WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1836
464
tExecutive Letter Book No. 1, p. 129. :?For biographical notes, see the following: Stephen F. Austin, Diction- ary of American. Biogra.phy, I, 437-440; and E. C. Barker, The Life of Stevhen F. Au.stin; Henry Smith, see John Henry Brown, Life ancl •Times of Hem·y Smith; Thomas J. Rusk, see Houston to Rusk, March 23, 1836; Samuel Rhoads Fisher, see Houston to the Texas Senate, October 23, 1836; James Collinsworth, Houston to Collinsworth, March 13, 1836.
To NATHANIEL LYNCH 1 Executive Department, Columbia 1st Novr 1836
Honl Nathl Lynch 2 Sir, The existing laws are in force until the enactment of other laws by the Congress. I am informed that Judge League 3 is too indisposed as First Judge to discharge his duty. In that event you will assume as second Judge the duties of your office, and discharge them impartially and faithfully. I regret to hear that anything irregular should occur at this time, and I do solemnly enjoin on all good citizens, an observance of the existing laws. If abuses have existed heretofore, they will be remedied, and all wrongs redressed. No man shall take the laws into his own hands; and he who attempts it will be punished by the sentence of the laws which he has abused. Good citizens will be proud to obey the laws, and honest judges will administer them with justice and impartiality. Let justice be done, but no violence, as all citizens are under the mantle of the laws, and shall be protected. Sam Houston 1 Executive Letter Book No. 1, 129, Texas State Library. 2 Nathaniel Lynch came to Texas in 1822 from Missouri. He selected his headright on the San Jacinto River at the point where the Buffalo Bayou flows into the river. He built a ferry across the river at that point; this not only was a means of livelihood fo1· Lynch, but was also a great con- venience for that section of the country. On November 16, i835, the Coun- cil appointed two judges for the municipality of Harrisburg-T. H. League and Nathaniel Lynch. The town of Harrisburg grew up about Lynch's Ferry, and Nathaniel Lynch lived there until his death in the last we:ks of 1836. See Lamar Pavers, IV, Part 1, 124. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, XVIII, 277. 3Mrs. Adele B. Looscan in her article on Harris County (Texas Histori- cal Quarterly, XVIII, 277) says that the Judge League spoken of here was T. H. League.
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