Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-07-28

end of abolitionism--its loss of patriotism, and
its betrayal of its country to aliens and
foregners-and invoke them to pause and
think before they take that fatal step.
COL. BENTON PETTIT-MR.
PHELPs-THE PRESIDENCY.
Colonel Benton has of late become great
letter writer. One Of his recent letters, in
which he saw fit to apply harsh terms to Sena-
tor Petit, Of Indiana, was perfect compendl-
UNI of billingsgate, and contained the very
quintessence of bitterness. But Colonel Ben
ton has caught Tartar in Senator Petit as
all will allow, who shall think fit to read Mr..
Pettit's speech, which we publish to-day. How
far that gentleman would have gone in his de-
nunciations of his assailant, if he had not been
arrested by the rules of the Senate, we cannot
say; but we think it not unlikely that he would
have presented to the country brief compen-
dious, but striking and comprehensive bio
graphical sketch of Colonel Benton, that would
have caused that distinguished gentleman's hair
to stand on end "like quilts upon the fretfal
porcupine." But, although restrained by calls
to order, he said enough to prove himself a full
match for the great Missourian. He gave
Roland for an Oliver, a guild pro quo. he
pelted his enemy most numerically with mis-
siles of a very tormenting and disagreeable
kind. But Mr. Pettit's speech will speak for
itself.
Denied full utterance in the House of Rep.
resentatives restrained by the one hour rule,
and checked by calls to order, Colonel Benton
has been driven to the necessity of writing let
tiers, in order to give vent to his pent up wrath.
His last letter has just reached us in that trusty
sheet that never fails him, that reiterates all
his scandals, and echos all his sentiments
St. Louis Democrat. The letter is addressed
to his constituents, is dated July the 18th, and
contains a violent attack on the Hon. John 5.
Phelps, of Missouri, for what Colonel Benton
calls his secret opposition to the appropria-
ton for the ST. Louis custom-house." This
letter, like every thing from the pen Of Colonel
Benton, is Characteristic.
But we only allude to this letter as one OF
the passing events ofthese stirring and fruitful
times. Col. Benton viii, no doubt, be favored
by Mr.. Phelps, who is entirely able to take care
of himself, with suitable reply. The veteran
statesman ofMissouri may expect broadslde'
When lions grow old and lose their strength,
.ha- also lose much of their ferocity. They
are afraid to attack, SO conscious are they OF
Al
their weakness. So it is VIZ. men as tney
grow old and helpless. Age abates their tur-
bulence and Restraints them from violence, if it
does not abate their natural viciousness and
malice.
Colonel Benton is an exception to this gen.
eral rule. He does not seek the sec1usion or
plead the immunities Of age and failing facul-
ties. He will not acknowledge himself an old
or sick lion. Though his name is white, his
limbs feeble, his claws blunt, and his teeth
worn and broken, he yet claims all the vigor,
while he certainly shows all the ferocity, OF the
most robust and active king of the forest
But it is plain to the world, that the Missou-
rian is not what he was The sooner he learns
it the better it will be for him. He will save
himself much strife and many humiliations.
AS the light of his intellect grows feeble and
dim, the fires of his consuming passions grow
hotter and more intense. There can be no
more melancholy spectacle than a great
Intellectual ruin unconscious of its decay.
1t still INDUCES the dreams Of ambition; it
still nurses bitter jealousies and animosities,
and beguiles itself with the soft deceits of
blinded egotism. When the great warrior can
no longer mount his war horse, and fight his
battles, he should retire to honorable repose,
content with the great deeds be has done, and
the services he has rendered. When the great
statesman begins to feel the infrmities and
disabilities of age, he also should calmly re-
sign his honors, rather than mar his fame by
exposing to the world his driveling imbecility.
The st. Louis Democrat also contains long
editorial article on "Benton's services" IN
which eulogy exhausts ITSELF and adulation
pauses to rest. All this is but Introductory to
the formal nomination of Colonel Benton for
the Presidency. That article thus closes
"All things show that in this time of peril,
the public mind is fast centering upon him as
it did upon jackson, when similar perils threat
ened, and we may say, in the words of cor
respondent, who has been travelling through
a large part Of the country: The signs Of the
times indicate Benton as our next President
Everywhere as ! came along, they thickened
upon me almost the first word had from
every old democrat / met was, that Benton was
born for the occasion which notification is
preparing for the country"
Comment is unnecessary.