State Gazette Appendix. (Austin, Tex.), No. 10, Ed. 1, Tuesday, November 20, 1855 Page: 1 of 4
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TAT1 UAZITT1 APPMDH.
FEINTED AND PUBLISHED AT THE QlXY OF AUSTIN" TEXAS BY MARSHALL & OLDHAM
SIXTH LEGISLATURE.
AUSTIN TUESDAY NOVEMBER 20 1S55.
NO. 10.
greatly mistaken as it regards much of tho premises
he has laid off as the foundation of his protest.
If he would hesitate u little and examine farther
. he would find that I have uttered no sentiment
whatever to the effect that slavery is a moral or
political evil I have endeavored sir and my
colleague will ascertain it when ho comes to ana-
lyze my remarks more closely to maintain as
htrong mi argument as I was capable of making
that the motives to benevolence expediency
and public policy as well as of wibdom and justice
are united to sustain the institution against aggres-
sion from any quarter. I have not used the words
"moral and political evil" in any reference to the
subject. If my colleague will examine with suffi-
cient care he will ascertain to his own satisfaction
that no sncli position has been taken either in the
document referred to or in my remarks accompa-
nying it.
"With the indulgence of the House I will be
permitted to sp. t'-at in tho introduction of the
document alluded to 1 had a design which though
aniMirent a I suppled waB intended to be more-
'jSwtictfljirJj' explained to the committee at a
proper time.
I waR brought up in the Noi Hi. My early polit-
ical life was spent in the North as far at least as
I engaged In politics from 18:29 to "1846. On the
"subject of slavery I always endeavored to main-
tain the attitude of a peacemaker. I have never
yet raised mv voice to promote agitation: hut on
the contrary have always been ready to assaugo
and put baek'an effort of that character. For
many years have I stood up against the efforts of
extravagant meu in mv native State. I have just
tience and forbearance and do nothing uuuiselr
or that will disable your northern friends from
standing up effectually to your support.
If I understand my colleague aright he is pre-
pared to assume a belligerent attitude. It may-
be as he sas that he is prepared to fight. I am
not. I have made no preparation for it nor have
I any taste for civil war or the calamities to grow
out of it. 1 havo no fancy fyr military operations
of that kind and mnt thciftbi'o leave it for my
colleague to plan tho h' rst campaign. For myself
1 am a man of pence nmlwould ho content to
make a "peace offering" only.
With such views Mr. Speaker I drev.- up the
document which I read in cdmmittcu of the whole.
I did desire to sneak acain aud through this Leg
islature to the thousands and I might almost say
als. Let it go forth in connection with what I
havo said as an implied censure for my having said
it let this he done to Lorenzo Sherwood aud it
would give to the abolitionists of the North an ar-
gument thoy would not-bo slow to seize upon. It
yvotku give them the opportunity for saying that
is tho treatment he receives at the hands of those
for whose sake he opposed the abolitionists; that
ia the compensation ayvarded for his pains takin"-
that is the return for his fidelity to the South.
Sir let my colleague sprend his protest upon
the Journals if he will. Lot gentleman vote 'for
it if theyvill and upon the supposition that it
would inflict a censure. I know where I stand and
have very little concern as to tho effect of this
protest. I am a national man I shall advocate
national sentiments; and to the extent of myabil-
millions I have spoken to in former times "l '' ity shall endeavor ns heretofore to show
.... i:ti ! : :.. : :.. if
ut mm; Duiujiic on hi imijjuiiuj ujy BUggUSMUUS
to extravagant men in tne bouth it 1 happen to
-7iiii!Sttv-i!hittni -T nvru.xuu!tto ratisfy either a
x uu uu iiul cAjfcb iu etiusiy uiij inuo vvuusu miua
lias become politically diseased by brooding over
imaginary evils or imaginary wrongs. But sir.
within tho compass of my limited ability I have a
duty to perform and shall endeavor to perforin it
in accordance with my political conscience and
judgment. It matters not in what part of the
Union I reside or tho force of sectional sentiment
which provails no personal consideration would
cause me to hesitate or waver for a moment. As
long as tho blood shall circulate through these
lungs to sustain the vital energies of my system ;
as long as this hand is able to yvrite or pen the
thoughts of my mind will I hope to be able to
Htand upas tho humble advocato of political peace.
To my mind sir it should outweigh all considera-
tions or causes of excitement. As long then as I
have a political conscience and judgment to satisfy
thus loug must I stand in the attitudo of a peace-
maker. I have often said to the fanaticism of the
North peace! peace! Meddle not with that
which is not of your business. I ara just as ready
to say to the indignant man of the South excited
Ly the conduct of his Northern brethren bo not
over extravagant in your resentments nor allow
them to carry you too far. I appreciate the deli-
cacy of my position as well as its danger perhaps
to what may be termed personal popularity.
That is a personal matter merely nnd of no con-
sequence. There is one consideration connected with sec-
tional excitement Hint is not always sufficiently
taken into the account. It has heretofore becu
the case that a strong conservative party existed
in the North sufficient in numbers to assist the
South in holding steady against aggression. I
knoyy-wellthopoRitionthnt party has been obliged
to ocoupy and the peculiar situation in which it
has ever been placed. Every political indiscre
tion in the South las tind the effect thus far to
' 'weaken Its force. Suoh will always bo tho case.
