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Primary sourceDocument1852

The Abolitionist Attack! Abolitionists Against General Pierce

1852

An 1852 campaign pamphlet, issued on the Democratic side, that responds to abolitionist criticism of Franklin Pierce.

This 1852 campaign pamphlet shows how Pierce's supporters responded to abolitionist attacks during his presidential run.

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Scanned first page of a 19th-century pamphlet headed 'PLEASE READ AND CIRCULATE' with the title 'THE ABOLITIONIST ATTACK!' and subtitle 'Abolitionists Against General Pierce.' Two columns of dense printed text are below.
"The Abolitionist Attack! Abolitionists Against General Pierce," 1852 campaign pamphlet, 8 pp. Scan via Wikimedia Commons.

About this source

What it is

This is an eight-page pamphlet from 1852, headed 'Please Read and Circulate' and titled 'The Abolitionist Attack! Abolitionists Against General Pierce.' The first page is shown as a scan, with two columns of dense small print. The catalogue lists it as Democratic campaign literature and gives the subjects as Pierce, campaign literature of 1852, and abolitionists. The catalogue describes it as Democratic-side material about the abolitionist critique of Pierce.

Why it matters

Campaign pamphlets like this one were printed to be passed from hand to hand and to shape voters' opinions. Pierce ran for president in 1852 against abolitionist critics, and the pamphlet shows how each side used printed material to make its case about slavery and the candidates.

Look closer

  • Who does the title suggest is attacking Pierce, and who is the pamphlet trying to persuade?
  • Why would a campaign ask supporters to read and circulate a document like this?
  • What does the pamphlet leave out about the abolitionists' own arguments?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Franklin Pierce on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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