WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1849
78
MARCH, 1849
ADDRESS TO CONSTITUENTS, MARCH 2, 1849, CONCERNING HIS ACTION IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE, MARCH 2, 1849 1 To My Constituents: Soon after the close of the last session of Congress, my conduct in relation to an important public measure was called in question by Mr. Calhoun. In a speech at Charleston, he assumed that, but for my defection, as he was pleased to consider, and that of another Senator (Mr. Benton) from a slaveholding state, the bill organizing the Government of Oregon would have been defeated, and thus another victory for the South, over the North, achieved. It has always been my purpose to respond to this accusation, so evidently designed to injure me in the good opinion of my immediate constituents and the people of the whole South. In the hope that some proper occasion might take place during the session of Congress which would render retaliation proper, I forebore making it a matter of especial notice before the Senate, while I resolved not to let it pass unheeded. My motto is, "In time," not in haste. It evinces too much eagerness for oppugna- tion, and too little consideration for an opponent, who speaks as the representative of the whole South, to rush into a contest without examining well his position. But upon what authority does Mr. Calhoun assume the char- acter of guardian of the whole South? Whence does he derive the privilege of holding the Senators of the other States account- able before his constituents of South Carolina, as betrayers of them and the whole South? What apostolic mission warrants the extension of his infallibility beyond South Carolina, and the visitation of the excommunicating power upon the representatives of other States? If Mr. Calhoun can thus utter Papal bulls for a multitude of States-can enlarge his South Carolina supremacy so as to absorb one-half of the Union-it must be (if not in virtue of some divine right) the result of voluntary submission of those over whom this superiority is arrogated, founded on un- limited confidence in the sanctity, the unselfishness, the consistency of his principles and patriotism, or tendered as a tribute of devout gratitude for extraordinary services rendered to that portion of the country from which this homage is exacted.
Powered by FlippingBook