Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1845-1851, 1847-03-24
Senator Benton.

The Wing and quasi Wing papers are publishing
their customary yarns about Mr.. Bentons decllnalon
of the appointment of Major General; his personal
lations with the President in consequence, &C. &c
All this stuff Is worth Just much and 10 more than
the humbug in which il is their vocation to deal gene
rally The poor devils however must have something
to gable about, and perhaps this subject will do
well as any, But we doubt whether they will be able
to shake the confidence of single good Democrat, in
either Mr. Benton or the President Their object is
too easily fathomcd. The Washington Union re.
marks, in publishing Mr.. Benton's notes, which
appeared in our last semi. weekly
1t is subject of much regret, that circumstances
have prevented the empolm ent Of his talents in tins
branch of the public service. The President regrets
it, because he las the highest confidence in the mill
tary talents the great skill and the great energy of
Gen. Benton. He had hoped TO have II IN his power
To place him at the head of the army. The House Of
Representatives had expressed, by very large ma
rlty their desire to have Gcneraln-Chcf selected
by the President himself but the hole federal party
of the Senate, IN coalition with that balanceOt-
power party" to whose gracious dispensation are
indebted for our exclusion from the honor of iolllng
on their privileged sofas, defeated the proposition !;
md placed the President IN embarrassing relation
the whole subject This important measure having
been thus rejected by the coalition III the Senate. he
found, on crltIcdl VI tUc cA>tlp
o. Congress, that he had no power to I" designate
General BenOn-a junior major general to the
chief command Of tie army IN the field without
: persedng four other generals who hold senior
commissions, and WHO at this tine employed
actively IN the field have done it this critical
juncture would have been to leopard the of
our arms and to cmbarrass the military operat ions
now IN process of execution. Under these circum-
stances, much as he regrets the loss of General
Benon's services in the field. the President felt him
self compelled to pursue the which his reply
of the 9th points out. Upon the receipt of this letter.
General Benton promptly, and frankly, and in terms
which do HIM high honor, declined to accept the ap-
pointment of major general in the army which the
President had offered to him, and which the Senate
had - honorably aud unanimously confirmed.
1t Is possible that this measure. deemed of vital
Importance by the President. might still have u-
mately been passed by majority of the Senate, If
1t had not been announced On conver>aon) by some
Of the federal Senators that they would have spoken
out the remainder of the session the last night of
Congress- and thus defeate not only this bill, but
the passage of some of the appropriation bills, just
the million bill had been defeated at the last
day of the long session. by Senator Davis speaking
against it. Rather than lose those bills, SO inds-
pen>abe to keep the wheels of government in motion
during the war, the friends of the measure (of the
appointment of commanding generaD were COM
PEELED to abandon 1t.
BY tins result, the country does not lose the services
Of Mr.. Benton, but lie remains in the high office of
Senator of the United States which he has so long
and konorably graced.