New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-05-24
NEW-YORK TRIBUNE.
COL. BENT0N'S SPEECH,
ON NATIONAL AFFAIRS,
At the Rotunda, st. Louis, May IL.
lie Rotundn, It. Louis, May IL.
From the 81. Louis Republican

B Long before the Speaker appeared, the building
was crowded, from the top to the bottom with one
Of the most dense masses Of persons we have ever
seen In it. goodly number of ladies' were in attend
q ance Hundreds of citizens who arrived too late to
force their way into the Rotunds deprived Of
opportunity Of hearing the speech and the speaker was
& frequently interrupted by the loud calls made by those
from without for the meeting to adjourn TO the front of
the Court House This however, in the then state of
8 The arrangements, was improbable.
N Col r. CAMPBELL announced 10 the crowd that
= number Of the friends of Col BENTON, had invited
: him to psrtake of a dnner-that he had declined this
honor but signihed his willingness TO meet and address
the citizens in public assemblege-ss a manner more
eougcnia TO his feelings and better adapted to the graft
4 acstion Of all
Col BENTON was, soon altcrward, introduced,
accompanied by number of his friends and conducted
70 the rostrum. His entrance greeted with loud
aud long applause
8 when he took the stand the clamor from without for
= he meeting ourn into the open air produced some
i slight confusion. This having subsidized he addressed
g the crowd, in substance, as follows:
) This report, we are gratfed to say, has the
= sanction of Col. BENToS himself for its correct
3 ness.
I Mr. BgSToS commenced with returning thanks
= Tor the honor OF invitation to public dinner from
4 dinner in conformity 10 a rule which he had long
olowed; and as for the speech which might have
been expected the dinner table he preferred to make
under circumstances which admitted general
4 attendance and would prevent one from hearing IL
4whO chose 10 listen to 1t.
7 Great questions. he said. had occupied the public
mind and received their solution, in the last two or
hree years Of bis public service all OF which he had
tbeen called to act decided aud even prominent
part and each OF which 1t natural for him to say
iOmebiDg on the present occasion. The Oregon ques.
ton OF these. At one time big with all the ca
lsmites Of war, il hushed In repOse, and the
I country tranquil aud happy under its peaceful settle
ment His own course in relation to II had been con
ssent and uniform lie had opposed tbs joint occupation
lteaiy Of l5le it was made he opposed its
renewal in s2 he had labored for it's termination
since and he had always held the parallel of 10 to be
proper dividing line between American territory OF
Oregon and The Brsh territory OF FrszeIs River. But
the public mind, and especially the mind OF his own
party had been worked up to different and higher
view Of our rights. Fifty four Forty and all or none,
! had become our demand. War was the British answer
10 that and although threat OF would be no bar
10 rghtfu demand yet in answer to wrongful one, 1t
wssyery serious lie believed the whole demand OF the
United States to DO wrongful so far as applied to FRA
i ger River which happened to run through the whole
territory from fiityour Forty TO Forty nine, aud To
have been discovered by the British in 1893 and covered
BY their forts since 1906 The Administration had taken
high ground the party sustained II but II was an oc
cason which required public man 10 rise above party
and to look his country alone. lie had resolved to
do and go for Forty nine even II 1t should cost him
| bis political existence.
| This determination though not formally promulgated
/ secret and early enough made known to
bis friends and to the Administration. From the hrst
explosion of the question in April lSi5-irom the nrs
reyerbcraon OF the thunder which rolling back
from London an answer to the Presidents Inaugural
Addess--he had made known his opinions to the seere
tny Of State and Informed him that he should support
Gtresy upon the line OF 40 if the President made one
that basis From that alton nc had never
sserved His friends thought there was great danger
70 him in the course he took he himself did not think
hto
up Fifty four Forty but he relied upon their
lequy and intelligence to give him fair hearing and
ns s sn and the had moi
deceived him. The boundary was settled at Az The
BRUSH kept their river, and we kept ours War was
iaverted Great Britain and the United states remain al
tpeace he and his constituents were at peace and
long might they all remsin so.
