Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1852-10-14
P @ L | 7 | G A L .
Personal Habits of Gen. Pierce.

we had hoped that it would be conducted on
fair and honorable principles-that the battle
would be fought on the great issues that have
always divided the two leading parties of the
country-and that personal detrat,on would
form no element in the canvass.
But in this hope we have been disappointed,
so far as our opponents are concerned. The
democratic papers and speakers have ever ac-
corded full Justice TO the military abilities and
military services of Gen. Scott, and they have
sedulously avoided all attack upon his person
al habits or reputation.
That the wings have not pursued an equally
manly course, all must admit, who read their
newspapers or have listened to their orators.
We ask, what leading principles of policy,
have they discussed What measures have
they advocated antagonisticalIy TO the great
measures of the democratic partyl Their war
fare, in these respects, has been as impalpable
as the Irishman's fea-which wasn't there,
when he put his finger upon him.
The first great slander to which whiggery
gave wing, was the charge of cowARDTcE
against Gen. Pierce. This charge they i'll
tended to be crushing-the milestone that
should fall upon his neck and grind him to
powder. 1t was concocted by the Wing Cen
trail Committee at Washington, and spread 81
multaueously from tongue TO tongue-from pa
per to paper-from State to State, until the
whole thrty-one rang with its repetition
The hired bulies and liars of the party repeat
ed it everywhere-in stage coaches, in rail-
road cars, in steamboats,, in bar rooms, in pri-
vate houses, in taverns, cuery,ohere, in short,
as opportunity offered.
No fonler slander than this could have
been forged-none calculated to do a greater
injury 10 the reputation and prospects of Gen.
Pierce-for with the American people there is
no character more utterly detestabIe than that
of a coward
But that falsehood was soon stlenced. The
officers of the army, wings and democrats,
rose up as one man, to vindIcate the honor of
one of their number. They were present.
They sa,o him on the field. They kneD that
ninth regiment-his own-also charged back
this infamous lie down the throats of those
cOwardly mscreants who uttered it. Then, to
settle finally and eternaly the whole question,
came out the official records-among them the
repeated compliments of Gen. Scott 10 the
courage of Gen. Pierce. Thus was the base
coin nailed and clinched to the counter.
So signal has been the refutaiion of this
charge, that no respectable whig papers or
speakers now utter it. They dare not.
Having silenced this gun, they opened upon
him another. They averred that Capt. Ma
gruder, of the army, slapped Gen. Pierce's
face in the city of Mexico, which was unre-
sented. This, too, has been suddenly spiked
by a letter from Capt. Magruder, himself, and
upon that point whiggery now holds its tongue.
But falsehood seems to be their VOCATION
Like the bee, they ever on the wing, but
not like it, for honey, but poison. The last
that has come out is charge of INTEMPER-
ANcE. This charge is fabricated at Concord,
by one Dudley S. Palmer-as we have good
reason to believe-and is written out there by
him, and sent to this city for publication in the
Portland Inquirer, a free soil paper, in late
number of which it appears. We warned the
public long since of this fellow, Palmer, as a
man who was perambulating this State for
some vile purpose. Evil seems to be his rul-
ing love. His oath before a jury has been
discredted, and the minimum at which his rep
utation now stands at home is so small as to be
undiscernible.
Now we distinctly and emphaticaly pro-
nounce the charge of intemperance thus made
against Gen. Pierce, as UNANIMOUSLY false
Years ago, when it was the fashion, he took
occasionally glass of wine but for long
period past he has used no Intoxicating drink
of any kind. In brief, he is practically tee
totaler. We say what we k,lop on this sub
ject. He nerer was an Incorporate man.
The article, therefore, in the Inquirer, is TO-
tally untrue; and we cannot but regret that
the conductors of that paper shonld allow them
selves to be made the tools of base men for the
lowest partizan purposes. Gen. Pierce is in a
position where he cannot defend himself
against these personal attacks yet, like other
honorable men, he values the reputation he
has earned by life of industry and usefulness.
With his mouth thus involuntarily closed, ii
becomes the duty of every good citizen to pro-
tect him in that respect. Especially should
the editors of paper, assuming so high a
moral tone as the Inquirer, see to it that they
are not used unfairly to his injury.
Who are the best judges of mans charac-
ters! Is it not his neighbors-,hose who have
grown up with him, and have seen him daily
for years Certainly. 1t is the safest trbu
nal to which any one can appeal. To thai
tribunal we refer the conductors of the Inquirer
and all others. We say to them, ask the re
spectacle, temperate, church going citizens o
Concord, the home of Franklin Pierce, wha
of his character, and we will abide the an
swer. And to aid in the investigation, we re
fer 10 such men as Rev. d. ]. MOVES, Profes
sor at Dartmouth College, and formerly al
Orthodox clergyman at Concord, and to Rev
Messrs. RICHARDS and PARKER, of the latte
place. These gentlemen are all men of mark
clergymen of the same religious sect to whcl
the editors of the Inquirer belong. So far a
we know, they have no political sympath
with Gen. Pierce, but are more likely to afili
ato with cov,o nhaca of Tho