WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1850
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should be invited within the bar of the house, and that he should have met with the assembly during the time of the sittings, and remained to the close of their deliberations, and then departed. Now, this all looks suspicious. I do not say there was anything in it; but it would have led my mind to the conclusion that this letter had suggested the course pursued, as the convention was subsequent and fully in accordance with the suggestions contained in that letter. And the fact that that gentleman happened at that particular time to be traveling there seems to me to be somewhat suspicious. I do not know but that he thought that would be an agreeable time to meet the professional gentlemen of Mississippi. But it would all lead to the suspicion that he knew something about the letter, and as he left at the time he did, it would seem as though it was all a. matter of concert, and that concert had much to do with the deliberations of that con- vention. [Some miscellaneous debate followed.] Mr. Houston. Will the gentleman allow me to say a few words? It is very seldom that I annoy the Senate, and I beg pardon if I do so now. I would not say a word, but to assure the Senator from Mississippi that I say what I have said in all good feeling. . . . I will answer the gentleman with great pleasure. I said that I voted for the principle of the Missouri compromise in voting for the admission of Oregon with a restriction against slavery in the Constitution, because it lay north of the Missouri compromise line. Upon that I based my vote for the admission of Oregon with the restriction against slavery... Mr. Houston. Yes, and on the principle of giving Oregon a government. 1 Congressional Globe, Apvendix, XXII, part 2, 1849-1850, pp. 1535-1537, 1539-1541. 2 The TexaJJ State Gazette, February 16, 1850, carried n copy of joint res- olutions passed by the Texas Legislature relative to elections to be held on March 1, 1850, for the selection of delegates to the Southern Convention. The resolution provided that four delegates should be voted for in each Congressional District, the results of which elections were to be returned to the Chief Justice of Rusk County for the East Texas Congressional Dis- tricts, and to the Department of State for the Western Congressional Dis- tricts. Newspapers throughout the State were urged to advertise the call for election. The election returns show that a number of delegates were elected to go to this Southern Convention to be held at the City of Nashville, Ten- nessee, June 3-12, 1850, but, for some 1·eason not ascertained, only one representative from Texas went. This 1·epresentatives was James Pinckney
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