The settlement OF this question Mr. b. went on TO
bad cleared away the only remaining difference between
the two kindred nations Ii left them not only atpeace
but without remsinng of quarrel For the hrst
since the Stamp Act of 1904, the two nations were
bow without; cause of quarrel. For the first time in
nearly three generations Of men the two grand divisions
Ot the Anglo Saxon rsce-he Northern stock IN Great
Britain and its gigantic progeny in our Amerea-were
without cause OF dissension and to crown THIS hsppy
siateto give to peace its highest ornament and nooes
occupation and TO friendship its most endesring cement
aeslsmitous visitation in part OF the BRUSH empire
has called forth all the sympsthles oil the human hesI
on the side of nation, and all its gratitude from the
other Ireland furnishes Succor and sympathy ny TO
her from the United States and the swelling tide OF
gratitude comes rolling back from the whole British EN-
Pre This 10 something better than being at war win
each oiher-at war for Frazers River under the sad de-
lusion that II was part OF Oregon lie thanked God
that be had been instrument In divertngaidng 10
s'eft-ths cslamiy-and In producing the present nap
py state between the two nations ana ne thanked MS
constituents for approving his conduct in going for their
iuture good instead of their present wishes.
The annexation of Texas, and its sequence the pre-
sni war with Mexico was another of the great subjects
On which he had been called TO act within the iast 10"
Jears This great drama Mr. b said DIVIDED tseli n'9
many scts aud covered long space OF time during ali
which he had been an actor in IT, aud no hoped con
tistcnt and a prudent lie considered thls drama
beginning in 1919 when Mr. MOnroe's Cabinet coded
Texas to Spain. Ii then given away and II II had
not been given away there could have been with
Mexico about getngi back lie denounced that treaty
10 many newspaper articles AS soon as ii was made snd
vowed al the time unceang efforts get back the ceded
/ province. Mr. Adsmss Administration with Mr. Clay
Secretary Of State presented the first opportunity 10
make the effort for is recovery Nj Clay, as Member
, Of the House of Representatives,, had severely con
demned the treaty which gave away Texas Mr.. Adams
had opposed that article Of the treaty at the Council
table when the msjony of Mr. Monroes Cabnetsdopted
IT, But this was not known to him (Mr. b. until long
siterward His reliance at that time was on Mr. Clay,
ss Western man. and from his publicly known opin'
Ions on the subject lie and Mr. Clay were then separat
4 log Ia the division Of political parties, but II did
not prevent them from cOmmuning together on the
.lejeci Of Texas. and cooperating to get her back
iaey had an interview at TennisOns Hotel AT wash
he'on Among other things intended by the new Ad
innstrstiop, Mr. {. mentioned the recovery OF Texas
ne Mr.. cordially concurfed and promised bis faith
ll cooperation. The Administration made the attempt
lie Mr. b. wrote articles TO promote H. but the scheme
iA'od Mr. Poinsot, was then Minister in Mexico, and
favorable 70 the object but could not succeed and 90
toded the fret attempt 10 back the great pro
Nucc which the unwse treaty Of 1879 had given away.
speak historically said Mr. b. and Justly and without
Sessa to favor or to Dare any man, bot to place Alright
osiVfa my constituents my Own conduct ana ihai oi
nefs. 10 this great drama. which has ended IN war
ee'wecn two Republics. Nc Adams, at the Council Ia
4 .e voted against the article which gave Texas away
ar Clay Ia the House of Representatives, denounced
me cession They made the effort 10 get Il back
and In speech which processes be fair and impartial
st justice be done To every actor Let every take
nPoper place for censure for praise In the great
drama OF the Texas question and It's bloody sequence.
The next attempt was IN Gen. yacSsons time. Mr. Van
Suren being Secretary Of State larger sum Of
Tered than 10 the previous Administration but with no
better result The negotiation miscsrrcd though zeal
ou'y supported by President Jackson his Secretary OF
STATE and the Minister a, Mexico. He Mr. b co6perat
ca With them, filing the newspapers with articles Ia