True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-09-05


lar agents IN the country which they leave
representing them as persons of good char
acter; or if they have been guilty of DO
litical ofenses in their country, to stat,
the same, that proper allowance nigh
be made by our government. ! am be-
coming suspicious Of the teachers in these
days of Utilitarian politics. And before
l enlist under the leaders of modern De
mOCracy, l wish to know of them whether
they stand on the jackson or Calhoun
platform. Between their platforms there
was on essentirl difference. jackson,
was the Constitution and the Union. Thi.
is the platform upon which I stand, and if
as has been asserted, the American party
is down, the battle over and victory won,
shall only feel mortified to witness at
my period Of life, after having looked up
on SO many vicissitudes of my country, tc
see an anti-American feeling triumphant
One consolation, at least, will be left me
While the triumphs Of American princi.
pies were reverbrating throughout the
Union, / was silent. When those princi.
pies are said to be in eclipse, l come for.
ward with cheerfulness and declare that
believe the salvation of my country is only
to be secured by adherance to the princi-
Piles of the American Order.
Atriumph is claimed by anti-Americans,
based on the supposition that all Councils
will be broken up, from the fact that some
Withdrawals have and may continue to
take place. In all cases within my knowl,
edge, whore Withdrawals have occurred, q
greater number were added to the Order
than have seeded. Occasionally men
have joined the Order from motives which
did little credit to its principles, and re-
mained members for months. Their mo-
tives can only be inferred from their ac-
tions. They remained quietly until nom-
nations were made, in which they were
not quite so fortunate as they much desi-
red to be. Those persons soon after with
drew from the Order, denouncing it as an
"unholy, dark-lantern society"
In many cases, seceders have regarded
themselves as highly qualified teachers of
the new-fangled politics in Texas, but not
Of the good old Jefferson and Jackson De-
mocracy. The present is momentous
epoch in the annals of our country.
A vast responsibility devolves upon US.
We are acting in the present, but for all
future generations. We are accountable to
posterity. We have received heritage
from our fathers. Shall we regard it with
care, and transmit it unimpaired to our
children? Shall we remain American I?
Shall we remain national2 Or shall we
surrender ourselves to demagogues and
party leaders? Or shall we sell our birth
right for mess of pottage2
We have high and holy duty to per.
form to our country, and if We, as Ameri-
cans, cannot maintain and preserve our
freedom, is it possible, or even probable,
that we will find safer depository in the
hands of foreigners, or the satellites of a
Pope, whose system of religion pursuesall
American Protestants with denunciations
while living, and denies their bodies burial
after death in Catholic countries ? Is it
a crime, or even q fault, in Americans,
who seek to resist an influence so adverse
to the principles of free government Is
it prescription to fortify ourselves against
all encroachments upon religious Or politi-
Cal freedom? If it is wrong, then am
wrong. If it is right, then I will main.
tain the right.
Your friend and fellow citizen
SAMUEL Houston.