New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-03-06
FROM WASHINGTON
A WORD WITH COL. BENTON

rx,.r.., e.srsseOsdsDse Of TIE N. z. ritans ,s,e
WASHINGTON, Monday, March ., iooo'
AsIdo no. make practice Of reading Inc No
sS,aI fsseissgsacey, except when eeset ny "aRe-
s.,a,ss which nothing else will overcome Col
prrros viii excuse my hardness in observing
and paying my respects to the iono"'ng cara
xhich has bat this moment arrested my attention;
&C STREET Friday, Feb. q, 1856.
.w,.su. GALES & SEATOS: win you please give
Az. a,e q psos in your IRtelligeacer, Ia paper whose
Ea.Son Corresponds with it, title, that OF giving ma
iona ipformaticn,) for the purpose OF correcting
anZrepce 10 me- reported % have been made by Mr..
Horsee Greeley Of Sew.Yogk, in the Pittsburg Con-
ycnjon 10 the effect that was 10 favor OF aboshing
slavery in the State Of Missouri As never spoke
q word With Mr. Greeley on The SUBJECT OF saver u
ust have got ths information from some third person.
ard from some one who is ignorant OF my whole AN
guage and conduct upon the subject, NoT 1t 80 hap
eeus that there is clause in tie Constitution OF ts
lac of Missouri which forbids the Legislature u
smsncpste slaves without the consent Of their owners
and IL further 30 happens that was much lo7tIuo
tai tbough not member Of the Cohven.ionJ ~ f
ting that clause put IN, and TOT me eNP''s P
hetping slarer1 agitation OH Or tAe ot@t; oDl'o
fevr years AGO there was movement IN the c1a'c ~
.hnl,sb that clanse condemned that movement, anu
Cor The same reason, 10 kep Sld0ery 0g%qtIoM g@t
he Sfa9 And now, if anything eouia DC aTo ia -
:.,ea.e The misfortune OF that State, II WOuu re ~
IA an inside Slavery agitation to the OUTSIDE one
which prevails on her border. go 49,, III,
Respectfully, gentlemen YOU g1MAs H. BEST0xr
in reply to this, need only say that l never
;nt;mated. at Pittsburg OF elsewhere, that Col.
BENTON favored the abolition Of Slavery in Missouri,
and never authorized nor observed any report o.
INV remarks at Pittsburg Of the purpOrt asserted
above. tif very likely, however, that some re-
porter miscopceived what said at that place, yet
/ can hardly see how. For was discussing the
prospects Of Slavery Or Freedom IN Kansas, not in
Missouri and only named Col Benton among
other eminent citizens of Slave States who favored
our cause, both desiring aud expecting TO see Han
sas admitted into the Union as a Free state. My
authority for this ayermeDt was Col. Benton hm-
,elf and very deeply regret my Misrepresentation II
violated any confidence or uttered what he would
Aaye preferred to conceal in making the statement.
certainly did not misunderstood aud as surely
did not mean to compromise him. He is very
right in saying that neither knew nor had sought
10 know his views with respect to the duration OF
Slavery in Missouri.
As COL Benton is qnite aware Of my scjourn III
this city, / think line from him to me might well
have preceded, when it would probably have pre-
rluded his communication TO Tie iatelHgc7cer. He
is 30 greatly my senior in years. in experience, IN
honors, that would chcerfully submit to have my
mistakes corrected by him through any channel 7
only solicit sufficient preliminary inquiry to ascer
tain that had really made them. nc.