Governor Houston was inaugurated on the 21st of December, 1859, and thus was organized at this critical period in Texas a divided administration, with a chief executive known to be strongly opposed to separate State action as a remedy against Federal wrongs, and a legislature with views not at all in harmony with his on that subject. This was made more manifest during the canvass in 1860 for President, in which the governor's leading friends supported Bell, and the great body of Democrats supported Breckinridge, the Southern Democratic nominee for President. Although the vote was somewhat divided, especially in certain counties in northern and western Texas, the aggregate vote in the State in that election restored the democracy to its former overwhelming majority. There were no electoral tickets put out for either Stephen A. Douglas or Abraham Lincoln. During this canvass there were weekly discussions by leaders on both sides, at the capital and in most other parts of the State, and toward the last of it the people were called upon to determine what should be done in the event Abraham Lincoln should be elected by the combined majorities of the Northern States.
On the 14th of November, 1860, at Huntsville, Tex., a large number of citizens addressed Governor Houston a letter, asking his opinion in regard to the best course to pursue in this important period of our history. In his answer he presented at length his reasons why there was no occasion for separate State action, and defined his position by saying: ‘Here I take my stand. So long as the Constitution is maintained by Federal authority and Texas is not made the victim of “Federal wrong,” I am for the Union as it is.’
