Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1850-04-13
l)asbinaton Nrws.
(correspondeuce Of the Phila. Ledgerl
PROM WASHINGTON.
WnHtNeroN, April 9Th, !

WARRINGTON, April ON, i'oV'
GCalifornia New Mexico aud Utah. said
Mr.. Clay to-day, in his impromptu reply 10
Col. Benton, who made an elaborate but not
a great speech on the Free soil question, "are
sis,ers--Ncw Mexico the oldest, California 'he
mex, in age, and Utah the youngest Ihey
all came here las, year on the came ioo'ing'
claiming territorial governments at our hands
And now, forsoo;h, that California has MADE
a runapay match, she turns up her nose ana
thinks herself degraded from being associa-
ted with her unmarried sisters" A roar OF
laughter followed this sally Of humor and 'ar.
casm, so exquisi,ely applicable to Col. FIRE.
mon,'s 'par,iculars." 1t was dea,h.bow
10 MIR. Benton, from which he will not re-
cover as easily as from the injury received
from the bursting of ''ihe peace maker" on
board the Princeton Mr.. Clay was not above
humanity as hi, friend fror1 Missouri. tie
was willing to listen, and 10 neke concessions
to the opinions Of others, ard he considered
life itself as a compromise with death. Mr.
Clay also proved the inaccuracy OF Mr. Ben
toms historical statements, and when he sal
down, lef, Mr. Benton in state in which the
latter rather excited commisseration than
envy. Besides having the bes, argument,
MIR. Clay proved ,ha, age has still left all his
faculties green, and tina, in running debate
he has, at this moment, no equal on the floor
Of the Senate.
Mr.. Benton's position 10 all awkward one ];
being, just now, neither fish nor fowl, and
nobody knowing where to have him. 1t is
clear that he is not for any sor, OF compromise
and that "peace is war and war peace" to
him. Hi, speech, with all due Difference be
it spoken, was speech for Buncombe and
have no hesitation 10 say, as full oil egotlsm
as it was possible TO cram it, now that Mr.
Calhoun is dead, and the South recedinS IN a
body from its former ultra position MI.
Benton paid handsome tribute TO the Ma
tional In,elligencer, and showed himself eve-
ry way inclined to act with the administra'
tion. He is neither Wing nor Democrat,
but Taylor man; and beard il asserted
to-day that, should change in the cabine,
take place, Col. Benton will be invited TO
take charge of the State Department. His
talents fit him, no doubt, for any place; but
lik other great men who think more OF them
selves than is compatible with certain de-
gree of respect for others, he is likely to miss
figure.
A great statesman must have heart as
well as head He must sympathise with
those whom he would lead or carry with him,
or all the combinations Of the closest will fail
in their practical application. Col. Benton is
q statesman and scholar; but he is, after
all, destitute of the essential qualities of a
leader. He is too selfish for that, and drags;
unfortunately. too often his private concerns
into his public course as senator He was
great when he held commission under Gen.
jackson; but he has made sad havoc Of him.
self since he has been left TO pursue his own
course. A certain degree of bonhomnlic, OF
philanthropy, exhibited in actions, not in
words, is an indispensable requisite of last.
ing popularity; and this is the reason why,
even now, in his old age, Harry Clay gather,
every day fresh laurels in the Senate Cham.
Der. On New Years day Mr., Clay was in
the east room of the white house. This fact
was no sooner known than the room was
crowded. People forgot they had come tc
see the President, and rushed in TO shake
hands with the Keniuckian.
The fact is, this is a time for action, no, fol
ciphering and speculating politicians. The
latter may subtitle and distil, conceive plans
after dinner or in their sleep, bu, they are
not worth three straws for practical purposes
Clay, Cass and Webster are the practical mer
of this crisis, and TO them more than TO any
body else will be due the credit Of restoring
peace and harmony and fraternal feeling ,'
the different sections Of our country. hoped
at one time, to ccun, Benton among the mum
Der; bu. it is clear now that ! had made m,
reckoning wilhou, mine host.
OBSERVER.