popularity remained unabated.

[Facsimile]
Franklin Pierce
FRANKLIN PIERCE was born at Hillsborough, New Hampshire, November
23d, 1804; was a Representative from New Hampshire, December 2d,
1833, to March 3d, 1837; was United States Senator from New Hampshire,
September 4th, 1837 - 1842, when he resigned; declined the position
of Attorney-General, offered him by President Polk in 1846; served
in the Mexican War as brigadier-general; was President of the United
States, March 4th, 1853, to March 3d, 1857, and died at Concord,
New Hampshire, October 8th, 1860.

CHAPTER XXI.
DIPLOMATIC AND SOCIAL LIFE OF WEBSTER.

Mr. Webster's great work as Secretary of State--indeed, he regarded
it as the greatest achievement of his life--was the negotiation of
a treaty with Great Britain adjusting all existing controversies.
To secure this had prompted Mr. Webster to enter the Cabinet of
General Harrison, and when Mr. Tyler became President Mr. Webster
pledged himself to his wealthy friends in Boston and New York not
to resign until the troubles with the mother country had been
amicably adjusted. His position soon became very unpleasant. On
the one hand President Tyler, whose great desire was the annexation
of Texas, wanted him to resign; on the other hand, many influential
Whigs began to regard him with distrust for remaining in the enemy's
camp. But Mr. Webster kept on, regardless of what was said by
friend or foe.

The appointment of Lord Ashburton to represent the British Government
was especially gratifying to Mr. Webster, who had become personally
acquainted with him when he visited England in 1839. Lord Ashburton's
family name was Alex. Baring. He had visited Philadelphia when it
was the seat of the Federal Government as the representative of
his father's banking house. Among those to whom he had letters of
introduction was Mr. John A. Bingham, a wealthy merchant and United
States Senator, who lived in great style. Miss Maria Matilda
Bingham, the Senator's only daughter, who was but sixteen years of
age, had just been persuaded by the Count de Tilly, a profligate
French nobleman, to elope with him. They were married, but the
Count soon intimated that he did not care for the girl if he could
obtain some of her prospective fortune. He finally accepted five
thousand pounds in cash and an annuity of six hundred pounds, and
left for France. A divorce was obtained, and Senator Bingham was
well pleased soon afterwa