358
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1859
his iniquities. Your legislature had for years been demanding his impeachment. Clothed in power and surrounded by his pliant tools and relying upon his conferedates, he had laughed the people to scorn, and successfully resisted all attempts to bring him to the bar of justice. At last, when shame would permit him to be silent no longer, when an outraged public opinion clamored loudly for his removal, when the thunders of the press and the long record of his villainies, startled him from his security, he attempted to defend himself by charging that the people of Texas had combined against him because he was an honest judge, and because he faithfully carried out the law. Those who vindicated him charged that Texas wished to get rid of him because he would not sanction fraud. He, upon whom corruption had fastened with a tenacity that not even the hand of conscience has been able to loom its hold, was held up to the world as a pattern of honesty, morality and religion. He may have calcu- lated upon my forbearance. He may have thought I would excuse myself with the reflection that, "Texas had rebuked me" and here was a case where all had been done that was expected. He has abused Texas, it is not my fault. Shall I face this conspiracy? No such paltry excuses controlled my course. There was but one way left to reach him. That method I a·dopted. A bill was introduced to abolish the district over which he presided. His corruption was laid bare before the eyes of the community and subsequent facts have proved the truth of my assertions. My constituents were vindicated, and though he still shamelessly holds on to a position which he disgraces, public contempt and execration haunts his every footstep. Men need not expect that because my consti [t] uents abuse me, and I give some of them a rake occasionally, that they are to be made the butt of every scoundrel who wishes to escape public censure by accusing them of wrong. I may take privileges with them myself, but outsiders must stand off. We shall settle our little difficulties in our own way, and abuse each other in the most amiable style; but third parties must keep quiet. There was another measure which came before the last Con- gress, in which my constituents had a deep interest. The Pacific Railroad had been urged by my deceased colleague for years. He had my aid at all times when it became necessary. I voted for the only measure which promised success-one providing for the reception of propositions for the road on three different routes. Heaven has so designed it, that if ever a railroad is built to the Pacific, it must be upon extreme southern soil to be
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