PIERCE'S ADMINISTRATION, WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 1853-1857. ONE TERM-FOUR YEARS. ELECTED BY THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. CABINET. PRESIDENT: FRANKLIN PIERCE, New Hampshire. VICE-PRESIDENT: WILLIAM R. KING, Alabama. SECRETARY OF STATE: SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY: SECRETARY OF WAR: SECRETARY OF THE NAVY: SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR: POSTMASTER-GENERAL: JAMES CAMPBELL, Pennsylvania. ATTORNEY-GENERAL: CALEB CUSHING, Massachusetts. FRANKLIN PIERCE. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. Franklin Pierce is the son of General Benjamin Pierce, an officer in the old War of Independence, and was born at Hillsborough, New Hampshire, November 23rd, 1804, and was the fourteenth President of the United States. In early life he received a liberal education, and at sixteen years of age, entered Bowdoin College, at Brunswick, Maine. He graduated in 1824, studied law, and was admitted to prac tice at the bar in 1827, and by degrees attained the highest rank in his profession. He became an active politician, and a warm supporter of General Jackson in 1828. The following year he was elected to represent his District in the State Legislature, where he remained four years. In 1833, he was elected to Congress, and represented his constituents for four years in the House of 1 162 FRANKLIN PIERCE. Representatives, and was then elected by the Legislature of his In 1834, he married the daughter of Rev. Dr. Appleton, formerly President of Bowdoin College, and subsequently removed to Concord, which has since been his place of residence. When the war with Mexico broke out, he was active in raising the New England regiment of Volunteers, and having been commissioned a Brigadier-General, he joined the army in Mexico under General Scott, where he distinguished himself in many hard-fought battles. At the Democratic Convention held in Baltimore, in 1852, he was unexpectedly nominated as the candidate for the next Presidency. He was elected by an overwhelming majority, having received 254 of the Electoral votes, while General Scott, the opposing candidate, received only 42. William R. King, of Alabama, was elected Vice-President, but was unable to take his seat by reason of increasing ill-health, which terminated his life in April, 1853. Mr. Pierce was inaugurated as President on the 4th of March, 1853, and at the expiration of his term of office, he retired to private life, where he has since remained. 1 |