Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-06-04
senators Benton and Cass.
~ 40 versus 40 ,

Scu9tOT> neutoh hsau VASE
~ 40 versus 40
M, M,,aday last Senator Cass undertook the
,rdnous task in compliance with his rash pro-
mise made few days previously, to resuSctate
the line of % 40. which had been so completely
oblitcrated 10y the able argumen mt oil Senator beh-
ton. To what extent he succeeded IN breathing
"A soul under the ribs of death, may be inferred
from the hopeessness of the undertaking, as well
rs from the fact, consequent thereuPon, that he
omitted in his speech, all aluson 10 the strong
po,n,s and overwhelmingly conclusive facts adj
duced by Mr.. Benton, and resored TO the stale ar
Iifce of endeavoring TO weaken their force by i'm
puruinr the consistency of the Senator from Mis-
souri, from whose speech in 1912 he read several
mutilated extracts. furnished for the occasion by
car,,,in caterers" to whom, well as to their
champion. Mr.. b. applied the lash with unsParlng
severity. Mr.. b. complained, Us he had right
TO do. that the Achilles Of the Fiity-iour fortles
who We were assured few weeks ago by one of
the most ardent Of his disciples was able TO drag
the discounted Hector of the adversary party
around the walls of Troy, "had slipped over all
the strong proofs which he had adduced upon the
line of Utrecht such as the Kings map, Jei-
fries Geography, the exclusion of the British tor
fifteen wears from Louisiana by virtue of that line,
and the refusal Ofthe British Ministers to take any
notice of their complaints. This was certain
l,, though discreet not very credable to the
lor of the Michigan Senator, and implies want
Of confidence i'm the truth and defensbty of his
extreme assumptions. But, If such course be
creditable to the stratagetic skill Ofthe "partlsan
leader, - who though convinced OF his error. still
endeavors to defend his POSITION II Is not less dis
paraging to his claims as Statesman, whose
leading purpose should be to renounce and aban
don a position assumed preclpiately and from
ignorance, as his mind is enlightened by
facts which demonstrate the error and delusion
under which he has been laboring. Particularly
is such a course incumbent upon Senator who
has perhaps next to the President himself, done
more than any other individual to misead the pub
lie Judgment, upon question of such grave con-
sequence as the extent of the American title In
the territory of Oregon, upon the ultimate deci-
sion of which hangs the issue Of Peace or War
between the two most powerful nations the
authorizations of kindred interests well as kim
,lred tongues and both Of which have many
and such powerful persuasves, social and Politi-
cal as we'll as commercial, 10 keep the doors OF
the Temple of Janus forever closed.
Not having space to publish the whole of Mr..
Benton's reply TO Mr.. CasS,-whlch, by the way,
completely spiked the guns of the fifty four forties,
not one OF whom rallied to his support even Al
len and flanagan remaining mute,-we copy a
few of Its salient points, by which the reader will
be enabled to Judge both of the strength Of his
position and OF the weakness Of that Of his adyer-
s3-y.
Hr. Benton said
The pom, before the Senate declaration Of title
on the part Of the United States Frazers and its
valley, known New Caledonia, and a. such, occupied
bv the British without question since lsD6. Mr.. said
the great question for 1t question OF peace
war; and a upon misake-a blunder-geogrSphi-
cal and political The blunder was, that the United
had line with Russia dividing the country with from
the the Rocky Mounain and that all the country
tins side I his the political biunder The
geographical bunder in relation FraZers and
valley, called by the BRUSH New Caledonia and which
was assumed to be part OF Oregon. There
ne and such extension Of Oregon. The Rus
line thu confined to the islands Frszer's
rver and valley, covered with British establishments
since year lsO6, covered the country 50 deg TO
~ degrees. These the facts. But the y.louror-
tos upon mistake the Russian line, and upon mis-
Frazer ryeT out to take that entire aud
valley from the British; and, therefore, TO involve in
xar and that IraUuuy and unustitaby, with Great Br
tain Their double had been shown; the readings Of
tlr treaties with Russia and Great Britain detected this
dughlc The gentlemen who had led the country into
.rr,r who Ind prepared them for upon mistake,
lngad Of reuactng It, had this day taken their
psf.cvere IN o.! And Whist upon mistake before,
nov became upon design, and without preteIt. Mr.
h. said, without pteext for the Senator from Michigan,
O. speech Of hour and half this day with en- ustInc
dread Of the fatal point once mentioned FrSzes
T,er never mentioned New Caledonia once
vcuurcd that the United States had particle Of
claim that British possession ethe would still adhere
Ia e deg 40 min which includes IT, and thus by infer
1ucs 20 for what he could venture 10
Mr. b. said % a Try the fraiiy OF poor hu
nature. Tho great organ, and five hundred small
ones following notes. and many thousand tongues,
In lsftelnt m line ~ M
thls acting upon the patriotic feelings Of e people had
g.. pared them Tor with Great Britain for that line
tgaun hrse such thing; and for faZefs veE, on
co... side IT -, without knowing u was there The Peo-
pie had been let into inamed 10 the war-poni up
mistake; and nov. when tho mistake was shown, the
ilf Of another war cane upon poor human nature
asu the error and pardon VI God and man, was the
par of justice and csndor; but this vas Illuminating 70
vanity, aud ssEoye, end the pride o. consistency To
yer rvcro tu this error utter u detected was the part
U umnu lflly aud the senator from Michigan on the
pare of JOS party, has obeyed the law Of iraW he has
pr-sycrCd DO ou0r Doe converts into design what was IN
t1r beginning m.silke We have war; far
as toe Senator and bic party mBks h. upon dc.
.... and without pfe0xt Tor be could ffazefs
which he the cole object and would be the instant
And bow does the Senator eouduet hi. new ssgu p
E fliouyorng 90 make me iv-iou-ioy mani by read
l.r muuaed sctaps, out from my old speeches,
fI ihsif context and made, 10y muhanon and false a.
I.lnpu, apply 10 SO ~ on The continent when ~
F.I to the ISLANDS making apply 10 New Caedonia
vel. loo spoke 10 Of the valley Of the Columbia. had &c
Of the fifty uuriurucs Tor the samples
W.n spoke some days ug0, md must now do h again
IIf fr.f explain tho operation % BE- only understood u
f.U Meet. IL comes from horse surgefy-cutug horse
sy for tho hooks The horse BE- subject TO q disease o
t. eye, something Ike cataract, which blinds him; and
VII cmui tnt remedies fell, tho kno applied, the die
easrd pert away and then the au'msi clear -
90 nmplos The slusion met1pbOfeaiy 20 the cut
u. If tho hooks, ands 20 make smplcon see clear, b
opening his eyes 10 what be did not see before All hes
Tor the Senator oil these scarchefs among NY oil
sp ,chcu, may look out when they worth d. Tor th
operation u being cot Tor the smplos OF course, th
operation cannot be performed Senator.
a line hes been from Of my speeches IN whici
"a deg 90 min. mentioned, without continental pre6roo
rb- senator from Michigan gavely psrados that line 70
sr ta ms ke adyOcste Tor 81 degrees 20
che r1uutins IN fly places IN The speech the eNi'
trlcr of such line denied aud ndicuied. Yet a.
s,aaot 70 deceive people unacqusnted with the subJec
o., kren up deusion, instead 81 admitting hs erro