Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-10-31
SENATOR BENTON

The distinguished Senator from Missouri, being
on visit to Boonslick in that State, was invited
TO public dinner, and on being toasted, address
ed the company in speech oil some length, the
substance OF which, as given in the g Western
Monitor" we give below. We bespeak for il an
attentive perusai, and il will be found worthy of il:
" He spoke, in the first instance, of the elec-
.ion OF President in the II. of r. in 1885, and OF
the cepsure iavished upon him for advising Mr.
Scott to vote for Gen. Jackson in preference to
Mr.. Adams on that occasion, notwithstanding an
airay lie had had with the Gen. about twelve years
before. lie said II had several times been his du-
ty o.act with General jackson, or in relation TO
hiu, since the aiiray, and before the election in
the House of Representatives; and that ne had al
ways done so without being influenced by any re-
rncmbrance or that affair He had not t.en in.
Guenced by ii in the year I3;s,-the very year af.
ter i. happened,- when he served under the Gen.
erals command on the Mobile frontier command
cd the outside post next to Pensacola, received
his orders constantly, communicated with him by
letters almost daily, gave to his plans the most
efficient aid in his power, and several times re-
ceiyed the expression Of his appreciation. He had
not been influenced by it in 1919, when the Cen
erals conduct in the Seminole War was arraigned
in both houses OF congress, and when he, as the
conductor OF public newspaper in ST. Louis might
have joined in the attack upon him, and in6ulged
resentment to the greatest extent under the cloak
Of performing public duty, instead Of just;fying
his conduct he did, and the file of the paper
will now prove. He had not been influenced by
it in 1923, when he and the General met in the
Senate of the United States interchanged civil
tues, went to doing business together any 9TH
CT two members, served on the same committee,
sat two sessions in contiguous chairs, conversed
constantly together, and voted alike on most of
The leading questions and especially upon the "a.
Tiff and internal improvement He had not been
influenced by il in the canvass for the presiden-
cy in 1924, when he made the tour OF the state az
the friend of Mr.. Clay, but declared in every COM
pany that il Gen. j. should be elected, Missouri
would have reason to regret ii as he had she wn
himself in the Senate to be friend to her fur
trade. her Nj eXican trade, the development OF her
mineral wealth, and all her interests. After thus
acting for twelve years without any remembrance
of that personal difference, it would have been
strange 10 have been governed by il in the crisis
Of the election OF 1925 He was not so governed;
bat was influenced by sense OF duty TO his con-
stituents, whom he knew 10 be in favor Of the
General in preference TO Mr.. Adams; he was in
auenced by regard fer his own declared princi-
pies, which led him TO Gen. J. soon as MIR. Clay
disappeared from the list of candidates; he was in
luenced by friendship TO Mr.. Scott, 10 whom he
had been attached for ten years whom he wished
20 save from the abyss Of ruin into which Ie saw
some people pushing him.
On the charge of corrupt agreement between
himself and Gen. jackson, made upon him by Mr.
eNay's principal committee in Kentucky-the
Frankfort central coEimittee-Col. l.. said he
would give ii the answer which indignant tr,ltf,
required. He would say thatthe charge the
committee was false in fact, and Impairment in
sort, honorable, or dishonorable between him and
fieu. j.; that no commune otiOn of any kind ever
took place between them relative 10 the election or
Mr. Scots vote, any members vote, e. that the
General was wholly unapprzed Of what part lie
aGted in the election until it became public and
Went TO hin as il went TO others through tie
common channels Of nformafion.--CoI. Il dwell,
upon the ungenerouzness well as the fasity Of
ibis charge, made upon him by the principal com
irittee OF Mr.. Clay. He had not been the asssil-
ant Of Mr.. CIsy,-he had rot mixed in the char
ges against hin; in the breach which had taken
place between them, md which had put an end ic
their personal intercourse, he stil remembered
tiIat ,hey had been friends, aud were still conncx-
!Irs he felt that something was due 10 the deceD
tic5 of liic,-something 10 the remembrance o.
past scenes--sonethiDg 10 the memory Of de
parted ffiendship,--and ho had dctneaned hifnsel
arcordirgly. Not such the treatment he had re.
ceiyed in return. On the contrary en- unre lentinc
war OF lies and caIumues had been yyaged upon
every part of his conduct, public and private and
committee has been found in Kentucky 10 lend
tile sanction Of their Dames totfe inpuient ant
gfstuitous caluG,ny of corrupt understanding
between himself and Cen. Jackson If Gen. j
himself was the principal object Of thIs Calumny--
1.-THE design was t. fix charge Of ,ampering 70
votes upon him by way Of set-oH for simila
charge on another eminent parsonage; he ought q
eta 70 have been credited by the committee, viii
s''u enough 10 fH5 sort II trading to have Coni