PREFACE. THE nomination of General FRANKLIN PIERCE to the Presidency by the National Democratic Convention at Baltimore-sudden and unexpected to a large portion of the people of the Union-has created a strong and natural desire to obtain a reliable record of his life. This volume has been prepared to meet that desire. Friends in whose judgment we have been accustomed to confide, advised to the undertaking; and we have endeavored to throw aside all personal or political preferences, and prepare a candid and impartial life of General PIERCE. The fact that no complete life of the candidate of the Democracy had been published, was in itself, a strong argument in favor of the project. General PIERCE has ever been a retiring man, never courting popularity and fame, and, therefore, he is less known to the people at large than other personages whom we might mention, yet who are far infe rior to him in intellect, statesmanship, and all the attributes which are to be found in the character of a perfect man. We have written the book for the million, who desire to know all that can be known of "the coming man"-the man whose destiny it is to occupy the Presidential Chair. The candid reader will discover General PIERCE, as a man and private citizen, to be generous, gentlemanly, and exceedingly attractive in all his qualities of mind and manner. As a soldier, he will appear able, courageous and sagacious. Of all the base inventions of political party presses, the charge of cowardice on the part of General PIERCE, while in Mexico, as preferred by certain Whig journals, is the basest. The most respectable journals of that party, however, have refused to propagate so infamous a libel upon the character of one of our bravest generals. As a statesman, General PIERCE will be found able, intelligent and honest. His course and views upon the subject of Slavery, we present without any remark either of approval or dissent, for the public wishes not our opinions, but the facts of General PIERCE's private, professional and political career. These we have endeavored faithfully to present. We feel confident that all our statements may be implicitly relied upon, yet we wish to say here, distinctly, that General PIERCE is not responsible for a line in this volume. Certain leading facts we obtained from him or distinguished Democrats in NewHampshire, and we have received valuable advice from prominent Democrats in other parts of the Union; but for this volume, we stand alone responsible. It is but just to remark that circumstances have compelled us to prepare the volume with great haste, so that the reader who is expecting a volume of elegant writing, stands in a fair way to be disappointed; but he who desires a candid, unpretending, yet reliable record of the public career of FRANKLIN PIERCE, may-we trust we may say it without egotism-consult our pages with safety. D. W. B. CONTENTS. Benjamin Pierce, Father of Gen. Pierce-His Early History-Anec- PAGE Birth of Franklin Pierce-Preparation for College-Anecdote-His religious Friend, Zenas Caldwell-Solving a Problem-Military Election to the U. S. Senate-Correspondence-Speech on the Defences |