The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-07
From the So. Louis Times.
Bent0n's Letter to the Free-s0iIeTs and SO,
eia,ists,

W. find III the Union OF Yesterday an epistle
from MIR. Benton, which is one of the most char.
acterstc and remarkable even Of his produc.
tons We present it as curiosity To the peo-
pie of Missouri, inasmuch rs the U,lion is not
taken by them, and they would otherwise lose
the amusement it will afford them. lie is now
in bis seventy third year---on the very verge of
the graye-and his malice and mendaeity seem
TO strengthen with age At time v hen Others
would be looking TO the striies OF the past with
regret, and to the future with an humble hope
that the past might be botled out by the tears
of the recording angel, he is pouring out his
venom and his malice upon every one in the
State who has committed the heinous crime of
differing with him. The boldness with which
he approaches what his personal friends shrink
from in dismay, is amazing. He says The
Democracy of Missouri has been betrayed and
sold-betrayed by traitors and sold into Wing
bondage" Pray, who betrayed it? Was it not
betrayed by him who made an effort TO transfer
it to the Free sellers of the North? Was it
not betrayed by him who appealed to the Wings
to decide question between himself and his
Democratic constituents? Was it not BETRAYED
by him who urged his friends to vote for Wings
IN preference to Democrats? Was it not be.
trayed by those who obeyed his orders and voted
for Porter and Miller in preference to Hender.
son and Green?
But, says he in his letter 1t is your mission
with your brethren throughout the State) TO
| redeem her" Pray, who is this language d.
rected to! 1t is directed to those men in this
city who set upon the Baltimore platform in
! lS4S, and voted for Martin Van Buren,. 1t is
directed to those men who, for two long wears
ste sdfastly refused to endorse the Baltimore
resolutions, as party. 1t is directed to men
who have always denounced the Baltimore con-
ven,on Of lS4S as II corrupt and unprincpled
body 1t is directed to those who have over
and over again declared their hostility to all ma
tional conventions and national nominations. Ii
is directed to those who bitterly denounced the
compromise bills before and since their adoption
and who take the Free soil ground in favor of q
repeal or material modification of the fugitive
slave law. 1t is by such men as these that Mr.
Benton insists the State shall be purified. He
reilera es in his letter the same uncompronis.
ing positions which he took in his letter TO the
ntrgues of HilIsboro', and embraced in HE
platform, published from day to day in the Union
news paper. He insists that all the nulifiers
shall be read out Of the party, and he does not
leave us in the dark ns TO who be includes under
the designation of nuIIitiers.
In his letter to Jefferson county, he says that
| those, ana lnose OnIyi are democrats VINO VIII
! repudiate the Jackson resolutions by lee aiivc
resolve who will read out those who weed 70,
Geyer in preference to himself, and all who APP
proved the vote who will 90 for the right Of in
struction according to his definition gift; and who
| construe the Baltimore resolutions as asserting
the power Of Congress TO legisIate upon slavery
! in the territories. All who concur in these -four
articles of faith, he will give the hand of fellow
ship to as Democrats, and all.who do not, are
rullifiers The demands, therefore, that % ,000
men shall be driven into the Wing ranks before
there shall be peace in the party-that is to say
that the Democratic party shall be forever pros
trated, and the powers Of the State government
shall be transferred to the Wings This is what
he requires--shall he be obeyed We shall
see Nay, we have already seen Twenty odd
counties have already taken their position fol
union and harmony, and the only primary meet
ing, the proceedings of which have been APP
proved by him and the FreesoiIers here, was the
one at Ihllsboro, irauduentIy assembled by his
! special agents, where resolutions drawn by him.
! self were servileIy adopted.