Washington City, 3rd April, 1846.
My Dear Wife, .
. . On the day that you left, Genl. Cass made a great speech on Oregon.
Up to 54.40 was his position, and the general opinion is expressed that it is
the ablest and most effective effort that has been made on the subject. It will
add greatly to the number of 54.40 men with the masses, whose honest impulses
will teach them to sympathise with the views he has put forth. On the next day
Col. Benton made a regular attack upon Cass, which has led to the most exciting
and animating debate that I have ever witnessed in Congress. You will see it
reported in the papers and [it] will afford you a faithful picture of the
grappling of great intellects. Upon the whole, Cass seems to be victor in the
fight, and the effort of Benton to paralyze the effort of Cass's speech will be
foiled . . .
SOURCE: Ulrich Bonnell Phillips, Editor, The Annual
Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1911, Volume 2: The
Correspondence of Robert Toombs, Alexander H. Stephens, and Howell Cobb, p.
75
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