The Butler weekly times., 1897-01-07


support of the Jackson resolutions
The democratic Missourians, how.
ever, were determined upon Benton' s
defeat for re election. The wings
took no part in the canvass. but the
democrats put up Judge Henry S.
Gever and James S Green to en-
compass the retirement of the i'm.
perious man who had served thirty
years in the senate. Geyer was a
distinguished jurist, who had served
in the first constitutional convention
of the state, and was the man who
fashioned the great seal of Missouri.
Green was not then a candidate,
but he made few speeches against
Benton, in the interest Of General
Stringfellow, who was afterward
elected attorney general.
When the legislature met in Jan
uary, 1851, Benton was defeated.
the 'ote being Geyer, so; Benton,
So: Stringfellnw, is; scattering. 4
Thereafter James S Green was
ihe most conspicuous man in Mis-
souri, politics. He was a brilliant
orator, companionable, earnest and
honest, but also dissipated Benton
bad been elected to the lower house
of congress and became again in
1856 candidate for re election to
the senate. Green lampooned him
on all occasions. From every school
house and town hall he mimicked
Benton and set the people all laugh.
ing at the famous Missourian. Ben.
ton fought hard, but all to no avail.
His day was done; his sun was set.
In 1857 the general assembly
voted thus for United States sena-
tor: Green, SO; Benton, 33; Kennel
80; scattering, Z. Kennel was the
sOuth-astern candidate, but that
section of the state had lost much
of its old time prestige and it's final
vote was in favor of Green.
Trusten Polk was elected gov
ernor in 1856 He had been CITY
counselor of st. Louis, but be had
no special public ability, save that
OF clean habits, honesty and devo-
ton to every trust. Ia January,
1857, shortly after his Inauguration
be was elected to the United States
senate by the following vote: Polk,
1O1; Benton, %; Gamble, 81; scat
tering, 8. Polk was expelled from
the senate on January 10, 1862, on
the charge of disloyalty.
The election of 1861 was full of
turmoil and excitement. There was
a great contest over the senatorship
and everybody felt that the position
OF the state with respect to the
Union depended very largely upon
the man chosen to represent it's
interests in the United States sen.
ate, and Polk had said little, but it
was known that he could be relied
upon for the confederacy. The
next question was that of colleague
who had similar sympathiea.
There were many ballots, but it
was not until March, 1861, that the
election took place, resulting in the
triumph of Waldo P. johnson of st.
Clair county. a grim old lawyer,
who presided over the constitutional
convention OF 1876 and remained
unreconstructed until his death.
The vote for senator was: johnson,
81; Doniphan, 36; English, 20. john
son was expelled from the senate
January 10, 1862, for disloyalty to
the national government.
The expulsion of Polk and John.
son left two seratorships vacant.
Meanwhile the war had changed the
complexion of state politics, and
provincla! governor Willard P. Hall.
one week later, appointed Robert
Wilson of Andrew and John B. Her
derson OF Pike to represent Missouri
in the state.
The legislature convened in No.
vember, 1868, and proceeded at
once to partially undo the work of
Governor Hall by elec:ing 3. Gratz
Brown of st. Louis and John B.
Henderson. Brown was then editor
NF tho nonnarak n.l