The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1868-11-24
Thomas III. Benton and q Wash.
inglOD DASOOkseIler.


The Washington correspondent of the
Cincinnati Commercial tells this story of
Thomas H. Benton:
''Shillington is an Irish bookseller
here, of credit and renown Benton
was a nei9hbor and friend of his, and
made Shillington cut out of books and
newspapers every conceivable article
upon the Pacific Railway and bring it to
him. He also employed Shillington to
select from the Congressional Globes,
which were brought to his house in C
street by the cart load, the matter that
he wished in publishing his 'Abridge-
ment of the Debates of Congress-
1T was a strange and remarkable
study" said Shillington, ''to see that
old man lying there flat on his back, un-
able to rise, his spectacles poised on
the tip of his nose, looking through the
long debates, whose huge folios he held
on his breast He knew he had but a
week or two to live, and he was running
a race with death to get the book finish
ed for he believed that it was the vital
thing to keep the country together. He
used to send me word four or five times
a day to come up there, and the people
said was his slave. If I did not come
promptly on time, the old gentleman
seemed to feel that l was in some way
derelict in my duty to the country"
'One day, when the shop was full Of
people, word came down, Mr. Benton
wants you to come at two O'clock to
help him ON an important matter AS
soon asI could possibly leave went
around to his dwelling and found him
asleep, breathing very hard, with large
volume of the Globe on his breast.
lifted the book off and set it on table
a little out of reach. Then, seeing that
he did not yet awaken, 1 fastened back
to my work In about two hours re.
turned, and the old man looked very
severely at me.
az sent for you, sir, two hours ago
| have but month at most to live, sir;
and it is important for the country that
this book shall be finished before / die
You did not come sir" .,..,
"Yes, Mr.. Benton, / did. And found
you asleep
"I have not slept for fifty hours, sir
1t was impossible that could sleep, sir
with so much on my mind
"'Benton never trusted man thai
told him lie, so I found it necessary tc
clear myself. ~ aa.. -s-3
"Mr. Benton, said 1, you were asleer
with q volume of the Globe on your
breast when entered the room, and
found you breathing very hard, so pu
the book On the table yonder.' ss
THE old mans eyes lighted up.
"Well, now, sir he said, 4 knew
had that book on my breast or on tht
bed somewhere, and l wondered how i
got off there so far. Perhaps l did dozt
little unconsciously. But come, sir
we must get to work. have but a little
time to do a great deal of work in
CDR Hall and his colleague, to pro
long the life of Benton, open the ole
mans abdomen, and taking out his bow
els while he was still conscious, proceed
ed to cleans them. At one place they
found some grape skins; then they fount
bits of wood, which he used to chew
abstractedly while writing OF reading.
"Look on; gentlemen, said the ole
man, feebly; 4 dare say you will fine
Congressional Globes next
"Wben Benton was about to die. Sc
vital did he think his advice was to tn,
country, he sent for Buchanan, had tn,
door closed, and solemnly devoted hi
last hours to impressing upon the Presi
dent his opinion of the mode in whicl
the government should be administered
If ever there was q man," concluded
Shillington, "who thought that in hi
mind and reason lay the true destiny o
the Union, it was Tom Benton. Hi
family, his maine, his future were all sub
ordinate to the love of country"