The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-04-14

The following biographical sketch from
the Cincinnati Gazette, will serve to re-
call the principal events of Col Benton's
life:
lie was born in Orange county, North
Carolina, in the year 1858. Ills origin was
comparatively humble, although the Harris,
his ancestors and relati 'es on the mother
side, were prominent men III the Via North
State, and his condition in life was such that
he enjoyed good advantages for educatlon.-
lie completed his academic studies ut chapel
Hill College, and subsequently studied law
az William and Mary's. He entered the
army in 1910, and after brief term OF ser
vice. commenced the practice of law at Nash
Vile. From the latter place he removed to
st. Louis, about the year 1915, and that place
was ever after his permanent home. In later
years, however, he lived much of the time il
Washington, and il was there that Mrs. Ben
ton died, few years since.
At st. Louis, Col. Benton attained ut once
| TO q successful law practice, to which he de-
| voted himself exclusively for five years.
| Until the breaking out OF the great Missouri
controversy, be had kept aloof from political
| life altogether. His first appearance on this
new field was in the highest grade Of Con-
! oressional services. He was ehoSed by the
/ Missouri Legislature, in 1920, to represent
the new State in the Senate of the United
| States. and continued to serve in that capa-
city for the next thirty years continuously
| Completing his fifth Senatorial term in 1851
and failing Of reelection, he was chosen to
| the House OF Representatives from the st.
Louis district, and occupied that position
during the next succeeding Congress. Since
that date. he has been chiefly occupied will
his two important literary works, the Thirty
! Years View. and the Abridgemcnt OF Con
| gressional Debates. He has also published
| an able Review CT the bred Scott Decision
From the first, Col. Benton WAS a Demo
| crat, and in tTucr sense than many who
have shared the maine with him. With the
piOneer OF the new States, and with the peas
ant every where, he felt more than the ordi-
nary sympathy of public men. lie had col
fidcnce III the justice Of popular decisions
and was not one of those who would 10 vi
olcnee to the popular Will, TO gain fancieS
party advantage. In quite early life, Will,
residing at Nashville, hc was intimate wItl
Gen. jackson, and though their amclb
relations were at one time most unplcas
antly Interrupted, their friendship was re
newed, when, years later, they were assOcia
tea together in the Senate, and their mutua
regard thereafter continued strong and sin
cere. Mr.. Benton opposed the administra
ton of John Quincy Adams, and was one o
1
those of Jackson and Van Buren,. In hi
later years, he assumed position more in
dependent of party, and according to tn
later classification, would have been reckon
! ed rather Il Republican than Il Democrat
though according te his old predictions
he favored the nomination and election o
Mr.. Buchanan, probably under mistaken
apprehension, in preference to his own son
in-law.
Among the most celebrated Of the meas
. ures which lac actively espouscd, were til
destruction of the United States Bank Gun
; der the lead of Jackson Il hard-money ear
rency, the acquisition of the Pacific territor.
from Mexico, the construction of Il Paciti
Railroad, and opposition to the repeal OF ia
Missouri Comp omise. More recently, b
has declared emphatically against the doc
, trincs of the bred Scott decision. lie ha
something to do with making Missouri
slave State, when, at one time, 1T Wa
thought to hang doubtfully in the balance
and though never specially favorable to til
extension of slavery beyond Its present lin
Its, he was not an cmancipationist. lie too
part in the celebrated debate on Foote's res
buttons Gin lS3O-3l.) His determine
efforts to secure the eXpunging of Mr.. Clay
, resolution, adopted in March, 1884, declaring
the action of the President in removing til
> deposits to be in dcrogation of the Consti
| III ION ana tllc laws, NtAS "lIpil- lhO Hios
distinguished and characteristic of his life
He was earnest, during all his public life, j
fi.vorng reduction OF executive patronage
and proposed this reform so long ago a
1926. W hen in February, 1885, sclcC
Committee. raised on proposition of thi
sort. of which he was himself member
made u report, through Mr.. Calhoun, al
\ verse, IN many respects, to his views, h
made an elaborate speech, particularly dc
: nouncIng the extravaganza OF Governmen
expenditures and fdvoring a diminutlcn i
the price of the public lands, in preference
: to distribution of their proceeds. His con
nection with the events OF 1874, and partic
ularly his Boonvillc speech. denOuncing til
intrigucs in regard to Texas. and the dis
union views of Calhoun, will be well rcmem
bcred.