Literary cadet, and Saturday evening bulletin. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1826-1827, 1826-09-30

up 10 him as one OF their rmest friends and ablest
ADVOCATES. They associated his name with that Of
CLAY, BALDWIN, ToDD, McLASr, and others, and
were prepared to award TO him the highest enco-
mumA for the correctness Of his policy, and the
wisdom displayed by his forecast. The west, were
almost enthusiastic in their admiration, and Col.
BENTON, for while, held an enviable rank among
the wisest and best men Of the nation. But imme-
| diately after he entered the JACKSON and CAL
HoUN coalition, as if determined that his apostacy
should be amply notorious to defeat all his own
hopes, he abandoned the principles he had for
merly maintained on those subjects, and came
out decided partisan Of the contra side. In a
late speech delivered by him in the United
States Senate, on the public lands, which has
been justly termed n popularity hunting, Senate
dstr essing speech he uttered the following lam
guage, which is here quoted rerbatim Ell Hteratim;
and the reader is requested to mark it, that he
may discover the consistency of the political career
of the honorable Senator from Missouri.
81 address myselfto Senators, who knoc to be in
tent on great objects upon the release Of the States
from the condition OF tenants TO the federal government
on the payment Of the public debt, and a repision of
the tariff revision to be made not for the purpose of
addition, but Of REDUCTION ONE HALF ; the re-
duction ofthe ten millions, absorbed in the sinking
fund arevlsion which will give the Legislature the
grateful task Of lifting the duties from necessaries and
leaving them upon Injuries, and upon articles, which
conflict with the pursuits OF our own industry
Thus it will be that Mr.. BENTON, in one
| year after he voted for the establishment of
an additional tariff altered his mind, and consider
| ed it necessary to have it reduced oNy HALF
And lift should be asked why he thus changed his
opinions, we shall be allowed to say, that promises
made to him, and inducements held forth, by the
members OF the Southern dynasty, composed Of
Messrs. CALHOUN Company, prevailed upon
nm to abandon early and iixcd prnciples-prnci-
pies which WASHING TON inculcated, JEFFERSON
cherished, and CLAY reduced to system. In ia.
king this stand, he has disappointed the hopes and
fondest expectations of the citizens of the West;
| and that favored son-favored alike by the boun-
ties OF Heaven and his country-they now look up
on with regret, and behold his prostraton, and po-
ltical dehement and apostacy, with indignation.-
BY one false step, he has cut of his early prospects
Impatient, irritable, and madly ambitious, he sought
preierment at the expense of his principles and the
dictates Of his conscience and like Lucifer, he has
fallen never to rise again
1t would be tedious, if not unproftable to wan.
der through the late Congressional scenes in which
COL BENTON has been conspicuous actor und as
we are not disposed to draw from their dread
abode" the frailtics Of a man, whose talents
we cannot but admire. and whose indefatisa-
BILE industry we mus. applaud, we will not at this
n dino
to the Panama Mission. In the celebrated de.
bates which the discussion of that great question
called forth, Col. BENTON was file leader; and
next to Mr. TAzEwELL and JOHN RANDOLPH of
Roanoke, may be considered the head and front of
the Opposition. Whoever has read his speech on
the Panama Question, must admire the talents of the
man, the ingenuity Of his propositions sincerely
as they deplore the inducements which led him on
to action.
Professin. to be the champion ofliberty, and the
advocate OF universal emancipation he has by the
course pursued in opposition to the Congress of
Panama, proved his previous declarations and pro-
fessions insncere. and himself unworthy of the
onhdence of all that are truly republican in their
principles and when time shall have convinced
him OF the error Of his ways and of his total aban-
donment Of the political doctrines assumed by him
in early life, he may in his old age as he sets by the
cracking winters fire, weep over his fall and DOOM
and, in the pathetic language Of the second Rich.
ard Of England exclaim:
"Think Pm dead; and even here thou tak'st
AS from my dcath.bed my last living leave.
In winters tedious nights, sit by the fire
andlat thoY,t tbot t,1o
Ofwoiul ages, long ago betd.
And ere thou bid good night, to quit their grief
Tell them the lament able fall of me,
And send the hearers weeping to their beds.''
But with all his faults, there is much in this
statesman to love; and where is the man that cannot
and will not, do reverence to his talents-who will
not applaud HIN who, by the force of his native |
energies, for a while properly directed, ascended |
many Of the rounds of the ladder Of ambition, but
who, by one false step, fell from his lofty height
to his primitive grovellipg in the dust In private
life, Col BENTON is generally beloved, and by the
suavty Of his manners and the even tenor of his
way, has gathered around him, many warm and sin.
cere friends, who if they deprecate his political alb
errations honor his virtues, and the amablenes, of
bis heart.
That he is at this moment willing advocate of
the measures pursued by the opposition, we cannot
believe, and if il be not too late we hone bo will ve,