Washington telegraph., 1852-07-07
Gen'E pierce On Western Interests

| How far our westeren democratic friends who
are favorable to the improvement of our western
| Rivers and HarborS, and to the grant of lands by
Congress to aid in the construction of our great
lines of western and southwestern Railroads, will
find Gen PIERCE a suitable person to foster and
carry out those measures, may be learned from
| the following sketch drawn by the Washington
Rcpm6iic:
| Mr. Franklin Pierce, during his first Congress-
| served as a member of the Judiciary COMMITTEES
and discharged his Representative duties without
saying or doing much that is specially remember
ed. In his second Congressional term he distin-
guished himself by his hostility to harbor and
river improvements In June, 1896, he voted
against the bill making additional appropriations
| for the delaware breakwater, and for certain har-
| bors. and removing distractions in and at the
mouths of certain rivers and tor other purposes
| for the year 1886" A few days subsequently,
General Jackson signed the bill At the same
season, Mr.. Pierce voted against the bill making
appropriations for the improvement of certain
harbors therein mentioned which was also after
wards approved by General Jackson. At the
session he voted against ''the bill to continue the
Cum berland road III the State of Ohio. Indiana
and Illinois," This was on the goth of June, and
on the I'd of July General jackson signed that
very Cumberland road bill. There is no noise or
confusion" to prevent us from arriving at Mr..
Pierce's opinions on the question of improve
ments, He is against all improv vements--of roads,
rivers. and harbors-by the Federal Government;
and committed against them on the journals of
the House positively and repeatedly. If in the
event of his election, he should ever be called up
on to sign improvement bill of any
nature; our Western friends may look out for
veto. How will it read in Iowa, Illinois, along
the Mississippi, and the great lakes Franklin
Pierce and down with internal improvements
But this is merely en- pdsSont.
"On the 2lst of February, 1887, Mr. Hubbard
presented in the Senate the credentials of Mr..
Pierce, elected Senator from New Hampshire
to serve for six years from the 18th of March then
following. During the session of 1S37-3s, he re-
corded himsefagainst harbor bill that was voted
for by Mr. Buchanan and Wright; for Mr.. Pierce
went with the extremes. At the same session he
voted against a bill for the benefit of the Alabama
Florida and Georgia Railroad Company; which
was a measure of such a character that even Mr.
Calhoun and Mr.. Grundy voted for it, and Mr..
Pierce found himself in minority of six in oppo-
stion. But it was enough that the bill contemp-
lated internal improvement" At the same ses-
sion, moreover, Mr.. Pierce gave vote which we
desire to submit to the particular attention of those
of our Western friends who soliciting aid from
the General Government for building their rail-
roads. They should know that the Democratic
nominee set his face as flint against all these pro-
iects. A bill was before the Senate for the ben
eft of the Mount Carmel and New Albany Rail-
road Company in the State of Indiana" "-provid-
ing for grant of alternate sections along the road
the company contracting to carry the mail for t,ce,y
gears ritout charge to tie Government; which would
pay the government at the rate of one dollar and
six cents for each acre granted. Mr. Clay and
Mr.. Webster voted for this bill. Mr. Pierce, in
entire consistency with his whole course on this
and cognate subjects. voted against it! We would
like to know if our friends Messrs Hem and
Clarke, of Iowa, propose to go into the next cam
vass before their people as the advocates OF a can
didate who is not only pledged against the inn
provements of harbors and rivers, but against
granting any Federal aid by the appropriation of
alternate sections to railroads. even on the con-
dition of their carrying the United States mails
twenty years for nothing!
ave do not propose, just at present, to follow
MIR. Pierce through his Senatorial career. 1t is
enough for our purpose to show that, as far as
their especial interests concerned, our Western
friends would have found them much better cared
for by Mr. Douglas or Gen. Cass then by Mr.
Pierce. 1t seems to that they have been lit
tie overreached in the idea that Mr. Pierce's leg
lSlatlve career mere blank sheet OF paper
1t is written over with some very awkward COM
initials. His most elaborate speech in the Senate
against the bill for the reliefof Mrs. Harrison
the widow of the lamented General; but his most
important rotes, practically, were those which are
recorded against the appeals of the Great West
for the improvement of her harbors and rivers and
for the grants of land in the construction of her
railroads.
The poet Rodgers has presented to the British