The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-04-22


confer upon him the title Of lieutenant gene.
raj with full command u the var, in order
that he might carry out his conceptions in
person. The project, however, was never
consummated. The bill creating the rank
Of lieutenantgeneral passed the House. bu.
was defeated in the Senate.
Tho acquisition Of Mexican territory
brought On disputes in Congress touching
the question Of slavery, which after threat
ening the peace Of the country, were jastei
by tho Compromise acis Of 1850. Colond
Benton opposed this Compromise, offered By
Mr. Clay, a. being a vicious system Of legis
lation, IA fraudulent in regard to the Texa
donation, and as detective and ill,judged il
its clause in regard 10 the Fugitive Slave
Law. The acts, however, though deseatet
az u whole, passed separately. In the vo
lent rupture which had taken place betwer
Gen. jackson and Mr.. Calhoun, and which
made ts mark upon parties IA well u pei.
sons, Col. Benton had warmly espoused tfe
aide OF the lormer at the very outset. Short.
ly previous 70 that, the doctrine OF nnllifea.
ton had first been preached at dinner par
ty in celebration OF the birthday Of Mr.. Jei
ierson, receiving an endorsement from Mr
Calhoun and meeting with strong rebuke
from zen. Jackson. After the rupture, 20
litical antagonism heightened the animosiiy
OF the parties, and notification ASSUMED
threatening proportions in the acrimonious
disputes growing out Of the tariff regulations
Col. Benton, in his close utilization with the
administration, became the leading demo
cratic opponent of Mr.. Calhoun upon thi.
question in the Senate, and the divergence
which then manifested itself grew and W.
itncd a. ysars progressed, and was The trait
full cause ola lifelong hostility and opposition
between them. The adjustment. however,
was incomplete, and the compromise Of 1883
proved to be only lull in the storm The
same views in regard TO State Rights reap.
pcared in the field Of politics in connection
with the far more complicated question Of
domestic slavery, This was manifested first
in the conflict In the House Of Representa-
tives in 1885, upon the discussion OF Aboli-
ton petitions, but the action OF that body
suppressed the cause Of strife, and it was not
until lS46-7, that the same policy was re-
newol. The principles sought to be enforced
were admitted TO be identical with those Of
the first notification movement; the causes
assigned and the machinery for enforcement
were different.
Although representing slave State, Col
Benton did not on account Of the subject mat
ter involved. dcyiate from the positions he
had maintained on former occasions. At
the earliest announcement Of the new pro
grammc in the Senate OF the United States,
he stood forth to the attack II was the be
ginning OF u warfare that was eventually to
PROSTATE himself at home, and drive him
from the seat he had 50 long filed in the
Senate. On February 10, lSi7, Sir. Cal.
houn introduced vet Of resolutions in the
Senate, declaring the doctrines he wished To
insist upon in regard TO the Territorial powers
of Congress. the admission Of States, aud the
use of common property, all bearing direct
~ upon the slavery question, and the eycit
ng issues that had been evoked by the pro-
posed restriction known as the "Wimot
froviso,' which required the exclusion Of
Slavery from all new territory 10 be acquired
by the United States. They were immedi.
ateiy denounced by Col. Benton as fire
brand resolutions" Mr.. Calhoun expressed
his surprise, stating he hadcxpected tho sup
port OF Col. Benton, Us lac was from slave
State. Col Benton retorted that he had
no right TO expect such thing Then,
said Mr.. Calhoun. Il shall know where to
find the gentleman = to which Col Benton
responded, Il shall be found IN the right
placc--on the side of my country and the
Union The resolutions never came 10
vote, but they were sent TO the Legislature
Of every Slave State, were adopted bv some
Of them, and became the basis Of after con.
iict and party organization. |, WAS deter
mined by their author to make them the
grounds Of instructions TO Senators in Con.
gr,sS, and for this purpose they were sen, to
Missouri, and coutdcd 10 the hands of Dem
ocrats in the Legislature untriendly To Col.
Bontons reelection. Without exciting in
quiry, and under the sanction OF leading
members of the party whose iealty vas not
then suspected. they werv passed in both
branches and sent 10 Warrington
Col. Benton no sooner received the in.
s,ructions than he denounced them Us not
hing expressive OF the sense OF the people,
rs containing dlsunion doctrines, aud As de.
signed to produce an eventual separation Of
the States. lie announced that be- would
appeal from the Legislature to the peop,e.
and immediately after the adjournment Of
Congress returned 10 Nissoari iur that ptlr
pose. lie began the canvass OF the State.
and prosecuted it IN every section ~ series
Of speeches, which ior bitterness Of ienun
citation, strength OF exposition. aud cAustic
vii, have scarcely their equd in the English
language. The Whis party OF the State at
first sustained his positioa bat finding
prospect of reaping triumph Of their own
from the divisions ol the Democracy, they
changed front and affiliated With the An
,ic~. a. the Democratic opponents Of Col.
Benton were called. The result IN iSl9 50
was the return of a Legislature largely
Democratic, but composed Of opposite
wings the Benton men being in the plural.
ity, Many ballo,ings Tor Senator we're had
without compromise. but bargain was At
length struck between Wings and Antics.
onl =, t..,n nj tho, .l,,vt,n nc ,ba ,,,,,,i,