Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1858-04-21

to between the two friends until one or two
evenings before Gen. Jackson's final departure
from Washington for the Hermitage in March,
1888, when very solemn and affecting conver-
sation occurred, the nature of which we may
readily conjecture, but which Of course has
never transpired.
Mr.. Benton was determined member Of the
opposition to Mr.. Adams' administration during
his whole term. He warmly supported Gen.
Jackson for the presidency, and was one of tue
main pillars Of support to his two administra-
tiuns. IL is unnecessary to specify the partlcu-
lar occasions Oh which he distinguished himself
in his conspicuous parliamentary service. The
panic session. however, cannot be passed without
special notice In this Mr.. Benton sustained,
aided by few powerful Democratic debaters,
among them our now President, the whole brunt
of the tremendous attack by which General
Jackson's administration was then asssiled with
fury and powerful array of talent and elo-
oucnce never before or since witnessed in any
legislative body. His services then rendered to
the Democratic cause ranked him among the
first intelects and statesmen OF his age, and
have placed his name among those Of our first
American statesmen.
His controversy with Mr.. Clay, in the famous
veto debate in 1852, affords, perhaps, as striking
specimen OF his powers in the gladiation OF
debate as any that could be selected. If either
knight in that celebrated encounter was borne
worsted from the ground, it was certainly not
the Democratic orator.
The measure upon which he won tue largest
degree of popular eclat was, however, that OF
the expunging resolution, measure which LIE
himself conceived, and, without broaching the
subject to human being, moved in the Senate.
It was on tue 18th OF January, 1887, at the
close of the long debate which had occurred on
this famous resolve, shortly before the vote was
to be taken, that Col. Benton rose in his place,
and-addressing himself to the chair, in the
course of brief and emphatic speech, referring
back to the scene which had been enacted IN
tue Senate chamber three years before, on the
adoption of Mr.. Clay's memorable resolution Of
condemnation upon Gen. Jackson for the re-
mova of the deposits, and to his own prophecy,
then fearle<sly hazarded, that that resolution
should be erpu,gei by the people of the United
States from the journal Of the Senate-uttered
the well-known words, which are the synonymes
of his name, "soLITARY AND ALONE SET THIS
BALL IN NOTION"
We believe that it was in 1851 that Mr.. Ben
ton retired from the Senate. During the last
dozen years, though the mortal part has fingered
amongst the living, yet has the esteem OF our
generation for him been chiefly Retrospective,
and been chiefly concentrated in the historical
man as he was in the pride Of intellect and in
the prime of manhood.
These later years of Mr. Benton's e.entful
life have been appropriately devoted to regis
terinc the events of those in which his intellec:
and his fame were at their zeninth. His two
great histaricsl works, the Thirty Years VtsU
and the Abridgn,ent, though they may not be
exempt from defects and blemishes, are valua-
BILE repositories of political knowledge, and the
former will popularize period of the history
Of our institutions that will exert as great an
influence upon the destiny Of or country as
any equal length through WI !" yet
passed.
1t would be superauous t. upon the
character of man whose M history are
as familiar as household among the
American people. Of gig9 Eellect, strong
physical constitution and e presence, OF
Hini}exible will, undaunted cos Ee, immense ap-
plication. vast erudition, capacious memory, di-
rect manner of thought, and nervous emphatic
eloouence-it vas impossible that he should
have lived under institutions like ours and
failed to reach, and to figure upon, tho most
conspicuous theatres of action-impossibl that
he could have failed to stamp the impress ol
his genius indelibly upon our public policy