WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1855
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German. "Yeas, I have heard of them Democrats." Candidate. "I am in favor of allowing Germans to vote and hold office and make laws. These Know Nothings won't let foreigners vote for twenty-one years after they come to this country." German. "Well, I will vote for that man who does not allow Germans to hold office and vote for twenty-one years. We come here, we don't know nothing about your language here; we don't know nothing about your laws, and we got our own notions, and we cannot read your language, and this is your country what you make, and we come here and you make the laws-you know better how to take care of the government than we do, and I won't vote for any foreigner to make the laws. I come away from my country to get rid of the infarnal laws, and I don't want any lawmaker what come from that country, for fear they make bad laws for this country, and I come away to get rid of bad laws." Now, fellow-citizens, I have told you about the Nebraska bill. I will say that there are but two planks in the platform on which I stand-the Constitution and the Union. I am a Jackson Demo- crat. I claim to be one. I never was anything else. General Jackson was the first man I ever admired as a statesman; I have admired him always. I admired him when I saw his sacred remains deposited in the bosom of Mother Earth. I was always with him in his policies. Now, let any other statesman of my age come forward and claim equal Jacksonian Democracy with myself. That statesman does not live. Other statesmen have had their favorites; they have held office under, or been advo- cates of other individuals at times. Cass, at one time had Mr. Adams, Buchanan, Mr. Clay-but I have ever been a Jackson man-nothing but a Jackson man. (Cheers.) Then, what folly for the Democracy to taunt me with the cry of party! beautiful party! It is a party without principles. But however virtuous its leaders may be-and I know that there are many honest men, patriots, good Jackson Democrats in that party, deluded by the name of a party whose principles have been violated and tram- pled under foot. Yes, my fellow citizens, there are good Demo- crats among them, but unfortunately they have got into bad company. But you will see, my friends, that my principles have not changed, and that I stand where I have ever stood with but two planks in my platform-the Constitution and the Union. By the one I am guided, with the other I am willing to perish. It was broad enough for Andrew Jackson to stand upon and vindi- cate his principles. He exemplified the principles of the Consti-
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