Thomas Hart Benton, an American statesman, born near Hillsborough, Orange co., N. C, March 14, 1782, died in Washington, April 10, 1858. His father died when he was eight years old, and he enjoyed few advantages of education. His mother having removed to Tennessee, he studied law there, and was elected to the legislature where he obtained the passage of a law for the reform of the judicial system of the state, and another by which the right of trial by jury was given to slaves. In the war of 1812 he served as aide-de-camp to Gen. Jackson, and also raised a regiment of volunteers, by which he acquired the title of colonel. His friendly relations with Gen. Jackson were broken off by a quarrel and a personal conflict, and they remained enemies for many years. When peace was declared in 1815 Col. Benton took up his residence in St. Louis, resumed the practice of the law, and soon afterward established the "Missouri Inquirer," by which he involved himself in several duels, in one of which he killed his opponent, Mr. Lucas. The "Inquirer" urged the admission of Missouri with a slavery constitution, and after the establishment of the state government Col. Benton was chosen United States senator in 1820. In 1824, 1826, and 1828 he advocated the granting of preemptive rights to actual settlers, a periodic reduction in the price of public land proportioned to the time that it had been in the market, and a donation of homesteads to certain persons.

He presented a bill embracing these features, and renewed it every year, until it took hold upon the public mind, and was at length substantially embodied in one of Gen. Jackson's messages, which secured its final adoption. Col. Benton also caused the adoption of a bill throwing the saline and mineral lands of Missouri which belonged to the United States open for occupancy. In the session of 1829-30 he delivered an elaborate argument against the salt tax, and followed it up with such success that the tax was repealed. He was one of the earliest advocates of a railroad to the Pacific. He favored the opening of trade with New Mexico, the establishment of military stations in Missouri and throughout the interior, and the cultivation of amicable relations with the Indians. When the charter of the United States bank expired, Col. Benton urged the adoption of a gold and silver currency as the true remedy for the embarrassments of the times. It was from the financial policy enunciated in his speeches on this topic that he obtained the sobriquet of "old Bullion." He was the mover of the famous "expunging resolutions," by which, after a great struggle, the minute of the vote censuring Gen. Jackson was expunged from the journals of the senate (1837). During Mr. Van Buren's administration Col. Benton defended the new financial policy then just introduced.

From 1841 to 1852, under the administrations of Tyler, Polk, and Taylor, he participated in the discussions that arose in regard to the Oregon boundary, the annexation of Texas, and other important subjects. The democratic administration of Mr. Polk was in favor of lat. 54° 40' N. as the boundary of Oregon, but was opposed with so much force by Col. Benton, that Mr. Polk acquiesced in his views and accepted lat. 49° N. as the line. During the Mexican war the policy of a "masterly inactivity," at first determined upon by the president, was abandoned upon the recommendation of Col. Benton, and that of a vigorous prosecution of the war adopted in its stead. At one time it was proposed by President Polk to confer upon him the title of lieutenant general with full command of the war, in order that he might carry out his conceptions in person. Questions in regard to slavery were brought on by the acquisition of Mexican territory. These were adjusted by the compromise acts of 1850, which were introduced by Mr. Clay. They were opposed by Col. Benton and defeated as a whole, but passed separately. In the controversy and quarrel between Gen. Jackson and Mr. Calhoun, Col. Benton had been upon Gen. Jackson's side.

Mr. Calhoun having propounded the doctrine of nullification, Col. Benton became his most formidable democratic opponent in the senate. They became bitter enemies, and their hostility lasted as long as they lived. The Calhoun doctrine was introduced into the discussion of the abolition petitions in the house of representatives in 1835. It was definitely presented in the session of 1846-'7. On Feb. 19, 1847, Mr. Calhoun, in answer to the "Wilmot Proviso," which excluded slavery from all territory subsequently to be acquired, introduced resolutions which embodied his doctrine as to state rights. Col. Benton denounced them as "firebrand resolutions." They never came to a vote in congress, but were adopted by the legislatures of some of the slave states and made the basis of political action; and the legislature of Missouri made them the basis of instructions to the senators of the state. When the instructions were received by Col. Benton he denounced them as containing disunion doctrines and as not expressing the true sense of the people. Upon the adjournment of congress he immediately returned to Missouri and canvassed every section of the state in a series of speeches famous for their bitterness of denunciation, strength of exposition, and caustic wit.

The legislature of 1849-'50 was largely democratic, but Col. Benton, as a candidate for senator, was defeated by a coalition between his democratic opponents (known as "anties") and the whigs. At the close of his term he therefore retired from the senate, after six successive elections and 30 years1 continuous service, during all of which time he had been one of the most prominent and active members. In 1852 he was elected to the house of representatives, where he at first sustained the administration of President Pierce; but when the Calhoun party obtained the ascendancy he withdrew his support. He made a memorable speech in opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska bill, but the bill was passed, and at the next election he lost his seat in congress. He then devoted two years to study and literary pursuits, and in 1856 canvassed the state as a candidate for governor. He was received with great popular enthusiasm, but a third ticket, nominated by the "Native Americans," drew off so many votes from him that Mr. Trusten Polk (national democrat) was elected by a small plurality. In the presidential election of the same year Col. Benton supported Mr. Buchanan in opposition to his own son-in-law, Col. Fremont. - After Col. Benton's defeat he resumed his literary pursuits.

The first volume of his " Thirty Years' View " of the working of our government had been published in 1854. The second and last appeared in 1856. He then undertook the task of condensing, revising, and abridging the debates of congress from the foundation of the government. Although at the advanced age of 76, he labored at this task daily. He lived long enough to bring the work down to the conclusion of the great compromise debate of 1850, in which, with Clay, Calhoun, Webster, and Seward, he had himself borne a conspicuous part, the last pages being dictated in whispers after he had lost the power of speaking aloud. It was published under the title of " An Abridgment of the Debates of Congress from 1789 to 1856" (15 vols. 8vo., New York).