WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1855
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hold slaves? No! they would have constructed ships, though they are no hands at it there, to transport them to Africa, rather than to have them among them. These are the things the North should look at. Your slaves became unprofitable here, and they were thrown off. Labor and institutions, too, are governed by convenience and necessity to a great extent, without canvassing the morality or immorality of the institutions. Now, wherever the South should employ foreign labor, if it were possible to do it, it would depreciate the value of slave labor, slaves would be- come worthless, and, if possible, it would get rid of them. I have given an honest exposition of my sentiments tonight. I have not sought to be censorious nor to reflect on any; I have told you the truth, and how, by the necessity of our condition, we are forced to act as we have done in regard to slavery. I trust, though a misunderstanding may have arisen between the two sections, no deplorable result may arise, such as has been prognosticated. Our country is too glorious, too magnificent, to sublime in its future prospects, to permit domestic jars or political opinions to produce a wreck of this mighty vessel of State. Let us hold on to it, and guide it; let us give it in charge to men who will care for the whole people, who will love the country for the country's sake, and will endeavor to build up and sustain it, and reconcile conflicting interests for the sake of prosperity. This can be done, and let us not despair and break up the Union. [The lecturer here related an anecdote of the man and wife who quar- , relled about the ·color of a cow-the man insisting that it was brindle and the women that it was red. Words ran so high that they finally separated. Many years after, mutual friends effected a reconciliation, but, unfortunately, the old dispute was brought up in their first interview, and they again separated.] I pray, said he, that this brindle cow may never get into the family, and that the Union may be perpetuated while time shall last, and while there is one heart to throb at the name of America and Liberty. [Great applause.] 1 The Texan Republican, April 7, 1855; Texas State Gazette, March 31, 1855 (a very brief resume of the speech which, however, says it was deliv- ered on February 22, 1855). Boston newspapers of this date have not been available.
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