University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1911-05-22

tOrial career but gradually he got the
people aroused from their Indifference
i'm regard to the joint occupation by
England and the United States, ana
the sentiment swung to the other ex-
IRENE and expressed itself in the slogan
of Polk's campaign, "Fifty-four Forty
or Fight" But Benton never did Ia
yor this. He was satisfied with the
parallel ~ as the boundary, and final
| ly in 1876 through his influence the
question was brought to a peaceful
settlement on those terms.
| Thus in the years OF Bentons $
grown manhood had come the most
wonderful expansion of the United
States, and Benton had been the
most enthusiastic worker for this eX-
pansien. He saw the time when the
Mississippi formed the Western boun-
dary of the states and he was privi-
legged TO see the time when I'VE own
the country from sea to sea-from the
Atlantic to the Pacilic.and upon a
breadth equal 10 the length of the
Mississippi. and embracing the whole
temperate zone.
Benton's fifth session in the Sen
ate ended in 1851. The legislature
that was to choose his successor was
elected in August, 1850, and in Janu-
airy OF the following year. proceeded to
the election of a senator. 1t was a
bitter struggle, bur after twelve days
and forty ballots Benton was defeated.
In 1852 he was elected representative
to the National Congress from the
First Missouri district. In 1854 he
was candidate again, but he was
defeated.
! Now there was just one more cam
paign before him, and this was to be
another defeat. In 1876 he ran for
governor OF Missouri. He was more
than "A years old and suffering from
a dreadful malady, still he travelled
more than 1900 miles over the state
in carriage and on hOr. eback often
where there were no roads at all and
made forty speeches of from one To
two hours in length
His political career was over, and
only little while of his life remained.
Most of his last days were spent in
| literary work, for he was determined
to work to the end. On April 10, 1858
he died with these last words: Il
am comfortable and content.
In many ways Benton was n pecu-
liar man. He was one type of the
man on the street and another type
in his home. He never wanted the
outside interests to enter the home
and il was his habit TO lay aside all
thoughts of politics and business when
he dressed for dinner. But on one
occasion, it is related. he forgot his
position as carver and sat biting what
he thought was a piece OF bread until
he was aroused from his meditation
by 4 laugh, and Father. that's the
claret cork you are trying to eat"
from his daughter Mrs. ]. c. Fremont.
He laughed and sent the dish away,
saying: Child don't ask me to carve
anything until the Ashburton treaty
is settled.
In an autobigraphical sketch, Ben
ton tells about his political feelings.
Politically, Colonel Benton always
was classed demOcratically, but with
very little regard for the modern de-
mocracy founded on platform which
the political carpenters reconstruct
about every four years, generally out
of office timber, sometimes green and
sometimes rotten. and in either case
equally good as the platform was only
wanted TO last until after the election.
He admitted no platform of political
principles but the constitution. He
viewed as impertinent and mischiev-
GUS the attempt to eXpOund the conSti-
tuition, periodically. in a set of hurrah
resolutions. juggled through the fag-
end of packed convention, and held
to be the only test of political saliva
ton during its brief day of suprem-
acy.' This quotation also shows his
manner of speaking OF himself. He
was not always held down by modesty,
and he was inclined TO be boastful so
long as he was successful. With him
it was Benton and the accent on
the "ton," and not 81.
He was man of great capacity for
work. In his time as senator he never
had clerk or cOpyist. Ii was said
that every thing he did "Smelt of the
lamp When once he became po-
sessed of purpose his courage and
enthusiasm only arose with obstacles
and no inducements could turn him
faside. In his senatorial career, Jack
son offered to make him Minister to