The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-07-13
Webster and Bent0n--A Touching
Episode.

Pa, some matter extracted from
Peter Harvey's "reminiscences of
Daniel Webster, relating the story of
Webster's reconciliation with Thos.
H. Benton, after the arrangements
of many years. and of subsequent
event of like character. The details
were related to-. Harvey by Webster
himself. and appear in the volume
which the former issued some years
ago.
"We had" said Webster. "a great
many political controversies; we
were hardly on bowling terms. For
many years we had been members of
the same body and passed in and out
at the same door without even bow
ing to each other and without the
slightest mutual recognition. and we
never had any intercourse except
such as was official and where it
could not be avoided. There were
no social relations between us. At
the time of the terrible gun explo-
sion aboard the Princeton during
Tyler's administration Il. H. Benton
and were on board and he related
to me with tears this incident. He
said he was standing near the gun in
the very best position to see the ex-
pertinent. The deck of the steamer
was crowded and with the scramble
for places to witness the discharge of
the gun his position was, perhaps.
the most favorable on the deck. Sud-
denly he felt hand laid on his
shoulder and turned. Some one
wished to speak to him and he was
elbowed out of his place and another
person took it, very much to his an
noyance. The person who took his
place was Ex-Governor Gilmer, of
Virginia, then Secretary of the
Navy. Just at that instant the gun
was fired and the explosion took
place. Governor Gilmer was killed
instantly. Upshur. then Secretary
of State, was also killed. as was an
other man of considerable promi.
hence. Colonel Benton. in relating
this circumstance, said: 1T seemed
to me, Webster. as if that touch was
the hand of the Almighty stretched
down there drawing me away from
what otherwise would have been in.
Simultaneous death. [ was merely
Frustrated on the deck and recovered
in short time. That one circum-
stance has changed the whole current
of my thoughts and life. feel that
l am a different man and l want, in
the first place. to be at peace with all
those with whom [ have been so
sharply at variance, and so have
come to you. Let US bury the Ratchet.
Webster p Nothing. replied, could
be more in accordance with my own
feelings. We shook hands and agreed
to let the past be past, and from that
time our intercourse was pleasant
and cordial. After that time there
was no person in the Senate of the
United States of whom l would have
asked favor, any reasonable and
proper thing. with more assurance of
obtaining it than of T. FL. Benton"
One day as Webster was seated in
his library he was waited upon by
John Wilson, lawyer of st. Louis,
between whom he and Benton had
long existed an opposition so bitter
and malignant as to be matter of
notoriety. Often in public debates
they had abused each other in the
most virulent terms. Wilson was
now a broken down man, prema-
turely old and wrecked in fortune,
and he had determined to emigrate
to California, then but recently con.
quered from Mexico by Fremont,
Benton's son-in-law. He had called
on Webster to request d letter of rec
ommendation to some one in Cali
fornia, certifying that he was a re.
spectacle character and worthy of
confidence. The kind feelings of the
statesman were awakened, and after
thinking over the matter a few min
utes he suggested that letter from
Benton to Fremont would be of
greater service than anything he
could write. What followed shall be
told in his own words. as related by
his biographer:
HE looked me in the face, half
astonished and half inquiringly, as
much as to say: Can it be possible
that you are ignorant of the relations
between Colonel Benton and myself?
II said 4 understand what you
mean. am perfectly aware of the
past difficulties between you and
Col. Benton since you knew him.
His feelings and sentiments are soft.
ened. We are all getting older. Our
fiery hot blood is getting cooled and
changed. 1t is hardly worth while
for men when they are getting up