The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-07-13

rigid ocgut1py. General Fterce 10 nAEt&4 ~
New Hampshire, the con Of revolutionary su~
cestry. distinguished lawyer, and polished
gentleman. No man il so popular in biz native
State, and her highest honors have been offered
to him and modestly declined. In 1888 he was
returned to Congress, where he remained until
1887. lie aas then elected to the Senate Of
the United States, and continued to occupy that
distinguished position until l842, when he VOL
unfairly resigned and retired to private life.
| Since then he has been removed from the strifes
of the political arena and industriousy engaged
in the pursuit of his profession, with the excep-
lion of bis brief but brilliant service in the Mex
lean war. In all the stations which he has oc.
cupied, public and private, he has maintained
character without stain and exhibited capacity
equal to any duty.
| But unostentatious and retiring a. he has
been, and blsmeless rs has been his walk, no
sooner was his nomination announced, than the
vile serpent Of Islander, sought to breathe it's
venom upon his spotes escutcheon Already
has it been asserted that he is q sot--a street
drunkard The charge il so improbable, that it
scarcely deserves RECITATION Isit probable, that
such man would be the favorite Of the Dem
acr, cy Of New Hampshire for the executive chair
for the Presidency of the United States? He
served in Congress with James X. Polk, for a
series of years--lab0red aud voted with him
through some Of the nost exciting and critical
scenes o! our country's history; if he had been
drunkard, would that pure and elevated states
man, upon his election to the Presidency, have
solicited him as Attorney General of the United
States to take seat in his cabinet, as the assO
cute of Marcy, and Walker, apd Buchanan. and
Mason, and Johnson! Would he afterwards,
when our country was engaged in foreign,
war, have given him, unsolicited, brigadier
generals commission? The suppostion il alb.
surd and ridiculous. But refer to this point,
because have the power to give to the Islander
the most uneqnivocal and positive denial.
While in Washington few days ago, in con-
versaton with Mr.. Hubbard, member of Con.
gress from New Hampshire, and an intimate nc
quaintance and friend of General Pierce, en-
quired particularly touching this accusation. He
promptly branded it with falsehood, and por-
trayed the character of General Pierce p most
glowing language, as distinguished for its I'M
swerving integrity and unsnllied moral purity
OF merits of William K. King it is un
necessary to speak. His name is interviewer
with the history of the country for the last
thirty years. In the Representative Hall, in the
Senate Chamber and az late minister to France,
his character and talents have been subjected to
the most satisfactory tests He is sound in all
that constitutes the polished gentleman, the
able statesman, and the unyielding Democrat
Such are the personal, moral and intellectual
qualifications Of the gentleman. Whose nomi-
nation for the highest hOnors which free PEG
pie can confer, we have assembled to ratify
We do it, with cordially and delight. Let our
rejoicings mingle with the manifestations of
Democratic appreciation which pervade our ex
tended republic.
But let US test General Pierce by the prnci-
~ t;c l.
and read of all mon. They glitter in letters of
light upon every banner /; and wherever the stars
and stripes float over land sea, they cheer the
hearts of the free and inspire the down trodden
victims of tyranny and opprea ion with hope.
They were proclaimed in the Virginia and Ken
lucky resolutions of l798-'99, expounded and
enforced by Jefferson and Madison, maintained
by Jackson and Polk and re affirmed and adopted
by the late Democratic convention at Baltimore.
The cardinal tenet of our creed is. that the
Constitution clearly defines the powers of the
general government and is to be construed
tricly. Hence, we deny the right Of the gen.
era government to carry on system Of inter
nal improvements, to establish a protective tariff,
to charter a national bank, and to interfere with
or attempt to control the domestic institutions
Of the respective States. How stands General
Pierce upon these important questions! Let
MS puOuC uCuOHS Ill Co'RTeSh AHbWeT
Regarding it as unconstitutional, he never ia
vored appropriations for roads, rivers and hsr
bors Whilst he sanctioned judicious expendi-
lures, for such works rs were of national char.
acter, he always voted against those that were
local or sectional. The uniformity of his course
on questions of this sort, (and indeed upon all
others,) shows that he was governed by fixed
and well defined principles of Constitutional
Interpretation. cannot of course enter into
detailed reference to particular votes. One or
two must suffice as specimens. In June, 1886,
whilst he was member Of the House of Rep
resentatives a bill was introduced making large
appropriation for the construction of the Cum
berland road. On the final vote his name stands
recorded among the nays.
Again, in 1888, Whilst he was in the Senate
of the United States he gave similar vote
against bill for precisely the same purpose.
The tariff question was but little agitated
during the period Of his service, in either branch
Of Congress. The Compromise law of the I'd
March, 1888, was in operation, when he entered
Congress, and he resigned his seat in the SEN
ate, before it was disturbed by the odous act
Of 1912. But various questions arose during
his Congressional career, in which he showed
by his votes, that he favored tariff for revenue
only; although he exhibited no hostility to such
| encouragement to domestic industry, as might
result incidentally from a well adjusted system
| Of imposts. The Democratic tariff of 1916 will
be safe in his hands. He may sanction modif-
cations to suit the altered conditioned the in
dustral pursuits Of the country, but the great
ad ualorem principle'on which it is founded he
will not disturb. He will not permit the agri |
cultural classes to be heeced for the support of
manufacturing monopolies, and then, the rob.
berry to be concealed under the cover of specific
| duties and minimum valuations The ad
,alortm principle is sanctioned alike by Justice
and common sense. 1t has been triumphantly
vindicated by the sautary operation of the tariff
of 1876. 1t may now be regarded as the settled
and fixed policy of our government
His hostility to a National Bank and the
souodness of his financial views are clearly,ex
emplifed, by the fidelity, with which he stood
by General Jackson, in his herculean conflict
with that corrupt institution. He sustained
| hin, in tho ravnovul nf fho puhI;c donoa;to