WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1855
230
floor of Congress that one regiment of Texas Rangers would be more effective in giving protection to the Texas frontier than 1600 regular troops of the United States army. But, fellow citizens, I am not yet through with the adminis- tration. I will next speak of Mr. Guthrie, 8 head of the Treasury Department. He is a gentleman for whom I entertain a high respect, and who was considered the master spirit of the Ken- tucky democracy. He too, I believe, was a Union Democrat, as well as Mr. Marcy. I know of no taint that he bore, and there- fore, I am disposed to do him, as well as all others justice. The Secretary of the Navy, Mr. Dobbins of North Carolina, I believe was of the Secession School, and not of the old Jackson stamp of democracy. If in stating this, I do him injustice, it is not my desire, as I wish to deal fairly with the character of each gentleman of the administration. In th_e administration of the affairs of his office, Mr. Dobbins gives general satisfaction, I believe, but if I ·were to rely on the intelligence of the day as derived from newspapers, I am inclined to think, that in the action of the Naval board, most flagrant injustice has been done to many officers of the Navy; and if partiality has not been carried to an improper extent, injustice has certainly been done to many of the officers; but all this is a matter of exam- ination. Well, I have at last got through with Mr. Pierce's Cabinet. How do th_ey harmonize? How does abolition, nullification and women's rights stand there? Would you expect harmony from these antagonistic elements? I am opposed to abolition- ism, disunionism, secession, freesoilism, and all other isms that compose it. It is the administration of isms. I am denounced for doing this, or that on the plea that I do not represent Texas. I wish I could see every Texan in the State and give him a truthful account of motives and my actions in my senatorial career. But I cannot do it, unless I resort to spiritualism, and I shall not do that unless I become the defender of Mr. Pierce's administration. Fellow-citizens, as I said, I have got through with the Cabi- net, but I have something else left! I wish to say a few words in relation to the appointment of some of our foreign ministers. President Pierce selected Mr. Soule 0 for the mission to Spain. Soule is a Frenchman, I believe, but h_as resided in the United States for fifteen years. He was a disunion, red republican
Powered by FlippingBook