WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1861
296
The Vox Populi then becomes the voice of the devil, and the hiss of mobs warns ·all patriots that peace and good govern- ment are in peril. I have heard the hiss of mobs upon the streets of Austin, and also heard the hiss of mobs upon the streets of Brenham, and friends have warned me that my life was in great peril if I expressed my honest sentiments and convictions. But the hiss of the mob and the howls of their jackal leaders can not deter me nor compel me to take the oath of allegiance to a so-called Confederate Government. I protest against sur- rendering the Federal Constitution, its Government and its glorious flag to the Northern abolition leaders and to accept in its stead a so-called Confederate Government whose constitution contains the germs and seeds of decay which must and will lead to its speedy ruin and dismemberment if it can ever secure any real existence. Its seeds of ruin and decay are the prin- ciple of secession which permits any one or more of the Confed- erate States to secede from the parent Confederate Government and to establish separate governments. Can any well-informed man doubt that the time will soon come when several of the Confederate States will secede and establish separate govern- ments? Why will such results follow in the event the Confed- erate Government is established? Because in all the Confeder- ate States there are ambitious secession leaders who will be aspirants for the Presidency of the Confederacy and to exercise controlling influence in its government and in all cases where their ambitions are frustrated these leaders will cause their respective States to secede and form separate governments wherein they may be able to realize their selfish political hopes. Within ten years we would have ten or more separate Confed- erate Governments, which would in time fall an easy prey to foreign Governments. The increase of secession leaders will be rapid and large in all the Confederate States and their contests against each other for political leadership will lead to discord, promoting continual conspiracies and revolutions, which will pro- duce many Count Julians, or traitors, who will call to their aid foreign Governments to despoil the people who refuse to help them gratify their selfish ambitions. Never will I consent to give up our Federal Constitution and our union of States for a Confederate constitution and govern- ment whose foundation principles of secession must and will prevent its successful establishment; or if it should triumph, its triumph would be only temporary and its short-lived existence end in revolution and utter ruin.
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