Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1843-09-23
COL. BENTON--THE STANDARD
THE REPORTER.

In his letter to the Clique Of this place,
speaking on the subject Of the Currency,
Col Benton said:
ITO Messrs. Jackson, OF Howard and Huston,
OF Lincoln, my thanks arc particularly due for
their respective bills end meritorious exe,tons on
this subject"
The Missouri Reporter copies the letter
from which the above extract is taken)
and makes the following comments:
I'VE have no weighy objection to make to
sny portion Of the production, except the thanks
rendered to the Governor for his labors, and 10
Msssrs. Huston and Jackson, for introducing
certain currency bills ut the oo session OF the
Legislature. In the instances referred 10, thanks
may be particularly due from Col. B.; bu, we
feel strongly impelled 10 thank the Legislature for
announcing the abuse poured upon the Democra
cy by his EIcellency, through his branded organ
and especially do We thank the Represents.
lives OF the People, for the summary manner in
which they condemned the very obnoxious bills
OF Mr. Huston. as well as the odious features OF
those Of Mr.. Jackson. Indeed we are disposed
TO applaud Mr.. Huston for the prompt manner
in which he abandoned the bills he was induced
to father, as too abominabe to 10 sustained -
and Mr.. Jackson is entitled 10 some credit for
yielding, and voluntarily cutting the ban,lings
placed in his hands. SO soon as hs was made
sensible Of their de.es.sble and anti Democratic
character.
Even to the Standard we are under obligation
Tor publishing an article, denouncing the whole
batch Of odious currency bills, as infinitely
worse than the disease for which they were in.
tended as quack remedy--as n, war with the
spirit and foreign 10 the genius Of our free ins,itu
TONS
Were we to applaud the bill, OF Mr.. Hus
ion--supposing then, to be our own--and know. |
ing that such bills had been repeatedly rejected,
and by almost an unanimous vote al the late SEES.
sion; and knowing also that they had been dis. |
approved by at least nine.tenths OF the De.
mocracy OF the Sta,e--we should feel that we
were administering to the party very pointed
rebuke. and censuring the Legislature for failing
10 register them.
Our opinion OF the currency bills. [caled Illus
ion's) is very well known. We regard them as
more arbitrary and unconstitutional than the Sc.
dition Law Of the elder Adams-snd we derive
satisfaction from the fact, that this opinion is
entertained, almost unanimously, by the Demo.
Gratis Of ST. Louls-as has been shown by their
decisions at various public meetings. Indeed,
We feel well assured that Democrats, in no town
hesitate to condemn such bills Of pains and pen.
allies. and 10 pronounce them unworthy Of the
present age"
In the Reporter of subsequent date 10
the one from which the above is taken, we
find an article in reply TO a charge in the
Standard, tina, the Reporter was hostile TO
Col. Benton, from which We make the fol.
living extract:
During the las, session OF the Missouri Leg
slatuIe bills were introduced into the Lower
House, which we regarded and pronounced anti.
Democratic unwise, IN ust, arbitrary and dos
poic. We conba;ted them on principle. We
should have beed our own judgment, been false
10 our sense Of righr, and wared upon the clear.
est doctrines Of civil liberty, If we had declined
opposing such outrageous measures. An over.
whelming majority Of the Legislature eoncurred
with as in opinion, and 10 press in Missouri has
dared openly to defend the schemes to which we
refer. Huston bills were never printed, except
il The columns OF the Reporter, and il was with
'!e greatest difficulty that We could procure cop
cs o! than for publication, SO anxious were the
Few who had them in their possession TO prevent
;hem lrom being submitted to the public eye and
% The general indignation which they received
TO ourseif. Even the Standard" has published
sf'icies Gondemning them as unspsringly as We
Sid, - the following extract from that paper will
'"o@. Speaking Of The CURRENCY bills. writer
in thai paper said.
Those bills in their original form were serious |
~ objectionable. Tue object was good one; bu,
the u1ans proposed were extreme and unwarranta.
bic. The TEST OATH HAs As ARHogREar TO THE |
srlsiT As 1T WAS foRslGa 70 TIE PRACTICE or OUR |
GOVERNMENT. The penalties we're enormous; if, |
indeed, such H,sRTuTe can be rslionsi,y enforced
BY penalties ntah. THosr EEAEpIEs woUl D HAVE
PROVED WORSE THAI TIE DISEASE.
"The L siSlaiure may restrain traffic in poi
sons, for the somDOa safety Of the body polite;
nut. Oh 40 principle, can citizen bs forbidden TO
sxchanqe his commodities fur chips and whe,stones,
{ he plsases The celebrated Fifteen
..lon law" uf Massachusetts was very much like
l,s.e currency bill, The temperance orstors had
'uceeeded in persuading the Legislature Of that
Sts;e that arden, spirit gas a boss fse poison--
la, tie evil ~ss in he Thing itself, OF tie lsiuh'ng