The 'big old loafer,' as you call him, was Mr.John C.Rives, a most distinguished and influential Democrat indeed." Three months later, when the event came to pass, I could tell all about Gen.

Franklin Pierce.

His nomination was no surprise to me, though to the country at large it was almost a shock.

He had been nowhere seriously considered.
In illustration of this a funny incident recurs to me.

At Nashville the night of the nomination a party of Whigs and Democrats had gathered in front of the principal hotel waiting for the arrival of the news, among the rest Sam Bugg and Chunky Towles, two local gamblers, both undoubting Democrats.