The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-03-18
Colonel Henton's Speech.

Noiohei DEMONS speech.
The St. Louis papers bring us recent
speech of Colonel BENTON, delivered before the
Young Mems Democratic Association. 1t is
as coarse and offensive as any thing that we re-
Senator in his palmiest days. 1t is crammed
with egotism and arrogance-but, for all this,
betrays a conviction that the sceptre has de-
parted from the once potent Bentonian Demo.
crazy. Revolutions never 90 backwards. The
BLAIRs, BENToNs, and VAN BURENs, who still
cling to the hope of intriguing back into power
under the mantle of some BUTLER or MARCY,
have fourshed and fallen, and there is no sec
ond spring for them.
We have clipped few specimens from
Colonel BENToN's speech that will afford
amusement to our readers. And first we give
a paragraph of personality, showing how
Colonel BENTON, for'the sake of his country, is
deviating from the course he has pursued
through political career of thirty years:
al appear before you with great satisfaction THE
day, and set out with explaining what seems to be
a contradiction in my life. For the thirty years
was hphOlth Win Al5 OlllOts ny tHc IHOlbt VI
people, never went out to make speech in my
own behalf during the many times that | have
been elected. never once traversed the State
never once went into county, town, or mel gh-
borhood, speaking for the purpose of promoting
my own election. Now | go through the State,
into the counties and wherever the people arc as
sembled, speaking to them Why do do this,
Mr.. Chairman, when | would never do il even
when great elections were pending; | answer,
that it is because Of the difference between self
and country. [Applause.l My motto always has
been, and my practice has been conformable 20
my. motto "For SELF nothing-for my country
and her cause, every thing '[applause;l and,
therefore, never went forth 10 speak for myself,
but now 60 incessanty to speak for my country.
My practice has been conformablc 10 my profess
sion. have not only never asked for office, but ]
have refused many high offices which were not
only offered TO me, bot pressed upon me-missions
to the first courts of Europe-Cabinet appointments
in Washington city; ! refused the whole, because
deemed the place Of Senator in the Congress Of
the United States, given TO me by the will Of the
people Of the State, to be superior TO any thing
that could be given TO me in any court of Europe,
or among the head clerks Of the President Zap
plause.l ! have now begun the practice which
contrary to the whole tenor Of my life, but IL
il for the sake Of the country and not for myself,
and il is a cause in which am enlisted for the
whole war. Although near three years have
elapsed, feel that there s enough in me to stand
rs long yet as the siege Of Troy lasted" Zap
plausc.l
The Colonel then goes on to give his readers
the chronological origin Of the word "Democra-
cy" for the five hundredth time; rates the
VINES in the old slang that he used 50 nuently
in the time Of the Bank debates and finally
lights upon the Union party and the Missouri
delegation in Congress as follows:
"They have got new namc-the Union par.
ty'-and that s certainly true name, for it is de.
fcrptive Of the fact, and it is a union Of the whole
party Of Wings with few rccfeant, turn coat,
renegade Democrats. [Laughterl
." In some Of the States, and in the South be
| oially, this union lie proclaimed Il is an open
wedding-thc bans arc not only given out in
! church. but the parties married in the political
church, and they act together openly and publicly
In some others the bans have not been published
nor the marriage proclaimed, bot the intcrcours,
has been clondcstnc and incessant Laughter
tn cy meet together ia dark places aud they ac
as man and wife, whether lawfully married OF
| not Laughter And that is The state Of things
in our State Of Missoun; il ia the condition of III,
whole Union party Of our State We iind then
united in the General Assembly. We find then
voting together for the Speaker Of the House, io
Senator, and for the officers Of the House tho,
are ono gnd indivisible whenever an office il 10 b.
looked for, though, from policy they both rctair
| THOR maiden names' Of WHIC' and ASH Bgv
| rox'
"But owe il 10 the Whil,s 10 saw that there il ,
large division in their party. They are prctt,
nearly divided, aud the only terms which ! car
give T. them il to sgnify each by lie leading char
scteristic--to call ono party the trading whgs
and tho other the non trading whics OF thee
two partics, it 80 happens that the TRADERS ar,
the active and managing party, and ret the spoils
and 1t s the misfortune Of the others TO follow thc
lead, when they would be SO much better leader
thcmsevcs Il Is this trading part Of the Wings
with the recreant part Of the Democracy. VIII,
have disposed Of the offices in Missouri and giver
her her present character in the councils Of the ma
ton given her what is worse than whir char
actcr-such delegation no other State can pre-
scnt-one Nuilifier, one Nuliity, one Democrat
and four Wings. / could name each ono but an
TOO parliamentary to be personal
That lie the miscellaneous representation of tn
ancient and proud Democratic State Of Missouri il
the Congress Of the United States wings an,
rccreant Democrats have done it but they hny
not acted according TO the rules and articles O
war They traded. The Macedonian hero re-
fused TO take a victory which was offered hin
for money by traitorous general lie said
did not become Alexander to purchase victories
But the trading Wings OF Missouri are not Ale,