481
THE .1,.USTIN PAPERS
they had been brought up, before all the members returned, and had been Lai.fl, on the table till lune. Could I have got home the same night I should have done so without showing myself. I had to stay, however, and learned, from conversation with my friends among the senators, that probably ~ vote of reconsideration might be obtained. On motion it proved to be the fact; and after a very animated and interesting discussion, for which I fur- nished the chief matter, such ignorance prevails on the subject, the Reso- lutions were carried, but with very considerable amendments, growing out of prudential motives. Old men are excessively prudent, as if there could be danger in requesting congress to recognize when they see reason for so doing. The amendments are rather in the phraseology than in the sense. Mr Wiggington seemed displeased and doubted if the House would concur. I shall have to go again to see about it. The success of these Resolutions-- They are called my resolutions-is ascribed entirely to the presence of the ladies. The seats were crowded by my influence and example. The ladies call out the eloquence-and they electioneer well in the lobbies and in society. Our friends in the senate are Mesrs Carter-Willes-Dixon- Barnet-Young. All were eloquent. Willes most elaborate. I gave him a book-and numbers of the Telegraph. Fergurson drew up his brief, and assisted him by hints as he spoke. He was very useful and devoted. They doubted the ability of Texas to maintain her Independence, which was a clause left o·ut by the amendments. With the alterations they had every vote but two. One of the no was the Uncle of young Woolley who re- turned with Wilson and Postletwhaite. 2 Those bad men did incalculable mischief. Nothing can do away [with] the impression The President's Texas message, arriving while the Resolutions were pending, had its effect to re·tard. 'He knows better than we,' they would say. Whartons foolish speech did mischief by giving plausibility to the argument of our oppo- nents that the Texian battles were fought by adventurers from the United States rather than by Texans. Mr Burrel of the Senate, arrived direct from Texas while the discussion was going on, and had he been more of a man he might have aided us much by a speech in point, as I urged. He i$ not much of a talker, and I suspect, though I could not find out, that he was not altogether pleased. He spoke of the excitement caused by Santa Anna's release, and of Houston's intemperance and unpopularity. He said he had been with you some days. He only voted with us-said nothing. I saw in Frankfort an old friend of yours-Mrs Ramsey. She told me to speak to you of Martha Lockwood-of St. Louis. She said she had led many a dance with you. I. replied, no doubt she would again, for she is going to Texas to reside, being a widow,· and having a sister there, Jiving in Nacog•
::They had led Kentucky troops to Texas after the battle of San Jacinto and were much offended because President Burnet declined to accept their services.
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