Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1853-02-04
THE BENTON WAR.


the Missouri Democracy, and that the war now
RACES with all its pristine acrimony and vigor.-
About year ago the two factions met in Con-
veution aud put forth declaration of principles
known the Jefferson City Platform"
Col Benton, we believe, never gave in his ad-
mission to the platform, though his followers did,
and it was vainly hoped that the sovereign vir
tues of this Jefferson City panacea would heal
all Democratic divisions aud restore permanent
peace and concord to distracted family. Ben
on said from the first. that the platform was
stooSmaH for Big TO stand upon" and there
fore declined to trust his enormous weight its
slender planks His friends in the Missouri Le-
gisaturs, it seems, are beginning to realise the
truth of their great leaders remark, and are ur-
ging the necessity and propriety of knocking
the Jefferson City platform to pieces. We learn
from the Missouri Republican, that the 21st
ulsmo. in joint session of the two Houses, Mr..
Saunders, a Bentonte offered the following truly
Bentonian resolution:
Resolved By the Joint session. that platform is good
long all the pank sound but should the planks
break or become rotten, hold it to be naenable
right belonging to every Democrat to get off such plat
form, selfpresevaton is the first law of nature and
the instinct of them to leave vessel not
seaworthy, so we hold it to be the right of free
American citizen to leave toering platform, before
aud common tells him. if he remains upon
his neck will be politically broken
The debate that took place the subject is
quite racy and amusing. Mr.. Robbins, Of St.
Genevieye, Benton man, after brief alusion
to the question of banks, went on to say:
He repudiated the idea of bargain and sale,
between the Benton men and Wings; he had
never been party to any transaction aud denied
that there any such understanding. At the
Senatorial 6IectJOn thar3 a hArpaln and sola.
and the consideration was paid down. The very
best offices, said Mr.. r. had been given to the
Antics, and he asked, was that prescription p
Yet because happen to differ with them in
gard to what l deem to be the true policy, l. and
those who act with me. are to be read out of the
Democratic party.
The anti-Benton men had uniformly nomina-
ted their own candidates, and successful had
they been, that it was not unfrequent to hear the
expression 1--WE have got them;' and now, said
Mr.. R.. if these gentlemen want to get up fight
they might do it; he for one for union in
principle and would not pitch 10.
Mr.. MINOR said that Mr.. Burden was in nom
nation, and he wished to say something in regard
to his claims. He had asked the question, wheth-
not Mr. B. not of the parties who in
$780, at the Rocheport Convention, paraded a
portrait of Col. Benton with q significant label
upon the cravat
Mr.. MAupIN denied that MIR. Burden had any
thing to do with it, aud if the gentleman was
DESTROYS he would tell him who it was. Mr.. Mi
said he knew all about it.
Mr.. WARREN. Does the gentleman make the
charge.
Mr. MINOR. make charge, but know it
was from Lafayette county, where Mr.. 8. was an
active Wing.
The gentleman from Ste. Geneveye (Mr. r. J
had referred to the action of the Legislature two
years ago. he would tell that gentleman lie was
here and knew all about it. majority, it was
II oNAt1,
were willing to give them Benton man, but they
refused to haze any one but Col. B., and forced
them to choice.
But the gentleman from Ste. Genevieve, (Mr.
R.,) says that the Jefferson City Platform
too small for man of his proportions to stand
upon; there time when he was a candi-
date, he could stand upon it when he was solicit
ing anti Benton votes. But he wants another
plank. freesol slab. to put his foot The
gentleman from St Louis, Mr.. Blair.) the other
day, had threatened them with the steel, that it
must enter their ribs, and proclaimed war of
determination against them; but the gentleman
didn't have the nerve, and he would here take oc
casion say to him and all his free soil follow
ers, that such champions as he was would most
signally fail, for his great master had tried it
with but little success. IT, said Mr.. M. this |
platform is so small, he would like to know how
it happened that he had voted for COL Bogy over |
Col Benton. The gentleman himself expected |
they could not override him in Conventions like |
they did his great master. Mr.. M. was afraid |
that the gentleman would never get platform |
big enough for of his proportions to stand I
upon. Ii was only when Col Benten discovered |
that it was too small the gentleman from Ste.
Genevieve suddenly walked up. The gentleman
really unfortunate, representing as he did |
constituency opposed TO Col. Benton. He would |
now say, to those who were opposed tothe Jeffer- |
son City platform, they were off the platform |
and let them stay off, she gentleman from Ste |
Genevieve 10 that predcament, and it would |
take him at least six months to climb up.
Mr.. SIMS asked leave to define and make known
his position; said if there any division. let
us 90 back to the beginning, and find out who
were the authors. 1t had its org gin when Horse
Allen was candidate for Governor, and sustain
ed by Shadrack Pean, well known as the
commencement of seftism. 1t slumbered until
l848, and l849, when the Jackson resolutions
49, were set on foot, and by those too >designedly
who knew at the time Col. Benton would not sub
nit to them. Then COL B. appealed aud the
war cry was raised And he would here take oc-
cason to say the Wing party with Col. B.
On this question and against these resolutions.
MIR. S. entered into an elaborate history of the
divisions 10 the Democratic party.
HoUsE-EvESING SESSION.
Mr.. FRosr, on leave offered resolution fixing
the hour for the meeting of the House at nine
o'clock, A. VI. and two O'Clock, p. NJ. The re-
solution was adopted.
JOINT SESSION.
Mr. RICHARDSON asked leave to make few
remarks in reply to the gentleman from Cass
(Mr. Sims.l He said he one of those DEM
ocrats that stood upon the Jefferson City PLATFORM
He had no desire to go behind the action of the
Convention that framed that platform to open up
the old differences of the party. He proiessed
To know rs much about tie history of the Jack
son resolutions, the great bone Of contention, as