Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1844-11-16

decision. | then told him had made up
INV mind, under all the circumstances, TO
cas-, the vote of the State for Mr.. Adams.
lie demonstrated with me, saying Adams
was cold and ungrateful, but that if |
would give the vote Of the State for Jack
son, and he should be elected, he would
remember the act; that he (Jackson) never
forsook friend, or forgave an enemy; and
if gave the vote to Adams, we (neaning
himself and me) would be playing into the
hands of the Hill Faction in Missouri,
Bates and Geyer, &C., and that they would
then be the leading and patronzed men IN
the State, and that we, who had now The
ascendancy, would be thrown into the back
pround-and many other reasons Will not
take the time 10 state. l then replied to
him. "Sir, you expect me to vote for Jack.
son. All my feelings and opinions of him ]
have derived from you; you have told me
often that he had no talents, no capacity,
and especially for civil rule; that he was a
bully, bIackguard, and murderer; that
he always kept gang of rowdies around
him, to enforce his will, and that if he was
elected President, we should have to legis-
late with swords and pistols in our belts"
and referred him to the following letter:
am literally in hell here, Chat is, in the vi
cinity Of General Jackson) the meanest wretches
under heaven TO contend with; liars, affidavit
makers, and shameless towards. All the pup
pies OF Jackson are at work at me, but they will
be astonished at what will happen, for it is not
them, but their master, whom | shall hold
accountable The scapng knife of Tecumseh
is mercy, compared with the affidavit Of these
villains | am in the middle Of hell, and see
no alternative but to kill, or be killed; for
will not crouch to Jackson. and the Iact that
and nv brother defeated him, and his tribe, and
broke his small sword on the public square, will
forever rankle in his bosom, and make him thirst
after vengeance. My life is in danger; nothing
but a decisive duel can save me, or even give
me chance for my own existence; for ii is
settled plan to turn out puppy after puppy to
bully me, and when have got into scrape to
have me killed somehow in the scuffe; after.
wards, the affidavit makers will prove it was
honoraby done. shall never be forgiven, for
having given my opinion in favor OF Wilkinson's
authority last winter: and this is the root Of the
hell that is now turned loose against me.
THOMAS HART BENTON.
"And also from my own personal knowl-
edge of him, deemed him incompetent for
the station; and then asked him how he
could expect me to cast the vote of the
Safe for himl He replied, that all this was
true, but it was nothing;--that it was now
a question of power and political ascend
ancy, and thatif gave any other vote
would go down in the State of Missouri;
and as he was connected with me in poiti-
cal position, he must share my fate. re-
piled, fall or not fall, would vote for Mr..
Adams. That | considered the vote not
mine, but the vote of Missouri, which
should be given with reference to the
whole Union, its prosperity, its safety, its
welfare, and its peace; and, that l never
would consent whatever might be the con-
sequences to me personally, TO place the
government in incompetent hands. Find
ing my mind fixed, he all at once seemed
to submit, and made this remark: "Well,
Scott, from the conversation we have had,
and the kind personal feelings you have
expressed towards General Jackson, have
committed myself to several friends, by
stating that you would not vote for Mr..
Adams; now, address me a short note, that
YOU intend to vote for Adams, that may
show it to those friends in justification of
my statements, and to enable me to uncom-
init myself" | told him that he had no
right to make any such statement in regard
10 my NOle. Dut, dS lIleHu, ii you VIII
promise me that so soon as you shall have
exhibited the note to those friends you
speak of, you will then return it to me or
destroy it, will give you the note you
request, so as to relieve you from your un-
pleasant position. He then pledged him.
self that so soon as the note had performed
its Office, i, should be returned or destroyed
/ then, on the spot, wrote the following
note:
WAsuSaTos CRY, February 5, 1925.
Hon. Thomas H. BENToE:
DEAR Notwithstanding the converse.
lions we had on Thursday evening and on Fri,
day, from which you might partly conclude that
! would not vote for Mr. Adams, am inclined
to think differently, and unless some other change
in my mind takes place. | shall vote for him.
take the earliest opportunity to aPPrise you OF
this fact, that you may not commit yourself with
friends on the subject. JOHN SCOTT.
then remained satisfied that all was
going on tremendously. But on the sth of
February, 1925, found on my table, in the I
House Of representatives, his note, pub
lshed since in the Missourian of the 25th
of May last. l was instantly satisfied, that
l had been shamefully, premeditately, and
designedly betrayed and deceived, and
Benton's pledge broken, and that the whole
had been plan and scheme TO destroy and
ruin me. Immediately went to the Sen
ate chamber and called him into one of the
committee rooms, and required him to re-
firm pO,a &c Tho E,h Eabruoryy