59
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON~ 1848
and how it had been defended. It could not be the interest of the North to destroy the South, notwithstanding the papers signed by old men, and old womep, and pretty little girls, praying for abolition, got up in the very small coteries-these could not ruffle the Union. The intelligent and manly spirits of the North would rise up to defend the Union. He wished no separation of the States. He had too much confidence in the North to fear any injm:y from that section. And he thought the South-and he was a southern man-should make some sacrifice for the purpose of reconciliation with the North. As to the Presidential elections, he hoped they would always continue, and that the Republic would long exist; but he did not dread the influence which these questions would exercise on legislation. Oregon cannot obtain protection and good government, except from Congress; and he hoped these would be extended to her. As to the South, he was anxious to throw off from her any injurious imputations. It had been said that the South, which supported one of the candidates in 1840, had deserted him in 1844. He was a favorite with the South, because he declared himself a northern man with southern principles, and of course was a favorite with the South. What is that gentleman's position now? It reminded him of the two farmers who had two orchards, one on the north and the other on the south side of a hill. On one occasion, when the fruit failed on the northern side, the farmer on the south offered his neighbor the privilege of coming into his orchard and making there what cider he needed. "That is very well," said the northern man, "but I have no hands to make it." The southern man replied that he would make him some, and would let him have a barrel of cider. "But I have no one to bring it home," said the northern man. "Well, I will send you a barrel," was the reply. "That is all well, said his neighbor, "and when I have drunk out the cider, what will you give me for the barrel?" So the gentleman of the North with southern principles now wanted to sell the barrel to the South. He went on at some length to discuss the political character and course of Mr. Van Buren, expressing his belief that as soon as A. J. 2 Elisha's mantle fell on his shoulders, he was the favorite of the South on that account; but that when he styled himself a northern man with southern principles, that alone should have put the South on her guard, and led her to suspect him of treachery. But if the vision of the stern old warrior could break upon him as that old man would have looked, if living, on his traitorous
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