New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-22
subsequent article to the entire satisfaction even
of Chief-Justice fancy himself
We regret TO see that Mr.. Benton, succumbiug

thrown Inc weight vi Ills ltuioAHuS ASNNSi INV
sadly diminished into the scale against the glorious
Emancipation movement in Missouri. We regret
this especially for his own sake, since the day has
long since departed in which his sanction Of pro-
posed measure secured ts adoption by majority
Of his fellow-citizens. The Emancipationsts might
not have found in Mr. Benton vigorous ally-they
certainly viii not find in him very dangerous
opponent But it would have been the GROWING
glory of life spent in the service OF STATE IN
the annals of which he makes so respectable ana
prominent figure, had he inseparably associated
his name with reform which is morally certain OF
success, and which, when contaminated, Will I'M
measurably increase the resources, the wealth and
the political power Of Missouri. He has been
frightened from this creditable, and, we may with
perfect safety add, this prudent devotion OF his
waning years and strength by bugbear which has
intimidated stronger heads if not stouter hearts
than his own. He who did not cover beneath the
thunderous denuncatiOns Of Webster, and who
was callous to the sharpest sarcssms Of Chy-he
whose great ambition it has been to initiate in bis
own career the reckless boldness and logged obsti
macy of his political leader, is still the slave Of the
savocracy and sselbound by its cant and driveL
He whose boast il was that, solitary and
alone, he originated in the Senate what he cOnsid-
cred an act of justice to an injured President, now
finds, in the triumph which he then achieved, no faith
in the invincibiy of right, and no incentive to the
support of far lotier principles in the days of their
difficulty and weakness.
Mr.. Benton having come to an unwise conclusion,
has naturally ayowed it in an equally unwise letter
He affects to beieve that the Emancipationsts are
merely political hypocrites who have hit upon
ga good cry and whose sole object is to secure
the spos of Office. In this we not only think Mr..
Benton to be unjust, but we are afraid that he is
wfully unjust He must know something of many
men who are engaged in this arduous struggle, for
they are those who have chung with the most gen.
erous devotion to his falling fortunes and, when he
impugns their honesty and attributes to them SIMS
ter motives, he more than proves his ingratitude,
for he suggests unpleasant doubts of his own purity
of purpose If 3 man is to be known by bis COM
panions, and the defenders of Mr.. Benton are what
be insinuates that they are, what principle has he
been battling for during the acrimonious contests
of the last few years Moreover, although the
political skies of Missouri are Frightening, and We
are permitted to trace the first faint streaks of
light which announce the coming of the day, yet
Emancipation is not at present a cause which
sposmen and oiicehunters will jostle each other to
embrace. We hope we do Mr. Benton no injustice
when We say that this very letter of his proves to
us that in his opinion the movement is exceedingly
unpopular in the State and that nobody who as
pres to be Senator of the United States can prl-
IDENTIFY assist in it. That the Emancipationists will
finally succeed, We joyfully believe; but notwith-
standing the late unlOoked-for and encouraging
successes in st. Louis they know, probably better
than we do, that the bulk of their labor is before
them.
Mr. Benton does not object, in this letter. TO
Emancipation but merely to the means by which
it is to be achieved. 1t would, in one sense, have
been wiser and better, and more creditable to his
years and bis intellect if this veteran politician
had gone at once to the root of the matter, and,
catching the tone of the fashionable pratte of South
Carolina and Virginia, had declared Slavery to be
ordained of Heaven and as everlasting as God
himself. Why does he object to discussion, as
something in itself damaging to the interests of the
State Why does he denOunce agitation" as
something intrinscaly dangerous Would it not,
to say the least of it, be far more philosophical to
show that the discussion seeks to effect an impOl-
tito purpose, and that the agitators have bad end
in view But Mr.. Benton attempts nothing Of the
kind. He is merely MORALLY frightened at the
possible effect of the excitement upon the minds
of the negroes. He is apprehensiye lest they may
be led to think that Emancipation, after all, would
suit their complaint exceedingly well. We might |
answer that perhaps a few Of them are of that |
mind already. But is it not ludcrOus waste of
powder and shot to charge ayOwed Emancipation
lists with fayOrng Emancipation, and to make it an
objection to their course that the objects of their
benevolence will catch some hint Of their inten-
tons Pray, how would Mr. Benton have the
affair accomplished! BY private palaver in
somebody's back parlOr BY an association of the
Dark. Lantern species
We differ from Mr.. Benton altogether. We have
10 gloomy forebodings of the effect of these discus.
sions upon negro discipline. He may anticipate
general cOnfagrations and wholesale massacre but
for our own part We think that the prescriptions
are all the other way. Many black persons in Mis-
souri, are no doubt FESTIVE under the yoke Of oppres
sion; but who in bis senses, will believe that they
will the sooner seek by violence to cast it Of, be-
cause they know that an effort is making in good
faith for its peaceable removal!
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