Lexington union. (Lexington, Miss.) 1838-18??, 1839-08-10

ing the life-blood from the south and west
which broke the machine which was
governing our elections-and which de-
st.oyed the regulator which was cna-
bling few iavorites to regulate the price
of all produce, labor, property, and to take
every thing at the one-third Of what they
now have 10 pay for il? Who can forget
the removal Of the Indians, which freed all
the southern and western states from the
ncumbrance ola useless population, threw
open vast and fertile region to the pro-
ductIon Of cotton and thereby created
new market for all their manufactures, and
new employment for the shipping Of the
northeastern states? Who can forget tho
recommendation TO graduate the'price OF
the public lands, to give preference 10 SET
tiers, and to sell the lands not with view
TO screw money out of the people, but with
a view to promote the settlement and to
increase the cultivation and Improvement
Of the country? Who can forget the most
wise and patriotic treasury order Of 1886,
which instantly operated as presumption
law in favor Of settlers, and which had the
same effect upon the spectators who werc
then monopolizing the public lands with
the paper Of banks which were going 10
stop payment) That the discharge Of a
blnnderbuss would have upon flock Of
hlackbirds on a wheat stack? Who can
forget these measures. and so many others,
all tending TO promote the general
prosperity, and by virtue Of which the
wealth Of the country has been doubled in
a few years, the market prices Of staple
productions have been trebled in many
Instances, and the laboring man, whether
bound or free, is multiplied into three
such men, in point ofprofitable production.
as he was when we had national bank
and federal administration Who can
forget or deny these things? But let US
look forward. The'repeal Of the salt tax,
the graduation Of the price Of the public
lands, and the passage Of new pre.emp-
ton law, are three great measures which
you are now to expect from the congress of
the United States; and such is my opinion
Of the justice and equity Of each Of these
measures, and such my confidence in the
eventual success of all that is right, that
fully count upon seeing them all adopted,
and beholding the day when you will get
the best Of salt at three bits fer the meas
nred brshel at the river fnwnA, whom every
settler will be protected in his improve
ment from the day he makes 1t; and
when inferior lands will be sold for price
adapted to their quality. You also want
laws TO preserve and protect the PERMANENT
circulation Of gold and silver among YOU;
and tina, is case in which congress can
hid you by establishing the Independent
treasury; and it is a case in which, with.
out the aid Of congress, or of any other
state, you can help yourselves, by the easy
and simple process of excluding all small
piper and all deprecated paper from the
state.
lam greatly gratiied, gentlemen, with
my visit TO your quarter of the state. It
was the last to be settled, because longest
encountered by an Indian population.
For long time it was sealed book to
the people Of the other parts Of the state;
but the removal of he Indians has opened
The book and displayed to view its fair and
ample pages; and already the southwest
quarter Of Missouri is known to a great
distance, and is attracting an immense
emigration Taken in its full extent as
embracing the valley Of the Usage river,
part of the waters of the Gasconade, and
that fertile region of which the Ozark
mountain Gas this beautiful table land is
called) is the centre; taking your section
OF the state in this event, and viewing its
various resources and capabilities-its
lead and iron ores, pineries and other val
liable tlmbers, IFS happy mixture of prai-
RE and woodland, its various fertile soil,
both valley and upland, its maichless sup
ply Of the purest water, its double facili-
ties for navigation by the Missouri and
Arkansas waters, its exact adoption to
stock-raising, and the unquestioned salu-
brity of its climate; viewed under all these
aspects, and your quarter Of the state rises
to a high degree of consideration, and
must see the day when it will vie in import
ance with either Of the other three quar-
tiers Of the far famed, justly famed and
transcendently favored state Of Missouri.
TO all these natural advantages there is
one other Of an adventitious, and, perhaps,
temporary character, which you at present
enjoy, and | hope may long be blessed
with; and that is, that there IL no bank
within upwards Of a hundred miles Of you,
and that yon have more plentiful supply
of gold and silver currency at this day
than any bank ridden portion ofthe Union
has even Of paper money. Respectfully,
gentlemen, your friend and fellow-citizen,
THOS. III. BENTON.
Messs. ThomdsP Campbell, &c.