Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-06-22
BENTON AND FOoTF.
A Famous Scene in the Senate as q
nan Now Living Saw 1t.

BENTON AND FOOTF.
A Famous Scene i'm the senate as n
NAN Now Living Saw 1t.
Writer In the National Republican.
read in your paper of few days
ago an article from Merriwether s
Weekly giving q statement furnished
by Colonel Jacob Thompson of 8 scene
that occurred between Senators Benton
and Foote, correcting, SIS he claimed,
the report of the same In the Century.
] desire to correct the correction. As
to what is said IN the magazine, know
nothing, as have not seen it, but as
to the fracas, know every thing, for
was there. AS Colonel Thompson evil
IDENTIFY knows nothing about it, and
must have obtained from an magma
tive, second hand authority what he
narrates, feel impelled to place here
upon record al accurate account of
the occurrence. / was sitting in the
old senate gallery, north of and facing
the presidents chair, and immediately
over Foote. The latter occupied 81 seat
on the outer circle, and, think, the
second Or third desk from the middle
aisle. was looking down On his bald
pate while he was uttsring the scath-
ing remarks alluded to against Benton.
The latter also was IN full view, seated
on the outer circle, perhaps five or six
desks further north and east, from
Foote, and further from the middle
aisle.
1t may be as well to state here that
there had been great deal of bitter
feeling existing between these two SEN
ators for considerable time, generated
by an acrimonious political debate. In
this Foote was the most erring, for he
had greater gift Of invective than
any man ever heard. 1t seemed to
be no trouble to him to ann1hila.e
every person in this way to whom he
was not friendly, and he certainly did
not lack the will to do so.
Benton was not bit more lovely in
disposition, indeed less so, think, for
he seemed to possess more hate nat
urally IN his feelings than any other
man [ ever knew, and he was not slow
to express those feelings in the most
whitening language. He hated, and
never forgot to hate, excepting only in
the case of General jackson, who, from
being regarded his great enemy, be-
came in the end his greatest friend.
But Benton was supremacy egotisti-
| cal and vain. It was, Thomas II.
Benton, have set this ball in motion"
| and he did not concede the equality of
any other man in the Senate. For
many OF them he had perfect con-
70, NJ s
bers. OF this class Benton did not wish
to stoop to speak at all, or even refer to
if he could avoid it. Foote knew this
and his self-esteem, also extraordinary
large, was CALLED by it. l am inclined
to think that the greatest cause of the
difficulties between them was in this
very plainly exhibited contempt OF
Benton. Foote had frequently attack
ed him with his very severe and abu-
sive language. and Benton had told the
Senate that if that body did not protect
him hereafter from such attack he
would take the matter in his own hands
| AID defend himself.
When Foote began his speech l think
| there was a general excitement IS tC
what might be the result. None of US
had to wait long before Foote began
one of his famous hypothetical eli
makes of denunciation, which, when
he had filed it up high enough, was tc
point out the party referred to by top
plipg over on and Overwhelmingly
crushed him. Benton sat in his great
arm chair looking at him and awaiting
the end. Then he instantly arose, anC
with 8 tremendous push of his right
hand, sent his roller-chair creakins
over the floor backward. He stepped
into the aisle leading toward Foote and
advanced with furious look and a
| firm tread. He had made but two OF
t rec steps in that direction when Foote
hastily put his hand into his left breas
| pocket and pulled therefrom d pistol
which looked about Elk or seven inches
in barrel. He cooked 1t and hastily re
treated to the center space in front O.
the Secretary's desk. Here he was al
once surrounded by other Senators
who took took the pistol from him
and | saw one put it in his desk
Benton went no further toward
him wien he left his place, but
rather toward his owe chair, and enter.
| Ing VIC 1ISiOouIGy NtOiSutIy dLG II6A-
tically cried: Let the assassin shoot
Then he pushed toward Foote again
uttering, Let The assassin shoot, and
made an apparent effort with both
hands to bear his breast in most theat.
rical style. II have no arms! l have
no arms!" he roared again and again
At this time, however, Fcote had nc
pistol, as Benton doubtless could see
and his action was merely dramatic
parade. In retreating from Benton
Foote left place where, i he had dc
sired to defend himself or use his pis-
tol, he had nothing to do but TO turn
slightly to the left, toward the wall, and
without endangering any one. But to
hurriedly leave his place and get i'll the
center of the chamber, where he could
not nave fred without danger to sena-
tors, was an action not to be explained
on any other ground than that OF
shrinking from the contest. / know
that he bad the reputation of being a
brave man-had fought suck duels and
was ready 10 fight more-and / think
ne was really game. But none of us
are always the same, and he had every
reason to believe that Benton meant
work.
4 Scientific Hermit.
New York Morning Journal AT
Ii ., I Il L.