Sistersville oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1896-1901, 1898-03-30

for those convictions The most curious
coincidence of that event is that at the
very time Benton was SO sturdily de-
Tending General jackson against his
foes in the senate the latter was under
going an operation for the removal OF
the bullet Benton's brother had lodged
in his arm in that ARRAY of years before.
From 1920, when he was first elected
to the United States senate, to, 1901
Benton was prominent in national at.
fairs, his commanding presence, his
broad culture, his indefatigable indus
try, marvellous memory and unwearied
application rapidly forging him~to the
front and keeping him there. There
were giants in the senate in those
days-Webster, Clay, Calhoun-yet ne
held his own against them all, and, par
ticularIy tenacious in his insistence OF
sound money for the nation, he ac'
uuired that sobriquet of cold Bullion
which stuck to him through life and
which was merited compliment to his
sterling qualities
History has recorded his achieve
ments, and we know that he was al
ways to be found fighting for the people
for free land, free salt and ultimate
freedom for the slaves. Though himself
a STAKEHOLDER, yet he opposed Calhoun s
famous resolution declaring that con-
gress had no power to interfere With
l. -, No and therefore
no power to prevent the admission o.
new states except on condition OF thel:
prohibiting slavery within their limits.
Benton at once denounced 1t as being q
firebrand needlessly thrown to lnfiame
the passions of the extremists and, more
over, as being disunion IN tendency.
Mr.. Calhoun said that he had expected
the support of Mr.. Benton as a repre-
sentative of a slave state, and the latter
answered that it was lmposslble-he
could have expected no such thing.
"Then, rejoined Calhoun, II shall
know where to find the gentleman!' tt
which ,insinuation Benton at once re-
piled. 81 shall be found in the right
place-on the side of my country and
the Union"
Words of a Prophet.
Thomas Hart Benton was a states
man if our country ever produced one.
Webster said of him that he knew more
political facts than any other man ne
ever met and possessed a wondertui
fund of general knowledge. His long
and continued study of our country and
the trend of political events gave to his
utterances the character Of prophetic
forecasts, as in his reply to the taunts Of
the nullifiers, predicting accurately the
coming night of secession, which he did
not live to see: II can promise that II
the fight goes against me at this new
Philippi, with which I am threatened,
and the enemies of American liberty
triumph over me, as the enemies OF Ro
man liberty triumphed over Brutus and
Cassius, / shall not fall upon my sword,
as Brutus did, but save it for another
day and another use, for the day when
the battle of the disunion Of these states
is to be fought not with words, but with
iron, and for the hearts of the traitors
who appear in arms against their coun
tryl"
A less conspicuous figure, though IN
the hall his statue will occupy the most
conspicuous position, is the other son Of
Missouri whom that state has shown its
inclination to honor in effigy, Francis
Preston Blair. 1t cannot be claimed fol
him, as for Benton, that he was states
man of colossal proportions, but his ac
tions during and just preceding the
slate unpleasantness" allow no i'm
parchment of his loyalty and devotion
to county.
He was 10 years old at the breaking
out of the war and had already held po'
sitions of trust and Importance, follow
ing in the footsteps of his immediate
predecessor, supporting him on the oc.
casion of his appeal from the Missouri
legislature to the people and when he
died taking his place as the acknowl.
edged leader of the antislavery men OF
Missouri. Elected to the state legisla.
ture on the Benton ticket in 1859 and
1854, in 1856 he was sent as representa-
tive to congress, for which he was well
equipped, having grown up in polit-
ioal atmosphere ever since his famous
father came to Washington, at General
Jackson's behest, to found al edit the
administration organ, The Globe.
Thus both these distinguished men,
whose statues are now added to the ma
tional gallery, were connected with the
times and events of the Jacksonian ad,
ADMINISTRATION. Both were as true as he
t. the Union, though in different ways.
To Blair everlasting credit will be re-
a