Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1841-07-20
THE CASE OF MCLEOD.
SPEECH OF MR.. BEN TON,
OF MISSOURI. ..-r

SPEECHoF MR.. BENTON,
t OF MISSOURI.
In Senate, Monday, June ID, lS4I.
On the motion of Mr.. Rives toreier so
much Of the Presidents message
as Velates to our foreign affairs,
to the Committee on Foreign AT
fairs. A.S ag af l.t
Mn. BENToN would take this opportu-
nifty to express his opinions on the sub
iect before the Senate, aud would take
the occasion to say that he would always
choose to speak during the usual lhours of
business in the Senate, but ii prevented
from speaking at such hours,he must have
recourse to those which we're unusual, and
al this season ofthe year, oppressive. He
would speak in the night if he copld not
in the day; refusalsto adjourn shonld not
debar him Ofithe right. He had a righlto
speak, and should exercise that right, not
to annoy the Senate or 10 delay business,
bnt TO discharge his duty TO the country,
and to sho@ that he. was able and de-
termined to assert and to yindicate his
rights. ifa ~ tz,,F H, hie ~
{ Mr.. B. believed that the gentleman
whose correspondence was the subject of
discussion, and who might be considered
chiefly interested in it, (tbe Secre1arysof
Slate, would have no objection TO this
discussion ;neitheF to i!scharacler,nor the
time it would consume. That gentleman
had done, at former extra session, in
fnitely move than it was proposed to do
now. Mr.. B. spoke OF the extra session
fMay, 1918, called BY Mr.. Madison to
provide means Of carryingi on the war,
and so large q proportion Of which was
consumed in partisan attacks upon the
character and measures Of the Administra-
ton. Mr.. b.. was a young man at that
time vister at Washington, and often
took his stand among other vislters In
the crowded and heated lobby of the
House. -,
Standing in that place, he saw Repre-
sentative from the State Of New Hamp,
shire, now The Secretary of State, Mr..
Webster,l submit his celebrated resOlG-
tions against the administration of Mr..
Madison; and during the mouth which he
remained at Washington, he heard these
resolutions debated, day in and day out,
by the whole phalanx Of ihe Federal par
", 10 the exclusion Of the business for
Which Congress was called together, and
10 the delay ofthe supplies which the in.
vaded and bleeding condition Of the coun-
try so iTnperiously demanded. He heard
the mover Of the resolutfos deliver his
wIthering denunciations against his own
Government; he saw him followed by the
solid column Of theFederai battalion then
in the House; he saw the Democracy,
patient and fOrbearing, giving them allthe
time thew would ask, and all the scope
thev would take; and no one availed him.
selfmore full. Of Democratic forbearance
than the mover of the resolutions him
self He had time and scope to his hearts
content in attacking gshisown Government,
and that in time of war, and ,at 8 called
session ofCongress. The fecollectioRoI
sahis mus. have its effect upon the mind pI
him whowas then the subject Dfso much
forbearance. He must be willlngs and
even anxious, 10 extendto others ihe ~
diligence 0fwhich he has had the benefit
He mustbeawilling thai those whoPleas'
should have their time and scope, (atthl'
extra session Of Congress, called in time
Of peace to take snap judgmenis,on tn
American people )to arraign an actot his
in which now as near thirty year
ago, he has the misfortune to appeaa
on the wrong side of his country
cause. o a~8e
ra Alr. B. said the history of our countr
contained warning lesson to gen'leme
who take the side 5of a foreign cOunlr
against their own he alluded to the cas-
of Arbdthnot ind Ambrisler, seized anon
the Seminole Indians in 1918, and hun
as outlaws and piratesby the orders
GeneIal Jacksonsg Theine@s ofthst ex'
euti6nwas heard with. Joy by the Amer
tanspsoplss who considered these Englisl
men as q thousand times more cHlppb
thanahB wFslehed sayageH whom sthe
stinlulatcdto to The murder Of women az
children, and who had abandoned the
own country, and the white Jhce sowhiC