Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-04-20
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Cor. BENroN's Cor. BRxToN.- Pro5sbIv
the most prominent characteristic of Col. Ben
TON was MS egotlsm. We would not speak of
THIS ohehHVely' but we state it as fact. re-
coSHizea ana known alike by his friends and
foes. In his own mind, Col Benton was tba
greatest man in the country. He bad no
more doubt of this than of his own exis,s,ca
His constant atmosphere was one Of Eczema
assurance and thorough sell. eomplacsnev.
MS conversation, even with guests at his own
table, was always about himself and his mar
ueipation In the affairs of, and his services to,
MS eountr!s Possessing memory which
nothing escaped, and having really been
useful, hard working, public servant. even
TINS tax was always instructive In fact. he
seemed to identify, in an inofensive way. his
own with HIS country's history. They wers
one and the same thing to his mind. and this
very evident conviction made offence impos.
slole' his egotsm was such an essential
portion OF hint was 90 inwrcught into
every part OF his nature-that it really be-.
came thing to be admired. We suppose the
perfection Of anything, not in its nature exc
cradle Is admirable and it is possible that
perfect egotist is a man to De admired tor
the exhibition of quantity which il 40 com.
monty asssociated in i'm perfect and disonstin0
forms with very moderate powers.
While Col. Benton was naturally an epotist
1t IS but just to say that he had accomplished
that IN lie which should lead him to have
good opinion of himself. He had vanoushed
ms pohtlcal enemies in many hard fight, he
could ontstrlp all his friends in genuine hard
work, he had accomplished no little in shan.
ing the policy of the government. He had
been in political life great many wears. and
knew everybody. His name had become
familiar TO the tongue of every man in the
nation. Wherever he went, there we've al.
wyas men TO look at him, and pay him civil.
ties aa
After all Col. Benton was not great man.
he cannot We remembered as a man WIN ORE
ginated great ideas. The abridement of the
Congressional debates is his best literary legs-
ey to his countrymen. He has left nothing
among MS writings to take its place among
the classics, But, while he lived, he was
power, and highly vitalized one. He had
an indomitable will, unwearing industry. and
the most obstinate perseverance, in everything
he undertook. He undertook to abridQe the
debate OF Congress, and he worked to effect
this object with death waiting impatiently at
ms elbow We can hardly measure the amount
OF strength which egotsm gave him, in all his
enterprises. We have no doubt that it, in
reallty, made him what he was, and enabled
him to accomplish what he did. Col. Benton
without his egotsm would have be en- Samp-
son without his hair. 1t was this that pre-.
served his equanimity through all the obloouv
heaped upon him by the bitterness of partizan
warfare. Il was this which enabled him to
undertake political and personal enterprises
that would have frightened many an intrin-
slcaily stronger man. 1t was this that enabled
him to ''eut his own swath" wherever he
went Men bowed to his VIII. They shun-
ned dispute with him, for his opinions were
encased IN coat OF mail which il was useless
to undertake TO penetRate Col. Benton, hav.
ing made up his mind it was made up "sir
yes sir, forever, ''sir - aud he looked down
with utter dsdain upon those who could ts
weak and impudent enough to question his
decision.
A student Of individualities would and
much to interest him in the character Of Col.
benton. Modesty is supposed to be most
commonly associated with true greatness.
On the contrary, boldly demonstratve ego.
tlsm has always been regarded as indicative
OF a weak mind, and as one of the most for
bidding and disgusting of personal qualities.
| Yet mere was man OF genuine power, who
| was SO thoroughly an egotist that he carried
his quality in the very lineanlents Of his face,
into every oracular sentiment he ounced.
| IN all puolic debates, in all his speeches at
the hastings, in all mis- public lectures every.
where and on all occasions ; and yet, his ego
tism gave him actual power, was the very
handspring of his character, and was not Of
fensve to those with whom he came in con-
tact, For with all his consciousness,
there was always about him "a genuine Don
homnste, true poIiteness, that made him
man to be sought for and /" cultivated" A
correspondent of the Boston Courier. In
speaking of this trait. and Of his tendency to
talk Of himself, says that his talk was charm
ing, from the fact that he seemed to think
that when he was talking of himself, he was
talking of a third person and he gave that
impression to his auditors. But he has pass
ed away, having outliyed Calhoun, and CLAW.
and Webster, his great contemporaries, and
all OF them in greater or less degree, his old
antagonists. He has left his mark, and we
shall hear for many years the anecdotes Of his
life. But his peculIarites will furnish the
principal significance of his sayings aud his
dolngs and the element of egotism will be
their permeating, informing power. It Is
safe to say that we shall have no other man
like him.-Springfeld Republican.