Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1861-05-02
NUMBER 18
EX-PRESIDENT PIERCE ON THE
CRISIS.

CoNcORD, April, 2t.-Ex President
Pierce made the following speech, from
the balcony ofthc Eagle Hotel, to a mass
meeting last night:
FH~~ Citizens and NcighJors-TfI I
had been npprised of your meeting last
night seasonably, should have been
present, But the notice did not reach
me till this morning. | wish to say in
advance, that since my arrival here the
reao utions which you have passed have
been read to me, and have my cordial
approval. You call for me, nv friends,
as lovers of our country and of the bless
ed Union which our forefathers trans
mltted to us on an occasion more grave.
more momontuous, and more deeply
fraught with painful emotions than any
under which | have ever addressed YOU.
But rejoice that that flag (pointing to
the flag of the United States) floats there
Cheers Love for the Gag of our coun-
try is sentiment common to us all: at
least to my heart it is no new emotion.
My father followed it from the battle of
Bunker Hill uninterruptedly till the en-
emy evacuated New York in 1888. Nv
brothers were with the gallant men who
upheld 1T in the war of 1872 Can |,
can you fail to remember how proudly
II 1oGted at more recent date, from
Palo Alto to Buena Vista, Oh one line
of operation. from the castle Of San Ju-
an D'ulioa to the city of Mexico on an
other. Never can we forget that the
gallant men of the North and of the
South moved together like band of
brothers, and mingled their blood on
many field in the common cause. Can
|, If | would, feel other than the pro-
foundest sadness when I see that those
who so often stood shoulder to shoulder
III the face of foreign foes are now in i'm
mlnent danger of standing face to face
as the foes af each other. But they
should have thought of this as well as
me. at all evsnts there is no time now
to consult our feelings. The question
has resolved itsslf into one of patriotism
and stern duty. We cannot fail to see
what the nature of the contest is to be,
and, to some limited extent, the fearful
ness OF the progress and consequences.
We must not, however, turn our faces
from them, because the true way to meet
is to see 1t clearly, and to encounter it
on the advance. Applause |, for
one, VIII never cease to hope, as long as
the tratricidal strife is not more fully
developed than at the present time, that
some event, some power, may yet inter
venc to save US from the worst calamity
that ever depended over a nation. The
opinions of many of the vast crowd
before me with regard to the cause which
has produced the present condition of
public affairs, are known to me and mine
are well known to you. do not believe
aggression by arms is u suitable Or Dos
slble remedy for the existing evils s.
Still, neither of these matters ought to
considered now. They may be well wal
ved--nay, they must be-until we have
seen each other through our present tri..
ais and future dangers. Should the hone
which L have expressed not be realized,
which may bcniicent Providence for
bld' and war of aggression is to be wa
ged against the national capital and the
North, then there is no way for US, as
citizens of the old thirteen States, but
to stand together and uphold the flag to
the last, with all the rights that pertain
to it, and with the fidelity and endurance
OF brave men. ! would counsel you to
stand together with one mind and one
heaTt-cam, faithful, and determined.
But give no countcnance to passion and
violence, which are really unjust, and
often IN periods like these the harbingcrs
of domestic strife BE just to yourselves,
just to others, true TO your country, and
may God, who has 50 signally blessed
our fathers generally, interpose in this
hour Of clouds and darkness, and save
both cXtremites of the country,and cause
the Old flag to be upheld by all hands
and ali hearts. Born in the State of
New liamshire, | intend here shall re-
pose my bones, I would not live in a
state the rights and honor of which I
was not prepared to defend OF all haz-
ards and to the last extremity. Cheers
and applause.