The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-07-22

Rupert We're tho FoEtons. Thomas il.
Benton. was descended from this family.
and la.-a,i across the Appalachian Range
from North Carolina, where his father hal
settled. 20 cast his dostincs with the from
tierzmou OF Tennessee.
EeutJn's father unlike the fathers Of the
Snotch-lrish immigrants. was not an OK
tremo.y poor man. The Benton family WIS
entirely different in lis circumstances from
that of Andrew Jackson. Jacl~on's mother
was d widow I'm very INDECENT cirrums' an
ces. unable at tin "a procure the necss-
s.risr Of lie. and on" of the most pathetic
pictures Of all our early history IS that
OF Idck-ru's mother walking more than
forty miles 10 see her Jyvo boys, prison" go
the British. begging her way as she went.
without even an animal 10 ride. Bentnn's
fitlCr Was = lawyer In good practice, and
:. gave, mis- son collegiate education at
Chapel E.ll ia North Carolina. His mother
was E'-riUur. His father carn- directly
from English Lineage and his mother In
directly through one % the splendid fan,i-
lies of old Virginia. that furnished war
rlars and Statesmen. IT, State which s.
known a. the Ino'he. of States and states
men.
Colonel Eon'on. as have stated. was
hCru in North Carolina and mis- father
diving ira middle axe left 10 tn" family
-ar-- tract ot land near Nashville. Tenn.
20 which the widow removed. Thomas II
E.eT up On This tract uf hand. Oh which *
located rho town learjug the family name
u' Benton. ana his lie was like that uf tn,
average young frcltsersman. He indulc.,d IN
All -as- rough md exciting amUr-ments and
pursuits Of that early era. He fought chi k
'u.- and fought TIE Indians. he ran horses
ana I'm for she Legislature. lie i;;dGlgrI
sD street LraW's and afrayS not entirely
r!.Ilfahir, In one ~ which Andrew IaCksgtn
was his opponent. both being badly wound
ed. No prophet could th.n fc-esDe that In
after years Benton, as Senator from Mis-
souri, would become the great ally of Jack
son IS President Of the J'Ditei states.
Benton served TWO years in tho Tennessee
LEGISLATURE. introducing bill to divide the
State into judicial districts. which became "A
law. and also "a bill. enacted into law. Civ
Ing t. negro slaves VIII" were CHARGED with
criminal oflersos the right Of trial b., Jury.
This latter measure Of legislation shows
tHat Colonel Benton did not belong to- that
extreme southern class who thought that
negroes were mer. chattels. 10 be bought
ard sold. and not human beings Benton. al
though a STAKEHOLDER. was never an adj
rocate of the institution of slavery. He
re- cn;,l dee ply the idea Of Interference
from. Other States whose people had owned
slaves and then from seif-interest had done
away with the institution. but he did not
believe that slavery should ke extended
or that it was beneficial either to the slave
OF the slave owner.
He was one OF that class OF national
st teFmen at the head of whom was
Thomas Jefferson, ard to which belonged
Henry Clay. Houston. navy Crockett and
Chief Justice fancy. who delivered the cell
ebrated bred Scott decision. In all his life
Benton never hesitated TO express his opin-
ion. in regard to the institution of slavery
as an economic institution. while at the
same time he resented deeply any intima-
ton that The Southern people were entirely
responsible for its existence.
Just after the close OF the war of 1872
Benton removed to the Territory Of Mis-