The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-10-09

rife connicI. While leading his troops ana
aging them by their love OF country and the renown
O her arms 10 carry the day. hts horse slipped under
him and both horse ana rider came to the ground.
the iall broke his leg and otherwise bruised him.
Notwithstanding this he still continued on, AMI
even followed In pursuit OF the routed Mexicans,
VINO were Tying towards Churubusco. II was az
THIS last engagement that General Scott observing
his suffering condition. ordered him back to st. Au-
gusilne but ne pleaded to be left with his brigade,
and tne General consented Al this battle ne APP
peared 10 forget his injuries aud became apparently
reckless In the face OF the enemy. The American
army was here victorious.
Alter the victory Santa Anna proposed an ar
mlst.ce General Scott granted IT, but this proved
afterwards only to be ruse OF the WHY old Mexican
| to prevent the American army from Immediately
| taking possession OF the capital. General Pierce
was one OF the commissioners appointed TO arrange
| the terms Of peace His associates were Generals
Qnltman and Persfer +. Smith. The negotiations
| failed, and again the battle cry was sounded. The
next battle was that OF Mollno del Rey and at this
| Pierce acted with his usual bravery. He was
ordered TO support General Worth, VINO, with 1900
men, had attacked $4,000 Mexicans. The intrepidity
| displayed by General Pierce when he arrived with
| his relnforcements and the determined front his
| men presented, had the effect OF drawing the IRE
from Chapultepec upon his forces They stood 1t like
o rock, and the field was won. His physical
strength SO severely overtaxed for the last thirty
SIX hours then gave way and he had to take 10 his
bed. nom which he rose TO find the Mexican war
brought TO close and the Stars and Stripes waving
above the Halls oi the MonteZumas.
General Pierce returned home In December, and
again applied himself 70 the practice OF the law. In
1850 he was elected President of the Convention
native State Here he labored for the repeal OF the
illberal Catholic test long stain upon the statute
DOCK OF that state, and succeeded In accomplishing
all that the Convention could do in the matter. This,
at the time gave rise to good deal OF dispute, and
when Mr. Fierce entered upon his Presidential can
vass the question came largely into play and Afforded
the political partisans pro and con opportunity or
yentating the supposed or known views OF the can
ddate Tor the Presidency on this important subject.
ELECTION TO THE PRESIDENCY.
IN June, 1852, he succeeded In obtaining the demo-
| cratic nomination for the Presidency. Those VINO
James Buchanan, William l.. Marcy, stephen A.
Douglas and Lewis Cas-, all able statesmen and men
or FAR more political prominence than Pierce. Yet
he was the man selected, and he was elected Pres-
dent over General Scott by an overwhelming vote.
alnlctioa In the loss OF his only child who was
Killed On railroad journey from Andovcr to Law
renee Mass
In his inaugural address, In audrng to the pros
pectiye course Of the nation, he said
We have nothing in history position to invite aggres
relations Of peace and amy with ali nations In reference
70 European enanglemens he Expressed himself that of
have heretofore been Independent From their their
entirely exempt"
Regarding the restrictions imposed by the consti :
tuition he, In the same address, said
The great scheme our constitutional liberty rests upon
authorities, experience harmony
the SEPARATE rights o.
opinion
which have most seriously disturbed public tranquility.
powers clearly granted BY the constitution, II hardly
that It's action upon any question should endanser
manage matters strictly domestic according to the will OF
believe hat The s,ued Authorities Of his republic are
bound to regard the of the South in this they
the laws to enforce them should and obeyed
tribunal to which their expo
Aft @ THAT
may again threaten the dSaSy or Of oa ss
lions or obscure the light OF our prosperity"
HIS ADMINISTRATION.
When he took his seat In the White House he
selected for his Cabinet men acknowledged at that
time 10 be among the foremost In the nation The
following are the names OF those he chose:-Secre-
tary OF State, William L. Marcy; Secretary or the
Treasury James Guthrie; Secretary OF the Interior,
DAVIS; Secretary OF the Navy, James 4. Dobbln;
Postmaster General, James Campbell; Attorney
General Caleb Gushing.
Al an early period In the administration Of Presi.
dent PIERCE ne was Gale upon to deal with serious
question respecting the boundary between the
Mesilla Valley being claimed by both countries. This
dispute finally settled by the acquisition by the
various expeditions from the Mississippi to the
Pacific coast were fitted out and several routes
pofsd tho In me same year dispute arose be-
was mutually arranged. During the session OF
the first Congress Of his administration Mr..
douglas introduced bill for the organization OF
two Territories, Kansas and Nebraska. Though
by the Missouri Compromise OF 1S20-2l slavery had
been forever excluded from this region stall by the
passage OF this act which received the support OF
the administration, slavery was permitted 10 enter
these Territories Much dissatisfaction was
In the free states at the Ostend conference, when
the American Ministers there present proposed to
buy the island OF Cuba from Spain for 1920, 900 900,
or IN case she refused TO take IL from her by force.
This measure also received the support of the admin
isLration. In 1854 the treaty with Japan was con-
cluded. He vetoed two important bills the same
session, against appropriations for the compile
ton OF public works, and the other against the
giving away OF land. II was during this session
Winfield Scott At the close Of the year serious dir
fcuty appeared to threaten the peaceful relations OF
this country with Great Britain In relation TO enlist
ments, but 1t was eventually settled. The last two
by scenes OF domestic discord and sectional dispute
concerning affairs in Kansas.
RETURN TO PRIVATE LIFE
At the close OF Mr.. Pierce's Administration he
returned home and shortly after visited Europe and
travelled there extensively. He arrived IN this
country In 1860 and mixed very little publicly In
politics since. In April, 1865 In response to call
from gathering that assembled In front OF his door
he appeared ana said
II is necessary for to show my for the
demand OF body OF My ancestors followed
his mothers roof from the beginning thai
proracted struggle My brothers followed in the war OF
to follow its fortunes and maintain it upon foreign SOIL
But this you all know.
Deceased was a man OF something more than
average ability. He possessed, however none OF the
elements OF greatness, and was more OF cautious,
studious and watchful politician rather than CON-
prehensive, far.seeing observant statesman.
Among the great men-the great intelects OF the
American republican,. Pierce rose to a high promi-
nence-the highest In the nation; but none Will
argue that 1t was OF brilliancy Of mis- genius or
his abilities az statesman that ne was chosen as
the leader of the party VINO placed him In the Office
OF Chiei Magistrate OF the nation lie was ravor-
lite OF fortune politically; socially was genial
warm-hearted friend, and counted numbers OF
friends who will learn with sorrow that the spirit OF
poor Pierce has passed away.
The Funeral TO Take Place ON Monday
HonOrs to the Deceased by the Bar Of New
Hampshire.
CONCORD, N. H., Oct. s, 1869.
The funeral OF ex-President Pierce has been fixed
to take place Monday noon, &C St. Paul's Episco-
pal church, of which he was a member (Rev. Dr.
Eames.) Should the attendance be very large II Will
be held in the state House yard adjoining.
The bar OF Merrimac county held meeting this
forenoon at the Court House, Judge j. A. Eastman,
chairman, and W. Case, secretary. A committee