Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1849-07-25


beuer than Col. Benton. They were tine
measures OF Mr.. Adams and Gen. Jackson
and their Administrations. One or The
olher made all The treaties by which The
old merely possessory titles Of the Indians
tu their lands, were converted over the
whole territory, into permanent right OF
possession, aud property, and male the
permanent home Of liie Indians, To use his
own exprcssion.--There was no treaty
madewhle filled the War Department,
in Mr.. Mnnroe's administration, which
male any such alterations in the title of
Indians, to lands west Of The Mississippi, or
any where else TO my knowledge. The
making of Indian treaties, containing sIip-
ulations for permanent titles, and their
removal west of the Mississippi. cons'itu-
led large portion Of the doinss of those
administrations, and much Of that on
which they rested their reputation. Much
the greater part was The work of Gen.
Jackson's administration, with which Col.
Benton was intimately associated, and
over which he had sufficient influence 10
make himself responsible for no small share
of its duiuss, especially as TO what related
to the west. In attempting now 10 shuttle
oil his portion Of the responsibility, and
lha, Of The administration, and to place ii
on me, who was hostile to il, speaks badly
for his manIiucss, or regard for The char
acter Of Ihe administration of Gen. Jack
son, for which he pru(esses 50 much al>
tachment aud admiration. He would
hardly have ventured in The lifetime Of 1.-The
old Hero" to make the heavy charge he
has. against measures, Of which he was
the author, and on which he so much prl-
lled him self.
la his easerness to assail me. he has
lost not only his discretion but his memo.
ry. IN order to make out that the anti.
slavery party OF The North, duly opprecia.
ted the great service that | had done their
cause, he says "lha' they gave proof Of
their gratitude, that l was then a candi-
date for the Vice Presidency, and became
the favorile Of the North, beating even MIR
Adams himself on The free soil tack" for
getting what he had said just befDre, that
/ was Vice President at The time. when
he well knew, that | was elected for the
first time Vice President with Mr.. Adams.
and Of course, the vote Of the North could
cot have been given me for The reasons he
assigns.
His next charge is that l supported the
abolition Of slavery in Slate. Among
his other traits, Col. Benton is distinguish
ed Tor charging on others, what he knows
he is guilty of himself. Most men from
prudence and sense Of propriety. eau
liousIy abstain from assaiIing others for
whar they know they may in turn lhemse-
selves he justly assailed. No, so with him.
He is one Of the few who are ever more
/! fierce in their assaults when they know
| lhev can be assaied for The same lhiGg.
They seem 10 delight in dragging down
olhersl o heir own level, and 10 have con.
ceaed joy in thinking that others parlake
of their own delnrnity.-ll is trait 50 de-
estuble that those who are distinguished
for il areusually likenel to a notorious
parsonage reproving sin. Col. Benton has
strikingIy displayed this trait Of character
in the present charge. lie well knows
! how utterly false he was 20 you through
out Oh .the Texas question. He took, as
has been stated, on active part to defeat
The treaty Of annexation. negotiated By me
on the part Of the United States. He
knows thai il contained nd provisions that
couulenanced: The abolition of slavery in
any portion Of Texas. was strongly
urged during The negotiation 10 insert a
provision to extend the Missouri compro
mise liue across Texas to its western boun.
Diary, and was informed that it would aid
IN securing a constitutional majority in The
Senate, in its favor.-l peremp,orily re.
fused. lie knows that he offered propo.
sition 10 abolish it in one half of the whole
OF Texas, and that by line, not drawn
east and west, but north and south, so as
TO hem in The south on NIL sides By sur.
rounding her with abolition States. He
also knows, that his friend and supporter,
on the OCCASION, Mr.. Hayward, of North
Carolina, went still further, and offered
resolutions 10 extend the ordinance Of 1873.
not only over Texas, but even all the Ter
ri'orics lying west Of Arkansas, and Mis-.
souri,, and south of 36. 30., will however a
proyiso excepting The portion of Texas
lying south Of a limo drawn east and west
in the 34lh degree ofparaleI of latitude.
The presumption is strong that in offering
his resolutions, he acted with his friend
Colonel Benton, to whose course he adj
hered on the Texian question. But, he
that as it may. certain it is he sat mute.
He raised no vuice Of indignation. against
Il measure which proposed TO exclude sla-
very forever from that very region. which |
he charges me with having given away 10
the Indians, and losing il to The South. As
bad as The policy Of Mr.. Adams and Gen.
Jackson may be in reference to that region.
they did not exclude slavery. The Indi-
ans. who occupy it. are shareholders, and
having an interest in common with YOU,
may I've regarded as faithful allies on that
vital question. The resolutions of his
'riend Mr.. Hayward were designed 10 de-
'rlyo you of this Advantage; and yel Col.
Benton now raises his voice in loud de.
against me upon The false
'harge Of giving away The territory TO The I
indians while ho approved. at least by his {
ience of excluding you entirely from The ;
crri'ory, and one half Texas TO boot. and
y extend the principle Of the ordinance of {
81 over The whole, including Texas and I
bo c. -nn,h r.. ,,,, l.,