The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1860-12-20

Gem Sam Houston ON the Crisiss
The following are extracts from a let
ter which Gen. Houston wrote to some
of his friends in Texas under the date
of November IA. It ii Tor utteflng
sentiments like these that Senator Iver-
SON the otfsr day spoke Of him as the
OLA boary headed traitor" whom
some modern Brutus would yet assas-
sinate &
eff the Union is dissolved now, will
We not have additional security for
slavery 2. Will we have our rights bet
ten. secured? After enduring civil war
for years, will there be any promise OF
better state Of things than we now
enjoy7 Texas, especially,s has these
things to consider. Our treasury is
nearly empty; we have near half a
million of dollars in the treasury of the
United States; million of our school
fund is in United States bonds |; we
have an extensive frontier to defend.
Pecuniary or personal considerations
ought to weigh nothing when tyranny
is in the scale; but we are not justified in
sacrificing these when we have yet the
Constitution to protect us and our rights
are secure Let us not embrace the
higher law principle of our enemies,
.aad overthrow the Constitution, when
we have to resist, let it be in the name
of the Constitution and to uphold it.
s. Fol 500 - = b
"If this government is to fall, wis.
dom must furnish another and a better
one, and if patriots yield now to the
rash and reckless, who only aspire to
military glory, or for anarchy and ra
pine, they may find that in the wreck
of free government, they have lost the
power to rear another. niez* ~ *I9-a
81 cannot believe that we can FIND
at present more safety ontof the Unior
than in it. Yet / believe it due tn,
people that they should know where
they stand. Mr.. Lincoln has beer
elected upon sectional issue. If h,
expects to maintain, the sectional issue
during his administration, it is well W,
should know it. If be intends to ad
minister the Government with equality
and fairness, we should know that. LIE
US wait and see. = = - .ae
"Here take my standl So long a.
the Constitution is maintained BY
"Federal authority" and Texas is no
made the victim of !" Federal wrong,'
/ am for the Union as it is. b go1
81 am now an aged man. My lock
have become white in toiling, as be
lieve, for the liberties of mankind
Were l young, that might look for
ward to the future, feeling that what
ever danger might come, my stron,
arm would be at hand, to defend m,
family, 1 should feel less anxiety than
do at present The years that I wi
have to endure the misfortunes of civ
war are but few. If Iycould feel tina
with the close of my career would en'
the miseries of my race, could shar
its misfortunes with patience but t
feel that perils of revolution must cor
tinue, that war with its attendant hol
rors of bloodshed, rapine and devasts
ton must still be visited upon it, woul
embitter my last moments; and afte
living to witness the demolition of tn
best Government that ever existed,
would sink to the grave without a hop
that freedom would be regenerated, Q
oaF prosperity ever enjoy again tn
blessings with which we had parted
Let us pause and ponder well befor
we take any action outside of the Cor
stitution. .a5o'e sd &C. soqs 2
'.Very truly yours, SAM HOUSTON.