The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 18, July 1914 - April, 1915 Page: 55

Beginnings of Secession Movement in Texas

stituents, also, after fully considering the sentiment expressed
in his speech, repudiated him, and demanded his resignation.
They charged that he was false to his declarations and professions
made at the time he was elected; that he had forfeited their con-
fidence and respect; and that they had been mistaken in their
belief that he was not only a high-minded, honorable, intelligent
and truthful gentleman, but also sound on the subject of slavery.27
The convention adopted the platform of the national convention
of 1852, as embracing the only doctrine which could preserve the
integrity of the Union and the equal rights of the states.28 They
further endorsed the Kansas-Nebraska act as "a triumph of the
constitution over fanaticism and sectional madness," and main-
tained the equality of the states and the rights of slavery to pro-
tection in the territories until such territory should be admitted
as states into the Union.29 That the radical leaders were be-
coming intolerant of opposition to their ideas on the subject was
shown in other action taken by the convention rather than in its
"TIbid., December 8, 1855.
It appears in this instance, however, that it was not Mr. Sherwood,
but rather his constituents who had changed their views on the subject.
Mr. Sherwood had expressed the same views in 1848, and they were
printed in the Galveston News at the time.
The Gazette styled Sherwood a mere visionary, and in reviewing his
speech concludes that "Mr. Sherwood's views are not only false in con-
ception, and gratuitously inflicted upon us, but they are uncalled for, by
a Southern community amply able to know and appreciate their rights.
With some pretension to historic greatness in the calendar of statesmen,
the South is yet fully able to sustain himself without the aid of North-
ern theorists of society, who may volunteer to teach us our duties on the
subject of slavery."--State Gazette, December 1, 1856.
2"The national Democratic platform, adopted at Baltimore in 1852,
reaffirmed Resolutions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the platform of 1848,
which placed the trust of the American Democracy in the intelligence, the
patriotism and the discriminating justice of the American people; as-
serted its belief in a strict construction of the constitution; declared that
the federal government had no power to carry on a general system of
internal improvements; to assume the debts of the several states; to
cherish the interests of one section of the country to the injury of an-
other portion, etc. In regard to slavery the platform denied that Con-
gress had any power to interfere with or control the domestic institu-
tions of the several states; declared that the party would abide by the
compromise measures of 1850, and would resist all attempts at renewing
the slavery agitation; would uphold the principles of the Virginia and
Kentucky resolutions, and uphold the war with Mexico as just and neces-
sary.-T. H. McKee, The National Conventions and Platforms of all Po-
litical Parties, 74.
"Siate Gazette, January 7, 1856.