WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1851
319
of them which is foreign to the rights of the people; and there- fore I will never exercise any power, which I may have in this body, towards creating sentiment at home, when I ought, in justice, to derive that sentiment from my constituency. We have seen the effect of it in days gone by. I do not say it for the purpose of awakening any feelings or reminiscences that would be unpleasant, but is it not within the recollection of members of this body, that opinions which were sent from here to the several States throughout the South, had a powerful influence in producing the excitement which existed in the country? I was opposed to all this, because I deemed that the people throughout this Union were sufficiently intelligent to appreciate their true condition, and that if there was a necessity for correcting evils that might grow up in the country, they would have an ample opportunity, at the ballot-box, for exercising their powers in correcting them. T"hese are my opinions in relation to this matter. If the Democratic platform and the Whig platform are not broad enough for all to occupy, let the people put on any additional plank which they deem needful. We know not but that we, by enlarging, may induce an accession too great for the platform to bear, and it may break asunder. Resolutions similar to the one under consideration were in- troduced into a caucus of the Democratic members of the other House, and met with little favor there; some fifty to thirty rejected it. It was not introduced into a caucus of Senators, or I presume it would have met with as little favor. But it has found its way into this body; for what purpose? For the purpose of benefiting a party that was acting, I believe, harmoniously. Some differences of opinion existed, as is always the case, and always will be; but how easy would it have been within a short time for an these asperities of feeling to have worn out, and enabled the members of each party to act harmoniously. [An interruption by Senator Foote of Mississippi.] I have witnessed with concern the proceedings of this body for some days past. I have been silent, for if no older person than myself were present, there were Senators here who are more familiar with the proceedings of the body than I am, and to them I deferred the duty and privilege of regulating the conduct of Senators, if it was not in accordance with the practice of the body, and I looked moreover to an enlightened President. For myself, having occupied no great portion of the time of this
Powered by FlippingBook