The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-05-07
The Sewarc-Pierce Correspondence
the Federal Secretary In a Tight
Place.
from tbe Louis vile Journal. I

was a practical joks which hs played of
thoushtiess Ct the CONSEQUENCE. upon the Do:
t:oit press. The anewer came In - way he did
rot cxpec', for. after ths lapse OF some weeks,
he was arrested es a traitor The anonymous
,atter was sent TO tAe state Department, and
Is the iriuais of President Pierce's name
were In IL, n letter WIS VI isvsn TO him frcm
that Department as follows:
DsPARrHsSr OF STATE.
WAsHIEaToE, Uece mber 90, 1851.
Sir Il enclose "a extrsC: from a letter re-
ceiTea OF THIS department. from which IT
would appear that you were member of u
secret ls Sae the OBJ sct Of which ls 10 over.
throw the Government.
ALy explanation upon ths snbisct which
you may oHsl would be acceptable.
lam, etc
WILLIAM II sswAgD.
FEAe Kiln PIERcs, s.eq I opcord, ". Il.
Tha extract refer red to vas rs follows:
NORTH BRANCH DC Cber 5, 1881
President Pa, IA h's passage, has drawn
may Grave so 'Lflsn iai men to the league.
DR. -, tby K, ths Mo-mcn eider,)
:7ho, as fcu perhaps W, is jast scross the
'iha from PoTs Il. The le0sue Is doing
,.ooiy Is Ii, l. and Wis Eei. cautious, bas.
L. common with here, is gradually spar
ing the minds of the people tor Il great change
he expr s.es u tear that any attempt 10 draft
nen viii produce a pre- nature outbreak l
think his fear Is we'll founded membsr OF
lie !saSue ID Gsnesee, who passed through
the woods Oh his way with dispatches to Ur
p, tcld that any attempt to draft cur
l think our leaders shou.d look TO this, 8. no
doubt they VIII
Yours, In the cause,
ICabilistic signs J
Mr. Pierce resented tao no.e from the De.
paItmsLt, and Wfoti tno following reply:
AEDoyEa, Y: ss., Zee n 1851,
SG:-A package indorsed Department CT
Stste. u. Il - franksd ,.y " Hunter, chizt
c.sSk, ard addressed ~ Franklin Pi.rcs, Esq
Concord, tsew Hampshire, was received by
NE ts.day, having DseI forwarded from he
place OF my residence. Bat for he ssampeI
envelops and the Handwriting Of MIR hunter,
with which am familiar. I should probabl,
havs regarded the enclosures as "a Idle at
TEN mpt ~ i'm position, /. which your anne had
been "a .rephtiousiy used. must, suppose,
III ugh DO so TelUo:an.Iy, now view IL IN a
fsrant light Ia the o 80 bearing your Sig.
.urs, you sag, L" enc oss aA extract from
a letter received ct this depar .Relt, from
| which IL would appear hat you are rcs
Der Of q secret leag ue, the j9ct OF which Is
10 overthrow this Govern ment; any expla.
nation upon he su oiecs which you may cTcr
would ts acceptable
Il is not easy 20 conceive how any psrson
would give cIeda1u9 10 or entertaiQ tor mo.
meNt he idea that sm now, or have ever
| psen, connec cd with n ''se:re: :e1gue,' or
| wi eny league The ciJ3ct OF which was, or
| IL, The overthrow OF the Government OF my
| ccau.ry. Surprise, how1ver. only increases
| Us pass from ysur Gots to tho extract" TO
| wnich you F'f'r as . hu fdcient nasis for an
| official commu niea, ,ioa. Iaccherent and
| res or al aaonj IN Us correspondent see ms
30 me TO Or, II :s uot = Little sit uguia that 1t
| should We hsea sent for explain alton to on.
woo Gnri & hiE whole life n IS never belonged
| ;o any sec ct league, society sssoclation --
riy nE;Ge does no. appsar In the "extract,"
! AID as here Is not The slishtes. ground for
| Any TeferenCs 10 nse Ia tie connection iEdica-
| :ed, take,s for granted that = ur inference
| Is waoliy eTroRsous, Gad lhltS neither nor
| aayta,i s eySr said or dad was in ,he m: nd
| OF he writer
/ NoGniuR s,u. the Srs vity nf tns indiana ,;o,
| tbs high official soutcs Whsnc3 It emauates
! aAd he distrsc ed CONDITION OF our recent
united, prosper Gus. END happy country, could
| possibly litt this matter aoors rtdicule and
| contempt Not, thers.ors. because 'sxpiena.
