Thirty Years' View (Vol. 2 of 2): or, A History of the Working of the American Government for Thirty Years, from 1820 to 1850Benton, Thomas Hart
History
Thirty Years' View (Vol. 2 of 2): or, A History of the Working of the American Government for Thirty Years, from 1820 to 1850
Benton, Thomas Hart
United States -- Politics and government -- 1815-1861
When I addressed the Senate before, I
had just perused this letter. I recollected all its reproaches and
imputations against us, and those which were made or implied in
the speech of the honorable senator were also fresh in my memory.
Does he expect to be allowed to cast such imputations, and make
such reproaches against others without retaliation? Holding myself
amenable for my public conduct, I choose to animadvert upon his,
and upon that of others, whenever circumstances, in my judgment,
render it necessary; and I do it under all just responsibility which
belongs to the exercise of such a privilege.
"The senator has thought proper to exercise a corresponding
privilege towards myself; and, without being very specific, has
taken upon himself to impute to me the charge of going over upon
some occasion, and that in a manner which left my motive no
matter of conjecture. If the senator mean to allude to the stale
and refuted calumny of George Kremer, I assure him I can hear it
without the slightest emotion; and if he can find any fragment of
that rent banner to cover his own aberrations, he is perfectly
at liberty to enjoy all the shelter which it affords. In my case
there was no going over about it; I was a member of the House of
Representatives, and had to give a vote for one of three candidates
for the presidency. Mr. Crawford's unfortunate physical condition
placed him out of the question. The choice was, therefore,
limited to the venerable gentleman from Massachusetts, or to the
distinguished inhabitant of the hermitage. I could give but one
vote; and, accordingly, as I stated on a former occasion, I gave the
vote which, before I left Kentucky, I communicated to my colleague
[Mr. CRITTENDEN], it was my intention to give in the contingency
which happened. I have never for one moment regretted the vote
I then gave. It is true, that the legislature of Kentucky had
requested the representatives from that State to vote for General
Jackson; but my own immediate constituents, I knew well, were
opposed to his election, and it was their will, and not that of the
legislature, according to every principle applicable to the doctrine
of instructions, which I was to deposit in the ballot-box. It is
their glory and my own never to have concurred in the elevation of
General Jackson. They ratified and confirmed my vote, and every
representative that they have sent to Congress since, including my
friend, the present member, has concurred with me in opposition to
the election and administration of General Jackson.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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