The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-10-16

tense satisfaction.
This ANONYMOUS document having been
sent to the Department of State, Mr.. Seward
addressed to ex-President Pierce letter, OF
which the following is copy. The style OF
address is to be noted:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
WASHINGTON, goth December, 1851
To Franklin Pierce, ESQ, Concord, ~. H.:
SIR-I enclose an extract from letter. received
at this department, from which it would appear
that you are member OF a secret league, the OBJ
iect OF which is to overthrow this government
ANY explanations upon the subject which you
may offer would be acceptable; ,ouon.
fSionedl WM. II. SEWARD.
The ssextractr enclosed was in the words and
marks which we have just given. The injus-
tice, TO say nothing of the insolence and AFRO
rance, Of the arraignment, touched Mr. Pierce.
He promptly wrote reply, which, If one may
| iudpe from the answer thereto, brought the
insulting Secretary to his knees. We give be-
low the whole correspondence, because 1t af-
fords an Illustration and an example of the
moral fibre and tone Of Mr., Pierce's charac-
ter: A. ,oo,
S1R-A package, indorsed Department OF OF
State, U. S. A." franked by W; huntgI, eniel
clerk and addressed to Franklin PIERCE: Esquire,
| Concord, flew Hampshire" was received by me
to-day, having been forwarded from the place OF
| nv residence. But for the stamped envelope and
| the handwriting Of Mr.. Hunter, with which am
familiar, should probably have regarded the IN
closure as an idle attempt at imnns!t0n, In which
your name had been surreptitiously used must,
l suppose, Though do so reluctantly, now view
IL In dirTarent light In the note Dearihg youa
| sigpSsure you say: "Iencl0se an extract iroih a
,etter received at this department, from winch II
| would appear that you are a member OF secret
! league, the object Of which Is TO overthrow tnls
government Any explanation on tne s su2!ect
| Which YOU may offer would he acceptable" 1t Is
not easy to conceive how any person could give ere
dence to- or entertain for moment, the idea that
| am now or ever have been connected with "se.
| which was. or is, the overthrow OF the govern
| ment Of my country. Surprise, however, only
| increases as l pass from your note TO the
"eytractn to which you refer as sufficient basis
for an Official communication. Incoherent and
meaningless as this extract from the vagarles
OF an anonymous correspondent seems 10 be, II Is
not little singular that II sho9ldiave neen SEM
for explanation to one who, during his whole
life has never belonged to any secret league,
society or association. My name does not ap-
pear In the "eXtract," and as there IS not tne
slightest ground for any reference TO me IN tne
connection indicated, i take it for granted that
| vour reference Is wholly erroneous, and That
neither nor anything which ever said or uld
was in the mind Of the writer. Nothing put tne
gravity OF the nsinuation, the high oncial source
| Whence It emanates, and the distracted conuition
Of our recently united, prosperous and happy
country could possibly lift this matter ABOVE rldl-
| cule and contempt. Not, therefore, because eX-
plantations would be acceptable" but because this
correspondence is to hold place upon the 1les OF
the Department OF the State long beyond the du-
ration Of your life and mine, ana because
] would leave, so far as | am concerned, no
ambiguity upon the record, 1t Is proper,
perhaps 1t is my duty, to add that my
LOYALTY will never be successfully impugne1 SO
long as enjoy the constitutional rights which
In 70
peciaIly the inestimable right to he inlormed OF
the nature and cause OF accusation, and TO be
confronted face to face with my accusers Love
| for our own country, respect for the reserved
rights Of the States, reverence Tor the constitu-
| tion, and devotion to the noble Union which Tor
SO MANY years repoSed securely upon that sacred
nnnes foT evr i1erss emotions and
my sternest purposes, from Youth TO uge. II
have failed to illustrate this in Official station,
| In private life, and under all circumstances wnen
| IL became me to speak or act i have lab0rcd
| under sing ular delusiOn, consciousness OF
! which would embltter more than anything else
the present hour and such remaining hours i 81. OF
| wears as may be In reserve for me. am, SIT,
| your obedient servant, FRANKLIN PiERcE
Hon. WM. Ii. SEWARD Secretary Of State,
| Washington, ID. g.
WASHINGTON, December 80, 1861.
MY DEAR SIR-An injurious aspersion on your
| fair fame and loyalty came into my hands. Al
though 1t was In an anonymous letter, tne writer
| authorship. The document must become part
of the history OF the times.
desired that you might know how your name
was made use Of by traitor to increase the trea-
son he was encouraging. Unable TO prepare
note to you personally, devolved the duty ON
| the chief clerk OF this department. The manner
| In which Ii was done has given you offence.
regret it, and apologize for 1t with the only ex-
cuse l can make, namely, the necessity OF EN-
ploying another head to do what ought TO be
| done, and which had not time to do personally.
| u tha AInOn nf hn p
ment OF State as an act Of justice TO yourself.
| Aud beg yOu-to be assured that all the unElnd-
ness OF that answer does not In the least diminish
the satisfaction with which have performed, In
the best way was sble, a public duty, with q
desire to render you a service.
| am, with great respect,
| . Your odedlent servant,
WILLIAM Il. SEWARD.
rft It nav be % proper to state that, adopting the
form Of address to ex.Presidents OF the United
States used by the late Mr. webster, nave lnVa-
riably left or all titles Of address as being most
respectful.
To that Mr.. Pierce replied as follows:
CONCORD, N. H., January T. 1862.
DEAR SIR-I have the honor to acknowledge the
reception Of your letter Of the 3oth ultimo.
1t could hardly have surprised you to learn that
failed to discover In your oflcia note desire to
render me q service. You will excuse me II l re-
! gard even the suggestion from source so emf
nent that am ga member OF secret league, the
OOJeCt OF UNtCU " W OUeI OtO Utto
as rather too grave to have been sent of with as
little consideration as note Of rebuke might have
been addressed to delinquent clerk Of one Of the
| departments.
The writer of the anonymous letter, it seems,
"was detected, and subsequently avowed the au-
thorship;" and yet am not advised whether he
| disavows reference to me, or whether there was
an attempt to incupate me In his disclosure.
These were the only facts connected with him, his
treason, or his confession, at all material for me
to know. l suppose l am left to infer the latter,
because, although my name does not appear in
the "extract," to which my attention was particu-
arly called you still state that aspersiOn upon
my "fair fame and loyalty' came into your
hands.
think you will, upon reflection, arrive, at the
! conclusion that the whole ground upon which the
allegation is repeated should, as simple act OF
justice, have been placed before me.
1t was not the manner Of your official note, as
you seem to suppose, nor any form OF address,
which awakened, on my part, a deep sense Of
wrong. These, whatever they may have been,
were not worthy Of serious notice. The substance
was what intended, as courteously as l could,
but very distinctly, to repel.
am, very respectfully,
Your obedent servant,
FRANKLIN PIERCE.