Democratic banner., 1850-12-09
From the Missouri Republican.
TO THOMAS H. BENTON.
LETTER no. v.

SlR: You will pardon me, Senator, If
wound you by another contrast. I select q
high example-I take your friend. ask
you to observe the conduct, and listen to the
words of George III. Dallas, of P~ennsylva-
mia, whom you helped to make Vice Presi-
dent of the United States. Standing on
free soil, speaking to the people of Pennsyl-
hear what echo he gives to the words
uttered by you in the Rotunda. Your voice
fell upon our ears On Saturday, the 9th Of
November, and on the l4th of the same
month, FIVE days thereafter, the ex-Vice
President speaks. You remember, Sena.
tor, what you told US your words were
studied, carefully selected for q great occa-
lsion. You were anxious they should be re-
membered ; and be assured, they are not
forgotten. You told US the danger was
Ipast, and the Union saved chiefly through
your own patriotic fundamentally land,
lest a fesr Of the future might come to dis
lturb the general joy, you administered an
anodyne to the "sensitiveness Of property"
by the solemn assurance "that slave prop
erty wal as secure in the North as in the
South" Now listen to George M. Dallas,
a Pennsylvania and q Democrat. He i,
asked to preside over a great Union meet
ing at Philadelphia, invoked by the patriot
ic of the Key Stone State, to save the ma
ton from impending caAanaty-to rescue
the Constitution from a present 'actuaI''
and "augmenting'' peril, and SO to direct q
popular movement, IN the free States, as to
Ipreserve the Union from dissolution. Mark!
Senator, this assemblage called before, i.
to meet on rhe evening of the 18th Novem.
Der, 1850, JUSTINE days after you spoke the
peace Of the nation. How does Dallas an
swer this call? / give his words:
"Havipg heartily Joined in the popular
movement you are directing, in the hopt
that it will be instrumental in Saving the
Union and Constitution from actual and
ougmenting peril / threw myself upon
your indulgence while vsnturing to intrude
upon you my anSsous con0scf'on as TO the
only tone which can, for the great purpose
designed, be usefuIly given TO the proposed
injecting. Of the measures of adjustment
adopted by Congress,one only can be affect.
ed by future Legislation ; the others are be-
yond the reach Of recall, or notification
Caliafornia is q St-+~ > ~. boundary ofTex.
az IS HX1u w uer own assent ,fs~" H.
and Utah have territorial governments up.
on the usual principles and forms. These
things are done-conclusively and unalter'
ably done. No sort of sgitation can undo
them, and the PERCEPTION of the ~practica
truth, WILL, feel assured, prevent their con-
tinuing subjects of agitation either serious
ly, or long. Nj so NTH the Fugitive &aUt
Bill. That has already been threatened
with repeal; that is therefore the point Of
danger. Now in the er,sting condition Of
public feeling, North and South mere gene.
roAties in favor ofMe Union will produce
little or no effect. Tospeak .mpressivey,
it is absolutely necessary to be specific
and on no topic connected with the consti.
tuition and the rescue Of the Union, car
specification be equally beneficial, as 10 the
Fugitive Slave Bill. Will you, then, ex.
cuss me for lntimating that, having exclu.
Isivsly in view the preservation of the I'm.
ion and the Constitution, the obvious, ifnoI
the only direct and effective course, Is ia
mark Senator. Benton PROCLAIM THE FU-
GITIya LAW to be CONSTITUTIONAL, lust and
%ExPEDIEsT; to call on our fellow-citizens to
obey it, as . necessary part of the coDsti-
tutional guaranty which we are all bound
TO fulfil in good faith. Nor is this enough
for us,of Pennsylvania to do. More will
naturally be expected. We have unguard-