The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1862-09-26

| - bTdt u tom lAcCeut hlstOfy.
The late Senator CLAY ton was pe.
coiiarly sagasious and far. sighted
l matters for which no opportuni.
~ OF public appreciation occurred
du ing his lifetime, an I particularly
IN regard TO thu long nutsed schemes
and purposes Of tho Calhoun dis.
unio ,iets A friend ba, placed in
our hands letter addr ssed to Mr..
Clayton by Mr.. Benton. written in
1855, in answer to a more el ,bor.
ate one by Mr.. @ ayton, apparently
written to illustrate and suppott com
part Of the thirty years' history then
in progress. This latter letter 10
lost, prob ,hly being destroyed A.
tho fire In Mr.. B,nton's house in
Washington in 1855 bat IL undoubt.
edly gave new fscts In support OF
the position taken by Mr.. Benton
toward the Calhoun disnnionists.
and IL would be extremely valuable
now. for the rebellion. The letter
OF MIR. Benton IL as follows:
July 81, 1855.
"DEAR Sir: Many thank. for
Your letter .just received. You say
nothing about its use, but upon the
e'raDgth of 1t ] can state what re-
la,es 10 the index, making no refer.
ence to the source OF information
IL would be good il the whole letter
could bo published. 1t is entirely
coinrident with what my history 10
disclosing.
~ hope you saw the chapter on
Mr.. Oalhoun's admission Of surpo {
Of the Missouri Compromise. i, 10
a heavy blow upon his followers,
who are not political party, but q
sect following their prophet and
propagsting his doctrines, AID to
whom a proof Of infallibility 10 .
stumbling block.
"Believe me, the feeling for dis.
nnion is becoming current 10 the
slave States. and almost unanimous
IN come Of them, and letter like
vonrs would do good in staying it.
The slavery question Is q cover for
the real motives, which are, with
politicians, ambition - with the
masses, belief that the Union
works to the disa vantage of the
South, and that they will do better
separated. 1t Is upon this feeling
that the nullitiers work, and m lsk
their designs with the dangers of
slavery, and are making great pro.
gress." four truly.
Tmos. II. Benton.
This hurried note opens to us Q
whole scene Of tint effort by these
the reasonable purposes OF the Gal
houn school. The friend who fur.
nishes this letter, AMI who is the
custodian of Mr.. Ca,houn's papers.
informs us that Mr.. Clayton and
Mr. Benton had several interviews
in the latter part OF their lives; and
good deal OF correspondence. in
regard to the evsnt which they both
seemed greatly to fear would soon
come to pass. As early as the
Spring OF 1855 they suspected the
existence OF secret order In the
South, and cor,esponded in regard
to It. Mr. Cl yton also predicted,
in 1856 tat one OF the candidates
for the Presidential chair then an
nouuoed would ultimately reach
ct long desired position, and
would ruin the conntry when he got
there, by want Of firmness and prin.
cipl' 9l .a!q on this question @ g. Of ID iiiYaujass.:
The giant growth of Southern
from the germ originating
with O,lhoun, 10 the wonder Of the
aga. St.t,snen Of tn, time Of
Cl tyton and Benton cav and fought
1t to al extent which lew of US had
previously known or believed, and
which 10 only now discloaed as the
nation. tragedy reachcs its climax.
They feared the succession OF men
of intirm purpose and little princi.
pie TO the Presidency, and they had
reason for such ioar When they
counseled together in 1855 ss to the
best means OF meeting and defeat.
ing the insidious growth OF the nul.
liiiers ambition and OF delusion OF
their followers, they were entitled 10
degree OF honor we then little ap-
preciated. Whether it was in their
power or not to avert the present
calami,ies, we cannot say, but it
certainly was not with the presiden-
cy in tho hands which held II from
1855 to 1860. and with Cabinet
controlled by Floyd. Cobb, and
Thompson.-[ Philadelphia North
American
UNI,N RALLY AT JEFFERSON CRY,