The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1852-08-26
The Slander Refuted!!
Letter from Gen. Pierce.


lished speech which it had the presumption to
assert had been delivered by Gen. Pierce, at the
F.,wn Of New Boston, in January last by which
it was attempted to be proven that Gen. Pierce
was an abolitionist. Mr.. De Leon, Of the South
ern Press, wrote to Gen. Pierce enquiring into
the truth of the matter, to which letter he made
the following reply. The letter of Gen. Pierce
e6ectually disposes of this .faul slaader of the
Wing press, and he brands the alleged report of
bis speech as an absurd calumny and fals!fcation
We need hardly call the attention of our readers
to the conclusive terms of the letter, or to the
entire frankness and directness of its whole
tone and character The man that writes such
letter is scorthy of being the next President of
The United States. In comparison with any let
ter ever written by Gen. Scott it will bear of the
palm, and is conclusioe e, ,dence, of itself, that
Gen. Pierce is the more accurate writer and
- nker:
CONCORD, n. H., July %, 1852.
My Dear Sir Sr, rounded by pressing en-
gagements, seize the earliest opportunity to
reply to your letter cf the 18th instant. 1 much
Il that anything connected with myself
tween you and gentlemen with whom you have
been associated in the editorial department of
the Southern Press. do not remember ever to
have seen what pnrports to be report of a
speech delivered by me at New Boston, in this
State, in January last, until my attention was
called to it as republshed in the Republic. The
PRETENDED report is, and presume was designed
to be, an entire misrepresentation. 1t is not
merely untruthful, but is so grossly and absurd
ty false to render, in this vicinity, any denial
Of its authenticity entire unnecessary. The
two papers quoted-the Independent Democrct,
published in this place. and the Democrat pub
lished in Manchester-are thoroughly abolition
journals and have been and are zealously op-
posed to the Democratic party. For long time
prior 10 the meeting at New Boston, and ever
since, they have been unsparing in their attacks
upon me personally, and in their bitter denun-
citation of what they have been pleased to term
my pro-slavery sentiments. But it would be
omething new for either of these papers to de-
ny the consistency of my opinions upon the
subject of the constitutional rights of the South
in relation to slavery. My opinions and the avow-
al of them have been evrywhere the same
Ever mindful Of the difficulties and dangers
which so long brooded the assemblage of
wise men and pure patriots to whose spirit OF
concession aud earnest efforts we are indebted
for the Constitution under which we have enjoy
ed such signal prosperity, advancement, and
have regarded the subject as too vi
90 and delicate to be used as an element of sec
ional appeal in party conflicts.
Ny action and my language in New Hamp-
shire touching this matter, have been at all times
aud under all circumstances, in entire accor-
lance with my action and language at Washing
on My votes in the Senate and House of Rep
Iresentatives were not republished 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, aud a.
gainst the party with which it has been my pride
and pleasure to act. There has been no attemp,
to evade the force of the record. 1t has been at
all times admitted, and my position sustained
upon grounds satisfactory to my own mind.
am not surprised to know that the attempt to
prove me an abolitionist provokes much merr-
ment among men of all parties here and this
weak and uutruthful sketch of what puroorts
to be my speech, is really too ridiculous to be
considered in any serious light.
1 am in the daily receipt of letters, PROFOUND
ing the greatest variety of curious questions.
upon all conceivable subjects. Letters of this
character cannot be answered of course No
indiN dual could command either the time or
stren 9Th the herculean task would require /
may add, that such correspondence would by
no means comport with my views of duty. The
Democratic party sent its delegates to Baltimore
not alone to nominate candidates, but to reaf
firm principles, aud to present the leading issues
upon which the canvass should be conducted
If I could deem myself capable of improving
The platform there adopted, it is quite certain
at I should Decline either at the call of indi-
yiduals or associations, to incur the charge of
arrogance to which any attempt to alter, amend
Or enlarge it, would inevitably subject me.
Your letter is of entirely different cha-ac-
ter 1t seeks truth in relation to an alleged
fact it speaks of history, to which too search
ng an appeal cannot be made 1 appreciate
The estimate you seem to have of my character
for directness and beg you to accept my thanks
for your efforts to vindicate my claim to that
trait, at least, before the public
servant FRANK. PIERCE.
EDWIN DE LEON, Esq, Washington, D. c..
Jefferson and Scott.
Thomas Jefferson understood the character