Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1847-05-29
LETTER FROM COL. BENTON.

ST.. LOUIS, May Z, l847.
DEAR SIR-I take the first moment OF leis-
ure after my arrival at this place 10 answer
your kind communication Of the 18th Of
January, and TO let you know how much |
was panied at seeing the proceedings OF the
most respectable meeting OF which you
were chairman. 1t was precisely to fore.
stall and prevent such Manifestations in my
favor, that spoke to the point OF the next
presidency in my speech at Boonville, IN the
summer OF 844 and all the sentiments which
then expressed remain IN full force now,
strengthened and confirmed BY all that has
since happened. then brought forward
the glazing fact that, in above fifty years
existence Of this federal government, the
democracy Of the north had given but one
President 10 the Union, and that one but
for single term; and this (of late) from
southern opposition to northern men,
And ] then took it on myself to say that
this course Of things would have to be chang.
ed, otherwise there would be an end Of the
democratic party, or OF any party founded
on political principles, and expressed my
qualification that Mr.. Folks early and vol
untary self denial had cleared the way for
northern democratic candidate in 1848.
These were my sentiments in l844; they
are my sentiments now, and are not to be
abandoned at the coming election when
see new scheme developed from the south
for the permanent exclusion of all northern
men from southern support for the presi'
dency. The fire brand resolutions intro.
duced into the Senate towards the close Of
the late session, and their practical applica.
ton TO Oregon (by which we lost the Ore.
gon bill, and leave the people OF that territory
year longer without law or government)
reveal this scheme, and present new test
on the slavery question which no northern
man can stand, and which if adopted by the
south, must put an end to all future support
Of northern men from the southern democ.
racy. Heretofore we, the slave holding
states, have stood together upon two points
defence and Compromise-the defence
Of property and institutions and the com.
promises of the laws and of the constitution;
and on these two points the great majority
Of the north, Of both political parties, have
been able to stand with US. But now a
new position is to be taken--one on which
no northern man can stand. Propagand.
ism is now the doctrine OF the political sec,
which assumes 10 be The standard bearer oil
all the slave holding states; and to plant sla
very, by law, in all the Territories Of the
United States, even the most remote and
hyperborsan-even in Oregon itself, and
against the will Of its NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
the design and the attempt! The words Of
the resolutions, the speeches in their favor.
and their practical application TO the Ore
gon bill, all prove this, and show that the
new doctrine is intended to be made new
political test, to be applied TO all presiden
tial candidates in time to come, and like all
new tests intended to supercede all former
ones, and to constitute the sole criterion for
the trial Of candidates. Now every body
must see that il this new test shall be adopt.
ed by the slave holding states, there is an
end to all political support Of northern men
in these states-that the present organiza-
ton OF parties mus! be broken up, and new
party formed, bounded by geopraphicallines
and resting on the sole principle OF slavery
propagandism. am not prepared for such
state of parties, nor for the effect which it
would have upon the harmony and stability
Of our federal Union. see great danger
in this new move, and feel the necessity Of
meeting il at once. In fact we must meet
it at once, or not at all; for it is pressed up.
on US now, and will conquer US if we do
not conquer it. The presidential election
Of l84S, is the crisis; and if the new test
can be made to govern that election, shall
consider the danger consummated, and that
there must soon be an end not only of The
democratic party, but Of all parties founded
on principle, and, eventually, an end Of the
Union ITSELF Instead, then, Of indulging
personal or local feeling in favor OF particu.
lar candidates, let us (the democratic partly
look 10 what the good Of the Union, and OF
the party requires, and wait to receive
candidate from that section of the Union
which has given but one democratic Presi.
dent in near sixty years, and that one but
for single term, and which is now threat.
ened, so far as southern voters are concern
ed, with permanent exclusion from the
presidential office.
This, my dear sir, is my plain and settled
answer to your kind communication, and
wish you to make it known to the members
OF the meeting Of which you were chair
man, among whom see the names OF many
old friends, and recognize the voice of that
powerful county, which has stood by me in
every trial, from my first senatorial cleo.
ton in 1920, to my fifth and last 10 1914,
and to which owe many thanks, which il
is my intention to make in person during
the course OF the coming summer.
Respectfully. Sir.