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TIE LATE SENATOR PoRTER.-The following
are portion of the remarks Of Senator Benton on
seconding the resolutions expressive of deep sor-
row for the death of Hon. Alexander Porter:


rise, Mr. President. to second the motion Which
has been made to render the last honors OF this cham
Der to our deceased brother Senator, whose death
has been so feelingly announced; aud in dong so.
| comply with an obligation of friendship. as well
as conform to the usage of the Senate. | am the
oldest personal friend which the lustrious deceased
can have upon this floor and amongst the oldest
which he can have in the United States 1t is now,
sir more than the period OF a generauon-more than
the third of a centurv-since the then emigrant irish
bow ALEXANDER PORTER and myself met on the
banks of the Cumberland river, at Nashville, in the
State of Tennessee, when commenced friendship
which death only dissolved on his part. We be-
longed TO circle of young lawyers, and students at
law. who had the world before them, and nothing
but their exertons to depend upon. First clerk
in his lncle's store, then student at law, and al
WAYS lover of books, the young PORTER was one
of that circle, and II the custom OF all that be-
Ionged to it to spend their leisure hours in the de-
lightful occupation of reading. History, poetry,
eocution, biography, the ennoblng speeches OF the
living and the dead were our social recreation and
the Youngest member OF the circle was one OF our
favori,e readers He read well, because he compre-
hended clearly, felt strongly, remarked beautifully





the whole with his rich, meliuous Irish accent
1t was then that became acquainted with Ireland
and her chdrenrcad the ample story Of her wrongs,
learnt the long list of her martyred patriots names,
sympathised in their fate, and imbibed the feelings
for noble and oppressed people which the exunc-
ton of my own life can alone extinguish.


Time and events dispersed that circle. The young
PORTER his law license signed went 10 the Lower
NIissis<ipp; / to the Upper. And, years atterward
we met on this floor Senators from different parts o
that vast Louisiana which not even part OF the
American Union at the time that he and were born
We met here in the session of l933 '34-high party
times, and on opposite sides of the great party line
but we met as we had parted years before. We met
as friends; and, though often our part to reply TO
each other in the ardent debate, yet never did we
do it with other feelings than those with which we
were wont TO discuss subjects of recreation on
the banks of the Cumberland.


/ mention these circumstances, Mr. President,
because while they are honorable to the deceased,
they are also ustitcatory to myself for appearing as
the second TO the motion which has been made. A
personal frienshp of almost forty years gives me a
light to appear Us friend OF the deceased on this
OCCASION and to perform the Office which the rules
and the usage of the Senate permit, and winch so
many other Senators would so cordially and so
faithfully perform.