Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-06-17
Mr.. BentOn's Letter,

The following letter from Hon. Thos H. Benton is
highly important in many respects coming as it does
from a Southern man and stakeholder 1t will be
seen that he frankly admits that the present move at
the South is the result of determination to give the
slayeholdng interest the ascendancy in the nation to
the utter exclusion of northern interests and rights.
ST. LOUIS. May q, 1917.
DEAR SIR; take the first moment of leisure after
my arrival at this place to answer your kind commun
cation OF the 18th of January, and to let you know
now much was panied at seeing the proceedings of
the most respectable meeting of which you were chair
man. 1t was precisely to forestal and prevent such
manifestations in my favor that spoke to the point Of
the next Presidency in my speech at Bonneville in
the Summer Of 1874 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 ffy
years existence of this federal government the democ-
racy of the North had given but one President to the
Union, and that one for but a single tern and this of
late) from Southern opposition to Northern men,
And then took 1t myself to say that this course Of
things would have to be changed, otherwise there
would be and end of the Democratic party or Of any
party founded on political principles, and expressed
my gratlHcatlon that Mr.. Folks early and voluntary
seIf-denial had cleared the way for Northern Dem
ocratic candidate in 1913.
These wee my sentiments in 1874; they are my
sentiments now, and are not to be abandoned at the
coming elecuon when see ne" scheme developed
from the South for the permanent exclusion Of all
Northern men from Southern support for the Presiden
cy The firebrand resolutions introduced into the
Senate toward the close of the late Session. and their
practical application to Oregon (bY which we lost the
Oregon bill, and leave the people of that Territory
year longer "lthout law or goyernment reveal this
Schee, Gud present new test on the Slavery ques-
uon whch no Northern man can stand, and which, if
"uoPVeu py l9 ooun' must put an ehd 70 all future
support Vi l9h from Tue . uIherh Democracy
4leie'oo'e We the oaVeioaIh5 0ucS, nave STOOD TO-
gesn5f upon Two points ueehce ana comPromise-the
aeience Oh properly ana institutions and the comprom-
iSe Vi lie laws ana OF he constitution ana on these
Two PointS tne great MAJORITY OF the North OF Doth
poOal Plit0s, nave pecH aoe 10 S'hn WIN US. but
no" he" PoS'tloh Is 10 De taken one on winch no
NqI'heIH man can stand
y NJ" 'le uoctFIng Ine PoItlcGi
oo "iG ''"I9' " oo ui9 Oh al
:lo o'aIS u''I 10 plS slavery ny IA"
/" az t'e IerlIorlGS Vi tue OhlIeu o'UleS even the
most remote nyPeroofeanI-eVoh In oregon ltSen ana
"s1''l1' 'io VIII ol us lle ueS9n
anu ii' u"J"lP' i"' VIRUS VI 'i9 Ie9olut'on'' tn0
ePeeoHoS III lhoi, tiFo' anu ln0lI PIacCu aPPcaIIoh
10 the oregon DILL al prove thS' ana Sho" that the
nc" up0t''n0 10 ili'ehue1 " pe nIu ne" PolV!cll
teS' u NC ~ al lIcSueaI cdHulualeS Ill Iu9
W Nc0' anu iiN9 %'l "0" to9'S' te"uGu " suPeIseuc
u FORMER Ones aIa TO constitute Tue S3e criterion Tor
te 'ila Vi oahuudte'' wow everybody Hu'l see that
IL thlS new test Sna, De adopted by the slaVeholdlug
ol''eS, ''e'e % an e'u 10 ''l PocaI NoA
Gu non III Uu0'G ''tuIG t'idI tH P'0Seht SdnIAtto
vi P'iUGS uuoI W pIoNo" ~ uHu u le" parry lorheI'
bounced ny geo9rapNacl INES ana re5uhg lhe sole
prl4clple OF slavery PropagahaiSn am not prePar-
Cd Tor sIch state OF PareS nor Tor the enGct which
~ 0u'u uN'N upon ''O "''''iJ "i" 'I'0iIltJ vi o'i