The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-04-30
From the National Intelligeneer.
A CART.

Cahls
Mr.. FooTE ExpLAsNs.-The subioined
Gard" was handed to our reporter yesterday,
explanatory of what took place in the Senate
on Wednesday:
In the report of the unhappy occurrence
which took place on yesterday in the Senate,
regret to perceive one or two slight inacura-
cies, which hope you will promptly correct.
The ilaccuraccs alluded to are not in the re.
port of The debate, which is one the follow
ing statement:
Here NJ. Foote, who occupies seat in
the outer ci cIe in front Of the Vice Presidents
chai-, ret caed backwards down the aisle, to-
wards Il cbar of the Vice President, with a
pistol in his haod; Mr.. Belion, q moment before
having suddenly ,sen from us seat and advan-
cei by The aisle, outside The bar towards him,
foi'ow;,g him into The aisle down which the
Scuator from Mississi pei had letreated,
in a moment almost every Senator was on
his feet. and call 70 "o'der," dcmards for the
Serseant-at-Arms; request; that the Senators
would take thc;r seats, rom the Chair and from
individual Senators, were repeatedly made
Mr.. Benton was followed aud arrested by Mr.
Dodge OF Wisconsin, aud in ibe con;usioa and
excitement which prevailed, he asbeard 10 en-
cIein, from t;re 10 Gme: al have no pisto's%
"Let HIN 6,c % 'Staod out Of the wayw u
have no pi,;ioIs!' Il dsdain to carry arms ?,
"S;a,d OFT of tue way; ;ald let he tassassn fire."
While maI:nc i6cse excamations, ~. Benton
was b,orght back 10 his seat, but breaking
away ;:om NJ. Dodge OF " :scousn who sought
forcibty 10 re;..;n him, he advanced again to-
wa dis NJ. Foote WHO Stood near the Vice Pre-.
sidents chai., on the ight hand side, surrounded
by numaer OF Senaio aud others not men,
bers of Tue Se',ate NJ. Dickinson took the
pistol from The haad of NJ. Foote, and locked it
up 10 his desL, and Mr.. Foote, on the advance
of Mr.. Boiler, returncd to bis seat.
Now, rs TO the ''rctreat' spoken Of it was
sin,ly movemcntin line; which made some
tbi,g ike RICH angle with the one which the
Seoaior from Missouri was advancing. On
seci,g lin advancing. | simply glded towards
the aI'ey lead 'g t'on the Secretary's chair to
the door, ;.,ield TO take a defensive attitude,
aud iheu await any assault which might be
made. could not have done otherwise, with.
oui, in certain event, en- langering the lives OF
uaoBeudiug persons. You seem to represent
myse'fas beng pu'seed by my antagonist down
a na,~ow alley. If you alude 10 the alley
along which walked ia order to take my de.
fensive position alluded 10, you ae il error as
the person alluded 10 did not e;cn reach my
seal, nor evcn gel moe ihah something Ike ha'f
way from hs scat 10 mile. The fact is that
neither re. .c.i,ed rom, nor advanced upon, the
Seoa;or referred 10: simply advanced to a
convenient position for tbe purpose ofdef efencc
You say" en-. D;ckilsso took the pistol from the
ha I'd of M. fooie." This is t'ue, but would
ada, that it WAS cbeetitI'y su'"ende'cd.o on ap-
pl;cuiion being made il, and upon seeing that
was no longer i, d,eger of being assaulted
regret that have deemed Unnecessary to make
tbs explanation, but l did not know how TO
avoid it.
II g EOOTE