The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-10-19
OBITUARY.
DeaGh OF Ex-Pressdent Pierce.

the Uniicd States chosen by the votes of
the peoplc--FRANKLIN PIERCE, which oc-
Cured at his residence in Concord, New
Hampshire. at aa early hour yesterday
morning, from chronic inflammation Of
the stomach, with which he has suffered
for some time. t#E
NIr. Pierce, the fourteenth President
Of the United States, was born in Hills.
borough, n H, November %, 1904
His father, Gen Benjamin Pierce. a ma
tive Of Massachusetts, was one OF the
earliest settlers in the town OF HILLSIDE
rough, and served IS q soldier and Off
Ger throughout the revolutionary war
lie was an influential Democratic politi.
clan in 1927 and 1929 was elected Gov
ernor Of the State, and died in 1889 at
the age Of eighty one.
Franklin Pierce received his early ed
ucation at the academies Of Hancock and
Francest0wn, and in 1920 he entered
Bowdoin college, at Brunswick, Maine.
His ambition at this period was of
military cast, and he was azealous officer
in college company of soldiers. He
graduated in 1924, was admitted to the
bar in 1927, and began practice at Hills
borough. He did not at first succeed as
an advocate and his first case was mar
ked failure. He remarked to q frieEd
who condoled with him: sag.
II will try ninety-nine cases if clients
will continue to trust me, and If fail
just as l have to-day will try the thou
sandth. l shall live to argue cases in
this Court House III manner that will
mortify neither myself nor my friends"
He was an ardent advocate of the elec-
ton Of Gen. jackson to the Presidency,
aud in 1929 was himself elected by the
town of HilIisborough, It's representative
in the State Legislature. He served four
years in That body, md in the last two
was chosen speaker, In 1888 ne, was
elected member Of Congress. He re-
mained member of the House until
1887, when he was elected to the. United
States Senate, in which he took his seat
as the youngest member, having barely
reached the legal age for the positions In
1912 he resigned his seat and returned to
the practice of his profession at Concord
n. Ii. In 1916 President Polk offered
him the post Of United States Attorney
/ General, which he declined Is
In lS47, when the State was called up
on to furnish troops for the Mexican
War, he enrolled himself member Of
one of the first volunteer companies Of
Concord, but did not remain long in the
ranks. He was appointed Colonel Of the
Ninth Regiment and shortly after was
commissioned Brigadier General of the
Army In the battle of Contreras he
was severely hurt by the fa.liag of his
horse, but continued during the day at
the head If his brigade In the battle
OF Churubusco, while leading his men
a ainst the enemy, he fell, fainting from
the pain Of his injuries, but refused to
quit the field After the battle the Mex
ican commander having opened Degoti-
ations for peace, Gen. Scott appointed
Gen Pierce one of the commissioners to
arrange the terms Of an armistiee. The
truce was of short duration, and the bat
tie Of Molino del Ray and Chapultepec
followed, and soon afterward the city of
Mexico capituiated. Gen. Pierce re-
manned in the city till December, when,
the war being ended, he returned home,
and resigned his commission and again
practiced law.
In 1850 lie was elected s member ofthe
Convention called by the people OF New
) Hampshire to revise their State Constitu-
ton and was chosen President by an al
most unanimous vote. In this position
! he exerted himself to procure the rerao-
t val from the Constitution of the tests by
which Catholics are excluded from Ger
, tain Offices. In 1852 at the Baltimore
National Democratic Convention, on the
Seth ballot his name was brought for.
ward BY the Virginia delegation for Pres
ident of the United States and on the
, 49th ballot he was nominated by 2S2
votes to IL fpr AL the other candid ates.
His principal competitors were James
. Buchanan, Lewis Cass, Wm, T., Marcy
: and Stephen A.. Douglas, all Of whom
, have since died AT the easail.g Pfesi
. dental election ne received the votes o
all the States except Massachusetts,lV lVer
mont, Kentucky and Tennessee, whose
sutfrages were given 10 Gen,s Winfield
Scott OF the votes of the electoral col
; lege Pierce received 254 to Scott42.
! 4 AT an early period of his adninistra
ton, President Pierce was called upon tt
deal with serious question respecting
a the boundary line 4between the ,Unite6
: States and Mexico The dispute wat
finally settled by negotiation In 1S5;
a serious dispute with Great Britain o.
S the subject of the fisheries was amicably
D settled by mutual concessions, In 1854
: a treaty was negotiated at Washington
between the United States and Great
n Britain providing for commercial recip
+ rocity between this country and the Brit
0 ish Provinces The treaty with JapaI
was also ratified In the spring of lS54
q property belonging to American citizens
at Graytown, in Nicaragua having beer
y stolen and reparation refused, the place
was bombarded aud most of it burned
In 1855 occurred the filhbaster invasion
y :, of Nicaragua by Gen. William Walker
- In 1855 circumstances occurred whlchfo'
atime seriously disturbed the harmonylbe
tween the United States and Great Brit
ain Enlistments for the British army
5 were made secretly in this country ans
q the President demanded the recall Of III,
/ British Minister. Mr., Crampton, This
Il was refused, and Mr.. Pierce dismissed
n not only the minister, but the, Britisl
:. consuls at New York. Philadelphia, ant
4 Cincinl ati. The matter was finally set
II tied --------.---
d After Mr. Pieree's Presidential tern
= expired in 1857, he visited Madeira,tray
l elled extensively in Europe, and return
i ed in 1860 In 1861 be made9a speeel
e at a mass meeting IN Concord, and de
e clared in favor of the Union against th
If Southern Confederacy, and urged tn,
o people to glve'the administration cor
n dial support. Since then he has led I
retired life, most Of his time on his farr
: in n. Hampshire During the past fel
!, vaar, ho hos s,,tiorod q uraot doal wit