241
WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1850
archives of the country ransacked for thirty-seven years back, and, to the astonishment, I have no doubt, of some, it will appear that my track is clear, that it is smooth and not a brush in it. From the time I enlisted as a private soldier in the ranks of the United States army on the 24th day of March, 1813, up to the 1st day of March, 1818, when I resigned as a first lieutenant, I never had a mark against me. If there were ma1:ks, they were the marks of the enemy upon my body, and not upon my escutheon. I never was a "defaulter" for one moment, sir; I. was incapable of "malfeasance"; and for my conduct as sub- Indian agent I will produce the records as testimony, and bring forward very high authority, which has not heretofore been promulgated to the world, because I did not desire such aid to obtain the public approbation. But, sir, if I have earned the approval of my fellow-citizens, I should be false to them and to myself, if I did not vindicate the character which they have accorded me. Sir, the office of sub-agent was unsought by me. It was unso- licited because I was at that time sufferin~ from the effects of a wound. I had been so for four years, and was unable, as many believed, to encounter the arduous duties and the exposure which I must necessarily encounter in performing the duties of sub-Indian agent, and inciting the Indians to remove west of the Mississippi. But, sir, because it seemed to promote the interests of the Government, and because I was contributing aid to the great work of pacificating and conciliating the feelings of the South-for Georgia was not unexcited, and Tennessee was anxious to occupy her chartered limits-I was willing to make a sacrifice of my own individual comfort and health, if need be. It was the business of General Jackson to supervise the execu- tion, as he had been one of the commissioners to make the treaty. He was chief of the military of the southern division of the United States. Many matters connected with the Indians of that country were referred to him; indeed, I believe he was engaged in negotiating more treaties with Indian tribes than any other individual within my knowledge. Colonel Meigs, a man of the Revolution, and a colonel at that time, being then superannuated and unable to perform the duties to which it was thought a younger man would be competent, I was detailed for the purpose.
Powered by FlippingBook