The daily crescent., 1849-06-08
Miasonri RolificS.

for the summer, at Jefferson City, on the Goth ult.
He opens with speech, which has not yet reached
us, but the st. Louis papers furnish with pref
ty copious sketch. The first part of the speech
itself is described occupying thirteen columns OF
the jefferson Inquirer-to be continued. We now
infer tha. the speech on Kearneys case has been
finished and reported at length The last We re-
member of that huge and protracted affair, it had
reached the fifteenth column hereabouts, In the
National InteIligencer, with immediate prospect
Of close. We gave up looking for the end, but
we suppose it is done, since here is thirteen
column report of the beginning of another. The
Colonel has the gift of continuance beyond all
other orators of the time. None but giant in in
'telect could have survived the infiction of so
much tediousness upon the world. Whatever is his
theme, he crowds much matter into great space.
Even his tediousness-his extreme arrogance, and
the bad temper and bitter prejudices which he
cares not to conceal, but rather seems to parade
merits, cannot destroy the influence with which
MS political courage, his indomitable perseverance
and his ponderous knowledge, have invested him.
He has boldly undertaken to drive the Democratic
party in his own State from position they had as
sumed deliberation affirmed in legislative reso-
lutions, and made mandatory upon him, by positive
instructions. Their pride and their consistency
are involved, in addition to the importance of the
ques ions involved-and yet from present signs, he
is likely to bring them to a change Of position, or
to overthrow them as a party. Nearly the whole
party hitherto opposed to him, is sustaining him now,
and formidable portion of his own party friends
have so far yielded ,as to manifest willingness to
open the question, and to retract the eXaction of
conformity, as a party test. Before the campaign
iof full lv opanad ih. Sapaf0r is h3ckaI
10y strong and Jealous body of supporters.
A great part of Mr.. Benton's speech appears to
have been devoted to personal attack on the mo-
tives Of Mr.. Calhoun, whom he accuses of harbor-
ing reasonable designs against the union of the
States. He seems to have searched in an acrimo-
NOUS, and we think, uncharitable spirit, into the
whole political history of the eminent South Caro-
nan for the purpose Of fastening upon him lack
of political honesty and hostility to the union In
this breaks out that long continued animosty to-
wards Mr.. Calhoun, which has been one of the
most conspicuous traits of Mr.. Benton's political
life, and which seems to have grown to be sort of
monomania with him. He treats Mr. Calhoun as
doing nothing good at any time-nothing even ac-
cidentay wrong, in weakness or by mstake-but
as doing evil continually by design. On this
theme, Mr.. Benton's testimony and his opinions are
always to be taken with many grains of allowance
for inveterate prejudice On the Territorial ques-
tion per Sc, Mr.. Bsnton's position is given thus:
His position is, that the Wilmot Proviso is
mere abstraction, that it is question of practi-
cal intrinsic importance, but that the nufers are
seizing on it as pretext for accomplishing their
favorle o5iect-dssolution Col. Benton boldly
asserts that Congress does possess the power to
compromise the question of slavery in the terrific
ries, and that the power does not exist any where
else; that Congress may admit or prohibit slavery
in the territories, as has been done by the Ordi.
nance of 1857, by the Missouri Compromise Bill,
by various acts of Congress organizing territorial
governments ever since the formation of the Gov
ernment, and by the recent act organizing Oregon
Territory that this power has been constantly
exercised, recognized and acquiesced in, and
questioned seriously until Mr.. Calhoun introduced
his ire.brand, disunon resolutions into the Senate
He proves that slavery was abolished and pro-
hibited by solemn decree throughout Mexico in
1929; that it has ever since remained prohibited,
and that by the Constitution of the Mexican Re-
public in 1874 slavery was prohibited from be.
ing established or introduced into any part of that
territory that slavery does not now exist in either
California or New Mexico, but has long since been
abolished and prohibited throughout those terrific.
res, and cannot again be established there unless
it be done by positive act of Congress; that the
old citizens of New Mexico and California are op.
posed to slavery unanimously, and that large ma
Jority OF the emgrans are opposed to slavery that
the country is not adapted to slavery that it is
and must ever continue TO be free territory, and
that the agitation of the Wilmo Proviso in relation
to such a territory is mere abstraction. Still he
says is abstraction that is seized upon by the
enemies of the Union. and sought TO be used for
dangerous purposes. He charges that Mt Calhoun
and his adherents in the Southern States are try
ing to establish political tests which they well
know no Northern man can Or will stand up to,
and they know that this will result in disunon
The resolutions of Mr.. Jackson being copied from
the disnnion resolutions of Mr.. Calhoun lead to the
disastrous result-a dissolution of our glori-
Gus Union The resolutions of Jackson pledge the
State to cooperate in whatever measures the slave
holding States may deem necessary, which is equiv.
alent TO an enlistment of the State under Mr. Cal
houn's banner