Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-06-17

OF the States at issue, and the rights and in
terests Of his constituents Notwithstanding the
west, IN almost solid column, was demanding that
the Indian wall on our frontier should be removed,
and Missouri be permitted freely to expand west
ward towards the Pacific Notwithstanding the
wolf how'll of abolitionism and federalism was
again raised in order TO roll back from our State
the tide Of wealth and prosperity about to flow
through II despite, too, his talk last spring and
summer about the Importance and necessity of
the immediate settlement and organization of
those Territories, he was foremost in the contest
against right and justice, laborng, with bold and
unblushing eilrontry, to defeat what he had pre-
tended most earnestly TO desire, even to the ex-
tent of villifying the administration and demo-
cratic Congress, classifying history, and openly
Joining in the abolition crusade against Missouri,
and the west and the south, with such conductors
Us Giddings and Chase.
To the very last he co-operated with those ene-
mics of tleRest and south, in the most disorganiz-
ing and factious efforts, TO prevent decided ma
jority in Congress from passing constitutional
and ant-Geesoil law, for the immediate organiza-
ton of Nebraska and Kansas.
now appeal to every man Of candor and COM
mon sense in Missouri, whether | was not right
when. last summer, boldly took up the guantlet
which Benton hurled at my feet, and stripped
from him the mask he wore declared that the
: insidious oppoitson " to the territorial organ-
zation and the ''traitorous notification were
his; that his pretended love for Nebraska, and
the central route, were mere hypocrtical pre-
lenses on his part. Subsequent events-hstory,
recorded history, has made that fact which was
then mere prediction. Was not right even to
the minute details of calling in their pseudo pous
and philanthropic clergy of New England to his
assistance?
This issue, made by Benton, between freesoil
and abolition OH the one side, and Constitution
and rights of selfgovernment on the other, has
to be met in Missouri at the ballot boxes, next
August. The abolitionists of the north, and BEN
ton, their champion, are marshalling their forces
for the contest. The first great conflict is in our
State. Hold Benton and his Swiss guard to the
issue they have made. We only ask that there
shall be no lodging; that they shall stand to the
banner he has ostentatiously erected. / know that
thousands who did not understand his "insd-
ous" designs, honest and good men, have desert
ed him during the last three months ; men who
are sincere and jealous democrats, but who last
year could not be made to believe that one so
long honored by Missouri could so fouly betray
her and the Constitution. Now, Benton has him
self given them proof positive. There is no room
Tor doubt from this hour forward. As Talmadge,
and Riyes, and others, deserted the party in its
hour of trial and as Van Buren, and his host
went off in 1913, so now has Benton openly
marched over to the enemy. Here and there
straggler may follow hun into the the abolition
camp, and join the standard of rebellion against
the administration and democracy but for the
honor Of Missouri, for the sake of western glory
and prosperity, for the love Of the Constitution
and Union, it is hoped that III our State the
dupes will be few. In ST. Louis, that miserable
squad, who, in 1913, stood on the Buffalo plat
form, will Of course rejoice to sec those whom
they have misled betrayed into the arms of their
abolition friends of the north They have labor
ed for six years to deceive portion of the people
into that position. Unfortunately they were for
time too successful. Now, let tho ireesoilers
of l64S, in st. Louis, stand where they then
stood, and have always stood--ss alone in their
glory !" I" solitary and alone. Y
II is unnecessary for me now to repeat the I'M
rnswerable arguments for the Douglas bill which
the most gifted and eminent statesmen of the
country have made tits favor. The hour for ar
gument has gone by in Missouri, and the time for
action has come. The democrats should entifisi-
astically rally around their old standard, plant
themselves firmly upon the established platforms,
adhere to their ancient usages, and show to the
Union that Missouri, over which the battle OF
1920 was fought does not in this, the hour of her
greatestperil and glory falter in her cause. Init
mately connected with this, the main issue made
by Benton, was his effort to mislead the people
railroad to the Pacific. One who
did not know the hollow insncerty of Benton
ing for the opening Of Congress, in order that hr
might introduce and carry through bill to con-
struct railroad to the Pacific without Whiting for
what he asserted were the unnecessary surveys
of United States engineers, as well as to carry
bill for the immediate organization of Nebraska.
The latter, he asserted was an essential step to
the former, yet | have shown that instead of sup
porting he became the leader Of the opposition to
territorial organization. ! now can ask on that
head as did last year at Weston:
What has this distinguished parsonage, who
has been Senator from Missouri for SO long a
time, done upon the subject What has he done
towards organizing and settling the Nebraska
Territory What has he ever attempted to do:
Did he ever introduce bill to organize govern
ment or extinguish Indian titles in that Terrific
ryl If he did, when and wherei"
10 all of those nterrogatives, as then put and
now repeated, came one answer only. He never
at any time, or under any circumstances, intro
duced any bill or did anything to accomplish the
object which it now is obvious he most hypocriti-
celly pretended to be brimful of zsal for last sum
mer but on the contrary has done his utmost to
prevent the accomplishment of that end. So with
his boosted love and patriotic zeal for a Pacific
railroad. Up to this time he has presented no
bill and made no movement on the subject. Is
be presuming that humbug will answer the pur-
poses of defamation in the pending canvass
Does he suppose he can again cajole his constit-
uCHto Iilc UceI LLdL 10 Iedily SEccTe, Lllat
he is laborng to advance their interests on that
question:
Last year declared that it was my duty as a
Senator to wait for the result Of the government
surveys before committed myself to any one OF
three proposed routes from Missouri, for rail-
road to the Pacific. then thought, and still
think, that the main track must start from the
Missouri frontiers, connecting with one or more
of our State roads. All know that from Missouri
TO the base of the Rocky Mountains no obstacle
is presented. The road can be made without
difficulty anywhere. Hence there was no neces-
sityt for any survey from the terminus of the
southwest branch, or the Kansas branch, or of
the Hannibal and st. Joseph road to the base of
the Rocky Mountains. II would have been
nothing but useless waste Of the public funds
and have caused unnecessary delay. It was
doubtful at what point in the Rocky Mountains,
and through the Sierra Nevada, a road co. ID be
constructed. Instead Of Dramatically asserting
that buffaloes were the best engineers, "ram's
horn" routes the shortest lines, and the highest
peaks the lowest passes, ] thought it more becom-
ing statesman to have the facts before Jumping
10 any such conclusions, or before contendng
that locomotives could safely take train of cars
loaded with men, women, and children, in mid
winter, over routes where neither man nor mule
L.. =. a. Al - 4 "