St. Mary's gazette., 1865-05-25
= SPEECH OF EX-PkESIDENT
PIERCE.


! At Concord, n II on the evening af.
ter the reception OF the news of the pre>i-
dents death, a very large crowd of people
called a: the house of Fix. President FRANK
LA PiEHcS. and they were addressed by
bin AS follows:
, Fellow Tuw<suEN come to aScer-
tain the motives Of this call What is
your desire!
Some person in the crowd replied -
: I'VE wish to hear some words from you Oh
this sad OCCASION" General Pierce pro-
cecded
wish could address you words of
Soltce. l'u, that can h4r lily be d-n.. The
| magnitude Of the calamity. in all aspects,
is overwhelming. If your hearts are op-
pressed by events more calculated to avs
Ken profound sorrow and regret than any
which have hitherto occuIed in our his,o.
ry, niue mingles its deepest regrets aud
sorrows with yours
Il is to- be hoped that the great wicked.
ness und a;roci.y was confined. morally
and actually. t. the heads and hearts of
but two individuals of al those who stll
survive Oh the continent; aud that they
may speedily. aud in obedience to law.
meet the punishment due TO their unpar-
alleled crimes. 1t Is well ,ha, you-it is
we'll that well that all men worthy to
be called citizens Of the United States.
, make manifest in all suitable forms the
emotions Incident to the bereavement and
distress which have been brought to the
heurths and homes of the tw, most con-
spicuous families of the R'pubiic | give
'hem nv warm outgushing sympathy, as
| am sure all persons within the hearing of
, my voice must do.
But beyond personal grief and loss
there will abide with us inevitably the
most painful memories. Because, as cit
iress obsdiens 10 law. revcrins the Cons.i-
tuition. holding fast to the Union. thankful
for the period Of history which succeeded
the Revolution III 80 many year. Of peace
full growth and prosperity, and loving with
the devotion of true and f,ithiul children
all that belongs to the advancement uu,
glory of the nation. We can nvrr furcs
or cease to dcplurc the great crime anG
deed stain
\ voice from the crowd -"W here il
your flag!
1t is not necessary for me to show ny
devotion for the stars and stripes by ANY
special exhibition. or upon The demand OF
any man or body Of men. My ancestors
followed it through the Revolution enc
Of ,heu,. at least. never having seen his
mothers roof from the beginning Of .h.,
struggle to ,heclose. My brothers follow
ed it in the war Of 1912 and | left my
family in the Spring of 1>41 Among you.
to follow its fortunes unt maintain i, upou
Il foreign soil.
But thi. you all know. IF the period
during which have <orvel our State aud
Country in various si'uaIions. conmenc
ing more than thirty five years ago, hav.
left the question OF my devotion to ,h'
flag, the Constitution and the Union, il
doubt, it Is too late now to remove ii b,
any such exhibition as the inquiry sug-
gests. Besides to rsrnuve such doubt
from minds where they may have been
cultivated by y spirit Of douiLation and
partisan rancor. if .uch thing were pos
sble, would be "f 10 cons' Yucuce to you
mud it is certainly of none to me. The
malicious Iucstionings would return to rs-
assert their supremacy aud pursue tie
woik of injustice.
CcuScinue nf the IL firini'ics OF nmtera-
, mcnt which, to greater OF less extent
. ocsct Us all, have lever t.:lt or found
that violence or pr>,i,n Was ultimately
prod active Of bcni6ccnt results 1t is
gratifying To pcrc, i've that your obs.rva-
lion brieicr than mine, has led your mi ds
| to the same courlu.ion. Wha, u price
: less commentary upoC this general though,
lie the tnal rrlrrtc0 conversation between
the late President and his Cabinet. anG
with that despatch comes news to warrant
the cheering hope that, in spite of the
knife of the a-s.s.ln, the life and intelIec,
, Of Tie Secretary OF State mny. through
, Providence, be spared 10 Us i'll this .ap-
palling cmerScncy.
!; thank you for the silent attention with
which you nave li.tened to me. and for tn.
manifestations vi Your approval as my
neighbors. aud will hot datain you in ,hi,
.torin longer than 10 add MY b:,t wishe-
for you all, and for what. individually
aud collectively, We ought to hold mos
iear-our couutry-our whole County
Good night.
A FEKxcuMAN wriIihs letter in English
To tri u ana IL king in tn, lic'i'nary fol
the W 'rL preserve" AMI ti,iin. it meant
IN t,lckl. wr.te a. fpllnws:-.. Nav yoI