The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1852-08-26
GEN. f. PIERCE, Concord, n H.
CONCORD, N. H., July %, 1852.

My DEAR SIR: Surrounded by pressing
engagements, seize the earliest opportu-
nifty to reply to your letter of the 18th inst.
l much regret that any thing connected with
myself should have been the cause of disa-
greement between you and gentlemen with
whom you have been associated in the edi-
torial department of the Southern Press. |
do not remember ever to having seen what
purports to be a report of speech deliver
ed by me at New Boston, in this State, in
January last, until my attention was called
to it as republished in the Republic. The
pretended report is, and presumed was de-
signed to be, an entire misrepresentation
1t is not merely untruthful, but is so grossly
and absurdly false as to render, in this Vi
cinity, any denial of its authenticity entirely
unnecessary. The two papers quoted-the
Independent Democrat, published in this
place, and the Democrat, published in Man
chester-are thoroughly abolition journals !;
and have been and are zealously opposed to
the Democratic party. For long time prior
to the meeting at New Boston, and ever
since, they have been unsparing in their at
tacks upon me personally, and in their bit
ter denunciation of what they have been
pleased to term my pro-slavery sentiments.
But it would be something new for either of
these papers to deny the consistency of my
opinions upon the subject of the cOnstitu-
tional rights of the South in relation to slav-
cry. My opinions and the avowal of them
have been everywhere the same. Ever
mindful Of the difficulties and dangers which
so long broodcd over the assemblage of wise
men and pure patriots to whose spirit of
concession and earnest efforts we arc indebt-
ed for the Constitution under which we have
enjoyed such signal prosperity, advance
ment and happiness, | have regarded the
subject as too vital and delicate to be used
as an element of sectional appeal in party
conflicts My action and my language in
New Hampshire, touching this matter have
been at all times and under all circumstances,
in entire accordance with my action and
language in Washington. My votes in the
Senate and House of Representatives were
not republishcd in the Era for the first time.
They have been again and again paraded to
arouse the passions and prejudices of our
people against me individually, and against
the party with which it has been my pride
and pleasure to act There has been no at
tempt to evade the force of the record. i
has at all times been freely admitted, anC
my position sustained upon grounds salts
factory to my own mind. | am not sur
prised to know that the attempt to prove M
an abolitionist provokes much merriment a
mong men of all parties here; and the veal
9 and untruthful sketch of what purports t
be my speech, is really too ridiculous to b
> considered in any serious light.
am in the daily receipt of letters pro
pounding the greatest variety of curiou
: questions, upon all conceivable subjects
Letters of this character cannot be answers
of course. No Individual could comman
either the time or strength the herculea
5 task would require. l may add that such
It correspondence would by no means compor
J. with my views of duty. The Democrat
q party sent its delegates to Baltimore nc
. alone to nominate candidates, but to rea
> firm principles and to present the leading Ii
Il sues upon which the canvass should be cor
l. Quoted
e If could deem myself capable of in
! proving the platform there adopted, it
;, quite certain that should decline, eithe
at the call of individuals or associations,
y incur the charge of arrogance to which an
r attempt to alter, amend or enlarge it, woul
inevitably subject me.
Your letter is of an entirely different cha
acter. 1t seeks truth in relation to an a
le legged fact, it speaks of history, to which tc
E. searching an appeal cannot be made. la
preciate the estimate you seem to have
70 my character for directness; and beg you
to accept my thanks for your efforts to Wind
ut cate my claim to that trait, at least, befol
)" the public.
- am, with high esteem,
Your most obedient servant,
&c FRANK. PIERCE.
'e EDWIN DELEoN, Esq,
"a Washington n g.