Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1852-08-18

PIERCE as one offs members. and that the
convention unanimously adopted resolution
declaring "that the holding Of human beings an
bondage is a curse TO any cOUntry; that zoe are
opposed 10 siurery. bla,k or n ate, IN all ats
forms, and under whatecer circumstances. -
Now, here are three instances selected not
from journals personally hostile to General
PIERCE. but from quarters known to be per
sonaly friendly 10 hun. And each instance
affords strong collateral testimony in favor of
the accuracy of Mr.. Fosss report of the New
Boston speech, and against Gen. PIERcE's
averment that bis "opinlons and the avowal oil
them" have uniformly agreed with his opinions
as expressed at Washington. The presumpf-
ion Is that the General PIERCE who "deplored"
slavery in 1916. and "hatcd" it In 1850 may
have also "loathed" it in 1852
The probabilities against Gen. PIERCE
on another ground. The Manchester Union
Democrat, friendly print, in its outline of his
New Boston speech, reports that he spoke of
slavery as having been introduced into this
country "dgainSt tie moral sense ofhe WorId,"
and the Nashua Gazette, which is also friend
ly. reports his vidnication Of the Fugitive law
as resting upon the fact that it "embraces no
single P1anct le mare obnorious tothe North
Man tie FVgitiUe Stare iat0 If 1893"
To give full weight to his present letter. lis
necessary, then. that Gen PIERCE should show
that the records of the State Conventions have
been iaIslfed to its prejudice-that his own
organ, the New Hampshire Patriot, publish.
ed at Concord, has wil!ully misrepiesented
him-and that two other friendly journals en-.
tered into conspiracy with TWO aboli.
ton journals for the purpose of placing him
in false position before the country.
Even this Is not all that is necessary. The
records of New Hampshire prove that for a
series of years the Democracy of that State
took advantage Of every opportunity to reaf-
firm their hostility to slavery. and their unabat.
ed determination 10 enforce the Wilmot proyi-
So They did this at their public meetings, in
their State Conventions in their Legislature,
and through their delegations In Congress-
So far as we know it isnot alleged that at any
portion of this period General PIERCE vas at
varia ce with his party in the State. On the
contrary, 1t IS known that he acted with them;
and though admit that for the heresies Of
individual members Of the party he is in no re-
spect responsible, we are yet constrained TO
feel that he shares the responsibility OF the ac-
tlon oil the parry IN It's aggregate capacity, so
lar as he is known to have participated in it.
General PIERCE appeals to his votes in the
Senate and House Of Representatives to dis
prove the charge of utIering Freesoil senti-
ments We cannot be suspected of having
done hIn justice In reference to these portions
ofhis public life. In our notice of his public
character, written on the day after his nomina-
ton at Baltimore, We expressed an opinion that
he was sound upon the slavery question. We
formed the opinion upon Congressional docn-
at | ii, ell l. e. r
1t. 1t has since transpired that. in our hurried
search. we omitted his vote against the act Tau
thonzlng Edmund Brooke to remove to the
District of Columbia two slaves, owned by
hun PRIOR to his removal from Virginia"
Notes in the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatlves" are good as far as they go, but
they are not sufficient to rebut evidence of
contrary votes and speeches in another section
OF the country The question Just now is, not
what General PIERCE said and how he voted
at Washington but what he said and what he
did IN New Hampshire; and on that question
we still contend that the balance of testimony
IS against him. It's against him alike on the
specific issue raised by the New Boston speech
and on the general Issue touching his faction
and language in the North.
In saying this we have no intention to i'm
pugn the honor and sincerity Of General
PIERCE. The apparent frankness ofhis letter
is something in his favor and we are willing to
believe that his personal character as man
apart from the politicians not less so. But
private excellence Is not reason for sitting
inquiry into public conduct nor is letter that
is apparently frank sufficient to overthrow
chain of reasoning based upon admitted facts
and strengthened by the every day probabiIi-
lies of life
Another Gum Spiked!