The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-10-14
DEATH OF Ex-pREs1DENT PIERCE.

The telegraph announces the death of Franklin
Pierce, at Concord, New Hampshire, on Friday
morning. He was the last survivor of the race of
distinguished Presidents representing the school
of jefferson and of Jackson, as he was the last
survivor of the Presidents directly elected blythe
people, whose term of Office has expired. Mr.!
Fillmore and Mr.. Johnson it is true still lis..
ing, but both of them reached the Presidency
through death and not through election. IL
General Pierce was born at Hillsborough, New
Hampshire, November 23, 1904. After completing
his preparatory studies, he entered Bowdoin Col
lege, Msine. After completing his collegiate
course, he studied law with Judge Levi Woodbury..
who was for many years Judge of the Supreme
Court, and had been previously Secretary of the
Treasury, under Martin Van Buren. He began
the practice of law in his native town, but had not
been thus engaged for two years, when he was
elected member of the State Legislature, to
which s-re-nlarad. 1opeuKer.
He was early distinguished for his intellectual
capacity and his social qualities soon made him
general favorite. In 1888, when but twenty
nine years old, he was elected 70 Congress- and he
was reelected in 1885. In the House General
Pierce did not distinguish himself as debater,
but was firm and prominent adherent 10 the
principles of the Democratic party. In 1887 he:
was elected to the United States Senate, but after
serving one term, he Withdrew to devote himselfto
the practice of his profession. In l846 he was
offered by Dir. Polk the position of Attorney
General or of Secretary of War, but he declined
both oferg In the same year he entered the roll
unteer military service of the United States as a
private soldier, but was soon made Brigadier.
General, and went to Mexico. During the war bis
conduct was such rs to merit and receive the off,
cial approval of General Scott In 1850 he-was'
elected President of the New Hampshire Constitul
tional Convention. In 1852 the Democratic GonA
vention met at Baltimore for the purpose of nomi-
mating candidates for the Offices of President and
Vice-President. The rivalries Of the great leaders
of the party ran SO high that forty:fye balbts
were had without any result. The Virginia des-
CATION then asked leave to retire for consultation,
and on their return cast the vote of the State for
Franklin Pierce, who on the forty-ninth ballot was
nominated by the Convention for the presidency.
The Wings had nominated General Scott; At the
election before the people every State but four
voted for General Pierce and III the electoral col
lege he received two hundred and forty -four votes
against forty-two cast for General Scott. i
When elected President, General Pierce was the
youngest man who had ever held that position,
and his term of Office was period Of storm and
strife. The cloud of ruin and of war, which after
wards barst, was then formiDg, but General Piercb
served with ability, Administered the Government
with frmness, and retired at the close of his tern
with pure and unspotted name, the leve ofa
large portion of the people of the country, and
the respect of even his enemies. Fants he had,
but they were the faults of generous strong-
willed man, and were the necessary accompain-
ments of virtues such as his. Mistakes he made,
but who could have occupied his position at that
time without doing the same. s7,
He was one of the last survivors of q raoe Of
public men too proud to do wrong, too pure to b,
corrupted, too noble TO descend 10 such work as is
now daily done by the men who hold the highest
positions in the gift Of che American people. May
the day not be far distant when men as pure;as
able, as noble, and as good as Franklin PIERCE
shall again direct the destines Of fAmerica-CAar..
lesion Courier. -