WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1850
257
myself of my privilege. I am astonished that the Senator from Georgia, who presented this motion, should have acknowledged himself so very deficient in regard ·to intelligence from New Mexico. He says that that State that would be, has not been represented here, but he certainly must have forgotten that there was a most assiduous representative and Delegate from there, Mr. Hugh N. Smith-a gentleman who was not only zealous, but able, and who was present here during most of the session as the representative of that infant State or Colony. Yes, Sir, he was here, and he left us but the other day, fully compensated for his services; and I have no doubt that his labors were of great importance to New Mexico. The Senator so recently arrived, though his telegraphic dispatch was here before him, has now his claims presented. This is the first new State that I ever saw represented by a single Senator, and I presume, if Washington city had not been his residence and home, he would not have been here either. The controversy between the military governor of New Mexico and the self constituted authori- ties of that country was very well calculated, I should suppose, to have deterred any man who had not the inducement of re- turning to his home, from attempting to leave there in the expectation of being recognized as a member of this or the other House of Congress. It is well know that a controversy has arisen between the authorities there constituted under the orders of the Administration, and those acting under the military authority, which has well nigh resulted in open war, and this "Senator elect" is the offspring of their mutual discord. It is under these circumstances that he comes here, and is there anything analogous between his claims and those of the Senators from California? The Senators from California came here representing a State, certainly irregular in its first organization, not having passed through all the graduations of government which our system prescribes; but they came here with some sanction, some authority to sustain them. The voice of the people, and of a regularly convened Legislature, sent them here. There were no difficulties conflicting with the territorial and sovereign rights of any other State in the Union arising from their admission. Sir, I cannot see why we should not just as properly admit to a seat any individual who comes from the Utahs, or the Cherokee nation, or from anywhere else, claiming to represent a constituency, as this individual who claims to be a Senator elect. They are quite as much entitled to it. Indeed, they are much more so, because they have had no one here to
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