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

ern votes, and express thanks for them will moi
now return them evil for good by attempting 10
deprive them of their share of compromise
which we imposed upon them"
He says che will not now return evil for
good, by attempting to deprive them 1.-THE north)
of their share of q compromise which we 1.-THE
south) imposed upon them" How very kindl
After he has taken the beautiful Platte coun-
try, seven counties Of the first class, equal in
size to two of the small States, and in rich
ness of soil to third class State" and, in fact,
all that was once valuable and desirable, and
converted it from free to slave territory, he does
not now wish to deprive the north of their share
But he says he did not get this territory added
to Missouri :" by belching abolitionism against
the north !" that is, not by an open, bold,
manly, and statesmanlike act, but with the still,
sly, cunning, and stealthy action of the thief
in the night, and with the serpents guile in
his heart, lie on his tongue, and the decep-
tive but false smile offriendship upon his face;
as Satan approached Eve, SO did BENTON ap-
proach the northern members of Congress in
1886, and he got them unanimously.
On page second of his speech, in speaking
Of the compromises of the Constitution, the
ordinance Of 1887, and the Missouri compro-
mise, he says:
"Thus, all these compromises settlements
of existing questions, and intended to be perpet-
ual They are all, then, of equal moral validity
If this be moral question, and it is moral
wrong to alter or repeal the act of 1920, how
much more moral guiltand turpitude rests on Col.
BENTON for having so corrupted all of Congress
as to get an unanimous vote, as he says in his
letter, for his bill of 1886, than on the friends
of the late measure, who were only able to get
small majority, and, therefore, have a less sin
to answer for?
In this letter, BENTON says falsify public
history to justify my violation of the Missouri
compromise. 1t would be well and very graft
flying to his new friends if he would point out
what particle Of public history I have falsi6ed.
Surely it is not his Thirty Years." But
needed no justification for repeal of the act of
1920, but the conviction'of my own judgment
that it was proper and expedient to do so. 1t
was mere act of legislation, and was repeala-
BILE at the will and pleasure of Congress. Ac-
.cording to BENTON it was no compact or agree
ment, but was forced and imposed by the south
upon the north.
He says it was resisted at the time by the
north-acquiesced in afterwards, and thereby
they became bound by it. Beautiful logic A
strength, acquiesces and suffers his money to
be taken. When B gets strength and assis-
lance he demands Of restoration A says,
true, you resisted the robbery at the time, but
for want of strength you acquiesced, and that
makes the transaction fair one and the money
is mine There is no evidence that the north
acquiesced in this measure for Mr.. BENTON
says that the north was unanimous for its re-
peal in 1886, and the passage of BENToN's re-
pealing act of that year was movedin the House of
Representatives by member from free State,
Mr.. Everett, of Vermont. The late repeal Of the
residue of that measure was brought in by a
senator from free State, and /, as northern
man, and senator from free State, demanded
its repeal, because it was unequal, unjust, and
degrading to the north. 1t, in substance, said
to the north, you are not capable of establish.
ing your own institutions north of 500 30<.
You do not know what will be best for you, and
we will then bind you and fix your institutions
for you but the gentlemen of the south know
what instructions they want and what are
proper for them, and they may 90 south of
that line and control themselves. This created
an invidious distinction, and it is not strange
that northern men should have been most
anxious and active for its repeal and abroga-
ton. On page two of his speech, he says:
"The third one-that of the Missouri anti.
slavery lne-was not made upon agreement Il
was imposed Dy VOtes-Dy Inc south upon the
north--resisted by the north at The time-acqui-
esced in afterwards and by that acquiescence be.
came binding covenant between both parties
and The more on the south because she i'm.
posed il. ] repeat, it was an imposition, not
compact"
This brings to the question OF repeal, or
abrogation of these compromises. The one in
the Constitution cannot be got rid Of without an
amendment 10 that instrument; and is, therefore,
beyond the reach Of Congress. The other two,
being in the form of statutes, subjects oflegs-
lation, and legally repealable by Congress"
The power to repeal is here plainly and fully
admitted by Mr.. BENTON. Hear with what
care and directness he contradicts his Thirty
Years." On page four Of his speech, he says:
al have stood upon the Missouri compromise
for thirty years"
And again, on the same page, he says that
the legislature of Missouri, in lS47, passed the
following resolution:
Resolved That the peace, permanency, and
welfare Of our national Union depend upon strict
adherence TO the letter and spirit of the eighth Sec
ton OF the act OF Congress Of the United States
entitled an act TO authorize the people Of HE Ms.
sOVri Territory 10 form a constitution and STATE
governm>nt, aud for the admission of sneh State
i,1o the Union an equal footing ruth The oyigi.
nal STATES ana 20 Prohbn siopery IA certain terri
tories approved March 6, 1890"
This must have been whitening rebuke 10
Benton, after having, in 1886, procured the
repeal Of that act pro tanto, and not strictly
adhered to either in "letter or spirit = and
do not wonder that, after this severe chastise.
ment from his State, and that a slave State,
that he should dread to attempt second re.
peal as the whipped child breads the rod.
Mr.. President, can any man say that did
BENTON wrong, or incorrectly cited history
but, on The contrary, must not all say that
charged him with nothing more than is true,
and only what he has recorded in history, and
claims for himself? This being the case. to
what are we to look as the reason of his Wi.
ting 80 beastly a letter? We can only ascribe
il to the native depravity of a corrupt, malici.
Gus, and wicked heart, or 10 the frenzied raw.
ings Of brain made barren waste, and a
mental and moral chaotic wilderness by the
whitening but just hand of God laid upon II in
punishment for black and numerous precedent
crimes.
VNHOMPsON a. GARNER, MERCHANT
IL Tsilors, Morftts Buildings, east side Four
and "A half street. near PENNSYLVANIA avenue bave