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WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1850
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of comparable utility to Colts Revolvers. They are certain, simple of construction, and the great number of discharges render them terrible to an enemy. The arm cannot be too highly commended. Sam Houston [Rubric] 1 From the Emil Hurja Collection, Washington, D.C. Thomas Henry Bayly (not Bayley as Houston spells the name) was born on the family estate, "Mont Curtis," near Dummondtown, Accomac County, Virginia, on December 11, 1810. His elementary education was obtained from the public schools of his home district, after which he was graduated from the Uni- versity of Virginia in 1829. He was admitted to the Virginia bar in 1830, and from that time until his death he engaged in legal affairs and in farm- ing. In 1835 he was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, but resigned in 1840, because he had been elected to fill a vacancy in the Twenty-eighth Congress. He was reelected to the Twenty-ninth Congress and to the five succeeding Congresses, serving from May 6, 1844, till his death on June 23, 1856. He was buried in the family burial ground at "Mont Curtis." See The Biogmphical Directory of the Americci.n Cong1·ess (1928), 681. SPEECH CONCERNING TEXAS BOUNDARY CLAIMS, AUGUST 8, 1850 1 I am informed that it was against Indian depredations that these defences were made. The same Indians, or others of the same tribe, yet depredate on the place at this day, and it was for defences against them. They have made at different times four or five incursions in that locality, and either slaughtered the inhabitants or driven away their stock. There were claims exist- ing during the last month for hundreds of thousands of herds of cattle driven off by the Comanches.... I will inform the honorable gentleman that marauders and contraband gangs have always been passing and repassing, and committing depredations, but there has been no invasion of any force authorized by the Government. As for Mr. Henry, he may be a very respectable gentleman, but we have never heard of him in these parts. [Mr. Underwood cited Henry as authority for various Mexican invasions into Texas, including that of Canales in 1839.] Mr. Houston. As the Senator has referred to me, I will state to him that there was an incursion into Texas as late as SeP- tember, 1842. The invaders marched as far as San Antonio, and were repulsed and fled away. They renewed the invasion in the Fall of 1842, and were again driven off. They had a pretty narrow escape, and they never returned. Subsequently to that
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