WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1856
382
rational. He acted upon his teachings. His wisdom, his experience, and his patriotism, were lamps to my feet and lights to my path. Thus have I walked in the Democratic faith. There was no aliena- tion or estrangement of great magnitude in the party until I saw at the inception of the repeal of the Missouri Compromise that that measure conflicted with the teachings of that great man. I look for no new lights and no new leaders to instruct me or: illumine my pathway. If the lights which I have received are not sufficient to conduct me safely in the mazes of life, I do not expect to derive much instruction from the new lights that are springing up now-adays. I would as soon follow the ignis fatuu.11 with an expectation of reaching firm ground, as follow teachings that are adverse to my reason, and the convictions of my mind. I was satisfied that the repeal of the Missouri Compromise was radically wrong, and I therefore opposed it. I allude to these matters now, because unimportant as I am I have been made a target; I have been constantly pursued in my far distant wilderness home by persons who had Federal ma- chinery with which to operate. They have been after me with a hot poker and with a sharp stick. I am disposed to take the point off the stick and to cool the poker. [Laughter.] I do not intend that they shall run at me with these instruments without some attempt to ward them off. In the State in which I live, not only have I been pursued and proscribed in this way, but my friends have been stricken down and informers have been constituted in the character of a committee for transmitting to Washington proscriptive denunciation of individuals who held positions there, unless they would succumb to these petty dynasties. Sir, I assure you, that during the past summer so insecure did I feel my correspondence to be, though it was not of a political character, that I used postage stamps instead of my frank to give security to my letters. Whether these matters are worthy of observation to grave Senators here, is a point about which I am somewhat careless. They are to me no imaginary grievances. I defied the spirit that sought to persecute me, and the vindictive hate which could only emanate from weak minds. I feel, however, that cir- cumstances have made it proper for me to go back to first prin- ciples and look into the origin of this controversy and show the causes from which our difficulties have arisen. Can you believe, sir, that the repeal of the Missouri Compro- mise was necessary as a healing measure to give peace and tran- quility to this country? When it was introduced, all was peace.
Powered by FlippingBook