The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1900-05-26


lions Of people and va the friea1
Of the people. Believing he was right.
he never stopped to count the strength
of his opposition. but moved to the At
tack with unyielding determinations
and force"
As to Mr.. Blair. Mr.. Cockrell said:
"His greatest p~rescience and forco
| Of character were made manifest wheU
the lowering clouds of the civil way
portended a dissolution Of tie Union.
Equally with Jackson and Benton N
compromising in his devotion to tho
Union and in opposition to nullifca-
ton or secession, he foresaw plainly
that war was inevitable.
ale was open, frank. bold and ag-
gressive in the expression Of his views
and the advocacy Of his principles
whether popular or obnoxious at tho
time, and yet SO tempered them with
geniality and m~agnanimity that few
could keep from admiring him, and
few, indeed, were his personal enc
miles,"
SAo AAOaA o8lu III pdEbs
1.-THE whole country approves the
choice of Missouri. When the figure of
Benton is unveiled the genius of Mis-
souri-rather, the genius of the west
has come. He is the last and among
his peers, the representative, the en-
bodiment, of a great history.
Missouri did well that she waited
nearly half a century after his death
before electing him to the greater and
perpetual senate, which is to sit for.
ever in yonder chamber. It would be
well ii this example were always fo:-
lowed. No party spirit, no influence
or friendship, no mere personal graft
tude, no temporary or fleeing popu-
larity has Influenced the choice. We
know now what manner Of man Mis-.
souri, delighted to honor End what
manner of nan the American people
delight to honor.
'Tnopas H. Benton was a sturdy
and courageous champion. He under
stood, as no other man ever under
stood, the interest of the great west.
He is, beyond all question without
competitor or rival down to this mo-
ment, the foremost statesman of tho
states beyond the Mississippi.
HE loved Missouri. He loved the
west. He loved the south. From his
coming into public life, indeed, from
his first coming to manhood, there was
scarcely a pulsation of the popular
western heart which he did not share.
Yet when the time came for him to
choose between Office, party, his state.
popularity, the love of old friends and
companions, influence, power, the mas.
ter passions of his soul, as it seemed,
on The one hand, and freedom and
country upon the other, he did net
hesitate in the choice.
That is the character which the
great state of Missouri, speakin.
through ner governor and honore.i
senator's, gives to the American peo-
pie to-day. Certainly Massachusetts,
feels herself and her great children of
the days of the Puritan and the days
of the revolution honored b. the COM
pan;onshil. Sam Adams, if need b.,
will draw a thought more nigh to John
Winthrop to make room for him. Web
ster will greet his old antagonist. The
marble lips of Charles Sumner, whom
Benton welcomed in the senate in 1851,
will return the greeting now from
yonder stately ante-chamber. The old
strifes are forgotten. The old differ
have vanished. But the love OF
liberty, the love of justice, the love OF
national honor, the spirit that prizes
and justice and honor above
gain or trade or empire-the spirit Of
this great statesman of the west
abides and snail abide forever"