May 26, 1849…Benton's "Appeal to the People"

One of the two best-known speeches in Thomas Hart Benton's long political career was his "Appeal to the People," delivered in the State Capitol May 26, 1849. Directed against the Jackson Resolutions, the speech became as famous as his railroad speech also delivered in 1849. In reality, the "Appeal to the People" opened Benton's campaign for re-election to the United States Senate in 1851 and blasted against his political enemies in Missouri.

For three decades Benton had dominated the State political scene. His determined stand on the banking and currency questions in the early 1840s had jeopardized his popularity with certain groups and as early as 1844 caused a serious party breach. By 1849 these views plus his non-extension of slavery policy aroused the enmity of a "Central Clique" and brought the Jackson Resolutions. Radical proslavery instructions to Missouri's congressmen, they denied Congress the right to prohibit slavery in the territories. The resolutions were approved by the Missouri General Assembly March 10, 1849, and brought Benton to deny indignantly the assembly's right to direct congressmen. He refused to abide by the instructions and began canvassing against them, from May 26 to November 8, traveling over the State denouncing the resolutions.

The speech, twenty-two newspaper columns long, was printed verbatim, and for weeks was the one topic of political interest. In the speech Benton declared his belief in the Federal Constitution and abhorrence of "both slavery agitation and slavery extension." He said, "Taught to admire the founders of our government in my early youth, I reverence them now; taught to value their work then, I worship it now; a senator for thirty years, I cannot degrade the Senate by engaging in slavery and disunion discussions. Silence such debate is my prayer, and if that cannot be done, I silence myself."

How effectively he silenced himself was all too apparent when the final results were made known in the Senatorial Election of 1851. On the fortieth ballot, Benton lost 80 to 55 to Henry S. Geyer, a St. Louis Whig.

Letter to [John] Scott [Ste. Genevieve, Missouri] from St. Louis, 15 January 1820. Benton discusses political strategy, Bank of Missouri, roads, Alabama public lands, national versus sectional interests, James Bates, and David Barton. A transcription is available.

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