Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-12-22
HOW BE B-TAME PRESIDENT.

In 1888 and for several years afterwards,
Rev.. George G. Cookman, that minister os
sainted memory with the members of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, preached in
Washington. At that time the youngest
member of the United States Senate WAS
Franklin Pierce, Senator from New Hamp-
shire. He was a brilliant, fascinating man,
wonderfully successful politician, but 30
dissipated that he was fast Fastening to the
drunkard's doom. He himself related that
during this session he and his companions,
all Representstivesin Congress and all crazy
drunk, one night wandered to the Congress
slonsl Cemetery, where Pierce mounted
tombstone and delivered an Grafton to his
rowdy colleagues, in which he, with drunk.
en- fervor, uttered words which proved to
be prophetic. " | shall rise. said he. [
shall be President of these United States.
Not long after this disgraceful spree,
Pierce and James Buchanan, led by spirit
of curiosity, attended in company one OF
the meetings of Rev. Mr.. Cookman. Pierce
was greatly charmed with the eloQuenoe of
the latter. "Cookman is the NOSE wonder
fui preacher | ever listened to in my life, "
said he afterwards. He became a regular
attendant upon class and prayer meetings.
He reformed mis- habits and, to the surprise
of all, soon after resigned his Senatorial
chair and retired to private life. Why he
took tins step was a mystery and a subject
of much speculation among the politicians
and by the whole country. Then it was
never satisfsctorially accounted for. 1t is
now made plain by ritter in the Christian
Adrocate. He asserts and substantiates
his position by letters and conversations,
that Pierce resigned his Senatorship and
went home to become Methodist preach
er. That was his determination but he
was so strenuously opposed by his family.
he was eventually dissuaded from taking
the step. A half score of years after his
resignation Franklin Pierce was elected
President of these United States He had
risen" His drunken words were verified.
Then for four years the country had him
for its Chief Executive, but had Jefferson
Davis as Chief of the Chief Executive. 1t
was Pierce's term of office, but Jefferson
Davis administration. During those four
years the arch traitor systematically laid
his diabohcal plans and perfected his trea-
sonable designs. The subject opens vast
field for speculation. Suppose Pierce had
never resolved to become preacher and so
had never resigned. would he ever have
been President? Did not his ten years
absence from Washington preceding his
nomination, by freeing him from all politi-
cal entanglements, more than anything
else contribute to his svailabily as a candi-
date On the other hand, suppose he had
carried out his original designs and had be.
come Methodist preacher-then would he
ever have been elected President If he
had never been a President, would Jeffer-
son Davis ever have been Secretary of
War, would the great rebellion have been
successfully inaugurated in 1860. If it
had not been commenced then, would it
ever have been begun? And we might go
on speculating to the end of the primer.
But applying to these events the micro
scope of faith, by which some profess 10
read between the lines of history the work
ings OF an overruling Providence, and we
are forced to believe that the words of a
humble Methodist preacher, by their intln-
ence upon drunken Senator, who hap
pened to hear them and who afterwards,
by what he was led to do through their in
tiuence, became President, and then by the
influence of his administration as such
President, made possible and brought about
marvellous struggle, which changed the
entire history of millions of people and
contributed to and made possible the hap
piness of untold millions yet unborn. II
that humble minister had been asked what
he was about he undoubtedly would have
replied, "My Masters business" But
can anyone believe, viewed in the light of
present history, that he had the least con-
ception of the tremendous magnitude Of
that "busness ?"-[ Norwich On. Y. Post.