Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1852-07-08
Col. Benton's Last Speech.


CIrtzENs! take this opportunity to pre-
sent my view Of the present condition Of the
Democratic party in Missouri At the close
of the last session of the General Assembly
that condition was good. The nullitiers, un.
der the name of Anti-Benton s--the lead
ers of them-had shown themselves to be
anti democratic, trcacherous and venal.-I
They refused all consultation with the De-
mocracy-relused all submission TO the ma
iority-ioined the whigs--and sold out to
them for division of the spoil, all the Off
ces of the State. Those who acted in that
way, separated themselves from the party;
the actors in that treachery, their abettors,
and all who approved their conduct, sepa-
rated themselves from the party; andSe
we were done with them forever. They
not only separated themselves from the De
mocracy, but from the sound part of their
own associates. Every anti-Benton whose
opposition was not personal and malicious,
and whose heart was not treacherous and
venal, condemned their conduct, were ready
to quit them forever, and to return, without
bargain and further arrangement, to the de-
mocratic party to which they belonged, and
from which they should never have departed.
This left the maignants eparaed
! from the democracy, separated from the
honest men of their own party, too few in
number ever to put up a separate ticket in
the State for any office, no longer with
power to betray us, and with no other re-
source than to incorporate themselves with
the wings, from whose ranks many Of them
had come for the sake of office, and to whom
they were always ready to sell us for the
the sake of office. In this state Of their
degradation and destitution, we were done
with them. The democracy was purified,
regenerated, nvigorated-strong, powerful
and omnipotent. We had nothing in the
world to do but to let things alone, and pro-
ceed with our elections as if there was no
domestic enemy in the State. Unhappily,
the idea of '',nion and hdrmony' conven-
tion was started--adopted- upon: and
the result is known. The serpent was
brought back into the garden; and with him,
sin, woe and death. The malignants were
admitted to an equality of power--imme-
diately took command-and by every trick
and fraud, and open violations Of instruc-
tions, packed and fabricated whatever NOM
nations they pleased, always taking care to
thwart the democracy; and then made two
platforms-one for show and deception
the other for use and applicaton--and the
basis of this letter the prescription of Ben
ton, and all his prominent friends, including
under that term 'prOminent' every friend that
was true.
This was the result of the Jefferson City
convention for "uniOn and harmOay> a pro-
scription of every true man of the Demo-
cratic party! and that by a handful of old
secession nullifcrs of '33, IA and '49-of
renegade wings and turn-coat Democrats
old traitors who sold the democracy to the
Wings last winter, and who will do it again
the first day they have the chance and can
get their price. And what was done at JEFF
terson City has been followed up by the
malgnants all over the State--in every coun-
ty, and every Congress district, in which
. they have squad TO pack ana cheat Conven-
tions, to fabricate proxies, and promul gate
lies. In this way, they have got confusion
and distraction in almost every county in the
. State, and in every Congress district but
t one; and run candidates as helps to the
Wings in every place where they are too
weak to do anything for themselves.
But there is such thing as OVERRIDING the
work: and the old malignants have overdone
r it. They have undeceived those who hon.
estly believed in 'mion and harmony, =
q undeceived the good men of their own par.
) ty as well as the too confding Democracy
! and now the rule of action is open and mu'
tual. They are against Benton and all hi
: friends, and Benton and all his friends ar
8 against them. On this rule, established by
the old malignants themselves, the elcc
:, tions are now TO be fought out; and let NJ
Il man who calls himself a friend to Benton o.
S the Democracy receive blows without re
IS turning them.
: Applying this rule TO the State ticket
there are three names upon it classified a
! antics. have not heard whether they g
+ with the maignants in this renewal of tn
it war--this wooden horse stratagcm of"lniO
le and harmony at Jefferson City, to get OF
,r camp in the guse of friends, TO accomplish
by treachery what they could not do b
ID force. have not heard whether the ante
lie on the State ticket have taken their side i
" this new phase of the war. 1t is for them
selves TO do it, and to show which side G
the rule they take; and to suit the action
the word.
a But there is one Of The three who; so ia
al as am concerned, will have a separate an
e. particular little account OF his own to SETTLE
1t is the citizen who was nominated fc
,n Treasurer, and who in company with Fo
Is Jackson and others, IN May lS49, signe
ne an epistle in which Benton was called
tn traitor! and which citizen, at that time wa
ed holding an office which Benton gave him
D. thus adding ingratitnde to calumny.
TO not see how he can settle this account
RS Mere voting againstthe malignants and the
Sc rule will not do it; and thus, betwes
O. him and Enos B. Cordell, whig, if no GOO
nv democrat comes forward, so far is my vol
ton is concerned, the whig may take Il
Treasury. Party machinery never did, al
is never shall, make me dishonor myself.
DIV proceed TO another branch OF our ele
tons:
On the Congress ticket there are nam
the of two individuals the objections to who
Al. i L. Al