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WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1850
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Government, or the Secretary of War, was apprised, by the forwarding of my accounts, that a balance of several months' pay was due me as first lieutenant. The suit was, however, directed to be instituted against me forthwith, and I remained for years under the charge of being a defaulter, when I have shown the Government was in my debt some two hundred and seventy dollars. Yes, sir; and this was done, I suppose, else I know not why, upon the principle that it is easier to crush the egg than to destroy the adder. It might have been thought, per- haps, that some day, if I were permitted, in a country so pros- perous and well adapted to enterprise and energy as this, I might make some mark in history, and that it was better to brand the youth, then unbefriended other than by the unbought, generous, manly offering of a great soul, with the disgrace of a defaulter. But, sir, if this was the idea, it was unavailing. In 1821, when my account had been repeatedly sent in for audit and adjustment, and when I had debited myself upon the face of it with sixty-seven dollars, without answering it at all an order was issued upon that apparent balance against me, on which Mr. Pleasanton, writing as the agent of the Treasury Department, from the Fifth Auditor's office, December 10, 1821, to Mr. Crabb, United States Attorney, Tennessee, says: "You will be pleased to institute suit without delay. Mr. Hous- ton's place of residence is said to be in the western district of Tennessee." Well, sir, the suit was instituted, and what was the result? In the mean time, sir, I had become a man of some note. I was major general of two-thirds of the militia of Tennessee, and my name was canvassed before the people without opposition for a seat in Congress. The people were kind; they were generous. I had associated with them in the hours of peril and days of trial, when we were forming a wall of fire as a frontier against a savage enemy; and, sir, I was not forgotten in my days of humility. Then, sir, the tables were turned. On the 8th of April, 1822, Mr. Lee sent the following order to Mr. Pleasanton: Treasury Department, Second Auditor's Office, April 8, 1822. Sir: A claim of Samuel Houston, late sub-Indian agent, for $237 61, having been sanctioned by the Secretary of War, the sum of 67.52, for which he was reported for suit the 28th of November last, is considered as accounted for, but the balance due him will be withheld until I am apprised through you of his
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