Western union. (City of Hannibal, Mo.) 1850-1851, 1850-11-28
Written for the Western Union.
BENTON.

10 tn0se Wn0m u vftu0uS 10 view win 0tss
appreciation but to those whom is vice not 10 view
W It'll emotions OF esteem aud veneraticn."
Whilst good men from oil sections Of our
country, are singing praises to Clay, Webster,
Cass, and those other good and wise statesmen
Of our land, who estimated personal constituency
and Isgislot:pe forms Is nothing, when weighed
in the balance with the peace and quiet Of their
country, and who were willing to modify their
opinions, and make concessions, In order to re-
move the mutual hostility Of diGsrsn, sections
and secure harmony to the ULion, Thomas H.
Benton is Engaged in the ignoble pursuit Of be.
spattering them with his dirty billingsgate.
His disposition 10 such that he cannot view with
q decent patience even, the success Of others
but with q mean envy, that psles and sicksns
at their prosperity, he seems to regard the hon
ors conferred upon his snperiors, a. 90 much
taken from himself Ills hatred enlsrgss with
their growing virtues, and increases In direct
proportion to the merit Of his adversaries. Mr..
Benton, Of oil the prominent men 10 the United
Statqs, Is the only one who could conceive the
mean thought that there was any low trickery
in the conduct, or any selfish feeling in the
heart Of Henry Clay, during his recent strug.
gle, in the Senate Of the United States, in be
half Of The compromise. Bowed down by age
and long service, the old patro! had retired 10
his peaceful home, to spend the remainder Of
his days remote from scenes oil political turmoil,
but when the alarm bell was sounded, Of dan
ger 10 the cherished institutions of his country,
he felt his strength return, and disregaroing the
ellurements of home, flew 10 the rescue Of his
country. He is above the reach of tie shafts of
calumny. Demagogues may crusk their hoarss
csnsures against him, but the glad accarnations
of his counIrymen will drown them. In 1920,
he rescued us from the dangers Of the Mis-
souri, Question; in 1882, he averted the storm
Of South Carolina notification: and. in 1850,
by the display of abilities and exertions almost
.uperhunan, sustained by a patriotism which
admitted no thought Of self, and aided by noble
crew, he has, third time. brought the gallant
Ship Of State safely into harbor. May God
preserve him for his country, in the crisis which
is approaching Thrice has he won-may he
win fourth t,me-the title of the g" Great Pa
cifcator," and long live to enjoy Il, worm. o,a
though II be, nh:s envious cu,emporary!
II f" dou5'f:,. whether the scurrilty expended
On Mr.. Clay, is more disgusting than the adu-
Iation bestowed upon Genera! Taylor. So az.
fectionate has Col. Benton become towards Gen.
Taylor, that he cannot bear cansure to be cast
upon him. even by remote implication. NJ
lor; we all respected his PATRIOTS m and ability
and COL Benton knew it. The clumsy dema'
gogue threw out his remarks as bait to Taylor
men, surprising that some would be fools enough
to swallow il. But all these crocodile tears are
shed over the grave Of Ia. lor, because he APP
pointed Col. Fremont Boundary Commissioner
: in California, which was as much a. 20 say tina
!, hs L" dsapproved The action Of the Court Mar
tall" Col. Benton bstrays q wilful blindness
-, not to see that the motive for the appoirtmen
was TO DO found in the fact of Col. Fremont,
>. supposed superior knowledge Of the country
u which Col. Benton is so boastrul Of on o,he
occasions) and not because Gen. Taylor wisket
to cay that he " disapproved Of the action Of tn
l. Court Martial" This 10 flat im5ecility, ant
Il his friends must feel ashamed Of him for it
u Let us pass on to On examination Of his course
his action and inaction in regard to the fugi
y tive slave bill-facts we admit lie voted in tn
C Senate Of tina United States, against two amend
: ITSELF 81 did not vote upon the engrossment
Is says Col Benton. This is true. nsi,he
5 voted for nor against it. and will tell you tn
1t reason why. deemed the bill injudicious bn
1 was willing for its friends 10 try it. vcte
= with them to make it suitable to them. Their
rs was no constitutional objection; and was vii
ling for them to pass it without any draw bac
=, frum my opinion Of it, and such would have bee
the case, IL It hal not been from the silly an
false attacks on me for missing vote, by thos
who are so indifferent to the conduct and motive
p, Of those who missed nearly ALL" These ar
~ Col. Bsnton's own words. lie felt the necss
NJ sity OF such law; he knew that slave propcrt
was not sufficiently protected; that it was du'
in common justice, that Congress should pas, a
. efficient law TO protect IT. that under the exist,n
~ law at that time, Southern men hazarded an
N generally without success, their very lives TO r.
I'd capture their property; they were justly clan,
n. orous for an amendment to the law; and yet oi
Il, Senator the Senator from slave State know
ing these things not only fails TO vote for it, b,
'e fails even to suggest to Senators what he RI
70 CARDS as the injudcious parts Of the bill, fails
h. propose even an amendment to II, or a goo
il. substitute inr it, and "leaves it to its fate"
this discharsing his duty as our representative
He says that he was opposed to this bill. that b
VI regarded il as njudicous, and dsaignedly faile
10 vote for H. In this he is opposed TO the opiu
" ions Of large number Of Benton men. who, /
4. meetings held last summer in this State, ex
in pressed themselves in favor OF il. But he Ia
- a right 10 oppose il; il was his duty IL he tho
propose better BILL or such alter aions in hi
be as would make it judicious. and as would en-
y. able him to protect the interests Of his State.
=. no. doing il, he is ohargsabls with high Grim
Of omission. II is not sufficient for Col. Bento
70 to say tina, he regarded 1t a. inndcious; he ca
%, never stand excused before the people Of Mis
re- souri, until no sho VS. that he sndeavorsd to en-
:. graft upon il proper amendments, and failed j
~ the effort. After showing this we would s.i
10 bs entitled /, know from the Senator what hi
]. obieciiuns were and ayhaf ~ ara his nrOnose