Washington sentinel., 1853-10-19
From the Boston Post
THE ADMINISTRATION OF GENERAL
PIERCE--REPLY TO PUTNAM.

cious ambition have prostrated numbers OF bril-
liant and distinguished men. Some have been
attracted by the mere lust of gold, others by
the allurements of aristocratic society, others
by the distinctions of elevated office. Many
have forgotten their God and their country III
moment Of disappointment. and many, ami
mated bv the determination to avengc snppo-
stitious wrongs, have plunged into course OF
treachery no less fatal TO themselves than hu-
initiating to their associates and friends. 1t is
sadly memorable that among the first TO con-
tradict that philosophy, which regards vir-
tuous and an honorable name as the chief in
centive to human exertion, have been some of
those who have contributed the best creations
of their own minds To its powerful Illustration.
The great truths which no power can finally
overthrow are thus made temporarily inetfec-
tive, by the short comings of those to whom
thousands of their fellow beings turn for light
and hope in their progress through life.
We have been led into this train of thought
after reading, with some care, an article in the
September number Of Putnam's Magazine,
New York monthly, pretending to be neutral,
but, like many of that class OF publications,
always against progressive and democratic
principles. This production is entitled "Our
new President and, judging from the long
Indictment Of the writer, it might easily be sup
posed to include the acts of an executive, who,
instead of being on the threshold OF deiinitive
policy, and not vet in communication with the
peoples representatives was about 10 pass into
private life after service of at least eight
years as Chief Magistrate. Although written
with the polish and plausibility Of practised
reviewer, the tone of this elaborated accusation
relieves it of the character Of serious and
well grounded attack upon the administration.
The atfectation of fairness is established BY its
badly disguised aclimony. and the advertise
ment not to mutilate the truth, is repeatedly
answered by the most glarlng and startling
contradictions and Misrepresentation. Every
view Of the performance proves it to be the
work of an able, but, at the same time, a mis-
guided, malignant, and disappointed man. 1t
is, in many respects. a history of the wrongs,
imaginary or otherwise, which he, or some other
ANONYMOUS victim, has suffered in the way of
losing office We think we could, without
much difficulty, name the inventor Of the dia-
tribe. But that is unnecessary. No adversary
can ever be formidable who fights his own cause
from ambush, especially when in SO doing he
EMPLOYS weapons which brave, just, and sin.
cerc man would repudiate with scorn. .
We propose some remarks upon such por-
tions of this carefully concocted assault. the
more fully to expose the line of attack of the
author, and the disreputable expelients to
which he resorts, for the purpose of depreci-
ating the administration of Gen. Pierce.
After proceeding to enumerate certain grave
and weighty questions, upon which he expected
1.-THE government to take conspicuous and
decided stand" he exclaims:
"The administration Of Mr.. Pierce, though it
has been eight months in power. has made no
formal declaration Of its policy, and care not
therefore criticize it i'll respect to the questions
we have Indicated"
Our reviewer begins his indictment with a
distinct and palpable untruth thus showing at
the outset his determination to do wanton in
justice. When this article for Putnam was
! written and printed, the administration Of Gen
! eral Pierce had been in power q little more
| than five months: and when Putnam, for Sep
tember, was published, six months had not
rolled by since his Inauguration! Two or three
months Of positive falsehood are nothing. il
is true, to an ordinary newspaper scribbler, bu,
in writer protesting to be gcnteel and gtner
Gus, the addition Of that much time to the shor,
|
is vulgar trick. neither calculated to dignity
his arguments or to strengthen his assertions
But he is resolved to be consistent as well in the
gross mis-statement Of facts. known to every
body. as in the fairness of his reasoning. 1t is
| true that General Pierce has made ''no formal
declaration of his poicy;' and every schooboy
| knows WHY. When he took possession of the
reins of the government Congress was not in
session, and he could not make, even had he
desired to make, any such declaration as he is
here malignantly, and let US add. shamelesslv,
censured for not doing. The only way to char
acterize logic and misrepresentation like this
is to class it as the work Of one who is either
knave or fool
Now, i'll this short paragraph, we have one
direct Misrepresentation, and an unconscious
confession of the meanest injustice that could
; be perpetrated But there is another aspect
| in which to consider the objections Of our re-
viewer, as set forth in his article. While he
knew that the . formal declaration which he
complains was not made, could not be made,
he carefully suppresses the fact, notorious to all
American citizens, that the President and his
cabinet have been engaged i'll close almost con-
slant, and certainly laborous, and patient dis
| cussions of great queStions-discussions which
| could not necessarily or safely be laid before
the public. The object Of this writer, how
ever, is not to give credit where credit is due.
but to assert to falsify. and to suppress. as cir
| cumstances require.
| Following this passage we have a very false
and ilippant allasion to the inaugural address
and this, strange to say, immediately after he
has complained that there has been no formal
declaration Of policy on the part of the Presi.
dent We give his own words
THE inaugural address was well enough in its
way; for nothing is expected Of thar formahty
but common place congratulations and vague gen
eralities. nobody was disappointed
In fifty years, no inital-address by any Pres
idcnt has excited so much feeling as the inaus
gural of President Pierce. 1t struck chord
in the popular heart that Hibrated from one ex.
IRENE Of the Union to the other Men of all
| par'ie: applauded it and even those who diff.
Tered from many Of its suggestions were i'm
pressed by its boldness and its emphasis. II was
not only not commonplace, but il was estimated
I IN the highest quarters as epinently original
one OF Inc supposed vague generalities, ac
cording to the writer in Putnam. in the inau
2ural Of the President We copy as follows: