55
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1826
At this time, too, when our first army had been betrayed, our second, exhausted, our treasury empty, the national credit gone, and every nerve was strained to maintain the national honor- why was that disastrous moment selected, to agitate the most delicate question which, can ever be brought before this House? a question which, touch it when you will, and how you· will, you \vill find the acutest feeling of this House to vibrate with keenest sensibility; a question which every man, possessed of one gen- erous feeling, would have kept far out of view. Why was it brought forward to distract the councils of our country, when the hearts of patriots were bleeding, and the gloomiest appre- hensions were entertained for the issue of the war? Was there no generous feeling to repress the discussion of such a question? It would be portentous now- it was doubly calamitous then. I allude, Sir, to a report of a joint committee of both Houses of the Massachusetts Legislature; the third resolution of which re- port proceeds to say, that the act of April, 1812, admitting L~uis- iana, was a violation of the Constitution. And their Representa- tives were instructed by the same resolution to ende::i.vor to secure a repeal of that act. This report was approved, and the resolutions were opposed to the admission of any States, "because it tends to the disso!ution of the Union." What tendency could these proceedings have had at that time, 'if their projectors had realized their wishes? Yet, this subject was urged without re- morse. And in the hour of distress and anguish, we were threat- ened by this very proceeding, with dissolution of the Union. And have men the hardihood, while these facts are yet fresh in the memory and in the hearts of all, to demand of this House re- muneration for services in the late war? Sir, there is more bold- ness and more courage in bringing forward such a claim, than was indicated by the functionaries of Massachusetts towards the enemy during the whole course of the war. It is not my purpose, however, to attack the People of Massachusetts en masse. I would not willingly invade their feelings, nor travel over the ground taken by a majority of their Legislature. I only wish to show that the General _Government, in mainbining the rights of this. country, derived no encouragement, and received no adequate support from either the Government, or the People of Massa- chusetts. It is very unpleasant for me to be obliged to say this. But it is true. And it is my duty alone, as a member of the com- mittee who have reported this bill, to state my objections to it~ passage, as I was not in favor of reporting it to the House. I
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