Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1852-08-25
General F. PIERCE, Concord, N. H.
CONCORD, N. H., July %, 1856

CONCORD, N. H., July %. 1852.
My DEAR SIR: Surrounded by pressing engage
ments, seize the earliest opportunity to reply to
your letter of the 18th instant. | much regret that
any thing connected with myself should have been
the cause of disagreement between you and gentle
men with whom you have been associated in the edi-
toral department of the Southern Press do not re-
member ever to have seen what purports to be re-
port of speech delivered by me at New Boston, in
this State, in January last, until my attention was
called it republished in the Republic. The pre-
tended report is, and presume was designed to be,
an entire misrepresentation. IL is not merely un-
truthful, but is grossly and absurdy false TO
render, in this vicinity, any denial of Its authentci
ty entirely unnecessary. The two papers quoted
the Independent Democrat published in this place,
and the Democrat published in Manchester-are tho
roughly abolition journals; and have been and are
zealousIy opposed to the Democratic party. For d
long time prior TO the meeting at New Boston, and
ever since, they have been unsparng in their attacks
upon personally, and in their bitter denunclalon
of what they have been pleased 10 term proslave
~ sentiments. But it would be something new for
either of these papers to deny the consistency OF my
opinions upon the subject of the constitutional rights
of the South in relation to slavery. My opinions and
the avoWal of them have been everywhere the same.
Ever mindful of the difficulties and dangers which
so long brooded over the assembage OF wise men
and pure patriots to whose spirit of concession and
earnest efforts are indebted for the Constitution
under which have enjoyed such signal prosperity,
advancement, and happiness, 1 have regarded the
subject vital and delicate to be used as an ee-
ment of sectional appeal in party conflicts. My ac-
lion and my language in New Hampshire, touching
this matter have been at all times and under all cir
cumstances in entire accordance with my action and
language at Washington. My votes in the Senate
and H House of Representatives were not rePublished
in the Era for the first time. They have been again
and again paraded to arouse the passions and preju-
dices Of our people against me individually, and
against the party with which it has been my pride
and pleasure to act. There has been attempt to
evade the fcrce of the record. 1t has been at all times
cd md
grounds satisfactory TO my own mind. am not sur
prised to know that the attempt TO prove me abo-
litonist provokes much merriment among men OF all
parties here and this weak and untruhfu sketch of
what purports be my speech, is really too rldIcu-
lous to be considered in any serious light.
/ | am daily in The receipt of letters, propoundlng
the greatest variety of curious questions, upon all
conceivable subjects. Letters of this character can
not be answered, of course. No individual could
command either the time strength the herculean
task would require. l may add, that such cores
pondence would by no means comport with my views
of duty. The Democratic party sent Its delegates TO
Baltimore alone to nominate candidates, but to
rea rm principles and to present the leading issues
upon which the canvass should be conducted.
I If l could deem myself capable of improving the
platform adopted, it is quite certain that should
Decline either the call of individuals or assoca-
ons, to incur the charge of arrogance to which any
attempt to alter amend, enlarge It, would lnevia-
. bly, subject me,