The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-09-12


Mr.. Benton has written two letters to the people
Of Missouri, charging certain parties in that State
with concocting a conspiracy to Gust him from the
United States Senate. The letters are written with
the boldness and vehemenee characteristic of the
Missouri Senator; and one Of them proves concur
sivsly that William B. Napton, the presiding Judge
Of the Supreme Court of that State, is the author
Of the famous jackson resolutions. Mr.. Benton
has repeatedly charged that these resolutions are
notification in their character and disunion in their
object and he now asserts that their author
Judge Napton " is an old nulliier, the correspond
ent of Calhoun, and the assailant Of Jackson when
he issued his proclamation against the dlsunlon
movements of 1888.
Nor does Mr.. Benton spare his colleague, Mr.
Atchison. He states that the latter has abused MN
bitterly, at the distance of a hundred miles, out
that he dares not come within speaking distance
When Mr.. Benton went to Platte City, the resi-
dence of Atchson, he found all the friends OF the
latter arravel against him. and an effort was MADE
| to keep him from addressing the people, bu' tne
Platte Cit friends Of Mr. Atchison found 1t as diff
ecp, IN arrest the course of Mr.. Benton as their
/ leader would have found it 10 answer his argu-
nsnts In addition to Senator Atehlson, tour OF
tbs Representatives in Congress, Messrs. Green,
! Han and Jameson, appear to have engaged in the
anti. Bentonian conspiracy. The combination
| seems to have been powerful; but we should not
he surprised if the lion breaks through the tolls the
hunters have prepared for him. Our sympathies
are with the man of might who is attacked by a
crowd of smaller intelhgences,
Mr.. Benton says that when he first had intima-
ton Of the conspiracy against him, he was attend
r IL. - l.
ington, " endeavorng to bring forward successfully
the great plan for the construction of the national
central railroad from st. Louis to San Francisco
with its branch to Oregon" While he was labor
ing for this great object the presiding judge of the
Supreme Court of Missouri steps from his place
dofis the ermine, and assumes the garb Of the agi
tator and political iptriguer. Nothing can justify
the course of Judge Napton There is no excuse
for man who far forgets his judicial station as
to minge in legislative inTigues, and endeavor by
petty shifts and trihing expedents to remove from
power man who stands in the way of his party
The Judge seems not to have had correct idea Of
Benton's power and daring. He thought, appar
entity that the instructions of the Legislature woulC
drive the Senator to the wall Benton has thrown
down the columns of the conspiracy, and is carry
ing away the temple on his shoulders.
Obedience to instructions of the Legislature ha
bsen popular doctrine for some years; but we art
inclined to think Mr. Benton takes proper ground
when he appeals from the Legislature to the people
1t has been generally supposed that the doctrine
a Senator being bound to obey instructions wa
more truly democratic than the doctrine that h
was free to act independent Of such instructions
Such would be the case were the Legislature a
ways a correct exponent Of popular will. But thi
| is not the case, and there is consequently DANCE
in giving the Legislature an absolute control owe
| the Senators. In democracies, we must always
on our guard against giving too much power to on
| set of functionaries. Our object should always
to give as little power possible to our public off
GERS and to distribute as widely as we can tn
trusts we repose in our representatives. Henc
it ia better to give our Senators in Congress Il
right Of voting as they please for six years than
increase the prerogatives of our Legislatures
confding to them the real control of our SENATOR
votes 1t is, then, by the exercise of a truly dem
cratic right that Mr.. Benton is enabled to frustra
the schemes of his enemies. We should not wo
der if his opponents fall into the pit they ha,
themselves digged. At any rate there will be
fierce struggle before Benton is overcome.
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