The Kansas-Nebraska Act is signed into law after being introduced by President Pierce's rival, Senator Stephen Douglas (Democrat - IL). Davis also deployed the Army Corps of Engineers to supervise construction projects in the District of Columbia, including the expansion of the United States Capitol and building of the Washington Monument. [92] In the address he hailed an era of peace and prosperity at home and urged a vigorous assertion of U.S. interests in its foreign relations, including the "eminently important" acquisition of new territories. The Whigs chose General Zachary Taylor, a Louisianan, whose views on most political issues were unknown. Though attaining early political and professional success, in his personal letters he continued to lament his bachelorhood and yearned for a life beyond Hillsborough. President Pierce personally lobbied Democrats to support Douglas's bill. The Democrats defeat Republican candidate John C. Frémont, even though Frémont wins 11 of 31 states -- all in the North -- and Millard Fillmore, who runs on both the Whig and Know-Nothing tickets. Pierce was hard-working and his administration largely untainted by graft, yet the legacy from those four turbulent years contributed to the tragedy of secession and civil war. With its unique location Although he did not author the Kansas-Nebraska Act, he did encourage its passage by Congress. [150], Pierce never lost sight of politics during his travels, commenting regularly on the nation's growing sectional conflict. He opposed secession while at the same time speaking in favor of the South. Debate over slavery continued in Congress, and abolitionists proposed its end in the District of Columbia, where Congress had jurisdiction. Its programs and services provide new Americans with food, employment, and protection. As the treaty's ratification debate demonstrated, the Gadsden Purchase inflamed sectional tensions over the expansion of slavery. [1] All of their children died young, their last son being gruesomely killed in a train accident while the family was traveling shortly before Pierce's inauguration. Nevertheless, his supporters began to plan for an alliance with Douglas to deny James Buchanan the nomination. Most in the party had not originally supported him for the nomination, and some had allied with the Free Soil party to gain victory in local elections. [7] Later that year, he transferred to Phillips Exeter Academy to prepare for college. [14] He then spent a semester at Northampton Law School in Northampton, Massachusetts, followed by a period of study in 1826 and 1827 under Judge Edmund Parker in Amherst, New Hampshire. He used his presidential powers to cajole, threaten, or promise federal patronage for support and, in the end, was able to direct the votes of many Northern Democrats. Under the leadership of Wood, Tammany Hall has become the dominant force in the life of New York City politics. [164] The Pierce Manse, his Concord home from 1842 to 1848, is open seasonally and maintained by a volunteer group, "The Pierce Brigade".[47]. His Cuba and Kansas policies led only to deeper sectional strife. The office of vice president remained vacant for the remainder of Pierce's term, as the Constitution then had no provision for filling the vacancy. [11] During his final year at Bowdoin, he spent several months teaching at Hebron Academy in rural Hebron, Maine, where he earned his first salary and his students included future Congressman John J. President Franklin Pierce and his Secretary of State Jefferson Davis wanted the land - which now comprises New Mexico and a quarter of southern Arizona - for a proposed southern transcontinental railroad. The state's political culture grew less tolerant of banks and corporations after the Panic of 1837, and Hill was voted out of office. Lawrence -- originally named Wakarusa -- becomes the center of Free-State activities after being founded by the Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Society. Many in the North believed Pierce catered to Southern interests who wanted to expand slavery. The State Department disavows any connection to the document and forces Soule's resignation later that year. [89][90] Jane Pierce wondered if the train accident was divine punishment for her husband's pursuit and acceptance of high office. [46], Despite his resignation from the Senate, Pierce had no intention of leaving public life. He had demonstrated competence as a general, especially in the initial march from Vera Cruz, but his short tenure and his injury left little for historians to judge his ability as a military commander. setting for your wedding. The incumbent President Millard Fillmore ruined his chances for another term with his support of the controversial Compromise of 1850. [30] They had three sons, all of whom died in childhood. Pierce was the son of Benjamin Pierce, a Public Official, and Anna Kendrick. "[35] Still, he wrote in December 1835, "One thing must be perfectly apparent to every intelligent man. [80], Pierce kept quiet so as not to upset his party's delicate unity, and allowed his allies to run the campaign. After the 48th ballot, North Carolina Congressman James C. Dobbin delivered an unexpected and passionate endorsement of Pierce, sparking a wave of support for the dark horse candidate.