Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-08-04
Gen. Sam Houston on the Presidency.
WASHINGTON Cry, July 81. l8!

MY DEAR SIR 1o1r letter OF the 9th OF June,
ultimo, addressed to me at Huntsville, did not
reach me until my arrival here. / thank you for
your kind sentiments, and assure You recipro-
cate all you have expressed. Amy apology was
unnecessary for addressing on political Subjects
as they are now SO interesting to the public as well
as to individuals. / thank you for your views end
suggestions, and will render mine with perfect free
dom and fidelity. You say, in speaking of your
sell, that having been reared almost beneath the
shades OF the Hermitage, and in every sense a
Democrat, feel all the reverence and confidence
in the principles and integrity of the motives that
actuated General jackson in his political course
that should do The issues formerly dividing
the old Whig and Democratic parties may no lor-
ger be said to exist, yet there is difference in
principle, arising out of the Interpretation of the
Constitution of the United States, that must con-
tlnue to exist as long as our present form of gov
ernment continues"
Now let us refs ct for moment, and observe
that ], too If not reared beneath the shades of
The Hermitage" was taught under the pure vigor-
ous, and national Democratic teachings Of the rev.
cred and brave old chief, whose wisdom brought
honesty, purity, and vigor into the pubic service
with strength, love of union, honor, and renown
to the whole country. l marched with that old
chief, and kept step with his Democracy through
out his public life and since he departed have
never deviated for moment from his principles
and, tell you, you can say most truly, that not
only the issues formerly dividing the old Wing
and Democratic parties, can no longer be said to
have any practical existence, but that those par
ties themselves have no distinctive character
They have faded, become extinct, and expired.
One, the Whig party lives only in the memory
of its great name its great abities and its great
failures to accomplish practical results the other
although it retains the name of Democracy, has
no memories to which the present organization
can refer without blush of shame. The Democ-
racy of to-day is compound of heterogeneous
materials; it has dwindled down to mere sectior-
alism, and is now but faction. 1t has lost the
principle ofcohesion, and boasts no longer uniform
policy. When it followed with US the flag of the
"old chief" it had consistency Of principle and
frmness ofpurpose which always accompanies clear
conviction of right 1t had clear heads, pltriotic
hearts, and clean hands ever ready in its support.
1t spoke wisdom and quiet at home, and every
section rejoiced in our general prosperity; it an
nounced its foreign policy, and negotiations abroad
were no farther necessary than to communicate
that announcements
Where is that Democracy to-day? Swallowed
up in unmitigated squatter sovereignty-in scc-
tional chickering's and disputes-in disregarding
compacts between the different sections of the
Union, the repeal Of which has led to insurrection
in Kansas-in getting up Indian wars, wherever,
Indians could be found, as pretext for increasing
the regular army, the estimated expenses of which
at this time are $l2,00O,000 per annum, when
$500, 900 udiciously expended would secure peace
with every Indian tribe on the continent, and in
duce them to embrace the arts of civilization
The foreign police of the present Democratic
President has been far from creditable to our gov
ernment. 1t, too, has shown disposition to court
an alien influence to sustain it, while it has de.
clared and practsed relentless prescription against
native-born American citizens. will pursue this
point no further. To ruminate upon il is painful
enough for man who loves his country, but when
called upon by friends, feel it due to them to ex-
press my sentiments plainly. You and ], and tens
Of thousands of old Democrats who were the
true Covenanters under Jackson, wash our hands
of these absurdities, foies, and evidences Of cul
pabe mismanagement.
None of these things are fraught with the prin-
cipes of that Democracy which was taught at the
Hermitage, and treasured up by US. / can find no
relief in the nomination made at Cincinnati. l
regard the gentleman upon whom it fell as a man
of abilities, ard one with whom / have always
maintained kind personal relations and for Mr..
Buchanan | yet entertain the highest respect
From his antecedents, | cannot regard him az
more patriotic and national than Mr. Fillmore
In the Office of President, one has been tried, the
other has not. 1t is matter of astonishment TO
me that the nomination happened to fall to the
lot of Mr.. Buchanan, when other names, as have
learned, were used on the occasion, who had |
been the active advocates of the Kansas-N Nebraska
bill, which had been declared to be the main issue
in the approaching Presidential contest That
plank is prominent in the platform, and the plat
form has been accepted, cordially, by the nomi-
nee We have to regard squatter sovereignty as
one Of the cardinal points of modern Democracy.
The candidate, however, has mereed himself in
the platform, or the principles Of il, which, to
my mind, are not in harmony with jackson De-
mocracy, and accordingly repudiate them. /
cannot separate the candidate and platform in this
instance, as they are identical, inasmuch as the
nominee has said that he could no longer speak
for himself, as James Buchanan, but as the expo
nent Of the principles set forth in the platform.
am constrained, according to my notions Of De- |
mocracy, to utterly reject the platform, and can
not give my support to the nominee Of the present
Democratic party. 4