The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-04-15

urging his restoration. Tues day, he Gale ii upon
Mr.. Thompson, and, meetin, him in II hall,
in font of the Secretary's q artments, = pewed
the subject, denouncing the Sc who had .ispas-
sgss Jim. The Secretary re piled that h. would
not hear his officers traduce d, and was out to
enter Sis room, when Bensa aeon struck jim on
the back of the neck.
Turning quickly around, the Secretly saw
thss Resancon was drawing revolver from his
wa sthand, beneath his vest. He rushed upon
his, und seized him around the body, holding
hissarms down. Bessncoe turned to retreat,
and probably to FIRE; but the Secretary threw
hin On his face, and fell upon him, when other
persons came and took tbe weapon f,om his
right hand, and the Secretary released aim.
II was found, however,, that Besancsa's left
shoulder had been put out of place by Che fall.
DE-. khett, who was fortunately in the building,
resueed the dislocstion Immediately, md the
Secretary sent Besancon 20 the Infrs AIRY for
surgical treatment.
It is said that Bensaneon was TEN 1orarily
| defanged.
We take the subjoined extract from, Wash
ipgton letter in the New York Tri6un, dated
Aprii 9th:
"Col Benton is dying. His disease cancer
of the bowels, has made such progr ss, that
he cannot survive much lenger. He'sN fers ex'
trem-e pain, and is exhaus ed to slmosS ahe last
degree of physical prostrs zion. But mind
is as clear and as powe fful as ever, and the
high, resolute, Roman sp rit of the o.3 states
I'll 10, fah
tituce against sickness and weaknoss, and
the awful presence of the king of terrcSs. He
dies in harness, working - the last for his coun-
try ind mankind. An old and intimate friend
from, Missouri called upon him this tiorning.
Benton was in bed, scarcely able to mege hano
| or foot, and not able to epeak much above
whipper But.he was haed at work, c, osing up
| bis Abridgement of the debates OF Songress,
which he has brought down to 1850, to the pas
| sage of the Compromise eeasure. de wHs dc
tating the closing chapter of the wok. His
daughter, Mrs. Jones, sitting beside he bed,
received it, sentence by sentence, WIKI pered In
her ear, and repeated it ,loud to her husband,
who wrote it down. 1t vas then read over to
Coll Benton, and received his correctic9s, made
with as much anxious particularly, as IT 1t
were the maiden work of . young sut4or.
"RestiDg few minules from his task, Col.
Berton entered into COW srsation with his Mis-
souei friend. He told h IN that, in yeviewing
eae events of 1850, he wa, glad to fnS that the
lninosities Of the past hs died out in 5is heart,
sho he was not only ready but eager TO do JUS
fice to his former rivalt and opponents. He
POKE with much feeling If Mr.. Clay, to whose
IueSits and services he hsd awarded tie highest
:,rs Sc in what he was writing about the Com.
promise period of 1850. HE dwelt particularly
on the service, the great service, Mr.. Clay had
rendered to the Republi at that time, by baf-
hi1g and putting down ii e traitorous Secession
iss of the South who re seeking to destroy
she Union and plunge 4he country into civil
va for their own seli,h and ambitious pur-
poses.
"The inspiration of II .s theme fired the Ian
guild blood and reanima ed for a moment the
failing frame Of the dyin patriot. In energetic
whispers, he told his Wis ter that the same men
who had sought to destrt , the Republic in 1850
were at the bottom of II sccursed Lecompton
business Among the restest of his consola-
tons in dying was the consciousnesj that the
House of Representative, had bsfl cd these trea-
sonable schemers, and pr the heels Of the people
on the neck of the trait rs. Few events in our
history had given him much SATISFACTION as
the defeat of LecomptoI !. He warmly praised
the intrepid aud incorl lptible Dou&sas Demo
Gratis, who had resisted he power aaS the wiles
of a corrupt and deludeI Administration"
The intelligent Wash pgton correp ,ondent of
the Philadelphia North american ss5s, respecU-
ing the Kansas question, and the attempt to get
Committee of Confere gee appointed:
Among the means Employed to esing about
a conference, has been the private assurance
that no sacrifice of prin eiple would tie required
at the hands of the anti Lecompton Democrats,
if they would concede his point. fact, that
the Crittenden amendHent would e substan-
TALLY accepted by the Fl lends of the dministra-
ton. If such opinios are entertl ned there
is no reason why they .hould not be expressed.
These secret negotiations are entitl to no re-
spect, because they in ,olve no res. onsbility !;
and the refusal to Civ, them prop publicity
proves that some othei design is CO templated,
besides that which is ssowed.
cit is seid the Pres dent would lot hesitate
to accept the Crittend n amendmel i, which re.
ally afirms the princiI )e asserted il his Kansas
message, as proper to oe applied to future Ter
ritories, but for the triumph tina might be
claimed by the opposi ion, and the seming sur
render of his own posi Jon. If suot considera.
tons can influence MI Buchanan's mind in dis
charging q high publ duty, he wi deserve to
forfeit much of the respect and confidence
hitherto conceded to i'm. None ut a great
mind is equal to such an exigency
A spirit of insuborS ,nstion exist in the pen.
itentisry of the Distrit of Column !. On Fri.
day last, convict Gun ,ingham wa-,l ordered to
his cell for attemptin! to break open trunk
containing the workil g tools of t broom de-
partment; Cunninghs refused to comply, and
convict Koss was seat by officer Fry for the
deputy warden, to free Cunning >am to his
cell, which was promptly done. Soon after,
convict Lambert beas Koss for o9sying officer
Frys order; Lamber then refuse:r to 90 to his
cell, but was COMPEL ID to go.
Shortly after, Tho mas ThOruIsY, Esq, the
warden, was sitting the broom ...ctory, when
convict Roe, jr, 20 9Th, pushed nvict Camp
bell down, and comm need slappii him. War
den Thornley, sprung forward an6 struck Roe
with a shoe rubber AT this j Incture, the
warden received severe blow on the left
shoulder, from some one immed sicily behind
him, and his hat was also knocke, off. Thorn.
ley quickly wheeled drew his ,volver, and
faced the crowd OF c1nvicts, and rdered them
to their seats. This prompt an determined
action appeared to ,Aimidate the ,onv;ets. and
many, supposlng Ii ornley would fire into the
crowd, ran to escape. Officer Mi hell was also
present with the wrden, and & Jplayed COOL
ness and bravery. Order was th<l restored.
cunningham, LaHbert, and R e, are under
punishment. Campbell, who VIGOROUSLY
mischievOus, is delitate in health also.
No clue has yet tsen had to IL, convict who
struck. the warden. The Orderl, prisoners are
probably afraid to Inform. Circp distances lead