Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-04-21
zTliHIRTY YEARS IN THE UNI
n. q. =. =.

fr7a-1afH aSSIA1tlSol St4EN<14
Wehaye inst completed a'perusalpt the tlFst
Volume of this work by Hon. ThonasH. Benton,
/, and must confess ourselves disappcintedin the
book. We have been too long acquainted with
the public character of Col, Benton, too often
compelled to note his peculiar and repulsiye
egotisu,. to expect from him that cool impartial
itv and dignifiefl disregard of his personal con-
7nsction with the events he narrates, which be-
Z come the historian, but We confess NC were not
sprcparcd for the unblushing arrogance, the un-
concealed egotism, and the universal and ever
continued selElaudation with which every page
OF the work aboundls. With field before him,
rich in subject varied in event, and utterly I'M
titled heretofore with knowledge of the events
which few but the actors could possess, and
capacity and attainment admirably fitted for the
work he has undertaken; he has sunk all in the
miserable effort to mako Col. Benton, and Col
Benton alone the hero of every important result
which has been achieved within thirty years of
the American Senatc's history, during the most
eycntfill period known to our country since the
formation of the Federal Constitution. True,
Clay, Calhoun, Webster, and such men, are fire.
ducntIy introduced into tho picture, but then
they are only used as the background to give
strength, color and relief to the hero of the
work, the Bombastes Furioso of the Senate, Col
Thomas H. Benton, of Missouri. Docs the arl-~
thor wish to shine as a fnancier, the Bank
question is introduced, Webster lis put forth rs
its able advocate, an imperfect and unfair sketch
of his speech is given, and then comes the 'pow-
serf1l response" of the Senator from Missouri,
REPORTED in full and then leadcd in order to make
it strike the eye of the reader, and finally the
public are given to undertand that by these, and
other such arguments, the monster was crush
ed, General jackson aiding and assisting in the
good work. Now and then, in cases where the
author took no part, VIC see a glimmering Of
what Col Benton,s history might have been,
could he have remembered to forget Col. Ben
ton in its pages, and narrated the incidents of
the times with which he was so well familiar
Upon such occasions, Qew and far betweeE) he
rises to the dignity of historian and brings to
bear upon his subject that intellect and attain
ment which he so eminently possesses Would
that he had been able to to have done this al
ways His history should have been the most
valuable acquisition to our literature, because of
our interest in the times and events which he
commentaries, and the impartialityGwith which
standing in time and among the men of the
time, personally familiar with them and their
aacts--hc should have transmitted their deeds
and their greatness to an admiring postcrity. The
: former meritalouc, itpOssesses. 1t is emnentIy
defective in the latter, because the dignity and
ability of the historian have..bcen dcsradedinto
.s egOtisn,, and the impartial truth of history,
prostituted to the weakness of the vain-glorious
demagogue.
2 This, Of. ITSELF casts doubt over the authcn-
ITCHY OF his narrative, and while we concede to
hin, the desire to be thought truthful, we can
hardly look for truth Historical trutt9 beneath
the tinscl and coloring which his vanity and
habitof selflaudaton have given to the entire
work Sill the work is valuable, and should be
read by all who desire to be familiar with the
times of his history. 1t will not do harm, be-
cause the errors arc too patent to be dangerous
The gauze is too,light to hide thc wrong, and
hence all may read aud find much to retain,
while the chnff will be at once winnowed out by
the reader