The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1869-10-14
DEATH OF EX-PRESJDENT PIERCE


A. had been expected, from the nature o
his Sickness. Ex-Pres;,cnt Pierce expired al
hishonci in Concord onthe Sthinst. The event
makes "A profound impression upon the coun-
tty for despite the still Snouldcrmg ombcrs
of political rancor, the eminent ability ane
Agh character of the deceased statesman was
.nEuuWpd on al hands IN his personal
intercourse ht was one OF The most kindheaitcd
and courteous. of gentlemen, pelTadcd by
that magnetism which compels personal ut
larhnents of lofty and persuasive cloquence,
and with thr shreWd forecast OF a successful
ruler The following sketch embodics the
leading mcident, of his life and services
The late Franklin Pierce, ex-President Of
the United States, was born in Hillsborough,
y II Nov - lSGi His father, Gen. Ben
amu Pierce, Was a native of Massachusetts,
and one of The earliest settlers Of lIillsbol-
ouch He served rs Il soldier and officer
throughout the Revolutionary War. He was
also m active Democratic politician, and was
elected Governor of New Hampshire in 1927
and 1929. Franklin Pierce received his early
rdIcaion at the Hancock and Francestown
academies, and il 1920 he entered BoWd0in
College graduating in 1884 While in col
legc ne was possessed OF much military am
bition and was an oilic-I Of :, college com
lnnv Of soldiers. He chose the law rs a pro-
lessiol and entered the office of Levi Wood
bury a~ a student He subsequently studied
for two years in the law school at Nortamp-
ton, Mass, and in the office Of Judge Parker,
at Amherst n. II, He was admitted to the
bar III 1877, and his first effort as an advocate
was decided failure. He remarked to a
friend who condoled with him: 81 win try
uiilr hundred and ninety-ninc eases, if clients
viii continue to trust me, and il | fail Just as
have to-day, will try the thousandth. /
~hall live 20 argue eases in this court house in
3, manner that will morify neither myself nor
my friends" His words were verified, for
lac afterwards attained high rank in his pro
lr~~ou. He was b. politics It Democrat, and
an earnest advocate of the election Of An
drew Jackson To the Presidency hi 1929 he
was elected to represent iiillshorough in the
Legislature, serving four years IN the lower
House. the last Two as lis Speaker In 1888
~, was elected to Congress, serving on The
judiciary and other important committees
Int making no distinguishing figure in de-
bate lie was an opponent of antl-slavery
measures IN any and every shape. He con
linupd a member OF the House OF Represent
Htige4 until lS37, when he was elected to the
uted States Senate, 0t which body he was
tl. Youngest member, having just attained
tlr legal aye. Among his contemporaries
then were Webster, Clay. Calhoun Benton,
Buchanan and Silas Wright He made a
trM speeches and in 1912 resigned his seat,
aud returned to the practice of the law in
Concord. He soon became distinguished as
a lawyer OF eminencp, and III 1916 he was
ttered by President Polk the position of AT
Ioney General, which he declined. He also
doclinrd 10 be a candidate for Governor,
which office had been rendered him by a
Democratic State Convention. lie was still
interested in politics, however, and was q
warm supporter Of the annexation oil Texas.
Ia lS47 New hampshire was called upon tC
furnish troops for the Mexican war, ana
Pierce enrolled himself as u member Of one
oi the first volunteer companies. He did not
long remain in the ranks. Congress passee
a bin for the increase of the army, and Pierce
received the appointment is colonel of Til,
9TH regiment, and was shortly after promoted
to a brigadier- generalship. President Polk
on signing his commission, remarked that h,
would one day become President of the Uni
ted States Arriving in Mexico with his men
he ioined Gen. Scott al Puehla on the 9Th o
August, which place he reached after scvcra
harp engagements with guerillas. At Con
Iferas he was severely hurt by the falling OF
his horse but continued during the day at tho
leading his men, he fell iuinting with pain
from his injuries, but refused to quit the field
After this battle the Mexican commander
having opened negotiations fo,' peace, Scot
appointed Pierce one OF the commissioners [,
arrange the armisticc The truce was shor
on. and was followed by the battles of Mo
iino del Rev and Chapultepec, and bv iii,
capitnlAtion of the city OF Mexico. Al the
close of The war Pierce resigned his commits
SION and again returned to the practice of tht
law. In 1880 he was elected member OF til,
New Hampshire Constitutional Convention
On the 18th OF June, 1862, at Baltimore ol
lhr iorty-ninh ballot. the Democratic Ma
tionnl Convention nominated him for tn
Presidency. Up to the thirty-tifth ballot hi
name had not been made use Of when ii WA
brought forward by the Virginia delegation
His competitors were James Buchanan. Levi
Cass VIM. NJ. Marcy and Stephen A. Doug
las At the election he received the votes o
ali the States except Massachusetts, Vermont
kyutucky and Tennessee, which were givcl
Tor Gen. Scott. On the 9th of January, 1858
the President elect was afflicted with sa,
domestic calamity, by which his only chill,
benjamin, Is years of age, was INSTANTLY
Killed by the railroad cars running off til,
track between Lawrence and Andoyer, Mass
The President was nauguratcd on the fourtl
Of March following, and in his address main
tanned the constitntionality of the fugitiv,
slave lazy, and strongly denounced the agita
ton Of the slavery question, which he con
sldered a. settled by the compromises of 1850
us Cabinet was composed Of William l.
Marcy, Secretary of State; James Guthrie
Secretary of the Treasury Jefferson Davis
Secretary of War; James c. Dobbin, Secrc
tify of the Navy; Robert McClelland Sccre
larry Of the Interior; James Campbell Post
master General and Caleb Cushing, Ator
ney General. Early in his administration tn
Mexican boundary dispute was settled, b,
winch this country became possessed Of thu
extensive tract of land now known as Ari
IONA. In 1858, commissioners were sent on
10 make explorations for a railroad route Il
the Pacific; and in the same year the fisher
disputes with Great Britain, which were a
one time very threatening, were amicabl,,
adjusted While these negotiations were 60
ing on, the affair of Martin Koszta one O
The Hungarian exiles, agitated this countr
and Europe, but the United States came on
triumphant In December, 1854, Presiden