New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-06-22
mis-ouri-Bfntou.

ator ABOUT tnlrty years, during WHICH PeIiou
he has contrived to make a good many
friends and we think quite as many enemies.
The younger politicians are tired of his as
cendancy-they do MT see what they should
be Democrats for if one man is to have the
best post eyermore and be held abroad to
represent and we'll nigh embody the State.
They have been chatting under his domina-
tion-not always the mildest-for some time,
and watching for chance at him, which
they now think they have found. 'Old Bull
lion was quite cosy with Van Buren, and
Wright in other days, and the discontinue
Of Van at Baltimore in "A by the intrigues
of Walker, Buchanan, &c. he swallowed the
wrong way. The youngsters, on the other
hand, were glad of it-they welcomed any
event that tended to strip the Col. Of his po-
tency with the party He soon found that
the blow to his influence was a stunning
one, and he has never recovered from it. 1t
compelled him to lower his crest to Annexa-
ton, which he had previously fought to the
death, and he was barely able to secure his
reelection in 1914 by sitting his feelings
and convictions, and going in for Polk, Dali
las and Texas He preserved good share
of his former influence at Washington, and
made himself potential with Mr.. Polk, over
whom, for good portion of his Presiden-
cy, he exerted very decided influence.
But his car bad nevertheless been run rather
off the main track at home-the Baltimore
Convention had shown that he was no Auto
crat in the Nation-and all his great indus
try in franking speeches and documents and
his skill in speech-making could not regain
for him the position he had lost. His ad-
versaries, at whose head stands his colleague,
D. R. Atchison, andthe Representative from
the Central District, James S. Green, were
resolved to be rid of him, and with that
view procured the passage through the last
Legislature of batch of Instructions how
to act and vote with regard to the New Ter
ritories and Slavery therein, couched in the
most offensive terms and imbued with the
South Carolina spirit. They did not expect
he would obey them-did not wish it.
They meant to make broad issue with him,
expose him to the jealousy of the Slave
breeding interest, and put him under the ban
of the party.
The experiment has in good part succeed
cd. Old Bullion at once spurned the In
structions and took up the gage thrown down
by their authors. The battle was COM
menced, each party joyfully adopting the old
warcry, 'WO to the conquered Either
Col. Benton and his adherentS are to be
crushed in Missouri or their antagonists will
be. Each party so understands it, and
fights with entire desperation. They will
run Legislative candidates against each other
in many Counties and where either is too
palpably in the minority to do this many
of its members will vote for Wing candidates
to defeat its more hated and dreaded adyer-
sary. The result will be the election of a
good many Wings to the Legislature, though
probably not majority. But the residue
will be pretty fairly divided, and either fac
ton would far sooner witness Wing tri- |
umph than that of its special antagonist
If the anti. Bentonians cannot elect man |
of their Own, they will vote for any fair
Wing to defeat Benton. We are not SO sure
as to the Bentonians, though we have no
doubt as to the Colonel's own choice in
the premises. We think Hon. EDWARD
BATES is at this moment more likely to fill
Col. BIS seat from and after the close of this
Congress than any body else, though Col. a.
S. DoNRHAN has also warm friends among
the Wings.
As to the relative strength Of the two
factions, the data are scanty and dubious,
but they seem to tell rather against Benton.
Out of five Members Of the House, he has
but one thorough uppOrter-Jchn S. Phelps
of the With (South-Western) District, while
two (Messrs. Green and HalD arc among
his bitterest advsrsaries, and the other two
(BOwlin and Bay are more quietly hostile
to him. We presume Bowln, since he has
lost the Bentonian nomination, will openly
take ground with Green & Co. and try to run
as the anti Benton candidate-or he may
think best to run stump, with an under
standing. This District is the Benton
and an outright anti-Bentonian
will stand a chance to be badly
squeezed between the Bentonian and the
Wing; but Mr.. BOwlin running noncom.
initial, and insisting that he il onIv the old