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WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1855
tution in all his actions; and was the ardent friend, the devoted defender of the Union; there is where I stand, there I am willing to live, and there I expect to die. It has been charged that the American party has grown up on the ruins of former political parties. I cannot tell what is meant by ruins. It is a relative term and rather ambiguous in its meaning. But according to the showing of the Democratic party, they have got into a prodigious pickle. That I may be better understood, I will give you some of my reasons for coming to this conclusion. You will recollect Mr. Stephens of Georgia, one of the most rabid Whigs, and considered to be the greatest sinner in the world, while he opposed them. He was a disunionist Whig, though I can say to the credit of that party, that they are generally devoted and loyal to the union, unless, as is sometimes the case, they get into bad company. Well, Mr. Stephens in coming out in a late canvass declared against the American party. He was hailed as a Democrat proselyte, received loud "huzzahs" from the party and his election was claimed as a Democratic triumph. He now comes out and says he stands where he ever has, and that his political faith has not changed. He was the man who declared that the Democratic party had the dry rot, an incurable disease in timber and platforms, I believe. Nor is this all. I have more conclusive proof that the Democratic party is in ruins: I call in the testimony of your own Thomas J. Rusk. Does anybody deny that he is a sensible man? He stated in a letter some time since, that the misfortune of the Democratic party was the number of abolitionists and freesoilers that it con- tained; and that if it was purged of these the party would be much better off. That 1t was split, was one of the causes which originated the American party, that Mr. Polk, while President retained too many in office, and that they did nothing but produce confusion in the party. He also said that this was the cause of the defeat of General Cass in his aspirations to the Presidency; and that when Mr. Pierce came into office he, no doubt, with good intentions, appointed a great many abolitionists to office, and that until the party was-purged of them it would not be har- monious, and that he had rather suffer defeat without them than enjoy victory with them. Now, it is well known to many persons, here, both of the American and Democratic parties that these are facts-are history. What does a distinguished politician of South Carolina say? He says that the Democratic party is broken down and disorgan- ized. Look at the leaders of Democracy. Who are they? Look
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