336
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1851
and children were fugitives, and distracted with fear and appre- hension-when an invading and victorious enemy were sweep- ing over her plains-then it was that a Governor of South Caro- lina denounced us as vagrants and vagabonds. r; Sir, if this im- posed an obligation upon us in our veriest need, I have yet to learn a sense of gratitude for such favors. We honor the mem- ory of the gallant sons of South Carolina who fell in the Texan contest, and we have recompensed their representatives as far as possible; but to say that South Carolina ever aided Texas in the advance of one penny . . . Mr. Butler. I never said that South Carolina did. Mr. Houston. Then the gentleman says, I suppose, that some of her citizens did. Mr. Butler. I have always understood so. Mr. Houston. I assure the gentleman that he is mistaken in his apprehension. I do not mean any disrespect to South Carolina. I have stated facts. I intended to make no disreputable intima- tion. I can assure the gentleman that I am not fishing for the favor of South Carolina. I do not like the sea-board, and in the mountains they have nothing but trout, and I never was a fisher- man. I would not fish for political influence in South Carolina particularly, until some change or modification takes place in the power of the people to express their opinions. I do say, once for all, that I do not intend to reflect on the people of South Carolina, or on the memory of the illustrious dead. I am sorry, we have had such a rambling, desultory debate to-day, but I have done with it. 1 Congressional Globe, XXIII, 133-139; C. E. Lester, Authentic Memoirs (1867), pp. 358-362. The resolution in question was, in effect, that the compromise measures were a definite settlement of all questions growing out of the subject of domestic slavery. 2 See Address to his Constituents, March 2, 1849, in this volume. 3 See to James Gadsden, September 20, 1849, in answer to a letter from Gadsden abusing Houston for his action both in public and private affairs, and championing the acts and the career of John C. Calhoun, in this volume. 4This was General Daniel Wallace (May 9, 1801-May 13, 1859), a repre- sentative from South Carolina. See his letter and Houston's reply, and then the abusive attack against Houston published in The Southern P,-ess, August 23, 1850. Also see Houston's speech explaining his vote for the admission of California, August 13, 1850. ~The farewell message of Governor George McDuffie, November 28, 1836, is to be found in the South Carolina Leuisla-tive Jou.rnal, 1836-1838, pp. 1-12. Pages 11-12 contain his statement concerning Texas, to which Houston here refers.
Powered by FlippingBook