The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-04-15

b. Cochrsne, Colfsx, CoGins, Covode, Cragin,
Craige of North Carolina, Curry, Curtis Dam
rell, Davis of Indiana, Davis Of Massachusetts,
Davis of Iowa, Dean, Dodd, Durfee, Farms
worth, Feuton, Foster. Garnett Giddings, Gill
man, Goodwin, Granger, Grow, Hall of Mass,
Harlan, Hill, Hoard Horton, Houston, Jones of
Tennessee, Kellogg, Kigore, Knapp, Leach,
Letter, Lovejoy, Marshall of Kentucky, Mason,
Morgan, Morrill, Morse of Maine, Morse Of N. Y,
Mott, Murray, Palmer, Parker, Petit Pike, Pot.
ter, Pottle, Purviance, Ready, Reagan, Richie.
Robbins, Royce, Rnfia, Scales, Shaw of North
Carolina, Sherman Of Ohio, Sherman of New
York, Shorter, Spinne-, Stanton, Stewart of Pa.
TappaD, Taylor of Louisiana, Thorn pson. Tom D.
kins, Trippe, Underwood, Wade, Walbridge.
Waldron, Walton, Washburn Of Wisconsin,
Washburne of Ill, Eashburn of Maine, and
Wilson-97.
motion was then made to take up the
private calendar pe16ing which, the death of
the Hon. Thomas II. Benton was informally
announced, and at about half past two o'clock
the House adjourned until Monday next.
immediately after the adjournment, Mr.,
Jones, of Tennessee, sent to the Clerks desk
the following letter from Colonel Benton, which
was read by the Clerk, aud listened to with pro-
found interest
G STREET, WAsnNGroN, april 8, 1858.
To Samuel Houston, Esq, Senator in Congress
from the State of Ie1as, and G.orge W.
Jones, Esq, Representative in Congress from
Tennessee: y
To you, as old Tennessee friends, address
myself, 10 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.
nouneement of my death and, if there were.
such rule, should not wish it to be appliee
In my case, as being contrary to my feelings
and convictions, long entertained, ss shown iS,
a note to a speech of Mr.. Rsndolph's, on the
occasion of the death of Mr.. David Walker,
published in the Abridgment of Debates, vol
ume sixth, p.s556. The request of Mr.. Walker,
there recorded, and the remarks of Mr.. Ran.
dolph, express entirely my sentiments and con-
yictioDs. Should, therefore, any of my kind
friends1 in either House, make it necessary to
do SOD intrust to you to make known, by
meaus of this note, my express wish and desire
that the event remain unnoticed In Congress.
Your old Tennessee friend,
THOMAS II. BENTON
The above proceedings in reference to Col.
Benton we're precipitated by rumor of his
death, which was prevalent throughout the city.
The report was premature.
Monday, April Z, 1858.
In the Senate and in the House of Repre-
sentatives, soon after the reading of the jour
mails, an adjournment was moved, in respect Il
the memory of the late Thomas q. Benton, with
the view of allowing individual members the
privilege of attending the obsequies of the il
lustrious deceased, who, as our readers are in
formed, had expressly solicited the absence %
any formal demonstrations at bis funeral, OF
the part of either branch of Congress in It's
official capacity. The motion was carried with.
out opposition, and both Houses adjourned at
an early hour.