Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-06-22

Taylor full praise for his distinguished services
scores OF Wing papers and politicians hav
covered his name and character with insuI. ar
yi,upcration. This cannot be denied.
---r---------~
SPEECH OF COLONEL BENTON A.
JEFFERSON CITY.
The 81. Louis papers bring, in four columns,
report of what is termed lhs Substance CT thi
speech A portion OF il is occupied with !oca
subjects, which we're chiefly Of interest 10 the cit
zens Of Missouri. We have, therefore, on &C
count otis length, inserted only wha! was of sue
a general nature as 10 deserve the perusal cl al
our readers.
The speech commences BY an aluson TO III
long term during which Colonel Benton has re
presented Missouri in the Scsate OF The Uniec
States.
Colonel B. said his was Inc proper place io
him 10 make his lhangs To The people OF Missouri
for the honor OF thirty years elections 10 The Sc
nate Of The United States. |, wa the seat Of Go
vernmcnt, and the place where lie elections, al
except The first, had beer held l,was Tie centra
point from which his voice woul issue, and di
verge and 60 forth 10 every FRI Of the SIa!e
Thanks 10 The all OF printing, III auiencc oithc
speaker is no longer limited 10 be circle, hume
lous and respectable rs il may bs (and as his is,
within the sound Of his voice; ba his words pre-
served, and the sounds cmbodicd"r The eye lily Il
every point Of the compass; andhc expanded al
dience, in the form OF readers become co cxen-
sye with The magnitude OF The ,ubjccf, and with
The interest which the speaker iahlc 10 excite. In
this way he considered himselas now sreakine
t,,t ha uhT,ln hc.lt. plth la,F ~.
wished every one, up 10 lie rem,esl limits OF This
State, 10 consider himself persnally addressed
and personally thanked, when reading the OK
preston OF the grateful effu>ion Of his heart lot
the unparalleled honor which hi been done him.
He was indebted 10 the peoph not only for The
honor Of these elections, hut 10 the solid tenef!t
OF their support and cortdcnc, in the long dis
charge Of his eventual and arllous dulles. His
had been no holyday service. covered nol on
ly long period If time, BIZ period filled with
great events-cvenis affecting the interests and
passions OF The whole community AID on all OF
which he had felt himself called, eilhc. by sense
Of duty, Or by force Of position, or h temporal
mcni, 10 &C: decided part. He had a..cd up 10
what he believed 10 be-, he line Il du.yo on every
occasion. Fear!ess'y, corrascou,ly, dsin;eres,.
edly, he had done il. No timid calculation cvel
baked him; no selfish consideration eve tainted
his motives; no unworthy fear OF the eventual
justice Of his constituents ever ha uE;cd lis mind,
or paralyzcd his exenions
lie had often acted without prcviou: know
ledge II the wishes q his constituents some.
times against their pretty we'll kaown-acvcr
against their expressed wishes; tat always II ihcif
intended gooi-a!ways i.om 4 profound tonyic-
lion OF highland always in The finn confidence
OF an equitable judgment, and eventual apf;oy.
al nj hIc 0abfuaf nd taI tho - fp.
ceived him. Though Staggered and perpicSed
sometimes, (as in The Oregon and Texas ques
lion,) yet in The end all came light An eniight
encd and just constituency did justice 10 dsinter
ested motives and solid reasons. They approved
in the end what they doubted in The beginning
They had sustained him under all trials; and now
ne owed as much gratitude for the solid bench
Of this generous, kind, never failing support as nj
did Tor he unparalleled honor Of thirty years un
broken elections 10 the highest branch Of The high
e., political body which The genius OF our lree in
slitu'ions admits.
