Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-02-14
FORMER OPINIONS OF Mr.. pIKRCE


The following opinions, formerly held by
President Pierce, will be read with some inter-
est at tho present crisis:
He had only to say now, what he had al
ways said, that he regarded Slavery as one OF
the greatest moral and social eyils--a curse
upon the whole country, and this he believed
to be the sentiment Of all men, of all parties,
at the North.
He was free to admit that he had himself
approached this subject of annexation (of Tex
as) with all his prejudioes and prepossessions
against 1t, and on one ground alone--its Sla-
very feature. His convictions on this subject
were, as had been stated, strong---not the re-
suit Of any new light, but deeply fixed and
abiding. The only difficulty in his mind ever
had been, that of a recognition by any new
act Of our Government Of the institution Of do
mestic Slavery, and he had found il extremely
difficult to bring his mind to q condition i'm
partially to weigh the argument for and against
the measure n-lGen. Pierce's speech in reply
to John P. Hale, Mt the North Church, in Con-
cord, June s, l845, as reported In the New
Hampshire Patriot Of June IL, 1845
"The Democracy Of the North never did en-.
dorse the doctrine, (uf Cass's Nicholson letter.
and they never will The Democracy Of this
State are unanimous in the opinion, SO far as
we know, that Congress has and should exer-
cise the power, and exclude Slavery from Cali
fornia and New Mexico. IN H. Patriot, July
81, l849
~ would take the ground on the non-exten-
sion Of Slavery--that Slavery should not be-
come stronger. But Congress have only re.en.
acted the old law of 1898 Union loving mon,
desiring peace and loving their country, CON,
ceded that point--unwillingl conceded il, and,
planting themselves upon this law against the
outburst Of popular feeling, resisted the agita-
ton which is assaulting all who stand up for
their country. But the gentleman says that
the law is obnoxious! What single thing is
there connected with Slavery that is not OBJ
noxions? Even the gentleman from Marlboro
Dr.. Batcheller, an ultra Abolitionist cannot
feel more deeply than | do on this subject
&c-[Gen. Pierce's speech in the New Hamp-
shire Constitutional Convention, Jan. |, 1851.
SOUTH HADLEY, Mass, Feb. Z, 1854.
TO the Editor OF tie National Era.
notice from the Fro and other papers that
the perfdy Of the slaveholding interest, as ex-
hibited in the design to discard the Missouri
Compromise, is exciting very general opposition
in the free States This is what might have
been expected. Shareholders certainly verify
the sayings Of the ancients, Whom the Gods
would destroy, they first make mad. For evi-
dence, 90 back to the time Of Southern con-
spiracy against Mexico, by colonizing and
taking possession Of Texas, the consequent war
which brought into the Union the vast gold
fields of California, and one free State to bal
ance Texas besides an extensive region where
Slavery can never compete with free labor,
unless its growth is quickened by Govern
mental hot house, which at present appears to
be the design Of certain politicians. The re-
coil upon that slave extension conspiracy is not
yet fully developed, nor will it be until the two
railroads to the Pacific the central and the
Northern, are built, which take to be fixed
fact Those roads are wanted to accommodate
the transit created by the settlement on the
Pacific coast, consequent upon our acquisitions
from Mexico. Those roads, when built, will
create chains of settlements across the CONT
nent, forming bond Of union between the
East and West, win receive and distribute the
emigration from Europe and ASIA and be filed
up with q population that from their occupa-
ton, will be much less likely to be influenced
by Union SAVING meetings than the merchants
Of New York or manufacturers of Boston.
That population, looking hack to the repeal Of
the Missouri Compromise, will feel absolved
from all obligation to the South will make this
Government what it should be--a free Rspsb-
hc IN every sense.
wish you to examine that heap Of meal in
the Senate. Is there not cat under it Why
does the South agitate at this time? Is it not
to cover up some foul conspiracy? 1t is not
improbable that they design by this move to
bring the North to consent to build them a
railroad on the Southern route, as the means
Of saving the Union, by allaying the Slavery
agitation which they are creating for this OBJ
ject and hope thus to defeat at least for the
present the Northern route. | trust the North
crn members in Congress will have good sense
enough not to be caught in this way. Let
them look to the interest Of their constituency,
and at once pass bill organizing Nebraska
upon the free principle. Then they will be
able to get road that will accommodate the
business of the nation