The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-11-04
Assaults upon the President's Personal Charac
ter.


], requires no extraordinary acquaintance with the laws
Of fral human nature understand their influence upon
the conduct OF politicians in whose ambitious aspirations
democracy Of such may always be measured by their
personal interests, and YET they frequently acquire the
reputation OF model patriots by the loudness and vehe-
mence Of their democratic professions We have made
part OF business OF late 10 prick The airy bubbles
which some of these clamoous patriots had blown up for
the deceplious purpose of imposing upon conhding
people Tbs mask has been dropped by the leading
spiraoIs, and they come forward TO wage warfare
upon the personal character OF President Pierce We
have known from the beginning that the disorganizers
would be driven by the circumstances of the this
issue last desperate resort We saw n the personal
character Of President Pierce obstacle to their
which could only be overcome by undermining Il with
nsdous caumny, crushing it With reckless abuse We
believed that there were men in the conspiracy capable
OF perpetrang either crime. and the sequel has proved
that we did not misjudge them.
There was single fact announced TO the country ST.
msl,aneousy with The nomination OF Gen. Pierce which
invested his with moral power that secured the
hearts Of the people from The very outset OF the
that fact was. that the nomnalea sought him, and not
he the nomination. II known throughout, the
try that his State had rendered TO him the honor OF
presenting his for the presidency, and was known
that be had publicly declined be recognised
prant When therefore the convention conferred upon
him TIE nomination, ii was hailed throughout the Union
as the highest compliment to unambi,ioas and modest
worth that could have been bestowed. Impressed ioci
bly, with this feature his personal character. the demo-
cratic masses cheerully and promptly extended 10 him
~
They loved him and con6ded in him, not simply because
he was democrat but because they believed that The
nomination. was voluntary tribute TO his personal, po-
ltical and moral virtues. Every word and every act Of
his that came before the public from the day OF his nom
nation down to the day Of his inauguration, confirm
ed the exalted opinion which the people had formed as
TO his personal character and gave strength and perma
nency to the confidence which they felt in his integrity.
his wisdom, bis intelligence, his modesty his disinier
estedness, and his patriotism.
The organization which now exists for the overthrow
of The administration had it's origin when the cabinet
was announced and from that day TO this personal dis
appointment and selfish ambition have been actively but
secretly at work spread The poison of disaecon l,
now apparent however that the personal character OF
the President and the confidence 10 his personal virtues
cherished by the masses, constitute bulwark 10 his
administration which must render it impregnable so long
as that bulwak stands The efforts. first directed against
the supposed organ OF The administration, and next
against the cabinet, have proved abortve- have
only illustrated the strength and unity OF the admins,ra
uou and exhibited the undimnished confidence OF the
people 10 the President Rebuk.d by The po,en, of
the tue democracy in every State, and repealed by the
prudence hrmness and patriotism OF the President and
his constitutional advisers the conspraios have become
desperate and resolved stake the issue upon the de-
suc,on OF the private and personal character OF the
President.
Edmund Burke plays the part OF domestic coAspiraior,
and, to make his treason effective, he deems il important
President, To him seems to be assigned the work of un.
derminng the per sonal character OF his victim willis,
Mr. Cooley aided by Mr.. Brady. is the citadel
by open assaults Mr. Burke is a shrewd politician. and
understands the necessity, in the Accomplishment, OF his
purposes. OF destroying that personal standing which
cures the Presden, The affections and confidence OF the
people He not TO preserve for himself reputation
for purity and integrity il be bu, involve the cbarac-
ter OF General Pierce in ruin To this end he has under
taken TO give history of the nomination OF President
Pierce and n that history he unblushiogly makes him
self The hero OF base intrigue, which utterly dsceds
him a politician and q OF candor and in,eg.
ri,y He imphca,es no, only the particular friends OF Gen
Pierce in New Hampshire, but boldly asserts that Gen
Pierce himself was cooperating 10 his designs A
single paragraph from his publication will show the
character OF the intrigue and the object for which Mr.
Burke makes it public. Speaking Of meeting OF the
New Hampshire delegates shortly before the Baltimore
Convention, he says;
AT that time Gea Pierce expressed hi. desire our
dele gston should its unanimously any one
cand date before the ntion. The he assigned
was in consequences Of the high character Tor fidelity
prime pie which the democracy OF New Hsmpshre
joyed among ther brshren OF the Union tho united
OF her delegation, though sms would have greater
OF deles larger In nu m
bers and IL given for any leading csndids,e outset
would sndangor the ultimate end we bad In view
ave then went to Baltimore, having. weeks pre-
viou engaged entire at the En-.
Honse Of the best hotels in that city The con.
venion assembled and throughout i session exerted
every energy carry out the wishes Of Gen Pierce"
this oil be true 10 clear that the country has be
grossly deceived in regarding Gen Pierce az an open.
frank, candid, unambitious On the contrary Mr.
Burtes statement, If true, utterly destroys that amaole
feature his character which very much OF bis popu-
lay is based. Bat Mr. Burkes statement stands alone
and r. Burke's own details discredi, him as witness
except as against himself We have sufficient familiar
" with the facts enable with entire confidence
brand the statement reckless fabrication 80 far as il
duplicates General Pierce and his real friends in New
plca,ed, will forward and ps, their heel upon the