The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-03-22

Ths AAnissasn - Ose0so-A Lsessf fso
Hsa. TAsnas n. Benton.
A correspondent Of the Sacramento Usion,
writing from Salem, Oregon, reports thai
while delving among the archives OF dragon
he has discovered heretofore unpuoiisneo
letter Of Thomas H. Benton. The core,
spondent says: !, /
| think that You will agree with me shas
the following document which has never oeeh
made public, 10 worthy the honor, Incusn
tvertv vears have almost elapsed since y was
vv;ften' There Il crest deal OF the i" iom
Benton sbo.t il, and there was great deal
| Of stubbcrp iaea Of right and strength 70 bat
4 lie for il in 81 Old Tom Benton. Inc org,
! inai is entirely in his own hend.nnns, .nu
deserves to be carefully Cherished among we
archives Of Oregon"
! sssrus BENTON TO rnE PEOPLE o. oHseos
w.sH,seros CIry, March, ls47.
) Nv friends, for such may call many OF you
from personal acquaintance, ana All Oh you
!, from my thirty years devoaon 70 .ne in.J
ests Of your country, think it night TO make
! this communication TO you at the present
= moment when the adjournment OF Congrss's
II vithous Passing the bill for your govNnmsnt
Ard urotsctiou, seems to have len yoa -
stste Of abandonment by your mother coun
try. But such il not the case. You are not
0 ABANDONED, nor will yon be denied protection
nuless you admit slavery. !, man oil Ine
South and STAKEHOLDER, tell you this. Inc
House of Representatives, as early a. the
middle of January, had passed the bull 10
y rive ron territorial Government, and in
a | thst b;ll Mad sanetiosed and iegaiEed your
!. provisional organic act, one OF the clauses o.
- which forever prohibited the existence Of
slavery in Oregon. An amendment from tbs
n senate Committee, TO which this bill vas re
,fl ferred, proposed TO abrogate that prohibition
and in the delays and vexations to which tina
amendment gave rise, the whole bill wa
laid upon the table, and lost tor the session
u This will be great disappointment to you
le and real calamity; already hye years WIN
= out law or legal constitutions for the preser
~ ystion of life, liberty aud property, and nov
70 doomed TO wait q year longer ms 10
,e strange and Anomalous condition almost IN
10 credible TO contemplate, and most critical u
Al endure.
~ A colony of freemen 1900 miles from III
u metropolitan government, and without law 0
es government 70 preserve themt :,
Id But do not be alarmed or desperate. o
nv will not be outlawed for not admitting Ola
:, very. Your fundamental act against tins
Id institution. copied from the ordinance OF Is1
II, the work Of the great men Of the South !
-ss the great day of the South, prohibiting sis
yery in a territory far less northern than your
will not be abrogated. Nor IS that the IN
'ut tention OF the prime mover of the amend
Use ment. Upon the record, the Judiciary Cou
of mittee OF the Senate is the author CT In
nj, am endment. But not so in fact. II is on
midwife u IT, The author is the same mir
er- that generated the :" Firebrand Resolutions,
ing of which send you copy, and OF which y
ng amendment is the Legitimate derivation.
al egon is not the object. The most rsbid pro
agandists of slavery cannot expect TO plant
W on the shores OF the Pacific, in the latitude
md Wisconsin and the Lake Of the Woods.
IA. home agitation, for election and disanion pu
nj poses, ~ all that is intended by thrusting Il
trebrand question into your bill
ITO 10 conclusion, have 70 assure you. vi
on. the same spirit which has made me 4
acy friend of Oregon tor thirty years-which y
ma me to denouuce the joint occupation trea
the day it was made, and TO oppose the n
ss' newal in 1913, and to labor for its abrogai
ow until it wac defeated; the same spirit VIII
yer led me 10 reveal the grand destiny OF Or
-,h. pon in articles written in 1918, and to so
port every measure for her benefit since
this same spirit still animates me, and "
cies continue to do SO while 4 iive-vhich 1 no
.oes win be long enough TO see an emporium
-. Asiatic commerce at the mouth Of your nv
:, and stream of Asiatic trade pouring II
INC the Valley of the Mississippi through
as channel Of Oregon.
Mo- Your friend and fellow citizen,
dr. THOMAS II. BssTos