WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1855
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hundred miles, would afford great facilities for the escape of our slaves to the North. . We had already a safety valve for such population to the South. Mexico yearly relieved us of a large portion of our slaves, and I was not willing to inflict a similar calamity upon the citizens of Texas on their northern border. I myself had felt the smart of Mexico's proximity to us by the loss of Tom 2 and Esau, who had obtained a greater notoriety, I believe, than I myself. I was not willing to increase the misfortunes of others, even if I had been a victim to some extent myself. I always fought for the protection of Southern rights, and South- ern property. After Mr. Douglass had brought forward this bill, it was thought that the administration of Mr. Pierce was beginning to wane. I was not apprised of the condition of the moon, nor how far it had waned, but I did know that a change had taken place in the phases of the administration. Well, Mr. Pierce thought it necessary to secure the united vote of the South. How was that to be done? It had been tried to unite the South on the subject of the Tariff, but that effort had failed, and it was proclaimed by the great leader of disunion, that the South could never be united as a unit except on the subject of slavery. The repeal of the Missouri Compromise would then unite the whole South. A gentleman said to me a few days after the repeal of this Compromise had been concocted in caucus (as much as we hear about caucuses, secret conclaves now-a-days)-in speaking with him on this subject, I deprecated its passage. I said it will endanger the Union, destroy the Democratic party and prostrate the administration of Mr. Pierce. He said to me, "Sir, you are mistaken. It will reelect Mr. Pierce to the Presidency. It will secure to him the united vote of the South. He will also get the vote of Illinois through the influence of Mr. Douglass, Indiana through the influence of Mr. Bright, and Pennsylvania will reelect him without New York." So you see, it was a mathematical cal- culation. It was the President, not the South that was to be served by the repeal of the Missouri Compromise. Now, fellow-citizens, I do not know any spot on earth where there is more intelligence in proportion to the population of Texas, than in Texas herself. Now, is it not strange that it was so important to the people of Texas that the Missouri Compro- mise, which had stood for one-third of a century, approved and acquiesced jn by the ablest statesmen of the age since our Fathers had passed off should be abrogated? If it was so important to the well-being of the South that it should be repealed, it is pass- ing strange that no Southern statesman had ever before even :.
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