The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-09-15
1.-THE Sick Lion at Bay.n

Inc lOllOWmg is an extract from tne
speech of Hon. Thos. II. Benton. at st.
Louis, on the 10th inst to the Missouri
Democracy, congratulating them on the
result of the Congressional election in
his favor. The extract is Bentonian all
over Every line and period bears the
marks of his mind -
81 have been through contest to
(which had no heart. and into which [
have been forced soroly against my will.
I have not conducted it like other men,.
Who, since it began, has seen me walk in
the streets of the city in which live ?
stand at cofner2 or visit a public
place2 Who has seen that2 No one.
Who has seen me talk to any individual
to conciliate his votc2 No one. What
have done2 Gone forth, when too much
assailed, to speak to the masses
those masses always honest, sometimes
mistaken, but always ready to do justice.
have spoken the same language to all,
kindly and defcrentially to the good and
mistakcn-proudly and dcfyingly to the
false and wicked and from the masses,
and the repulse of assailants, I have al
ways returned to the seclusion of my
own house. My work has been that Of
the sick lion-sick at the hcart-repos-
ing in his lair, only leaving it when the
hunters and their pack baycd too closely;
and then to slaughter or dispersc the as
sailants and then return again to the
sick bed
| have gone through a contest to which
had no heart and into which I was forced
by combinations against life and honor.
and from which l gladly escape What
is a seat III Congress to me ] have sat
thirty years in the highest branch of
Congress-havo made name to which
| can expect to add nothing-and I
should only be anxious to save what has
been gained. | have domestic affections.
sorcly laccratcd in these latter times a
wife whom have never neglected, and
who needs my attention now more than
ever-childrcn, some separated from me
by the wide expanse of oceans and conti-
ncnts, others by the slender bounds which
separate time from eternity. touch
the age which the Psalmist assigns for
the limit Of manly life and must be
thoughtlcss indeed if | do not think
somewhat beyond the fceting and shad-
owy pursuits of this life. of all which
have seen the vanity. What is my oc-
cupationl asks the undertaken, that good
Mr.. Lynch whose face, present on so ma
ny mournful occasions, has become pleas
ant to me. He knows what occupies my
thoughts and carcs-gatbering the bones
of the dead--a mother-a sistcr-two
sons-a grandchild-planting the cy-
press over assembled graves and mark
ing the spot where |, and those who are
dear to me, are soon to be laid all on
the sunset side of the Father of Floods.
the towering city of st. Louis on one
hand, the rolling stream of the Missouri
on the other; and where cemetery of
large Dimensions is to be the future nee
ropolis Of unnumbered generations
These are my thoughts and cares, and
the undertaken knows them.
| have been recluse for many months,
and was called proud, because I was so.
lfby that term it is intended to say | had
the vulgar pride which treats with con-
tumcly honesty in rags, it is false; if the
lofty pride is intended which dcspiscs
meanness though plated with gold, it is
true. | have that pride l never saw
the poor honest man that | did not re-
spect nor the rich mean one that | did
not despise. OF that kind of pride |
have some, something from it to be proud
of within myself. and more to 5e proud
of from the people. ] am proud of the
thirty years in the American Senate
which the free voice of Missouri gave
me, and feel no degradation at being sold
out of it by traitors to the people. | am
proud of the $3.50 votes which this city
and county gave me Monday before last;
proud of the twenty counties which have
made me their representative proud of
the acres of men who met at the grand
rally the Saturday night before the G.
lection proud of the thousands upon
thousands who are here at this grand
celebration to honor me this night. And
hope again to be proud of the State of
Missouri but it cannot be until she has
purged herself of notification, high trea-
son, and vagabond paper money"