Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1852-11-01
aENBRAL PIERCE AT HOMIE.

We find, in Concord paper published at Gen.
Pierce's door, the following articles in respect to
his personal habits. Of the Locofoco nominee, we
have no personal knowledge. We never saw him.
We never saw the neat little house of Mrs. Will
liams, at which he boards, which overlooks the
Merrimac which turns the hundred thousands
spindles at Manchester, Lowell, &c. We were
SCARCELY cognizant of his existence previous to his
nomination. We suppose we heard his name
when Polk appointed him Brigadier- General; but
have distant recollection of anything connected
with him. UGH was the case with nineteen
twentieths of the American people, until the third
day of the Baltimore Convention. This patriotic
body-composed, it is said, exclusively of persons
anxious to serve their country-coerced, partly, by
an inability to nominate any one else, and deluded
by the idea that his obscurity would render HIN
available, brought him before the country as fit
person to fill its highest Office. There is something
in the unknown W hich has q charm about it, which
gives wide-sweep to the imagination and fills
the soul with vague and underlined Desires 1t is
pleasant to ramble in its virgin and hitherto ul-
explored domains and chase the brilliant creations
of the fancy. But that the Imagination should con-
tinue tn have full play, the obscurty must be pre-
served, the curtain must not be lifted. The veil
being raised the sweet illusion yanishes.
Such has proved to be the case with respect to
the Locofoco nominee. Like Mokanna, while
shrouded with an mpenetrable veil, he was God
to be worshipped but when stript of that he stands
forth, if nota monster of hideous deformty, yet of
features neither attractive nor adorable.
| Before the records were explored, he was re-
presented as the hero of the Mexican war; and if
~, ,,,t,,
| ages, before pen and ink were known, he might
have been borne down to posterity, on the wings
of tradition, very Theseus in personal proves
and chivalrous feats. But his own dispatches and
those of the commanding General and eye-wit-
nesses, dissipate the magnifying fogs and expose
the great unknown in the vulgar and unheroic ca
pacity of "fainting Frank" His Legislative career,
upon being analysed, is found destitute Of use
fulneS as his military is of glory.
His neisLbors 90 farther and tell us that, while
as q hero and statesman, there is nothing in him to
admire commend, his private life is not free from
blemishes. There those who say that habits OF
intemperance constitute no objection TO candidate
for high office. We are not of the number. We
know of nothing which, more completely, disquall-
fes man, for the discharge OF important and deli
cate duties, than habitual intoxcation. He may
be honest and patriotic, he may possess towering
intellect; but all avail nothing, if counteracted by
the disgusting habit Of drunkness. We hear tales
of the gaming table and gambling debts unpaid; but
they of no consequence with the pious souls
who were shocked at Mr.. Clays playing game OF
whist, or J. Q. Adams having billiard table in his
house. And then, shrewd CANISTER might make
an able public officer; but drunkard is fit fol
| ;ny in I'd, cr.,,inu