Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-04-13
APRIL a3, IS5
c STREET. wAsH,scros, April s. 1858.

7 STREET WAsHIsGToY, April 8, 1883.
To Samuel Hou,ton Esq. Senator IN Congres'from
the State Of 1fras, amt Geo W. Jones, Esq, re-
preventative in Congress from Tennessee.
To you, as old Tennessee friends, address myself
to cay that in the event of my death here deere that
there should not be any notice taken OF 1t IN Con.
gress There ia rule of either House that will au
thorizs the announcement of my death, and there
such rule should not wish it to be applied in
my case, as being contrary to my feelings and con-
victons, long entertained, as shown IN note to
speach of Mr.. Randolph's on the occasion of the
death of Mr.. David Walker, published in the Abridg
ment of Debates, vol. VII p. $50 The request of MIR.
Walker, there recorded, and the remarks OF Mr. Kan
dolph, express entirely my sentiments and convic'
tiors. Should, therefore, any of my kind friends IN
either House make it necessary to 40 go, entrust TO
you TO make known, by means OF thle note, my eS
press wish. aud desire that the event remain unno
ticed in Congress. Your old Tennessee friend,
THOMAS H. BENTON.
The above letter from Col. Benton, has reference
to foot.note to speech of Mr.. Randolph. AS mat
ter of interest we append this note.
"Of this Mr.. Randolph gave the appropriate evi.
dencs six years afterwards on an occasion when the
probabilities of death were sufficiently strong TO
make him prepare for the event. He placed draft
for 81 600 in the hands Of friend, 10 have his body
carried home. and buried at his own eIpense-forbid
ding all parade and pageanry. What was said and
done upon this occasion of the death OF Mr. Walker,
cOn.rasted with what is now said and done Gn the
death of member, ia pregnant instance of the ten
dency of the Government to slide from its foundation
in all its workings. Mr.. Walker Was, what mis- dying
request showed him TO be- of native dignity of
mind; and his last act was Of devotion TO duty,
having himself brought dying into the House to give
bis vote on the porteDtious Missouri question"
The Warrington correspondent Of the New York
Tribune under date of the 9th inst, writes follows
concerning MIR. Benton and bis illnessi
Colonel Thomas Hart Benton ia dying His dl,
sease (cancer of the bowes has made such progress
that he cannot survive much longer. He suffers ex-
treme pain, and s exhausted 10 almost the last degree
of the physical prOsraon. But his mind ID as clear
and as powerful ever, and the high, resoute, Ro.
spirit OF the old Statesman struggles With lndoni-
table energy and forude against sickness and weak.
and the awful presence Of the king OF terrors.-
He dies in harness, working 10 the Last for his country
and mankind An old aud intimate friend from Mis-
sour called upon him this morning. Benton was in
bed scarcely able to move his hand or foot and not
able TO spesk much above a whisper. But he was
hard at work, closing up his Abrdgemeut Of the De-
bates in Congress, which he has brought down to
1861, to the passage of the Compromise measured
He was debating the closing chapter of the work. His
daughter Mrs Jones, sitting beside the bed, received
IT, sentence by sentence whispered in her ear and
peaied it aloud TO her husband who wrote it down
Ii was then read to Col. Benton, and received
his corrections, made with much anxious particu
lariiy II II were the maiden Work of young du-
thor.
Resting a few minutes from his task, Col. Benton
entered into conversation with bis Missouri friend
He told him that In reviewing the events OF 1851 he
was glad to ind that the snimoses OF The past had
died out in his heHrr, and be not only ready but
-ager do Justice to his former rivals and opponents
He spoke with much feeling of MIR. CIuy to whose
merits and services he had arded the highest praise
in what he was writing about the Compromise period
Of 1850