Franklin Pierce was the 14th president of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857. He was a northern Democrat who tried to maintain the balance between the pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions, but his policies and decisions led to more sectional conflict and violence. He is often ranked as one of the worst presidents in American history, but he also left behind some memorable quotes that reflect his views, personality, and legacy. In this article, we will explore the top five Franklin Pierce quotes and their context and background.
Top 5 Franklin Pierce Quotes
- “If your past is limited, your future is boundless.” This quote is from Pierce’s inaugural address on March 4, 1853. He was referring to the young and growing nation of the United States, which had a short but glorious history and a promising future. He expressed his optimism and confidence in the American people and their destiny. He also implied that he was not bound by the past mistakes or prejudices of his predecessors, and that he would chart a new course for the country.
- “With the Union my best and dearest earthly hopes are entwined.” This quote is from Pierce’s letter to his friend Jefferson Davis on January 6, 1860. He was expressing his deep attachment and loyalty to the Union, which he believed was the foundation of the nation’s prosperity and happiness. He also revealed his fear and sorrow over the growing threat of secession and civil war, which he hoped to prevent by any means possible. He urged Davis, who was then a senator from Mississippi and a future president of the Confederate States of America, to remain faithful to the Union and to work for its preservation.
- “Teach self-denial and make its practice pleasure.” This quote is from Pierce’s speech at Bowdoin College on September 5, 1853. He was addressing the students and alumni of his alma mater, where he graduated in 1824. He was giving them advice on how to live a virtuous and successful life, based on his own experience and observation. He emphasized the importance of self-discipline, moderation, and sacrifice, which he believed were essential for personal and public welfare. He also suggested that these qualities could be cultivated and enjoyed, rather than endured and resented.
- “I cannot find any authority in the Constitution for public charity.” This quote is from Pierce’s veto message on March 3, 1854. He was rejecting a bill that would have granted federal land to the states for the support of indigent insane persons. He argued that the bill was unconstitutional, unnecessary, and imprudent. He claimed that the Constitution did not give the federal government the power to provide for the relief of the poor, and that this was the responsibility of the states and local communities. He also asserted that the bill would create a dangerous precedent and a burden on the treasury, and that it would interfere with the rights and duties of the states.
- “There is nothing left to do but get drunk.” This quote is attributed to Pierce on the day after he left the White House on March 4, 1857. He was reportedly depressed and disillusioned by his failed presidency, which had alienated him from his party, his friends, and the public. He was also grieving over the death of his wife Jane, who had died of tuberculosis in December 1863. He had lost all three of his sons in childhood, the last one in a train accident just before his inauguration. He sought solace in alcohol, which he had struggled with throughout his life. He spent his post-presidential years in obscurity and isolation, until his death in 1869.
Context and Background of Franklin Pierce
Early Life
Franklin Pierce was born on November 23, 1804, in Hillsborough, New Hampshire. He was the sixth of eight children of Benjamin Pierce, a Revolutionary War veteran and a governor of New Hampshire, and Anna Kendrick Pierce, a devout and pious woman. He grew up in a rural and modest environment, where he learned to value hard work, education, and patriotism. He attended local schools and academies, and then enrolled at Bowdoin College in 1820. There he met and befriended Nathaniel Hawthorne, who would later become a famous novelist and a biographer of Pierce. He graduated fifth in his class in 1824, and then studied law under several prominent lawyers. He was admitted to the bar in 1827, and began his legal practice in Hillsborough.
Political Career
Pierce entered politics at an early age, following the footsteps of his father. He was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives in 1828, at the age of 24, and became its speaker in 1831. He was a loyal supporter of Andrew Jackson and the Democratic Party, and advocated for states’ rights, limited government, and expansionism. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1832, and then to the U.S. Senate in 1836. He served in Congress until 1842, when he resigned to return to his law practice and his family. He married Jane Means Appleton, the daughter of a former president of Bowdoin College, in 1834. They had three sons, Franklin Jr., Frank Robert, and Benjamin, all of whom died young.
Pierce remained active in state and national politics, serving as a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1844 and 1848. He also served as the U.S. Attorney for New Hampshire from 1845 to 1847. He volunteered for the Mexican-American War in 1846, and was commissioned as a brigadier general of volunteers. He fought in several battles, including Contreras, Churubusco, Molino del Rey, and Chapultepec. He was wounded in the knee and fainted on the battlefield, which earned him the nickname “Fainting Frank”. He returned to New Hampshire in 1848, and resumed his law practice and political activities.
