Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1858-04-18


. In Europe, as well as in America, his expo
u sitions attracted great attention, and eXtende
widely his reputation as a dehater, thinker
rs and practical statesman. At this time hi
Dr n amer OF 0ratorY was deliberate and unimpes
stoned, bis matter full to overfowing wit
facts, figures. logical deduction, and historica
D. Illustration, but almost wholly devoid OF tha
ls exubeTance Of wit and raciness Of humor whicl
chsraeterize bis later disc0urses. The elabo
,e ration which be gave to these views paved thl
" way for subsequent legislation upon the na
e tional finance, and did much 10 consolidate thi
e sentiment Of the Democratic party in favor o.
the sub-treasury system, which was eventually
}, adopted. 1t was from the financial policy
. which be thus enunciated that be derived tht
n sobriquet Of sold Bullion" which has never
forssken him, and which, also, be never for
( sock. Throughout the long and critical strug'
;, | gle between the administration Of jackson and
2 the advocates Of the reeharter Of the National
. Bank, he was the mainstay and support OF The
President in the Senate, and acting in ssrictesi
unity with his party, held high place in their
affection and confidence. The records Of his
abOrs in that behalf will be found upon almost
{ every page Of the debates Of Congress. As
the mover Of the "eXpunging resolutions" /" Col.
} Benton made himself especially obnoxious to
, bis political opponents, but finally achieved
success, and gained great personal triumph.
The motion was to strike from the journals Of
Jackson, and the passion Of partisans clothed
, the contest with an Importance at the time far
greater than will attach to it in the future; but
as an exhibition Of many traits Of Col. Ben
toms character, persistency, keen sagaeious in
sight, stubborn devotion to the fame OF his
party chief, unquailing courage, and confidence
Of success in the face Of an adverse majority,
no act Of bis life was more striking.
| During the succeeding administration Of MT.
YaR BuTen, much Of Col Bsnton's time was
devoted to the defense Of the new financial
policy, then being inaugursted. Upon the
questions relating to the Oregon boundary, the
I annexation of Texas, and various other impOr-
tant matters growing out Of our foreign Tela-
tons between the Presidential terms Of Tyler
and Taylor, Col. Benton took leading and in
fueBtisl part. On the first Of those he differed
from the Democratic administration OF Mr..
Polk, which had declared for the line Of 81
deg. 80 min., but the powerful effort Of Col.
Benton, in which be reviewed the whole con-
/ troVersy, and elucidated the claims Of the
| United States with much force, was not to be
/ withstOOd, and the administration and party
were content to acquissce 10 his views, and ac-
espt the line of 49 deg. as the northern bonnda-
~. Daring the Mexican var, also, his serVi-
ces, and Intimate acquaintance with the Spanish
provinces of the South, to whose history he
had dsyoted much attention, proved most use
fgl TO The Government. Il was upon bis sug-
gestiOn that the policy Of s. mastery inactiy-
ity," at first determined upon BY the President,
was iRally abandoned, and vigorous Prosecu-
ton of the war urged in its stead. His eOun-
sells were much sought also 10 regard TO ma
turing a plan of campaign and conquest for
compelling peace. and at one time it was pro-
posed by President Polk to confer upon him the
title of LieutenaHt-G General, with full command
of tue war, ia order that he might carry out
his conceptions in person.
Tne project however. was never consummated. |
The bill creating the rank Of Lieutentant- Gen
eral passed the House, but was defeated in the
senate. The acquisition OF Mexican territory |
brought on disputes in Congress touching the /
question of slavery, which, after threatening |
tne peace Of the cOuRtry, were adjusted BY the |
Compromise acts OF 1850. Col Benton Op-
posed this compromise, offered BY Mr.. Clay, /
as being a vicious system Of legislation, as /
fraudulent in regard 10 the Texas donation, /
and as defective and ill-iudged in its clause in /
regard to the Fugitive Slave law. The acts. /
however, though defeated as a whole, passed /
separately. 10 the violent rupture which had !
taken place between Gen. Jackson and Mr.. !
Calhoun. and which made it's mark upon par \
ties as well as persons, Col. Beaton had warm /
ly espOusec the side of the former az the very 4
outset. shortly previous to that, the doctrine /
Of notification has first been broaehed at a 4
dinner party in celebration of the birthday Of /
Mr Jefferson, receiving an Endorsement from |
Mr.. Calhoun, and meeting with strong rebuke |
from Gen. Jackson. After the rupture, p0liti- /
cal antagonism heightened The anim0sity of the 1
parties, atd notification assumed threatening 4
proportions in the acrimonious disputes grow
ing out Of the tariff regulations. Col. Benton, /
10 bis close afiliation with the administration, 4
became the leading Democratic opponent 4
of Mr. Calhoun upon this question in the Sen /
ate, and the divergence which then manifested 1
itself. grew aud Widened as years progressed, /
and vas the fruitful cauzs ct lifelong hos 1
ulity and opposition between them.
