The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-07-28

with edition Of Colonel Bentons Thirty YeaIs
View"
Mr. Blair senior ia his last letter after stating the
time of my arrival Washington and that at was in
good time and fortunate circumstances for the admins
tration, goes on 10 say
sin taking possession of Col Bentons sick room he
Homes became very convenient exponent 10 suit his
Benton 81 views To the necessities Of the administration
But probabilities must be concerted TO give countenanee
10 favorable reports. Grraoifta Presid nj Buchanan
and his P,ena,er shall vi ~ he d"th-Lsd.
Arranged by whom YOU vililer; defamer Of death.
beds detractor and beller of the dead dsegarer of
the propeties deoeices, and sanctities of life Of
the delicacy and consideration that from eryhng that
is supposed TO carry the heart OF belongs TO the
tender Arranged by whom, Mr.. Blair, senior Your
three intimations in those lines alsehoods of the
blacklist II they concerned only do not Halter your
self that they would provoke me even much
TO put to paper your infamous name But they reflect
upon the dead they truth both la respect to
the dead and the living and part OF your plot of
elfshness and yndictivenes and 1t Is therefore incum
bent on me to notice contradict, and dsprove them.
As for my taking Pos~ss.oa Blair has II, :" of Col
Benton 3 sick room, ii Is quite certain that had
possession Of il at the time Blair there Luckily
however for truth and deeency present and very
close too, and heard and athe work that
gagged in, at the bidding and by the dctaon Of the de-
ceased being stopped till Bairs leaning the dying
bed was put end to. Probably 1t will not be
uninteresting to Col Benton's friends and 1t shows
OF the striking traits of his character appre
henson and concuson-to know the circumstances Of
my 6lst presence in that sick had been absent
nearly eleven months and did not know OF Col Bentons
illness till the last day OF my journey home when
told board the Potomac steamer. 1t known by my
family aud by Colonel Benton, that my way home
for the steamer at New York had brought information
that had sailed from Aspinwall Havana but
not known whether from Havana would take the New
Orleans Charleston route, and it uncertain
within week of what day might arrive l got out of
the omnibus which brought me from the landing at the
river and walked TO the house. entered it without ring
ing any other announcement, and had gone to the
third story before net any one, aud before supposed
that il was known that was in the house Col Benton
however, whose sick the second floor had
heard and recognised my footsteps, and bad scarcely
reached the apartments above when little daughter
ran to me that her grandfather wanted to me,
Warned 10y my wife not to betray too much emotion
at the change which should perceive, Immediately
descended to the sick room After the most afectionato
reception and salutaton that my honored fatbcrnl law
had gIatfied me with, and he always
knd,) he told me at once, ~ am glad you come
have great deal OF work to do, and wish you to he
ready to help me tomorrow morning / replied that
ready then. but wished to wait the President and
the Secretary of Stale that same evening to inform them
of my arrival. 2 Yes, said be- that's right; report
yourself promptly shall sleep tonight and be fresh
for work in the morning.
And this brings properly to what Blars maleyoen
intilnations make necessary for me- in truth and justice
to say of the interviews which Col Benton had, previous
i, his DEATH with the President and with Gen Cass AS
had stated my intention called, the evening of
my arrival TUESDAY, 29th March, at the Presidents
house and afterwards ut the residence Of Gen. Cass
the President but remained only long enough to
change sautations and inquiry to Col Ben
tonshea and the customary questions Of courtesy about
my voyage home. Gen. cass did not SEQ he had
already retired when reacked his house
Two days AFTER Col Benton asked me ii had tho
President and Secretary OF State replied according
the fact as above stated. e. wish you to go again to
take in person my card to each of them before long
wish to them"
In the following days. he inquired of or twice
ii had performed that Grand had not and told him
that opportunity had not yet served for to leave the
house SO long. Finally, on Sunday morning, 18th Of
APRIL he told it would do we'll to enclose his cards
which he would endorse with his hand to the persons
they intended for and, against IcnonAtrance no
arose with asssance from his bed, and seated himself
ut his table and for the last time that he occupied
chair-nnd endorsed card each to the President and
to Gen Cas With the card for the Secretary OF State
he directed me to send note requesting him. il his
health permitted TO call him. he (enton)
i'll to so out wrote the note according to the directions
given; read it over to Colonel Benton and by his desire
signed it, and sent it, with the endorsed cnrd to its
destination According to the request Gen Cass 10
the house that afternoon and had an interview OF
duration with Col Benton. / not present and
not aware that any WAS, unes. the in all
joining The interview way secret how
the doors open, and any OF the family
entirely at liberty to have in If had not been
more respectful to the two venerable TO refrain Col
Benton spoke to afterwards of the meeting having
given him much pleasure.
The card endorsed by Col Benton for the President
did not send that day, and got misad So on the fol
lowing day, sent unendorscd card--Cul Bentons
printed (The endorsed card has since
been found and is interesting, the last thing that Col
Benton wrote at his table, and nearly the lust Of his
hand) During the following days Col Benton spoke
two OF three times of his purpose to the President and
that he would indicate the time when On Friday
ing (9th April the day before the decease Col Benton
said, wish TO the President this evening and
note sent to him to that purpose. took pen and paper
us supposed he wished me to write. mo, said he
don't you mind; Sarah This third daughter, Mrs. jacob
will attend to that That lady did attend to IT, nj, >
buchanan the house that evening there
an affecting reunion of the two old associates and
conversation that belted the persons, the time the
place, and occasion. There third person mot the
writer of this present. and by desire Twelve hours a
terward of the actors in that memorable evening had
passed through the valley and shadow Of DEATH and
taken the robes of immortality that are the sequence Of
laborious useful and upright life and resigned and
pious death
BY this narrative of facts any who feels interested
in the matter may know how, and how only lit
ranged that 'the President and his Premier should sit
by the sick bed :, and how Indignantly false is Bars
intmation, and insulting to the memory Of the
who every one knows, and one better than Blair,
allowed things to be arranged for him it. in
deed, IL possible that any except the two F. Ps
las pate) should be base enough to attempt such
crime in the article Of DEATH
Col Jacob Hail. whom Blair senior refers to because he
the only "old and intimate Missouri friend of Col
Benton that had conversation with him the last week
of his life and consequently able stamp the a
ty OF Blair anonymous letter in the Tribune is quite
able To take care Of his affairs and the public
will be able TO Judge whether "a mail contractor
through the uninlnbited parts Of the country
plores the Wilderness makes roads, builds bridges aud
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