The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1847-03-18
Messrs. Benton end Calhoun

On the oath uliimo. Mr.. Benton made a
violent onslaught on Mr.. Calhoun, 10 which
the latter Instantly replied. Aslhe speech.
es are too long for Us to insert We eNe the
following extracts aud synopsis. Mr., Ben
ton commenced as follows:
Nj. President The senator from Soa;h
Carolina (lr. Calhoun) has boldly made
the o. as TO the authorship Vi ihis war,
and "a ily thrown the blame OF i, upon
the preS administration. Ga The contra
~, believe himself TO BE- the author Of it,
and viii give part OF my reasons for be-
Sjeying SO. la saying this, ! do not consi
der the march TO the RIO Gfanie TO have
been the cause Of the war, any more thar
consider the British msr,h upon CONCORD
aud Lexing ton to have been the cause o.
the American revolution, or the crossing o.
the kubicon by Caesar u have been the
cause Of the civll war IN Rome. In all
these cases, consider the causes OF war
as pre.exlsIins, and the marches as only
: the effect OF the causes. consider Ihs
march upon the RIO Gfanda rs being uu.
fortunate, aud certainly should have edYl5-
ed against it II had been consulted, and
that wilhou, the least fear ot diminishing
my influence in the setI.enen; Of the Ole.
gon question. My opinion o. Mr.. Polk =
and experience IN tina. very Oregon case
has confirmed it-JiG not aUlhorise me 10
conjecture that any one would lose mid
ence with him BY giving him honest opin'
ions; so would have advised against The
march 10 the Rio Gtanie il had been
consulted, The march 10 the
Rio GraRde brought 90 The collision OF arms;
bIt, SO far from being the cause Of the war,
1t was itself the effect Of these causes
The Senator from South Carolina IS the
author Of those causes, and therefore the
author OF the war; aud this | propose 10
show, at preseni. b. evidence drawn rom
himself-tron his public Off Ial acts-leay.
lag all the evidence derived from other
soutces, from private and anolli.ill acts,
for future production, II deemed necessaFy.
Mr.. Benton then went on to say ,ha, Tex.
as had been ceded 10 Spain 1919; that
he had at first attributed Ihls cess,oa to Mr.
Adams, then Secretary Of State bl; that
Mr.. A. had pI5liciy declare Ihai he vas
opposed 10 the CT ssiun, or thai VI. Cal
houn and the otH1r uaeiDbs o. ne { n.
net had oyerruIed G;:n: that Mr.. ~ Jun
did not deny this lnd !Aefsiy.e sas Re id.
United co.auihor Of hat mischief
THIS coniuc, OF the Seuator IN giving
away Texas when We had her, aud lhel
making var 10 get her blck, is an enigma
which he has never coHdcscealed 10 eT
plain, and which, until explained, leaves
him 10 state Of se!f-contfadcuoo winch,
whether II lmpairs bis own conf ieace IA
himself or not, must have the effect Of de-.
s;roying the confidence Of others 10 him,
and wholly disquaIifiss him for the Office OF
champion oil the sayehollins States. II
vas the heaviest blow they had ever re.
e~tsad There vas not as much
Save territory IEu 49,, ,c -, Ns;,s,.,
asa dove could have rested tie s1lu " !
foo. upon. IL was 20. merely cafiail
msni, but a tots! extinction Of slayeholdlnl
territory; and doae al time when lnc
Missouri controversy vas raging, aud e'e.
~ efJrl made b. northern a5ol,lonIsts 10
stop the growth Of dave S,ates. The sen.
ator from South Carolina, IN his supper, Of
the cess:on Of Texts, and cediag a part Of
The valley Of the Mississippi, vas the most
ettlcien! ally OF the res,rcitonss al that
time, aad deprlyes him Of the right Of set.
ting up as The champion o. .hs slave States
nov. | denounced The sacrifice Of Texas
then, believing Mr.. 4 ADAMS 10 have been the
author Of Il: / den1unce il now, knowing
the saIalot from South Carolina to b. ils
author and Tor lhls-ais ilsraui recrean.
cy TO the slave interest IN thelr hour OF u.
most psrll-l hold him Disqualified for the
odi;e Of champion Of the fourteen slave
States, aol shall certainly req ire HIN 10
keep on, Of Missouri, aa1 to coudaa hun.
self to bis own b.hiaick.
Mr.. Benton thea cited M, Calhoun's
proposition ID 1896, jIst after The battle Of
san Jaclato, 10 recognise tie Independence
ol Texas and 10 annex her al the same m1.
IRen.-an act which would have been war
with Mexico, Gas Texas was .hen at war
with Mexico, wlthuoi The sbghles: regard
10 treaties, commerce, cIlIes, or character.
The Congress Of l53G go4lI not admit
Texas. The senator from SJath CIfoiIGa
became patient; the Texls question weat
10 sleep and Tor seven good years II made
no disturbance. Il then woke up, and ath
sadlenaess and violence pro2o,uoned to
ITS long repose. Mr.. Tyler was ,hen Pre-
sideul the senator from SJ1lh CafJllua
was potent unLer his administration, and
soon became bis Secretary Of STATE, All
the springs 0. intrigue AMI diplomacy we're
immediately set 10 motion 10 resusclia,e tn.
Texas q1csio2, and 10 renge.t il wila all
the dangers aud alarms winch It had worn
10 1886.
Mr.. Benton here read Mf. Van Zladt's
letter TO Mr.. Uysalr, Mr.. Cllho3u's pfede.
cessor, ask NJ o the nlme Of Texas, Il the
President would. whilst the question Of au-
neKation was pending, prolecl Texas from
any INVASION by Mexico. TINS Letter Mr.
Upshut never answered during the 10 days
oil ~ ltEe altar fts recent Iex4s and Mex.