The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-04-15
DEATH OF HON. THOMAS q. B1,sToE.


deceased was one among the sblest statesmen
of the nation, and had been intimatefT'connect-
, ed with the Government for nearly forty years.
He has descended to the grave, full Of years and
honors, and the intelligence Of his deSnise will
be received throughout the eountrs with pro.
found regret. 1t is stated that his. Owing mo-
ments were distinguished by the seme calm
fortitude which has characterized his long and
painful Illness Almost up 70 the moment Of
his death, he worked with the full force of his
indomitable energy upon his great work, the
Abridgment of the Debates Of Congress. By
force OF will, apparently, he suspenied physical
dissolution until that work Yves completed; and
he, In fact, brought it down 60 the time pro
posed, VIZ: to the end of the compromise SEES
SION OF 1850. For over thirty years, Colonel
Benton was resident in Wasain gton, and the
people of the Federal city, where all his chill.
dren were educated, have long regarded him as
one of them.
Mr.. Benton was born on the IA b of March,
1888, at bis fathers residence, near Hills.
borough, Orange county, North Carolina He
was sent to college at Chapel Hill, but left it
before completing the regular course, and com
menced the study of the a& at William and
Mary College, under st. George Tucker. His
father having died when he was only eight years
old, his mother removed to Tennessee, where
ne began to practice his profession. 1t was
there that he first became acquainted with An.
drew jackson, who was thel q Judge of the
Supreme Court, and afterwards Major General
OF the militia. He was Apo nted ore of Jack
sons aids de-camp, and when the war with Eng.
land began, he raised regiment of volunteers,
of which he was chosen Cololel. In 1913, the
volunteers having been diseanded, President
Madison appointed him Lieutenant Colonel
but before he had any service, peace was pro-
claimed, and he resigned his commission.
In 1915, he removed to st. Louis, where he
combined with the practice of his profession
the conduct of a newspaper, called the Missouri
Argus. Those were stormy times for Western
editors, and he had to engage in several dues,
In one of which he killed his antagonist When
Missouri was admitted to the Union, in 1921,
he was one of her first Senators, having been
elected by the Legislature, which had met in
1871, previous to the admission. For six sue.
cessive times he was elected to the same post,
retiring finally from it in 1851. BE supported
the Administrations of Pre- clients Jackson and
Van Buren, with great enykgy; especially sus-
tanning jackson in his war upon the United
States Bank, and afterwards indicating him
by obtaining the passage of the resolution ex.
punging the resolution condemning the removal
of the deposits.
AS the apostle of hard money currency. Mr..
Benton became an idol among large portion
OF the most radical Of the Democratic party,
Afterwards, when he chose to entertain opip.
IONS on certain questions Offering from those
OF the party leaders, and Vlen other aspiring
Missouri politicians had crown weary of his
monopolizing the seat in tie Senate. he came
into distavor, and this caused his defeat in the
senatorial election in 1851. Bot during all that
period OF thirty years, Mr.. Benton was one of
the most conspicuous actors in the numerous
exciting political scenes that suAcessively arose
After leaving the Senate, Mr. Benton return. |
ed to st. Louis, and in 1852 he was nominated
for seat in the national House of Representa-. |
tlves, and was elected, but when he ran again |
Tor Congress, in 1854, he was defeated
In 1856 he ran for Governor, in opposition |
to the regular Democratic candidate, third |
candidate tAmerican) being in the field. The |
consequence was that he was defeated, and Mr..
Folk, the regular Democratic candidate, was
elected.
After 1856, Col. Benton devoted himself to
the completion of bis "Thirty Years. View - |
narrative of the political events that occurred |
curing his senatorial career. s nee that was
nnlshed, he has been engaged Il an abridc- |
ment of the debates in Congress which occ9.
pied him to the last. An met able disease
tcaneer of the bowels) bad for so lie time prev
ed upon him.
Col. Benton was married, sub ,ouert to his
nrst election as Senator, to Ezal ,th, daughter
OF Col James Mcdowell, Of Rock ddge county,
Va. His surviving children al four daugh |
ters-Mrs. William Carey Jones. Mrs. John c.
Fremont, (now on her way to California Mrs.
Sarah Benton Jacobs, and Madame Susan Ben.
Ton bolleau, now at Calcutta, wife Of the French
Consul General. Mrs. Benton died in 1854
Col. Benton was devoted husband and father.
and since his wife's decease has avoided eli
galety and public amusements. His political
lie Is part of the national history He was a
laoorlous, Jealous, and able member of the Sen
ate, and skilful, impressive, and dignifed
orator. There are few public men living who
enjoy to greater degree than he did the con.
hdence and respect Of the unprejudiced Of all
parties.
The following is the letter of the deceased,
written to Gen. Houston and the Hon. Geo. w.
Jones, and which was read in the House of
Representatives, on Friday:
G STREET, WAsHNGroS, april 8, 1858.
To you, as old Tennessee friends, address
myself to say, that in the event of my death
here, desire that there should not be any no.
tice taken of it in Congress. There is no rule
of either House that will authorize the an.
nouncement of my death and if there were
such rule, should not wish it to be applied
in my case, as being contrary to my feelings
and convictions, long entertained, as shown in
note to speech of Mr.. Randoph's, on the occa.
sion Of the death of Mr. David Walker, publish.
ed In the Abrtdgment Of Debates vol. vi, D. $50.
The request OF Mr.. Walker, there recorded.
and the remarks of MIR. Randolph, express en-.
tirely my sentiments and convictions. Should.
therefore, any of my kind friends in either House
make 1t necessary to do so, intrust to you to
make known by means of this note my express
wish and desire that the event remain unno.
ticed in Congress. Your old Tennessee friend,
THOMAS Fl. BENTON.
The body of the letter is in the hand of an
other, but the name is his own signature, and
denotes that it was written with weak and
trembling hand, the last time he put pen to | ,
paper, and when, perhaps, the agony of death |
was upon him. This letter was handed to Mr..
Jones on Friday morning, by Mr. Benton him.
self, the latter expressing his acknowledgements
for the kind visit of his friend and parting with
him with the assurance that they were no more
to meet again in this world.
In his dying hours, Col. Benton had the faith !
ful attendance of his daughter, Mrs. Carey
Jones, who resided with him in Washington.
Another daughter, Mrs. Jacobs of Kentucky,
arrived to see him on Thursday.
The Union of yesterday says:
" The President, hearing of the extreme III. q
ness of his ancient compeer, called upon him c
On Friday evening. The dying statesman de. .
clared afterwards his exceeding qualification at i
the visit The interview is said to have been | C
protracted. Mr.. Benton is said to have express, i
ed his extreme solicitude for the condition of Q
public affairs, and painful sense of the immi. 2
1ent dangers which threaten the country. He 8
s said to have exhorted the President to RELY n
lpon Divine support and guidance, and not Fl
m nat IF L., l..