The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-05-23
SUBSTANCE OF THE SPEECH
OF THE
HON. THOMAS n. BENTON.
Delivered Mt 1t. Louis, May Is, ls4y,
From the st. Louis Union. NAV al

HNoreo NJ St' Louis, may 10, 1851.
From the st. Louis Union May al
MT BENTON commenced with returning his thanks
for the honor which had been him In the invitation
He had declined the honor Of the dinner in conformv
to rule which he had long followed and for the
speech which would have been expected at the dinner
table he preferred to make 1t under circumstances
which would prevent from hearing 1t who
choose to do him the honor to listen to It, Great SUBJ
jects have occupied the public mindeventfu questions
had received their souton--in the last two or three
years Of his public service, all which he had been
called to act decided and even a prominent part and
on each of which it natural him now to say some
thing.
The Oregon question was one Of these. At ono time
big with all the cslamities Of war; 1t hushed In
repose and the country tranquil and happy under its
peaceful settlement. His course in relation to it
haa been consistent and uniform from beginning to
ending He had opposed the joint occupation treaty Of
ISIS a. soon as 1t was made he opposed its renewal in
since: and always held the parallel Of 40 to be the
proper dividing line between the American territory of
the public mind, and especially the mind of his own
party had been worked up to a different view Of our
our cry was the British answer to that and
although threat Of war would be no bar to a
n G,satfal demand, yet in answer to wrongful
demand of the United States to be- wrongful. SO
Tar as it applied to Frazer's river which happened
to run through the whole territory, from fifty
four to and to have been discovered 6y
the British In 1893 and covered by their forts since
1906. The administration had taken high ground the
party sustained it but it was an occasion which re-
CURED public to rise above party and to look to
his country alone He had resolved So and to 20
or even 1t should cost him his political ex
stence This determination though not formally pro-
muigated was no secret, and was early enough made
known TO his friends, and to the administration From
the nrst explosion Of the question in April lsl5-from
the first Of the thunder which came roll
augural address-he had made known his opinions to
the Secretary Of State and informed him he should sun
port treat upon the line Of fortynne II the Presi-
dent made one upon that basis From that Diet ,rmna
lion ne had never swerved His friends thought there
was great danger to him in the he took he him
self did not think there much He knew his con-
sttuents had been wrought up to tyour FORTY but he
relied upon their equity and intelligence to give him
the compliment to rely upon their Justice and intei
gence, and the event had not deceived him The boun
dary was settled at fortynine The British kept their
tain and the United States remain at peace he and his
constituents were at peace and long might they all
The settlement Of this question Mr. B. went on to saw
naa cleared away the only remaining difference between
but without remaining of quarrel For the rst
time since the stamp act Of 1894 the two nations were
nearly three generations of men the two grand Division
OF tho Anglo Saxon race-the mother stock in Great
Britain and Its gigantic progeny in Americawere
WITHOUT cause OF dssension and to this happy
state-to give to its highest ornament and nobest
occupation and to friendship most enduring cement
called forth all the sympathes Of the human heart on the
side Of one nation, and all its gratitude from the other
tSs %hss suSsSr and sympathy her from
comes rolling back from the whole British empire This
Is something better than being at with each other
was part Of Oregon He thanked that he had been
an instrument in aiding to avert this calamity and in
he thanked his constituents for approving his con-
duct In going for their future good instead Of their pre-
TIE annexation of Texas and its seouence thu nrs.
sent WIZ with Mexico another of the great subjects
ON which he had been called to within the last few
years This great drama Mr. B. said divided itself into
many acts and covered long space of time during ALI
which he had been actor in it, and he hoped con-
sstent and prudent one He considered this drama A
beginning In 1872 when Mr. Monroes cabinet ceded
Texas to Spain 1t then given away and II 1t had
not been given away there could have no war with
Mexico about getting 1t back He denounced that treaty
In many newspaper articles it was made and
vowed at the time unceasng efforts to get Texas back
state presented the first opportunity make the effort
Tor its recovery Mr. Clay member Of the House of
had severely condemned the treaty
article Of treaty at the council table where the mao-
rity Of Mr. Monroes cabinet adopted it. But this was
not known to him (Nlr b. until long afterwards His
reliance at that time MIR Clay as western man.
and from his publicly known opinions on the
He and MIR Clay then separated in the new diyi
sion of political parties but il did not prevent them
rom communng together on the subject Of Texas and
cooperating TO get l. back They had Interview
Iennisons Hctel Washington Among the other things
intended by the new administration, Mr. c. men
toned the recovery Of Texas he, Mr.. b., cordially
The administration made the attempt he wrote |
articles to promote it, but the scheme failed Mr. |
To
the object but could not succeed aud ended the first
attempt to back the great province which the
unwise treaty Of 1919 had given away. Mr. B. said,
speak historically, and justly, and without design to ia
injure any but to place Alright before nv con-
sttuents my own conduct and that Of others in this
great drama, which has ended in between two re-
publics Mr. Adams at the council table, voted against
the article which gave Texas away; Mr. Clay in the
House Of Representatives denounced the cesson They
made the first effort to get it back
The next attempt was In General Jacksons time Mr.
Van Buren, being Secretary of State larger sum was
arad han int .,vscx
better result. The negotiation mscarried though zeal
ousy supported by President Jackson his Secretary Of
rated with them filing the newspapers with articles in
praise OF Texas and using all the arguments for getting
her which have since been repeated by
help then And the second atte pt to repair
he mischief Of the treaty Of 1919, failed
The mission Of General Memucan Hunt minister from |
was the next serious attempt to bring Texas into
he Union; but the parties then changed: it was
'fter the battle of San Jacinto and Texas herself be-
,ame the applicant Mr. Van Buren, was then President
Mr. Forsyth his Secretary Of State both in favor
II getting back the country. But Texas and Mexico
hough not fighting, had not made peace they in
admitted Texas into the Union would been to have
dopted her side of the and to have placed the Uni
Icy permitted this especially as iflet alone they would
make peace after awhie and then annexation could
iected without breach with Mexico Upon this view
hey acted He, Mr.. B., concurredl with them and SO
I'D all the people Of the United States.
The question of admission of Texas then went to
leep and was quietly waiting the end of the war with
lexco All the old friends to the recovery Of the coun
willing to wait that event. but the year 1872
turing MIR. Tyer's administration set of friends
rho had cared nothing about Texas before and one OF
vhom had given her away when had her, became flu
ious for immediate annexation and the annexation
reaty of 1874 the fruit of that sudden i'm
atiencs The old friends Of Texas stood upon their old
countries still at war, but actually
ociating for peace. They wanted Texas annexed but
1ithout with Mexco and urged a little delay to
ermt their minister's then negotiating under the aus
ices Of Great Britain and France to make peace All
clay refused; the treaty signed and was re-
eced by the Senate because its ratification would
een immediate war with Mexico He, Mr.. B.. was ono
the majority Of the Senate which rejected the treaty
his constituents, though all in favor Of annexation
appreciated his motives and justified his conduct His
eeection to the Senate the year the verdict
the people upon his conduct and he made them his
rofound thanks for the justice Of that verdict and the
onor of that election.
The treaty of annexation was rejected but annexa-
ion in another form still pursued resolution for
he admission of Texas State passed the House Of