Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-04-12

| " a tiaCt VI iAuu TO
where, although the education Of her son had
been neglected and very imperfect, his genius
soon found field for development. He commenced
the study OF the law, and soon became eminent in
the practice Of that profession. He entered pub
lie life veIy early, being elected a member Of the
Legislature soon after his majority.
One of young Benton's earliest friends and pa
irons Andrew Jackson, at that time Judge of
Supreme Court of Tennessee, and subsequently,
Major General of the State militia Benton be-
came his aid de camp, and hence first acquired
his title Of Colonel, which has chung to him
through life. The subsequent close personal and
political intimacy which subssted between Gen.
Jackson and Col. Benton, through their whole
lives, (unbroken except in a single and but tenn
porary instance Of enlargement, occurring soon
after their first intimacy,) is well known.
| Col. Benton was appointed by Mr.. Madison, in
1913, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army, but the
news Of peace coming on soon after, he resigned
He first entered upon his long career in the
national councils-the great theatre where he
won such wide fame and renown--as member
OF the United States Senate from the State of
Missouri in 1921; Immediately on the admission
of his newly adopted State to which he had
short time previously emigrated, into the Union.
Senator Benton remained in this position until
1851. having represented Missouri for thirty full
years in the Senate at Washington, and failed Of
reelection, after so many years OF unbroken
service. only because OF his opposition to the
! pro-slavery " compromise" or omnibus" meas
ures in 1850. Thus he paid the forfeiture for
hav
ton in the face Of pIo-slavery constituency.
When Col, Benton entered the Senate, John
Quincy Adams Secretary of State (under
President Monroe), John C. Calhoun Secretary
OF War, " illiam h. Crawford, Secretary Of the
Treasury, John (now Judge) Mclean, Postmas-
ter General, William Writ, Attorney General,
Henry Clay. Speaker of the House of Represent.
atives, and Daniel Webster, a member of the
House from Boston. or alfthese renowned CO.
tenporares OF the distinguished Mssourisn, only
one Judge McLean) i2 now living, and he has
for many years been in quiet retirement from po-
litical life upon the Supreme Bench.
Col. Benton, after his retirement from the SEN
ate in 1851 remained in private life fol- two years
actively interested and engaged, however as ever
in public affairs, and ran as candidate for the
lower House of Congress, from the St. Louis dis
trct, and was elected, his term commencing
March 4 1853 and terminating March L. 1866,
since which latter time he has been chiefly en-
ployed in completing his Thirty Years View"
already commenced, and compiling his "Abridge
ment Of Congressional Debates" which it seems
he was enabled to bring down to 1850.
OF the peculiar characteristics of Col. Brntons
mind, his untiring assiduity and devotion to a
task he has undertaken, and his fidelity to his
own convictions of principle and duty in the
face Of opposition, the history of his political ca.
Teer in the Senate. aud the important and prom
inent positions there taken BY him on public
| questions OF the time, afford ample material al.
most unparalleled in point by that of any other
public man. The part borne by Old Bullion
on the famous "expungng resolutions is Of ra-
ton wide, il not worldwide, fame
The cause of his election to the House,
from the st. Louis district, in 1856. when he was
defeated for second term, was the same which
ensured his defeat by the Legislature of Missouri
in 1851, when candidate for reelection 10 the
United States Senate, viz: his unsoundness on
tue slavery question, indicated by his oEposi.
ton TO the repeal of the Missouri Compromise,
MS denuncation of that pet measure Of the ADJ
mlnlstrstion, the Nebraska BILL &c. That dis.
trict had not then become sufficiently enliaht-
sled and advanced to appreciate and value Free
Soil sentiments, as it has since indicated BY elect
ing Francis P. Blair, Jr.; so Benton was immo-
lated, and pro-slavery Know Nothing, Kennett,
was chosen over him, by the aid of pro.slavery
| Democratic votes. But there is no doubt that
"Old Bullion" would noW be elected by a MAORI
ty of thousands were he on the stage, and to pre-
sent himself at this timo, with his known views
for the sufrages of the people of the St. Louis
district. which city has so recently and triumph
antly elected Free Soil Mayor. So much for
progress in the last two or three years, growing
out of the Kanzas agitation which is destined,
ere long, to make Missouri free State.
Col. Benton's views upon the slavery question.
manifesting his known and openly avowed
hostility to the extension Of slavery into free ter
ritory. were wildly expressed in frequent speech
es and letters. One speech of this kind, to which
our memory now particularly recurs, was made in
St. Louis, just previous to the State election last
August, when Col. Benton supported the nomi
nee of the Emancipationists tor Governor. After
declaring himself, in characteristic phrase, 'op.
posed to notification and secession at the South
and against any unconstitutional interference by
the North with slavery in the Southern States.
where it already exists, he pronounced himself
with double emphasis one of the large and rising
class in the free States, and progressing South
ward. who are opposed to the extension of
slavery where it does not now exist" Said the
great Missourian, in words worthy of unfadiug re.
membrance, from the contrast they present when
compared with the dOughfsces of today:
II am one Of that class myself (Cheers.) l
have avowed that on every occasion, and say it
to you, fellow citizens, that one of the occasions
in which saw Henry Clay rise higher than |
thought ever saw him before, was when in the
debate on the admission Of California dissolu-
ton was apprehended il slavery was not carried
into this territory, where it never was Then Mr.
Clay. rising, doomed colossally in the Senate Of
the United States, as be rose. declaring that for
no earthly purpose, no earthly object, could he
carry slavery into places where it did not exist
before
1t was great and proud day for Mr. Clay, to.
wards the latter end Of his life aud if an artist
could have been there to catch his expression as
he uttered that sentiment, with his reflex on his
face, and his countenanee teaming with frmness
Of purpose, it would have been GLORIOUS mo.
ment in which to transmit him to posterity-hls
cOuntenance all alive aud luminous with the ideas
that beat in his bosom. cloud applause which
interrupted the spesker) That was proud day.
. could have wished that had spoken the same
words. speak them now, telling you they we're