The Writings of Sam Houston, Volume I

143

WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1829

I pray you to salute your family for me, and be assured, of my sincere devotion .and friendship. Truly your friend P. S. I hope to take, and send you, between this and Christ- mas, some fine buffaloe meat for your Christmas dinner, or at furthest, by the 8th of Jany. 1 Jackson MSS., U.S. Congressional Lib1·ary. Photostat, The University of Texas Library. John Spencer Bassett, Con·espondenee of Andrew Jackson, IV, 74-75. This letter is reproduced from Bassett, Corr6sponclence of Andrew Jackson, IV, 74-75. There is a partial copy in the Jackson MSS. in the Library of Congress. So far as it goes, it agrees substantially with the Bassett copy, but several paragraphs and sentences appear in the Bassett which do not appear in the manuscript in the Jackson Pcipers. Bassett does not say where .he obtained the copy which he printed. ~Gales and Company, otherwise Gales and Seaton, were noted publishers. They edited and published the National Intelligencer (daily and tri-weekly), a newspaper that printed running records of the proceedings of Congress, and was recognized as the organ of government. In politics this fearless editor, Gales, was by turns a Republican, a Whig, and a Constitutional Democrat. He did not believe in government by the masses, and considered Jackson's election a national calamity. He warmly supported the United States Bank, national free education, Clay's American System, and liberalism in religion. Naturally, Jackson and his supporters regarded Gales and Seaton as the arch-enemy; but posterity owes a debt of gratitude to these fearless printers, for besides the Intelligence1·, these men published (1825-1837) a Register of Debates in Congress (29 vols.), Annals of Congress (52 volumes, covering the period 1798-1824), and the Anierican State Papers, 38 volumes. In fact, these publishers preserved for history the congressional debates down through 1834. For biographical sketches of Joseph Gales (father and son) see the Dictionary of American Biography, VII, 99-101.

HOUSTON'S CERTIFICATE OF CITIZENSHIP IN THE CHEROJ{EE NATION1

Whereas an order has been published by the agent of the Chero- kee Nation requireing all white men who reside in the Nation without the consent of the Chiefs of the said Nation to comply with certain rules and regulations set forth in Said order Now be it known by these presents, that Genl. Samuel Houston, late of the State of Tennessee, has been residing in the Nation for Some time past, and has manifested a disposition to remain with us. In consideration of his former acquaintance with and Serv- ices rendered to the Indians, and his present disposition, to im- prove their condition and benefit their scircumstances, and our confidence in his integrity, and talents, if he Should remain

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