, 1840-10-24
SUBSTANCE AND OUTLINE OF
SENATOR BENTON,S SPEECH.

SON CITY, ON THURSDAY, OCT. 8, 1910.

" 4 ON ~ S1O
Mr.. Benton said that he could not rise to
speak ia any assembly of Missourians with
on; expressing his thanks fort the honor which
they had done him in their repeated elections
TO the Senate Of the United States. He
had been elected for twenty five consecutive
years, (being the longest period for which
any American citizen had ever been elected.)
twenty of which he had served and had so
served as TO endeavor 10 show by actions.
more than words. his gratitude TO the State
which had SO highly honored him. He had re-
fused all appointments which would take him
out of their service. Embassies, departments.
had been offered to him, both by General Jack
son and Mr.. Van Buren,: he might lave been
spending his time long since, and now. in for
eign courts, or in a department at Washing
ton; but he preferred the service of his kind
and indulgent constituents. and remained in
the place TO which they had raised him. Time
had answered the Imputation that he had
supported General Jackson and Mr.. Van
Buren, for Office: Tine had shown that these
imputations were untounded, and that the
race Of men was not extinct who would act
together without a bargain, and support each
other without pay. His service had been
disinterested, not only in his own person. but
in that of his relatives. He had quartered
no kin Of his on the public! In the twenty
years which he had served in the Senate.
and his friends in power almost all the time.
no offices or contracts had gone 10 his blood.
He had asked nothing for his kin: in answer
to some of their applications for office, he
had told them TO work. and to look TO the
people. In this he was not only acting dis
interestedly, but giving IN example which
might operate for the public good by cheek
ing the passion for office which was bcc"m-
ing so violent in our country Besides declIn-
ing office. and remaining in the station in
which the kindness of his constituents had
placed him. Mr.. B. said he had endrav"red
further to show his gratitude By iurninr all
his attention TO the appropriate duties of his
station-to legislaiion-to useful practical
legislation-to making good laws for a free
people. He had nothing 10 dn with men. q:
with politics. in the Semitic chamber: H
made no personal or partizan speeches there.
Utility was his object-cood laws his means
and he had endeavored 10 pass lie Laws
which applied to aiflirs Of the people. and
which were for the public good. Acfi"n~
spoke louder than words, and by his actions
he had endeavored to show himself creatcfui
TO the State which had conferred upon him
the unparalleled honor Of a quarter of n cen.
fury Of continuous service in the American
Senate.
Mr.. B. complimentej the state upon the
high character which it had gained by keep
ing so neatly out Of debt, and preserving lis
democratic characters, and above ell upon
its increased majority at tile August election.
He was on the Atlantic board at hat time.
and witnessed the frantic exul,arion with
which the opposition looked TO the conquest
of Missouri. They were perfectly sure Of
their conquest. They believed the people
of the state could never withstand the new
and formidable tactics which were brought
10 bear upon them; that songs and cider.
coon skins and gourds, log cabins in cities and
canoes on dry land. barrels on poles. big balls
on wheels, and professions with banners.
were all irresistible arguments; that they
would charm and lead captive 1.-THE IGNORANT
MULTITUDE and give to federalism its long
desired triumph over democracy. They be-
lieved all this, and could not restrain the
triumphant feeling which the anticipation
inspired. The first news confirmed taeir
hopes: it was from the city of St. Louis:
and it was impossible to comprehend that the
city Of St. Louis was not the state Of Mis-
souri,. Finally the full vote came in. Eight
thousand majority! Two thousand for dem
ocracy more than it ever got before! Such
was the defeat, instead Of the victory, which
the coon skin tactics and hammered process.
ions had brought npon them! The friends
of democracy rejoiced. The friends Of Mis-
souri, reioiced. Her Senator rejpiced. II
was the joy, not of victory over a party. but
of MAN over his attempted degradation! the
Joy of freemen, and of republicans, over a
species Of electioneering, as novel as it was
degrading, as demoralizing as it was insulting.
as stupid as it was wicked a species of cleo
tioneering which was a burlesque upon pop
ular elections. a contempt of popular inieIli-
gence, a satire upon our form of government.
a mockery of our constitution. an insult and
outrage upon the memory Of its farmers!-
This was their joy; and loud and long was
the applause-universal was the praise
which was bestowed upon the young state
for the noble rebuke which her vote implied.
She rebuked the authors of the new tactics
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