289
WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1851
Sir, is the opposition to this bill to be obviated and its oppon- ents intimidated by threats of popular denunciation and of pop- ular prejudice? I trust that higher motives actuate the men who oppose the passage of this bill, and that they are perfectly will- ing to incur the responsibility of their action. I know not what responsibility other opponents of this bill may have incurred; nor do I know how they regard that responsibility; but for myself, so far as I am concerned in relation to this measure, I have had a total disregard of the consequences. I would feel a great contempt for myself when I had an honest and conscientious opposition to a bill, if I did not interpose my objections, if I did . not vote against it regardless of expediency, and regardful only of the public interests of the country. I have pursued that course, and I assume that other gentlemen are as honest as I am myself. But on whom must the responsibility devolve? Was the bill so perfect when it came here that amendments were unnecessary? Amendments of every description that has been offered here have been opposed by the friends and advocates of this measure. They have attempted to force this bill through without deliber- ation and without discussion. They have resisted every attempt to amend or modify this measure. Why was this? Was this not dictatorial towards the minority? I think it was. Have not the advocates of this bill, under the extraordinary circumstances here presented, been the entire means of preventing the passage of the regular appropriation bills which are necessary to con- duct the Government and sustain the present Administration? Are we not bound in good faith to sustain the Administration while it is engaged in promoting the interests of the country, and in administering the affairs of the nation? I care not whether it is a man of my choice who presides over the nation, or whether it is a gentleman of opposite politics and opposite party to that which I act; so long as he pursues and has for his object the welfare of the Union, and has the laws and the Con- stitution for his guide, I will stand by him and render him a faithful and honest support. That is the duty of every Senator. But how can you give support to the Administration, to the Gov- ernment, to the institutions of the country, unless you make the customary appropriations? You cannot. If you do not make appropriations, you clog the wheels of Government and urge the necessity of an extra session of the Senate. Have the opponents of this bill been instrumental in that? If they have, it has been to avert a calamitous evil; to prevent the enactment of a ruinous
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