The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1852-06-04
BEN TON ON SLAVERY.

Hon. THoMAs II, BENTON in late
speech in Missouri, made The following
remarks upon the subject OF slavery.
III am an enemy to the institution os
slavery, yet practice il, and wan, no one
to interfere wi,h.my property. ! was the
potential advocate Of the clause in our
State constitution in relation 10 slavery,
and for the express purpose Ct quieling
the question, and keeping it out Of our
elections. Some old people ought TO
remember that, if they do not, The news
papers wiIlshow. got my principles
on the subject Of slavery out of the Wiz
Iginia school SO yenrs ngo, ouj OF Tack
er's notes OF Backsione's Commentaries,
and have not aposla,izcd; and shall mol,
since I sec the new political evils which
liz brings upon onr. country, destroying
The harmony ofthe States, poisoning the
legislation Of Congress, introducing a
meriilcss test into elections, giving TO
the flexible an undue advantage over the
unbendable, endangering the Union, and
hurting the cause Of democratic govern.
ment throughout the world, in exhibiting
great republic split into raging parties
by dissenlion on such subject.
| | did not vote upon the passage OF the
Fugitive Slave Bill; but | did what some
others did not, i'd est. sat fastin my chair,
and voted upon all the ame n1man,s, and
helped 10 make il just what the South
wanted il; but had no opinion ofits ef-
| hciency, or of ia healing properties; and
left il 10 those TO pass who deemed it
good. Now am a little nore in its
favor: it is doing some service cutting
the throat Of whigery from ear 10 ear most
beautifully. The other measures were
my own, and need no guardianship from
those who were absent when they we're
pissed, or against :hem whcn present.
They guard themselves, by their charac.
ter, and the public sentiment.
know all the cause Of the present
dis1ffection in the South, political dis
appointment, acting OH real grievance,
and pretexted by d feigned one. The
real grievance is the financial, or fiscal
working Of the federal govt; and upon
that grievance, the first notification was
founded. But after a few years trial, i,
was found that the South could never be
united on that ground; tba, she bad been
o leader in protective tariff, herself, and
that Louisiana, on account Of her sugar
interest, would never come into it. Then
The cause was shifted TO the slave ques,
lion, (lS35. have all The documents,
Jackson's plivate papers inclusive. lni
the nean lime, slave property is in no
danger;, and that is proved by witness
which makes no mistakes; tho market
price! higher now then ever belore!--a.
circumstance which does not attach TO
property in any danger from any cause.
whatever, either Of title, death, revolt, or
even fugucity.
10 conclude this head Of slavery and
to sum up all in one word, have to say
that the Whole practical question in DIS
pule,-she only thing 10 differ about in
action, all the res, being ,alk-was the
question Of the extension Of slavery 70
territories in which il did not exist; and
on that pointmy position mas iyte1ible,
and AGAINST THE EXTENSION. Bat thai
is no longera practical question. There
is no longer any territory in which The
question is not settled. (if!here is any
faith in law or compromise,) settled in
the North West, about Wisconsin by The
ordinance of 1857; in Minnesota and all
the rest ofthe former Upper louisiana,
by the compromise Of 1920; in Oregon
by the organic act oflhc people, and by
the act Of Congress of lS4S; in New
Mexico and Utah, by Spanish law. This
concludes the territories. California is
State, and settled The question for her
self. There is, ,heIefore, no room for
further extension Of slavery. But if it
was. | should be against u, and for that
cause any old political friends leave me,