Smyrna times., 1869-10-13


Ex PRESIDENT PIERCE died at hisresidence
at Concord, New Hampshire, on Friday last,
in the 65th year of his age. He had been in
feeble health for over a year. To sum up bis
public career briefly we make the following
synopsis from the long obituaries we find in
oul leading daily exchanges: He was born
in Hillsborough, n. H., in 1904; graduated
at 20 at Bowdoin college, and adopted the
profession of the law; was elected to the Leg
islature of his native State at the age of 25,
and was reelected several times, acting as speak
er two terms; was elected to Congress, (by the
Democrats) in 1888 and served four years In
the House, after which he was sent to the SEN
ate, which position he resigned before the ex-
'piration of his term. During the Mexican war
he was general in the army under General
Scott. In 1852 he was nominated for the
Presidency by his party, and was elected over
Gen. Scott, the Wing candidate. At the close
of bis Presidential term he retired to private
life, and so remained till his death.
This is brief summary of his public career.
AS to the manner in which he fulfilled his pub
lie trusts, particularly his Presidential term,
in which his actions were more under the judg-
ment of the country at large, of course there
will be diversity of opinion, influenced more
or less by political bias. But, while all or near
ly all the newspapers Of the country give him
due credit for good qualities of head and heart,
very few claim that he was man of superior
abilities. Although he was elected to fill the
highest Office in the country, his getting it wa:
through political necessity and not from any
influence he possessed with the people. The
Dem ,cratic National Convention of so was in
f4vor of either Cass, Marcy Buchanan or Dick
inson for President. They, all prominent anC
able men, were the choice of the people. Mr.
Perc., Notwithstanding he had been in boil
Houses of Congress for a number of years, wa
unknown to the country at large and amos
unknown to the Convention that nominated
him. He had not been named as a candidate
but the friends of the four leading men of tn
party finding that they could not effect tn
nomination of a man Of their choice, were com
PEELED to accept him when his name was pro
prosed or allow the Convention to adjourn
without nomination. Hence, like Polk,
was :ermed political accident" Notwith
standing his lack Of prestige, however, he wa
elected by an overwhelming majority, on tn
Missouri compromise of 1850, and the ol
Whig party, which went into the campaign o
the same issue, was annihilated. Had he ha
the grit he could have made memorably goo
administration, but as it was it was failur
He became the tool of the Southern slave ol
garchy, who induced him to assist in the repe
of the compromise and the enactment of Il
disastrous Kansas Nebraska bill, which ope
cd the northern territories to the introductiC
of slavery, nd caused the bloody struggle b
tween the slavery and anti-slavery men IN 18j
This III :, ne rise Of the Republican par
and the election of Lincoln in 1860. 1t W
his administration that enacted the overtu
TO the rebellion. The New York Herald,
concluding an editorial says:
1.-THE administration of Franklin PierC
then. stands on the dividing line between &
old and the new order of things between &
reign of slavery and the new regime of hbert
He might have extended the reign OF slave
for ten or twenty years longer, but 1t was I
al ordered. As the instrument OF the Sout
rrn oligarchy, his policy was disastrous to
South and to the Democratic party; but
ms he content with the conclusion that it "
ali for the best. He not only believed in
Democratic party, but his faith was. strong
the rights and the power of the Southern sla
oigarchy. His political vision. was hmit'
He saw not the tremendous revolution he '
invoking, aud be probably died under the q
oonyictien that there can be no peace until
are ali restored to the "Union as it was.
belonged to a past age, His adminiistrat
was great mistake, looking to the intertt
of slavery; yet we may justly say OF him
he aimed to do right as a public servant,
that in all the relations of private citizen
leaves behind HIM a name that will be gri
fully remembered"
Ixnnurncrr,s NJ ManAzINr Hin hcnck g I