The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-07-31
The Pierce Explosion.

The Union still vituperates. 1t charges US
with " suborning" false testimony. 1t charges
US with being engaged in conspiracy to de-
fame General PIERCE, by a most foul and
ruthless attempt" to fasten upon him the i'm
putation of being opposed to slavery. The
Union will have it that General PIERCE is en-
amored of slavery, as slavery; that his love of
it commends itself to his judgment as well as
his feelings, and amounts to an absolute pas
sion. And because we have cited some few
passages to show that General PlERcE's real
sentiments on this subject are the same which
have been avowed over and over again by his
political friends in New Hampshire in their
State and county conventions, we are assailed
with all manner of hard names, and charged
with all manner Of evil deeds.
We do not mean to be led into the discussion
of any immaterial issues, and therefore pass
over several points in which the Union is
clearly wrong, without undertaking to expose
its errors.
The Union alleges, however, that Mr.. Foss,
the Baptist clergyman, whose affidavit we
published day or two since, has sworn to
lie. This is very grave charge. 1t is made
on the strength of a certificate, signed by some
one hundred persons, who in general terms
denounce the report of the Manchester De-
naocrat, which was prepared by Mr.. Foss.
Now the certificate itself shows that a por
ton of the report which it denounces as entirely
false is substantially true; and the very general
and loose language Of certificate like this,
which involves little individual responsibility,
cannot be regarded as sufficient to overthrow
the oath of Nh. Foss to specific expressions,
taken down by him at the time, and contempt
raneously published. y
Mr.. GoopALE is sought to be discredited be-
cause he states that Fo.s's report, in the Man
chester Democrat, was not contradicted when
it appeared. This the Union denies, and
quotes the following article from the Union
Democrat, to show that the report of the Man
chester Democrat was contradcted at the time
of its original appearance, and that therefore it
is justified in fixing on Mr.. GooDALE the
"brand of deliberate falsehood:"
From the Union Democrat of January IA.
"He repeat, Al what Mr.. Aver had stated before.
that the present Fugitive Slave law, about which
| much nOiec is made, tcdS IN no pdrncudr dy-
| ferent from the iaD Of 1893, under which we had
lived nearly SIXTY years.
"The above is an extract from the New Boston
| correspondence of the Abolition Democrat, giving
an account of the speech of General Pierce in that
| town on the Sd inst. General Pierce said no such
thing He did cay that the law Of 1850 contained no
provisions which not embodied in the law of'9s
and in the lato; and he repeated it two or three
times in the words that he tcas fully under
stood by everybody except this correspondent.
Elder Foss alias "A Voice. did inquire why 1t was
necessary to pass the present law. General Pierce
replied for the very good reason that the old law
| had been declared unconstitutional, inasmuch as
it required service of State officers which they
were not bound to perform. II poice' was heard
very frequently during the meeting. but we np-
prehend it will not very soon trouble General
| Pierce again.
at is equally untrue that the General used any
such lang is ascribed to him in the Indtpen
dent Democrat"
We submit that the specific contrad lotion Of
one portion of the report of the Manchester De-
m,ocrat, 50 far from being denial of its gen
eral accuracy, is an admission Of its truth in all
other particulars than the one specially i'm,
peacied. The Independent Democrat is the
Concord paper-it was the report Of his own
paper-the MANcHEsTER Dcmocrat-which
Mr.. GooDALE says was not contradicted when
it appeared. We submit that the substantial
allegations of it were not contradicted.
But, by way of finisher, the Union says:
.sIys rotp stafs as a matter # our persona
knorcisdgc that General Pierce, ouer his o,Dn sig
nature, has repeatedly denounced the report IN
question: Of has speech at Ne,o Boston, as grossi,
faise--as a tissue Of faisthoods, and a compiled
and total Misrepresentation Of tohaf he then said
This precludcs the necessity any further ties
timony on the subject"
The General has written SEVERAL letters or
this subject, has he2 He has repeatedly de
pounced the New Boston letter, has he2
Now, does not the Union think it would b.
little more satisfactory to the public if i
could oe admitted to a little Of the same conf