Year: 1859

Inc CltlZenS Oh tne town OF Chelmsford Mass. }
propose to erect monument in honor of the Revo-
luonary heroes of that place. and had made arrange
ments for the Inauguration on the 4th of July Un-
forseen obstacles having arisen, the ceremony has
been postponed to the 22d of September In antici-
patton of the event. they invited Ex President PIERCE
to be present and received the following reply:


LANGEN SwALBAcH,


Duchy of Nassau, June 9. 1859.


My DEAR SIR: thank you cordially for your
kind letter of the 18th of April which reached Rome
after my departure was returned to Paris, and only
came to yesterday. This reply will not, per
haps be received before the day designated for the
Inauguration of the monument to be erected upon
the green in the village of Old Chelmsford but
however this may be, my heart will be there with
its warmest and best sympathies. When that morn
ing arrives find where it may, shall say, we'll
done, sons and grand-sons, daughters and grand
daughters of the Revolutionary men of Old Chelms-
ford. You mark the anniversary of the Declaration
of independence in manner most bcitting, when
you seize it the day which to inaugurate
monument to the memory of your fathers, who de-
Tended that Declaration with their blood.


have sometimes trembled for the future of MY
country as | have seen the gallant, selfsacricing
men who achieved independence step one by one
from the theatre of their trials and trunphs, until
not one probably remains who participated in the
opening conflict. While they moved among us the
bond of national brotherhood strong and recog-
Missed no limits but those of the Union. They knew
and felt what the institutions of noble, united
country cost, and what required to preserve
them. They cherished an habtual reverence for
the Constitution and yielded cheerful obedience
to all its requirements and to all laws enacted to
carry them into faithful execution. They wisely
deferred to the august tribunal established to decide
ultimately questions which might arise, involving
constitutional right and obligation 1t will always
be said of them that they were strong minded stout
hearted, practical, Unionloving men. From the
North to the South they had fought shoulder to
shoulder in the common cause, and the comprehen-
sive and unsel6sh patriotism which nerved their
arms for the struggle, warmed their hearts, and in
spired their minds during the deliberation which re-
suited under the providence of God in the establish
ment of the admirable system which has secured to
their descendants degree of individual freedom and
happiness. and of national prosperity and advance
ment, without parallel in the history of our race.
How universally they cherished and loved every
sentiment of the Farewell Address of the Father of
his Country! They found in it, forcbly expressed,
the views and principles which guided them through
life and which they hoped might never cease to
command the regard and confidence of their children.
As their words will never again be addressed to
ears is we'll that omit means, to honor their
memory to quicken appreciation of their lessons
of wisdom, and to keep alive our admiration OF their
services and virtues.



ated father revives in my mind many pleasing re-
collections which had been dormant for years. His
attachment to Chelmsford people always struck me
as peculiarly strong, especially as he had never
resided there for any length of time after he was
sixteen years old, when, Immediately after the an
nouncement of the battle of Lexington, he joined
the army. l observed among the names appended
to the propectus for the monument several which
were frequently mentioned by him. and infer that
the signers or grandsons of the friends of
his youth hope hereafter to know more of them
personally


As late as 1924 there were on one occasion assem-
bed around my fathers table some eighteen officers
and soldiers who served in the Revolution They
were then all residents of the town. and fourteen of
them were in the battle of Bunker HILL Several of
the number am quite certain were natives of Mid
dlesex county. They have all passed away; but
trust that Hsborough may be represented by their
descendants on an occasion which they cannot fail
to regard with much interest.


| I enclose herewith check for $50, which you
will please to place in the hands of the committee
| contribution to the monument.


Your friend and servant
FRANKLIN PIERCE.
CHAs H. DALTON, Esq, Boston, Mass.