Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-02-18


Aa0lmssssosSon.
But y few days intervene when
Franklin Pierce will lay aside the exc
cutive apparel with which he has been
clothed for four cventfnl years, and
come down from that lofty place Of
honor, which it is more desirable "a
occupy than is the throne Of the great
En-: monarch Of the greatest nation o,
Europe, or Of the world. From being
President Of the United States. he will
become plain citizen, Of a country
where citizens are sovcrcigns. and tho
highest in official power are the ser.
wants selected to execute the public
will. In this event SO soon 70 occur
we deem It not unhecoming or untimc.
" in ne TO review the Administration
OF Franklin Pierce. and If possible mr..
rive At the truth respecting the good
A. evil influences which his official act.
have evolved and established
There have been few Presidents d
THIS country who have been so bitterly
aasaiIcd rs Mr.. Pierce has been COR the
'ast three wears. The breaking up ri
'hc late Wing party. prepared The
wav for corrupt political dcmagorucs,
10 thrust themselves forward in the
van Of some Of the factions arisino
from the grave of Whirccrv. and each
one Of these leaders aiming Mt per
aonal honor. and notorietv. and a,nh-
t'ona OF coming forth from ohscuri.v
Thought that the highest recommcn-
dat'on Of fitness for leaders. consisted
in foul and mcnAacions ahnse or crcry.
net of Mr.. Picrce's Administration
Taking their che from the "Sa,anic
Press--whose chief Editor Ind been
enraged by the refusal or Pierce 10 Dis
grace this country hv appointing him
Ambassador to France. They hest
tated at no libel that ma,'ec could in
rrnt, and NJ no ms. statements of The
Executives acts, that cunning and I'M
blushiro nniacitv could l,e;.a md
nuhlish. in the columns of ,c.al ia,r.
mails. The partizan pulpit hurled It's
anathemas ut his head. and denounced
him in language which Satan would
not dare 10 inter ont Of his own infer
nal regions. For a time. factional aro
was intense and deadly. Know Moth
ings became more numerous and pow
erfnl than any other faction, and would
have swallowed up all others. but for
the voice Of the seer of Aholi'ionism.
William II. Seward, and the protest of
his official journal. the Nem York 7ri-
6mnr. Then fierce struggle OF the
conservative and radical elements Of
e X. N. party took place, the Radi-
Gals assuming the names of Rcpuhli
cans, and the Conservatives or Nation
ais, retaining the name ofknow Moth
ings. Both OF these factions hated and
,espised each other, but both united
in warning upon the Democracy, and
the President Of the United States
The introduction Of the Kansas Ne
braska Act was the signal for rally
ing Of the Radicals upon platform OF
opposition to that measure. on the plea
thatit was repeal ofthc Missouri Com
promise line, which they had so bitter
" assaulted ever since il had been a law.
This gave the Radicals the advantage
over the Conservatives. and from that
time the Radicals rapidly increased and
ultimately gained the asccndcncy in
nearly every Northern State. 1t alb
sorbed all the abolition, disunion, and
intensely radical factions, while it re-
tanned many Conservatives who disap-
proved Of "a repeal Of the Missouri Com
promise line. The heavens fairly
turned black with the curses that were
hurled at Pierce and Douglass. The
Compromise was suddenly found to be
Sacred Compact, and the aid ofmn-
isten Of the Gospel was invoked by the
opposition journals, to prevent what
they said would be a great outrage
and those who assisted in its consun.
nation - traitors, villains, and fit on
y for the dungeon, the gibbet, and the
faggot.
A large, well meaning, but unread
ing and unthinking portion Of the Re-
publicans believed in the insane ra-
vimgs and mock heroics Of their leaders,
and the waves Of sectional hate ran
high and strong, threatening to engulf
the Union in = war for that, Of which,
(ev fully understood the real meaning
aad dssiCn. The passage Of the Act
- ~ sigaal ct fartAir agitation. and