Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-10-08

nus nrst speech Just fortnight after he
had taken his seat Although, at iimes,
not Indicate that he was likely TO take his
place among the leaders Of the senate.
Not long afterward, he giive great Of
fence TO the slave owners by Joining
Benton ~ advocating bill prohibiting
ie establishment of slavery In Oregon.
In 1919 Houston declared himself In
favor Of the admission Of California as
q free state thereby still further exas-
perating the Southern faction, which had
counted on contarolllng the territory ac-
quired by the Mexican war. There Ia no
cyideiice, however, that the people OF
Texas disopprovcd of his action at the
time. There was, MS yet no large slave
holding eloquent In the Texan population,
and the feeling OF loyalty TO the Union
was still fresh and strong. We should
add that Houston voted for the abolition
OF the slave trade In the District OF Co
lumhia, and was an earnest supporter OF
the Clay compromise measures, In JAM
nary, 1897. he was rc-eleeted senator by
ths legislature Of Texas without any for
mllahle opposition This made him.
owing 10 the defeat Of Benton In Mis-
souri,, the sole conspicuous representation
N the senate of the old Jackson or Uniofl
Democracy from the South. He remnin-
ed, however stcadfast In his principles.
and opposed the Nebraska bill vehemently
and untlinchingly. lie and John Bell Of
lenncssec We're the only senators from
Southern states who voted agnipst the
measure. The silence which he auhse-
nuently maintained during the troubles
IN Kansas may be due, as the hiographer
supstsis, TO the faft That he regarded
them as simply the fnlilment of his own
propherivs Of evil IL h not equally casy
TO defend his silence In regard to ihe at
;ack upon Sumner In the senate cham
Der; IL is true that Houston had seen
such methods Of carrying on political
controversies hrfOrr, and yivcn an ex-
ample Of them IN his own person, SO that
he WIS hardly In position TO rcprImand
Them severely But he had assailcd
Stanbrrry face TO lace In the street, and
he must have rcvolted ut the mingled
brutality and cnwardicc OF brooks al
thck llnon an lnnrmed aud unwnrncd
NAM seated, aud practically plnioned 40
IN lelb there was q movement for the
nomination OF Houston 10 the presidency.
The general committee OF the Democracy
OF New llnnrshlrc urpcd his nomination
ms me peoples candidate on the around
mainly Of hls opposition to the rcprul OF
The Missouri compromise. Houston mnde
a sort of electionecrlng fnur IN some Of
the principal cities Of the North. hut hc
could moi get the nomination Of the Know
Nothing party because he refused TO vote
for any bin TO prohibit Roman Catholics
element was equally fatal TO his political
from holding office In the South his
opposition TO the extreme slave-hollng
element was equally fatal to is political
ambition. There was no room In tho
Democratic convention Of 1856 for -
Southern man with Northern principlrs;
what was wanted was a Northern man
with Southern principles, and accord.
ihgly fierce was selected. Houston lost
oven hls seat IN the senate ~ this time,
being defeated for recollection In the legis-
iature Of lShl. The hogaphcr IL doubt
less Justified IN atlrbntng this defeat 10
lack OF niy special effort ON his part, for
two years later. when he took the stump,
he Swept his state against far more
formidable opposition,
We have said that the state election al
lSl9 demonstrated lloustons trumen.
dous mold unou the common people. Hs
had hren put forward Tor governor 10y
the lhlonists, biit the nominee Of Tho
secession Democracy had behind him all
The party machinery. mott OF tie cunspic.
uons public nWh and the influential
newspapers, These united forces wenl
delentod by Houston almost single
handed. His triumph, however, waa
rather that OF his personal influence than
OF the union sentiment The Seccsslon-
ists elected majority of the Legislature
aud almost all the executive officers.
~ tue presidential election Of 1861 liOus-
ton TOOK no active part. lie was Up
posed 90 Lincoln ~ the representative
OF Northern aggression against slavery.
lie was euunry opposed to Breckin-
ridge ana Douglas, having vowed never
10 vote for amy lnan Who had supported
the Nebraska bill. lie saw no chance
for The election Of BELL, ana besdes,
did not consider Inn competent man
Tor the presidency. In u pgivatu letter
he declared he stood with folded nrsus
as To inc candidates aud could see no
way, out Of the dliihlty except by thu
election ot members Of the elec. oral col
leges who would be- pledged TO vote for
q Union man regardless of the official
honihces. On Sept ~, 1850, there was
u Union haAs meeting at Austin, and
Houston rose from his sick bod 10 I'D
dress d. lie declared tiiat the possible
triumph OF the liepuDlican party would
not be sufficient cause for the dlssolu-
ton ot the Union, and went on to utter
words OF wisdom which the South must
NOW read with sad heart. 'If' hi
said, through division IA the ranks OF
those opposed to Mr.. Lincoln, he should
to elrcted, we nave 10 excuse Tor ds-
solving the Union. This Union is worth
more thun Mr.. Lincoln, and IL battle
Is 10 be fought for the constitution lot
ms tight II In the Union and for the sake
Of the Union. With a majority ~ tho
people in favor OF the constitution, shall
we desert the government and leave il
In the hands of minorltyl A new Oh
legation VIII be inipsOed upon us 10 guard
the constitution aud TO see that no in
fraction Of il Is ATTEMPTED or permitted.
n Mr.. Lucoln administers the govern
ment In accordance with the constitution.
our rights must needs be respected. III
he does not, the constitution provides a
remedy" Outside Of Texas H0uston'a
efforts 10 uphold the Union excited wrath
and Indignation among the shareholders.
lie was denounced everywhere as trail
tor 70 the South. Senator Wigfall said
In Virginia what he would scarcely have
yonured TO say Ia Texas, that Houston
ought 10 be tarred and hathrred and
driven from the state. Senator Iyenson
u GeOTgia went NO FAR as to hint at his
ASSASSINATION. He said; 'Some Texan
Brutua may arise 10 nd his country Of
this old hoiry-heailcd traitor" When
the Texan state convention met on Jan.
Is, 1854, the Secessionist legislature
adopted d resolution recogniz-
lug It's authority, and Houston ua
vetoed the resolution on the
ground that the election of the conyen-
lion had been Illegal. The resolution,
however, wA5 passed over his veto and
the convention Immediately adopted an
ordinance Of secession BY vote OF iUT
TO 4. Houston's subsequent course