Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-09-29


~There IS little else that ii Is worth |
while to relate, as regards his college |
course, unless il be, that, during one OF
his winter vacations, Pierce taught a
country school. So many Of the statesmen
of New England have performed their first
public service in the character Of peda-
.gogues, that it seems almost a necessary
step ON the ladder of advancement.
The account of Pierce's Congressional
life, though agreeably written, presents no
facts, we believe, with which the public
are not familiar.
In June, 1859, Pierce signifed his in
tention to resign his seat In the United
States Senate. The biographer accom-;
panies the announcement Of this event
with some personal "reminiscences Of gem
eral interest: sQ!hi1c@ssih ,d3-l
cit is now more than sixteen years
since the author of this sketch had been
accustomed 10 meet Frank Pierce (that
familiar name which the nation is adopt
ing as one of its household words in
habits of daily intercourse. Our modes
of life have since been as different as
could we'll be imagined; our culture and
labor were entirely unlike there was
hardly single object or aspiration, in
common, between us. Still we had orca.
sionally met, and always ON the ground
of friendly confidence. There were SYM
pathies that had not been suffered to die
out. Had we lived more constantly to-
gether, it is not impossible that the rela-
ton might have been changed by the va
rious incidents and attritions of life but
having no mutual events, and few mutual
interests, the tie Of early friendship re-
NAMED the same as when we parted. The
notifications which saw in his character
were those of growth and development;
new qualities came out, or displayed them
selves more prominently, but harmoizing
with those heretofore known. Always l
was sensible of progress in him; char
acteristic-as, believe, has been said in
the foregoing pages-more pcrceptible in
Franklin Pierce than in any other person
with whom have been acquainted. He
widened, deepened. rose to higher point,
and thus even made himself equal to the
ever frightening occasion. This peculi-
arity of intellectual growth, continued be.
yond the ordinary period, has its analogy
in his physical constitution-it being a
fact that he continued to grow in stature
between his twenty-first and twenty-tifth
years.
He had not met with that misfortune
which, it is to be feared, bcfalls many
men who throw their ardor into politics.
| Tho pursuit had taken nothing from the
| frankness of his nature now, as ever, he
used direct means to attain honorable
ends; and his subtlety-for after all, his
heart and purpose were not such as he
that runs may read-had the depth of
wisdom, and never any quality of cum
ming. In great part, this undeteriorated
manhood was due to the nobility of his
nature. Yet it may not be unjust to at
tribute it, in some degree, to the singular
good fortune of his life. He had never,
in all his career, found it necessary to
stoop. Office had sought him; he had
not begged for it, nor maneuvred for it,
nor crept towards it-arts which too fire.
Quently bring man, morally bowed and
degraded, to position which should be
one of dignity, but in which he will Sainly
essay to stand upright.
"In our earliest meetings, after Pierce
had begun to come forward in public life,
| could discern that his ambition was
aroused. He felt young mans enjoy
ment of success, so early and so distin-
guished. But as years went on, such
motives seemed to be less influential with
him. He was cured of ambition. as one
after another, it's objects came to him un-
sought. His domestic position, likewise.
had contributed to direct his tastes and
wishes towards the pursuits of private
life. In 1884 he had married Jane Means,
a daughter of the Rev. DR.. Appleton, a.
former President of Bowdoin College
Three sons, the first Of whom died in ear
ly infancy, were born to him and, having
hitherto been kept poor by his public SER
vice, he no doubt became sensible of the
expediency of making some provision for
the future. Such it may be presumed,
were the considerations that induced his
resignation of the scnatorship, greatly to
the regret of all parties. The senator's
gathered around him, as he was about to
quit the chamber; political opponents
took leave of him as of a personal friend
and no departing member has ever retired
from that distinguished body amid warm
err wishes for his happiness than those
that attended Franklin Pierce"
In the sixth chapter, General Pierce's
course upon the subject of slavery is can
vassed. We copy the portion which re-
lates to the Compromise acts, without
specifying the points in which we think
the biographer's speculations are assaila.
BILE. We feel bound to keep distinctly in
mind that this volume is a tribute of friend
ship, and is therefore hardly amenable to
the laws OF criticism which would apply |
to a literary enterprise undertaken from
ordinary book-making motives:
When the series of measures known
under the collective term of the Compro.
mise were passed by Congress, in 1850,
and put to so searching Test, here at the
north, the reverence of the people for the
constitution, and their attachment to the |