178
TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
B!•at shakes and pitches in a heavy sea most horribly we are to touch at Valasco where I will leave this letter for you
Your sincere friend SA Roberts
[Endorsed]
[ Addressed] Genl. 1\1. B. Lamar
SA Roberts
1 July 1838 On Election Papers &c
No. 757
1838 July 1, J. WEBB TO 1\1. B. LAMAR, [HOUSTON]
Steamer Cuba, between Galveston & Velasco. 1st July 1838.
1\Ty Dear Genl, I perceive that the Editor of the Civilian has made an attack on you in an article, which he evidently intended should be personally offensive to you, & from .all I have heard, I have no doubt his main object was to irritate you into the Commission of some act of violence, under the hope that such an act would seriously affect you in the estimation of the people at the coming election. For myself, tho' fully aware of your sensibility to insult, I can- not believe for a moment, that the attacks of such creatures are capable of producing .any such effects~You could not, without com- promitting your own dignity, notice in any way the attacks of news-- paper Editors; and if there are others ·behind the scenes who pull the wires in secret, & whose standing might entitle them to more ,-consideration if they were known & openly avowed, still, you cannot notice them while they retain the mask, except to treat them with the contempt they so justly merit.-Besides, there does not exist in the public mind the slightest necessity that such things should be noticed-especially by you-The people view these things aright, & properly appreciate the motives which give rise to them, so far from their doing an injury to the person assailed, they are certain to produce a contrary affect-In Houston, the supposed strong- hold of the Opposition, I am certain the article in the Civilian of Thurs- day last has been of service· to you-The people openly denounce it, & nobody seems disposed to defend it.-1 heard Col. Thurston & Dr. Tucker, (in a large crowd of persons assembled ~t the Court House on Fri9-ay to witness some trial), propose to bet $500 eaeh, that you would received in Houston, double as many votes, as all the other candidates together, & no person seemed disposed to take either bet.- It is the opinion of several of your friends with whom I have con- versed, that a trip up the Country would be serviceable to you. I think so too-There is no telling what impression may be made on the minds of the people on the eve of the Election-you know by whom the effort will be made, if made at all, & you therefore know in whnt
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