The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-07-12
For the Union.
COL. BENToN's POSITION.

COls BENIOND TOOlllOhs
ST. LOUIS, July 2, 1866
Mr. EDIToR: | learn from the Union that some Of
Col Benton's personal friends take exception TO your
comments upon the coarse of the latter That natural
Whilst Col Fremont is the back-republican nominee io
President and heading the crusade against the anu
the constitution, such friends must necessarily Jake great
interest in all that intereres with the machinery ny "he
his election is sought to be carried Now COL FREMONT as
the candidate of the black republicans occupies no doubt
full position upon the act and the prne
pe Of government under the constitution, on which
is based In what does Col Benton differ from hmf The
latter has made several speeches in Missouri In which ne
boasts of "kicking the Cincinnati plaorm-assails
the whole policy Of the present
Judge Dougas-reyiles the OF the saveholding
Saesabuses the 0send conference just as the back-re
publican convention ddenters upon an unreentng cru
SADIE against the repeal Of the Missouri restrictonn
word makes Just such speeches the blackrepubican
presses gladly copy and circulate as the best eeconeerng
material for their purposes which has yet been furnished
Surely Col Benton has sense accuses him
of lack of ordinary sagacy He must have KNOWN when
he made those speeches. that they would have just the
same damaging effect against Buchanan his ant-Texas
speeches had against Polk and Dallas in l844 II the doc
tnes he advances differ in the least from the backrepub-
can platform optics sharper than his friends possess must
be found to detect the difference Indeed, il any one
will anaze his recent speeches. he will discover that they
follow the programme laid down by the Philadelphia Con-
venton hostility to the present administration and its
pocydenuncation of the Kansas-Nebraska bill and Of
the Mormonsabuse of the 0send conference.-the aboi-
ton about extension of saveryprofessons of Jeer-
sonian of fact concerning the dis
turbances in Kansas if civil raging there I'M
der democratic insgaion-and profuse declarations Of
friendship for western river and harbor improvements and
central Pacific railroad. The Philadelphia PLATFORM and
his speech ST. Louis which has been generally copied
by all blaek-republican journals run pari passu.
VIII friend of the two colonies undertake the Her
cuean task of accounting for the common ground occupied
by them any hypothesis of friendship the democratic
party and its nominees What is Col Benton's position
the territorial question: Let it not be forgotten that
he voted against and spoke against the KansasNebraska
bill that he has denounced the repeal of the Missouri Com
promise, constantly and bitterly; that nevertheless, he
caused written speech be afterwards read in the House
by his colleague Mr.. Oliver, in which he took ground
against the restoration of that compromise Let it be borne
in mind ALSO that his friends Blair King Mann &c, at
the Psburg convention indicated their preference for
restoration of that compromise and that Col. Benons
confidential champion in Missouri published long letter
after he had been named of the members of the black
republican committee in which he declared his determine
ton go with the party that went for that restoration
and he is the Benton candidate for Congress in the
St Louis district
Let the significant fact be also noted that the Philade
pha convention, when it determined to make Fremont
the backrepublican candidate abandoned the line of poll
cy indicated at Pittsburg and instead of going for
toration OF the Missouri restriction repeal of the Kan
act dropped everything which was in collision with
Benon position and contented itself with general decar
atoms of hostility to the administration &c There was
for that change of front Pray what was it
Mr.. Buchanan has declared that he stands upon the
Pennsylvan and Cincinnati platforms which are iden-
cal and is pledged to carry out the policy they proclaim
Col Benton denounces that whole policy and all who ia
it, The friends of Pierce and Douglas are the friends
of Buchanan, and zeaousY laborine to elect him
10 ofri IN bis
ing very well that if they, like him. could be swayed by
assaults Of that kind such division and DISCRIMINATION
would follow throughout the Union as would give the
presidency to Fremont. Mr.. Buchanan our minister
England; and conducted the negotiations upon the re-
cruitment and Central American quesons and Col Ben
ton is fercely denouncng those negotiations 1t is thus
that Col Benton derdng and assang every position oc
cuped by Mr. Buchanan whilst pretending be supporting
him as he in the speeches. that he has no
charges to make against President Pierce and then pro
ceeds to berae his administration in the opprobrious
for hours. Surely, requires all the blindness Of
devoted affection not to see what all this means
Nor does the proof stop here. You were in error Mr.
Editor when you stated that Benton was running sen
arate electoral ticket for Buchanan Bad that would be-
il is not half bad the fact really is Benton and his
adherents in Missouri are running separate electoral
ticket and also separate State congressional and county
tickets in opposition to the regular democratic tickets
but that his electoral ticket is in favor of Mr. Buchanan or
WOulu ii eleCeu Noh IOr is neltnef known be-
leved. glance at the facts, of which you have
published already will show. In 1851 Col Benton and
his whole faction took open ground against the whole con-
vention system Immediately after the nomination OF
Pierce and King COL Benton made several speeches in
which he said that national Conventions must be sup
pressed and then took this position as his unaerable
determination and he boasts that be never changes:
q" now take my etand whether solitary and alone or
among many, against this fatal abuse This ia he Last
time submit 10 a. although that the late convention
took the next election In hand and provided committee
TO attend to IL eschew their Hencefrth | stand
upon the constitution Ii is until It shall be amended
LEI forty offer for The presidency they please If any one
pie satisfied and have President elected by tie peo
pie has majority Of the whole number OF votes
given then the three highest the list stand for nomina
ons by the people and their representatives, in The us,
N ReprssentdUesnot ssfapponted irresponsible dele
gates in a tavern-ehooss from among these three
Hencsforh 90 for constitutional elections re-
gardes' Of all cries party danger and opposion 10 all
conUdnces 10 take The election Of Presdens om Of he hands
Of htpsopie," &c.
His declaration, thus publicly made in 1882 he has re-
peaed and reannounced various occasions since Ave
down TO the very day that the Cincinnati Conven ton
commenced its sittings his confidential organ published
under the editorial head and with editorial commenda-
ton the chapter from his Thirty Years View" against
national conventions and in favor Of devolving the pres
Dental election upon the House Of Representatives,
But TO the Benton electoral ticket. Last November
when the Democratic National Committee were summoned
together at Washington to adopt the preliminary measures
for the recent Cincinnati Convention, Col Benton wrote
and published edoriay in his State organ the capital