Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-05-05


DEA1H or Coz. BExrox's SoN.-The Freeman's
Journal of last week, publishes brief sketch Of
Colonel Benton's only son. Randolph Benton,
and gives an account of his conversion to the
Catholic faith, his baptism Just before death, Che
died at the age of twenty-five years. and of his
fathers bearing in the matter. The publication
isin the form of a letter of the well known Cath
ollie missionary, P. j. De Smet, S. J., written to
/ distinguished priest of his Order, in 1853
The priest writes that Col. Benton consented to
the administration of the Holy Sacrament Of
Baptism to his son. The priest writes:
While was administering it to him, he de-
youtly crossed his arms over his breast and rails
ing his eyes TO heaven, prayed with fervOr,
thanking God for the signal grace accorded to
him. l then left him, urging him to try and
take some sleep. len in order to procure the
Blessed Sacrament of the Holy Oils. An hour
later, received the following note. written by
iii o'clock, March l6, 1852
"MY DEAR FATHER De SNET:-I went into
the room the moment you left Inc. He imne-
diately said to me, Are you pleased with what
have doncf' ] said. 4 am and then engaged
him to yield to the oPiates lac had taken, and go
TO sleep. He said Excitement and happiness
have done more for me than sleep could do, and
Immediately turning his eyes to heaven, rs he
lay on his back, the head raised on the pillow,
he said in a cleaI, calm, mOdulated voice and
radiant look, Thank God am happy Then
turning his eyes to me, with the same voice and
look, he repeated the words to me, and said u
intended to do it long ago, but did not know
whether you would like it, told him he made
me happy. And, truly, it is the first feeling of
relief have had in these five terrible days and
nights. So, dear Father, all is in your hands
now. You are giving peace to me, in giving it
to him Afectionately,
In anotherIetter of Colonel Benton to me, on
the day subsequent to the death of his son, he
wrote as follows:
DEAR FATHER De SMEr:--This is to intro
duce to you Mr.. Burke, school comrnde and
friend O(my poor child years ago. wish you
I TO talk with him. He will show that il was in
decd long lin his short life) that lie mCditated
the step lie took-even four years ago. He
will give to you gratifying details, as he has to
me, and will show (what you and well knew,
| from himself and from our observation,) that il
vas not the near approach of death and the
sick.bed that brought him to this act, but his
own heart, in the haPpiest state of his health
and mind.
ISignedl "Tuos H. BESToN-"
Young Randolph, during his last hours, was
surrounded by many of his near relatives and
friends. During his lucid moments, he did not
cease to manifest the deepest gratitude to tile
Divine Goodness, that he should have been led
back To the fold of Christ He received the last
Sacraments with sentiments of,great feryor and
tranquility. and about sunTiseftOn the 18th
March, 1852, went to sleep in the Lord.
Oh SPAIN MovtxG.-Matters aud things are
coming to a crisis very fast nowadays on the
continent of Europe. MOnarchies, PrinciPali-
ties aud powers Of all sizes, sorts aud descrip
tons, are quaking on their thrones, and those
that have no thrones are quaktng in their boots
as We, poor people do here in America The
people, despite the heaps and loads, the fstters
aud gags, and all the machinery and appliances
| Of desPodsm, looking up. Ia France they
are looking up and looking angry-in Austria
and PRUSSIA they are grumbling-in Russia
away off in cold, barbarizcd Russin, the serfs
are being taken into the ring of humanity; aud
in Spain, the land Of ancient chivalry, love and
music, the warm blood is curdling and growing
FESTIVE.
The Madrid correspondent of the New York
Tribune, encloscs to that paper manifesto in
secret circulation there among the democrats or
| liberals, from which we extract the subjOined
The cardinal items of the demands Of the libcr-
ais are
lnulNluual SeCuTllS anu lDFluluOilty VI uOlhl
| cile aud of correspondence;
Liberty Of the press, without deposit or edi-
tor, penalty Of any sort;
| Liberty of aSsemblage and of association for
all purposes-moral. intellectual political. in
iustraland religiouS-without previous perusis
sion from tue authorities;
Liberty of labor and industry Of every des-
criPtion, as well as of profession, liberal or
chaRical;
| Religious liberty.
And not ouly should the Government or Rev
olutionary Junta secure all these liberties, but
ut the same time it should establish rules sntii-
cient to prevent their violation by anybody, be-
ginning with the supreme authority.
National sovereignty is also fundamental
principal of the democratic regime-not illusory,
limited and merely nominal, but real, absolute
and exercised by all.
As practical conservation Of this principle,
the Revolutionary Government should declare:
That the sovereignty Of the people is the lcgi.
innate origin Of all public powers;
That all powers are elective;
That universal suffrage is the necessary form
of every election, aud basis Of tho fundamental
lAw Of the State.
CONNECTING FRANCE AND ENGLASD BY 4 BRIDGE
Under the title of IAN Iron Bridge between