. WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1850
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General Jackson recommended me in a letter, an extract from which I will read to the Senate: Extract from a letter from Anclrew Jackson, Major General Comm.anding the Division of the South, to George Graham, Esquire, Act-ing Sec'reta1·y of War, dated Neish.ville, 26th August, 1817: "I beg leave to recommend Lieutenant Samuel Houston, of the _1st infamtry, as a young man of sound integrity, who has my entire confidence, and in every way capacitated to fill the appointment. I would further remark, that, Lieutenant Hous- ton has some claims upon Government for a severe wound he received in service, which may be considered a disability." A commission was granted to me, dated August 29th, 1817. Subsequent to that time, Mr. Graham, in writing to Colonel Meigs, the agent says: "Your presence among them (the Indians) will, I have no doubt, have a most happy effect; but I hope the necessity of your remaining any time with them will be obviated by the presence of Lieutenant Houston, who, on the very warm recommendation of General Jackson, has been appointed an assistant agent, and whom, I suppose, you will have met on your arrival at the agency." I was there in the discharge of my full duty, when Governor McMinn arrived. Governor McMinn remained for some time as superintendent of Indian affairs for the territory within the limits of Tennessee; and in writing to the then Secretary of War, [Mr. Calhoun,] under date of December 29th, 1817, he says, speaking of the resistance that was made to the policy of the Government in relation to the subject of emigration: "The first was, that the Cherokee lighthorse should wrest the property from the emigrants which was to be given by the United States and apply it to the satisfaction of debts c011tracted by the emigrants in the year past. So soon as this project was communicated, I issued an order forbidding all such attempts, and declared that I would view it in the light of hostilities against the United States, and would punish its perpetrators accordingly. Mr. Houston carried this order into effect with a promptitude not less characteristic of his integrity than zeal for his country, by arresting the first offender, who returned the property without a moment's hesitation. The course taken on this occasion had the happy effect of dispersing this band of legal robbers." Here are evidences that I had the confidence of my superiors in the discharge of my duty; and the only inference would be,
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