The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-12-12
,-or,RT,ESIN CONGRESS.

4 ~
Tho House Of Representatives. may 'o',''
r :, Last three notable persons among the
% .,ohcrs. OF these, New York oontn,
hntos two in the persons of Gerrit smith anu
- ,ya1sb and Missouri one in Thomas H.
Benton. -,,,., or,,
corr;t Smith is a person of education ana
.o,.b Rut he has been all his lie reii-
c;ous zealot narrow minded i'o'' h''''oo'
b;roted and uneharitable. lie Is proper
,.or,aseptative Of y run mad abohfon district
III will nlav second fiddle TO Giddings with
-, 3ovo,;cn and enthusiasm. lie differs
s., Ciddinrs in sincerity, redceming TRAIT
80 which we do not suppose the ONO 'ncen
.I;orv was ever suspected. From what we
,a,,s hoard of Smith, we conclude that he
has embraced aboliioniSm in the natural
.~roanncss and simplicity of his soul With
Giddings. it is regular trade and vocahon'
whereby he gains his daily bread. Gidd'ng
would have no sort OF scruple about beng
csptain of a SLAYER tomorrow II the thing
were polite and practicable Those who
know him best on the Western Reserve de
clare that he is the most complete wolf IN
sheep's clothing that ever lived. They say
be Goes about. when nj home, from house to
house. making long, doleful prayers, and at-
fecting .,rea; godliness. Other men election
Ger with political speeches and documents,
with brandy and water and good humored
blarney. Giddings electouecrs with the th'
bic and Tracts, he makes prayers, sing psalms
through his nose, and cries, ION, the poor
slave, all TO go to Congress, Gerrit Smith,
GA the contrary. is honest in his religion, IA
ns;icism and foolery The difference be-
tween him and Giddings is simply that be
tween mailman and a knave. That Gerrit
is quite distraugkt, is evident from the fact
that he permits his daughter to so trapseing
about the halls of Congress- dressed in indie
cent. half masculine attire, making herself
even mere ridiculous and disgusting than her
father.
Mike Walsh is the representative of the
Subterranean Democracy OF New York. lie
represents that class which runs with the ma
chine" and fills the pit of the Bowery theatre,
cracking nuts and jokes which is intensely
and honestly American; which goes in for
cutting off the heads of all kings and poten-
tates, and which can smell 'the blood of an
Englishman for three thousand miles, and
exclaims with an appetite, Dead or alive /
will have some.' Of these subterranean
hosts, Michael is the Captain. That he is an
original genius, full of fun and irolic, we have
always heard. Quite enthusiastically has
he commenced his Congressional career, by
nominating the Rev. Antoinette Brown for
chaplain Of the House Of Representatives. In
spite othis associations and the character ofhis
constituency, we have no doubt from all we
have heard of Mike Walsh, that he is a more
honest politician and better man than half
the more polished and Pretentious members
of Congress- certainly we have more respect
for him than for either of the other notabiIi-
ties named in this article.
Col Benton can scarcely be considered one
of the representative OF the people. lie is
among them but not OF them. He does not
represent the Democracy nor the Wings, nor
Young America. He is too risky, elastic,
electric, yivacioUs and vigorous, for an Old
Fogy. An old man only in years, he is young
in energy, ardour and ambition. His hair is
white or ought to be, but his passions burn
with volcanic fires. Time may gradually
wear away his physical man, but when it tries
its teeth upon his selflove and his revenge,
it "gnaws a file" But who does Col Benton
represent? Himself! lie neither recognises
nor reverences any other constituent. TIE
only constituent whose will he feels bound to
obey, is Thomas II. Benton. Never didrepre-
sentative possess more Of the admiration and
confdenceofa constituency, nor constituency
have more loyal and reverential represen-
tative.
Thomas II. Benton is unquestionably the
happiestof the sons ofmen. Theinexhaustible
fountain OF his self ESTEEM refreshcs his SOM
with a constant stream of delight, and keeps
his heart in perpetual yerdure His selfc9m
placency affords him continual feast. Other
ambitious men, of great powers, sometimes
distrust their abilities, and draw unfavorable
comparisons between themselves and the
master spirits of former times 1t is evident
that Benton never suffers from such denrpss
ing influences. His speeches, Astounding with
frequent references to his own career and
hlgh-Wrought pencgyrics upon lis own per
formances, show that he is on excellentterm
with himself He and Benton never fall ont
His life Is perpetual triumph over his adj.
Versaries, and Death, an unwelcome visitor
10 most men, is to him a good angel, who
comes to crown him with immortal fame
lie viii be buried on a high bluff on
the Mississippi; the first and the last rays
OF the sun will finger on his monument; the
Mississippi, as itroIa BY, Will sing an eternal
anthem IN ms honor; the steamers viii stop,
The bells ring and the passengers pull off their
hats as they pass the scpulchre Of Thomas IT
Benton.
III