|
Biographical Notes
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas Hart Benton
|
|
|
In 1815 Benton resigned his commission and determined not to return to Tennessee. Instead he headed for St. Louis, Missouri. In St. Louis he took up temporary residence in the home of Charles Gratiot, an early French settler and well-connected merchant. Through Gratiot, Benton was quickly introduced to the Missouri Territory's leading citizens. In October 1815, Benton registered to practice law in St. Louis and soon developed a successful practice that emphasized land claim litigation. In May 1817, Benton brought his mother to live with him in St. Louis. That same year Territorial Governor William Clark appointed him to the Board of Trustees for Schools in St. Louis. He also began writing articles for the Western Emigrant newspaper. In September Benton killed Charles Lucas in a duel on Bloody Island in the Mississippi River opposite St. Louis. Charles was the son of Judge John B. Lucas. Judge Lucas had already taken a dislike to Benton and following the death of his son became an even more embittered lifelong enemy. In 1818 Benton became editor of the Western Emigrant and changed the name of the newspaper to the St. Louis Enquirer. Benton's articles dealt with a wide variety of issues and did much to get his name and views out into the political arena Benton also involved himself in various business activities including an investment in the Bank of St. Louis. This bank had a troubled history, collapsed, and was replaced by the Bank of Missouri. Benton took a great interest in banking and the Enquirer ran numerous articles on the subject.
|
|
|
By 1819 Benton was advocating statehood for Missouri, adjustment of land titles derived from Spanish grants, protection for fur traders, an end to the government operated trading posts (the factory system), privatization of the local salt and lead industries, a series of transportation improvements and the establishment of St. Louis as being a U.S. port of entry with its own customs house. The slavery issue complicated the argument for statehood and two opposing factions emerged locally and at the national level. Benton was quick to take the pro-slavery side in the debate vigorously arguing that Missouri should be admitted as a slave-holding state. One of the most ardent leaders of the anti-slavery cause was Judge Lucas. In 1819 Benton was elected to the Board of Trustees for St. Louis. In the closing days of 1819 the first Missouri compromise was proposed by Senator J. B. Thomas of Illinois. This bill called for the admission of Maine as a non-slave state and Missouri as a slave-holding state. President Monroe signed the legislation on March 6, 1820. In September Thomas Hart Benton and David Barton were elected to be the first two senators to represent Missouri in the United States Senate. On the way to Washington right after his election, Benton stopped in Cherry Grove, Virginia, and proposed marriage to Elizabeth McDowell. He had proposed to her once before in 1815 on his way to St. Louis, but she had rejected him. This time she said yes.
|
|
|
Benton arrived in Washington in November and attended the opening session of Congress on December 13, 1820, as a senator elect. Judge Lucas wrote to all of his acquaintances attempting to poison Benton's reception, but most Washingtonians seemed to like him. The sole exceptions were the allies of Andrew Jackson. In Congress the question of Missouri statehood was under a cloud because of a provision in the new state's constitution that prohibited free black persons from entering the state. Henry Clay crafted the second Missouri compromise which got around the issue by having Missouri legislature pledge that it would not enact any legislation which conflicted with the U.S. Constitution. Congress adjourned on March 3, 1821, and Benton was married to Elizabeth McDowell on March 20. In May they arrived in St. Louis. The economy was seriously depressed in 1821 and Missouri was hit hard. The opening of the Santa Fe trade helped to stimulate Missouri's economy, but not before the Bank of Missouri was forced to close its doors. Benton as a director of the bank was saddled with additional debt with the bank's failure. In December 1821, when Congress reconvened, Benton was at long last seated in the senate. Benton went to work quickly and offered numerous bills designed to deal with the issues that he believed faced his state and the union. Most of them were focused on Spanish land titles, the fur trade and the lead mines. In May 1822 he succeeded in getting legislation through both houses of congress which eliminated the government operated trading posts in Indian territory.
|
|
|
In 1823 Benton began focusing on Oregon, arguing that steps should be taken to assure that the territory would eventually become part of the United States. An agreement with Great Britain calling for joint occupation was to expire in 1828. In 1824 Benton began agitating for a constitutional amendment that would do away with the electoral college and permit direct election of the president. He also offered a plan to change the government's land policy making it easier for common citizens to purchase government lands. In support of his various proposals he began printing leaflets for public distribution in an attempt to gain public support for his policies. In the fall of 1823 Jackson was elected to the Senate from Tennessee. He and Benton reconciled their differences, sat next to each other in the senate, and worked well together on the Military Affairs Committee. On May 31, 1824 Elizabeth gave birth to their second child - Jessie Ann Benton. In the run up to the 1824 presidential election Benton supported his cousin-in-law Henry Clay over Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, and William H. Crawford. In that election eighteen of the twenty-four states selected their candidate of choice by popular vote rather than by the respective state legislatures. Jackson received the greatest number of popular votes but only 99 electoral votes. Adams was next with 84 electoral votes, then Crwaford with 41 and finally Clay with 37. None had received enough electoral votes to win the presidency and the elction was thrown into the House of Representatives.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|