their senses,
the Catholics in that State stand no chance OF
being emancipated for half q century.
9. And in q word, in fine, that the father, Ben
jamin Pierce, was red-hot enemy of the Catho,
lies, and supporter of the alien and sedtior
acts, and that Franklin Pierce, the young chick
en-, learned to crow so glibly from the old one
that he raised not voice in favor of abolishint
his fathers bigotry during the whole time tn,
subject was under discussion in convention O.
which he was leading member and president
All Of these assertions Mr.. Robinson went on
to prove In speech of some length and much
ability.