Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1849-07-06
SPEECH OF COL. BENTON.

The speech of Col. Benton has been pub
lished IN pamphlet form, and contains 80 pa
| ges OF closely printed matter.
Owing to It's great length, we are unable
to give il place entire, but the following
| synopsis, taken from the Chicago Journal.
| gives the main points of it
! Col Benton gives scorchng review ofthe
conduct of Mr.. Calhoun charges that for
! twenty years he has been endeavoring to pro-
mote disunion, by creating a bitter alienation
between the North and the South, and bv
producing unnecessary agitation and excite
ment IN relation to slave property. He saws
that such men as Calhoun are the very men
against whom Washington forewarned his
countrymen In his farewell address, and calls
upon the people to stand by the principles of
The Father of bis Country. He alludes to
the principles of the Declaration of Indepen-
dence, and to the preamble of the Constitution
OF Virginia, IN which it is charged as an act
OF tyranny against George the Third, that by
an lnhuman use of his negative, he had refu-
sed to the Colonies permission to exclude
negroes by law, and quotes this as an evil
dence of what the opinions of the patriots of
Virginia then were, as to the propriety of in
PRODUCING slavery into new territories He
contends that Mr.. Calhoun and his adiuncfs
have tor long series of years been endeavor-
ing to dlsparage the value of the Union, and
falsely charging that it was means of op-
preston to the Southern States. and have
sought various occasions to create agitation
and proper excitement and groundIess fears
90 this subject. he says that the meeting at
w ashlngton city last winter, was gotten up
under the auspices of Mr.. Calhoun, to aid in
his dlsuniou purposes; that the address as
drawn up by him looked straight at disunion;
that the most fragrant passages of the address
inf nd hat
suited in a failure; but it was the last effort
of Mr.. Calhoun to form a combination Of the
Southern States to destroy the Union
The Missouri resolutions of instruction,
taken substantially from those of Mr.. Calhoun
were held back until after the adjournment
of Congress; they Immediately followed the
publication of Mr.. Calhoun's address, and are
part of the machinery to strike down the
friends of the Union, and to produce disu-
Mon. He expresses the opinion that not six
members of the Missouri Legislature had the
scfenter Of the origin and design Of those res
olutions, but that they are the pledge OF the
state to Mr.. Calhoun, and calculated to pre-
vent opposition to his mad career. He (Col
Benton) objects to those resolutions of instruc-
ton, because they conflict with other legisla-
tive instructions which he bad received and
obeyed; because they contain unconstitu-
tional expostions of the Constitution, that he
IS sworn 10 support because they require
him to promote disunion because they pledge
the state to cooperate IN eventual civil war;
because they are copied from mschivous res
oiuilons which he had opposed, aud which he
had opposed, and which he cannot cease to
oppose without personal disgrace and official
derelction of public duty. and he thinks the
people ought to be consulted on this subject
He charges that the resolutions of Jefferson
City were passed at a time when it must have
been believed that the subject to which they
related had been finally acted on by Congress,
for the bills to provide governments for the
new territories were in process of enactment
and they only failed by disagi cement OF the
two houses on the third of March, and the
fact of their failure could not have been known
at Jefferson City on the seventh of March,
when the resolutions passed. These resolu-
tons were not intended to instruct him how
to vote at Washington City. but to be used
for home consumption He denounces the
potters OF this plan TO PROSTATE him in this
clandestipe manner; pronounces 100 against
the Judges engaged in it; thinks that the
number engaged in it is small. and he places
them at defiance.
In relation to The Wimot Proviso he de-
fines his postion-he admits the power of
Congress TO pass such IA provso; that such
legislation mas had the sanction and approval
of the government and of the people since the
foundation ofthe government; that the Viii
mot Proviso should pass, it would be con-
stitutional law; that it would be binding on
all citizens, and that resistance by arms to it
would be treason against the United States.
With respect to the expediency of the Will
mot Provlso, he says that there is no neces
sIty tor 1t and there are prudential reasons
why IL should no, be passed. Unnecessary
laws onght not to be passed, but if the Will
mot Proviso should be passed, il would be an
empty provision. having DO practical effect
whatever. An issue on the Wilmot Provlso
between the North and south would be an is
sueon nothing, and an issue which the south
would certainly be defeated, FOR majority OF
both Houses are instructed IN its favor. He
says that California and n. Mexico are both
now free from slavery by law and in fact, and
will forever remain free from it. aud there
fore there is no necessity of agitating the SUBJ
ject. He says that the Wilmot Proviso is
the last card in Mr.. Calhouns slippery game,
and when that is gone, he will be bankrupt.
Mr. Benton announces that his personal
sentiments are opposed TO the institutions of
slavery, and against the introduction into pla-
ces in which it does not exist; If there was
no slavery in Missouri to day, he would OPP
pose its coming in if there were no slavery
in the United States, be would oppose its
coming in; as there is no slavery in
New Mexico and California he is against Sc IN
ding il into those Territories, and could not
vote for such measure. He saws it is wrong
to disturb the quietude of slave owners. or bar
rass them with groundless fears. and that he
has seen no danger to the slave property ofany
state by the action of Congress.
He closes by appeal to the people to
&C, so as to give the nations of Europe who
are struggling for liberty, bright model of
free Republic.
The Rose.--W r, Prince, the celebrated horti-
culturist in his Manual of Roses thus speaks