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WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1855
making this full and perfect synopsis of it, for the gratification of their curiosity, and for that purpose only... A Democrat. 1 The Texas Range,· and Lone Star (Washington, Texas), August 11, 1855. It is plainly evident that this report of Houston's speech is biased, but it is the fullest summary that has been found. 2 Robert Dale Owen (November 9, 1801-June 24, 1877) was Pierce's ap- pointee at the Court of Naples. He was the eldest son of Robert Owen, the English Socialist reformer; he himself is described as "a radical socialist from Indiana," (See Anna Ella Carroll, A Rev-iew of P·ierce's Administra- . tion, pp. 26, 74; Boston, 1856). For years he was associated with Frances Wright, the violent leader of negro emancipation, and with her edited a radical socialist newspaper that was one of the strongest advocates of emancipation. For biography see Robert Dale Owen, Tlwe<iding my Way; Frank Podmore, Robe1-t Dale Owen, (2 volumes); Dictionm11 of Ame?"ican Biography, XIV, 118-120, and many other sources. BThis was William Hayward. SYNOPSIS OF A SPEECH AT BRENHAM, OCTOBER 20, 1855 1 A very large concourse of citizens of Washington county, of both political parties, and of both sexes, attended the courthouse on the 20th inst., to hear General Houston's views on the topics of the day. A tremendous shout welcomed the old hero to the audience, and continued until he took the stand.-He began his remarks by saying that he came to Brenham more for the pur- pose of hearing, than of being heard.-And that he would much prefer being a listener on that occasion. But his duty to his country compelled him to speak out-he would be a recreant otherwise. The institutions of his fathers were in danger, and that it behooved the native population to watch, and protect them-the country must be saved, and the American party must do it. He said he was a Democrat-had always been a Democrat of the Jeffersonian, Jacksonian School-he was not in the habit of following after strange gods-he had always been consistent-at least in politics-he stands now where he stood twenty years ago-where he stood fifty years ago. He said that the Anti-American party has assumed the name Democrats-they were not entitled to it-it is very easy to assume a thing-Milton says that the Devil assumed the shape of a toad on one occasion, but that the touch of an Angel showed his deformity-that he (General Houston) would touch up these self-styled Democrats, and show that they are nothing but todies;
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