Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-08-25
The poli,Ics of sam. Houston.

Since the wonderful triumph and political
reyiyiication of Gen. HOUSTON in the late
election in Texas, a question has arisen as to
what are his politics. The n. Y. Herald not
only claims him as a democrat, but urges
from day TO day, in its peculiar and dashing
style, that be is the most available man the
Charleston Convention can bring forward for
the Presidency. The Washington Constitution
also regards him as a reliable Buchanan DEM
ocrat; the n. Y. Day Book and other journals,
ecboing these, set up the same claims. But
1t is fact that most, if not all, the demo-
cratic organs in Texas opposed him most Bit
terly during the canvass and ranked him and
his supporters constantly az Opposition. They
have not changed their tone since the cleo
ton, as the following extracts will show.
The State Gazette, at Austin, the leading organ
of the party, says:
.In our opposition to Sam. Houston. we
have maintained that he has not retracted
a single political principle of his life. He is
now elected, and we shall see whether he will
yet do it. Even in regard to the Know No
thing issue, be declared in his seat IN the U.
s. Senate, only last April, the fact of thous-
ands of foreigners being in Texas who could
not speak the English language, as a reason
for lengthening the term of probation. He
declared that decent foreigner could live
very well without voting and that the longer
YOU postpone them the better. All this con-
WINGED us that be had not forsaken his Know
Nothing principles, and we know that some
of his presses in this State will not disguise
their opinion that such is the belief OF many
OF his friends"
1t has been also stated, in accounting for
the defeat OF the Democracy, that the Germans
supported HOUsToN. This the Gazette contra
diets and makes it the subject OF an extrava-
giant eulogy of the Germans of Western Texas.
The county of Comal, which has an almost
exclusive German population gave nearly Is
to l against HoUsroN, and is held up as the
banner county of the democracy. The
Crockett Argas, an organ in the Eastern part
of the State, plainly confess the success of the
Opposition, and speaks thus of Gen. HoUs-
TONS position:
perhaps the annals of popular caprice do
not show a more complete change of front
thar that accomplished by the people of Texas
within the last three years. So far as national
politics are concerned, they have just passed
upon the identical issues which were submit
ted TO them in 1856, when their verdict was
overwhelmingly in favor of the Democracy.
Again, in 1857, the same national and local
questions, with the same men to represent
them. as now, were before the people, and
Democracy was largely in the ascendant.
There is no pretence that the representatives
of either set of opinions have changed. Run
nes is as purely u Democrat to-day as he was
two years ago. and Gen. Houston Is as purely
a Know Nothing. To the extent that prin-
ciples of any sort are Involved, ii is all out
and out Know Nothing victory. But in
truth the contest did not turn upon princi-
pie, as is evident from a comparison of the
votes given for the different candidates upon
the same ticket. To much greater extent
than most people imagine, all elections are
decided upon personal rather than political
considerations. In the present instance, q
lingering kindness which The people have al
ways entertained for Gen. Houston, despite
the efforts of rival politicians and per-
sOnal foes, and Notwithstanding his many
grave errors, has broken over all obstacles,
and carried him exultingly into power. 1t
is a rare instance of recuperative energy in
a man at his time of lite, and one who had,
10 all appearance, SO irrecOverabyl fallen
under the ban of public opinion. We shall
not attempt to account for the change which
has come over the spirit Of the people. There
have doubtless been causes at work, but II is
useless to seek for them, in the present defee-
tive state of our information. Besides, when
a great party is defeated, efforts 10 explain
the fact usually lead to charges and recriml-
nations amongst its members, which are as
Improbable as they are unpleasant.