The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-04-12
Col, benton.

. ~, rroxAs H. Bssrox, whose death occurred
an s..urd.y morning last, has long filled promi-
nsut place 10 the public eve. He was born In
o,.nsa comfy, N. c.. In 1888, and educated at
chanel Mn. He studied law, and In 1911 COM
meneed the practice 10 Nashville, Tenn. He after
wards removed to Missouri, where, in 1890. he was
elected one Of her first United States Senator's
He took his seat In the Senate August 10, 1921,
and retained IL, by constant reelection for thirty
years In 1884, he lost his election to the senate,
but At the next popular election ran for the House
and was successful. In 1854 he was defeated, and,
since that time has been 10 private life In 1883,
he published the frst volume Of his sutobiogra-
phic work, Thirty Years View, or q History of
the working Of the American Government for
thirty years, from 1920 to 1850. In his preface,
Mr.. Benton quotes Macauiay, and claims the pres
tige of his experience In public affairs for his
work Mr.. Benton's public experience was inf
nisely greater, more diversified and practical than
the parsonage whom he quotes, who, excepting an
occasional rhetorical essay gracefully delivered In
the House Of Commons, was perfect cypher In
the business OF legislation, and whose inability to-
write Impartial history Is demonstrated as often
rs he takes mp his pen. Col. Benton speaks truly
when be says 10 the preface to his first volume:
81 was In the Senate the whole time of which
write--an active, business member. attending and
attentise,--in tho confidence of half the admins
tratiops, and close observer of the others" If
he cannot AZ I'm his narrative with literary gems
OF exquisite polish, he does not give novel un
Ser the name of history, nor sacrifice truth or
charity to q fine period. It was Col. Benton's
great desire, expressed throughout his last sick
ness, to live long enough to complete his great
work, but Providence has not permitted the graft
fcation of this wish, and the materials he has
collected must be worked mp by some other hand
Twenty-Five years ago, when Jackson was In the
Presidency, Benton Was at the eliminating point
OF bic Senatorial and political fame. He was the
Ajax Of the Democracy, and led their columns
against the old field Observation-Disclosures, Clay, Cal
houn. He was not equal to either of these great
men In genius or craftsmanship, but, in the close
grapple of debate, he not afraid of any one of
them, or all three together. He was a man of con-
siderable learning and literary research, which be
did not hesitate to display somewhat lavishly in
the way OF illustration, and sometimes his ora
lions were as conspicuous for lofty eoqueDce as
for clear and vigorous augmentation. He was,
when aroused, an earnest and vehement speaker,
though at other times calm and gentle. Bot it
WAS Col Benton's power of passion that gave the
great impetus to his intellectual machinery, and
made him felt, and often feared, in political :
counters. There was about him an amount OF
animal vim, q strength Of will, teDacity of pur
pose, and force Of personal manhood which gave
peculiar emphasis to his character and positions.
He was bold and resolute, well opinionated
and dogmatical, and II somewhat eeotistical, he
possessed genuine pride and selfrespect, which
made him inssnsible to the shafts of ridicue as
she rock to the froth Of the tide. We may class
Col. Benton among the great men of America
Thus they pass away; thus, one after another, the
names formerly conspicuous In American politics
disappear, and the transient fame, that once
glared like a vast comet in mid.heaven, gradually
diminishes. grows dim, and at last is lost to NOR
tai eye.