He then alluded 10 the repeated nominations
,os:-'-.'--- - s-r--'--, Inch had proposed hin
ior The picsiacicy Of the Uaiicd States, expressed
his thanks fer them, hnl regretted that they ha'
been made. They pul him il 4 false position. .
presumr;ve candidate for place with which
he had utterly and uniformly refused 10 perm;
his name 10 be connec;ed Thcy impaired hi
usefulness in the Senate ~ srtjeciing his con
dnct, in The discharge Of his public dnisS, 10 'h'
tain, ct SUSPECTED personal motive. Under thi.
aspect these nominations were embarrassing I,
him, and detrimental 10 lie public service. II,
then proceeds 10 speak Of The reasons upon which
this refusal was based:
They were founded in deep conviction o
what was due 10 the harmony and stability Of I'M
Democratic paily-and, what was more, taking
into view The late slavery propaganda ies, in
vented wihou, cause, and acgraniy Tor hs lex
Presidential clection-;aking this into view, ant
his reasons were founded no, only il what wa
due to the party, bui to The harmony and stabi
" OF the Union, and 10 the future existence Of any
parry, founded on any political principle. II
The Northern Democracy, he had long and otter
proclaimed, The next presentation Of cur Presi
DENTAL candidate belonged; and in no even
could his name ever become an obstacle 10 snci
a contamination. These were his ieaSors.-
They would carry convicticn Of his real inten
lions 10 all candid minds-put an end 10 all III
lure mention Of his name for the Presidency
and leave him with The pieasan, task 81 adding I
his many thanks, 10 his constituents, Tor thei
long and steady support Of him as Senator, In
heartfelt expression OF his gratitude ior he re
pcated manifestation Of their wish 10 raise hin
to The highest station in the government.
After stating The amer in which lie had en-
deavoiei 10 express his graliiud. constituent
which was by services rendered rather thar words
he added his thanks Tor the favor shown b. then
TO Col. Fremont. Al Inc expeditions OF tbs Off
Ger had teen fitted oui in Missouri, equipped an'
started from Missouri, and sustained by Missouri
men. lie then passed 10 brief, glowing skclc!
OF The present prosperous condition Of The coun
try and its causes. This We copy cniise Tor HI
interest is pefusal will afford.
Col. &. said the time was auspcions for ;
specch of thanks. II was time OF ialicity.-
The county was prosperous; the armies viciarI
GUS; crops abundant; prices good; produce ant
labor in demand; the currency solid; exchange
even; banks paying specie; shin pas!ers gone
gold plenty and all without regulator! With
out a king bank, or king man, 10 keep com
mercc, currency, ard industry alive. This wa:
a pIeasan. spectacle TO behold, an inspiring irha
ence to feel, and subject Tor study TO the refec
tive. coniemplative mind. Ten years ago il wa
not SO; and il has come so under The operation
of wise laws, dating their origin from Inc aumih
islralion Of President Jackson, and thought b.
many, at the time OF their adoption, 10 be irangh
with evil. The extinction Of king hank. lo.d
ing il over all other banks and persons, and con
tending for political supremacy with The itd "a
government, and The resurrection tf The gold cur
rency, The sitt of God 10 man Tor standard ans
measure Of values, were the piacipal oil Ihess
acts, and The ones without which all others woult
have been unavailing.
Col. B. said he spoke OF things, all oil which he
saw, and par. of which he was. He was in tia
affair Of the bank and the gold currency, and no
merely as an architect Of destruction, bn, also o
construction. He did not value very highly The
,alen, which can pull down, but cannot build up
Tic blind man can pull down a temple; /! re-
ouircs the use of the eyes, ard OF all The senses
10 build one up. In legislation, especially, il is
fault to destroy an existing institution, though &c
fec,iye. wi,hou. providing substitute thai is bel
Ter. lie had no ambition 10 emu late The deed 0
The blind man, though strong; he had no passion
for detective or demi-legisation but be did have
a nassion for investigation, for research, for IRA
cling event. and measures back 10 The beginning
and learning lie causes 0! things. Thgre hat
been a nation al bank bcio7e-ioanded in '9l-ex
pired in 1911. He studied The history Of lha
bank, and weighed lhs conduct Of The emincn
men who performed an acl OF patriotic duty, ant