Statesman

A Western Jeffersonian.

Thomas Hart Benton's rise as a political leader mirrored that of the West. Born near Hillsboro, North Carolina, Benton spent some time at the state university before being expelled for stealing. To escape the controversy, he moved west to Franklin, Tennessee, in 1801 and became a farmer. Benton read law and entered politics, winning election to the state senate in 1809.

Missouri.

During the War of 1812 Benton served as Andrew Jackson's aide-de-camp; the two men had a competitive and often violent relationship despite their common political principles. Partly to remove himself from Jackson's circle, he moved to St. Louis in 1815 to practice law and edit a newspaper. When Missouri became a state, Benton was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he served until 1851—he was the first senator to serve three decades in the chamber.

Transition to Nationalism.

At the dawn...