The Cecil Whig., 1881-01-29

F pht VI WHOSE iIidcniIidtloHS dSallSI ulIl
/ he had obtained proof during the preced-
ing Autumn. He also ascertained that,
| to use the words of Mr.. Choate, 1.-The
attention of the public mind began to be
i drawn little more directly to the great
! question of human freedom and human
slavery" If he responded to the beat
ings of the New England heart, and re-
sisted the aggressions and usurpations of
! the slave power, he would have to follow
the lead of the abolitionists, for whom
he had always expressed a profound con.
tempt. Detected and depressed, Mr.
Webster would then have been glad to
take the mission to England, and thus
terminate his career of public service:
but he was defeated by the claims of
| Mr.. Abbott Lawrence, who bad recently
be II disappointed in not receiving the
appointment of Secretary of the Treas
ury, and who refused to be comforted
unless he could be the successor of
George Bancroft at the court of St.
James.
| Thaddeus Stevens and Joshua r. Gid
dings asserted, after the decease of Mr..
| Webster, that he prepared a speech. the
manuscript of which they read. which
was powerful exposition and vindica-
tion of Northern sentiment upon the
compromise measures, especially the fugi-
tive slave bill. lie was doubtless in
| duced to ''change front" by pledges of
Southern support for the Presidency but
he is reported by Theodore Parker as
having said to fellow Senator, on the
morning of the 7th of March, II have
my doubts that the speech l am going to
make will ruin me-" He should have
remembered that he had himself said of
the Emperor Napoleon, His victories
and his triumphs crumbled to atoms.
and mouldered to dry ashes in his grasp
because he violated the general sense of
justice to mankind"
The truculent Mr.. Benton headed the
opposition in the Senate to the compro-
mise measures, and on one occasion he
provoked Mr.. Henry S. Foote. then a
Senator from Mississippi, into the use of
some sarcastic comments in reply. At
first Mr.. Benton appeared somewhat sur
prised that any one should have the au-
dacity thus to criticise what he had
thought proper TO say, but he soon mani
tested signs of excitement and at last he
sprang to his feet knocked over his
curule chair, and started for Mr. Foote's
desk. The dapper little Mississippian.
seeing the burly Mssourian striding to-
wards him with evidently hostile inten-
tions, suspended his remarks, and re-
treated to the Secretary's desk, where
he drew a five barreled revolver, cooked
it. and stood at bay.
The two Senators Dodge. father and
son, endeavored to arrest Mr. Benton's
progress. but he struggled forward,
shouting, Let me pass. Don't stop
me. Let the assassin fire. Only towards
90 armed. | have no weapon! Let the
assassin fire. Nicc-P-esident Fillmore
pounded his table with his mallet, and
loudly called for order. 4 number of
Senators left their seats, some clustering
around Mr.. Foote, while others obstruct-
ed the passage of Mr.. Benton, who final
ly permitted his friends to lead him to
the assassin fire. scorn to carry weap-
ons" Mr.. Dickinson. of New York,
took the revolver from Mr.. Foote, un-
cooked it, and locked it in his desk
Then, as order had been partially re-
stored, he mildly inquired of the Vice
President what the question was before
the Senate.
Up jumped Mr.. Benton again, and
said in boisterous tone, "This is not
going to pass off in this way. ask Sen
atorS to take immediate action OH what
has happened. A pistol has been drawn,
sir. 1t has been aimed at me. sir.
demand the immediate action Of this
body. SIR Mr.. Mangum. to placate
the excited Senator. introduced resolu-
ton appointing committee to investi
gate the occurrence, which was passed.
The committee examined witnesses, and
made report, condemning the occur
renee. and expressing the hope that their
censure of the attempt would be suf1i-
cient rcbuke and a warning not unheeded
i'll the future.
TO BE CONTINUED.