The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-12-27
BY THE SOUTHERN MAIL.


JAMES GORDON BENNETT, Eso:-
DEAR SMITHS being Christmas day. and
freshly arrived in The city from six weeks tour
in the West, shall make work Of my holiday, and
proceed to give you some account of what l have
seen and heard, which have not before had an
opportunity Of doing in satisfactory manner. /
first visited ST. Louis, the beautiful and rapidly
growing capital Of the West, which in trade, COM
and political Importance, will soon outstrip
any other point in the great valley, ard is destined
to become the grand mart OF mighty world Of en-
terprise, wealth and refinement, extending from
the western bank Of the Ohio to the shores Of the
Pacific, and reaching from Queen Charotte's
Sound to California and the Rio del Norte. But
this subject opens vast field Of speculation which
must postpone for the present, as my purpose is
to inform you az briefly as possible Of some new
political movements, of a most astounding chaYac-
ter, and OF which not OF the wise and saga
clous politicians and editors who pretend to know
all about II, has yet dreamed.
begin then, by telling you that Col. Benton is
opposed to slavery, and in favor of abolishing the
institution IN Missouri, and soon as it can pos
sibly be effected, IN the United States This is not
merely an abstract opinion OF his but an axiom upon
which he will forthwith proceed TO act and that
too, In the most vigorous manner. You are aware
that, at the recent State election in Missouri the
people decided by a large majority in favor Of
Convention to revise the Constitution Of the State.
The delegates 10 this convention are to be elected
in August next, and the Convention itself meets in
the winter following. The present law provides
this COnvention-but this absurd provision. by
which the best and ablest men in the State were
excluded from participating IN the formation Of the
constitution, will be repealed by the Legisla-
lure this winter, and the State laid out in districts
SO that Mr.. Benton will be elected delegate TO
| the convention from the upper (democratic) ward
IN the city OF ST. Louis In that convention he ia
| to breach his grand scheme for the abolition of
slavery, and incorporate into the new constitution
declaration OF the new principle, which is to be
followed out as soon as practicable by Legislative
enactments. The people OF Missouri have become
perfectly satisfied that slave labor is an absolute
| disadvantage TO them, and that they can procure
their work done much cheaper by tree labor, which
entails no obligations, as in case OF slavery, to sup
port and look after the laborer any longer than he
is actually engaged in toll. Thus, you see, it is
not from philanthropy, but absolutely as matter
knows, 1t will be the drest that could posi-
| bly, come to the poor slave Now, he has, in his
master, a friend who is bound by his own interest
| to see him always well fed clothed and housed
| and to nurse him when he is sick, while the law
compels the master provide for and maintain the
slave IN his helpless old age But this is not to The
present purpose.
The ice being thus broken by Missouri, it is be-
| lleved that Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland and Del
| aware-perhaps Tennessee and North Carolina
will soon follow suit, and abolish slavery in these
| States Then will come up, in good earnest, the
question OF the annexation Of Texas if il should
| not force itself up before. But whenever il does
! come, Mr.. Benton has proclaimed that then and
there the great question OF slavery is to be perma-
nently settled, and the principle which shall govern
the future action of the United States in respect to
It, clearly and distinctly marked out. Texas is to
the former case, the liberated slaves will naturally
lind their way scuthwaidly, and gradually become
merged in the quadroons, meztiSsoes, and other
hybrid races OF Louisiana, Texas, and Mexico.
Thus you Will perceive, that the question Of
slavery Is the grand pivot upon which every politi-
cal event IN the United States, for years to come,
is to turn. Colonel Benton has, beyond all ques-
ton, taken his position against slavery, and against
| Mr.. Calhoun, whose letters on the annexation
treaty, as well as whose whole public life, place
him as the peculiar champion of the institution Of
slavery, both practically and in the abstract. He
has voluntarily taken this ground, and all the ex-
haustless powers and energies Of his vast mind will
DC DEVOTED to defending, and enlarging it. While
Mr. benton. ana me Northern politicians who
take their cue from him, then, are in favor OF an
nexatlon, Tor the purpose OF helping to destroy
slavery, Mr. Calhoun is still more ardently in favor
OF IT, as being vitality necessary to the perpetuaon
| OF that institution! And, in this curious and un-
paraeled state OF affairs, il becomes question Of
he intensest and most absorbing interest, which
Of these two great pillars OF democracy will Mr..
| tell you this, too
From St. Louis, proceeded up the Cumberland
to Nashville, and thence 10 Columbia, the resi-
dence OF the President elect. From what learn
ed on this journey, became fully satisfied that
Mr.. Benton is to be the master spirit in Mr.. Folks
administration, and that Mr. Calhoun is TO be cold
" and completely sacrificed This conviction has
been confirmed, since my arrival here, by the as
| sertion OF Mr.. Benton himself, that Mr.. Polk is
right, perfectly right, on epery point at which he
| (Benton) Is at variance with the Calhoun wing Of
Polk married sisters; and Col. Polk, when still a
boy, having run away from school to attend court
| where Mr.. Benton (who. then resided in Tennes-
| see) was making speech some great Gaze, be-
| came so enthusiastically in love with the eo-
quence OF the man, that he has ever since regarded
Mr, Benton, next to Gen. Jackson, as his political
father.
Thus you will see, sir that The position OF Mr.
Calhoun, with all his splendid abilities his daz-
zllDg reputation and grasping power OF mind, is
| one OF Imminent peril, politically speaking. The
elements seem TO consplre against him, and plans
| are no doubt at this moment absolutely matured
whose catastrophe is to be the political downfall
OF the great champion and statesman Of the south.
Had Mr.. Polk been elected by the votes of South
ern States, all this might have been different,
though even then perhaps it ,cot.id not But now,
when IT Is so clearly 10 be that Neic York aad
Pennsylvania elected him President he is complete
ly bound, hand ndioot, to the Northern politicians,
whose exponent and leader for the time, (Mr Van
buren, being TOR the time quietly shelfed at Kinder
ho0k,) is Col. Benton.
This state OF things explains several political
events OF startling character, by which the coun-
try mas been asonlshed during The last few weeks.
In the flrst place, It accounts Tor the astonishing
unanmiy between the democratic and " hg MEM
hers OF the House, by which the famous twenty
first rule" excluding petitions on the subject Of
slavery, was repealed at the commencement OF the
scssiOn anu Oy winch the ultraS oil both the North
and South were equally astounded, and Mr.. Adams
was, much TO his annoya nce deprived OF the ma
terial OF at least Six good speeches, which would
have set the House by the ears like kennel OF UNI
derbfed terriers II also solves the mystery Of the
proposition of Mr. Phoenix, from your city, TO remit
Tor certain period the duty railroad iron, being
promptly put down by the votes OF Northern demo-
Gratis. But than all, the re-enactment of the
Independent Treasury Bill by the House-thus
pointedly condemnng the Exchequer scheme, to
which Mr.. Tyler is known TO be partial-Is emf
nenty important, as showing that the way is to be
prepared by the present Congress for an immediate
and decisive rupture between Mr. Polk and the adj
heenis OF the present administration, as soon az
he is fairly installed in his new seat OPQ.
WASHINGTON, Birth day
OF Christ, lS4l,
Christmas letter from our Junior Rsuorsy af Vash-