Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1828-11-26

honesty, that Benton has not ycnturcd to as,;
LiS private integrity. These aspersions are mos
satisfactorily diSsipatcd. Col Benton j. cyihi,o,
ny Mr. Bates in such colours that it is 4 matter nj
nStons!'mcnt, that he should have influence in Mis
souri,, Responsibility ut Washington, or co,tcr,uc
any hero. In addition to his many personal
professional and political delinqucnci,y le now stand.
before the world, the. known ard ,;ncucstjcn,l,n
author of the East ltoom Letter. The odd
Republican, whose feelings were scan,alizcd At the
imagined gorgeous decoration OF the East Room.
Having vidiccted myself from Cob Rertons nc
PERSONS, amt proven, "a think have conclusivn;,
Doi the iaSiiy and folly of his accusations so,r che
ra0!e peop!' may suppose that ourlt here to close
th's article Col. B' mon was not content with mis-
representing to facts, but has thought ,,rornr t
inpe my stP2sen acts. TO the base and sorii,i
iotiVtis ami has lOwad hself TO employ to,vnrd;
me STRAIN ot course invective aul vurar yitucra.
lion. licncc, | feel entirely Justified in r.;or.ir,r
upon the aSSallant and indeed III sort com
PEELED to carry tine war into Africa"
lie Is prcSu.n; ous and foolish who rro+ ~, I;u,r
an exemption iron the and faults that cbDrac
tcfisc our nI3re msccntly chall ngcs Investigation
and courts censurc. am not So vn as TO s1nnose
that, III near hitccn years OF active cXcrtion IN this
country, aN nay acts can b s;tS!:ctor:lv ry,,Ioad
and fully justified in principle aud policy Uni do
confidently appeal 10 such OF you Us know both Col
Benton and me- to compare moral cIlarac ers: to
weigh It's liz the h~laEcc AMI proi.ouca judgement be-
tween Us. | appeal To YOU 10 say If chi kcn,,u
tlined as he is almost every relation of f. will
lcculaon or aischood, is fit to be INV ,cc,,scr ~. To
matters of honesty and truth. have I.s,roy.u Ms
tcf ana now shall endcavor to slcw that his vile
ltcTsncus have been drawn from til, habitrnl corr,n
ton Ot his conduct.
In setting down u few ofthe prominent Facts which
Disgrace the life and couduc; Of Col. Hanton s.ll
not touch upon the itdiscsci;o,ls which cousled the
prospects of his early manhood. Prr!aIs in cho~it,
TO i.,I- -
NlGl, IL the Classic shn,l"S ~ tmuel Hill. sba n
cotlnc myself to those offences which mark the char
accr OF his ripper years, ana bear some relation to his
various public stations
l. Daring the late war he n recruiting Lieu
tenant Colonel of the army. ] say yecru;f;v0 be
cause have heard ttat he rendered some $ rvice il,
That hnc but he never met the enemies of his country:
az his fighting hasb been confined to civil broi with
h's fellow citizens. In that capacity he was ontr.ls
ed with public funds, and became a public fetauIter
As soon federal district court was established in
Missouri, he ordered TO be sued. Judgment was;
rendered against him in 1922 and the money would
have been collected long ago, on execution but he
procured suspension OF the writ ON his nrou,ise IN
pay the amount due at Washington city.- which he
has not done, BIZ; stands to this dav public Ccaultrr
proclaimed on the list annually published by the Go
rornmcnt, for money received by him ojeiaiiy more
than thirteen years ago.
.. At the time of the failure of tho borl- nf Ms
souri,, Col Benton was one of lis directors and not
"ihstahdir the charter expressly pro, les that no
director shall be entitled isa loan of more than 600
at any one time he and his eight odrcctors divided
among themselves OF the money deposited Gy, s0fc
6@cPu!g, by the United States and private persons
about $4,000! cannot say precisely tile amount of
the spoil which fell TO the share OF The Senatorial d.
rector, but ii was somewhere between ten and fifteen
thousand dollars. But tilis | do know that the H.
States brought q suit to secure their deuosif Of
2io3,ouO--tiidt compromise effected and I'm
order to cover that claim the Bank transferred dnbf
to the amount ot about $4,000, including Col Ben
fins ~ fl.att -,
cndorscr. ! cannot say with precision the amount of
that part of the Colonos bank debt created by the
Juggling process of abstractng the stock of the hank
ana piedgg naked subscription by way of security;
hut the CEd05Sed notes known precsely The
agent Of the o. States brought suit upon them seycra
years ago and recovered Judgment against the colo
mel for S7076 To- 10 part Of which has been paid nor
likely to be: for long ago two or three wears
Col. Benton, having nothing here to satisfy the de-
1nand, but privileged person, had the address to pro-
cure from the department order to stay the cxecu-
ton. And 50 the matter sleeps.
3. The act Of Congress which fixes the compensa-
ton OF Senator'S allows SO day during the session,
and Sb Tor every twenty miles of TRAVELLING bv the
most usual road from the members place of residence
to the seat of Government For the session of Con
gress, beginning on the 9th Of December 1924 and
ending on the Sd of March, 1895 and the extra ses-
sion of the Senate, beginning on the h and on limo M,
the 9th of March, 1925 Mr. Senator Benton received
from the Treasury the sum Of $780, 40 Now from
tine 9th December to the 9th OF March inclusive
there are but 'raety.fo"r doys which, at 81 a day
VIII amount to 1882 The rest of the Coloncrs pay
must have been for his mileage, which, being appor.
toned at the rate of 50 for every twenty miles for &c
cents mile) will demonstrate that in going from St
LOUIS to Warrington city, ond back again. Senator
Benton travelled the incredible distance OF sic Hon-
sandHtee h1Hdred anil sercaty-sr miicsn or that he
has grossly dciraudcd the treasury.
4. Col. Benton was employed OF behalf of Mrs
Mann, of Pike county Mo. TO collect a sum of none,
tor her from the War Department. While attending
al Washington rs a Senator he applied at the proper
office and received the money but ON his return tc
Missouri. neglected TO pay it over. 1r. Mann the
husband of the creditor demanded the money but the
Colonel having spent it, could not or would not re-
place It, except ycry small part; and Mr.. NJ being
in necessity for the cash. and angcrod at such treat
ncnt, brought suit TO recover the amount, but after
wards aPccd by his urgent need, and fearing total
loss III case the Senator should be pressed by his other
creditors he was forced TO compromise on the Sena-
tors own terms, and accept order for merchandise
on store III st. Louis, besides deductng fftccn pc,
~ 81