The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-07-03
From the New York Evening Post.
COL. BENToN's SPEECH.

llustrdticn Vi itS truiS, we invite the attention
of our readers to the recent speech of the dis
tinguished orator OF Missouri, at St. Louis, which
occupies portion of orr columns to-day. Tn
this speech he gives four columns of conclusive
reasons-that is, conclusive to our minds, and
conclusive to the minds of most of his old polit.
ical friends in this quarter of the country-for
supporting Fremont for the Presidency, and
then concludes by avowing his intention to vote
for Buchanan.
The speech is an elaborate indictment against
the present Administration and all its measures,
of every one of which Mr.. Buchanan, as we'll as
the Convention which nominated him, have ex.
pressed their formal approval, and to one of the
worst of which Mr.. Buchanan stands in a parent
al relation.
The following are the several counts of his
Indictment:
First. The repeal of the Missouri Compro.
mise he places " at the head and front of all
the evil measures of this Administration" and
denounces sits wicked and corrupt intent, and
foul means of getting it done, and all its disas-
trous and bloody consequences :"
Second The prostitution of the appointing
power, and refers especially to the appointment
of Pryor, who was sent to Egypt, and Owen, to
Naples;
Third Extravaganza of National expendi-
ture, which he says has trebled since Mr. Polk 8
Administration expired;
Fourth. Violation of all its pledges to the
country, of which that to reduce the duties so
as to get rid of corrupting surplus revenue is
alluded to, among others, and another to make
National highway to the Pacific. Mr.. Ben.
ton does not allude to the fact, that three sew.
eral times the Convention at Cincinnati voted
down even the empty resolution that finally
passed on this latter subject, and that the
Pennsylvania delegation voted against it every
time until the last, and after it was discovered
to mean nothing in particular.
Fifth. Neglect of Territorial legislation, in
which he refers especially to the great ado
about sending out Colonel Steptoe to supersede
Governor Brigham Young, and who, instead of
superseding the Governor, ran away with four
dozen of his wives, leaving Young still the su-
preme ruler, and the Administration laugh
ing stock in the Territory.
Sieth. Our bellicose and undiguifed diplo-
macy, he says, was enough to have sunk any
Administration. He refers to the settlement
Of one of our principal difficulties with Spain
by the Secretary OF Legation, while the Minis
ter was at Ostend. AS Colonel Benton no.
where censures Mr.. Buchanan for his part in
that piratical Conference we presume he con-
siders it feather in Mr.. Buchanan's cap, that
he countenanced a movement which drew Mr..
Soule away long enough from Madrid to enable
his Secretary to close controversy which the
Minister desired to keep open. Mr.. Benton
charges the Administration with having, with
characteristic treachery, deserted both the Sec
rotary and his Minister-both the means taken
by Perry at Madrid for peace, and by Soule
at Ostend for a war with Spain.
Seventh. The crusade against Denmark
about the Sound Dues, he terms "folly and
madness
.Etg1ish. Our disputes with Great Britain AK,
all unnecessary, and could have been settled
by game of heads and tails, to better advan-
tage than by disturbing the friendly relations
of two such countries as England and the Uni
ted States.
Of the platform, also, Colonel benton thinks,
as we do-that it is a fraud upon the people,
from beginning to end. He calls it "a path
ulary structure, with rope over the head and
trap-door under the feet, and so contrived,
that if he (Buchanan) got on it, he was strung
up in the North if not, he was laid out in the
South"
lie quotes the reply of a New York Soft,
who applauded it most vociferously, and whom
he asked how he could yallow such stuff, and
who answered, " AS do ipecac, to puke it out
again."
Of the Cincinnati Convention itself, he speaks
in equally disraspectful terms. He says:
"a cohort of office-bolders from Washington
city were there, political eunuchs in the Federal
system, incapable of voting for the smallest Fed
eral office, yet sent there by the Administration
to impose President upon the people. 1t was
a scandalCus collection, excluded by the Con-
stitution from being even electors of the Rresi-
dent and yet gent Lere 10 vote for the Admin
istrati0n-and to vote upon the principle Of the
OK that knoweth his masters crib-upon the
principle of the ass that knoweth the hand that
feedeth him.
"Bullies we're there from the Custom house
and the Five Points in New York-all with
the appreciation of the Administration; for the
ofhce-holders would not be there, (ahsent from
their, duties ard drawing their pay without
the consent of their employers. 1t was scan
dalous collection. The members of Congress
were in the double breach of their duties. They
were neglecting their legislative duties, and
doing what they had been intsrdicted from
doing.
From Washington city came a new corps,
never before put upon such service-the Office
holders in the city, clerks in the Departments
heads of bureaus-men who have no vote in
any Federal election-politica! hybrids, unable
to act mans par. in any election, but sent to
Cincinnati as a. life-guard, to support the Ad-
ninistration"
Such are Col. Benton's views of the Admins.
tration, the policy of which, in its length and
breadth, Mr.. Buchanan has publicly approved,
and promised, if elected, to perpetrate sach
are Col. Benton's views Of the CONVENTION which
nominated Mr.. Buchanan, and Of the platform
of principles upon which he has deliberately
placed himself; and for these reasons, Mr.. Ben
ton says he shall vote for Mr.. Buchanan, of
whom the best thing he can sav, ard about the
npl ha -, Dc uho1a e
that he is fair nomination" He should have
added, from fair to middling, and middling
fair in spots"
Mr.. Renton's able dissection OF the course of
policy of the present Administration leads US
to very different conclusions it shows us the
need OF change, and not a perpetuation of the
dynasty which has mis-ruled the country so
abominably for the last four years.
We see no good ground for expecting better
things from Buchanan led on by Forney and
Sickles, than from Pierce led by Forney and
Sickles, and we cannot conceal feeling Of pro-
found regret that Colonel Benton should not
have seen and avoided the deplorable inconsis-
tency of which this speech will be lasting
A. M4g OF HEART There is some good in
human nature, after all, as witness the following
generous protfer. A gentleman who had served
in the Mexican war in CAPTAIN Cassias M.
caniary misfortunes, addressed him the follow
ing letter:
am sorry to hear of your failure. One
good turn deserves another. When was ma
ked, you clothed me; hungry, you fed me.
Now, sir, if can do anything to help you out,
am willing to do all ! can. / have got some
money and some friends; will let you have
all of the money have got, without any inter
est. / have five thousand dollars now, and you |