Toe adjustment, however, was incomplete,
and the compromise Of 1888 proved 70 be only /
a lull in the storm. The same views in regard /
to State Rights reappeared in the field Of poll 4
ties In connection with the far mere complica-
ted question Of domectic slavery. This was
manifested first in the conflict in the House of
Representatives in 1895, upon the discussion Of
Abolition petitions. but the action Of that body 4
suppressed the cause Of strife, and It was not 4
until 1867, that the same policy was re-
neWed The principles sought 20 be enforced /
were admitted to be Identical with those of the /
first notification movement; the causes as
signed and the machinery for enforcement, /
we're different. Although representing a slave /
State, Col. Benton did not on account of the /
subiect-matter involved deViate from the posi- /
tions he had maintained on former occasions !
At the earliest announcement Of the new pro- I
gramme in the Senate Of the United States he I
stool forth to the attack. twas the beginning |
of a warfare that was eventually 20 prostrate |
himself at home, and drive him from the seat /
he had so long filled in the Senate. On Feb |
rurary ~, lS47, Mr.. Calhoun introduced a set |
Of resolutions in the Senate, declaring the doc
trines be wished to insist upon in regard to the
Territorial powers of Congress, the admission |
Of States, and the use of common property |
ali bearing directly upon the slavery question,
and the exciting issues that had been evoked |
BY the proposed restriction known as the 4
GWilmot PrOviso,3 which required the exclu- |
sion OF slavery from all new territory to be
acquired by the United States. They were i'm
mediateiy denounced by Colonel Benton ss
80 fire-brsnd resolutions" Mr.. Calhoun eX-
pressed his surprise, stating be bad expected
the support of Col. Benton, as be was from a
slave state. Col. Benton retOrted that be had
no right to expect such taing. Then," said
Mr.. Calhoun, " shall know where to fad the
gentleman;'' to which Col. Benton responded,
{" shall be found in the right Place-on the
side Of my country and the Union"
The resolutions never came to a vote, but
they were sent to the Legislature Of every slave
state, were adoTtsd BY some Of them, and be-
came the basis of sfter-cOnfict and party or
ganizstion. II was determined By their author
TO make them the grounds Of instruction to
their Senators in Congress, and for this pur-
pose they were sent to Missouri, and cOnhdsd
to the hands of Democrats IN the Legislature
out exciting inquiry. and under the sanction Of
leading members Of the party whose fealty was
NOT then suspected, they were passed in both
branches and sent to Washington. Col Ben
ton no sooner received the instructions than be
denounced them as not being expressive OF the
sense Of The people, as containing disuniOn doc
triues. and as sesigned to produce an eventual
separation of the states. He ann)unced that
he would appeal from the Legislature to the
people, and Immediately after the adjournment
OF Congress returned to Missouri rDT that pW
pose He began the canvass of the State, aud
prosecuted 1t in every section In a series Of
speeches. which, fo1 bitterness of dennncia-
ton, strength Of exposition, and caustic wit,
have scarcely their equal in the English Ian
guage.
The Wbig party of the State at frst sus
tained his position, but finding a prospect Of
reaping a triumph Of their own from the divis-
ions OF the Democracy, they changed font, aud
affiliated with the " Antics" as the ID smo-
cratic opponents OF Col. Benton we're eallei.
The result IN lS49-'50 was the return of Leg
isIature largely Democratic, but composed OF
opposite wings, the Benton men being ia the
piuraIity Many ballotings for Senator were
had without compromise T; but a bargain was
at length struck between Wings and Antics,
and sixteen Of those chosen by the people az
Democrats, bat unfTiendly to Col. Benton,
voted for Henry S. GeyeT, who was elected.
Mr.. Geyer was Mbtgs Out hdu cOuhnlteu
himself to the Anti-BsntOn party in letter
prior to his election Many Of his party
| following his lead, they soon coalesced with
/ the opposition Democrats, and In after cam
paigns, by adroit management, they obtained
control Of the STATE Government This was
chiefly effected through the instrumentality Of
| Mr. Sterling Price, who although elected Cow
ernor 4 supporter Of the views Of Col. Benton,
I vet, after a pretended compromise Of tie two
/ Democratic wings, was no sooner sworn into
I Office than he changed over to the opposition,
carrying several Of the other State officers along
/ with him.
To vindieate his position, and to break uP
the ascendaney which the so-eailed nullihea-
tion party was thus acquiring, Col. Benton, in
1852, made more direct appeal to the people
/ in the Congressional District in which he re-