The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-31

are in daily expectation OF nearing tnat an engage
ment has taken place, and that the whole tribe mas
been wiped out.
Our Missouri Correspondence.
ST.. LOUIS, May "a, 1854.
State of Parties in Missouri-1Ae Past Election
The Coming Canpass-Col Benton-IHe Nebras-
ka Bill, &c.
In the dearth of news from the Far West, have
thought some account of the present condition and
relations of parties in this State might be amusing
and interesting to your readers. We have had two
great conflicts between the friends and the enemies
of Col Benton. The canvass of 1850 for Congress
and for the Legislature was characterized by vim
dctive zeal hitherto unknown in party warfare in
this State. The public mind had been deeply exas-
perated by the Colones tour in the Of lS4S,
and Of course in the following spring his friends and
his opponents were both thoroughly drilled and ami
mated by furious determination to wage war Of
determination. The result of the election exhibited
popular majority, as proved by the Congressional
vote-in which local interests exercised no infu-
ence-of four thousand five hundred against Col.
Benton. Nevertheless in consequence Of various
temporary causes the divisions of his enemies, who
had no recognized chief, and the struggle Of the
wings to avail themselves Of democratic divisions,
the friends of Col. Benton had majority of five or
six votes in the Legislature over his enemies.
In this condition of parties it obvious that no
one could be elected to the Senate feach Of the par
ties insisted upon their own man. After large
number of ballotings to no purpose, the wings pre-
scented the name of Mr.. Geyer, who had been known
for years as a strict constitutional construc-
tionist-was q believer in the right of the Lee
eislature to instruct ana the duty of tho Senator
obey, and denied the power of Congress
epfa yyifh nj in
the Territories. These were the chief issues
which the opponents of COL Benton had made with
him in the canvass; and inasmuch as there was no
b. pc Of electing o democrat, and as the ssIes Of
me- policy between the whg and democratic par.
ties were considered Of minor importance when
compared with those they after mature delioeraton,
slavery agitation then going on rather to vndcate
constitution and defend the rights OF the Statei
and Territories, than to vote for an unsound demo-
crat, leave the State but half represented in the
Senate. They therefore cast their votes for Mr..
Geyer, and he was elected.
The second great conflict was In the summer Of
1862. In this in the former canvass, COL Benton
was charged by his enemies with being an ally Of
the free sellers and abotionises Of the North The
charge was Indignantly and emphaticaly denied by
himself in person, and by all the candidates for
Congress and the Legislature, who espoused his
cause. This denial was all that saved him from an
overwhelming defeat. The people Of this State are
true to its interests its institutions and its consttu
tenal rights, and they need only to be convinced Of
the free soil proclvities OF an aspirant to public
office, to spurn him as they would an incendary or
clandestine agent of the abolitionists. Even with
this fiat denial, his constitutional opinions so
palpably in accordance with those Of Martin Van
and the election resulted in giving his opponents
majority over his friends In the Legislature II is
worthy of note, too that although the chief charge
made against his opponents was that some Of them
had voted for Mr.. Geyer his friends In this conflict
uniformly supported wings in the counties where
they could not elect one of their own number and
this was done at his own special instance and re-
quest.
open. Calls for public meetings, arrangements for
the dissemination Of newspapers, pamphlets and
hand bills, and circular letters, with plans of pro-
ceeding, all indicate that shall have "war to the
knife" What are the changes which have taken
placer And what Is likely to be the result? The
of events has more and more tended to prove
the afilaton Of Colonel Benton with the free soil
and abolition factonists. During the whole OF the
last summer his organ here teemed with vindictive
attacks upon General Atchison, because the latter
doubted the legality Of entering into. and settling
upon the lands along our western border, nearly all
of which were secured by treaty to the Indians.
The Colonel could see no difficulty or wrong. In
his opinion anybody might do SO with impunity.
and be even published map gratuitously, and dis
| tributed il widely, to stimulate emgrants to move
there. They were, however, deferred from taking
his ADVICE by the prompt and decisive course pur
sued by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. 80 the
matter rested until the meeting of Congress. Very
|
sas Nebraska bill. Here was an opportunity az
foIded the Colonel to carry out his favorite pro-
jet. Did he avail himself of it2 Not he. The sa
| credncss Of the Missouri cempromise-an act which
he has habtually ridicued for twenty years-sud-
derly doomed up before his eyes IL was no longer
an object to have the Territories organized forth
with. And why? Because the bill was not so
framed as to exclude slavery. This was the palpable
reason, and even this was given too late. Long
before the Colonel delivered his speech against the
BILL almost all our citizens OF all partes-including
his own-had declared themselves in favor OF It.
How many Of them will shift their position at his
bidding, remains 81 be seen. / hear Of great num-
bers in the interior who have been his active and
prominent friends, who have abandoned him to his
fate.
In this city and county, which compose his Con.
gressonal district, his chances to sustain himself
are somewhat better. We have very large forei n
population here-chitfy Germans, Nearly all Of
tneM are democrats n6minally at least. They have
hitherto sustained him with blind devotion. Will
they do SO nowi There is much reason to doubt it.
Although nearly all OF them are free sellers, many
OF them are nevertheless attached to the national
democratic party They look upon bis speech again It
the Nebraska bill as a declaration Of war upon the
party Of the nation, and they unwilling t. sepa-
rate themselves from its organization and hazard
their characters in following the lead OF an individual
whose ultimate purposes they cannot fathom, and
who they are inclined 10 believe il seeking rather
revenge for his mortified vanity than the success Of
democratic principles. A call now in circulation for
n mass meeting of the friends OF the national demo
cracy, has been largely signed, and by many in
fuentia Germans formerly attached TO Benton.
There Will be three complete tickets ia the field here
Luther n. Kennett will be the wing candidate for
CCnQiess Mr.. Benton himself will be the Benton
eradicate Who will be the democratic candidate IL
not yet determined. The contest will b severe
one. but am now under the impression that the