Presidency
Pierce was nominated for president by the Democratic Party in 1852, as a compromise candidate who could appeal to both the North and the South. He faced Winfield Scott, his former commander in the Mexican-American War, who was the nominee of the Whig Party. Pierce ran on a platform of upholding the Compromise of 1850, which had settled the slavery issue in the newly acquired territories, and of pursuing an aggressive foreign policy. He won a landslide victory, carrying 27 out of 31 states and 254 out of 296 electoral votes.
Pierce’s presidency was marked by several controversies and crises, both domestic and foreign. He appointed a diverse and divided cabinet, which included pro-slavery Southerners like Jefferson Davis and William L. Marcy, and anti-slavery Northerners like William R. King and Caleb Cushing. He also faced a hostile Congress, which was dominated by the Whigs and the Free Soil Party. He tried to implement a policy of neutrality and conciliation on the slavery issue, but he ended up alienating both sides and inflaming the sectional conflict. He supported the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, which repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and allowed the settlers of the new territories to decide whether to allow slavery or not. This led to a violent struggle known as “Bleeding Kansas”, where pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces clashed over the fate of the region. He also enforced the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which required the federal government to assist in the capture and return of runaway slaves. This outraged the abolitionists and the free states, who resisted and denounced the law as a violation of their rights and conscience.
Pierce also pursued an expansionist and interventionist foreign policy, which was influenced by the Young America movement. He sought to acquire new lands and markets for the United States, and to spread democracy and American values abroad. He completed the Gadsden Purchase of 1853, which added a strip of land in present-day Arizona and New Mexico to the United States, for the purpose of building a transcontinental railroad. He also attempted to annex Cuba from Spain, which was a slaveholding colony that was coveted by the Southern states. He sent three diplomats to Ostend, Belgium, in 1854, to negotiate with the Spanish government. They issued a secret memorandum, known as the Ostend Manifesto, which recommended that the United States should offer $120 million for Cuba, and if Spain refused, the United States should take it by force. The manifesto was leaked to the press, and caused a public outcry and a diplomatic scandal. Pierce was forced to abandon the plan and to recall his diplomats. He also clashed with Britain over the Central American affairs, especially the control of the Mosquito Coast and the construction of a canal across the isthmus. He supported the filibustering expeditions of William Walker, who tried to establish pro-slavery regimes in Nicaragua and other countries. He also negotiated trade treaties with Japan, China, and other nations, and sent naval forces to protect American interests and citizens abroad.
Legacy and Impact of Franklin Pierce
Pierce’s legacy and impact are largely negative and controversial. He is widely regarded as one of the worst and most ineffective presidents in American history, who failed to prevent or resolve the sectional crisis that led to the Civil War. He is blamed for exacerbating the slavery issue, for appeasing the Southern states, and for dividing the Democratic Party. He is also criticized for his lack of vision, leadership, and courage, and for his personal problems and scandals. He was unpopular and isolated during and after his presidency, and
He was also rejected by his own party for re-nomination in 1856, and was succeeded by James Buchanan, who was another pro-slavery Democrat. He retired to his home in Concord, New Hampshire, where he lived in obscurity and isolation. He suffered from alcoholism, depression, and ill health, and he lost most of his friends and supporters. He died of cirrhosis of the liver on October 8, 1869, at the age of 64.
Pierce’s impact on the future leaders and events was mostly negative and detrimental. He was a role model and a mentor for Jefferson Davis, who became the president of the Confederate States of America and led the rebellion against the Union. He was also an inspiration and a friend for Nathaniel Hawthorne, who wrote a flattering biography of Pierce in 1852, and dedicated his novel The Scarlet Letter to him in 1850. He was also a predecessor and a contrast for Abraham Lincoln, who was the 16th president of the United States and the leader of the Union during the Civil War. Lincoln was a self-made man, a moderate Republican, and an opponent of slavery, who faced similar challenges and crises as Pierce, but handled them with more wisdom, courage, and skill. Lincoln is widely regarded as one of the best and most successful presidents in American history, who preserved the Union, abolished slavery, and restored the nation.
Conclusion
Franklin Pierce was the 14th president of the United States, who served from 1853 to 1857. He was a northern Democrat who tried to maintain the balance between the pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions, but his policies and decisions led to more sectional conflict and violence. He is often ranked as one of the worst presidents in American history, but he also left behind some memorable quotes that reflect his views, personality, and legacy. In this article, we explored the top five Franklin Pierce quotes and their context and background. We also discussed his early life, political career, presidency, legacy, and impact. We learned that Pierce was a complex and controversial figure, who had some admirable qualities and achievements, but also some serious flaws and failures. He was a man of his time, who was shaped by and contributed to the history of his nation.
