WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1850
202
educated in the land of steady habits, where propriety and every- thing excellent is practiced according to a method, and the best method, it would be strange if, from his high place, he would not be warranted in delivering lectures upon subjects of such vital importance to the community. That Texas should resist anything done by this Government, is most extraordinary to him•, be it right or wr.ong. Now, it seems to me that that gentleman has had less respect, on some occasions, for the harmony and concord of this Union than I could desire to see, not only in Texas, but in all parts of the United States. It seems to me that that gentleman considers that something like abolition and the "higher law" is the only way of preserving this Union. When Texas does wrong, when she is sensible of her error, she will make any reparation to the gentleman for the wrong she may have done to bim. But really until Texas has done some other act beyond her present "sinful" condition, as it is called, I shall think the gentleman's admonition rather in bad taste. The gentleman from New Hampshire seems to have a sort of prescriptive right to lecture. [Laughter] But I shall not indulge in any lectures to his State. The gentleman from New Jersey [lVIr. Dayton] said that Texas insists upon one thing and we upon another. That is arraying the whole Union against Texas, and making it a war between Texas and the Union; when the Union, upon every principle of the Constitution, is invoked to step forward, and to vindicate Texas in the maintenance of her just rights. Sir, it is no war between Texas and the Union; it is no war between Texas and the Constitution of the Union. Texas complains of a violation of the Constitution, and of the usages of the land, in a military officer being delegated with civil powers, such as have never before been exercised or granted. This is the complaint of Texas. She makes none against the Union, nor against the Constitution. But the unconstitutional action which has been exercised towards her furnishes her ground of complaint, and she expects every State and every representative of every State to step forward to vindi- cate her in the maintenance of her rights until they are fairly adjudicated. This is what Texas expects and hopes. 1 Congressional Globe Appenclix, XXII, Part 2, 1st Sess., 31st Congress, 1438-1439. On July 9, 1850, the Senate began its debate on the Compromise Bill, a debate that was to last for several months. The caption of the bill stated that it was relative to the admission of California as a State of the Union, the establishment of territorial government for Utah and New
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