New-York daily tribune., 1858-04-15
ALETTER FROM COL. BENTON.

The 81. Louis Democrat publishes the following e1-
tract from letter written by Col Benton few days
before lie died 1t relates to the great work to which
he was devoting the last days Of his life:
The 9Th volume is Issued, and brings down tiie
abridgmen. to the end Of Mr. Monroe hrst Aailihis
tration lS2n The 9TH volume Is printed aUd 10 lne
binders hands (soon for delivery ana wiz c2le iI.o ,
Mr.. John Quincy Adsms's Administration. Inc oLh
volume il 10 the press, and will come deep INTO "eh
Jacksons Administration so that, as you see, 80 ai
the public and the publishers are cOncerheu tIe
great work is half finished But as II concerns sen,
/ am far ahead of the press, and, In tact, almost
through. | gave out publicly that will be done in
two months but that was to allow matSi" lof
accidents and mistakes / expect to oe done III less
than ore month, being now employed on Tue g'SH v"
compromise session OF loly-JO, being tL1 i-st 0' "
Claws great efforts on the occasion. lie arc aP
pear as antagonists with respect TO thess measures
but the antsgonism to the form, aod nos 70
the objects of the measures. He wished the whoe Oh
the measures to be contained IN one genersI cohPio
mise bill; wanted the same measures, 'oi tin ms
of them and their Objects. The omnibus bill mis-
carried but the measures passed separately, and
Just strong the statute book III %pai ate 80,
they would have been in general one. &c on
tagohlsm then was as TO tDm anu no' - " -.
sBreS, and ended in the establishment Oi Iuo s''
measures and in the accomplishment OF the 'au' oo'
ect, namely, tie pdclfeatiOr " me foHN'.Y. ln
abridged debates will show al this anu lna' tuete
real crisis at the time" crl-Is Dl- Win TUG %
Clay and in complishing which hls ardent Ps'tyyy yy
sm devotion to the Union, his dirregait % d s1,;
MS courageous selfrelance, all appeared 10 'i7l M no
day force ami splendor. Ii was not the oIa%e - -
setting sun, but the MONDAY olaze oi thst
minary. In these flashes OF courage anu =, ha
always struck ont when the | Mon was slu'A 49, "a
seemed TO NE TO be the impersonauon oi VN'''' '"4
ready to be laid a. victim on its aliar' ,,.L
This being the state and condition Oh '.e W. =,
80 far advanced az TO enable the public To Judge s
arsoer-which judgment has, in TACT 9eeu 10
vorable-and also to see the near e"iIPIe.tto. -
work fee justified iu expressing the DslleI -"'
rendered great public service 10 tne 20 .be
rendered accessible land hope atiraIu'eI ~ ;e
whole reading community the history OF Ine
Oft this Tuion and OF the spirit in when Il s.e GU
OF the spirit in which il was adininIsse.e % %
rying the noble vessel safely through eseIy
Tor nearseyenty vears. have made an the
accessible TO every reading man' anc -
power especially potics! power ana .; a -
10 sdorn public mans life as TO enaoie I'm ~
lsie bepefciallv for the country and ~ oil tS
AID errors which often mOrtify himself. lhal y que
oI;ec, OF tbe sbridgmen and high one out noI lhe
hghest The bichest lies among the mos e1a'-eu -
human action among the objects "hlcn 80 -
Gle di-trscted I'nion by showing tAe examples o.
moderation of iGs,ite OF condh'ou ol -
ioired n oeetier and kept u together. Inc
c.bstes Nil shcuLd WITT such eAAhpes a1'i HIui
uen of .roA noble character 3, WI o'lnHiand '71'S
tinn ar I'm rat.On