New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-04-19
MRS >wI>>HELMS LETTER>~No. III.
The Frncas in the senate.
.2e1lsu,e o. Tse ? bare.

d. |
il vas Slca scene as oar senate Chamo-r lid
o-eieu, ~ hong a-ol Col. BENroN AMI Gen.
/ FORE made quite al exhibition bat q womb b.
+ hard % g.. vhether u was iarce, comedy ~ 4
spirited tragedy. J sa; IN tie reporters saAery'
directly opposite the Gentlemen. and saw . a.
/ Tie debate on the California question aid
/ . F5orgs Committee bad tccn -oins on FIR some
hours Ness-s. BtNToN and CLAY were larry
+ pit-,d -aiast each other. BF>ToN was laborng
+ r. have tie bl for The aimisson Of California
/ h-o1rht I'D before she senate Immediately, and
uasmbarrsssed by any other question. CLAY vas
a. completely committee TO- and determined on
the opposite policy and to see them checkma, ng
/ each other. b. parliamentary rules. ameuima Is.
an amendments o. tie ameDdments was study
fra sharper AFTER M- CLArs amendment 70
/ NJ. BENroSs amendment. which struck i All out
an substituted the opposite, had been carried by
! n vote os Gle Senate yCu Alow NJ. HANLIN %
Ne moved a. amendment 10 Mr. FoorE' ori-ina
resolution This was declared out of order but
the Char decided t "a ORD AID Immediate. Col
/ BrNrox rose and moved us old amendment INST
/ rejected hv Mr. CLAWS amendment rs az amend
neut - Mr. H,WLISs amendment and declared
hi, determination 90 have a vote on esch one Of
/ IL seventeen clauses Mr. CLAY had been very
much excited fr some time Every muscle in
ms body vas quivering and there was an evident
rash Of blood to the head He rose in siderable
excitement and declared Mr.. DEMONS amend
mert out OF order. The Chair decided otherwise
and Mr. CLAY appealed from the decision with So
much excitement III is manner that Greatly
/ feared an outbreak ou his part, while Col BESros
/ had sacn an appearance ol camness that It rather
[ assured me that there would be no breach Of the
peace. DID no, miss my ejaculation that time
/ Col BESroS then arose to discuss the point OF
order before taking the vote, and spoke with more
warmth than he bad yet done but with 10 appear.
ance Of agitation. He rather appeared 10 me like
/ the master spirit OF the house who knew and felt
he had the power 70 control It's action, and was
! calm In tue CONSEQUENCES OF unired strength But
/ he made q qlick transition. He urged lis amend
mcuts az the best means Of aiay ing the excitement
at the South and s,oke with So much force and dig
nifty that when be- sat down Involuntary repeat
cd what a lady had said to me Two hours before
II is a sori IS old man
Mr. BUTLER of ;. C.-wth the silver white hair
and the rudy lace-then rose aud made a few re
marks that sounded sadly undiyuhed after Mr.
BrNroys Then Mr. FoorE took tie door aud
soon reached a towering ight OF gasconsdng co
quence. He lauded the Southern Address OF
which Mr. BE>ro> had spoken as causing needless
alarm and declared it the production Of That honor
able Senator ior whom every good man IN the Ma
ton was now mourning. His style Of
speaking struck me as ludcrous,y grandllo-
qucut and rather sarcastic IN It's personal
references 20 Mr.. BENTON but this gentleman did
not appear at all disturbed. | looked at him. and
could see no indication excitement. Suddenly
Mr. FoorE paused in his Aieht Of eloluence and
came down to lis naturally calm tone, which Is
really very pleasant He was evidently preparing
Or some grand demonstration. He tar ed and
with a wave Of the hand and inclination OF the
head 70 or tow ard Col. BENroS, gave evidence that
be had some personal remarks 10 make but declared
lac was determine 70 be governed by strict parla
meutsry rules. | glanced TO Col BESTGS. He
looked calm then Uae to the speaker, who, ia an
ironica manner. pronouncing the words, "the
oldest Senator on this floor. this was abiding 10
Mr. BENTON, and rs he commenced the leXt sen
tence, he started, running up the rrow aisle to-
ward the Presidents desk. and looking back over
bis shoulder as he got pistol ont OF his side
pocket. H gained the opening around the Presi-
dents desk before there any general move
ment among the Senators, and there he cooked, or
tried 10 cock, his pistol, pointing the muzzie to
ward the ground. He appeared to have some
trouble in draw ing the leck but think he got set.
Glauoing tack, | saw Col. Benton in the passage
that runs around under the gallery and behind
the seats He was near Mr. FOorEs seat but not
inside tue bar Of the House. Mr. FoOTEs seat IS
on the outside OF the circle and next to the bal
ustrade that divides the bar from the passage, run
ning round and close 70 one Of the little doors the
first from the main entrance TO the Presidents
right hand Col. BENToSs IS similarly situated
but farther round to the side.
Some gentlemen in the passage thought Mr..
BESToN was leaving the Chamber IN anger but
Lieut.. Gov Dickinson OF your State says he knew
from the manner in which he thrust his chair back,
that he intended to attack Mr.. FoorE but he did
not get n through the door near his seat, and was
not within two or three steps Of 1t when Mr. FoorE
reached the open space in from. OF the Chair
Some gentlemen took him back 70 bis own place.
and Mr. FoOTE vas calling upon them 10 let him
come on, he was prepared Some one caught his
arm AMI Mr.. DICKINSON took the weapon rom him
He appeared perfectly cool and took the precau-
ton to keep the muzzle downwsr ard while be took Il
from FoorEs grasp. Just here all was confusion,
the Presidents hammer going hat scarcely heard
the men in tie gallery were swearing the Mem
bers on the floor rushing up and calling al manner
Of order and disorder. Mr.. FoOTE was taken back
to his seat and Col BENTON row appeared u
have learned that bis sntagonis, was armed, and
soon became the cynosure OF al eyes He sp-
pesred fairly insane with rase-was trying to get
of his coat, and laundering, d" Let me 20 u those