The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-08-10
TIE BLAIR aLIBALSs FURTHER STAMPED -
LETTER FROM Mr. RicHARD r. JACOB
CLIrroN, lKESrvcKY,l Aug. 2d, ls5

a.9t7 5Hl fH CLIFTON, (kkN1TcKY,) Aug. I'd 1898.
DEAR SIR We are in receipt of Mr. Dair's letter and
your to it addressed to the people Of Missouri
Your supposition in letters written To weeks
since Mr. Blair would not reply to your litter until
Just before the Missouri election prevent
from having effect that election has proved correct
1t Ii with extreme regret that both Mrs Jacob and my
self have Colonel Benons name thus brought be-
fore the public when his remains hardly cold in the
grave But we thought with yon that II was every way
proper and necessary that the anonymous letter which
appeared in the New York Tribune purporng to relate
q conversation of Colonel Benton with ''od Missouri
friend should be conradicte ut the proper time know
ing us did that it by Colonel Bentons express
desire that Mr.. Buchanan sent for. Mrs. jacob
wrote the note requesting the President to call and
her father and the writing delayed some time for
the reason that it Col Bentons wish that she should
call in person and make the invitation but she was un
willing to leave her father for that length OF time.
Mr.. Buchanan came at and had an interview OF
length with Col Benton Mrs Jacob being the only
other person That interview wished for by
Col Benton for several reasons first, to thank Mr..
Buchanan for act OF Kindness to Of his children
performed twelve years ago. which fact Col Benton was
made acquainted with until three days before his
death secondly, to exhort him to try to preserve the
Unon looking TO God for strength and knowledge Of the
right and, lastly, to him of his personal
friendship and will in those his last moments Il
Is wiM those noros have to deal. He took the
Presidents hands in his and said IN clear tones Bu-
chanan, friends hare differed many points,
as you we'll know, but always trusted in your integ
rty of purpose supported you in preference to FIRE.
mont because he headed sectional party whose suc-
would have been the signal for dsunion. have
known You long, and knew you would honestly en-
dcavor to do right have that faith in you nsw but
you must look to Higher Power to support and guide
you. We will soon meet In another world am going
now, you will follow My peace with God is made
my earthly affairs arranged but could not go without
seeing you and thanking you for your interest in my
child Much more was sad that s too sacred to repeat
Col Benton much exhausted, and Mr.. Buchanan fire.
quently urged him to spare himself MIR. Buchanan
k.aA I IF mn
given him greater pleasure. When Mrs. Jacob returned
to her father he called her TO him and sald my
child, you aess Of what has passed this evening;
think Of it, and remember it, am glad Buchanan came;
all is peace with me and can Mrs Jacob feels
that her fathers honor called in question by the inn
putatons Of the article in the Tribune, 80 circum-
santialy narrated and does not consider that she has
right 70 withhold her testimony, when her dead father
is charged with duplicy and double acting and that
charge brought by who should have been but nep
trds true friend to Col Benton. y
Mr. Blair says
" In the sketch of his Col. Bcntonsl Ifc submitted
to his revision and sent to the press by him just before
his fatal Illness he says that he had supported Mr. Bu
chanan against his son-in aw Colonel Fremont and
assigns the the confidence that Mr. Buchanan
elected would restore the principles OF the jackson ad
mnistmton and the apprehension that the success OF
Col Fremont would cngender sectional parties fatal to
the preservation of the Union but he adds that sooa
after he had occasion 10 change both opinions. =
We know TINT this socaed biography is spurious and
was never sanctioned by Colonel benton There are two
points OF it to which would call your attention hret
how the beginning g-namey, he assigns as reason
that he had confidence that Mr. Buchanan If elected
would restore the principles Of the Jackson admnist
ton comedies with Col Benton death bed conyeIsa-
ton with the President second, how the concluding
linethat Col Benton had changed h's opinions is diff
fcrcnt have reasons besides those already stated to
believe this last to be false COL Benton was at my
house just before the Cincinnati Convention in 1885, and
said then, II cannot support Fremont as the head Of
sectional mrty ~ The month February. 1888
At ooi. Den.on mouse "a Nsninson, anu "u many