(eBay 140)

REP. WITH.

31st CONGRESS, 1st Session.

[SENATE.]

No. 170.

IN SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES.

JULY 30, 1850.

Submitted and ordered to be printed with the appendix.

MR. PEARCE made the following

REPORT:

The Committee appointed in conformity with a resolution of the Senate of the 17th of April, 1850,-report:

That, at the request of Mr. Benton and Mr. Foote, they summoned witnesses and took much testimony, which is set forth at large in an appendix herewith presented.

In order to a proper understanding of the facts into which the committee were directed to enquire, it is necessary to premise, that on several occa- sions prior to the 17th of April last, the Senator from Missisippi, (Mr. Foote) had indulged in remarks personal to the Senator from Missouri, (Mr. Benton)-that, on the occasion last preceding the one in question, Mr. Benton complained of these personalities, in strong and violent lan- guage, addressed to the Senate; retorted the personalities upon Mr. Foote, spoke of the failure of the Senate to protect its members from such insults; and declared his determination, if the Senate did not protect him thereafter, to redress the wrong himself, cost what it might. He also said, in sub- stance, that a member offering such insults should be cudgelled. On the fol- lowing day, Mr. Benton brought into the Senate, the newspaper report of the altercation, which, he said, had been revised by Mr. Foote. He pro-

nounced it a lying report, and denounced it as cowardly. On th 17th of April, the Senator from Missouri, (Mr. Benton,) said, in debate, as follows:

"SIR: I intend, by these amendments, to cut at the root of all that agitation, and to cut up the whole address of the southern members, by which the country was thrown into a flame. I mean to show that there was no foundation for any such thing; that is, I mean to offer a proposition, upon which the votes will show that there has been a cry of 'wolf,' when there was no wolf; that the country has been alarmed without reason and against reason; that there is no design in the Congress of the United States to encroach upon the rights of the South, nor to aggress upon the South, nor to oppress them upon the subject of their institutions. 1 propose, sir, to give the Senate an opportunity of showing that all this alarm has been without foundation; and I further propose to give to the people of the United States the highest declaration that can be given on earth that they have been disturbed about nothing; and when we come to that part of the question, we will see whether they are abstractions or not; and if

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