The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-06-18
A PLAIN STATEMENT OF A PLAIN CISE
TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC.

TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC
Messrs r. r. Blair, senior and Junior, have published
IN the New York Tribune Of the 25th of May and in
other papers letter which pronounced in the outsart
in the Tribune and in the New York Evening Post and
now again pronounce 10 be libel the life and char
aeterand / ought to have added and do now add on
the death bdof tho lately deceased statesman ox
l,sSroS The position and anteceients Of tho elder
Mr. Blair, and some special circumstances connect
ed herewith make it Incumbent that should
epate this letter Of the Messrs. Blair from the general
current Of scandal and misrepresentation that Colonel
BentDn's name every name that reaches to public
consideration subject to- and 10 take notice OF it,
The Of the Messrs Blair IL entitled, tM Benton
siaioasJ deadminsrason. No. Win. Carey Jones "
This title conyeyswhat shall call it 1t intimatss
what is not the fact namely that have undertaken to
give Col. Bentons opinions" did no such thing
The communication to which the Messs Blair address
their reply wasconfned, first to present, AT the request
Of many OF Col Benton friends, and tn correct idle and
REPORTS of his last writings IN his
wons with the circumstances under which they
written xoosd. to contradict statement Of the New
York Tribune OF 9Th April circuinstantiay made
be calculated to give it creence, and to which by
called ~ witness and which in essential par
tcnlars not true
The letter Of the Messrs Blair therefore, in its very
CAPTION contains misrepresentation which, il not inten
una shows remarkable facility for biunder and the
same misrepresentation through the whole letter
The letter of tho Mssrs Blair holds out the idea and
seems be based it, that had endeavored to make
the impression that the deceased statesman favored what
the cant OF tire day called ssLecompton said such
thing said and say, that he sstoo m,sch alb
sorted in his actual lnbors and with gvver affairs he
excited temporary questions, such tat that
then .'vexing Congress and the count M This Is mis-
representation No. Of the joint letter
Mr.. II. r. Blair junior himself to have been
the informant OF the writer in the Tribune but acknow
lodges TINT he not present what he undertakes to
describe and that the interview that he reported was
with his fRkv, and not with any 'old and intimate Mis-
sour friend Of the deceased, In the report .lf he
twice states that it Mr. r. Blair junior il tAese-
lore dismissed on HIS own showing.
Mr. r. r. Blair, senor tries escape the dilemma by
SAYING
Mr. hts card tina. tho inter
Eew described was With aud The msss q .s rreunss
thai was old aal Asssate Missouri friend .
did know that the report Of the interview must have
originally from Mr.. Blair, senior But Though
could not in my mind his gvng the streets
at all to retail accounts Of such intervew)
luctmt u USE his name, and determined not tn do G
less computation and willing to believe that wi
was false In the report the exaggefaon and inven
ton Ut third OF fourth pickers-up and not HIS hut was
not that the designation old and intimate Missouri
friend applied u Mr. Blair senior by mere infer
ence am aware of the contrary that it is not pos
abe that Washington correspondent Of any newspa-
chosen too the organ for the occason-coud be so
ignorant Of the antcelents and for forty years where
abouts of the elder blair, to mislocata him The
matter Is clear enough. Putting the report old
and intimate Missouri friend device; and the
secret Of that Device and of the whole original relation ia
the Tribune and OF the letter which | am now CON-
mentng, is solved in five words OF the senior Bair-.MY
SON. q AiESounT CANVASS
The parts Of the article in the Tribune of Stl April
which the elder Blair steps forward To make his own that
pronounce 10 he libel the life caractr and death
hours Of the deceased statesman those that in the fol-
lowing paragraphs have emphasized The other parts
true enough truth to give currency to that which
Is not.
Resting Few fnm bis Colonel entered into
Conversation With bis Missouri friend ustve Kentucky for
near ory years rsstsns 81 s D and usighb~shood
never h1yiaw lived Nissour rsycwns hs
vents 1850 he WAS glad 10 Had that the anmoes ofths
d ont ~ Ills heart and e
ee 70 M sorrAer rivals aad sisks csar
writing about The conpromlss ner, ~
1880 H dwch particularly ths the service Mr.
daa~ ~ saianus Ssaionsxs sno % a.
,y ~ tnioa a planc nc osaby into cic, for their
The nred the iangud blood aud rean
setc whispers Ae rho Asd sougM q
aSy tAe rcfea IN 1850 az he ,.a Of M La,mp
A1 hs H"an y Representations l.Ed se
hary aai s~n a - "s " S. =. "a =,
ar ~ .s. $3.50 =. .s ors.s gaa.,a ne intrepid and
as~r~fs asd dnaAad Standardization ]
Mr. Blair senior let me invite you AZ man OF at least
Induction and logic to compare the different statements
o. These paragraphs, and how all of them cn be trtc
How Is it possible that in the same breath an almost his
last uttermsSr shall ioire that Nil his animnsi
Ties Of the past had died out and then d,snre r;vbt an
new anmo~itiesY will not pursue the idea let your
own mind heart and conscience do IT, You know tInt
Col Benton did rot die with nythins accursed or de
mandatory ON his lips; but with only good and kind
words for all tn whom, Of whom he had occasion IN
speak
The lines that marked IN the first of the foregoing
quoted paragraphs imply in the mind of the reputed
speaker what have before denoninatcd .an invidous
sectional distinction ! again say that in that con-
yesatson Colonel Benton lid not use words OF that inn
port Mr.. Blair, senior would convey the impression
That was mot in hearing for he saws that Zones
was at work some distance from the bed, / was less
than three feet from the bed was seated at the side az
table twenty seven inches Wide played against tho bed
que WAS An Interested and xious listener interest
ed because the work that dexirous to do was spp.
-pe' anxious, lsecnuSc saw how the excitement and
Ne'''"n We're exhausting the waning life As for the in
fFiew itself at the time OF il the orders Col Benton
@usfs az the door were that visitors should I've MI
m''ed Col Benton recognized Mr.. Blair's voice how
ei, az caught glimpse Of him, and directed that he
,"" come IN He was always privileged in the house
"onght ~ probable that Col Benton might desire with
NV n's'r private interview. and asked him IL sIold
- No, say stay, the answer and I did
V and heard what said aud those things were
not said 'o' "
can go further to this point was connected with
WI oen'on Tor complete eleven years before his death