Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1850-04-04
LETTER FROM COL. BENTON.

LETTER FROM COL. BENTON.
The following letter fran Col. Ben.
ton, to one of his friends in ST. Louis,
indicates the ground his friends will &C.
cupy in the approaching canvass. This
is no more than what was expected, con.
sidering the course the two parties
have pursued towards each other. 1t
would be much more reasonable to ex.
pect either faction TO unite with the
wings, than with one another.
WAsHiNo ros Cry, March 9Th.
DEAR .SlR:-I have had a great many lets
tiers from friends in different parts OF the
State, in relation to nnion with the CAL
houn.es in the ensuing elections; such let.
ters are very Notifying to me-too much so
TO be answered. l was sounded npon that
point last summer when the articles were go.
ing through the Calhoun papers, for gen.
sral convention Of the party, as i! was called
to meet and settle all differences. an
swered Instantly and truly, that would
sooner sit in council with the six thousand
dead, who had died OF cholere in St. Louis,
than 60 into convention with such gang
OF scamps, and that is my sentiment to day.
There is but one principle on which the de.
mocracy and the Calhounites can meet in
any election, and that is the one which Call
houn said held the party together. ",ho cohe-
sive bond Of public plumber" That may
be true OF him and his, but il is no. true OF
me and mine; and | will prove it during
these elections, by standing clear Of all con.
nexion with them. | will not mix with
them, nor give, nor take help. Let them
have their own ticket, and we ours. Let US
have clean ticket, clean democratic tick
et-no faint OF Cahounism, /. e. secession,
disunion, notification. in it. Let them
have their own ticket, and elect il il they
can; or defeat ours If possible. The point is'to
defeat them. The public good requires it; the
harmony and the preservation ofthe Union
requires it. The Missouri elections this year
are turning point in the drama Of disunion.
The disunionists count upon Missouri. They
believe they have the State, and that belief
embodens them in tho highes. degree; sue,
cess in one election will confirm that belief.
The election OF Calhoun men will confirm
it; therefore they must be defeated, and if
confined TO their own ticket, they will be de-.
feated. City and county. State and Federal,
Congress and all, they should be pu. 10 their
own ticket, and be made to congregate by
themselves; we shall be stronger when they
are gone; and what is moro, we shall be
clean-no timid or selfish calculations abou.
losing elections, we may lose some few, but
still the great point will be gained. Cal.
hounites will be pu. down, and even the
election OF wings will bea triumph over
them--a victory in behalf ofthe Union, and
that is the everything consideration at pres
ent. Fear OF seeing wings elected, can have
no effect upon me under present circum-
stances--not even fear Of seeing wing
elected in my own place. am for the coun.
try and for the Union, and the country and
the Union requires Calhounism to be exter>
minated in Missouri, and am for the exter.
mination as courageously as the Calhountes
are for the dissolution OF the Union, "at all
hazards and without regard to consequences. "
People ask me here, why | do not speak?
tell them, when was at the bar, never
interrupted the adversary counsel while he
was proving up my case for me.
This letter is not for publication, but it is
not for concealment. Friends may see it.
Yours truly, T. H. BENTON.