St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1858-04-29
Biographical.
THOMAS H. BENTON.

lnolnaS mart Benton was born IN
Orange County, South Carolina, March
IA, 1882, of parents who held an hon
orable position during the revolutions
ary period. He was educated at
Chapel Hill College, leaving, however,
before receiving his de rec, and enter
ing Immediately upon the study of law
at William and Mary College, Virginia.
The troubled state of our relations
with Great Britain induced him to
enter the army in 1910; but in the
year following we find him at Nash
vile, Tennessee, commencing the
practice of the law. He soon after
joined the westward tide of emigra-
ton, and established himself in Mis-
souyi Territory, where he became cdi-
tor OF newspaper, and subsequently
resumed his professional pursuits
Five years residence had SO favorably
commended him to his fellow citizens,
that III 1920, on the formation of
State constitution, he was chosen one
of the new members of the United
States Senate. As Missouri was not
admitted into the Union till August
10, 1921, more than year of Mr.
Benton's first term of service expired
before he took his seat. But with his
characteristic industry, the interval
was not misspent, but was devoted to
the acquisition of the Spanish Ian
guage and literature. He at once
took prominent rank in the Senate,
at time when it comprised the choic-
est talent of country, and his service
proved SO acceptable to his consttu-
ents that he was continued in his seat
thirty years-making the longest SEN
atorial career granted to any states
man of this country. Its ability was
only less remarkable than its length.
After his retirement from the Senate
in 1851, he was more or less connected
with partisan movements of the day,
and represented St Louis in the House
OF Representatives for one term; but
his public life was substantially over.
In his " Thirty Years View" however,
and his Abridgment of the Debates
of Congress" his public usefulness
was not only continued but enhanced.
They will ever remain monuments of
their authors powers at time of life
when the most of even intellectual
men are incapable of connected ex-
ertion, and will ever serve as the man.
uals of those who would understand
the political history of this Republic.
Such is the hriefcst outline of Mr..
| BentCn's career. To fill it up ade-
qnatel y would be nearly tantamouat
to writing the history of the country's
legislation from 1921 to 1851. His
voice was heard on every question of
magnitude, and but few measures
were left unintluenced by his advocacy
or opposition His industry was un-
bounded. He examined everything
for himself, retained every fact which
crossed the field of his attention, and
delivered his mind with the most un-
restrained freedom. Some Of his
speeches remain decided curiosities,
when the topics that prompted them
have gone into oblivion. They are
rhetorical conglomerates drawing
arguments from every science and H.
lustrations from everything He
pours out fiery stream of pure logic,
excoriating bits of personal sarcasm,
homely anecdotes, illusions to ancient
mythology, pertinent facts of history,
comicaities of the West, and what
ever else occurs to a grotcsque i'm
agination, all with an ovcrpowering
earnestness which wields them into
efficiency for his purpose. His mental
framework was SO sturdy and his will
so energetic that he easily carried Il
burden of facts that would have broken
down an ordinary debater 1t is but
just to say, however, that his taste
/ improved with advancing years, while
his intellect showed no abatement of
fruitfuness or force. Among the
questions with which Mr. Benton's
memorable effort will long be associa-
ted was the great sectional contest Of
1880, in which Webster and Hayne
were the principal figures, the U. S.
Bank controversy, the Expunging
Resolution, the Hard Money discus
sions, Notification, the War with
Mexico, the Annexation of Texas, the
Compromise Of 1850, and the Pacific
Railroad.
The mere mention Of these topics re.
calls the wars Of the giants. 1t is
sufficient honor to Mr. Benton to say
that he stood within the front rank of
contemporaneous statesmen. With
out the analytic skill and intense in
tellectuality Of Mr.. Calhoun, or the
magnetic eloquence OF Mr.. Clay, or
the mental grasp and simplicity of Mr..
Webster, he had fund OF information
scarcely equaled by any, an adhesive
ness of purpose that made him quite
as valuable to good cause, and a
certain bluff, genial nature, which kept
him in communion with the popular in