deeds, from the meaning, the directness, and the truth, that he conveyed
into them. His merits made themselves known and felt in the sphere where
they were exercised; and he was early appreciated by one who seldom erred
in his estimate of men, whether in their moral or intellectual aspect.
His intercourse with President Jackson was frequent and free, and marked
by friendly regard on the part of the latter. In the stormiest periods
of his administration, Pierce came frankly to his aid. The confidence
then established was never lost; and when Jackson was on his death-bed,
being visited by a gentleman from the North (himself formerly a
democratic member of Congress), the old hero spoke with energy of
Franklin Pierce's ability and patriotism, and remarked, as with prophetic
foresight of his young friend's destiny, that "the interests of the
country would be safe in such hands."

One of President Jackson's measures, which had Pierce's approval and
support, was his veto of the Maysville Road Bill. This bill was part of
a system of vast public works, principally railroads and canals, which it
was proposed to undertake at the expense of the national treasury--a
policy not then of recent origin, but which had been fostered by John
Quincy Adams, and had attained a gigantic growth at the close of his
Presidency. The estimate of works undertaken or projected, at the
commencement of Jackson's administration, amounted to considerably more
than a hundred millions of dollars. The expenditure of this enormous
sum, and doubtless other incalculable amounts, in progressive increase,
was to be for purposes often of unascertained utility, and was to pass
through the agents and officers of the federal government--a means of
political corruption not safely to be trusted even in the purest hands.
The peril to the individuality of the states, from a system tending so
directly to consolidate the powers of government towards a common centre,
was obvious. The result might have been, with the lapse of time and the