The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-02-26
INTERESTING STATE DOCUMENT.
The Onslaught Of Gen. Sam Houston
on South Carolina.
THE REPLY OF GENERAL JAMES HAMILTON.

BOSTON, feO ZZ, 1901.
To THE Hon. Sam HoUsToN, OF THE
SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
SIR have just seen in the Ne,o York Herald OF
the 4th inst, an article in which you have honored
me and the State of my birth and allegiance, with
q notice certainly somewhat distin guished, pro.
ceedng, as il does, from gentleman who occupies
the position you do before the country.
can take no exception to the insfiensive refer.
ence which you make to myself; have as little
desire as you express, to enter into any personal
controversy with you. Whatever may have been
our former relations, they are now respectful and
kind. BY tacit, and, hope, mutual consent, we
have buried the hatchet, which is sanctfed in its
iAterment by those charities which belong to the
best feelings of the human heart. Therefore, if
you had confined your animadversions either to the
mischief or nutlity of my invocation to the State
OF Virginia, (in my recent letter to Mr. Cheves) to
interpose her counses and mediation in this crisis
in the affairs of the South, SO full of peril and
anxiety, should have been silent, and have allow
ed the letter which you addressed to your relative,
to have passed for exactly much as il was worth,
without any attempt on my part to deprecia.e its
value. But you have thought proper to assa the
people OF South Carolina, VIII it is far more easy
10 abuse than to convict OF dlshonor, or of want
OF an enlightened and courageous loyalty to the
constitution OF their country.
In reply TO your cens0rial structures, | will do
better than affirm. will prove that South Caro-
lima has done as much towards the formation stabi
lily, and Ienown OF this Union, as any one of
the States in the whole confederacy. This, per-
haps, is scarcely according TO her the measure Of
justice 10 which she is entitled. You may regard
these words as not lightly said. will establish
them before We hnish this discussion. | desire to
indulge In no unmeaning generaes. You will
permit me now. a ndioua
as can m AXE IL, to give you d brief recital of
what South Caro- lima was-of what she is; and re-
curing to that philosophy which teaches by ex-
perieRce, what she will be, if the courage, devo-
uon and intelligence of her sons afford any assur-
ances tor the future. / fear, as retentive as
your memory is known to be, that you have for
gotten something Of her history, and your fervid
and gushing attachment for the Union has made
you IN some degree insensible 10 some Of the les
sons that hi story teaches.
With IN ese preliminary remarks permit me to
recur, Tor few moments, to what may best vim
dcate her from your censures. A plain narrative
Ut facts will show what have been her services and
sacrifices 10 this Union.
Gen. Houston, you grew up in a horse raising
country, and presume that you have some con-
hdence in blood. The people OF South Carolina
sprung principally from the Huguenots of France
and the Cavaliers of England. They have, from
that day 10 this, never lost one feature OF their
cherished lineage. In the simplicity, in the beauty
and herolsm OF his character, our gallant Marion
was but the counterpart of that glorious Huguenot
chief, Plessls de Normal, whom the setting stafs
found upon his horse, and the rising saluled on
the battle held. 1.-THE English portion Of the early
coonls's OF South Carolina retained the chivalry OF
the stock from which they sprung, they exchanged
the polucs of their fathers under the teachings of
Milton, Hampden, and Sidney. The greatest and
most gifted ot her sons the American revolution
found fashioned in the best schools of England
to the performance of the high duties which that
eyenful crisis had imposed ON the country. To
the hrst Congress which assembled at Annapolis,
ma aaQ a nf he Aafp col,
a higher contingent OF public virtue and talent
than South Carolina. Although she had been
dandle IN the arms OF the mother country, as the
most favored and petted of AL the colonies, she
was among the hrst 10 strike herocally for liberty
and Independence.
When the old colony of Massachusetts, Bay and
Sagadahock meditated revolution, where did she
send her youthful, her chivalrous, and her gifted
missionary, Josiah Quincy, a s.ripling of p! To
South Carolina. Yes, old MASSACHUSETTS sent her
favored son 10 South Carolina, to know if she
would back her IN stern and resolved resistance TO
British tyranny. Ii Is, perhaps, a remarkable fact
that on Mr.. Quncy's arrival In Charleston, where
he was received with open arms, the most iniiuen.
tlal men IN the then colony met him at the house
OF Miles Bruton, who was the largest merchant In
South Carolina, engaged In The Airlcan slave trade.
than whom more sterling patriot the Amencan
Revolution never produced. Here, in the hospita-
BILE abode of this gentleman. was held the hrst
lederatve conclaye OF rebellion. Here, South
Carolina, without one interest Of her own touched
by the mother country, one oppression 10 complain
oi, through her chiefs threw down the gage of
battle, and told young Quincy 10 go back and tell
John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, and
the whole retiDue OF the patriots OF chusetts,
that South Carolina would sand by her in the
peril and the desoation Of the coming storm. Let
me pause Tor an instant, to ask what has become
OF the descendants of these menl Tney surely
cannot be among those who seek now TO fire the
temple OF concord IN this once happy Union
This, Gen. Houston, Is the first item 10 the
credit OF South Carolina in the history Of this con-
feoeracy.
Let us now proceed Where did che stand
in the war OF the Revolution 7 What were
ht battles, her sacrifices, and her sufierings
The hrst victory Of that Revolution was an
nounced from her own cannon-for Bunker's
Hill, although glorious struggle, was no victory
On the 18th OF June, l776, our gall ant Moutrie
repused cne Of the best appointed British fleets that
ever visited our coasts. After this event South Ca
rolina resisted the whole Establishments OF British
diplomacy IN the endeavour 10 win her from her
alliance with the other colonies. The only reply
she made TO these solicitations were made al Cam
den, the Cowpens, Eutaw, and the Hanging Rock.
a has rs the second item, General Houston, to
her credit, In the history Of this conederacy She
fought for inde pendence and for union
Alter the termination OF this war, to the scccess
OF which she so powerfully contributed, what next
wrs her conduct She went into the Convention
which formed the Constitution of these United
Stalts more thoroughly devoted 10 the formation OF
. hauonal constitution than any one of the States.
There were no stars in the armament OF that great
Assembly winch shone with greater bfghtnt - than
those she sent. IL is fact beyond all dispute that
her del. CATION most ze sously sustained every pro-
vision IN the Constitution calculated TO strengthen
the national government.
This, General Houston, is the third item TO the
credit OF South Carolina IN the history OF this confe-
dtraCy.
Although her public men were intimately
ciated with the father Of our country" IN the
war of the Revolution, and shared his confidence
and esteem to an unhounded extent, yet, when
the dangers and heresies of federalism became ma
nifes,, the great body Of people deserted their an
Gent leaders, and declared their adhesion to the
principles which Virginia had announced in her
celebrated manifesto Of 17gS, and which was sig
nalizsd by the victories which Thomas JEFFERSON
and James Madison won IN the civil history OF our
country. BE IL remembered, too that when she
voted tor Thomas Jefferson she could have made
one OF the most beloved aud gifted Of her Pre-.
sident Of these United States, by her vote, II
che had consented for one moment TO have COM
promised her principles.