.WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1859
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for he says: "I am free to declare, that if I had control of the southern people"- Well, now, that shows that there is good material there out of which to make a Governor, and if he had never thought about the control of them he would not, in the heat of debate, st1ggest it here. There is something deliberate and calculating in this: "I am free to declare here, that if I had control of the southern people, I would demand this of Congress"- He thinks that the South should have everything. He does not define exactly what it is, but she should have an equal share of everything, without specifying any particular thing-as I now hope that she has; and he says: "I would demand this of Congress at the organization of every territorial government, as the terms upon which the South should remain in the Union. I would hold our 'right' in one hand and 'separation' in the other, and leave the North to choose between them. If you would do us justice, I would live with you in peace; if you denied us justice, I would not live with you another day." Now, sir, I want to know when the North has denied us justice? and I want to know whether words spoken here are to be taken for acts done? Is it to be a cause of quarrel between the North and the South that a number of intemperate individuals at the North express ultra notions, about which the masses in the North do not agree themselves? Is the language of such individuals to be set down to the charge of the North as meriting the reproba- tion and condemnation of the whole community? are they, for that reason, to be declared aliens, and to be ostracised? Can we .::ontrol the expression of persons in the North? There is no constitutional prohibition, that I know of, against the expression of opinion; every man has the right to express his opinions in this country; and much as I may be at variance with gentlemen in regard to their views, I do not consider the expression of them an act of treason to the South. The South very freely exercises the same privilege; and if the North had the same disposition which is evinced by some portions of the South, they could with good reason complain of the constant talk of dissolution, and use that as a pretext for sloping off themselves. I do not believe that the expression of opinions is a violation of the Consti- tution; I do not think that it is sufficient ground to keep up an eternal quarrel. An overt act of encroachment on our rights would place us in a different position. I can see no use in pre- senting hypothetical cases continually, and saying that if such
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