WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1851
321
States were free, sovereign, and independent, until these conces- sions were made. The Federal Government became the repository of delegated powers, and there they remain for the benefit of the several States. The States, in the full enjoyment of the powers reserved, are independent within their sphere and subject to no control from the Federal Government. These are my opinions, and I believe they agree with the Democratic faith. Incidentally various subjects have arisen in this body since I have been a member of it, and upon all these I have recorded my opinions. I know they have been at variance, on some occasions, with my party, or rather the party with which I act-I will not call it mine; I belong to it. As some of them have been incidentally adverted to, I feel bound to take up more time in some explana- tory remarks in regard to my course, than I should otherwise have any disposition to do. One thing I must be permitted to say. On this compromise, which appears to be again brought into this body, and the several measures of which have produced divisions in the Democratic party, I acted, to be sure, with the majority; but because gentle- men of the same political party differed with me I am not their censor, nor have I any right to judge them beyond the exercise of my own power or to impute to them motives unworthy of Senators. I have never done this; and I claim exemption only from charges of this character. . I had hoped that the agitation on this question was fast dying away; and it might ere this have been forgotten had it not been for the introduction of this unfortunate resolution, which has renewed all the agitation of former times, and produced crimina- tion and recrimination and scenes not less violent in their char- acter than those exhibited upon the adoption of the compromise itself. It is unfortunate; and if in the inception of a resolution of this kind such are the fruits, and if such they are in a green tree, what must they be in a dry? I apprehend that no earthly good can grow out of the adoption of the resolution. The usurpation of the people's rights will be manifest. If a modifica- tion is to take place in the Democratic platform, let it take place in a convention of the delegates of the people sent there for a political purpose, not for the purpose of legislation, but for the formation of certain creeds and imbodiments of opinions, by which the party is to be regulated in its action. That is where I wish to see such action take place. But further than this I am not prepared to go. I am not disposed to set myself up here
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