Arkansas intelligencer., 1849-09-29
For the Arkansas Intclligencer.
CRAWFORD Co., Sep. 2oth, 1919.

CRAWFORD Co., Sep. 2Oh, 1919.
Mn. Ep,roR:--l was ,frorded an opportunity of
hearing Col. Thomas +. Benton ue'FeI speech
at Springfield, Missouri, on the second INST, on
the subject of the WiIno Proviso' ana The Leg's-
la!ive Resolutions, instiucing MN 10 Voe against
it.
The Colonel with degree of impudent AFRO.
oonce UNPARALLELED in the political history of this
country. puts the instructions The General AS
sembIv al defiance which consequently must place
him out of the pale of the Dmocratic fold and
Mace hin, alongside of Hale Giddings, Wilmot.
and other Abolition worthless. lie acknowledged
in his Springfield speech thathe mad voted Tor the
Wmot Proviso on two occsons' but refused 10
answer the interroga tory p,pounded 20 him by
several respectable and ifluential citizens of
Green County, whether + was in favor Of the
Wilmot Proviso, or not But the history of the
proceedings on the bill stabIishing Territorial
Governments in Oregon California, and New
Mexico, is sufficient to cdvince the public OF his
position upon the sublec Of abolltionism. While
that bill was under discssion, in the summer of
1918, Mr.. Hale, an uowed aboiionst of the
North, owed TO strike ot the words, "Free white
persons,'' in the fifth seton. fixing the qualiica-
tions of electors, with would leave all on the
same footing as to theright of suffrage-free ne
groes, Indians, white men, and all. On this pro.
position, the yeas anonays were called, and Col.
Benton voted in the ffrmative, with six others,
he being the only mnber from slave State that
could stomach the ngro vote. The Wilmot Pro-
viso, which he is Undoubtedly in favor of, has in
deed been correct ycharacterIZed as hre-brand.
1t is q fire. brand, tFeatening TO involve the Union
in the flames of cih discord. If Congress can
exclude the cities of the States, where slavery
exists, from Disqualification IN the Territories
of the General Gsernment, then those States are
not they have been taught, equal sovereigns
with their sister States they would be degraded
to the condition interiors, while the common
covenant Of tha Union guarantees equality Of
rights and equa privileges, that generous chivalry
which could nc bear an unjust tax on tea, would
ill., brook so gpss insult upon State pride and
dignity. 1t snot denied but that the people of q
Territory, on its application TO become State,
have the righfo regulate the conditions on which
that Stale my be admitted into the Union and
there is noting in the Constitution which will
deprive themof that right and give it to Congress.
Jefferson, Madison, Harrison, Pinckney, and
other distinguished and talented Statesmen, denied
the right ofCongress 10 interfere with slavery.
Col. Bentor himself denied it, and, in 1880, de-
nounced alInterference by Congress with slavery
as being ou of tho scope Of the Constitution. He
advocated ne Baltimore resolutions on the sub iect,
in 1886, 20, IA. &C., and supported Calhoun's
resolutions Of January 9th, 1888; and also sup
ported heresolutons which had been agreed upon
by the de1ocratic members of Congress on that
subject Now COL Benton says, that the power
of Congress to legisIate on the subject, never
denied Until lS47. This is an-nfirmity of me-
mory in tie Colonel, which corroborates the opinion
of Generl Jackson, that Col. Bentons mind was
injured By tho explosion on board the Princeton.
Col. Benon's vanity and arrogance induce him
to believe that the people Of the proud ind gallant
State Of Missouri. will permit themselves like
sheep in he shambes to be transferred by him to
Northern abotionsts as the price of his support
for the Presidency, in 1852. But the independent
freemen of Missouri will rise in the majesty Of
their strength and repndiate the traitor and the
treason. PRINCIPLES and HoI men, Is IhviI uIvrrU.
Their cause is not the cause Of an individual but
tho cause of their country, and equal rights and
equal privileges. | know them sufficiently well
TO know that they will never forsake their colors
and craveny yield to the dicla,ion of the great
iii.
The abolition and free soil presses shout hosan.
mas over him, while the democratic presses in
inc South, and especially in Missouri, denounce
MS treason long and loud. In his harangues
through the State he denounces the Judiciary.
members of the General Assembly, and every
other man who has the honesty and independence
to oppose bis corrupt and selfish views His
whole object appears to be 10 light the torch of
olscord and disunIon amongst the Democracy with
'he view tnat he himself might ride in the whirl.
wind and direct the storm. His election to the
united States Senate from Missouri can be re.
earded now by the people Of that State, and all
true PATRIOTS in no other light but great political
calamity. The course pursued by him since his
last election seems to be one great error His
assumed wisdom has made him vain and arrogant
his vigor has proved weakness; and his prudence.
loIly; ana The next General Assembly will consign
him to the shades Of private life, and permit him
10 retire TO his wifes farm in Kentucky, of uhich
State he has been for years citizen.
A TRAVELLER.