I understand well the effect of Southern political
indiscretion and how effectually it tends to disarm
jbu'r friends in the North. I am ever ready to bay
' W gentlemen of'the Soutb-bo '.discreet havo pa-
observe that my motives havo been laisanm-plirn
ded; my object has been misconceived and my
language misunderstood. I do not charge 'any
one with intentionally perverting my meaning.
j.i uuncici guiiuuiuau yvjii cAaimno caroiuny
what I did utter in conned ia with my motives
and objects I think they will find nothing excep-
tionable. Instead of attacking the institution of
flavery or intending to wound the sensibilities of
any one on that subject my purpose had an entirely
opposite direction. I sought to sustain it oh
philosophic and philanthropic grounds. I sought
to tliroyv arouno the question the moral force to
w hich it is justly entitled as well as the equal and
just claim to respectability on the part of those
yvho have become responsible for tho care of the
institution. If others can do better than mvself
in that respect it is because thoy have more talent
and better ability to treafathe subjept.
j.;Yih refcrenratothoiLocuraeuf; or proposed
address? reaff'GyTmTin turafnlttce'uf tho vvhole. I
designed that it should so to the committee on
Federal Relations. It has allusion to a subject of
groyving importance; one that is forcingitself upon
the public consideration aud I desired that com-
mittee to take the whole subject and object of that
document into careful examination. If the lan-
guage or sentiments expressed were in the least
objectionable I would have desired them to have
been modified. After mature deliberation if that
committee and the House in their sense of pro-
priety should have concurred in the objects I had
in vieyv it would have been gratifying to me to
have had Hie proposed address taken Hie course
iniendod. I thought that it might be wise and
yvell that this Legislature should speak to the
people of this Union on the subjects embraced
in the document. Sir I knoyv mimy of the people
to yvhoin it was proposed to speak. " I have known
them well. I have knoyvn them as honest men
and solicitous for the great and common welfare
of the country. More especially with those in uri-
native State have I bad much political inter-
course. I have acted with them in elaborating
out a series of reforms and in my identity with
which I trust I acquired the character of being a
sincere man. I will confess to the desire of yvisli-
ing to speak to those political friends again and
on the subjects embraced in the proposed address.
1 nave no objection sir to alfoyvmg my colleague
to put his protest to any tlimg I have uttered
upon the Journals of the House. He can assume
what position lie sees tit aud must be governed by
Iiis oyn senso of what he conceives to be due to
himself and others. I knoyv what I have said and
the motive for saying it. But let the proposition
of my colleague prevail. I have shown to this
Houso-wiiat my antecedents were in respect to
my opposition to those who yvere endeavoring to
commit their political assaults on tho South.
The House should know from these whether I
have done my duty as a Northern man and at a
timo I had just as little motive to seek sectional
popularity as I now have. Let this protestffound-
cd in misconception he entered on tho-Journ-
tor preserving the political peace and harmony of
the Union. I have never yet occupied any other
ground and trust I never shall.
Mr Daxcv thought this course would not placo
the gentleman from Galveston in a fair position.
If ho had understood the gentleman from Galveb
ton Mr. (Shenvood.) ho did not precisely occupv
the position attributed to him by the gentleman
from Galveston (Mr. Broyvn.) There was cer-
tainly enough of what was objectionable to this
Legislature in the remarks nf the wiitToimin u
J Galveston (Mr. Shenvood) without making them
""" "'"" muii uiuy realty were.
He thought & slight alteration of the protest of
Mr. Brown would enable him to place Mr. Sher-
wood in tho position he fairly occupied.
Mr. Bnowx said he would be tho last man in
tho House to do injustice to any man. And if ho
had not correctly represented the positions as-
sumed by his colleague (Mr. Sherwood) he did
not wish that ho should-.be placed in aafeeposi-
tion upon the Journals. He had airaed'to state
them as he had understood them and as he be-
lieved a majority of the Houso had understood
them. But he added iustiee linfr mv mTii.
star and feeling no disposition to misrepresent
that gentleman I will for the present withdraw
the request to place tho protest upon the Journ-
als leaving the instrument hoyvever in possession
of the House.
Mr. West Mr. Speaker I rise with the per-
mission of the House for tho purpose of making
very briefly a personal explanation.
I find iu a newspaper published in this city this
morning and laid on the desks of the members of
thw body by a resolution of the House tho fol-
llllllllf II tlllftint n . Id
j luiiuig uiuisiuii 10 uiyseii:
" The Knoyv Nothing Representative from this
county was so good a Ruk man that he under-
took to vindicate him from what ho termed a per
sonal attack in the resolutions of the Democracy
I of Travis. His gratuitous "labor of lore" how-
I ever was properly exposed by Col. Dancv who
also claimed to he a Representative and a Demo-
cralic one too of Travis. He showed that the
attack upon Gen. Rusk conjured up by the K.
IS. of Austin had never been made or dreamed or
by the Democracy of Travis county; that it exist-
ed neither in memory or on record but was a
mere "mental reservation" of Know Nothimr-
lsin." &
As a reference has been made to tho records i'
propose briefly to dispose of this issue this morn-
ing by an appeal to tho record itself. My lar-
guage in the remarks referred to was as follows
" Still throughout all Texas there was no voice
raifqd in aught but praise of Gen. Rusk until a
certain public meeting vv;i3 held in the city of
Austin m tho county of Travis which in its
preamble aud its first resolution presumed not
only to censure but to denounce as corrupt all
those yyho advocated the Collins' Steamer Bill'"
These were the words that I used. Now Mr
Speaker we will see if- the resolutions referred
to do not establish conclmivoly tho statements
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Oldham, W. S. & Marshall, John. State Gazette Appendix. (Austin, Tex.), No. 10, Ed. 1, Tuesday, November 20, 1855, newspaper, November 20, 1855; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth81215/m1/1/: accessed July 11, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.