WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1850
243
if I had been discharged or removed for malfeasa.nce, that it was an unmerited act of injustice and persecution, inflicted on a sub- altern who had not means of redress, or high influences to back him in his position. That would have been the natural inference. But I have testimony that I ceased to be an officer or subagent by resignation. After conducting a delegation of Indians to this place, I resigned my first lieutenancy on the first of March, 1818, and returned to the agency with the delegation. On my return, I was welcomed by all my superior officers, and commended for the manner in which I had performed the duties which had devolved upon me. Governor McMinn, in writing to the War Department, by the delegation, when they set out with me from the nation, says: "I will forward accounts and receipts for the expenditures as much in detail as possible, by Lieutenant Houston, who is charged with the funds to defray the expenses.· He will conduct the dele- gation to you, and remain in the city until their return, unless otherwise directed by you. Colonel Meigs and myself united in opinion respecting Mr. Houston's conducting the chiefs, by whose vigilance and address they will be much profited. Some of them are old and infirm, and the greater part are unacquainted with traveling among the whites," &c. That, sir, is additional evidence that those under whom I acted had confidence in me. I have shown, and the record shows, that there was no act of malfeasance connected with my service. I will now show that I resigned my office as sub-agent and returned to civil life, so that no removal could have taken place. My resignation cannot, I am told, be found in the War Depart- ment, though it certainly was there. I have the testimony of Colonel Meigs, and there are yet witnesses living to that fact. I know not why it has disappeared from the records of the War Department. It could not have been, I hope, to found an accu- sation against me, supposing that the charge of removal from office would be corroborated by the disappearanec of my resig- nation. If that is the case, the evil is cured. General Jackson, at the time I went back to the nation, in writing to Colonel Meigs, says to him, knowing that he was feeble: "Nashville, Au.gust 26, 1817. "Dear Colonel: I have this moment received from the honor- able Secretary of War a letter of the 9th instant, an extract of which I enclose you; and I have ... the letter to you as author- ised, believing it all-important that your aid ought to be in a
Powered by FlippingBook