Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1865-05-20
EX-President Pierce.


A MOB "CALLs' UPON HIM-HIs SPEECH.
[Lettor,ot nc Manchester Unionl
/ alluded to a call made on President
Pierce on Saturday night. The Patriot
of to-day contains an account of it,and al.
so the Generals response which ! enclose.
The Patriot says:
At about 8 o'clock this mob,
numbering from 300 TO 400 appeared
about the door of the residence of General
Pierce and surprised him by vociferous
calls, INN ediately the doors were thrown
open and in the blaze of the entry light,
the cz-Prcsidcnt appeared upon the steps
and addressed the assemblage tho remarks
which follow. 1t is due to the crowd to |
say that the moment our distinguished |
fellow citizen appeared and uttered one or
two sentences, with the exception of &C.
casional remarks, such as CHATS so" and
"that's good" absolute silence and quiet
prevailed while be was speaking. When
he uttered his good night they responded
with hearty "good night and three
cheers for the general and retired as quiet
ly as though there had been no scene of
excitement in the day. This at least was
cred.ttbie.
SPEECH OF GEN. PIERCE.
| Fellow Townsmen.--I come to ascer-
tain the motives Of this call. What is your
desire
Some person in the crowd replied -
owe wish to hea3 some words from you
on this sad occasicr,' General Pierce
then proceeded
wish I could address you words of
solace. But that can hardly be dono.-
The magnitude of the calamity in every
respect is overwhelming. If your hearts
are oppressed by events more calculated
to awaken profound sorrow and regret
than any which have hitherto occurred in
our history, mine minges its deepest re-
grets and sorrows with yours.
1t is to be hoped that the great wicked
ness and antrocity was confined, morally
and actually, to the hands and hearts OF
but two individuals Of all those who still
survive on this continent and that they
may speedily, and in obedience to law,
| meet the punishment Cue to their unapar'
aleled crimes. 1t is well that you-it /!
well that well that all men worthy tc
be called citizens of the United States
make manifest in all suitable forms the
. emotions Incident to the bereavement an(
distress which have been brought to th'
5 homes aud hearths of two of the most con
spoops families of the Republic. | giV'
them my warm, out gushing, g,symrathy,a ,a'
/ am sure all persons within the hearing
of my voice must Dc.
t But, beyond personal grief and loss
there will abide with us inevitably tn
, most painful memories. Because, as citi
= zens obcdient to law, revering the Consti
tuition, holding fast to the Union, thankfn
far the period OF history which succeeded
5 the revolution in 80 many years of peace
full growth and prosperity, and loVin
with the devotion of true and faithful chill
dren, all that belongs to the advancement
| and glory Of the nation,wc can never for
) get nor case to doplore the great Grim
t and deep stain.
. "a voice from the crowd" ,"whero is you
hagTl
1t is not necessary for me TO show m
devotion to the stars and stripes by an
special exhibition upon the demand of an
i man or body of mon. Ny ancestors fol
lowed it through the revolution--ono {
!. them at least never having seen his moth
|, er's roof from the beginning to the end G
/, that protracted struggle, My brothers
followed it in the war of 1912. and lie
my family in the Spring of lS49, anon
" you, to follow its fortunes and meintain
upon foreign soil.
' But this you all know, Ii the pero
y during which have served my State an
' country in variols situations commencir
more than thirty'fve yeaas ago, have lie
10 the question Of my devotion to the Aag,th
,e Constitution and Union in doubt, il is tc
- late now to remove it, by any such oxh
btion as The inquiry suggests Besid