Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-06-17
Wasbingtar gentinel.
ADDRESS OF SENATOR ATCHIsoN

pendence, III which he mounted, ostenslbly, two
hobbies the central railroad to the Pacific, and
the organization of the territory west of Missouri
and Iowa. Those speeches were intended to cre-
ate false impression upon the public mind, not
10 accomplish the objects which he protested to
desire they were planned and delivered for one
object, and that object was to stir up 'pestifer
Gus agitation" by which his ambitious designs
might be promoted. Prompted by hatred against
all who had refused to abandon their political
faith 10 further his schemes, and looking to the
support of the old federal and abolition cohorts
OF the north, it was he who first sounded the
tocsin OF war against the slayeholding States, of
which Missouri is one, in connexion with the
Pacihc railroad and the organization of Nebras-
ka and kanzas. II was from him, speaking near
the western frontier of Missouri, that the first
appeal went forth TO the reesoil and abolition ia
natics 10 resist each and every effort that might
be made to open our territory westward, on con-
stitutonal grounds, to settlement by the citizens
of all the States OF the Union
To deceive the unsuspectng in Missouri he
made great clamor, at the same Time about the
central route, and raised false alarm against the
south. As If this were not sufficient, he declared
that portions OF that Territory were open to i'm
mediate settlement, and urged the pioneers TO
rush into il. Why, if he were sincere friend
OF Nebraska and the central route, did he seek
thus, unnecessarily, to embarrass those questions,
and mislead the people of Missouri ard the Union;
You will remember that he pursued his sinister
designs IN various letters, during the following
summer, and even caused map to be prepared
and distributed, the bad character of which was
fully exposed at the time.
All OF this understood Cat the time) and ex-
posed, and what was then only conjectured is
now realized. 1t was not the organization Of
the Territories, and the central route, for which
ne cared it was Colonel Benton's advancement
by freesoil aid for which he was striving. Those
questions were mere pretext with him-a cover
under which the better to work his way insidi-
ously to the goal of his ambition. Hence in
those speeches he said
To defeat me lBentonl is one Of their modes
Oh deieating the road. The point
at which they can do US most harm is in the or
eanzanon OF the territory on the Kansas and
Platte. Two things are needed there first, the
establishment of the territorial government ; and,
nert, the extinction of Indian titles. Both are
points of difficulty and peculiarly subject to dan
ger from insidious opposition. The Indian trea-
ties, even when negotiated, will have perilous
course TO run through the Senate, (where the
proceedings are secret and where minority Of
one-thlrd can defeat them and where the pestifer-
Gus question of freesoil will mix itself with the
decision Nedr thirty years ago, the United
States made general extinction of Indian title
west of Missouri, to be assigned in parcels to emf
grant tribes. Part has been assigned, part not :;
and this unassigned part | hold TO be United
States territory. now open to settlement without
objection from the Indians. -
The danger from insidious opposition, =
and whence 1t was to come, those speeches
showed. They artfully and purposely create
the danger by awaking and inviting that pes
tiferous freesoil opposition; and by seeking nj
once without waiting for constitutional action, to
involve the settlers and the settlement of the
country in inextricable difficulties which would
furnish another pretext for tanning the pestferousi
hame thus sought to be kindled subsequent
events have demonstrated Bentons object He
has since become the recognized champion of that \
very freesol faction, in opposition to the constitu
1nda pY oft fho1a Ter
Htories. He has led the very g pestferous'' host
which he pretended TO fear. He has become the
commander of the ''pestifcrous freesoi'' opposi-
ton to Nebraska and Kansas Did mistake his
objects in May, 1882 Judge ye!
Again, in his letter of May 18th, 1853, Benton
said
. In the substance of speeches which deliver
ed at Kansas, Westport and Independence, (and
which were intended for the whole State, though
delivered in one county } you will see this oppo-
stion described, and that under both of its char
acters Of fair and foul, in the latter of which
include the opposition from this State, and the
whole of winch has its root in that traitorous
notification of which you speak. =.
At the last session this REASONABLE doctrine
manifested itself in clandestne opposition to
Nebraska, because 1t loas freesoii, !" SC.
This, any one can see, was directly intended 10
arouse the abolition spirit Of New Egnland and
New York and Ohio, and to excite the abolition
lists at st. Louis into activity. 1t requires but
small portion Of that foresight, which Benton SO
ostentatiously claims to possess to detect his real
end and aim in using such language. The oppo
sition Of myself to freesoil he denounced mol 10
snjure me ,cith Shareholders Of course not but to
help himse Nth the tfsesoit enemies If Shareholders
That was his object, and his only object. To
preach freesoilism was the way to commend him
self 10 northern freesoilers; he did this to gain
northern, not southern, support. | was opposed
to his freesoil notions, and still am opposed to
them, whether preached by him, Giddings, Sum
ner, Hale, Garrison, Theodore Parker, or Wen
deli Philips whether :" insidiously manifested
in Missouri, or boldly proclaimed in open rebel
lion and the shedding of blood in the streets OF
Boston. That reasonable doctrine, and all trea-
sonable doctrines which call for resistance, open
or ingdious, to the Constitution and laws, l must
] shall always oppose.
Button what was Benton's charge against the
democrats in Congress-the Administration
democratic party Of Missouri, and myself-based
He had defined his position to be in favor Of free
soil in Nebraska and Kansas. In my speech al
Parkvile, and elsewhere in Missouri, defined
my positions position which he and "HIs .
hercey assailed, and which he pronounced
" traitorous nulifcaton," and Unreasonable
doctrine "a position occupied by every sound
democrat in and out of Congress, and by the
present democratic national administration, and
fully and clearly taken and maintained in the
Kansas and Nebraska bill, which has Just passed
Congress, despite of Benton and his freesoil
ly received the approving signature of Franklin
Pierce, as President Of the United States. That
position was against freesoilism and was thus dis.
tinctly announced by me at Parkville
i" When Nebraska shall be settled, and her peo-
pie shall desire to enter this Union as State il is
the right Of the people TO form their institutions
TO SUIT themselves they may adopt slavery as
one OF their institutions or they may exclude il,
e. they shall deem oxpedient If it is the will OF
majority OF the people OF the Territory at that
4ssxanf 10 rlNIa el.. l.. :.
ness, not ours. Let them present us with a re-
publican form of government this is all that should
be asked, and would vote for its admission into
the Union. The Territories Of the United States.
preparatory to their admission into the Union as
States, have the right to form their own nstitu
tons, much as States of the Union have
right to change their institutions.
"No person will doubt the right of South Caro-
lima to abolish slavery. None will doubt the right
OF Massachusetts to establish slavery. The Ter
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