Happy Birthday, Mister President!
In recognition of President Franklin Pierce's 205th birthday, the Old North Cemetery in Concord will have a flurry of annual visitors for a wreath laying ceremony. Attendees for the event, which begins at 10 this morning, include the Governor's Horse Guard. It's presented by the Political Library and the Pierce Brigade. Refreshments to follow at Pierce Manse, 14 Horseshoe Pond Lane, as well as a celebration of one truly worthy of being called New Hampshire's favorite son. Doesn't ring a bell? Here's a Political Library excerpt on the 14th President:
While President, Pierce reduced the national debt by 60% from $75 million to $35 million, established the office of the United States Attorney General, modernized the Army and Navy, improved relations with Canada, established trade with Japan and expanded our national borders.
How cool is that. Nice post. I thought Pierce was that guy from MASH
Posted by: Tim Wacker | November 24, 2009 at 09:12 AM
Captain Pierce from the 4077th may be a Distant relative.
Posted by: Dan | November 24, 2009 at 09:13 PM
My Father-in-law's side is distantly related to President Pierce and they refer to him as "Cousin Franklin". Happy Birthday.
Posted by: Richard Baker | November 25, 2009 at 01:21 PM
We do need a sort of "do-nothing but dismantle the mess" president -- like Franklin Pierce, who is one of my favorites -- as is Millard Fillmore, and Benjamin Harrison, and a few other do nothing presidents. Not enough is done to study the non-great men who occupied the manager's office we call the presidency, and far too much attention is paid to the "great" men who used the power of the presidency to tell We the People what to do. So Happy Birthday Mr. President -- you'll be more popular again one day soon.
Posted by: Jim Hlavac | November 25, 2009 at 01:33 PM
Amen, Jim. I say Calvin Coolidge, perhaps the last president to accept the constitutional limits on the office and who said, "It is a great advantage to a President and a major source of safety to the country, for him to know that he is not a great man."
Posted by: Shawn Macomber | November 25, 2009 at 04:00 PM
Silent Cal said that?! Sounds appropriate enough. Only if we could apply that principle thrown so often around in green circles (Ovals?):
First, do no harm.
Posted by: Dan Tuohy | November 26, 2009 at 09:17 AM
Coolidge also had a very important scientific phenomenon named after him called the Coolidge effect. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coolidge_effect
Posted by: Tim Wacker | November 29, 2009 at 06:37 PM