New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-04-10
pro0RApBY or COL BENTON.

horo3gb Orange Ooun,y y. VI, MAca ~ ho<. H.s
f,h.r died when he was years old; HE esrIy educ|
ton was Imperfect; he vac for time a. gram
mar school, and afterwari al Chapel Ill., the Universi-
~ Of North Carolina, but finished no course OF stody
there o. bis mother removed 20 tennessee TO settle on
tract Of land belonging TO his fathers estate Ihtm
studied law and rose 10 emnonce IN thst pfo:es-
sion lie was now elected 20 the Legislature serving
only asinge tern during whoh he procured she passage
os ew reforming the judicial system, and of another
giving to slsyes the benefit OF aury trial. the same as
white men. One ofhs earliest friends and sIons was
A1diew Jackson at that time Judge Of the Supreme
COut, and subsequently Msjor-Genersl OF the SAFE
mili.is. Benton became his side-ie.camp, and dor
rg the war also raised regiment of volunteers. 1t
was from that service he derived the title OF
Colonel, which has chung to him through HE.
notwithstanding the close intimacy between jack
son arc himself which was OF the most cordial and
unreserved character rude and Sudden rupture took
place in which severe pisto! and dagger wounds were
given, and produced rencouner that estrsnged them
fox many years. After the volunteers d-bsnded,
Mr. Madison appointed Col. Benton, in lSl3 Lieu
Colonel IN the Army, but his way TO serve in
Canada in 1914 he heard the news Of the peace and
70 signed. lie now removed 70 Missouri, and took up
his abode in the City of 81. LCus IN 1919. Ihere ne
devoted bimseh anew TO lie profession. Boon, nov;
ever engaging IN the politics OF the day. ne "ts leu
10 the establishment OF q newspaper entit!e1 Inc
Missouri Argus. In this position he was involved
in mspy disputes and contentious Duels were uaua at
that time and he had his share Of them with t1eir IN,
happy consequences. Ia one o. tneIn Wca was iorceI
upon him. he killed his opponent Mr. Lucas-an even
he deeply regretted and all the private papers relating
TO which he has strOyed. His journal TOOK strong
and vigorous stand in favor Of the admission OF Ms
souri,, notwithstanding her Slavery Con:nut9D, anu
when the angry controversy ives terminated he wa
rewarded for his abors by being chosen one of the
fIIt Senators from the State II Is ffom tins Pc
rod $780, that his political history and the great iniu
he has exerted upon public affairs may be said 10
date. in the early prime OF life, possessed OF
commanding intellect OF large and hoeral culture an
sssiduous student, industrious, temperate, resoue,
and endowed with a memory whose tenacity WAS mar
Vicious, he soon placed HI Asef 10 the font rahk Oh
those who shaped tie councils of the nation. As
representative OF the West with the manifold interests
OF frontier population intrusted to his care Col.
Benton forthwith devoted himself TO securing 4
Government. A pioneer himself in early life,
be sympehized with the demands OF t1at
class, and bis familiarity with the administration
of government taught him how fallacious and sui
clds was the policy Of attempting to derive revenue
from such source. The general distress which pre-
vailed thu ough0 the country in lS2 and which pore
with esptc iai hardship upon the land purchasers OF
the West attracted attention to this subject, and az
forded cause for the initiative which was taken by
Congress LID. raiziDg the system \ measure OF re-
lief devised by Mr. Crawford, Secretary OF the Treas
ury, changing all future sales to the csh basis reduc-
ing the price to u 20 per acre, ana allowing as
count equal to the difference to former purchasers, az
forded material relief But this not all that WIS
needed. First, pret nptve right TO all actual set
TIERS secondly, periodic reduction according TO the
time sections had been in market, 50 as to make
the prices correspond with the quality and third
ly, the donation of homesteads to impoverished
but Ldustrious persons who would cultivate the soil
for given period of years and thereby developed the
resources of the counrythese all points essen
tia to the needed reform. COL Benton apprehended
the full scOpe OF these changes, and determined to
persist in urging them uail they should be accom-
pished. The years 1924, 1926, 1893, accordingly
found him doing battle for such ameoration OF the
entire system. A bill embracing these features was
moved by him and renewed annually until it at last
took hold upon the public mind. At first his speeches
attracted more attention throughout the country than
in Congress- for there his Efforts were counteracted by
schemes fo dividing the public lands the proceeds
OF their sales among the States His irmness and po
stOn in the Senate az supporter OF the Admlalstra
ton OF jackson, gave him great weight with that
patty, and he was thus enabled so far to
impress his views upon the President that they
were embodied 10 one of his messages, and
from that date the ultimate triumph OF land
reform became only question OF time. In ms own
State of Missouri, there large quantities of saline
and mine lands which it hsd been the object OF the
General Government to withdraw from sale and Sirm
ont. This injurious monopoly was also AIMED at IN
his measures and he succeeded in efectins change
which threw all open ID occupancy. Intimately
blended with the same subject, and moved by the
same considerations were the enoits which he began
during the first term of his Senatorial SERVICE 10 ell
feet repeal of the imposts upon all necessares of
life. These duties bore with great hardship upon the
population of the Valley of the Mississippi 1t was
tribute levied upon them In partto sustain Government
ard in part to protect special interests. In some cases
this was most unequal as well as oppressive and We
may cite the salt tax as one that at that time
met with more hostility than any other. during the
session Of 1880, Col. Benton delivered the first
elaborate argument against TINS burden upon prime
haft UNrdf olOwpd
ner as to effect its repeal IL directing adventure 10
explorations in the far West in liking tie attention OF
Government upon the early occupancy OF the mouth
of the Columbia in encouraging overland transit from
the Atlantic TO the Pacific, Col. Benton was also
prominent. He had previously devoted himself 10
these subjects and written largely upon them In ioi9,
and had he taken his scat IN the Senate than
he made direct efforts to engage Congress and the
public in the great enterprise From the researches OF
CLARK and Rogers, from the suggestions OF Jefferson,
from reports of trappers and voyageurs, and ron
the courses of the continental streams, he hrst
elaborated the project OF overland connection: ana as
science expanded and knowledge of the intey ening
wilderness became more definite his views took form
in the proposals which are now so largely occupying
public attention for great central railway Ihe route
urged by him preferable to all others Is through the
passes of the Rocky Mountains discovered by FIRE.
mont known as the CoochetOpe, and debouchins upon
California through gaps in the Sierra Nevada. For
many years he was the leading advocate and support
in the Senate of the whole scheme of Western e1pora-
ton. II will thus be that Col. Benton became,
almost at the outset Of his career the exponent OF
Western interests and though largely participating
in all the great measures and political struggles
that separated parties, he never neglected what
was due to his own immediate constituency. The
success which has already attended land reform the
establishment Of preJmpton, the graduation OF price,
the donations TO works of public Improvement, ali
trace their origin TO his continuous laboIs. In subor
dinaton to these Leading objects he likewise did much
to open up and protect the trade with New.sle1co 70
encourage the establishment of military stations on
the Mssourl md throu0 the interior cuty