Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-08-08
Gen. Sam Houston on the Presidency.

WASHINGTON CRY, July 81, 1856.
Ny DEAR SIR-Your letter of the 9th of
June ult, addressed to me at Huntsville, did
not reach me until my arrival here. thank
you for your kind sentiments, and / assure
you / reciprocate all that you have express
sed. Any apology was unnecessary for adj
dressing me on political subjects, as they
are now so interesting to the public as well
as to individuals. l thank you for your
views and suggestions, and will render mine
with perfect freedom and fidelity. You say,
in speaking of yourself, that "having been
reared almost beneath the shades of the Her
mitage, and in every sense a democrat, |
feel all the reverence and confidence in the
principles and integrity of the motives that
actuated Gen. Jackson in his political course
that / should do. The issues formerly divid'
ing the old wing and democratic parties may
no longer be said to exist, yet there is a
difference in principle, arising ont of the in
depreciation of the constitution of the Uni
ted States, that must continue to exist as
long as our present form of government con-
Times"
Now, let US reflect for a moment, and OBJ
serve that l. too if not reared beneath the
shades of tie Hermitage" was taught under
the pure, vigorous and national democratic
whose wisdom brought honesty, purity and
vigor into the public service, with strength,
love of union, honor aud renoWn to the whole
country. | marched with that old chief, and
kept step with his democracy throughout his
public life; and since he departed, have never
deviated for a 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 10 longer be said to
have any practical existence, but that those
parties themselves have no distinctive oh arac-
ter. They have faded, become extinct, and
expired.
One, the wing party lives only in the mem
DRY of its great name, its great abilities, and
its grea failures to accomplish practical result;
the other, although it retains the name of de-
mocracy, has no memories 10 which the pre-
sent organization can refer without blush of
shame. The democracy of to-day is 'com
pound" of heterogeneous materials; it has
dwindled down TO mere secti0nalism, and is
now but faction. 1t has lost the principle of
cohesion, and boasts no longer a uniform poll
cy. When it followed with US the flag of the
''old chief" it had consistency of principle
and tirmness of purpose which always accom-
panies q clear conviction of right. 1t had clear
heads, patriotic 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 announced It's foreign
policy, and negotiations abroad were no far
Their necessary than to communicate that an
nOuncement.
Where is that democracy to-day? Swallowed
up in unmitigated squatter sOvereigaty-in
sectional chickering's and disputes-in disregard
ing compacts between the different sections of
the Union, the repeal of which has led to inc
surrection in Kansas-in getting up Indian
wars wherever Indians could lie found, as q
preext for increasing the regular army, the
estimated expenses of which, at this time are
$l2,000,000 per annum, when 100000. judi
ciously expended, would secure peace with
every Indian tribe on the continent, and in
dnce them TO embrace the arts of civilization
The foreign policy of the present democratic
President has been far from creditable to our
government. 1t, too has shown a disposition
to court an alien influence to sustain it, while
il has declared and practised relentless pro-
scriptiOn against native born American citi-
zens. | will pursue this point no further. To
ruminate upon it is painful enough for a man
who loves his country, but when called upon
by friends, feel it due to them to express 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, tollies and evidences of cul,
pable acknowledgement.
None of these things are fraught with the
principles of that democracy which was taught
at the Hermitage, and treasured up by US. |
can fiud no relef in the nomination made in
Cincinnati. | regard the gentleman upon
whom it fell as man of abilities, and one with
whom have always maintained kind personal
relations; and for Mr.. Buchanan yet enter
tain the highest respect. From his antece-
dents l cannot regard him as more patriotic
and national than Mr.. Fillmore. In the Office
of President, one has been tried, the other has
not. Ii is matter of establishment 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 active advocstes of the Kansas Nebraska
bill, which had been declared TO be the main
issue in the approaching Presidential contest.
That plank lie prominent in the platform, and
the platform has been accepted, cordially, by
the nominee. We have to regard squatter
sovereignty as one OF the cardinal points of
modern democracy. The candidate, however,
has merged himself in the platform, or the
principles of it, which, TO my mind, are not in
harmony with jackson democracy, and &C.
cordngly repudiste them. i cannot separate
the candidate and the platform in this instance
as they are identical, inasmuch as the nom-
zee has said that he could no longer speak for
himself, as james Buchanan, bat as the expo
nent of the principles set forth 10 the platform
am constrained, according 10 my notions of
democracy, to utterly reject the platform, and
cannot give my support to the nominee of the
present democratic party.
OF tie republicans, can only say that their
platform and principles are sectional, and
cannot conceive how any man loving this Un-
ion aud devoted TO its principles, can support a
ticket fraught with such disastrous conseauen.
ces to the whole country as its success would
be. Il has been my habit in life to deprecate
and oppose everything of sectional character,
aud therefore cannot view with comp acency
anythiug which Is calculated 20 initiate
against the Union, or any section of the whole
country. You, my dear SIR. know, as we'll as
do, that when Texas was annexed 70 the
Uuitsd States she did not consider herself A.
identified with any particular section, bat
viewed herself as merged in the Uniop. She
had received the sympathy Of the citizens OF
every section of the Union; her feeling, her 10
terest aud her existence, Ia becoming q menu
Der the Union, she considered As inseparable
from It's preservation and prosperity.
A sense of duty, under these circumstances,
leads me to the conclusion to support the
American nominees--Fillmore add Donelson.
They are good men, and think the only men
now In nomination for the Presidency and
Vice Presidency before the American people
who do most assuredly claim the cordial sup
port ofmeE who are true hearted Americans,
democrats sud wings. All faithful naiuralizsd
ciiisens thongh OF foreign birth, who cannot be
controlled 10y ahy ioreigu allegiance, can come
forward 10 their support - national men, ca
pabls and willing 70 support the consIisetioa