The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1862-04-11
FRANKLIN PIERCE AND THEK. G.. CTS
The Secret Letter q Practical Joke.

AtiS SorrSePondcncc lald Uelole INC seIatc ny
Secretary SEWARD, i'll compliance with the rcso-
luton offered by Mr.. LATHAM and adopted by
that body, has been published in Official form.
One letter from eX-F lesident PIERCE, dated Jan
uary Z, and addressed to Mir. SEWARD, but not
included in the copies sent to the Senate, was
placed upon the record by Mr.. LATHAM.
The correspondence began Oil the 10th De-
ccmber, 1851, with the following note from Mr..
SEWARD to Mr. PIERCE, requesting an cxpla-
nation concerning the eX-President's connection
with Il secret league =
''DEpARTMENr OF STATE,
WASHINGTON, Decembep20, 1861.
HSIR:--I enclose an extract from q letter re-
ceived al. this department, from which it would
appear that you were q member OF secret
league the object OF which is to overthrow the
Government.
Amy explanation upon the subject which you
may offer would be acceptable.
Il am, g., WILLIAM II. SEWARD.
''t'EANKLlH PIERCE, Esq, Concord \. II.
Mr.. PIERCE replied in the following sharp let
Mr.. PIERCE to Mr.. SEWARD
''.ASDovER, Mass, December 2l, 1861
'c.N ~ lilNNttS1c. tiIlbISSN bSDilltiiNHt vi
State L. 5. A., ,iianked W, NcNTEH, Chief
Clerk, and addressed to FHASK!IS PiEgCE, Esq,
Concord New Hampshire, was received by me to-
day, having been forwarded from the place OF
my residence. But for the stamped envelope
and the handwriting OF Mr.. Hunter, with
which | am familiar, / should probably have re-
garded the enclosure as an idle attempt NJ impo-
sition, in which your name had been surrcpii-
!iously used. must, suppose, though / do
it reluctantly, now view it in different light.
In the note bearing your signature, you say
Il enclose an extract from Il letter received al
this Department, from which it would appear
that you are member Of Il secret league, the
object ofwliich is to overthrow this Government.
Any explanation upon the subject which yea
may offer would be acceptable
III is not easy 10 conceive how any pclsoa
couli give credence to, or entertain tor "a mo
ment, the idea .hatI am now, or have even
been, connected with n 'ieaguc, or with aal
league the object of which was, or Is, the over.
throw of the Government of my country. Sur
plisc, however, only increases as l pass from
your note to extract to which you refer as
sufficient basis for an official communication
lncohcrcnt and mcalngless as this extract
from the vagaries OF an anonymous correspon-
dent seems 10 me TO be, it is not little singular
that it should have been sent for explanation tc
one who, during his whole lie, has never belong.
ed TO any secret league, society or association
My name does not appear in the extract and
as there s not the slightest ground for any refer,
ence to nee in the connection Indicated / take
| it for granted that your inference is wholly eI-
roneous, and that neither |, nor anything which
ever said or did, was in the mind Of the wri
ter.
''Nothing bqt the gravity of the insinuatioa,
the high official source whence it emanates, and
the distracted condition Of our recently united,
prosperous, and happy country, could possibly
lift this matter above riticu!e and contempt
Not therefore because explanations would be
acceptable, but because this correspondence is
to hold a plaesnpon hefiics Of tho Department
| of State long beyond the duration Of your Isa