WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1826
59
militia against the common enemy, but were ready to "resist unto blood" the constitutional authorities of the country? I beg leave to assure the friends of this bill, that my objections to this claim are founded in principle. I know that the rising generation in Massachusetts have be- come supporters of this Government, by the declarations of the Governor and both branches of the Legislature. But are we to pay the claim because they will be dutiful hereafter? Will it be said that the General Government ought to have taken steps to put an end to such a state of things? If steps, at the necessary crisis, had been taken; if officers had been sent to the Governor of Massachusetts-the state of feeling there was so violent, in resistance to the General Government, that your officers would have been crucified. Did not the authorities of that State tell the President of the United States that he was no officer of the Gov- ernment? that he was unfit for his station, and that he must sur- render up his power? Under these circumstances would it have been proper for the General Government to have invaded Massa- chusetts, by the march of an army, if we had had troops to spare on such an enterprise? Were not that People prepared "to resist unto blood?" For what are we to pay them? Did they not thwart the views of the General Government, by every possible means in their power? Did they not decry the war, vilify its supporters, dishearten our troops, encourage and comfort the enemy, threaten their fellow citizens, bully Congress, and attempt to depose the President of the United States? And this in a time of our utmost need? They did. Their Governor took the front, their Legisla- ture supported the Governor, and the People, by a majority cheered and animated them both. Am I right, Sir? Yes. The Governor was re-elected on the 6th of April, 1814. Hear the sentence contained in his address of the 13th of May, 1814. The Hartfo1~d Convention, that memorable body so characteristic of the politics of th'at day, had been projected in February of the same year. They had made a report to which Governor Strong refers, in his communication to the Legislature, and says: "This report was accepted by the Legislature, and it was thereupon resolved that the memorials and report should be delivered to the Governor, and that he or his successors in office, should cause them to be laid before the next Legislature, which will be done." In the same speech he says: "From the time war was declared, a great portion of People of this State have viewed that measure as unnecessary and unjustifiable." In another extract there is
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