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

! souri, and settled in the old French village
nf ste Genevieve. thirty-iive miles below
-. Louis. or tn" Mississippi River. Not
long sine. | saw ;hc law Office. built Of cy-
press logs. in which he practiced his pro-
fession and from which you could look out
across the broad ',paGSo Of the Father oi
Rivers. He remained in Ste. Gcnevicve only
a few years. The plac" was too small FOR
his aggressive spirit. and he removed To
81 Louis. then giving promis" Of becoming
the great Empress Of the Mississippi Valley.
Here he almost Immediately became dc
lively engaged in shc practice OF law and
political life. He was unfortunately IN
YOlvoI I'm q quarrel soon after he became
citizen Of -. Louis with young Lucas. a
promising member of the bar and a son
of Judge Lucas. who was the wcalthieSt
and most Influential Wing in the Missouri
Territory. | DO not care to speak At length
about PERSONAL matters. hut il would not
J." perhaps improper - make statement
in REGARD IN tho tragic event which cast a
sEa dow ov'- colonel ifouton's subsequent
III" and was thu constant source of at
tack ga ull his Political career
Benton. ass / hIy. said. came from that
old NirG Mia stock that WIS extremely SEN
sitIv" % personnel honor. No man living
ever attacked Colonel BENTON personally in
regard 10 his integrity without b@iHS called
10 account Tn" iazaEpu" of politics who in
duige iu defamation and goncral statement
to max" the char-- was compelled sooner
Of later to meet him face to face | never
agreed with him politically. but standing
here today I simply state what / know
10 be true. that - far as the world could
observe he never knew the sensation of
fear. either IL. public or private life
At the first election after Benton went to
st Louis and offered. to vote. young Lucas
challenged his vote. H. challenged il after
Benton had sworn he was a bona fiGe citizen
oi IN" city OF 81. Louis AMI had come there
10 remain. Benton considered this as 4
charge OF perjury, and ne declared, the
only time that / ever beard that he men
toned the event afterwards. that It would
only be removed 10y an ahlect and full
apology or H. blood IL promptly chal-
lenged Lucas. They fought upon Bloudy
Island, just below the city Of -. Louis. in
the Mississippi River. Lucas vas almost
moTtaliy wounded. Benton waited until he
was cUnyaicscent and challenged him
again. In the second encounter Lucas was
killed. Colonel Benton never admitted that
in the absence of a fun apology. after " hat
Lucas had done. h could retain his self
respect or deserve that Of others until he
killed the man who had attacked his honor.
MIR. President, all this SOUNDS TO US now
as ssm!barharOus. and yet 81 carry our
selves back TO the age ia which this event
occurred and place ourselves in the position
public men then held It WILL | think. char
itably be admitted that. entertaining the
opinion he did and in the community he
lived. Benton could hardly have done any
Thing else. Dueling was then an institu-
ton. No man could remain in public or
social life without ostracism who refused
what they called a challenge to the field |
OF honor. All The distinguished men Of the
United States fought duets. When Ran
dolph and Clay fought. in sight Of the |
Capitol. members of the Cabinet and MEM
bers Of the Senate and House of Repre- |
sertatives. among whom was Colonel Ben
ton, were present as spectators. Jackson !
had killed his adversary in a duel. Houston