Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1852-10-19
GENERAL PIERCE Ann ns
G1OUS TEST OF NEW n45I5a. AEl,
The Qaes.ion sellIed ro,.-
JAnEs GoRpoE BEsEErr. e.

JAMES GoRDoH ENNET ESQ
Dear SRA strenuous effort b.,
impugn the sincerity Of General Pc natb
ton TO the religions test. op
Men viii naturally distrust pross,.
by an individual after he has beeoms ohsn ~
when mt consistent with his prev;ons ata
declarations but when a candidate 49, Il
TO a consistent record, he acquiies a bss SSa
to public confidence. A cunclpsiya pehe1tS
entire fra0kness and sincerity Of e P.o9! ID
has come into my possession. wbisS Pen
greatly favor NE by giving TO the pnbf!ye ~
widely circulated journal. 'aIR
N November, 1891, a STRANGER
name now aPPeaFsto he Z. l.. F!o.d rs n, Sta
signature I could not decipher. adJra' ~ Sba
by letter, from JacksoDpOrt, Arkansss saSR
concerning this celebrated religions 10, te9lq
der To- determine a wager. he.
Ga the strength ola casual ~interyisw
ing a few minutes, some twelve or GtssNsE
ago, aud induced thereto by the fact ofhat!taa
ing been President of the recent con.,s-.a ~
Convention of his State, | forwarded ~ ~.ANooa
tc General Pierce, His reply was rsee;,S
me OIL the oath of March, 1852. ICn,,kS.s
from the letter of my unknown coresFo.Il g
unreliable signature /; and, using il r., h.
dress, forwarded directly to lin, General D %st
original letter. "t
This letter and my short note at The ~.
it, are as fOllOms:- ~s
COsOOkD, MI
To CHARLES o'CoSER, Esq, N. Y. Cav
NV Dear Sir-You must have been
at my failure to answer your letter Of ms
Der 9Th.
The fact is, I was ashamed TO mako q,
fession which truth would then have DIS
Attic time of the adoption of our State rgse
tuition, in 1884, the religious test was in.s,,sSee
/ repeI Iaunts that had heeu Hang out sS.. !
French alliance, that there was also 10 h. !. y
| lance with the French religion and Tho p.,,Ir T.
n,ent Of it here. Blythe Convention Of 10, i.
provision was rejected by a decided wife III
rejection WAS ratified by a majority of the 49,.
| but a Two thirds vote being required for tbs
ton of the amendment, the odious (ea,pna n
relaiHedi its place.
In the convention of 1850, consi>tins of,I
27U members, the vote to strike out this les, :
almost entirely unsn:mous-I think pol n"a
than six membeTs voting in tie negative. n.
amendment Of The constitution, in this rss..s
was submitted 10 the people at The late els,tss'
|. and although We are not in the receiD, of ipI
turns, there is reason to believe that the Sat-
10 be no longer disgracCd by such a proyision
its fundamental law.
| hope To visit New York in May. and to h,,,
an opportunity TO renew the pleasant scos,jr
ancsit was my good fortune TO make with va
many ysrrs since.
- With the highest respect,
Your friend,
FRANK PIERCE
New YoRx, March Il, 1852.
To E. l., FLoo-, Esq -
Dear Sir-Not being any better acouaio,.l
with The laws OF New Hampshire Than Iourssf
1 addressed a distinguished lawyer of That ST.,
The question mentioned in your favor Of Mover
Der SO, 1851, that is =
:. Whether Roman Catholics are excluded fou
ufice in the State OF New Hampshire, or vos,
bIted from itnIding office by the constitution G.
laws Of that State 2"
have Just received his answer, and now a.
ward it Ia YOU. 1t seems that they were 50 ~,
cIuded from office al THE date uf your letter. Es
the disqualification has since been Removed.
Yours, respectfully.
CHARLES O'CoNCR.
Shortly after the nomination, | addressed 4,
tn" ros:ma-,er al Jacksorp"rl, Il request 10 m,
cure ,nr me n return To shis letter, wi,bput d,
closing To him its c"Etcnts w ny mo,i,e. u
the Isl INST Sir Flood returned il 10 ME, At
triburin@ rte delay 10 au accidental cause, u
planned IN his noe.
/ leave the ~hole original cores ondence Wal
yuu lor tree prfu~tl.
At tile time ti:l, Gen. PIERCE wrote the lets
70 me he MIS- mol a cat.d dare ivr the FrrsideHy
luGred. he mad retu,ed la a,quies.t IN The gte,rl
alton If Lis name /" HE B-Iuuuie 1 ynvrLGae
| have never s,cn himi tut once, rt YER b,lole.4
nomination lad any other cou~eslrunru.e aa
hin than y hat Is ab. We related. OF ,,sG tuy c,at
ta;n.n, liraI tc you'd be d land date i,s tac II.
sidcuey a the ensuing c.e,ilon.
T..us ii is that, from the daily walk az
ronvet ss'inn OF an honest mar, ir III his rasV,
and u"prrIHeHIt,lcd words and actions, lbsr
is eyer arisii.g stue Convincing ,lIteree
his inte gfiry-sothe etltttual held against Us
TepTesr miaI.Gn.
The ANIMAL election in Npy ITrmTshirp v,
held on The oh March, 1852 The Icucr
Gen. Piece, as w,il tv Strn, was wnI'eR siur
iy PRIOR 10 tie 2liiI oil that m,nih. lie tS
bore 10 answer me until The atnt uGmenls abs
ishing the religions test had been sUbmiuo
10 the people, and Il conviction had arisen
his mind That it Mould be adopted 1.-The us
was father so the thought Though 1t va
not adopted, the Responsibility for lis ~rejrerp
rests not upon the liberal aud enlightened rriIe
who always favored 1t.
lam, dear sir,
Yours respectfully,
Oct 6, 1859. Gu. O'COSOE.
A BASE FORGERY.
PHILADELPHIA, October 10, 1889.
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