The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-08-12
General Shields "Model Statesman


General Shields "NIodel Statesman"
In letter addressed to Democratic com
mittee at Galena, Qll.,) General SHIELDS
makes this reference to General PlERcE's Con
gressional career:
Both in the House of Representatives and Sen.
ate of the United States, be the model of an
enlightened Democratic statesman. The dgniicd
simplicity Of his character made him averse 10 os.
tentation and display; but bis talents and energy
made him powerful advocate Of all great mea-
sures for the advancement of the public service
and the welfare ofthe country
Let us look in detail at the limbs and Inca
ments of this "model of an enlightened Demo-
cratic statesman"
General PIERCE had one merit for which he
has never received sufficient praise. He was
a silent as opposed to a laxative member.
Perhaps General SHIELDS desires to rebuke the
loquacity of his fellow laborers in Legislation by
holding up the example of General PIERCE.
Or perhaps General SHIELDS regards silence
as the. truest eloquence; and in that opinion he
will nowadays have many supporters.
But General Pierce, though non laxative.
was not dumb. He spoke sometimes, and may
hap his efforts on those occasions are the real
foundation of his reputation as "a powerful ad-
vocate." 1t is rather unfortunate, however;
that his fame as an orator can never add to his
popularity as man. He was ga powerful ad-
vocate" against the widow and the orphan,
and against old soldiers who had shed blood in
their country's cause. He was eloquent, but
it was in denouncing measures intended to re-
lieve the necessities Of revolutionary heroes,
and to give sustenance to their widows and
fatherless children. He was most eloquent in
opposition to an appropriation to the widow Of
General HARRISON, although the proposition
had the support of liberal men of all parties.
We think too highly Of General SHIELDS to
believe that these examples of powerful
oratory receive his appreciation. His sympa-
thies as a soldier must be all on the side of
those who encountered the opposition of this
powerful advocate"
The votes Of General PIERCE tell the story
Of his legislative deeds at Washington. and we
are at loss to conceive how they can be sup
posed to render him Gan advocate of all
great measures for the advancement Of the
public service and the welfare of the coun-
try" General SHIELDS is familiar with the
varied phases of western life, and his
course in the Senate evinces some attention to
western wants and interests. He knows that
his own State has derived benefit from grants
Of land to aid in the construction Of its rail-
roads-he knows that the prosperity Of its
great commercial emporium has been and is
largely dependent upon lake and harbor I'M
provements-and he knows that the western
portion of the State is prejudced by the failure
to obtain Government grants for the improve
ment Of the Upper Mississippi. He is aware
that opposition to any Of these plans would be
on his part political suicide; and we believe that
he has liberality enough to feel that what is es-
sential to the growth Of Illinois is not unlikely to
be of some importance to other Western States.
In that section of the Union he and every other
public man must recognise internal improve
ments as foremost among the "great mea-
sures" which are necessary to promote "the
welfare Of the country" 1t happened that
these "great measures uniformly encountered
General PTERcE's opposition. As a statesman
he is unknown, except in connection with his
hostility to plans which now receive the sup
port of "enlgh,ened' men of both parties.
Measures which he resisted were afterwards
sanctioned by General JACKSON, who has gen.
orally been supposed to belong to the class Of
Democrats, if not Of "enlightened statesmen"
An explanation of General SHIELDs's mean
ing in this matter is due to himself to the
State he represents, and to the "dignifed sim
plicity" of the subject Of his eulogy. II Gene
raj PiERcE's policy in Congress entitled him
to praise as "an enlightened Democratic states
man." we must conclude either that General
SHIELDS does not fairly indicate western pre-
ferences, or that the Democracy Of his con-
stiluents is not Of an "enlightened" order.