Franklin Pierce: Haunted by slavery, tragedy, and addiction

Franklin Pierce

President from: Mar 4, 1853–Mar. 3, 1857

Age at inauguration: 48

Political Party: Democratic

What I read:

Franklin Pierce by Michael F. Holt

Age at death: 64

Cause of Death: Pierce died from the effects of lifelong heavy drinking and depression. He fell into a coma after many years of failing health and died a few days later.

Health & Appearance: Pierce stood 5’10” with grey eyes and dark brown hair. Pierce had good health as a youth and was quite strong for his size.  He had a great memory which helped him in politics and as a lawyer. Pierce had whooping cough and “bilious fever” in his 20’s.  In his early 30’s, he had pleurisy for which 26 ounces of blood was drained over 3 days as a cure. (Yup, 1840’s they were still bleeding people.) His diaries report he slept six hours a night and often took a nap during the day. He has several bouts of malaria and tuberculosis.

Alcohol was a problem for Pierce. He swore off drinking for a few years, becoming a speaker at Temperance events. Then, while serving with distinction as Brigade Commander in the Mexican-American War, he sustained a severe injury when his horse spooked and fell on top of him. Over the next week he continued to lead his men in combat and impressed those around him with his ability to ride and command his troops under severe distress and pain. It was around this time that he started drinking again, which continued through his presidency and the rest of his life. 

Pre-Presidency: Franklin Pierce’s father, Benjamin, was a local hero of the American Revolution which gave Franklin political clout. Franklin was a party boy early in his schooling which caused him to come in last in his class. He reformed, and ended 5^th by the time of graduation. 

After the Mexican American War, Pierce became the leader of the Democratic Party in New Hampshire. He served in the state legislature, eventually becoming Speaker of the House. During Jackson’s second term he was elected to the U.S. Congress. While serving in Congress his reputation as a heavy drinker was common knowledge.

He married a woman whose family were Whigs, opposed to Jackson, and she was a member of the Temperance movement.  Opposites attract?

He was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he became best friends with Jefferson Davis. He resigned his seat in the Senate and moved back to New Hampshire, quit drinking, and joined the Temperance Movement while running a very successful law firm.  He was not much for research, but his speaking skills were superb.  His courtrooms were packed with people listening to his arguments.

As a pro-slavery Northerner, he won the nomination for the presidency and defeated Winfield Scott, who was his commander in the Mexican American War.

Two months before his inauguration, Pierce and his family were in a train wreck. The train rolled over but Pierce and his wife only received minor injuries. However, their only son, 11, was killed. This obviously devastated them, and Mrs. Pierce never recovered. She spent his presidency in mourning. In his inaugural speech he told the American public, "You have summoned me in my weakness, you must sustain me by your strength."

Major accomplishments: Pierce’s presidency was screwed by Senator Stephen Douglas of Illinois. Douglas pushed for the Kansas-Nebraska act which gave popular sovereignty to the territories in regard to slavery and struck down the Compromise of 1850.  Pierce wanted the courts to decide the matter so he would not be blamed. The Act destroyed the Whig party, split the Democrats, and created the anti-slavery Republican Party. The Kansas-Nebraska Act led to bloodshed and a mess with only one possible outcome: the Civil War.

He got Congress to spend 15 million dollars to secure the final piece of the United States from Mexico.  He wanted it as a possible route of a southern railroad to California. This was recommended by Jefferson Davis. Pierce was the youngest president at the time.

Pierce wanted a second term, but his party turned their backs on him and nominated James Buchanan.

Are you kidding me? The election campaign of 1852 of Pierce vs Gen. Winfield Scott was called by one paper the most "ludicrous, ridiculous, and uninteresting presidential campaign" ever.

Jefferson Davis was his Secretary of War. Yes, that Jefferson Davis. James Buchanan was his Ambassador to England. Pierce attempted (and failed) to buy Cuba from Spain as the South wanted it for another slave state.

He was allegedly arrested for running over an old lady while drunk on his horse. 

What I learned: Slavery still ruled the day. The contentious issue our founders punted down the road dominated another president’s term and lead to his rejection by his own party. He was from the North, owned no slaves, but supported the right of southerners to own slaves. Pierce believed, as many politicians of the time did, that the constitution allowed slavery so he would not move against it as an institution.  He wanted the courts to deal with it. 

Alcoholism haunted Pierce. His brief time dry was some of his best days. The pain suffered by Franklin and his wife is devastating to imagine. He had to try to deal with a nation in heavy turmoil while grieving his only child’s tragic death and fighting his personal addiction. 

PRECEDED BY: Millard Fillmore

SUCCEEDED BY: James Buchanan