Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1843-02-11
SENATOR'S RIvEs AND BENTON

SENATOR'S RlNES AND BENTON
These gentlemen, not long ago, had
warm personal dispute, in the United States
Senate. The cause of the difficulty we
did not understand. The Richmond Com.
piler explains the cause, and, as it refers 10
matter of general interest, we give the
explanation place in our columns.
While the late treaty was under debate,
Mr. Jared Sparks sent a copy Of map to
the Senate, that he had discovered, in the
Foreign Office, at Paris, which had been
forwarded originally to the Count De Yer
gennes by DIR. Franklin, on which the Doc
tor had marked Ito use his own words,)
the limits of the United States as settled
in the preminaries between the British and
American Plenipotentiaries." This north
eastern boundary line, drawn by DR.. Frank.
lin, Was exactly the one contended for bv
Great Britain, except that il comedies more
than that Government claims.
Not to be outdone, Mr.. Benton in the
. secret session, paraded an old map found
among Mr. Jeflerson's papers, embracing
the same subject. Mr.. Rives, in reply,
spoke rather cavalierly of this proof, alleg-
ing that it sustained the map discovered by
|
line but the moment other eyes were ap-
piled to it, "thcre was found" said he, "in
bold relief, q strong red line, indicating the
limits of the United States according to
the treaty of peace, and coinciding minute
ly and exactly with the boundary traced
out Mr.. Sparks map"
| This Mr.. Benton pronounced untrue.
He did not produce the Jefferson map to
dsparage the Franklin map. He did not
! conceal the red line. Mr. Rves referred
in reply to his impressions, and the impress
sions Of other Senators. -Whereupon tho
following Pickwickian scene ensucd:
"Mr, Benton rose Immediately after Mr..
Rives sat down, and under considerable excite.
ment, said he had nothing to do with impressions
or opinions, but with facts. lie then quoted
Mr. Rve's speech on the Treaty.
He declared with great vehemence that the fact
here stated by Mr. Rives was not so. lie could
see the red lines on the map. He did see them
He did not wait for other eyes. He proclaimed
the red line from his place in the Senate.
This was the question of fact he wished to
make before the Senate. He had asserted that
the allegation he had read from the speech OF the
Senator of Virginia was not So That Senator
ought 10 have replied to his assertion at the time
But instead Of doing so he had slept on his speech
and came now after the lapse Of twenty. four
hours, to make an issue about opinions. Now,
said Mr. Benton, with great emphasis have no.
thing 10 do with that issue. adhere TO the facts.
Mr.. Rves replied with warmth tits, said
he, question of fact, and he insisted that his
impression was borne out by the impressions of
the majority OF the Senate. and he cared not for
the special pleading Of the Senator froa," Mis-.
souri,. That Senator was striking in the dark,
and disregarding the substantial question as to
what his purposes were in introducing the map.
On this point (said Mr. Rives,) put my asser-
ton in opposition to that OF the Missouri Sena.
tor before the House and the country.
Mr.. Benton. 81 will bring this affair to
point. proclaimed "here are your red-your
bloody red lines | pointed them out to show
that Sparks map was no secret. complain not
of impressions nor opinions-l complain o.!
facts"
Here Mr.. Benton read the sentence above
, mentioned again-and said he adhered to the
facts.
Mr.. Rves replied, that twelve Senators had
coincided with him in his opinion, and he be.
lieved the majority would, if appealed to.
Mr.. Benton. "lf any Senator will repeat
this assertion contained in the speech OF the gen.
tleman from Virginia.
Here he was interrupted by cries Of "order! "
"order."
The Chairman said the conversation could not
be continued in this tone.
Mr.. Benton amidst loud cries Of "order'
"order" exclaimed angrily to Mr.. Rves, ii
deny your assertion-I deny your assertion"
Y Here the matter ended.
There was a time when these Senator:
: united in drawing black lines around reso-
:. lutions passed by the Senate, and now
strange to say, in that same Senate Hall
they are quarrelling about red line! But
> so il is. Senator Benton will be a hero
# he can't help it; but what kind of hero VIC
!, must leave others to define We certainly
e cannot. Only this is certain-"He coulc
: see the red lines" That's positive: "He
did see them" That's more positive. He
i did not wait for other eyes," That's mos
k positive. HE proclaimed the red lin,
from his place in the Senate" That's be-
yond the superlative--a sort of Bentonar
way of asserting a fact--when there car
J. be no dispute about it. Ii means, we sup
;. pose, that the red line was clear as mud
r, that the Senator knew it to be SO; ano
J. that no other Senator dare assert the con
l, trary. 1t is fortunate the record says;