The Washington union., 1858-03-24
ADDRESS OF THE HON. THOMAS l.. AN
DERSON, OF MISSOURI,
Hm-s of RrrRs~rxrarvEs,


FnIow BY your aud independent sufrpge
became yout representative Ia the Conaes oi the Uni
Ted Sates This high and important position inirust
ed 10 me stter Self with full knowledge OF NV
opinions, disguised any subject moral poit
cal which in active life among YOU for than
quarter OF a century, you had bad ample opportunities OF
knowing
The fstering majority which received against one Of
the honorable eloquent, and noble minded men in
the district hss created in nay bosom feelings Of graft
tude that time add should be reccant
10 every honorable principle did sckno9l ledge the
very great obligations under which you have placed me
by that uneluivocal manifestation of your confidence
teow-ctizeus When you conferred upon the
sronsihle position occupy you and supposed other
questions would arise than th fearful and absorbing
that distract the public mind and 6il the pa
iiots breast with anxious orehcngs the future
destiny OF his country; found myself Unexpectedly
called upon 10 act without opportunity of an inter
change of opinions with You; / had, then, ether
alternative than TO meet the responsibilities presented
relying upon the best lights before AZ your repre-
sentative spoke and acted IN my honest judgment
In accordance With the positions and opinions OF my
life, deemed most rronotve Of my oountry's honor
and the safety of the Union
came 10 Congress American looking with an anx
ious eve to the purity Of the government, the peTpciu
of the Union and the peace and prosperity Of the
try. / found but small number of my party 10
aid In bearing aioft lis flag. The whole oounry
Ia cominotioh, and the Congress virtually d
vidod into two parties One OF these section
al bent The agitation Of a subject In which my
constituents felt deeply and ytally interested Born
Of the North reckiersly urged by Wild fanacism
that knew reasonable bounds, and which must ult
matey. unless checked ia unpatIioc purposes pro
duee not only distoni, anarchy and civil war but iney
tsby rcnd asnder the Ties that bind this Union together
The ether national party pervadinS all portions of the
confcderacy with its flag uDured north and SOUTH
and west, enuncia,ng doctrines and rndicang prind
Piles vitality important to the South which principles If
not maintained by the American people, must result in
the production Of wrongs and injuries To large portion
of HE tt To otf
not and would not submit My party IN SO small a
minority as to be poweress separate organization
To stand aoc to accomplish nothing for my party
my district, my country To unite with either for my
country good 1 mst seek the affiliations which my
Judgment, life, my know If constituents told
advocated the principles most tcoeptle duty to you
and my country dictated other course Of action Need
| ! tell Won who have known long and we'll
that ii utterly impossible for me, if did
assuredy know your sentiments TO lie in antagouism
thereto to unite with the soCalled republican yaIty
With whom then 10 90 ooyeratel unc other party
only on whom TO devolve the honor of the country
and the protection OF its institutions possessing power
doubtful snfciency to breast the of sectonalism
remained and am frank 10 inform you my fellow citi
sens that when the time and the necessity for choice
came, with whom was TO cooperate in your and
4 by yonr authority did not hesitate,
should have deemed myself unworthy 10 lie your rep
reentative unworthy Of the chivalrou and patriotic -
pie OF Missouri unworthy Of the noble independent and
Union loving constituency Of the second district had
4 faltercd when The crisis
The man who when the dearest Interests of his coun
try are involved perhaps the very existence of the Union
itself rise above the selfish considerations of
party and the tyrannzipg influences that uncuuen
y traunme the partisan should he honorcd with
public trust And in full view Of the bitter assaults
that have been made upon IN, Of action the
Just and mendacous criticisms that have in neta
appeared in the columns OF certain newspapers profess
ing to eong to the party that honcred me with their
dence Of whom have evidently mistaken their party
affiliations rea1rm political act Of mine from the
conn mrneut of have
to plead invoke charity they the re
suit Of calm reflection and Good deliberaon and sub
nit them TO the severet judgment of my constituents
without one moments uncasincss to the result
| knew at the commencement ot nsy congressional
life well a. now know that few Of my party with
whom have Ieng differed upon a subject cf melneBtous
importance 10 the people Of Missouri and the entire
south and who | am reluctantly forced to believe,
would have been greatly pleased to have sc;ing
with in this Congress VINO almost daily de
nonncing in the most vindctiye violent and degrading
terms my State, my own people, and its insttu
TONS would assal my political course of action here
and attempt TO sink in estimation stli unawcd
by their fIowns, and conscious of rcctitude.
determined, with unwaverng fidelity, 10 look alone TO
the independent performance OF the high and important
trust that You had ounded me, IegaIdless Of perso
nal considerations.
Ny first political in Congress has been paaded in
certain newspapers in my district with the evident design
of creating dsrust towards with rartv That
WAS my vote for Speaker There but two can
didate for that elevated aud controlling position Col
Orr, gentleman OF eminent qualifications noble gen
erous aud talented son cf the South one TO whom
willing to cnnide the important duties Of that
ton tie has fully Justified my expectations and that o
the country, and feel well assured Of the wisdom and
proprc;y Of my action. Would those gentlemen who
condemn tiis vote have bad to vote for Mr. Gfuw
the republican candidate. If they would, they dare
not say il. What course then should hare pursued
10 satisfy gentlemen, Of whom are 50 apxous TO
get possession o my slippers that they can no pro
priety in any political of mine infer that they
Of opinion II could not have Teoonciied il tn my
feelings and Judgment to vote for Mr.. Grow that
should have aistained from voting entirely, eyipcod
preference between the two candidates lis that really the
course thcsc gentlemen expected 10 pursue, with
knowledge u my views, sentiments and opinions when
they voted for me II SO, they greatly inistkcn
believed il due 90 my constituents and the country to
show by unmistakshe evidences, 10 the sboons's Of
the North and those tainted with free scilism home
that my constituents, acting and speaking through
me, had sympathy with them their iniguit,,is
schemes bence, voted for Colonel Orr, and should.
unhesiisngly do again under the circumstances;
and in this feel conscious that reflected the will
not emily Of the great body of constituents but my
party. Surely, gentlemen who, u few months since
openly advocated the formation Of new political organ
ization, under The and style OF the ''tninn
democratic party, ought 10 complain OF my acting
with the national democratic party in the protection OF
southern interests when the result of their proposition
would have been 10 surrender the organization Of the
American party. blot ont its identity and affiliate with
party COMPOSED mainly oi foreigners and fr. soers
Let here say tand | know that L utter the s,nii
ments of the great majority Of the American party
Missouri, B Js ftfofai The sound CON
scryative Of that party and will
submit, 20 union the inevitable result OF which would
D - a -.