Franklin Pierce

Franklin Pierce served as president during the turbulent years leading up to the American Civil War (1861–65). A loyal member of the Democratic Party , Pierce supported slavery and believed it was sanctioned by the U.S. Constitution . He was the rare New Englander whom Southerners trusted.

Pierce was born on November 23, 1804. He grew up in a distinguished New Hampshire family. His father was a veteran of the American Revolution (1775–83) and a two-term state governor. Pierce graduated fifth in his class at Bowdoin College and then studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1827 and gained a seat in the New Hampshire legislature in 1829.

Political rise

In March 1833, though not yet thirty years old, Pierce was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives; four years later, he was elected to the U.S. Senate. He owed his success mainly to his father, but also to the Democratic Party. From the start, he remained steadfastly loyal to the party. His service was undistinguished, but he was well-liked and made good political contacts while in Congress. Moreover, he strongly supported the Southern view on slavery; he even formed a close friendship with Jefferson Davis (1808–89), the future president of the Confederate States of America .

Making an uncontroversial name

When the Mexican-American War (1846–48) broke out, Pierce volunteered as a private but, due to his connections, he gained the rank of brigadier general before he had donned his uniform. His combat record was undistinguished. After the war, Pierce became involved in New Hampshire politics. He helped rid the state party of an antislavery candidate for governor and thereby improved his reputation in the South. In 1851, his name was raised as a possible presidential candidate.

At that time, the Whigs and the Democrats were the two major political parties in the United States. Whigs favored a strong federal government that actively supported internal improvement through the use of a national bank. Democrats generally opposed federally funded improvements and supported states’ rights. Both parties had pro- and antislavery constituents, and many politicians feared this division might one day split the Union. The federal government sought to patch up the most troublesome aspects of the slavery question with legislation called the Compromise of 1850 , a series of laws that regulated how new territories came to be slave states or free states.

A temporary and very delicate spirit of national unity followed the Compromise of 1850. The political parties sought presidential candidates for the 1852 election who were not known for holding strong positions and would support the Compromise. Late in the process, the Democrats nominated Pierce. Few issues were raised during the presidential campaign. Pierce made no formal speeches. According to the custom of the time, he allowed his supporters to campaign for him. They also had to work to overcome the accusations that Pierce was a drunkard, a coward, and anti-Catholic.Pierce narrowly won the general election.

Pierce was in the process of organizing his administration when his eleven-year-old son Benjamin was killed in a train accident. Pierce entered office in a state of deep mourning. His wife, Jane Pierce, locked herself in her bedroom, seldom even appearing for public functions. Her inconsolable grief added to his burdens.

Uninformed presidency

Pierce entered the presidency determined to adhere to old-line Democratic policy and to promote expansionism—adding new territory to the nation. The issue of slavery in the new territories was contentious, but he believed he could ignore the North's increasingly strong opposition to the institution.

In 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska Act destroyed any remaining spirit of national compromise. The act created two new territories, Kansas and Nebraska , with the condition that each territory could decide whether to allow slavery within its borders. Nebraska's population primarily consisted of people opposed to slavery, but Kansas, with settlers on both sides of the issue, became the scene of a showdown between “free state” (antislavery) advocates and the proslavery contingent. Violent confrontations between the two sides led to lawlessness and chaos.

Pierce seemed incapable of providing effective direction. Even as blood was being spilled in Kansas over a conflict that was a national issue, he left the question of slavery up to the warring settlers. His lack of leadership at a crucial time heightened the bitter tensions. His inaction pleased no one; when the Democratic National Convention met in 1856, it chose James Buchanan (1791–1868), then the minister to Great Britain and former secretary of state, as its candidate.

Post-presidential years

When the Civil War erupted, Pierce first supported the Union effort, but he quickly reverted to his pro-Southern position. In a July 4, 1863, speech, he blasted the civil rights and emancipation policies of President Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865; served 1861–65), proclaiming that the attempt to preserve the Union by force was futile. While he spoke, word filtered through the crowd of the Union victory at the Battle of Gettysburg . Pierce lived another six years, but played no further public role.