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WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1843
defence of New Orleans and subsequent events. If the Kentuckian has any shame, he has abundant reason to blush for his foul slander against you. Whilst you were in the way of aspirants, such things were to be looked for; but when retired to the Her- mitage, and in delicate health, I had hoped for the honor of my native land, that the quiver of malice and detraction had become empty. Your persecutors are determined to pursue you to the last; and if they could they would administer to you "vinegar mingled with gall." I commend the course pursued by you in this case, as it has presented many facts of history·which were not before known to the world. I trust, from the masterly vindication, that no base or anonymous slanders will ever violate the sanctuary of your reputation or repose. Whoever undertakes to do right in a corrupt or degenerate age, or in the midst of factions, dema- gogues, or unprincipled aspirants may expect to pay the forfeit of their repose. No man deserves the name nor the reward of a patriot who is not willing to hazard everything for his country, and if necessary, to perish for it, rather than to drag out a humiliating existence. Peculiar circumstances influence the course of every man whose duty is to discharge high and important delegated trusts. But if he is an honest man he will never yield principle to expediency, in the hope that by some fortunate chance he may be enabled to repair the injury which he has inflicted upon his country by a wish to conciliate his enemies or temporize for the sake of harmony. To surrender a Constitution to tamperers for plans by which they may gain power to subvert principles, I regard as an act of foul treason. And he whose duty it is to preserve the charter of his country's freedom, and yields to such influ- ences, I esteem either a dastard or a traitor. I regret to entertain the impression that every day lessens the veneration which men and politicians have heretofore entertained, or at least, professed for constitutions. Once they were held in veneration second only to Holy Writ; but now they are derided by many openly, and new theories set up in their place. Statesmen can alone appre- ciate them, and are willing to rely upon them as the only saving princiole of' self-government. The above doctrine is now openly advocated by many, that Legislatures have the right not only to exercise the powers plainly delegated to them by the Constitu- tion, but that they have likewise the right to exercise all powers not expressly prohibited by the Constitution, thus destroying all checks and balances of free government, and throwing into the
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