PIERCE, pets, Franklin, 14th President of the United States (1853-57) : b. Hillsboro, N. H., 23 Nov. 1804; d. Concord, N. H., 8 Oct. 1869. His father, Benjamin Pierce (1757-1839), served in the Revolutionary War, was member of the State legislature 1789-1801, and from 1803 to 1809. He was a Democrat in politics, an active public-spirited man, and governor of New Hampshire from 1827 to 1829. His son, therefore, was brought up in an atmosphere of public service. Franklin Pierce was educated at various academies, Hancock, Francestown and Phillips Exeter, entered Bowdoin College, Maine, 1820, and had as classmates Longfellow and Hawthorne. He graduated third in his class in 1824 and studied law for the next three years, first with Levi Woodbury at Ports mouth, then at the law school of judge Howe at Northampton, Mass., and finally with Judge Edmund Parker at Amherst, N. H. He was admitted to the bar in 1827 and entered politics almost immediately as a Democrat. In 1829 he was elected as a representative to the State legislature, and in 1832 was made speaker. In 1833 he entered Congress, became a close friend of Jackson and sustained him in important con tests. His career in the House of Representa tives during the next four years was unevent ful, because most of his work was done in the committee-room. He rarely made a speech, and then not on the most important questions. He spoke 27 Feb. 1834, against the bill on the subject of Revolutionary claims, on the ground of economy and justice; and on 30 June 1836 against the bill making appropriations for the United States Military Academy, on the ground that it was legislation conferring °exclusive and gratuitous privileges.' He approved of Jack son's veto of the Maysville road bill, and in general was a believer in a strict construction of the Constitution. In December 1835 he spoke and voted against the policy of receiving petitions for the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia. In 1837 Pierce was elected to the Senate, but was overshadowed by such men as Clay, Calhoun, Webster and Ben ton, Pierce being the youngest of all the senators. He seldom spoke and avoided, as in the House, the big questions of the day. He resigned in 1842 to accept the office of district attorney of New Hampshire.
When the Mexican War broke out in 1846, he enlisted as a private, enrolled in a company of volunteers organized at Concord, and soon received from the President a commission as colonel of the Ninth regiment. On 3 March 1847, he was commissioned as brigadier-general in the volunteer army, though practically with out military experience. He was with General Scott in the march on the City of Mexico, but did not play a conspicuous part in the military operations. After his return home he engaged in the practice of law. The Democratic Na tional Convention met at Baltimore 1 June 1852, with Lewis Cass, James Buchanan and Stephen A. Douglas as the leading candidates. On the 35th ballot the Virginia delegation voted for Pierce, and on the 49th he received 282 votes to 6 for all other candidates. This °dark horse' Presidential candidate was a real surprise to most people. The reasons for passing by the three leading candidates mentioned above were varied. Since each had a large following there was bitter personal rivalry, and this made the success of any one a matter of considerable doubt. The chief concern of the leaders was to placate the South and avoid the growth of a purely sectional narty. Accordingly, the con vention adopted a resolution pledging the party to enforce the compromise of 1850. Pierce was favorable to the institution of slavery, believing that it was guaranteed by the Constitution, and was thus considered a °safe man' by the South. In the election which followed in November, he received 1,601,474 popular votes to 1,386,580 for Gen. Winfield Scott, the Whig candidate, and at the meeting of the elec toral college 254 votes to 42 for Scott. All of the States voted for Pierce excepting Ver mont, Massachusetts, Tennessee and Kentucky. He was inaugurated 4 March 1853, and on March 7 announced his Cabinet, namely, Wil liam L. Marcy of New York, Secretary of State; James Guthrie of Kentucky, Secretary of the Treasury; Jefferson Davis of Missis sippi, Secretary of War; Robert McClelland of Michigan, Secretary of the Interior; James C. Dobbin of North Carolina, Secretary of the Navy; James Campbell of Pennsylvania, Post- master-General, and Caleb Cushing of Massa chusetts, Attorney-General.