Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1848-07-15
MIR. Benton on the New Test.

i In letter written year ago, says the Eve-
ming Post, Mr.. Benton exposed the danger
of the new test of attachment TO the extern
sion of slavery but which has since been bold
IN and airogantly imposed, not only in the
case of candidates for office in the general
government, but in the case of delogates TO
the national convention of the democratic
party. The language in which he spoke of
that test; does credit both to his sense of JUS
tice and to his foresight He said:-" The
Presidential election of 1913 is the crisis
and if the new test can be made to govern
that election, shall consider the danger
lconsummated, and that there would soon be
an end, not only of the democratic party,
but of parties founded upon principle, and
finally of the Union itsef' We give the
entire letter, which, is as perfectly applca-
bic to the state of things now existing, as if
it had been written yesterday:
'si Mr.. BENToN'S LETTER,
To The Chairman of The Hopard County
Convention, phich nominated him for The
Presidency. m
ST.. Lows, May 7, 1S47.
Dean SIR:--l take the first moment OF
leisure after my arrival at This place to an
swer your kind communicated of the 18th
of january, and to let you Know how much
| was pitied at seeing the proceedings of the
most respectable meeting, of which you were
chairman. 1t was pre- :isely to forestal aud
prevent such manifestations in my favor,
that | spoke to the point of the next Presi-
dency in my speech at Boonville, in the
summer Of lS41;a nd all the sentiments which
i then expressed, remain in full force now,
strengthened aud confirmed by all that has
since happened. ! then brought forward
the glaring fact that, IL about fifty years ex-
istence of this federal government, the de-
mocracy of the North had given but one
President to the Union, aud that one but for
a single term. and this (oflate) from a south
ern opposition to Northern men. Aud then
took il on myself to say that this course of
things would have to be changed, Otherwise
there would be an end to the democratic
party, or any other party founded on politi-
cal principles, and exposed my gratiica-
ton that Mr.. Folks early and voluntary self
denial had cleared the way for a northern
democratic candidate in IS4S.
Tbese were my sentiments IN 1874; they
are my sentiments now, and are not TO he
abandoned at the coming election when
see new schemes developed from the south,
for the permanent exclusion Of all northern
men from southern support of the Presi-
dency. The firebrand resolutions introduce
ed into the Senate towards the close Of the
session. and their practicable duplication to
Oregon, ly which we lost the Oregon bill,
and leave the people year longer without
law or government, reveal this scheme and
present a new test of the slave question,
which DO northern man can stand, anil
which if adopted by the SOUTH must put an
end 10 ell future democracy. Heretofore,
we, the sI1yeholding states, have stood to-
geiher on two poiDts--Iefence and COM
proinise-lhe defence Of property and instr
buttons, and of the compromise Of the laws
and Of the constitution; and on these two
points the great majority Of the norib, 81
both political parties have been able to stand
with W..
But now new position Is TO be taken
one on which no northern man can sfatid.-
Propagandism Is now the doctrine of POI
Iitical sect which assume TO be the standard
bearers Of all the siaVeboldiDg states; and
to plant slavery by law in all the terrto-
ries oftlse United States, even the most re-
mote and hyperborean--eses Oregon itself
and against the viii Of is Inhabitants
somes the design and the attempt The
words of the resolutions, and the speeches
IN their favor. and their practical application
Of the Oregon bill, aD prove this and show
that the new doctrine u u be nirde new
political test, To be applied 20 al fyresiden-
tial candidafes IN time 10 conses-epd Ike al
new tests, intended to supercede al former
ones, and 20 constitute The sole criterion Tor