| Ilons would be acceptable" out because this
correspondence e is 20 mold placs upon the IL, 8
Of the Department. 81 5 ats long bsyond the
| duration Of yonr life and mire, ani because I
| would leave, so rG- &c am concerned, ne
smoieuiIy npon the record, ii is proper per.
hays it is my duty, 10 adt that my loyalty
| WAL never be successfully impugned SO lone
/ Ss / ELI y rHe constitutional rights which
| pertain 10 every citizen Of the repaolic, az d
| osT eclaliy the inestimabie right TO be in form
| ed of the nature and cause OF accusation, ard
| to be coifror led face TO face wsrh my accusers
Loye for our whole country, respect for The
/ Reserved rights OF the Gta.es, reverence fol
the CONSTITUTION. and devotion 10 the nobls
| Union, watch for 80 many years reposed So
| cureiy upon II at sacred in strument have aees
| Intel lvsven Win my beat hopes for civil
| liberty my deepest emotion. and my sternes
i
am, sir, vouI obed't serv'r.
| FRANKLIE PIERCE
| Hon Wm. e Seward, Secretary OF State, Wash
1 ihgtCn, u y.
Mr. Seward Iejoined as follows:
WAsHIsaros, Dec. 80, 1861.
l My Dear Sir An injurious aspersiou on
| yout fair fame and loyalty came into my
] hands, ElInougn i, wis an anonymous le {.
/ ter tie writer Was detected, and snbseouently
avowe I'd Iha authorship. Ths document mus
become part OF the his .ory OF the times.
desired that you might Know how youl
| name was made use OF Dy & traitor 10 increase
| the treason he was encouraging. Unable tc
| prep re noe to you personality, dsvoived
| tbs dn y OF the chief clerk OF this departme at
| Toe iaenner In which 1t wss done has g;yeI
you ofe1ce. regret it, and apol giza for L
with the only excuse l can make, namely
| the necessity OF employing another h sad Il
do what ought to % done, and which hsd
| no Time 20 DO pe,so ally.
| place your answer on the flies of ths De
par .msns OF State ss an act Of jus lice to yoUr
| self.
| kindE ess OF mat answer doas not In the leas
diminish the satisfaction with which hny
| performed, In the bes: way was abe. PUB
| lie duty, with t desire to render ycu a service
am, with great respect.
Your ooedient servant,
W. H. s.
Franklin Pierse.
Ismay be proper to state that, adopting IT,
i
| Ted States used by the lsts nIr. Webster,
| have invariably left II ail titles Of address
| ss being mOst respectful.
Mr. Pierce replied to this as follows:
CoE00ap, January z, 1862
have the honor to acknowledge the rscsp
| ton OF your letter Of the 30,h ulr. IL coul,
hardly have sarprised you 10 Iesrn that
| tred to ci cover that your omcial note de
| sired TO render me service. You will ex
cuse me IL regard even the suggestion frou
source SO eminent that am "ms n, Der O
| society or league, the object of which 10 :
| overthrow this Government. as rather &,
! grave 10 have been sent OF with eS little con
| stcaratioG ax a rsbuke TO delinquent cier
| In the department The writer OF The aGoy
| NOUS letter, II seems, "was discovered subss
| Quentiy, and avowed the auth cYship, and ye
| have not been advised wne her he disavOW
the rsference to me- or whe .he II vas an q {
tempt to inca!pate In IN the disclosure.
The were tae only tscss ma. .erial for In
ter, "because, though my name does not ar
| pear In tn extract TO which my aitention ha
osen called" You still state that the Jasper
sion OF my Iair fame and loyalty came Int
ycur hanls." l think you will rec on rs
| elton that the hole ground on which tn
allegation was made should have been pls CO
il my hand. II 10 ROT Ihe manner Of you
| ofdcial note, "Eor any form Of address,
| which has been taken as dee sense Of " on
| on my part. These are Eot worthy o. safiou
| ro Ice he substance Is whatT intepSed Il
| eou1 teousiy rs i could, although very 0is
| UDcJlt, 10 Fepei
Very fssiec fully, ycur obdt se:v't.
FsA- Kiln PIEaoy.
To Hon " II Seward
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SourzsAS fAsLise IN Ksstvok..-Ths fol